Editor’s Note: After more than three years as a columnist for the Renton Reporter, Carolyn Ossorio has decided to move on to a new project in her life and this will be her final “Life in the City” column for the paper. Thanks to Carolyn for the voice and fun she has brought to these pages over the years and we wish her the best of luck in future. Don’t be a stranger, Carolyn! – Brian

I’ve had the pleasure of writing for the Renton Reporter for the past three years.

And the No. 1 thing people ask when they meet me is, ‘How do I do what I do?’

Which is how do I pursue my dream of writing and cookin’ and trippin’ with my kids across the Pacific Northwest?

No. 1 props go to my supportive husband.

But I also hear the word, “Supermom” a lot.

I’m not a Supermom. To me that implies some kind of perfected state of being with superpowers other women don’t have.

I’m a Pippimamma.

I call myself Pippimamma in homage to my childhood hero, Pippi Longstocking.

Pippi Longstocking WAS and IS the consummate feisty girl: she does what she wants, when she wants, all the while wearing a monkey on her shoulder and mismatched socks.

To adults, Pippimamma appears ill-mannered because she isn’t conventional and speaks her mind.  But the truth is that Pippi Longstocking has a heart of gold on her quest for creative adventure.

Every day I try to embody that spirit in my life — not getting caught up in what other people are doing and following my heart and doing what feels right.

This is how I approach my life and the people and places I’ve covered for my “Life in the City” column.

I don’t have a cape, but I do have a new apron and with it I’ll be flying off to a new Cookin’ and Trippin’ adventure with my kids.

I’ll still be in Renton, but this is my final “Life in the City” column for the Renton Reporter.

The feeling is bittersweet as I write this because I am amazed at all the wonderful adventures my kids and I have had here in Renton.

A tour at Boeing where I had the honor of seeing those colossal engines that continue to inspire and travel the world. I’ve toured the Federal Reserve Bank and ogled millions and millions of dollars.

But the real treasure has been meeting the heart and soul of Renton: the locals.  Small business owners and people in our community doing incredible things, both big and small.  The openness with which I have been invited “in” and the trust that Rentonites have put in my hands to tell their stories has been incredible.

From a beekeeper to the nonprofit Sibling House, an organization that helps foster parents and the siblings they adopt.  We’ve caught trout at Springbrook Trout Farm and brought it to Chef Tom Douglas to teach us how to cook it.

We’ve learned how to make Oprah’s favorite fried chicken from Heaven Sent and we’ve visited the former Renton jail that’s been turned into a safe harbor for women and children.

It’s been an incredible ride.

I have made so many friends like KB Van Horn, (I wrote a story about her contributions to creating the after-school program Club Teasdale) who created my new apron for my next adventure: a web series filmed on location at our home, Cookin’ and Trippin’ with Pippimamma at Camp Ossorio.

Check it out at www.pippimamma.com

Thanks for the ride!