What was I thinking?

My clothes were in storage for so long, now it's - what was I thinking?? That is so not cute...

Goodwill is going to make a killing as we realize we no longer need all the wool we did while in Minnesota. I will miss wearing hats everywhere in the winter, however. I had some cute ones with flowers on the side that made everyone laugh every time I wore them...

Why did I ever think I needed so many scarves and spatulas? My husband has a plethora of white socks, and Lucy is amazed to find a whole tub of toys she'd forgotten about. The Internet is working, but not email. The invisible fence is in, but Lucy won't venture further than the door for fear we will leave her here, forever encased in this lovely tomb. So she's sticking close.

I'm watching Ice Road Truckers in between boxes, and catching a blog here and there. Hope you have all have had a great weekend!

On a lighter note...

The weather is absolutely beautiful here in the mountains. The temperatures are in the high 70's and we have had perfectly clear blue skies. It's Street Vibrations in Reno so the area is full of the sound of gravelly pipes. My husband is off, as we speak, to check out the Harley dealership (a meeting spot) to ogle bikes and talk motorcycles. My brother is on his way, and my cousins are joining the pack. Friends are coming to spend the night Saturday and I am busy planning menus. Life is good.

Lucy on the other hand is enjoying some "end of summer" swims:

She comes out clean and refreshed:

No baths during the summer. The lake takes care of that:

How is your weekend looking?

Soda Springs Lodge

We hiked above Lake Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake last Wednesday and came across a very old lodge/camp that had been there since the 1870's. Many of the buildings still exist, kept standing with the help of donors and the Forest Service. It appears that they still use the main building for fundraisers, on occasion. They posted the clothes worn to hike to the lodge from then until now. Women hiked in long skirts. I imagined them walking with their umbrellas, laughing, talking with friends or family. Or straining. It was uphill for a mile:

The clothes worn now are shorts:

What struck me was the fact that high in these mountains there once was a thriving vacation spot for those lucky people wealthy enough to get there from San Francisco, Virginia City, etc. This was one of the outbuildings:

They accessed the area by boat from Tahoe (which couldn't have been easy in itself!) Then by road, then by boat again, walking the last mile to the lodge. There was a hot springs, which Lucy tried out, but there wasn't much left of it:

I'm always amazed at the spots people used to vacation back in the olden days. They really were hearty spirits. You would think life was hard enough without going to such extremes for a little R&R.

Fall is creeping into the mountains:

And the sky is so blue, you could swim in it. On second thought, maybe we humans are drawn by the same things generation after generation. The same desire to experience nature at its finest:

A marathon and rubber bats...

I feel like I have run a marathon, and everyone hit me with rubber bats, instead of offering me nice cold water, and encouragement.

My husband and I, and Lucy of course, hit the trail yesterday for what was supposed to be an "easy" rated four-mile hike. At least that's what the book said. In reality, it was a 5-mile hike, rated "moderate", at about 7,500 - 7,800 ft. But the only reason it was rated "moderate" was because it did have some parts of the trail that was level, otherwise it was "difficult" in my book. Of course my book would be for women who spend entirely too much time blogging.

We were absolutely amazed at the hikers carrying their dogs up that trail! The last one, a little Scottie, was so cute, but come on! If you're going to hike at these altitudes the dog needs to do its own walking:

My husband and I had to laugh at a young, cute couple in the parking lot who were preparing to hike in and spend the night - she had a big pack and a little dog with a pink jacket. If they were married it would be okay, but if this was a date - my husband was thinking it might be the last. She was asking how far, and was relieved when we said only 2.5 miles to the lake, but we were thinking it was going to be hard hanging on to rocks and your dog, too, in some places.

We had attempted this hike a couple of months ago and had to turn back. I had tennis shoes, and the rocks are just not negotiable with soft soles. So we didn't make it to the little alpine lake named Lake Margaret, high in the Sierras. This was the second attempt, and this time I had great boots - Keene - which I love.

But the hike was really hard - big boulders, lots of treacherous terrain. Hard climbing, for sure, especially for me. Lucy ran circles around us the entire time. Took many swims, complaining only when we refused to throw her ball anymore. Munching on bear poop, she had some issues going home!

But back to the hike. I can honestly say I would have gladly hired a helicopter to scoop me up and out, that last mile - which was mostly up, of course. I really don't care how much it would have cost - sell something! How can such a beautiful hike feel so wonderful going in? I was daydreaming about maybe backpacking again, certainly hiking again on Wednesday...

Not!

Well, at least that's how I feel right now. Who knows how I will feel tomorrow. I do know that I won't push that hard again, just yet. Maybe turn around when you've had enough, you know you have to hike back out, and the GPS says at least another mile to the lake. Just turn around for heavens sake -

We did see some amazing country, however. Here's what I was so determined to see:

We decided to go back in the Spring, when the creeks are full. Next time, however, Lucy will have her own pack! I think she will come in handy...

Kayaking

We are thinking of purchasing a kayak. Can anyone recommend a brand? We are considering a tandem, then next summer buying a single, so maybe we can train Lucy to go along. Any suggestions, or dire warnings?

Lucy and Bedtime

Now that I am an empty-nester, one of the joys is going to bed when I feel like it. I watched my daughter struggle with putting her infant to bed when they visited last week. She wanted a few adult moments, before needing to head up herself, as he wakes early. I remember those years. Sleep was always something I just didn't get enough of. My youngest suffers from asthma, so she did not sleep all night for 10 years. The night was full of breath treatments and listening for coughing, not to mention she refused to sleep without ME. So after years of being tied to my children's schedules, from babies to teenagers out on Friday nights, my evenings are now my own. EXCEPT for my dog, Lucy. She believes bedtime is when it gets dark. She begins staring at me, then wagging her tail, then going upstairs to bed, only to return to start the process over again. She wants us to GO TO BED. She has replaced my children in her desire to have me where she wants me during bedtime. Amazing. She mostly gets her way. She is determined. She is following my husband's every step as I speak. It is 8:30 p.m.! (He just said, okay Luie, lets go.) See what I mean?