CAMPING PART 2

WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2009 Yesterday morning I drove back to the campsite at Mirror Lake to help Chris and Lynn tear down camp. By the time I got there around 11:00, they had gotten a lot of it done. We finished getting ready to go including putting what belongs to me and some other odds and ends into my Camry and we drove to Heber City and ate lunch at the Dairy Keen. The Dairy Keen has modal trains running around the ceiling and a Harry Potter train display with a small train that goes from end to end including going through a tunnel when you insert a quarter. From there we drove to the Heber Valley Railroad station and took the 3:00 p.m. train ride to and along the north shore of Deer Creek Reservoir. We sat in an open-air car next to the caboose and on the return trip all of us except Lynn spent some time on the end platform—the end part of the caboose. Later this evening everyone except Jim and his two came to our place to swim and have a barbeque at the pavilion. We cooked burgers and hotdogs on one of the two built-in grills that are part of the pavilion. Jim had to work rolling sushi downtown at Simply Sushi. As a side note, when Corey and his gang showed up, Bailey ran into the house, asked where Wyatt was and tore off into the basement to be with him. They are both the same age. Wyatt seemed to enjoy Bailey’s attention and was very open and friendly with her.

CAMPING PART 1

MONDAY, JULY27, 2009 I have been away from my computer for several days. Friday I drove the van with a load of camping gear to Mirror Lake. I found that campsite number 5 was still available. It had a water tap “right there” the toilet close by and there was room for Chris’ tent trailer and several tents. The attendant said it was ok if I put my stuff out of the van and go let Chris know where I was. That way it would be obvious that the site was occupied. Chris was running an hour or so behind me. I waited near the entrance to Washington Lake, the first place he would come to of the places he suggested I try, but after a while I got bored and drove into Kamas and called him. He was approaching Kamas himself so we met at the supermarket to fuel up and get last minute supplies. After setting up camp we got in Chris’ Jeep and he showed me some beautiful backcountry around Whitney Reservoir. He and I were the only ones in the trailer that night. The next day we went on another long drive. We went back down the canyon to the Soapstone road and went south on it to the Wolf Creek Pass road, went west on it to Francis then back into Kamas and back to the store and gas station. While we were in the store I called Corey. He was approaching Kamas so we all met there and did some more shopping. The next day Judy, Jim and Greg & Niki and Alexa and Gavin came up and we all had a good time. On the funny side; Jim and Corey and Jayden were out in Chris’ canoe fishing. Corey thought Jayden should have been facing the other direction and told him to turn around. When he did, it made the canoe capsize. It turned completely upside down. The water wasn’t too deep at that point but Corey and Jayden were completely soaked. Jim was wet from the waist down. Chris and Niki were on the shore watching and Niki got some good pictures of the whole affair. She said she was laughing so hard she nearly peed her pants. Chris was laughing so hard he was snorting and chocking. Jayden was in hog heaven from all the attention and as they came walking back into the campsite he was beaming from ear to ear and couldn’t stop talking about it. He claimed he “did it on purpose!” Among other things I walked all the way around the lake which took about forty-five minutes. Chris’ girlfriend Lynn and her two boys Wyatt and Cade flew in at around midnight last night. He picked them up at the airport and they went from there to the campsite.

BEET RED

Monday, July 27, 2009 I was so stiff and sore from all the the camping activities the last few days that today I went to the chiropractor then got a massage. After that I got myself a haircut. Nicole, my barber and I were chatting as I was getting my hair cut. Among other things she asked how many grandchildren I had. I said seven. She said that that must be nice…the usual stuff. She said she would like to get married and that she had a boyfriend. As we were finishing up she yawned and said she had been up until three in the morning. I asked what she and her boyfriend were doing until three in the morning. She got beet red and the whole place broke into snickering.

Alyssa

Our next-door neighbors, the Call’s eight year-old granddaughter Alyssa was visiting them today. This afternoon I was in the backyard working when she them came over and asked what I was doing. I said I was cleaning the grill/barbeque. She asked why I was wearing the shoes I was wearing. They are sandals that can get wet. I told her I was wearing them and the shorts I had on so it would be ok if I got wet cleaning the grill. At that she grabbed my garden hose and gave me a good soaking! Later I went over and ask David (Call) if he could use a good laugh and told him what had happened. He said that “She is a real fireball!”

HITTED

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Yesterday I was watching Jayden and Bailey at their house. They were playing in the basement when Bailey came up screaming bloody murder, “Jayden hitted me!” A moment later Jayden came up and announced, “I know. I’m going to my room!” It must have been fifteen seconds later that Bailey was laughing as if nothing had happened and a couple of minutes after that Jayden was back and they were playing like best friends. Through the whole thing, I just sat there saying nothing.

A FULL DAY

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Corey and Stacey bought a new Volkswagen CC, silver in color with crazy power and speed and it is only a four cylinder. They got it Saturday if I remember correctly but didn’t do the final paperwork until 9:00 a.m. yesterday. Since it is my day to take the kids I met them at the dealership. Anyway the five of us were at Ken Garff Porsche Audi Volkswagen on University Parkway in Orem. Corey had a 10:00 a.m. appointment and Stacey had to be at work at FEDEX/KINKOS in Draper at ten, so the two of them left as soon as possible leaving Jayden, Bailey and me to finish up the paperwork. From there, Jayden, Bailey and I went to Cascade Springs in American Fork Canyon via Provo Canyon, and walked around and through it looking at the fish and all. They thought it was a long boring drive getting there but they really enjoyed it when they got there. We came home via the mostly dirt road that goes over the hill into Midway then over to Deer Creek Reservoir and west through Provo Canyon. Last evening I took them and Douglas (pronounced Dooglas [Scottish]) Jayden and Bailey’s neighbor and friend to Corey’s work then to Jordan Commons to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. In total there were Judy, Corey and Stacey, Jayden and Bailey, Jim, Austin and Molly and me. Judy got free tickets through Mercer, her work. It was a private showing provided by United Health Care. I think we all enjoyed the show and Jayden and Bailey and I enjoyed the whole day’s adventure.

TEN YEAR OLDS!

Monday, July 20, 2009 Last night as they often do, Jayden and Bailey slept on an air mattress on the floor of Corey and Stacey’s bedroom. During the night Corey and Stacey heard Jayden talking in his sleep. He kept repeating over and over “Take that you rock!”…a line from Avatar, The Last Air Bender, his favorite cartoon show and I must admit a quite intriguing one. Corey snuck out of bed and got on his hands and knees to listen to him. Stacey was hanging over the edge of the bed. Suddenly Jayden opened his eyes, giggled and said “gotcha!” or something of the sort. The four of them had a good laugh. Ten year olds!