Technical Info

This is a pretty fantastic blog program. Not only does it let me set up my blog so it looks amazing and professional but it gives my readers great access. For instance, I can set up links to things like the state park we visited recently, so if you're interested you can click on the link and read all about the park (kinda interesting history).

Also, you can click on any of the pictures I post and get a full size image in your browser window, instead of having to squint or find the magnifying glass. This is great because I can upload small images, using less of my allotted space, yet you can see the brothers, grandkids, friends, etc in full size, if you want.

Also, they now have a new program called Picasa, which essentially holds all the pictures I've uploaded in a photo album that I can make accessible to whomever I want. I can also order prints from the albums and share pics and the list just goes on and on.

Just had to blow Google's horn. They pretty much rock.

Full disclaimer: I do not work for Google and am not related to any Google employees. I just like 'em. A lot.

Natural Bridge

A couple weeks ago we headed out to to the Mogollon Rim to do some sightseeing. You can see a long way in the desert and it sure looked like there was a storm over the area as we drove toward it, but we thought we'd keep going anyway.

As we got closer we entered the storm and figured visibility would be about zero at the Rim, we didn't have any rain gear with us (what? it was hot and sunny when we left the house!), and since we'd driven the Infiniti and weren't sure about the condition of the roads we were looking for a turnaround when we stumbled onto Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.

The rain had passed on when we arrived at the guard shack and paid our $3 per person. We descended into the canyon for the longest hike on the map (~1.5 miles) and were immediately immersed in country we are familiar with and love. The boys were in hog heaven with all the rocks to climb and jump. My concern was the flash floods they'd warned us about but that was nothing to what was ahead.

Turns out the hike is not for the faint of heart, or those who have gained 20 pounds over a long winter in Iowa, or those who haven't done any kind of hiking in over a year. Whew. It was a lot of up and down, the trail was marked but not always passable--necessitating u-turns in tight spaces and hauling old and heavy rears back up over the rocks just descended--and by the end I was sick as a dog, legs shaking, gut quaking, head pounding, and I still had to climb back out of the friggin' canyon!

Unfortunately, this meant I wasn't paying attention to the beauty of our surroundings. Luckily, Alec was and took some pictures.

Just for the record, I hadn't eaten that day and it was hot and humid with a capital "H". I'm exercising with renewed energy so I can try the hike again and make it without all the physical drama. Oh, and get a look at the sights.

Lazy Dayz

We're well into the school year here now; they started on August 6th. But the days are still very warm and when the kids get home it's out to the pool to practice feats of great daring or just to try and drown one another.

We're all falling into a routine and that's a good thing since stress and crazyness have been the norm for so long we almost forgot what routine was.

Jake is doing much better since he got "lost" in the garage for 5 days. We're pretty much only in and out of there during the week with the car (and then on weekends to try and go through the rest of the boxes still packed, which is how Jake got in there in the first place). We get into the car, pull out and close the door, only opening it to drive back in and then close it behind us. Mostly, we don't spend a lot of time in there because it's so freakin' hot. What with the heat and the garage not being cooled it's pretty much a miracle Jake made it.

I'd been telling Alec I was worried that Jake had gotten hit by a car in the neighborhood (it's like a slalom track for young drivers) since I hadn't seen him for a couple days and, believe me when I say, Jake does not miss mealtimes. The last time we'd been in there was Sunday and it was a Thursday evening when Alec went into the garage for something and thought he heard a sound. He called me and we tracked it to a very skinny, dehydrated kitty who had fallen into a steep canyon created by stacks of heavy boxes and couldn't get out. In fact, he could hardly meow.

We rescued him. He lapped up about a gallon of water and ate until his little tummy was full and then passed out on the cool floor on the patio. No kidding. Now he's pretty much his old cranky self. Alec says he's used up about half his nine lives so far. He may be right. Better watch le chat a little closer from now on.