Tahoe! Chapter Two

8/21/05

Well, we’ve been home for a few days, and it’s nearly like I never left. The house is in the same dismal condition it was when we left, the crown moulding is still wrong and needs to be fixed then painted.

But before I get into that, I must write more about wonderful, beautiful, restful, fun Lake Tahoe.

Sunday, after my own personal day of rest, we started out for a great bike ride and lunch at an outside grill/restaurant where we were to have great food. Emily demanded to ride her own bike, and as I foretold, she nearly made it down the hill and about 100 yards from the actual bike path. My most gracious hosts had rented a nice bike with a trailer that looked very comfortable and came with its own helmet. Emily would have no part of it. So, when she got too tired and I got too scared of the cars driving past us, we walked our bikes back to the cabin.

Good thing that Mr. Most Gracious Host was there and knew where we were all supposed to meet. Em and I waited for him to finish working on the hot tub, and we three drove together to the restaurant. That worked out very well. We had great burgers and they had Coke floats!! This restaurant is located right along side the Truckee River and it is at the end of a rafting “path” so we got to watch river rafters paddle down to the river and then get on the busses to go back to where their cars were parked.

Mr. Most Gracious Host had the brilliant idea that we ought to raft on the river. The moms and kids got very excited about this idea. I thought of my four-year-old and wondered how she would survive it, having a mom who swims, but in a very unsure way. So, since everyone wanted to do it, I felt, what the heck, I’ll do it too.

Mr. Most Gracious Host guided us to a sports store that happened to have water socks on sale, and Sarah, Emily and I all got new socks. Back to the house for games, hot tubbing, drinking and more eating then blissful sleep.

The next day we all got into cars and drove over to the rafting spot. The guys tied our two rafts together, and we joked that Mr. Most Gracious Host could tell everyone we were his harem. He was the only dad present, since Mr. New Very Dear Friend had to work that day.

I sincerely hope that everyone gets to experience rafting down a river sometime in life. I loved it. The Truckee’s water level was not too high, so the rapids were really “quickies,” and the rest of the river was mild enough even for a scaredy-cat like me. We had packed lunches and ate on the bank of the river, then went on down to the end to turn in the rafts and get on the bus back to our cars.

What a great time we enjoyed! No one fell into the river…well I nearly did, but caught myself so I didn’t get completely submerged, anyway. The water wasn’t even very cold. In fact, it was refreshing. The weather blessed us with sunshine after just a little while on the river, and we began our floating experience early, so we got to go down the river without summer crowds, unlike those who started their rafting after 11:am. We felt very lucky to have our own personal tour guide who knew exactly what he was doing when he made the reservations for a 9:30 am flotilla.

Dinner was provided by Mr. Most Gracious Host and we moms got everything else ready. What a scrumptious feast it was, too. Tahoe Teasers are my new favorite drinks. I have the recipe, but I’m sworn to secrecy.

Tuesday gave us our rest day---the kids just played around the cabin, and we moms read, talked, did a little sewing, shared ideas and just really rested. I decided in the early afternoon to take a walk with my dog and my camera, since the other moms had already done their running and walking. So we started our little trek. The dog was so happy—he had more new things to sniff in a block than he had in two years living in our neighborhood at home. I was happy to be outside and walking.

We got to the destination I had wanted to reach, a new covered bridge and a dam from the lake to the Truckee River, and walked a little further. It felt good to take pictures again. I got the distinct impression that I haven’t been able to participate in my favorite hobby simply because my kids interrupt me so much I lose my focus (so to speak) and don’t get the shots I want. So I happily shot the lake, the river, the clouds—uh-oh, those clouds looked pretty dark up there. Maybe I ought to start walking back.

Then I felt drops of water. The dog chose not to drink the lake water, so I guided him back to the path for walking home. A few shouts of thunder and some lightning, hurried our steps a little more. A few minutes later, my dog and I, completely soaked, slowed down our steps since we did not believe we could get any more wet. Just at the street where we turned into our neighborhood, I saw the van of our Mrs. Most Gracious Host out looking to rescue the two of us drenched rats.

What a blessing she is to any who know her (especially me! Gracious, gentle, genteel, hospitable, giving, married a man very much similar in qualities as she has, and beautiful, well mannered, well-behaved children. She won’t let on that she is in constant pain, works and works to make everyone very comfortable, and smiles all the while she is doing it.

Even while they hosted two other families at their cabin, Mr. and Mrs. Most Gracious Host threw a party for their neighbors. Mrs. New Very Dear Friend and I tried to help, but Mrs. Most Gracious Host happens to be a very accomplished host and threw a most delectable assortment of appetizers together.

Wednesday we determined that we must leave and drive home. I had intended to leave at around 10 in the morning, but we got a very slow start, and didn’t hit the road until about 1:00 pm. No problem, I said, the way we drove (the boring I-5 highway), it ought to only take us 8 hours to get home.

Long story short, with potty breaks, gas breaks, food breaks for all four of us travelers, we finally pulled into our own driveway at around 12:15 am Thursday. No-Doz, coffee and ice cold colas, plus a couple of very needed phone calls, helped me drive all that way without too much incident.

I was certainly glad to be out of the car, though!

Things I gratefully acknowledge about my time away:

¯ Getting time away from my own kouyaniskatsi,

¯ Sharing meaningful time with good friends

¯ Affording myself the time to be myself again

¯ Making time to take good pictures again (when you are the one driving, you can stop to shoot anywhere you want)

¯ Meeting and getting to know gracious, helpful, gentle families with husband/dads who do whatever they possibly can to enhance the comfort of their families and friends.

¯ Playing with my kids

Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. Most Gracious Hosts as well as Mr. & Mrs. New Very Dear Friends for making that really restful vacation possible. My only hope is that I did some of the same for you while I took advantage of your hospitality.