Click
here for a printer friendly
version of these pictures.
|
|
So,
after teaching summer school and working we were certainly
ready for a little vacation. But not before one last Utah
adventure. |
|
A few nights before we were slated to leave, Jordy went
out to get Aggie Ice Cream. On the stairs outside was a
pigeon who looked at Jordy. Upon returning, the same pigeon
was there still looking at him. Anna knew just what to do.
She brought the pigeon in and gave it food and water (and
shelter in the cat carrier - you've never seen a cat want
to get in to a cat carrier more than that night!).
With a little R&R the pigeon looked significantly better
in the morning and promptly flew away, thus ending our pigeon
saga. |
|
|
|
As
if the pigeon were enough...
Menagerie
Update: Adding to the collection of fish and cat and (almost)
pigeon, Anna adopted Miles, a beta fighting fish. Welcome
to our zoo.
In
the foreground are a bouquet of sweet peas from our garden. |
|
Before
going Anna found time to make Jordy a cool Amazon Women
hat.
|
|
|
|
Then
we were off! We started just after 6pm on a Thursday. Here
we are only an hour into the trip, heading south on I15. |
|
And
here's Jordy driving. Not to be confused with this
picture of Jordy driving. Or this
picture, either. No, in this picture Jordy is much,
much more tired (although he's hopped up on caffeinated
coffee candies).
|
|
|
|
Ah
yes, the Tree of Utah. It's supposed to be art. You be the
judge. |
|
The
Great Salt Lake at sunset. Sad, but we were still driving
when the sun came back up the next morning.
|
|
|
|
Time:
1:30 am.
Place:
Flying J in Winnemucca, NV
Subjects:
One Anna and one angry cat.
Disposition:
Tired of being in the goddamned car. |
|
We
survived the trip only to be attacked by Momthra upon entering
the house. Despite being severely out armed, Jordy managed
to hold off Momthra and her sword and squash with his pot
lid and burner. What he lacked in firepower he made up with
in determination. |
|
|
|
Shurik,
unfortunately, wasn't so lucky. So we ate him.
Okay,
no, just kidding. That's one of Gary's smoked chickens. One,
because we ate the other. Mmmm. Of course this roasted chicken
picture should in no way be confused with this
roasted chicken picture. Or this
one either. |
|
We
would be on the houseboat on Misha's 23rd birthday, so
we celebrated ahead of time with a levitating cake.
|
|
|
|
And
here's Misha's birthday cake. Please don't confuse it with
this cake or even
this cake. |
|
We
got all dressed up because Owen and Sce offered to take
us to a swanky steak house in Palo Alto. We, of course,
accepted. Here we pose before a night of great steaks, great
drinks, great pool, and a great Volkswagen Microbus car
fire. What a night! |
|
|
|
The
following night we were able to catch Misha's newest band
opening for his other band, Atomic
Mint. |
|
After
setting up, Misha here solos on the ancient Chinese song
"tu-ning"
|
|
|
|
And
here they are in full swing. We only regret that we don't
remember the band's name (sorry Misha! Guess you'll have to
send us a cd to jog our memories). Atomic
Mint followed. It was raaaad. |
|
Afterwards
Anna got to hang with this cute bass player. She asked
him for an autographed set list which he promised but
hasn't materialized yet.
|
|
|
|
We
thought it would be nice to have Shurik visit with Anna's
grandparents. Here Baba pets him. |
|
Jordy
holds Shurik while Deda gets his pet on.
|
|
|
|
While
we headed off for lake Oroville, Misha stayed home and catsitted
Shurik for us. Or maybe it was that we left Shurik to Misha-sit.
You decide. |
|
Off
to the lake! Lake Oroville, that is. Here we are deep in
the middle fork. Think of it like Heart of Darkness
with much better food and company.
|
|
|
|
Rachel
(you remember Rachel!) and Jordy (and his hat, don't forget
the hat!) converse in the shade proffered by Tentus Erectus™
|
|
Most
of the week we stayed tied up here, in Shurik's cove.
Wait, you say, didn't you leave Shurik in Misha's care
(or vice versa)?
|
|
|
|
This
is why we called it Shurik's cove: this rock looked just like
Shurik peeking out at us. Okay, well we thought it did. It
was hot, alright? And we were waterlogged. It does look like
Shurik! It does it does it does! |
|
Lisa
relaxes listening to the Best of Pat Benetar. We're not
kidding about that, either. Note the grim, determined
expression
|
|
|
|
And
after Pat Benetar, it's Magnolia, her niece. Magnolia's wailing,
I assure you, was preferable to Benetar's. |
|
"Hey,
Rachel?"
"Yes?"
"Do
you know what time it is?"
|
|
|
|
IT'S
HOUSEBOAT RAVE TIME!!!
un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch* |
|
Gary
and John try not to think about the ravers and instead
think about wonderful wine.
|
|
|
|
"Wait,
those bubbles are from the fish aren't they? AREN'T THEY?" |
|
Here
Rachel and Anna dress in the houseboat ceremonial garb.
|
|
|
|
Wait,
I didn't know the Olsen twins were on this boat? And when
did they dye their hair? |
|
While
the rest of the boat slept (Rachel and Anna are sleeping
just beyond the pilothouse there on top), Jordy climbed
up the waterfall and took this shot of houseboat in Shurik's
Cove.
|
|
|
|
|
Babies
-- the latest houseboat must-have! That Maggie sure gets
around.
|
|
|
|
This
is what dinner on the houseboat every night looked like. Great
food, great folks, great times! |
|
un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*-un-*ch*
|
|
|
|
Raquel
De Muerte demonstrates how large the fish that got away was. |
|
Rachel
was kind enough to show the brunette Olsen twins how to
make friendship bracelets. That was until their argument
over which colors to use erupted into a fistfight and
they tried to strangle each other with the colorful creations.
Now they're known as ENEMY bracelets.
|
|
|
|
We
smuggled illegal sparklers in from Utah so we could have fun
on the houseboat. Note: do not confuse these sparkler pictures
with, say, this
sparkler picture. |
|
It's
the "Blair Witch Project" meets "The Ya-Ya
Sisterhood."
|
|
|
|
Alas,
the week ended and we said goodbye to Shurik's Cove and the
waterfall. |
|
Rachel
and Anna celebrate the Bridges of Butte County.
heh
heh, I said Butt. heh heh
|
|
|
|
And
here's where we'll leave you for now. We're finishing up the
roll that has the last bit of our California trip and the
beginning of school. Enjoy the dog days of summer everyone! |
|