Cool Iowa weather

  Morning everyone.   It is cool in Iowa today, in the 40's reminding of the season to come.   My favorite, Fall and then the long cold winter.   Burrrr.  It has gone by way to fast.  And I am not ready.

   I am settled down from my trip.    One thing I brought back from my trip I didn't intend to was dozens of bug bites.   We did a lot of hiking.   I was worried I was bitten by bedbugs as we stayed in motels the entire time.   Anyway,  the bites festers and itches like crazy getting worse and worse everyday.  I finally went to the doc.   Good news is he doesn't think they were from bedbugs,  pray he's right and bad news is I am reacting poorly to them so he put me on some steroids for a week.  I have to admit they all ready look better today.  The bad thing is steroids make me gain weight so I won't be happy to weight in on today.  But I lost 3 pounds on vacation.  Hows that for being good.

   I worked 2 days and now am off for my long stretch all ready.   It will be a busy week as I have a class to take and I want to do my fall cleaning to get the house all tucked in for long winter days.  The pool needs to be emptied and all the curtains and windows cleaned.  And I want to ride my bike every day as those days also will be coming to an end.   Yesterday it was so windy riding was impossible.  I hope it's better today.

   Oh, another good thing about the steroids.  I bet it makes my knee feel better.  I am still hobbling around with my sore ole knees.  Made hiking in the mountain a challenge, heck walking anywhere a challenge.   Hopefully it will be feeling better by next week.  The joys of aging.   I have a birthday coming up shortly to remind me once again I am getting older.  But thats OK.  Aging is better then the alternative.

    Zoey is doing well,  slowing way down but still looks great for her age.  Chester is under the weather this morning.  I hope he didn't catch a cold from his bath.  He is such a cute little critter.

     And I guess that is all the news.  I am taking a on-line lecture about the constitution, it has been very interesting and the speaker is great.    We were going to go live but when they said they would be streaming it on line we both opted to watch in in the comfort of our warm home, LOL.  It is a great learning class.

      Well,   time to make my breakfast smoothie.   I take one cup of Blue Diamond Almond milk,  mix in a small handful of blueberries I have frozen,  3 or 4 strawberries I have frozen,  1 banana and a half of a peach.  Blend till smooth and yummy.  All my daily fruits and a filling breakfast.  I will be bummed when the fresh fruit gets harder to find as the frozen fruit has added sugar most times.  It is way sweet enough without adding sugar.   I am down 39 pounds since I joined My Fitness Pal and with the 8 pounds before that 47.   I have had to replace my clothes twice so far.   That's OK though.

Home from Vacation

  We had a lovely vacation in Colorado.    Every day I thank God for the wonderment of living in such a beautiful world and allowing me to see it.   This Iowa girl thinks the mountains are amazing.

      Even though going through the Rockie Mountain national park I was clutching the seat with my stomach in my throat at the dizzying heights it was beautiful.   The smells of the mountains,  the beautiful thin air.   We would go hiking and both of us would be puffing like steam engines in a short time.   Not used to being that high up.   But every hike was worth it and we both said there were for sure uglier places to die.

  

They have a beetle up there that is killing off a huge amount of trees.   You see dead brown trees by the thousands.  It is so sad and they don't know how to control it.  Leaving all those dead trees the fire danger is very high.  But even with the dead and dying trees it was so lovely.   I was up on some passes that were over 12,000 ft.   On top of world looking down on creation.   Above the tree line with some snow.  Amazing

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Then we went to see the Great Sand Dunes.   The closer you got the larger they became.   What a strange thing this huge sand dune at the base of a mountain.   I wish we had been there in June when they get their snow runoff and the entire area becomes a big sand lot to play in with shallow water.   Neither of us climbed the dunes as I know I wouldn't have made it with my knees and breathing still not great in the altitude.   Rick's knee was bothering him also from all the hiking the day before so we just walked a short ways and enjoyed the view.  You can see people at the very top of the highest dune in the shot if you click on it to make it larger.

    I would have liked to stay there a couple of days and get photos at different times of the day.  The dunes are always changing and just so impressive.  They are 700 ft tall I believe they said.  You can see people at the top.   The sand gets to 140 degrees so you have to haul plenty of water.

      I also got to go through Eisenhower tunnel which is the longest in the country I believe.   It did creep you out being under a mountain for so long but it was neat.

    And I finally got to go to Mesa Verde,  something I have wanted to do forever.   I really wish I had made it before I got bad knees but I will take what I get and be happy for the chance to see them.    We got caught in a terrible storm up on top of that mountain with lightening striking close on both sides of the van adding to our excitement at being there.   Nothing like traveling on hairpin turns on a steep mountain in blinding rain to make you grateful to be alive.

   A funny thing.  We were hiking up on top and came across some fresh scat.   I knew they had bear up there and didn't know what it could be.   It looked like horse poo.   We hadn't seen any horses and it was off the pass so I was worried there was a bear around.  Such tourists, LOL.   We got in the van and drove around the corner and there it was........... the wild beasts that had worried us.

Who  would have thought they would have wild horses way up there.  I am so glad I didn't ask the ranger about the poo I saw,  Duh.

   We also stopped at all the expensive ski resorts.   Not my cup of tea at all.   Very very crowded and expensive.   I got a meal for 22 dollars there I could have gotten for 10 here,  and better also.  I was sad to see souvenirs for the most part are all as cheap looking no matter where you go and all the same ole same ole.  I did pick up some new Keene's at a outlet store though for a great price.    But the crowds bothered me.  I guess I am small town.  Waiting half way around the block to get into a restaurant to eat when you are tired and hungry is a drag.

   We did find this great Texas BBQ place that had a man singing that sounded just like Willie Nelson.   So we had great smoked meat and a great time sitting outdoors listening to the songs of Willie.   Like is good.   And we found great beer our entire trip.

 Colorado has breweries all over in every town.  Huge ones and small ones.   We made sure to hit a good one when we settled in for the day and took a brewery tour to boot.  It was a lovely trip.

    This morning it was with some nervousness I stepped on the scale to see what the damage would be.   Wow,  down 2 more pounds.   Yippy.   I tried so hard to be good with cheerios for breakfast and fresh fruit in the car to munch on.  But hours of traveling,  not to mention brew pubs and good dinners I was sure I put on some weight.   Nope.  What a relief.

       So it is back to work tonight.   I will be tired but happy to be back to earning some money.  It was a great trip.