What I did on my summer vacation

I don't know what has happened to me lately.  I've been meaning to write the vacation recap post since, oh, the day we came back from vacation, and here it is, fourteen years later (at least that's what it feels like), and I still haven't put the pictures on a memory stick to upload to the home computer.  Clearly the obsessive compulsive part of my brain fell out when I was jumping up and down trying to get the Lake Tahoe water out of my ear.

That's right folks, water was in my ear.  Because I went swimming.  In water.   I hate water, I hate swimming, I am not even fond of taking showers.  But the water in Lake Tahoe was just so unbelievably clear and cool (OK, it was COLD) and refreshing that I actually allowed it to touch my body... AND I ENJOYED IT. 

Oh, and I baked more of the now-famous cookies last night.   Clearly, I have been bodysnatched by aliens.  So let's just get on with this before I lose my mind completely.

I might have had a little bit of coffee this morning, BTW.  Could you tell?

(BTW, "BTW" is one of my favorite sayings recently.   Joel and I use it multiple times a day and I still find it mildly hysterical.  I'm don't mean we say the phrase "by the way".  We say the letters.   It's much funnier that way.  "BTW, you left the window open in my car last night.  Shockingly, no one stole it (not really shocking, if you've ever seen my car, especially lately since it's become the local pigeon's favorite poop-target)"  Or, "I have a meeting tonight so I'll be home late, BTW".  It makes mundane talk funny!  Try it!  Really!)

This is my first 5-day work week in SIX WEEKS, BTW.  And I might be going slightly insane, BTW.

BACK TO THE POINT.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation by Operation Pink Herring

On my summer vacation I had a really great time.  My boyfriend and me went to lots of cool places and saw lots of cool stuff. 

We rode on a plane that flew all the way from Baltimore to Phoenix.  Phoenix is in Arizona.  One time I went to Arizona before, and I really didn't like it because someone told me there were going to be scorpions in my sheets and snakes in my shoes and I am scared of scorpions and snakes.  I got really scared when we thought we were going to miss our connection because our plane was really late.  I really didn't want to stay in Phoenix with all the snakes and scorpions.  But luckily we made our flight and it was all OK.  We made it to Reno which is in Nevada.  There were slot machines in the airport in Reno.   We got our rented car and it was a really cool car and Joel drove it to our hotel.  We went to sleep and woke up and ate breakfast the next day.  Joel found out that there was a Sierra Trading Post Outlet in Reno and he got really excited because that is like his favorite store.  We went there and bought some stuff.

I bought some socks.  They're comfy.  After that, we went to Virgina City.  Virginia City was fun and cheesy and depressing all at the same time. There were fake cowboys and some guy had a panther on a leash that you could pay to take pictures with.  I wanted to take a picture with it, but I didn't because the panther didn't look happy and it made me sad.

We rode on an old train and took some tours of old mines.

The tour guides were not very nice and talked really really fast.

I didn't find any silver which was sad.  My face got really shiny, almost as shiny as silver though.

After that, we drove to Lake Tahoe and it was really, really pretty.

We did a lot of hiking and it was really pretty.  And we did a lot of driving and it was also really pretty.

Did you know that Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States and it holds 39 trillion gallons of water?  It's true. 

Here's another lake we hiked to.  It was pretty too.

I really wanted to see a bear, but we didn't see any.  The only animals we saw were chipmunks and this lizard who ran really fast.

We also went to see Squaw Valley where the Olympics were once and to Donner Lake where people had to eat each other once. 

We mostly just ate at restaurants, though.

One day we went to the beach and it was really, really pretty.

I really, really had a lot of fun and I hope I can go back some day.

The END.

Comments

[Angela]

Wow! 39 trillion gallons of water! This was very educational, but you know we'll have to deduct points since you turned it in late. Maybe you can erase the chalkboard after class for extra credit.

[RA]

Ooh, I'd love to go there someday. It looks so pretty. I commend you on going in the water, despite your better judgment. :)

So when you say, "BTW," are you actually saying the words or the letters? Because "Bee tee dubs" is one of my new favorite things to say...

[Laurel]

That sounds like a fun and adventurous wild-wild-west vacation! Makes me wish we had taken an extended trip this summer. Sigh.

Glad to hear that you didn't have to resort to cannibalism on your trip!

[janet]

I love the pics and the story. Those mountain west views make me feel like home (even though I've never been to where you were).

[Kirsten Aerts]

Looks gorgeous! As far as taking a picture with the panther. When we were in Mexico there was the CUTEST monkey right outside of our hotel. We could see it from our windown. That poor animal was on a leash 7 days a week! just having a small stick/stand to run up and down on. Mom visisited that monkey everyday. The last day she took a picture iwth it. I wanted to to, but I didn't want to support this guy who is keeping this monkey tied up. its probably still sitting there today. :( (it was REALLY Cute though!)

[Nap Queen]

LOL, "My face got really shiny, almost as shiny as silver though." That's awesome. It's funny, my husband and I say LOL and BTW, too (the letters themselves).

[Audrey]

"We mostly just ate at restaurants, though."

That right there is what earned you the + on your A+.

[Thomas]

Hey from Seattle.

[-R-]

I also loved the part about your face being as shiny as silver. I think you look cute in all the pictures though. Very nice essay, Miss OPH.

[Isabel]

Has anyone told you Joel looks like Matt Damon? Because I think he does.

And also, JEALOUS of your trip. You got some great photos.

[Jemima]

Dude, I was just there last weekend! I'm in withdrawal for clean air and pine trees and bacon cheeseburgers. Simons swam in the mountain lake and turned into marble. I got waist deep and screamed so loud, the echo is just now bouncing off a cliff in Antarctica. Then I scampered out and pranced up and down on the bank, which made Beulah very excited. Fun trip.