And it was good.

The last trip of the season was the best. No more volleyball or tournaments or airports or hotels. Just family and a friend and the dog on a roadtrip to our place in the mountains. A real vacation.

The car ride was safe and uneventful - over 30 hours total on the road and only stiff joints to complain about.

The scenery was amazing - magical even. Huge rocks, lush green, mossy, mushroom and flower filled mountains with butterflies by the hundreds, moths by the dozens, rainbows, meteors, a crescent moon, sparkly ground, even a bear - everything but the unicorns.

Regal Moth

Bird Poop Moth or Pearly Wood Nymph

The activities were exciting, interesting and fun. Whitewater rafting views of the mountain valleys were like none I have seen before and I wish I had more than my memory to go on. We hiked ancient indian trails and we and walked and looked and we swam and lounged and we rinsed and we repeated.  We even worked in a college visit, which was a great side trip.

The food was ridiculous - buttery yummy sauces, fresh crisp vegetables, delicious cuisine when we ate out, but among our best meals, and the only one I cooked (!) was breakfast for dinner on the porch: pancakes, bacon, sausage, mimosas - the total package. Healthy? Nah. Yummy? You bet. And the sunset? Perfect.

The quality time was quality. We talked, played board and card and word games, did puzzles, listened to music, and watched very little tv and spent almost no time online. We got off the life treadmill and we relaxed and laughed and were lazy.  And it was good. Very, very good.


Now back to the mayhem of unpacking for good, and re-packing to get the kids ready for school.

I'd ask where the summer went, but I know - it went all over the place and I had a wonderful time. No complaining allowed. I may not be in the mountains, but the prairie has its own allure. I intend to appreciate it.

xo