Hail to the Chief Day

In this crazy election year (my opinion), I do not want to talk politics on Presidents' Day. Instead, I found one of my favorite photos of my mom and me... and 4 very dead presidents.

This was taken on a warm, sunny day in June of 2014 on our little vacation out west to South Dakota. What I'd give to have a sleeveless shirt on right now (not to mention, a tan!). It was a neat vacation, great to spend time with Mom and very cool to see historic monuments.

These days, Presidents' Day means two things: 1) a federal holiday so some people are off work, including mail carriers, and 2) a whole lot of presidential sales on clothes and other items not closely related to patriotism or honoring our nation's leaders.

For me, it was another day at the office, followed by an insane one-on-one kickboxing class, followed by the Assumption boys basketball game. It was senior night so I wanted to get some pictures of my friends with their sons. It also turned out to be an intense game versus Abbotsford, with our Royals falling by 3 teeny tiny points. Dang. Still a nice tribute night for the 4 seniors and their parents.

Managed to snag a photo of "my" senior, too, playing in the Pep Band. Of course, he still strategically places that big ol' baritone in front of his face when he spots me. But I got one quick frame off first.

I figured as long as I was missing the Grammys, I might as well get the next best thing!

And they did play a stellar Star-Spangled Banner so we fit that presidential patriotism after all.

Presidential Sweet

Thank you, Mount Rushmore, for memories of a warm summer day (without windchill). And thank you, presidents, for a Monday off from work. Sweet!!

For those keeping score at home, the next time I have a holiday I will get to spend it with Mr. Deck Chair. Memorial Day seems like a long way off...

It was a nice "extra" day to the weekend and I took advantage of it. Got my Cardio Kickbox class in this morning, then stopped at the scrapbook store to get "just a few" pieces of paper I need for the weekend. After a shower, I got all of our tax stuff in order for the tax man, then spent an hour or so with my BFF, who always gets Federal Holidays off!

Tonight I got the last of my camp stuff together (except for my clothes and bedding, etc), so that feels good. I also got some last minute posters and labels done for the Empty Bowls event next weekend. Just whipped through my "To Do" list!

I did take some time for fun. Watched the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special from last night and got some good laughs out of that.

Then I called my mom to see how she's acclimating to winter now that's she been back from Texas for a week. She's not a fan. She said Valentine's Day was the coldest it's been since she was around 10 or 12 years old. Uff da. On a positive note, she is liking her brand-new push-button phone! She still has the two rotary ones on the wall so when a call comes in, all 3 ring. At least we know she won't miss a call because she can't hear it!

It was good to talk to her and, as always, she loved talking to "grown-up" Carter. "I hope you don't mind I gave him some advice," she said. Basically, she told him to make good decisions because the results follow you everywhere.

I think some presidents could have heeded that advice. Still got a holiday out of it, though!

This is my Father's World :: Part 3

This is my Father's world:
he shines in all that's fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

What do you know about Mount Rushmore? Originally known to the Lakota Sioux as Six Grandfathers, the mountain was renamed after Charles E. Rushmore, a prominent New York lawyer, during an expedition in 1885.

At first, the project of carving Rushmore was undertaken to increase tourism in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. After long negotiations involving a Congressional delegation and President Calvin Coolidge, the project received Congressional approval. The carving started in 1927, and ended in 1941 with no fatalities. (That's amazing, isn't it?)

Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum, Mount Rushmore features 60-foot sculptures of the heads of four United States presidents: George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865).

The entire memorial covers 1,278.45 acres – and I think I hiked them all to share with you Mount Rushmore at all angles!

Rayna is ready to shoot!

Four Great Faces. Ha.

Typical "postcard" view!

I feel short. Again.

A rock can grow a plant but I can't??

At least it doesn't mention snakes!

Final view: Washington profile.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the dangerous but beautiful Needles Highway – a naturally scary part of my Father's World!

Random Acts of Monday-ness

Cross-Waddle: Who doesn't mind getting "goosed" on a Monday morning? Sure gets you going for the work week. Today I had to stop for Canada geese and goslings jaywalking across the highway, ignoring the crosswalk, er waddle, signs. I didn't think the "I'm late for work due to the feathered foreigners" excuse was gonna fly. But I have photographic evidence you have to bill-lieve.

Wish You Were Here: Carter got the Mount Rushmore postcard TODAY I sent him last Tuesday from Wyoming. I had no idea the Pony Express was still active, but that has to be the reason for such slow service, doncha think?

When Dad told him he got a postcard that started out with "Hi Sweetie," I'm pretty sure the 16-year-old was hoping for a postmark from Germany. Maybe next time, Sweetie!

Web MD: I'm not a doctor but I play one on TV... Or the Internet... In this day and age, it's pretty convenient (and probably ill-advised) to self-diagnose our ailments from "authentic" medical websites on the Internet. I've done it before and I'll do it again. There's always an outside chance your symptoms will match up with the actual ailment instead of giving you 1,367 possible matches. I got lucky – if you call it luck...

Last week during vacation, I woke up one morning with major pains in my left wrist. I kind of had the twingy pains where it felt like a sprained wrist. Since it wasn't constant, I didn't give it too much thought. It has, however, kept recurring and was getting more painful yesterday when I moved my left hand in certain angles – like for driving, holding a camera and typing on a keyboard. Nothing major, right? That's when I noticed a lump on my wrist. After some pretty advanced search words, it came up immediately (with photos to match my wrist) that it was likely a ganglion cyst. (Sounds disgusting and it is. Do NOT google images unless want to see surgery. Yuck!)

I waited 'til after work to go to the clinic and, like I called it, it's a ganglion cyst. They can't cure it and they don't know what causes it so they can't prevent it. Ahh, modern medicine. If it gets larger or causes much more or constant pain, they could surgically remove it. For now, I caught it too soon (strange as that sounds) and there's nothing they can do.

It has put an '80s song in my head (no surprise). Remember when Hall & Oates sang "Kiss is on my List." Instead of singing, "Your kiss, your kiss, is on my list," I am now singing, "A cyst, a cyst, is on my wrist.."

In case you were wondering what "Monday-ness" is, now you know! Sorry. There's no cure for that either.

Wild West :: Part Three

The Western weather gods were making up for our soggy Sunday. And we thank them for it.

On a day of touring national monuments and driving through unique scenic roadways, it was such a treat to have postcard picture perfect cloudless skies! Thank you!

First on the map was Mount Rushmore. This really should be on everybody's Bucket List. I was like a kid at Christmas. As soon as it came into view on our drive there, I was so excited!

Our four great faces with the "official" great faces of South Dakota!

There are several angles of the four presidents that a tourist can see. Mom and Rachel stayed near the visitors center while Rayna and I took our cameras and hit the trail. I have no clue how many dozens of photos I took, but it was just a breathtaking sight from all angles.Just amazing

It was a lot of walking and plenty of steps. Felt fine going down, but what goes down must go up! May feel that in my calves tomorrow! Couldn't complain with how beautiful a day it was.

After Mount Rushmore, it was south to the Crazy Horse Monument. My mother said it didn't look like much different from when she and Dad saw it 20 years ago. But after watching the video explaining the story behind it and seeing just how far they have come, it was pretty impressive. And, though, I doubt it will be finished in my lifetime, will be quite impressive when it is finished.

The 1/34th scale model of the finished monument.See what I mean about the timeline for the finished project?

From Crazy Horse, we took the Crazy Course -- otherwise known as Needle highway. Just a twisty, windy, scary narrow driving course through the Black Hills and Custer Park. We had some scary one-lane tunnels where you prayed you wouldn't meet an oncoming vehicle. Took some neat photos I will share soon.

Eye of the needle along the Needle Highway.

Just lots of unique landscape. Very cool. And, well, majestic.

Got back to Rapid City a little after 5 p.m. and joined Tim and family for supper at Sanford's -- a great set-up like the Sanford & Sons junkyard on TV. Great decor and great food. The boys were entertaining as always, too!

Came back to hotel to chill out and try to upload photos. Just not gonna work how I want this trip. Hope you can enjoy your ride with me without them!