Black Canyon National Park, Tulip Festival, Birthdays(May 3, 2022)
Happy Birthday to Camden on April 27th (20 years old), and to Wendy on the 29th. Then we have three in a row this week, with Shane today, Seth Worthen tomorrow, and Derek Thursday.
Kim and I enjoyed our three night trip to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. We left Wednesday about 10:00 and stopped at the Trail Through Time just into Colorado. We hiked that trail and saw a green lizard, lots of flowers, and some dinosaur bones. Then we headed toward Grand Junction and Montrose, but we hadn’t been past Grand Junction before and we missed our exit. We stayed on I-70 a lot longer than we were supposed to, but since we were still roughly going East we didn’t notice for a while that we were off course.
We finally figured it out and turned around to go back to Grand Junction and get on the proper road to Montrose. It was a bit stressful as we needed to modify our evening plans but we were in a fast vehicle, with each other, and we had food and water and we listened to a couple BYU Speeches that helped the time go by. So instead of going to our Airbnb first we went straight to town to Phelanies, a speakeasy. I didn’t know the password but they let us in anyway. The ambience was super relaxed and just what we needed after our long drive.
So it was dark when we got to our Airbnb, but we found it easily. I had a rough night as I forgot my Amitriptyline, which helps me stay asleep. So the next morning we managed to contact my doctor and have a few pills sent to the Montrose Pharmacy. Then we headed up to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and it was super impressive. We hiked the Oak Flat loop and Kim really enjoyed that. Then we drove farther along the south rim scenic drive and stopped at a few places. Then at the end of the scenic drive we went on the Warner Point trail, and by that time it was time to head back to the town.
We cleaned up and went out to eat at Colorado Boy Pizza and really enjoyed that also. Montrose is a friendly town/city of about 44,000.
Then Friday we headed out towards the Curecanti Recreation Area. The road was blocked to two of the three trails I had planned that day, but we went on the Mesa Creek trail, which was very pretty. We found out the road would be closed until evening, so we went back up to the National Park and hiked a rim trail going the other direction from the visitor center. The views were incredible, and we were glad we went on the hike. Then we went out in the evening to Ted Nelson’s Steakhouse (which was recommended by our Airbnb host). We even met Ted!
We drove back Saturday, stopping at the Trail through Time for a hiking break. Sunday night we had Mom and Dad over, and Seth and Aspen. Funnily enough, Seth and Aspen had just been in Montrose also - her parents just bought a property in Delta, Colorado, which is the town westward of Montrose.
Last night we went to the Tulip Festival with Seth and Aspen. See the pics below. The temperature was perfect.
Enjoy a super week!
Mother's Day. Aaron Job. Camden School Done (May 9, 2022)
Good morning to all. We had a good Mother’s Day yesterday. I got Mom some tomato plants for her garden, and I got Kim a paint by number Van Gogh painting (Yes, she requested this). Starry Starry Night. She saw one at Derek and Danielle’s house that they did. In the evening we had Mom and Dad for dinner, and also Seth and Aspen and Conner and Amber, and played Progressive Rummy afterward.
Back to the rest of the week. Wednesday Mom and Dad came down and we went over to Shane and Alicia’s Lindon home to work on the yard all afternoon. It’s coming along - see the pic below. Then Thursday I went to their house to work all day, and then in the evening met Cayson at the PG Rec. Center for a parent meeting about Costa Rica. He will be leaving June 19.
Friday afternoon and evening Kim and I and Cayson drove down to Ephraim to help Camden move out of his apartment and clean some. He was the last one to leave. Kim drove the Pilot back, Cayson drove Camden’s car with me supervising, and Camden drove his motorcycle.
Saturday we had Integrity and we took her to Layla’s baptism at 10:30. Camden went with us also. Cayson was at lagoon with his Choir group. We had a nice brunch afterward at Derek and Danielle’s home. Then I hung up Integrity’s new swing at home - she likes it. She helped me plant some canna lilies.
We had a funny conversation when we were over by the treehouse and she noticed a ladder leaning up against a tree very close to the chicken coop.
Integrity: What if the sloth climbs up the ladder?
Me: Sloth? What sloth?
Integrity: You know, the sloth that ate all your other chickens.
Me: Oh, you mean the racoon?
Integrity: Yes, the racoon.
Me: You’re right, I should probably move that ladder.
My day was brightened every time I pictured a sloth slowly creeping up that ladder.
Aaron starts his new job today - at the Provo Canyon School, working with youth in a residential facility.
Bitcoin is on sale today - get some while you can. I’m so patient with short term volatility because I understand what it is and where it’s going, after hundreds of hours learning about it and engaging with it.
Mexico, Integrity - Camden Summer (May 17, 2022)
Mom and Dad, thanks for your updates.
Last Tuesday Kim and I went to Maria Bonita for dinner. Kim got a rose and they said “Happy Mother’s Day”. We thought that was odd since it was Tuesday (not Sunday) but then Kim remembered that in Mexico Mother’s Day IS May 10. It was a beautiful rose also. This was date number 737.
Camden headed out yesterday to Indiana to do summer sales (Pest control). A former worker of mine (Matthew Barnes) was the one who recruited him to sell this summer. Aaron started his job working with youth - but just did Orientation all week. Cayson got asked to MORP. Kadan and Christine went to Mexico for a vacation. Krystal got a job with a family law group for the summer.
Thursday I went to Mom and Dad’s house to work and clean. I’ve been doing a lot of outside work at the Lindon house also. I’ve been doing a lot of family search also. Poetry really runs in the family - I’ve found lots of poems by ancestors.
We got Integrity Saturday evening and had fun playing. Kim had a work event in the morning and early afternoon.
Happy Birthday Dad. Rockchucks&Rattlesnakes (May 30, 2022)
Happy Memorial Day to everyone. Happy Birthday to Vikki today and Happy 85th birthday to Dad (LaMar) on May 29. We kids got together and got him a nice car detailing service for his birthday. We had them for dinner on Sunday night. We also invited Alicia, Rella, and Calder. Adria and Shane are in Europe.
Krystal and Boris are buying a house in San Antonio. Krystal called Kim Saturday and also sent some links to view the home. It looks really nice! It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a nice backyard, and is pretty close to her law school. Camden was at the Indy 500 on Saturday and sent a few pics. He is making some sales out there in Indiana, but his legs are getting painful while walking so much.
Friday evening we had Integrity and she helped me work outside for a while. We enjoyed dinner with her. Cayson went backpacking one night alone, and finished up school this week. He also got into drawing this week, and is really good. He got Aaron back into drawing also, and Aaron just said this morning that Cayson “got real good, real fast”. Aaron is still enjoying his job, and did a double shift Saturday, and a double shift today (Monday) with holiday pay all day also.
Saturday Kim took Courtney out to get pedicures, and Courtney took Kim to lunch. I took the opportunity to go get rocks on West Mountain. See the pics below. I also ran into a rattlesnake right in front of me - while on the phone with Kim coordinating about groceries. I didn’t get a pic of the snake. I’ve heard rattlesnakes before down in the rocks but this is the first one I actually saw. I backed up fast. I did get a pic of the cute rock chuck (Yellow-bellied Marmot). I didn’t know this before, but they hibernate for eight months of the year - see article below. And here I thought our cats were lazy.
Earlier in the week, Aaron took Kim out to dinner for her Mother's Day present - they went to Asado (Argentinian).
Enjoy a super week!
Christopher and Kim
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