Half-home and off again!

After Canada, we pretty much headed straight home.  I got a cold or an infection or something for three days (I THINK from a wonky hotel air con).  Sore throat, stuffed head, fever, headaches, runny nose, coughing.  Bleah. 

 I told Chris, "I'm dying."  He answered, "Well, you might as well die in the car.  Let's go."  So we skipped out on seeing Mount Rushmore THIS time and headed straight home.

We crossed the Ambassador Bridge into Michigan and just kept right on going.

We had a little trouble with the car seat one day - it wouldn't go backwards so Chris' long legs wouldn't fit.  That meant that I would have to do all the driving, and I was dying, so that wouldn't do.  Chris had to get in there and fix it.  And he did.  What a man!

One of the "Mystery Hotels" we got (from Hotwire.com) turned out to be a riverboat casino in Davenport, Iowa, on the Mississippi.  It was a lovely room, a great view of the river, and you had to traipse throughout all those long hallways to get from the North Tower (way at the back of the photo) to get onto the riverboat where the gambling was.  BUT, I was sick enough that I didn't even play ONE slot machine, and even though Chris said we could try out the Texas Hold-em in the poker room, I declined!  Those who know me will understand that I must have REALLY been miserable.

Chris did his good Samaritan thing and stopped for three guys who were walking along the highway.  They had run out of gas - they ALMOST made it to the next exit - and were walking to the gas station.  We crammed them into our little car, throwing all our gear in the way back - piled to the roof, waited while they got some gas and then took them back to their car (including a slightly illegal U-turn across the median strip!) where the wife and sister were also waiting.   Nice people, they may even come visit us in Australia.

We made it back to half-home in Colorado and we were there about five whole days before we took off again! Everybody in Colorado was perfectly happy to see us.  Amber and Gaby we happy we were home for a short bit.  

The littlies were happy to have us around: 

Happy Jude

Gorgeous Lily

Big-eyed Owen

Our lovely cat Inara was VERY happy to have the extra attention.  Here she is playing "Craft Cat".

And, by the way, speaking of  crafts, I finished the stitchery on my blackwork picture. I just have to frame it. 

It's only about twice as big as this photo  but I think it's pretty neat.

So.  Five days is not much, but it is a lovely breather to have a "home base" where we don't have to live out of a suitcase.  Then we were off again!  First to Moab to visit our dear friends, Larry & Connie Witt.They have a GREAT house in Moab in a gorgeous setting!  I could just FILL this blog with gorgeous scenery from Moab, but I'll confine it to our hike to what is locally called "Left Hand" - a nice walk (sometimes though water) with a swimming hole at the end.

First view of the dam

Chris with the petroglyph rock - both ancient and modern! Don't know if you can zoom in on that rock or not.

Larry with the beaver dam

Chris and Kathy at the swimming hole where we had lunch - just the four of us - even though it was a weekend in Moab!

And now...California here we come!  More later.  Love to all!