What we did last summer

Yes, it is indeed fall now, but I still want to say that even with very little pay, we managed to have a great summer. We weren't especially busy, just doing summer things as a family, grilling dinners, playing with water balloons, taking pictures; we just did family things and actually got some time to be bored.

The bestest and most fun thing we did last summer was to take a trip to Lake Tahoe. Not just any old trip, no, no. We camped! We sort have started a tradition with two other families of camping somewhere for the last week of summer, just before the kids all go back to school. Last year it was Big Sur. Scott had to work so only the girls and I went, and we tent camped! That was a great time! Yes, I really did like sleeping in the tent!

So this year the location was Lake Tahoe. Our friends all own their own trailers, and pulled them up the mountain road. We are renters. I didn't want to tow a trailer in the mountain roads, and I googled and yahoo'd the internet for someone who might tow one for us. I found the greatest guy—Ed Acker—he had three trailers from which we could choose to rent, and he offered to deliver it for us!

He graciously delivered, hooked up and stabilized the trailer, and stuffed it with everything we could have asked, for a very comfortable stay. We got the Potomac, which was perfect for us. He even brought chairs with footstools for the "patio" outside…complete with rug! We were the envy of all the families camping around us!

But, that wasn't the highlight. We did so much—we had so much fun—it nearly was a recuperation to come home. We cooked our own dinners, each family taking a night for the main dish and the others doing the sides. And there wasn't a bad cook among us.

Plus, we went horseback riding (yes, I did it too). The kids and I took a 2 hour ride through some of the natural woods and near the lake. It was so very picturesque and peaceful. I was at the end of the line of horses, and when I could get mine, Hansel, to slow a bit, I got some peace and quiet of my very own. We were very tired and dirty after the ride! I thought I'd be sore "in the saddle" so to speak, but thankfully, I wasn't. Not even the next few days. It's a good thing too!

The next day we went to the beach in search of some parasailing activities for the kids. The parasailers weren't out that day because of storm predictions. However, the boats were renting, and the kids got to do those darling pedal boats in the lake. It took a few boats, but finally they found one that had a rudder that really worked.

The storm clouds gathered, the winds picked up, and suddenly a swarm of tiny little bugs attacked us, in effect chasing us off the beach. We all ran in big raindrops to our cars and went back to camp. The kids got to play in the great playground, and the parents just rested at the trailers.

On the next day, we went river rafting. We drove around the lake to Tahoe City, near where our friend has her rental cabin (that I got to drive by and check out all their improvements after we rafted). Each family had our own raft. The river was a tad higher than two years ago when I last visited. The rafting was great fun! We kept bumping into each other; when one family got stuck on a rock another would help them, but then that family was stuck on the rock. The third family would come by, and either help family #2, or just go by waving! We splashed the other boats, had little races, saw some stunning-beautiful riverside land, plus the mountains provided a gorgeous backdrop. At one place where we all stopped, my darling husband pushed me into the river. It was so refreshing, even if it was cold, that I didn't mind at all (sort of a backfire on him, because I got him back but good!).

It was the best, most refreshing, most delightful, mind-restoring day. That afternoon, at sunset, my oldest daughter took me on a small hike to show me the back view of the sunset. As the sun went down, we looked east, and saw the mountains change to all varieties of pink, purple, even some yellows. She took some great pictures of it, too.

The next day, we all needed a rest! The guys took the kids on a hike, and the moms got to rest at the campsite. We only had a couple more days to stay before we had to return home. Friday was our last day there, and we drove out to Virginia City. I shot great photos of old run down barns (my favorite subjects), some of which were barely recognizable, and some of which looked as if they'd been around for 100 years or so. We toured a silver mine, looked through stores; I did a little Christmas shopping, and took a bunch of pictures. We attended a "shoot out" that promised to be very lame. It rained on us, and no matter where I sat, even under the tarp they put up, I got soaked by the rain. I didn't care. Really. The show was a lot more enjoyable than I expected—there was a little audience participation; we were supposed to cheer the good guy and boo the bad guy. We got a little confused, and began to cheer the bad guy! The guys in the show didn't quite know what to do with us. So they just went along with it. They put on a pretty entertaining show.

That night we chose for the all-out buffet at the top level of Harvey's (across the street from Harrah's, and owned by the same company). It was not difficult to overeat that night! We got there at just the right time, too, because we saw one of the most stunningly gorgeous sunsets ever. I shot many, many pictures, too. It thrilled me that I got some great shots over the lake of the sunset.

Saturday morning, we watched as everyone packed their trailers, cars, put away all the toys. We put our luggage in our car, and were ready to go.

The drive home was nearly uneventful. We had to stop a couple of times to re-load the bicycles on the bike. We stopped at our friends' aunt to help load some furniture they took home, and then we stopped one more time at Harris Ranch, out in the middle of nowhere, to have dinner. Dinner was great, and I got a head start on some more Christmas shopping.

So, we got home, late in the evening, tired, dirty, happy and refreshed. It seems so long ago, now.