Well, I've finished my second week of holiday time and it's now back to the old grind

We rented a cabin at the lake and spent a week there with my sis and her hubby.  It was a lovely place and we kept pretty busy, but also had some good time to relax there.  

We went biking a bit.  Although the day before we left my youngest left his bike parked behind a car and the owner backed over it, so his bike was a bit wobbly after us pounding it back into shape.   What a dumb ass  

I really should have been riding my bike more this summer, because holy crap!  were my thighs sore!!  yowza!!!     And wouldn't you know it??  Our bedroom was on the top floor.  Yay stairs!!  

We were on some pretty good trails though - one was pretty rough through the forest and I'm happy to announce that I did not fall off my bike (although my sister did - and I couldn't help but chuckle at her a little bit over that - nothing hurt but her pride)  and I did not crash into anything, and I did not fall head over handle bars and smash my face.  It was a good time!~  

Then we went on a horse ride.  It was about a 45 minute ride and my horse's name was Pete.   When the guy came to collect me I told him "I'd like something short and tame."  So my hubby pipes up and says "she's talking about the horse... not you!"      How nice of him to specify that for me.......    So then the guy said  "Well, I'm neither of those, so let's get you a horse!!"      

Aaaaaah - a young man in a cowboy hat, t-shirt and well fitting jeans.  It was worth the $40.00 entrance fee

So then he takes me over to Pete and, I mean, it's  a horse, right?  So, yeah.... he's tall...... compared to me!!  He tells me to put my foot in the stirrup and then lift myself up.  Sounds easy.  That is, easy unless the damn stirrup is up around your hips somewhere!!!  I mean, ok, it's hard to get leverage while you are practically doing the splits!!!  So I gave it a half assed try, while the guy tried to boost me.  Well, it wasn't good.  So now I'm starting to feel a bit bad for the guy.  I tried it again and luckily I got up this time, without breaking the guy (or the horse's) back.  So I'm up there, and all there is a little pommel in front of you and THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HOLD YOU UP THERE???!!!   He hands me the reigns and quickly gives me a few "steering" instructions and leads me to the line up.  So, BIL is in front of me, Hubby is behind me and I'm thinking "great.... I'd better not screw up or they'll NEVER let me forget this..."  

Away we go... Pete and I are getting along just fine and then suddenly Pete gets a little burst of energy and starts trotting.  Now, I realize that trotting is not fast.  I realize that to the experienced or "never tried it" eye it's not at all scary.  But it was scary to me.  I was bouncing up and down and yelling (quietly)  "whoa PETE!!!" and not knowing exactly what to do.  If I pull back on the reigns like the guy told me, that would mean letting go of my death grip on the pommel!!!   I mean.... that could NOT possibly end good.  Not at all .     So I finally got my wits about me and gave a little pull and Pete went back to his walk - but holy Crap Pete!!  He damn near gave me a heart attack!!  I had to keep a good eye on old Pete, because he kept on doing it too!   At one point his nose was bumping the ass end of my BIL's horse and I was asking "Is that not an indication that you should slow down, Pete??" Meanwhile I look up and my sister's horse has strayed from the path and is mowing down small trees and she's freaking out and the peanut gallery all around me is yelling out remarks to her....  I tell ya- the whole ride was one thing after another.  My hubby's horse was so slow that he kept apologizing to it for his weight....  

AAAAHHH - then not only did I have sore thighs and a sore you-know-what from the biking, but now my ass was sore from the trail ride too!!   I think I was walking bow legged for at least a day after those two events.  

So, anyways, a good time was had by all.  I got a few shots but it's hard to be the photographer when you are with "normal" people (as normal as my family could be anyways).  You are always on the run and never where you want to be, when you want to be there.  

We went on a bison trail and got within feet of one big boy.  He was beautiful!   We went on this one hiking trail on the hottest day there and walked through the humid, hot woods for an hour and when we got there, there was nothing to see.  Seriously.  Nothing.   what a let down....... We almost died in that heat for nothing.

Every night we played cards or board games.  Every morning I was up early to walk the dog.  We had some drinks, but I didn't drink much because I'm a cheap drunk and after only one I pretty much just go comatose and fall asleep.     We swam in the lake, we fished, we walked the beach and collected rocks.  I'm thinking of getting a rock polishing kit - does anyone know anything about those things??

We celebrated my birthday out there, which was nice as it's the first birthday I've spent with my sister in ..... years.  I now have a Kindle which is nice.  I've been thinking about getting one for a while.  I loaded up my first book last night and started reading it.  It's pretty damn neat!  I think I'm going to really enjoy it!

I was pleasantly surprised when I came home to find so many birthday greetings!  Thank you so much my friends!  I even got greetings from people who I don't really know!  So thank you all, my friends for the wonderful greetings!!!  I truly appreciate it!  

So, by the time we left there, we could already see the leaves turning yellow and starting to fall and it was a sad reminder of the end of summer.  Next week the kids are back in school, and life returns to normal.  Winter will be approaching soon and you will all have to listen to me bitch and whine about missing the sun and hating the cold so much.   (that won't start until about Jan or Feb).  I'll just apologize to you all for that now....   

Please enjoy the features my friends, and forgive me for doing so much faving and running lately!  





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