Whelan's Wheels (go round and round, round and round): Maybe, just maybe today ~ fingers crossed

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Maybe, just maybe today ~ fingers crossed

We decided yesterday to get the heck out of here and go for a little adventure. I was hoping to go far far away for a couple days, but we went to a local (30 miles away) state park (East Canyon State Park in Morgan, UT). It was just beautiful and sufficed as an attitude adjuster for
me! We came around a corner on the curvy, 15 mph road to the park and this is what we encountered - no warning signs you just come upon them - hundreds and hundreds of sheep and their little dog Toto (well I don't know if the dog's name is Toto or not and he definitely was NOT little) ~ let me tell you that dog took his job very very seriously. A good thing Sir Arlo never got out of the car - that dog chased us down the road when we were leaving ~ he didn't care that we sat there for about 15 minutes or that I was in and out of the car taking pictures!! The rolling hills and sheep really reminded me of the mental picture I have of Ireland - rolling green green green and "baying" sheep - is that a correct mental vision Owen, Jess and Moelicious?

Back to the state park ... there was a campground with around 20 sites or so ~ some full hook ups (even 50 amp, which is very unusual for state parks from our experience) and three yurts for rental plus a couple picnic "pavilions" and many individual picnic shelters. It was just a gorgeous, quiet place - just what I needed to shut me up for the moment. The picture to the right shows part of the campground area and the yurts and picnic shelters.

Sir Arlo did lots of swimming, including trying valiantly to get the ball in this picture ~ where's Casey when his pal needed him ... sure wish he'd been there to help and save the day! Casey is Arlo's best friend in the whole entire world ~ Casey is a yellow lab who will do anything for a ball ~ Casey lives to chase balls. Richie and Mary (Casey's "parents") - you two would just love this park - for your kayaks and Mary's swimming - it is exactly the kind of places we always tried to find when we'd be weekending together and could only find at Lake Forest.

And last, but certainly not least is a picture of Utah's version of a restaurant bar - check this out closely - those taps have no connections! This was at the "Outback" in Layton, UT last night - well every night I'm sure, but we happened to be there last night. In Utah, because the state government here dictates the "morals" (or lack thereof in their eyes) of all people ... bar areas in restaurants can't really pour alcohol - they yell the "order" through a window to the back .... why you ask is there such foolishness? Well it's like this .............. children are allowed to sit at these "bar" areas and the powers that be here don't want children to see how drinks are made!!! HUH what the hell is up with this? Oh, and by the way, that changed for a while when the Olympics were in the area!!! How bout that Mitten Romney - did he do good or what to save the Olympics!!!! Am I missing something with all this "logic" ....... yet another of the reasons we've been here far too long.

And as a post script - it is now 1:27 and the parts for the refrigerator have arrived and been installed, fridge is back in place ......... the sun shades that were due on Tuesday (remember that was day what.............NINE) still not here! Gotta love it ..... I am beyond annoyed, aggravated and bitchy (thank you Dana and Wendy for your concern yesterday!!). Rick did, however, point out that I should do a positive post ....... how did I do?

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This is our story ~ and we're sticking to it.

Our attempt at a blog - quite scary isn't it?

We left MA in early October, 2007 after I (Tracey) retired September 5 as an executive assistant for a software developer and Rick retired from his job on October 1. We passed papers on our house September 28th and off we went. We traveled down the east coast to the Florida Keys ~ where we planned to spend three nights but 17 nights later had to leave our site because someone had reserved it a year prior! We then stayed in northern FL for another month and headed off to meet our Marine returning to the San Diego area after his second tour "over there". We spent several wonderful weeks realizing why grandparents get tired easily! After the San Diego area we headed to the "low desert" (certainly a new phrase for us) of CA and into western AZ .. and decided it was finally time to start the blog we'd talked about since August or so!!

So many wonderful things we saw along the way. And the people, oh the people. I have said so many times to Rick the best part of this journey has been the people. So, so many people with so many interesting stories. Think about it - think about the stories YOU have and multiply that by the many many people we must have met along the way ~ particularly a social person like Rick .. we met a rattlesnake milker in Sweetwater, TX, we met the camp hosts in the Keys who summer back in NH ~ talk about the best of both worlds! We met the female police Sgt. at the Sweetwater Elks whose son was also in Iraq at the same base as my son. We met people in Slidell, LA who survived Katrina and had a great attitude and a smile on their faces and were proud to share their local cuisine with us. We saw the Blue Angels, purely by chance, in El Centro, CA. Or the "campground" where within an hour of arriving our house had been hit three times by golf balls! Or the Elks lodge in Indio ~ the sweetest, bike riding, bartender ~ I just wanted to pack her up and bring her along on our adventure. Not to mention the aerial tram while we were there, the warplane museum for Rick who does NOT do aerial trams! The Salton Sea ~ WOW just WOW. We stayed in the lovely little town of Wilcox, AZ - there was just something about that town. How about Pensacola, FL where the Elks Lodge on the beach is now built high, very high, off the ground! Or what about Huntington Beach State Park in Murrels Inlet, SC - talk about beautiful. What a great place that was to spend our first Thanksgiving on the road with good friends - that was something to be thankful for, for sure. Our first Christmas and New Years in the Keys!! WOW. The love and support of a dear friend in FL while Rick had to fly back to Boston and we dealt with all that entailed with unexpected follow ups back in FL .. how fortunate were we through all of that. Not to mention having the new trailer outfitted in Myrtle Beach and staying at what a week or two a year is the Broken Spoke? Or the kind and soft spoken LA Police Detective who is on the gang unit? So many people, so many stories. And there is so much ahead. The people .. did I mention how wonderful the people have been - all different walks of life .. so many personalities, so many stories! I have said many times ~ I need to pinch myself every morning to be certain it REALLY is happening to US! We are so grateful.

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