Monthly Archives: June 2012

Wednesday we started off by doing a bunch of Japan planning with Joan.  I am looking forward to Japan with so much anticipation, but it’s going to be a lot of hard work.  So, we debated between hotels, vacation homes, and Ryokans.  We’re still not sure what we’re going to do.  But, one thing we are sure of is that it’s going to be expensive.  I’m looking forward to the food, surprise.

I felt like running around so I slapped on my work out gear and started experimenting.  I wanted to jump rope, but we didn’t have one, so I started with Joan’s hula hoop.  That wasn’t cutting it.  Even with the altitude, I wasn’t breaking a sweat.  I found an extension cord, wrapped it around my hands, and tried to jump rope.  I don’t know if it was the cord or the uneven dirt and grass, but jumping rope wasn’t happening.  I was getting frustrated, so I went into the house to mope.  Seth, jokingly, offered to hop on my back and get carried across the yard at a run.  I said yes.  Now, I didn’t get a picture, and I’m kinda disappointed by this, so I am going to paint a picture for you.  Picture my husband, hopping on my back in proper piggy-back form, me wrapping my arms around his extra long legs and trotting (as fast as I could) across the front yard.  But, that’s not the end of it.  Mochi is always excited for us to join her outside (in ‘her territory’), so when I began running she decided it was a game and began running with us.  But then, the puppies saw what was going on and I think they were kind of confused, that they weren’t completely sure what we were, or what we were doing.  Then they began to chase after us and bark like crazy.  This put Mochi into the defensive, trying to keep the puppies away.  So, there I was, toting Seth on my back, barreling across the yard, with three dogs barking like crazy while circling my feet.  Quite a scene.

Lucky for us, we were able to spend Joan’s birthday with her.  To celebrate we headed over to Glenwood Springs to have lunch at The Pullman.  It happens to be a really good restaurant with really good drinks.  I had the lamb meatballs with feta gnudi.  What the heck is gnudi?  Well, I’m told it’s kinda like gnocchi, but it’s more cheese than potato.  It was really delicious.  I tried a bite of everyone else’s dishes and they were very good as well.  We ran some errands then headed back to Meeker. 

This morning, we woke up and it was already hot.  So, we filled up the baby pool and attacked Mochi with the hose.  Don’t worry, she loves this.  She’s a bit apprehensive at first, so we soak her, then she wants to play.  She streaks after the stream of water and tries to eat it.  It’s awesome.

Then, Seth made a picnic lunch to bring up to the ranch.  We had lunch at the ranch with Steve, Joan and some friends then borrowed the 4-wheeler to go for a ride.  Seth, Joan, Mochi and me went for an adventure.  Steve mentioned that they had cleared the fence line, so we decided to check it out.  Adventure.  Bushes, bugs, and branches.  It was like a roller coaster.  But, at the top of one hill I turned to my right to see a herd of about 35 elk spotting us and running away.  Super cool.  And the property is absolutely beautiful.  Then, on our way back, as we passed a puddle, slowing to search for a bear track near it, we heard a splash as we continued on.  After a moment or two, I turned around to check on Mochi in the back like I was doing every so often.  And she was gone.  Seth stops and I frantically hop out.  And she’s right behind the 4-wheeler, but she’s covered in brown sludge.  Gross.  We can’t be sure, but our guess is that when we slowed to check the mud around the puddle for the bear track, Mochi saw the ‘water’ and hopped out for a swim. It was really hot and she’s a fluffy black doggie.  But, what she didn’t know about that puddle, or did but didn’t care, was that this particular puddle is where male elk pee and ‘squirt’ in during mating season.  Gross.  More than gross.  We were running out of gas so we headed back to the office and dunked Mochi in the river.  That wasn’t enough, so when we got back to the house we washed her in the baby pool.

Then we went through our packs.  So, it turns out that it’s going to cost like $600 to send a box of needed items to Africa.  Go figure.  So, we have to carry our sleeping bags and fleece the whole time.  So, we decided to go through our stuff and cut out as much as we could.  I took out a bunch of stuff from my bathroom kit, like 5 of the 7 chapsticks, night face lotion, and things like that.  It was tough, but I think it will be worth it.  I, also, took out one of my dresses.  I think that’s it.  I pick up my smaller sleeping bag from the REI in Denver on our way to the airport tomorrow.

If you couldn’t figure it out, mine is the pile on the left, and Seth’s is the one on the right.

We’re off to Denver tomorrow! NYC here we come!

Holy guacamole!! Well, there was no guacamole involved, but it was like we were guacamole, and the bugs were college kids after a night of partying.  We were being eaten alive by bugs! Mostly mosquitoes and houseflies.  Nonetheless, we had a pretty great day 2 in Meeker, Colorado.

In the morning we went up to the ranch with the dogs for a walk by the river.  Boy, was it hot! I was impressed at how hot it was at only 9am.  We walked along the river as the dogs explored the trail and it’s surroundings.  We had to pause at one point because we heard a momma elk sneaking away with her calf.  Pretty cool.  The heat brought us to turn around a little sooner than I would have liked, but the pups were hot.  We tossed Mochi into the pond to cool her off.  

Seth made some delicious sandwiches for lunch, before we went back out to the ranch to shoot and fish.  We spent a bit of time trying to help the ‘problem in the pasture’ before setting up targets.  We shot a bunch with the 22 and the AR15, before the guns were too hot to hold.  It was 94 degrees up at the ranch, which Steve said must be a record.  Either way, Seth and I took off our shoes and hopped into the river to cool off and to try to get away from the mosquitoes.  The water was perfect.  Not as cold as it usually is, but it probably has to do with the low water levels and extreme heat.  Hopefully it rains soon in Colorado.  There are some out of control fires that need it!

Steve showed up just as we were drying off to go fishing.  So we loaded up the 4 wheeler and headed to a spot we were checking out earlier on our jaunt along the river.  Once again, we waded in the river, but this time we had rods for the fishies.  Seth caught a big ol rainbow trout pretty quickly.  Then Steve got a good sized fish as well.  Seth caught another one, but while he was trying to get the hook out of its mouth, I accidentally let the fish out of the net.  I was tangled in the fly line and was trying to get out! Oops, sorry Seth.  But, somehow in that madness, Seth managed to hook himself.  Steve showed me a nifty way to get hooks out of people by using the fly line itself.  Fun times.

It was a wonderful Colorado day!