Road trip part 2

Home again, Home again. . .

After spending five and a half days at Donner Lake, relaxing in the tall pines, exploring and hiking a little, we were faced with the fact that somehow we had to make it home again. (Before starting for home though, I must say that Donner Lake had one of the best 4th of July celebrations I remember in a long time. Everyone at the Lake is an obvious patriot! The cabins were all decorated in red white and blue, and the fireworks show was the best we had ever seen.) Nevertheless, the time arrived for going home.

We left on Saturday, the 7th and drove to Elko, Nevada. driving east across 80 was so much better than driving south on 95. There are actually areas of green, high mountains with snow and interesting things to see periodically along 80 through Nevada. From Elko we drove to Salt Lake City where we spent four nights with my brother Raym and his wife, Louise. So, on this trip we saw my oldest sister, all of her kids and all of her grandkids--a group of about forty people. We saw my three older brothers, plus all of Raym's kids and grandkids, and we saw our second daughter and her two girls who swung down to Salt Lake on their road trip out to Montana from New York City.

Again we had to think of driving home. We made the drive from SLC home in two days. But it was the first time in 2 1/2 weeks that we drove 2 days in a row without an extended stop and it was hard on my husband and his recent back surgery. So, I don't recommend taking extended trips in a Mini cooper with a bad back unless you can stop every 5 hours or so for several days.

Got home Friday night. Megan asked me what I did yesterday. I told her I unpacked and relaxed but that didn't seem right so I thought about it and here is what I actually did:
I sorted two weeks mail, checked the bank balance, paid bills, paid my mother-in-law's bills, emptied garbage, unpacked, pulled weeds, fed the tortoises, fed the dog, washed clothes, folded clothes, bought groceries, cleaned the fridge, washed rugs, boxed clothes for goodwill, emptied more trash, made fresh lemonade, emptied the dishwasher, filled the dishwasher, cleaned the sink, finished off cold pizza, read a book, fell asleep.

Glad to be home!

Finally! Here we are at Donner Lake. After a race car ride from Las Vegas to Carson City, a scenic drive over Rose Mountain and along the north shore of Lake Tahoe, we found our way to the little lake, pulled into the Westend Beach, and immediately encountered my sister, her seven kids, six spouses (one was at the airport) and myriad grandchildren. We pulled in just in time for dinner; so we served ourselves plates of chili, pulled up a spot by the water, and sat down to eat and gab.

Brrr. I had forgotten how cool it gets in the evenings in the sierra. Heck, Coming from Arizona via Vegas I had forgotten that it cools down at night anywhere!! Well not really, but I will definitely have to find a hoody on sale that says Lake Tahoe, or Donner Lake or even Truckee.

We check into our cabin today! I am already wondering how we can get all the brothers and sisters here next summer for a reunion. I'm giving myself 2 years to figure out how to get all our own kids and grandkids together for a reunion.
Merrilyn and her family have come every summer now for the past 9 years. She drove around with us last night pointing out cabins where they have stayed, sites that we remembered from when we were young, grandad's cabin where I spent so many summers. Then we met back at Aly's cabin with a good number of the grown-ups. The grandkids were, I imagine, either asleep or entertaining each other.

We will be here until Saturday. Then the trick will be to figure out how to get home. I don't think I can face I-95 again! Mike really shouldn't do another 10 hour car ride in a mini cooper and. . . . Why am I planning the drive home already?

It's time for relaxation. Chao for now. K