SOMETIMES, YOU JUST GOTTA SWEAR.... But, those words are instantly forgiven....

I have learned, during my 60 years of being on this earth, that somethings you need to ask forgiveness for - either from yourself, or a friend or partner or if you believe in a higher power, and some things, are just automatically forgiven..... swearing is one of those things...This was one of those weekends...

We left Provo on Friday evening... in a rainstorm.  I had checked the weather channel for Saturday and Sunday in Bryce Canyon, and Panguitch, and it was supposed to be clear.. but, didn't check Provo... and it was raining.

We had the trailer pretty well maxed out, but, we had purchased some carpet padding, actually 4 large rolls of carpet padding, and we wanted to take them down with us...
in the trailer.. in the rain... They were covered in plastic, but, it was getting them loaded and then driving in the rain had had us nervous.  It put us a little late getting into Panguitch, but, after a little slower than normal driving, we made it, and checked into our motel.

The other thing that I bought this week was a baker's rack... I saw it and absolutely fell in love with it.  We picked it up on Thursday night, and loaded it on top of everything else on that little trailer.  I think it's going to look fabulous in the cabin.

We tried a new motel this time - the Purple Sage - in Panguitch.  We have driven by this motel for the past 6 years, and finally took the plunge... and it was, really lovely.  The lady, Loretta at the front desk was very, very pleasant, and so helpful.  There was no refrigerator in the room, so she stored my insulin in her refrigerator, the television and the channel changer actually worked, there was lots of hot water in the shower, and let us store our trailer in her parking lot even after we had checked out on Sunday... The room was very clean, very comfortable, and we would definitely stay there again... (We have found, that some things that you expect as basic in accommodations, aren't always standard fare...)   This was really nice!

We got up on Saturday morning, checked the trailer, and everything was intact, so we ventured out to our usual Saturday/Sunday morning haunt - The Flying M - for breakfast...  They remodeled!!  And, it was really nice... They got rid of the booths in the middle of the restaurant, and put in tables and got rid of the ugly carpeting... I was stoked...  Truly stoked..

They have this little gift shop at the Flying M and I bought some geodes for the grandkids... We gave them some at Christmas time, and I am unsure if any of the grands cracked them open yet, but now, they have more.  We're going to have to have another sleepover and put these on the rock saw and see what appears.. I think it will be fun!

As this was our exploring day, we decided to check out the little farm/tack shop in town...Orton Farm Center. It really was an interesting store... I have always been a fan of IFA (Intermountain Farmers Association) in Provo - and I take the grandkids there to see the bunnies and chicks, but, it was fun to visit this place.  There was an interesting sign out front...  As we were driving up, Jim started saying things like, "Far Out" and "Groovy" and usual 60's sayings.  I didn't know what he was talking about, until I saw the sign.. Just had to take a picture..

Before the work got started, Jim and I were just planning and visiting.  He was so serious - I just had to take a picture... Love this man...

We made it to the cabin early afternoon, and that's when the serious work started... The first on the list was to take all the bricks that were on the trailer and stack them on a pallet.  And, at the same time, take the bricks that were already there, and stack them.. About a month ago, we took a load of bricks, and it was so muddy, we couldn't get the truck and trailer down down below to unload them.. so, we just had to pitch them over Galt's Gulch until things dried out a bit... Well, it dried out...  Jim and I hauled those bricks for a couple of hours.  Here's where the swearing comes in...

Each brick isn't particularly heavy, but bending down to pick them up, repeatedly, gets old, and you develop this pain in your lower back like you wouldn't believe...  But, that's not the bad part.. The bad part comes in when you are walking up the hill to pick up bricks, lose you balance and smack your hand on the side of the wall...  OUCH is an understatement...  If you know how picky I am about my hands and nails, the little word that came out of my mouth, I am sure, was instantly forgiven...My middle finger took the worst of it, and this morning was still bruised...

While we were moving bricks, Jim mentioned that we needed to get new tires for the trailer... I looked, and sure enough, these babies are bald!..We bought the trailer several years ago, and instead of not using the trailer and having the tires rot off as is the typical case, we have used them, literally, to the end!  We have got our money's worth our of this little trailer, over and over, and over...!

I decided that I was going to move on to a job that was less invasive...  continue to help the gnomes and fairies build their village. 

We have one house that is about 95% finished, we call it the "Glen Hamish McKay" house, the "Sea Shells By the Seaside" house is about 60% completed, and I started a new house that I'm calling "Mod Squad" because it's kind of a funky retro, 60's kind of look.  If you don't know who the Mod Squad was.... Google it!

While I was in Canada, several weeks ago, an amazing "Fairy Godmother" gave me some pieces for our Fairy Village, and I love them!  They are going to be a fantastic addition to our village.. I know the little fairies are going to be so appreciative...  HUGE thank you to Lynn and Jim Yates (although I don't think Jim was picking out gnomes and fairy castles... but, if he was, I want pictures....) for being so generous, loving and supportive, over the years, of my projects...  (Lynn is part of my heart and soul, and in times of stress, is my rock...  couldn't love someone more.)

Well, I sure hope those stupid fairies and gnomes appreciate the tears those little houses have caused me...  let's just say, the hot melt glue gun and my fingers do not get along.  After the hot glue slopped on my thumbs and caused large blisters (swearing), I thought I would wear gloves... All went well, until I thought I was done, and as I was putting away the glue gun, a blob dropped on my right index finger, to the point that when I tried to wipe it off, it pull the blister off...  (add swearing, here).  I  hope that all those words are automatically forgiven, because, if not, it's not going to be a pretty place that I'm going to.

Well, moving on to the next project.... actually, it was getting dark and even though it was a beautiful day, and we didn't even have to turn on the heater, or wear jackets.  But, with the sun going down, it was getting chilly, and there were dark clouds moving, so we decided that we would pack it in...  We no later said we were going home, that it started to rain... and I mean, really rain...  And, that carpet padding was still outside by the trailer...  uhuh...

Jim ran downstairs to get the little hand truck that we have to help move them, (each roll is about 150 lbs), and I tried to drag them closer to the Gulch so Jim could get them into the cabin... Here I am, tugging on these stupid rolls, in the rain, and my hand slips, smack myself in the chest, and, yep... break my nail... (insert more swearing here)...Actually, it wasn't a full on break, it was more of a  major lift... not a happy day... at all.  We bought some emergency crazy glue to fix the break.

Jim was starting to build the framework for the stairs going from the basement to the main level.  When it started to rain, he put down his nail gun, and a part of it broke on the air line, and you could hear the air hissing out like crazy... (swearing, giggle... it wasn't me this time).  What's bad, is the hardware store in Panguitch closes on Saturday at 6, and it was about 8....  OK, so what to do to get it fixed.  We decided that we would drive into Orderville the next day, and get the part there...

We got the padding into the house, and we drive down the mountain into Panguitch.... wet and cold, and unhappy campers...  still kind of mumbling under my breath...

We had dinner at the Cowboy Smoke House restaurant in Panguitch... it's always amazingly good... but, they were out of beans, which is a favorite of Jim's...  We asked what the other options were, and one of them was "fruit"...  I asked what kind of fruit, and the lady said, "Oranges"...  Oranges?  We didn't have the heart to ask, but, would it have been a bowl of segmented oranges, or would each one of us get an orange, or exactly how would that have worked...?  Giggle... Love the food... the ribs are to die for, the brisket is amazing, the pulled pork is heavenly... Jim and I always get the combination plate, and it is enough for both of us to share...  No swearing here... Yum!

Got back to the motel about 10, and passed out... completely passed out... didn't have the energy to swear...

Morning comes, and Jim and I both feel like we've been hit by a truck... Moving all those bricks reminded us that we had muscles that hadn't been used in a really long time...  (thinking about swearing here, but resisted..)

We decided to have breakfast again at the Flying M because our favorite server, Jody, was working...  Jody cracks me up - she doesn't take no poop from anyone and gives Jim a run for his money, all in fun... ... love this woman..

We leave Panguitch, and drive the 30 minutes to Orderville, only to find that they are still on winter hours and are closed...  grrrr...  (minor snarling, here)... I wip open my I-Pad and went online to see if the hardware store in Duck Creek was open, and it said they were open until 4... this was about 1:00.. So, we head for True Value in Duck Creek...

We pull into Duck Creek and the hardware store looks dark... But, I see this guy walking in through the doors, so Jim takes a chance.. Well, they are on winter hours too, BUT, they are doing remodeling so, the owners are there, and they open the till and Jim gets his part to fix his compressor hose... (happy faces).. We can continue building.

As we're driving, I notice that I have two bite marks on my wrist.. Don't know where or when I got bit, but I definitely got two bites.. I told Jim that I thought it was a bite from a rattle snake... he agreed... giggle.

We get back to the cabin, and start to work.. .Jim fixes the compressor hose, and starts building the stair landing platform again.  While Jim was working on the platform, I was organizing the boxes and boxes of building materials that we had purchased over years... and there are lots and lots and lots... I started working on organizing the electrical and lighting items, and in another pile, the plumbing items.  I just figured it would help identifying and finding stuff when the time comes.

Jim has been cutting the quartz for the hearth, little bit at a time, and we finally have enough rock to start building... however, not this weekend... We got a finish for the stone, that we are experimenting with - just something to bring the colours out.  I put the first coating on this weekend, and I like the look.  We'll be back in a week, and we'll see how they do with the first coat before we put the 2nd coat on.

Jim is working away, and then I hear a crash...  the platform that Jim is building, hits the floor.... (swear words...) Apparently, Jim does not have three hands, and needed my help... In next to no time, with the extra hand, Jim got the platform put together and nailed in place.  I am stoked.

By this time, it's a little past 6:30 pm and with a 3.5 hour drive back home, we've really got to get on the road...  We get everything turned off, and in the truck and head out, ending our adventure for this week... or so we thought... we got into Panguitch about 8, filled the truck up with gas, got a bite to eat and were heading out of town...  We were about 20 minutes outside of Panguitch when Jim asked me about not getting my weekly fix of organic eggs... I had forgot...  I don't think Jim particularly wanted to turn around, but I had already asked Anne for 4 flats of eggs (2.5 dozen per flat) and I really needed to get them... These are the most amazing tasting eggs ever... so fresh and so creamy - every time we come into town, I get eggs for our family, and Brianne's family...

 So, Jim decides to make a three point turn in the road... but, one small problem.. With as tired as we were, he forgot that we were pulling the trailer, and the trailer jack knifed and it crunched into the side of the truck...(more swear words)....Medium sized dent and scrapes in the side of his truck... I feel so bad... I was about to cry, and that sweet man said to me.."Honey, it's just things.. it's OK"...  Still, I asked him to get an estimate on the damage...  grrrr..

We made it home right at midnight...  Jim went straight to bed..... I had a few things to do..  crawled into bed about 45 minutes later... and as exhausted as I was, couldn't fall asleep... grrrrr...

I guess I was hoping that the automatic forgiveness had already kicked in... Giggle.

Another amazing adventure.

Jim and Cheri