08/24/2026
Ok feral folks !! Here it is!!!
The Feral Love Story: Part 4.... The Birthday Trip & The First Snow
We left off after our first trip together, it was amazing and magical, to say the least. But what happened next, you ask? Was it love at first sight?
Gunnar and I had the chance to get to know each other deeply before any physical communication... if you know what I mean. 😉 So by the time we met, we were already falling in love, but then it was time for the big birthday trip... 4 nights and 5 days!! Oh boy!
I was in a hurry to get back... not only to Gunnar, but to Minnesota, it was growing on me. The air was so clean, the peace was unreal and the people were yup... Minnesota Nice. At the time, Gunnar lived in an amazing two-story house with a tiny cabin in the back, sitting on over two acres of beautiful, twisty old oaks and maples right in the heart of a quaint central Minnesota town. He would show me photos and put me on video just to show the leaves slightly changing color. I knew I had to see it in person.
So, I booked a longer getaway for my birthday: flying out on Thursday and staying through Monday. It was going to be great!
Little did I know, Gunnar had all kinds of plans tailored around conversations we’d shared over the past year. When I landed, there he was at the airport.... standing there in a full suit to pick me up! How romantic!
Gunnar remembered me talking about childhood nostalgia eating White Castle burgers and drinking A&W Root Beer in Michigan, so our very first stop was White Castle on our way to Anoka... the Halloween Capital of the US. We did thrifting, walked around the town and enjoyed a fun day together. Then he drove us to Taylors Falls for a picnic and to see the peak autumn colors. Oh my goodness... the reds, golds, and shimmering details!! the drive alone was enough to bring tears to your eyes. Walking the trails alongside the rushing water was breathtaking.
At one point, we stopped by a massive oak tree. Gunnar reached up and caught a falling leaf right above our heads. I snapped a photo of the three of us: him, me, and that falling leaf. That day... that exact moment... was when I realized I was truly, deeply falling in love with him.
It was chilly to say the least but we headed over to Franconia Sculpture Park, had another amazing picnic while wandering through the giant artwork made from discarded items and recycled materials. We even carved our initials into some wood (shh! G + G). Afterward, we hit a local pumpkin patch for fresh cheese curds, warm donut holes, and apple cider. Oh yum!! I was completely hooked.
But Gunnar wasn’t the only one with surprises.... it appears that Minnesota had a birthday gift for me, too.
On my birthday morning, I woke up to Gunnar saying, "Happy Birthday... look outside, Minnesota is giving you a gift."
I looked out the window and IT WAS SNOWING!
In pure excitement, I ran neked all the way downstairs, out the door, and straight into the snow. Gunnar laughed, taking it all in, before being sweet enough to run out with a heavy robe and slippers. (Oh yeah... snow is cold! LOL.)
It was pure magic. After Gunnar gave me my gift.. he hand carved an owl from a stone he found at Mount Rushmore... we spent the day carving the pumpkins we’d picked, decorating the yard, and feeling a level of love and happiness I had never felt before. The feeling was mutual... which made leaving that Monday devastating. There wasn't a dry eye between us at the airport.
How do two people living completely different lives across the country make a relationship work? Was there any real hope for us to be together when we both had established careers, homes, and families in separate states?
Well... maybe Gypc could convince him to move to LA. Next up: a trip out to meet the adult kids, the fur babies, and see what city life is all about.
Stay tuned for Part 5 of... The Feral Love Story, Gone Feral™ Edition!
