My summer vacation

All right, it's not summer and it wasn't a vacation, but it seemed like a cute idea at the time... What it WAS was a nice relaxing and slightly emotionally stressing weekend spent in Glenwood Springs.
The drive up was as beautiful as ever. Traffic was light and the weather was nice. Plus since I got out of town a bit early it was still light, so I got to see the canyon. But past Vail, old memories started crowing in and I started to regret the going. I wasn't going to see the one this road always led to, and there was something sad and painful about that. I almost turned around when I hit town, not willing to face that pain. But that wouldn't have been fair, and life goes on no matter what's happened in the past, and no matter how my heart breaks. The clock doesn't stop ticking.
I hadn't decided what type of details to go into... I know who'll be reading this... Typically I don't let such things interfere with this, it's like someone stealing your diary with your knowledge... But some things just don't fit in this post and I suppose I'll write about them later anyway.
Got to see Stranger Than Fiction which I've been wanting to see since the first previews this past summer. It was as good as I hoped it would be, and more than I expected. The company wasn't so bad either.
Saturday I had the opportunity to ride the tram up to the Fairy Caverns. I'm not a huge fan of heights and was admittedly uncomfortable in a little metal and plexiglass box hovering 20 feet above the ground on a thick cable, but it was a comfortable metal and plexiglass box, and the view was fantastic, with all of the valley opening up below. It was really neat because at the top, there's a restaurant, some rides, a climbing wall, a little gift shop, and the caverns. I guess in the summer it's supposed to be a pretty cool attraction, most everything was closed when we were there.
We did go on the cave tour. It wasn't horribly expensive, even if it was just over an hour. The cavern was discovered in the late 1800's and the original owner actually gave tours to people, so the history of the caves was really neat. It's called fairy caverns because his daughter said the lamplight sparkling on the condensation inside looked like fairies. If you're hit by a water drop while inside, you've been kissed by a fairy and will have good luck all the rest of the day. I got kissed ;o) By a fairy, I mean. Not sure the rest of the day was lucky, but I didn't die or anything so it must've been good. There's a section of cavern where the original owner mined out a long shaft to an opening in the mountain which leads to a small ledge with a fantastic view, part of it down the canyon. Then you leave the caverns and re-enter through a lower entrance, which elads to the alrgest chamber, second largest in the state. It is big, nothing as grand as Carlsbad but still pretty neat. I'd like to be able to bring Aerrik there sometime. We did total darkness in Kings Row, a section named because the stalagmites look like the back row of a chess board (I didn't think so, but then I wasn't just holding a lantern). The weird thing is, I could still see.... I could see a glow around my hand, and very faintly around the other people with us... I considered that it was just my mind compensating for the dark since it already knew where my hand was as I waved it in front of my face, but I don't really believe that's what it was...
The ride back down the tram was far less traumatic, and I actually enjoyed it. Now that I didn't feel like death was imminent, I was much more comfortable. Or maybe I was just still stoked from the caves ;o) Is stoked even a word that's still used??? Guess it is now... Got to share a seat on the way back down... Do you remember me waving to the little boy and his dad on their way up? I can almost see you smiling at the thought... haha
I was able to finish nearly all my Christmas shop, amidst little shops, a mall, and Target and WalMart. Even ended up with a thing or two for myself, with much thanks... You still need to find someplace for me to wear that dress... Had a bit too much to drink Saturday night, but no regrets just yet.
Also while out and about Saturday, we wandered into a little tattoo shop (see their not-very-good website here: www.tattmandu.com) with a VERY talented artist by the name of Paul. Please note the work and his website is NOTHING compared to the quality shown in his studio. I found a piece in his art book that just sang to me and I had to have, so there was an appointment made for Sunday morning. The piece was hand designed for me with roses and the names of my boys, it's a true piece of beauty and I thank Paul for sharing his talent. The tat only to an hour and half, and didn't hurt badly at all. At times I couldn't even feel it. And the boys love it :o)