Dennis D Montoya

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The Squirrel Relocation Program

How I Spent a Summer Giving Squirrels Rides to the Park The first house we bought was a 1930s fixer-upper with two enormous walnut trees in the backyard. They were beautiful trees. Slightly overgrown, but beautiful, and they shaded nearly the entire yard. It made the entire back yard just a little bit nicer. WithContinue reading “The Squirrel Relocation Program”

“It’s Just Pizza… Right?”

I was eating pizza the other day at Fazzari’s Finest, a local place in Clarkston. The Fazzari family has been running it for years. Super kind people. They can make a mean pizza pie.My pie I order? Large cheese with extra cheese and extra sauce. Tomatoes on the side. I had that thought. Pizza isn’tContinue reading ““It’s Just Pizza… Right?””

You’ve been here for a while, thank you.

A Dog, a Plate of Bacon, and a Problem

People ask why I became a vegetarian. The short answer is ethics. The long answer starts with a dog named Pete.

Five Minutes at a Time

The first time I gave a speech, I didn’t give one. I was in tenth grade, sitting in Ms. Davis’s English class, and I hadn’t prepared anything—not because I was bold or rebellious, but because I had absolutely no idea how to write a speech in the first place. No one had shown me howContinue reading “Five Minutes at a Time”

💉 The Things People Say When They Find Out I’m a Nurse

I spend my days moving between two worlds — writing stories about connection, and working in a profession built on it. When people find out I’m a nurse, the tone of a conversation shifts. Humor softens into honesty, and strangers share pieces of their lives that feel both familiar and sacred.

Summer Letter — 2026

Day 8: Disembarkation – Back to Seattle

The final morning arrived quietly — a soft light over Seattle, the kind that feels both calm and reluctant. After a week of laughter, glaciers, and endless sea, the ship no longer felt like adventure; it felt like home. And now we had to let it go.

Day 7: Victoria – A Perfect Finale

Date: Thursday, August 21, 2025Location: Victoria, British Columbia ⚓ Opening HP was already awake, standing by the balcony, watching the shoreline come into view. “We’re here,” she said. I stepped out beside her. The city was quiet in the early light, just beginning to stir — like it had been waiting to greet us. OurContinue reading “Day 7: Victoria – A Perfect Finale”