Catching Up

Just catching things up!

Last week, Dy invited us to join a field trip to a locally owned ice cream shop.

The kids were not super thrilled at being up so early, but actually enjoyed the tour quite a bit!

I developed a horrible rash, it hurt, burned, itched and I could not get it wet because water felt like acid.

I kept it covered with gauze that I gunked with antibiotic cream, hydrocortizone and arnica.  It took a full week to stop hurting.  No idea what set it off, I finally got some lotion with, of all things, colloidal oatmeal.  That pretty well fixed it, though it's still red, it's not rashy.

At the end of last week, we went to see how Huntsville burns trash to make steam to turn turbines to make energy!

Afterward, the kids went to Amanda's for the weekend.

I did a deep conditioning of my hair and Ben saw my hair like this.  Chandler dashed in front of him and pushed him away from me yelling, "No Ben!  It's frill is up, that means it's agitated!"

On Tuesday I hung out with Karen and Melissa and talked hiking plans for hours.  We looked at all of Karen's gear and played with her new backpacking stove. I may have some stove envy now.  It was a totally new type of day for me-getting together with no kids.

Read this in book form a few weeks ago in a fit of staying awake.  Decided to get the movie via Netflix.

I thought it was hilarious that someone decided, "No.  It's really only 3 hours."

It was pretty bad-a shark with thumbs, yo.  But you have to love Craig T Nelson's unwavering dedication to the role.  He was like, "I am deadly seriously playing the hell out of this role."

It was worth watching just for his superserious expression.

It's time.  After 3 years, I finally replaced my much-loved New Balance shoes.

I had stretched their lifespan by wearing my Trekstas most of the time, now they are not looking much better.  But I can still do trail work in them, as I seem to end up in a creek to my ankles any time I am out there.  These...well, it's just time.  I simply wanted a tribute to them somewhere.  Many miles we have traveled together.

Hoping for a warm weekend with some sun, we have loads to do!

Final note, I contacted Hobo Hammocks on Monday to see if I could buy a single strap for my hammock and they not only sent me (free) a new SET of straps, but also a tshirt!  They came in today, I was so surprised!  And pleased!  Yay!

Roaming Around, Lost in the Woods 6/52

Chan and I found this deer skull.  We relocated it so that it will surprise Matt!

I never want to be bitten by a deer!!

The tree at the northeast  property line

that hill is SO STEEP.  One day I will have a camera that can show steep.

The above pic is the creek above the pic of the creek below, it was a long tumbly series of little falls, very pretty and quite loud!

I crossed the property line, having assumed Chan went back home, and went on down to the big creek.

bear!  Okay, it's just a rock, but I did get excited for a moment

I followed the creek a LONG way, thinking it was the other end of our creek and that I was meandering back into the little valley below the pasture.

Then I came out here:

ACK!  I was LOST.

It had been raining for a while at this point and my glasses were fogged.

I had deer skull germs on my hands and could not eat my snack

I had not brought water because Chan and I were planning to walk the 3/4 mile to the far end and mark the trail back to the first campsite.  We did that much, but I just HAD to see where the creek went.

Kuma (my favorite dog in the world) and I followed 4 wheeler trails for about a mile.

They have not been used in a while, trees were across in places.  Other places looked freshly mowed, so I don't know what's going on back there.

THIS is familiar, this is our creek.  I could just tell. So I followed it up a while.

UGH!  Nasty ass people.

This is the property line, I found out later-or at least where the fence crosses.

It's 10 feet from the redeck riviera setup-of course.

I went over it and started uphill.

As I was walking up and up and up, Chan appeared!  I was no longer lost, or else we both were.

I had gotten back on the property at the northwest corner!  That was a surprise.

We followed the old log road up and when I got near the top (see my soaked beet-red head below) I was trying to figure out where we had popped out.  There was one of my trail flags!  WOW.  Right into the new trail, awesome!

She had gone home, then headed back out to find me.  I have no IDEA what took her down to exactly where I was.  I was not scared, but I was still a little turned around on my location, I was soaked through from crossing creeks, I had no water or way to start a fire, not even a hat!  I did have my cell, so Matt knew I was 'somewhere north of the property line'.

I'd like to find out who owns that and see if we can walk on those 4 wheeler trails!  They were awesome!  And the creeks were huge, but it did rain hard yesterday, so they may be just as fickle as our own.

Anyway, I have seldom been so glad to see someone.

From there it was easy strolling along the new trail.  

We routed the trail to parallel the creek, because it's pretty. And I am determined to get a 3 mile loop at least.  hahaha

Back at the pasture, we enjoyed the clouds a while.  It had finally stopped raining!

The Week

Chan turned 18 Wednesday and we had girls over.  They stayed up all night laughing and eating sugar.  Friday, she graduated (her diploma came in the mail!) and I spent the whole day clearing trail.  We decided to add to the trail system and make it a thru-hike with a badge.  Thinking of trail names now, it's been a debate.  There will be 2 campsites as well.  Matt's petitioning for switchbacks to the creek.

We routed the new trail to double back and follow the creek a ways because it's a pretty spot.

View from the new campsite spot
That's a wide, shallow creek, a little hard to see in the shade!

I Eat Deer

The new campsite will be at the top of that hill!
It's called Far Point.  It's 3/4 mile from the house, so that will be a nice hike, especially when the trail loops instead of just goes there and back out.




Saturday we went to Aveda for a modeling gig.  I had thought it was for pics for at least the website/FB page and they did take some, but it was mostly an unveiling of the new makeup line.  It's pretty, lots of pinks and purples.  The foundation has a color called Esther.  I was geeked.

We dropped them off and headed out to get  lunch (Aveda fed the girls!) and hit the music store and the new Field and Stream store.  After a few hours, we headed back to Aveda.

While the girls stood around like mannequins and occasionally strolled the room for customers to get a closer look, I got whisked away for a free makeup do-thingie!  I have not had anyone do my makeup in...25 years?  She used lots of pinks, which I thought were bad at my age.   But, what do I know?  Not much about make up!

Pretty good week, looking forward to some upcoming events.  Added 2 tough hikes and another backpacking trip to the calendar.  I'll guess I'll see if trail building and kettlebell workouts are enough to compensate for barely moving all year.  My 1000 mile goal is still over 900 miles from being done.  And the month's half over!

It Got Cold

There's a 5k route marked off in some local fields for the high school's track team, but no one has told us to stop walking there yet.  The long hill is nice for working on my aversion to hills.  Plus, it's pretty back there.

We did several miles on Sunday and then came back, had Matteroni with veggies and headed into the woods to work on the trail.  It's about 80% done now, we flagged it headed back out so we'd be sure to keep up with the small reroutes.

Another lazy hangout at the campsite, feeding more debris to the fire circle.  Ben hung out a while but headed back.  Chan stayed home to bake, the first Sunday in February is Cake Day.

The trail is looking great!  I need to work on a few sections, but it's coming along faster than I expected.  I walked out an extension past the campsite to the next brow, there's a decent creek over there that might make for a better campsite-the flow of the water is so relaxing!
This time, we could hear TONS of traffic, it was like everyone jumped in their diesel trucks and drove up and down the road.  It's usually really quiet here.

Monday I got all caught up on my list of household tasks.  Tuesday it snowed all day.  They closed the bridges and overpasses, so  Matt and Jake zipped home just before lunch.
Nia was so glad to see her boy, it was almost too much, how she groaned and snuggled and practically purred.  Guess I should stop beating her with a stick when he's not around!  hahaha

I made wild rice soup for lunch, then added spinach (surprise!) and chickpeas.  It was gone before I made it in for seconds.    So yummy!  I am posting a pic to remind me to make it again.

It was a lovely weekend at home, we wanted to get out but Matt's car was ready Friday, we got the rental back, went to get it, the airbag light was on, they checked and it needed a new sensor AND a new front seat.  That car is so messed up, I can not imagine it will ever be okay again.  Insurance has now paid $12k in repairs, plus $220 for a busted drum stand (which Matt ran out and replaced IMMEDIATELY because, we super seriously need a highhat stand.  It's by his desk now.)
They still have to shell out for diminished value.
That took the entire day.  Seriously, from 10 in the morning until after 4.  They finally handed Matt the keys to a car with 110 miles on it and said they'd call this week.

Saturday, I was too sore to move because I decided what would be a great idea would be to do 100 kettlebell throws.  I routinely do 100 squats a day and 96 crunches because-backpacking is hard work and the more back, ab, ass and thigh muscle you can show up with, the easier it goes.  So I thought a squat with 10 pounds behind it-no biggie.  OMG.

Let me break in here and say it's in blocks of 25 for the squats and 32 for the crunches.  And it's 3 different kinds of crunches-one set upper, one lower and one for the back.  And I do it all twice at least 3 days a week.  I am not powerhousing for 2 straight hours in a sweaty sheen.  It's 3-4 15 or 20 minute sets because...stamina and I are not BFF's.  And when we are, Imma blank that bitch cause she don't want to hang with me.  I feel like I am the only one contributing to the relationship and that's never gone well.  Such a catch 22; I need her, I hate her.

Sunday, I was mobile again, so I did 50 and that's where I still am.  50 does not leave me having to use my pants leg as a handle to move my legs around when I first wake up or having to talk myself into getting up off the toilet seat because my muscles are screaming and just sitting there is so much easier.  I'll need to go again at some point, right?  Reading is fun!

Speaking of reading, I finished Station Eleven.

Then I read The One I Left Behind and Dismantled both by Jennifer McMahon.  Then I read What If by Randall Munroe, then Follow You Home by Mark Edwards over the next 2 days.  So, see why it's odd it took weeks to read Station Eleven, which isn't a long book at all.  I just did not want it to be over.
I am reading The Science Behind Jurassic Park (again) and Dexter is Dead at the same time right now (and typing!) and about to crack open The Library at Mount Char as soon as I finish the 10 Batman graphic novels I snagged at the library.  I read Black Orchid by Neil Gaiman and Death of the Family (dark, dark, dark) and Batman Noel already.  So...getting there.  

I get in a Batman kick now and then.  But as much as I love Bats, in a fight with Superman, he's dead.  There's no way, Superman just has to grab him and fly up.  Or throw him.  Or, you know...GRAB him.  Or look at him with the red eyeball thing or freeze breath him.  That Kryptonite ring contingency plan is whack.  Plus...Kryptonite.  That's like being weak to Earthonite-lame!  But then Green Lantern is weak to yellow and wood.  I could kill him with a No 2 pencil.  Which I saw Willow do to a vampire in Buffy once.  Using her BRAIN.  I don't mean she was thinking smart, I mean she levitated that bad boy.

Tomorrow is Baby Girl's 18th birthday.  I just...it's a hard one.