Thanks, Dear....

I have a dear friend out there who means the world to me. We dated for about 6 months way back in 1996. It didn't work out. We tried again, sort of, after he arrived in Hawaii (after me) in 1997. It didn't work out....again. But we remained friends.

Gibby is currently deployed to a location in Iraq that I hesitate to share. Given that HE shared, I probably could, but I choose not to for security reasons. He'll be coming home soon, but I'm on pins and needles until I know he's safe back on U.S. soil. The point being that I am sure you can tell we've been talking while he's been away. Well, not talking so much as emailing since the location kind of dictates that, but conversing nonetheless.

I have been given a wonderful observation about my husband, whom I think won't mind my actually mentioning him this one time, by a man I used to date and remained friends with. Gibby has lost a number of girlfriends due to his military career. He was in a stable and serious relationship when he left for Iraq. She pretty well dumped him as soon as he was gone. He's just a great guy who treats women with such respect that I'm truly shocked he's still single, let alone that these women have hurt him so badly. But it has given me an even deeper appreciation for the man I love with all my heart.

It's no secret that my marriage has had some extremely rough moments. We argue a fair amount, and we're not so very shy about it. That's what happens when you both have hot tempers and try to be the one in charge (I'm the most guilty here!!). We're both fairly independent and actually cherish time just to ourselves (with toddler in tow, of course). We have extremely different opinions on things that would surprise people. But above all we love each other, are completely devoted to each other, and would stop a train for each other. There have been things that have happened that have proven that to even the biggest skeptic. We entered into our marriage with eyes wide open about the work it takes to stay together, and we're willing to lay it all on the line to keep our hearts intact.

The observation Gibby gave me, though he will never have a clue, is that I'm a very lucky woman. I've spent time away for job purposes and on mini-vacations by myself. I've had days where I'm just the most mean person alive. I've had issues arise that would send most people hiding in the hills. Through it all my dear and patient husband has stood by me. He hasn't complained, he hasn't criticized me, he has simply stood by me and offered support. Support that only a truly good and loving person can.

While it is also true that I've stayed by his side through job separations and other not-so-fun times, there have been times I've been critical. And I certainly have complained. Trust me, he is sooooo much better at being the supportive spouse than I am!

I will be starting school again in just a couple of short months. Through all my doubts and fears, my wonderful husband has encouraged and supported me. In order to help pay school and childcare fees, a big decision is in the works. Much to my surprise, my dear man is not only on board, but feels it is worth a serious look. I must say I was shocked at my relief!

Anyway, I can't thank him enough for the way he's loved and supported me. I am truly and eternally grateful.......

The Black Hills....Day four, Crazy Horse

A gloriously warm morning!! What a wonderful thing, especially given it's Luke's 2nd birthday! We started out with a phone call from daddy, the typical breakfast, clean up, get dressed kind of stuff. Then it was time to head out for the Crazy Horse Memorial.

Okay, so it wasn't quite warm enough to run around in shorts and a t-shirt, but at least we weren't in 5 layers of clothes. The sky was beautifully blue, the breeze was light, and the day was just.....waiting for us.

We headed out and passed Mount Rushmore. Around the corner is an incredible view of the profile of George Washington. We stopped. How could you not? Out came the cameras and binoculars while we stared in awe. There were some mountain goats up on the rocks. I got a great view of them, billy included, through the binoculars, but there was no way I would ever have been able to get a picture. It's pretty amazing how they skirt around on those ledges like it's a full-sized gym floor.

From this angle it was also visible that there's a chip in George Washington's nose, and some rocks sitting on top of his head (I believe on purpose, I couldn't get a close enough look). It's also a nice spot to get a good look at how Borglum designed the eyes of these massive sculptures.

Back in the mini-van and on to Crazy Horse. We discussed how people who've visited this memorial either love it or say it's a huge disappointment. There's no median, just a great like or a great dislike. I don't know all of the reasons, but I know one major one is a misunderstanding and/or distaste for Native American life and traditions. I've never quite gotten that one, but I was able to grow up in an area with a heavy influence of that life and those traditions, so I've always had an appreciation. Some also dislike this memorial because it is a private facility with the entrance fees paying for the construction. It's an interesting argument.

We rounded the corner and pulled into the gate. We were all wowed by the sight. It's a different kind of wow than Rushmore offers, though. I can't really explain it.

We watched the movie, looked around at the museum exhibits, glanced in the gift shop, then grabbed some lunch. It was pretty exciting to see food I hadn't had since I was in high school. I know that's funny, but I love fry bread and Navajo Tacos, and I haven't had them for years! After we ate we explored some more. It was a special week and there were a large number of American Indians from all over the nation visiting. We enjoyed talking to them and learned things we hadn't known before. For example, I can now tell the difference between American turquoise and Chinese turquoise.

We toured the Ziolkowski's home that is connected to the museum (and still the residence of Mrs. Ziolkowski, now well into her 80's). That was pretty cool! Oh, the Ziolkowski's are the family that are building the memorial, at the request of the Native American community. They have lived on the property since the inception.

We took a bus ride to the base of the memorial. What a fantastic vantage point! You are close enough to see the mineral deposits in Crazy Horse's eyebrow, you see the opposite side. You get a much better idea of where the University, clinic, housing, and stuff will be. You also get the best example of the massive size of this memorial. It's one thing to just say that all four faces on Mount Rushmore will fit into Crazy Horse's head, it's another to stand below and see just how very true that is.

Sometime in here Luke fell asleep on Grampa's lap.

We stayed around through the evening. We were treated to Native American dancers during dinner, something that thoroughly intrigued Luke. It was his first experience with that. He loved the music, was highly interested in the dancers, but decided not to join the other young kids who ventured up to dance. I think he was a little intimidated by the costumes. He was treated to a piece of cake with 2 candles on it, brought to him by a singing restaurant staff (much to my surprise!). I think that was probably his favorite part of the day.

After dinner we ventured into a part of the museum building with a wall of windows looking out to the memorial. There was another family there with a few kids and they had a ball entertaining my boy, and he had a ball playing with them. This included Luke figuring out the benches made great tunnels (boy was he sad and cried big tears when I said he had to get out and not play there!). We watched deer feed in the grass right below us, watched more goats moving around on the rocks, and enjoyed the music while waiting for the laser light show to begin.

If you have plans to visit this memorial, you really need to stay or return for the laser light show! It's fantastic! The music is wonderful, the story is great, and even the 2-year old boy sat still while glued to the show. Then it was time to go back to the house.

We went back the same way and managed to catch Washington's profile before the lights were off for the night. It was another comical action trying to get pictures, but we were more successful. The picture snapped just a split second before the lights went out. It was the perfect way to cap the day.

Luke stayed awake all the way back to the house, but he crashed hard when his pj's were put on. It was a great, great day, and a birthday I hope he'll always remember......

The Black Hills....Day three, the 1880 Train

Day three dawned another cold one. And still a bit drizzly. Well, such is life in a season of strange weather the nation over. No big deal. I was certainly feeling a ton better, just a little bit stuffy with a bit of a cough. At least it was something I could deal with.

We left after breakfast for a little adventure. The Black Hills Central Railroad, also known as the 1880 Train. Named such because the tracks were laid in 1880. It's a two-hour round trip ride. Given that's the town we were staying in, we obviously left from the Keystone station. Oh, what a beautiful ride!! I was already in love with these hills, but seeing it from this angle and places we would've otherwise missed....oh my....

We learned about the various settlements, the "Mining House," where miners stayed and shopped, different historical facts, saw remnants of the 1972 flood, and learned about the train being used in media events such as the HBO series, "Deadwood," and Steven Spielberg's TV mini-series, "Into The West." We learned some of the history of the train cars we road in, and where some of the engines came from.

Incidentally, the particular engine that was powering our time on the rails was one we were actually familiar with. When I was a young girl we would take day trips to the Heber Valley in Utah. It wasn't far from us. The railroad there used to own and display this engine. How cool! Thank goodness someone was able to place this beautiful beast back into service!

We had only a 15-minute layover in Hill City. We could have explored a bit in that town, but we wanted to be sure we had a way back to Keystone. Not knowing much about the layout of the town, and wanting to get back to Keystone for some food, we decided to stay put. Almost. We switched train cars. We were able to get a better view from our new seats and Luke had a bit more room to stretch out.

Among the sights greeting us from the windows were the wildlife of the area. We counted numerous deer, including a fawn who looked a bit bewildered by the loud and lumbering thing passing it, a fox, marmots, and a soaring hawk. Luke didn't see them, he conked out.

When we arrived back in Keystone and departed the train, we had a moment to get a closer look at the powerful engine. Grampa was able to snap a couple of pictures, too. We took a few minutes in the gift shop to look for some postcards (better pictures than we can take) and Luke found a train he insisted he needed. We found out later the train makes noise...oops. But that's alright, he loves it.

The rest of the day was spent wandering the town and partaking in another local eatery. We found the old school, now turned museum, explored some teeny antique shops that reside in old ice houses, marveled more at the rocks all around us (they shimmer in every light), and met some fascinating people.

Nightfall brought us to a hotel that you can see Mt. Rushmore from. We thought we'd get some pictures of the memorial all lit up. Yeah, that was comical. We have some pictures that...well, heck. I don't even know how to describe them! You can decide:

Then it was back to the house for another quiet evening and peaceful slumber. Tomorrow would be another day full of adventure.....

The Black Hills....day two

Remember how I said it was cold and rainy when we arrived in Keystone, South Dakota? It was still that way in the morning. I had packed some warmer clothes for Luke and I, but I was still so very cold! Luke actually seemed like he was okay, but I wasn't able to get enough clothes on me to keep comfortable. What was compounding the problem was the fact I woke up with a cold. Lovely.

Seriously! I had started coughing a bit while in the car and had attributed it to the air conditioner. Then I woke up the next day (this day) with a very sore throat and a hack that I couldn't shake. First order of business was then to go get some breakfast and find a store. I needed to get some stuff to confront this cold and not spend my vacation in bed.

We skipped the lodge restaurant to check out the downtown surroundings. We chose one, parked, and started out. I noticed we had parked right next to what appeared to be a blacksmith's shop, something that has always piqued my interest. Sure enough, the Smithy came out, said hi, and said he had something for Luke. He chose an 1896 railroad spike, stamped LUCAS into it, fired and waxed it, and gave my boy a (FREE!!!!) souvenir. Very cool!

Off to breakfast. And a boatload of hot tea. Luke was ready and chowed down like a pro. Oh wait, he IS a pro when it comes to food!! Then off to find the tiny little store. Since we had a house with a fully equipped kitchen, we decided to gather some stuff to cook for breakfast instead of going out each morning, along with the tea and meds I was searching. The latter proved a bit of a task, but eventually I did come across enough Dayquil to keep my body happy.

The rest of the daytime hours were spent perusing the shops of downtown Keystone. As expected, a lot Black Hills gold, and other local stuff. Tons of tee shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets. Typical tourist stuff, but we had a lot of fun checking it out.

When evening fell, my dad said "let's go check out Rushmore." Cool! It was falling dark, and that was the point. We decided not to take cameras for this occasion, but maybe we should have? We did a quick trip through the gift shop, glanced in the museum, and headed outside for the movie, lighting of the memorial, and the flag retirement. One thing the National Park Service does at this particular memorial is invite ALL military, past and present, to take part in the daily retirement of our nation's flag. Dad and I accepted the invitation....Luke refused to stay with Gramma and came with. It's a simple ceremony, of course, but it was cool to share the moment not only with my dad, but with around 30 other people. One thing of interest, at least to my simple mind, is the fact that I was not only the youngest individual on this particular night, but the only woman. Okay, Luke was technically the youngest, but you get the point.

Then we hightailed it back to the mini-van to head for the warmth of the house. My plan was to get Luke down for bed, take as hot a shower as I could stand, drink more hot tea with honey, stay bundled up, and make myself sweat. I am pleased to report that the plan actually worked! I went to sleep sweating, and I stayed that way. It sounds icky, but it helps get the icky out of the body. It was another full day that led to a houseful of happy, snoring individuals......

The Black Hills, day one....

So today's title should give the answer to yesterday's question. Paha Sapa means "Hills Black," or "Hills of Black" in the Sioux language. The location I had been hiding out in for the past week.

We left last Tuesday for our adventure. It was my mom and dad, Luke, and myself all loaded up in the grandparent's mini-van. We pulled out of Pueblo at about 10am and it was already close to 90 degrees. Thank goodness for air conditioning! But it was also a bit of a comedy in pulling out. We had everything loaded down nicely and were well ready to boogie North. Only had to make a stop for a drink and some ice for the cooler. We got the drinks, forgot the ice. What dorks!

Second stop was made in Colorado Springs, might as well grab the ice there. Nope, not happening as the gas station was out of ice. They hadn't seen ice shipments in close to a week! How weird. The journey continues to Monument.

Finally we get our two bags of ice! By now it's noon. It takes an hour on usual days to get this far. Time for lunch. A fantastic, tasty, and healthy one from McDonald's. But at least it was quick.

We made it through Denver just fine, spotted some of the tornado damage in Wellington, soared through Cheyenne, and marveled at the grass blowing in the wind. We finally stopped for gas in Chugwater, Wyoming. I just love that name! It was a little more than halfway to our destination.

A couple of hours later we were about to join the road that would take us into South Dakota. We met up with a flagger for a construction crew and she stopped us. We not only had to wait for a pilot car, we also had to wait for a tornado. They had a warning for one in the area, but nobody knew exactly where it was. Better to make sure everyone was safe. We only had to wait about 15 minutes.

Another stop for gas in Newcastle, Wyoming, and to make sure our route was an okay one. By now we were only about 90 minutes from our destination. Oh my, were we anxious! Back on the road we go.

We entered a world of sheer beauty. I mean sheer beauty. It was incredible! A little sad since a massive fire had torn through at some point (I don't know that I've ever seen a burn scar quite like that before), but just sheer beauty. The ride was just one of fingers pointing and exclamations to look at various things. A lot of deer, a lot of antelope, a lot to look at.

We rounded a curve and got our first view of Mount Rushmore, but we honestly didn't gawk for but a moment because we were consumed by the overall view and keeping an eye open for our lodging. A few minutes later and we were there!

The Powderhouse Lodge is a conglomeration of cabins with an office and restaurant on the property. The restaurant was still open so we were able to grab a bite to eat before crossing the road to "the house." Our cabin was actually a house, someone's residence they eventually sold to the lodge. It is right across the street from the main campus. Just a little 2 bed, 2 bath place with a small kitchen and living room, but it was absolutely perfect for us.

The thing that will always stick out about getting to "our" house for the week? It was June 10th, but it was about 40 degrees, windy, and drizzling a very, very cold rain. It felt more like January! Okay, that's a stretch, but it gives you an idea.

Time for bed. We were ready for it and the cozy little house snuggled 4 very tired individuals into comfy beds for the night. It was time to prepare our bodies for a very, very busy and exciting day to come..........

Paha Sapa....

I'm sure there are some out there who are wondering where the heck I've been. Maybe not, but it's been a week and it has been silent on this blog. That wasn't intentional, I just haven't had access.....not to mention time!

Where have I been? What could have taken me away from bloggerland?

Paha Sapa.

What's that, you ask? I'll give a few hints.....then I'll write later.

Paha Sapa is the Sioux name for the place I've been. It is my new favorite place in this great nation, and I'm not joking when I say I want to move there. It is home to two major memorials, one owned and operated by the National Parks Service, one privately owned, funded, and operated. It is a place full of gold mines, made somewhat famous by a handful of movies and television series. And it pure heaven.

I am in serious need of getting laundry done. The thought was that we'd have time to do it while on vacation. We were so busy seeing and doing things that laundry never happened! Later this evening I will begin posting words and pictures of this wonderful place.....

Big Boy Bed....

Let me start out this morning by stating I am supremely disappointed in the fact we are now entering 31 years with no Triple Crown Winner. Poor Big Brown was just......not right yesterday. That's horses for you! I do wish to add, however, that Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown's jockey, displayed an amazing amount of horsemanship. Kudos to him for that, and a lifetime of respect from me.

Luke now has a big boy bed. It's nothing fancy, just a frame with a twin mattress, but it works perfectly fine. Daddy will make a head and footboard at some later date. He's still not sure about sleeping in it, but that will come in time. No big deal.

This child loves to play in the bed, though. Any bed. Which makes putting the thing together in the morning rather difficult. He climbs into, pulls the covers over his head, pulls the sheets all apart, and generally makes a total mess of the thing. While it can be annoying at times, it's still very cute and funny.

So, here's a few pictures: