Murder, Lies, & The Surprise Party That Broke a Bladder

You know that sinking feeling when you realize everyone around you knows something you don’t? That’s the emotional engine of this story and we get there the only way we know how: by lying our asses off for love.We’re on the back deck retelling the day we turned a simple “birthday hang” into Operation Cabot Fog, a full scavenger hunt inspired by cozy mysteries and the Murder She Wrote filming location in Mendocino, California. The plan is to keep the birthday girl out of her own house long enough for a surprise party to appear like magic, but first we’ve got to survive a windy Northern California coastal drive, a red wine regret spiral, and an unplanned roadside puke stop that really tests sibling loyalty.From Dick’s Place to Flow’s ocean views to a darling hilltop cemetery, each clue is a breadcrumb made of nostalgia, family stories, and tiny gifts that hit way harder than they should. We end up at the bluff bench to feed ravens (our beloved goth geniuses) while seagulls try to steal the whole show mid-air, then race back to the cottage for the final misdirection: no speakerphone, no wrong turns, and no walking through the house where everyone is hiding.If you like travel storytelling, Mendocino trip ideas, surprise birthday party planning, and messy sibling comedy with real heart, press play. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves a good double bluff, and leave a review. What’s the best surprise you’ve ever pulled off or had pulled on you?Dead Mom Scavenger Hunt is about moving through life after loss without turning it into a whole identity—or pretending it’s not there. It’s two women traveling, eating, finding mildly chaotic situations, and narrating with humor that’s just dark enough to tell you they’ve been through something. The “scavenger hunt” isn’t literal. It’s the ongoing practice of noticing what’s still good, still funny, still meaningful…even when you don't feel like laughing.Holla at us with questions or comments:Email: [email protected]: @deadmomscavengerhuntFollow us on Facebook!Christmas IG: @drugstorecowgirljewelryCara IG: @cara.steinmannOR you can get all the uncut video and audio if you join us on Patreon. See you there!