# Chateau de la Tobler

## Thursday, October 30, 2008

### Contest

OK, everyone! Get out your prescriptions. Benjamin, Heather and I all went to the eye doctor today and Benjamin is having to get glasses.
So I thought it would be fun to see who has the worst eyes in the family. Mom, you can participate too, even though you only have one bad eye.
So here it goes-
Heather mostly has astigmatism. She is barely nearsighted and only in the right eye. Her prescription is 25/20. I don't know how to read the rest of her prescription, so unless someone else does, we'll just compare the nearsighted part of it.
Benjamin is worse then Heather. He has 100/20 vision in both eyes.
Jeff's sight is worse then Heather but not as bad as Benjamin. He has 50/20 in one eye and 80/20 in the other. I don't know which is which.
My sight is the worst of all, of course! I challenge anyone to do worse! I have 650/20 in my right side and 700/20 in my left!
So tell me, what's your numbers?

## Wednesday, October 29, 2008

### Question

I am not terribly obsessed with politics, but I try to keep informed. As for your question Keryn, I had to google him. Once I did, I knew who he was without having to actually read any of the websites or articles. I remember this all from the beginning of the campaign, but haven't heard anything new, basically not anything since Obama distanced himself from the situation.
Personally, I think that whoever wins is going to be in for one huge wake up call once they get in the White House. My main impression of them both is that they both seem to have some wildly unrealistic views of what the president can do!

### Quick Question

Without looking it up:
Do you know who Jeremiah Wright is and what is his connection with Barack Obama?
Just curious as to what people who aren't obsessed with politics are aware of.

### Re: Election Day

You aren't being sarcastic by chance, are you, Samuel? That's okay. I don't mind having Baby Awesome earlier...tonight, tomorrow, (not Halloween), Caren's birthday, November 2, etc...the key here is EARLIER. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
In other news, Gideon thumps his way into the living room. He glimpses the vacuum, and is either offended by the mere presence thereof, or offended by the fact that it isn't on. I'm not sure which. He's a little bit of weird kid. Don't know where he got that.

### kudos to all

This is for all of you who deal with children day in and day out. I think that is all of you. After being at Samuel and Caren's for a week, I am pleased to be home with all the peace and quiet and full nights sleeps. I guess I just forget, from one time to the next, how much time and energy it takes to take care of children and Samuel only has two. Did I say only? I mean, that's at least twice as much work as one. (LaDale, I don't know how you handle 25 or more, I really don't.) After just one night of very little sleep, (the boys were missing their parents) I realized that this is the reason they usually give children to young people. Just to be clear, the boys were wonderful. It was fun and I enjoyed the time there. I am also looking forward to helping out in Spanish Fork in a couple of weeks but at the same time, I am glad that it is not constant.

### Re: Baby Awsome

Keryn,
Good luck with your plans on Election Day. Let me know how that turns out. Love ya. SKT

### Happy BIrthday!

Happy Birthday, David!
I hope you had a wonderful day.
Love ya!
Jen

## Tuesday, October 28, 2008

### Baby Awesome

At 37 weeks + 2 days, I am about where I usually am--50% effaced, 1.5 cm dilated. Baby's dropped, head engaged, all that stuff. Healthy mom at 167 lbs (that's a total weight gain of less than 20 lbs...yikes).
For comparison, this is where I was when Gideon was at 37 weeks. And he was born at 38 weeks + 4 days. So maybe maybe maybe this baby will oblige me and come next week sometime...what about Election Day afternoon? We'll go vote in the morning, have the baby in the afternoon...sounds good to me!

## Monday, October 27, 2008

### When I am an evil overlord...

Do you remember the Evil Overlord list that went around in the late 90s? I recently came across a copy of it online and thought you'd all appreciate a laugh. (Oh, and by the way (John!) I didn't write the M&M one a couple of posts ago...someone sent it to me at some point in my undergrad career.)
Some of my favorites:

- I will not include a self-destruct mechanism unless absolutely necessary. If it is necessary, it will not be a large red button labelled "Danger: Do Not Push". The big red button marked "Do Not Push" will instead trigger a spray of bullets on anyone stupid enough to disregard it. Similarly, the ON/OFF switch will not clearly be labelled as such.
- One of my advisors will be an average five-year-old child. Any flaws in my plan that he is able to spot will be corrected before implementation.
- No matter how attractive certain members of the rebellion are, there is probably someone just as attractive who is not desperate to kill me. Therefore, I will think twice before ordering a prisoner sent to my bedchamber.
- I will only employ bounty hunters who work for money. Those who work for the pleasure of the hunt tend to do dumb things like even the odds to give the other guy a sporting chance.
- If I must have computer systems with publically available terminals, the maps they display of my complex will have a room clearly marked as the Main Control Room. That room will be the Execution Chamber. The actual main control room will be marked as Sewage Overflow Containment.
- If I'm eating dinner with the hero, put poison in his goblet, then have to leave the table for any reason, I will order new drinks for both of us instead of trying to decide whether or not to switch with him.
- If an attractive young couple enters my realm, I will carefully monitor their activities. If I find they are happy and affectionate, I will ignore them. However if circumstance have forced them together against their will and they spend all their time bickering and criticizing each other except during the intermittent occasions when they are saving each others' lives at which point there are hints of sexual tension, I will immediately order their execution.

## Sunday, October 26, 2008

### Sacrament Meeting Primary

The Primary Sacrament Meeting went off very well--it's always a fun experience, and I felt really good at the volume (always our biggest problem) of the songs--Bradley actually told me that maybe a few were a little too loud. Hee hee. I'd rather be too loud then too soft.
Ezra's talk was wonderful! "I know that Jesus Christ loves us. I know that He died on a cross so that we could live with Him again. My favorite story about Jesus is when He was asleep in a boat during a storm. His friends were scared. Jesus woke up and said, "Peace, be still!" and the storm stopped. I know that Jesus can help us feel peaceful too. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
Ezra was "that" little boy in the program today--you know, the one who does things that makes people laugh. He wasn't used to the introduction of the songs, and so started singing as soon as the piano started. He was the only one in his class that would do the class recitation, except he wasn't even supposed to do it because he was supposed to make his way up to the podium during it. So his teacher prompted him to say, "Jesus Christ is my Savior", and he started to say it, but only got to "Jesus Christ is...that's not my talk!" He then started to cry because he thought he wasn't going to get to say his talk. As soon as he figured it out, though, it was all sunshine and smiles again.
He did a great job and I was really proud of him. I love my big five-year-old boyo. And I'm excited for next year--great songs we get to learn, and Mercy will be in Primary, too! Yay!

### Mars, venus or is that Tobler, everyone else?

I received more then ample proof yesterday that my husband and I don't speak the same language. Not that I needed it or anything, but I thought we had gotten pretty good at the translations in the past twelve years.
I intend to make spaghetti for dinner tonight. To that end I discovered a lack of tomato sauce in my pantry. Jeff was going out yesterday afternoon to run some errands so I made up a list, we discussed it momentarily and I sent him off.
My list read like this-
Tomato Sauce
Garlic bread
milk
Four hours later, he arrived home. I unpacked the bags of groceries- Lots of milk, two loaves of garlic bread, good, good. What is this? Four jars of spaghetti sauce. Not tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce.
"Jeff?" I call. "Where's my tomato sauce?"
"It's right there. Tomato sauce for spaghetti tomorrow for dinner."
It took me nearly fifteen minutes and a trip to the pantry shelves to display my last can of real tomato sauce to explain the difference to him.
"What's the big deal? You just use this and add your other stuff to it."
AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He went back to the store.

## Friday, October 24, 2008

### There can be only one

From my old email files:

> Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold M&M duels.
> Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of the cracks and splinters. That is the "loser", and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to go another round.
> I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theater of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world.
> Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment.
> When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc, Hackettstown, NJ 17849-1503 USA, along with a 3x5 card reading, "Please use this M&M for breeding purposes."
> This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 lb bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this "grant money." I have set aside this weekend for a grand tournament. From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion.
> There can be only one.

## Thursday, October 23, 2008

### Boys' Names That Are Also Verbs (that we won't be naming our son)

Dustin
Joaquin
Rob
Bob
Matt
Mike
Phillip
Rip
Skip
Nick
Mark
Don
Dwane
Neil
Jack
Pat
Josh
Stew
Eddie
Doug
Will
Bill
Phil
Got any others?

## Wednesday, October 22, 2008

### Gideon update

We're home!
The surgery went fabulously well. It was scheduled to be 2.5 hours, but the actual operation only took one--they didn't have to break any bones, or set any pins, or anything like that. It was pretty minor, the doctor said. Recovery's been a bit rough--morphine doesn't seem to work well on Gideon's pain, but we got through those first hours of recovery without too much trauma. (Easy for me to say, but Gideon can't tell his side of the story. Hopefully he won't remember.)
Because it was so minor, the doctor sent us home! Yay! We were all prepared for an overnight stay, but it is such a relief to be home. Gideon is totally groggy--he's zoned out in his bed, his little casted foot propped up on pillows--but hopefully when he wakes up he will be feeling a little better.
I am so grateful for everyone who has prayed for us today. I'm so grateful for the Gospel and my family and friends. I love you all, and I'll keep you updated!

### School Time!

Today, we got the news that Lillian is eligible for preschool. She tested well below average for her verbal skills. She is well above average for everything else, so we are grateful for that. She will start school on Monday morning. Both her and Erica will attend morning session. The bus picks up at 7:30 am and drops off at 11:30 am. AHHHHHH, bliss. No kids for 4 solid hours, four days a week!

### Weather Joys

So, by contrast, I would like to add that I love the current blue skies and 'hot' weather we are getting here in Arizona. I understand the desire for the summer to be over but this is the weather that I love. The high 80's to high 90's is the perfect temperature for me. I completely understand that this will not last as Caren as told me her preference is snow in the winter over the extreme heat in the summer. That means that when it comes time to look for a job we will be looking in slightly cooler climates. But that won't stop me from loving these temperatures right now. Love you all. SKT

## Tuesday, October 21, 2008

### Weather Blues

I am green with jealousy over your weather, Keryn. We are perfectly miserable down here. We have been hitting 95, 96, 97 or so every day for a week with no significant cool down in sight. Oh, well, at least the temperatures at night are nice. 65 or so!

### Gideon's surgery

Sorry I've been MIA--first the whole pregnancy thing, then the whole keyboard not working thing, then the whole sorry-but-your-son-has-to-have-surgery thing, and then the repairing of the keyboard thing (which necessitated the absence of the computer for almost a week, the agony!)...but now it's back and I'm back. (Still pregnant, still grumpy, surgery on the horizon, but with a working keyboard! Ah, the ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss and the wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww and the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and don't forget the 222222222222222. What bliss!)
And I'm sorry to everyone whom I have been ignoring (or worse, as Telima knows, whining to) lately. I got into a funk (pre-baby blues?) and lemme tell you, nobody had a worse life than mine in the middle of last week. Except, you know, lots and lots of people with no homes, families, jobs, health, love, and candy. But, wow, was I a downer! It's probably a good thing that I didn't have a computer, all things considered. I'm sure feeling a lot better now, and I think that after the next week is over--Gideon's surgery, Halloween costumes to make, Ezra's birthday and the Primary program, book club at my house, and Halloween--I will be home free. Then this baby can come any old time he wants, provided it is BEFORE his due date and NOT AFTER.
Gideon's surgery is tomorrow at 11:30 am MDT, so if you get a chance and think about it, we'd love to have prayers for him and his doctors and nurses. And his slightly terrified mom, too. I'll post an update when I get a chance tomorrow, Primary Children's has free wireless internet (they really are saints up there), so when I can, I'll let you all know.
Love you! (The weather here is gorgeous. Sunny but only 53 degrees, wildly windy, pushing all the bright yellow and orange leaves around, flocks of birds whirling and circling on their way south...I love autumn!)

## Sunday, October 19, 2008

### New calling

Well, for those of you who would care to know, I was released today from the primary. I am a little sad to be leaving my sweet sunbeams at this time, I had hoped to be with them through the end of the year, but that's the way it goes. My new calling is a visiting teaching supervisor. Not terribly time consuming or anything, but there it is. At least Jeff and I will be able to go to class together again.

## Friday, October 17, 2008

### My life has changed

Hi everyone. Just in case I haven't told everyone. I have been released from the Young Women and I am not sure how I feel about it. It is in some ways a relief but in others I am nervous. I wonder what calling I will be given. I guess I will just have to wait to see. In other news, my kitchen is torn apart right now. I have asked Tony to take out the dropped ceiling in the kitchen and he has finished that. Now I am painting and trying to get some of it done before I leave for Arizona. So, here I sit writing this post. Caren, I hope you are feeling better by the time I get there so we can just have fun.
Disneyland was wonderful. We all had a good time. I didn't get many pictures but I did get one which I do not have on my computer yet. When I do I will post it.

## Saturday, October 11, 2008

### Disneyland

Well, we are all back from Disneyland. It was not exactly what we had hoped. Don't get me wrong, I loved being with everyone and very much enjoyed all of our conversations, but the place was moderatly packed! There were considerably more people there then we expected. Ah well, we weren't really there for the rides anyway...right? We did get alot of talking done while in line!
Love ya all!
Jenafer

## Thursday, October 09, 2008

### Gideon's gimpy foot

I took Gideon into PCMC to see his orthopedic doctor. His therapists think he is ready to get his own walker, and also perhaps crutches. He has grown out of his Denis-Browne bar (that brace thingie he wears at night), and also his DAFOs (the plastic braces he wears during the day). So we needed a bunch of prescriptions and advice from his doctor.
I was expecting a low-key (if ultimately expensive) visit. I wasn't expecting Dr. Stotts to immediately zero in on Gideon's left foot--that's the one that had the cast for so long 18 months ago. His foot continues to turn in, and his ankle is tight and not moving as it should. And that means surgery.
Bummer. It is usually an outpatient surgery, although there is a possiblity that he will have to stay overnight. He has to go all the way under, too. But as Bradley reminded me, Gideon's an old pro at anesthesia--this will be his third time! (Which, frankly, is three more times than I have. So there you go.) He'll be in a cast for eight weeks following the operation (two four-week casts, more casts for me to decorate, a silver lining). This will put a little crimp on his walking, because of the cast, but long-term it will help him a ton with stability and mobility. Hopefully.
We've scheduled the operation for Wednesday, October 22--the soonest availability for the doctor. (Yes, just three weeks before Baby Awesome is due. Better before than after, right?) I'm not looking forward to it--our first real surgery since Gideon was three weeks old--but it is very much par for the course, and pretty darn low-key, too.
Oh, and we got our prescriptions for the crutches and walker, but not the other things, because we have to wait until after the cast is off to get new braces.

## Tuesday, October 07, 2008

### cabin plans for future

Hey girls,
I can supply the cabin. It's near bear lake on the border of utah and idaho. {one hour outside of logan, utah}. The amenities are great. 7 bed 4 bath tvs dvd players, fire place. Sprawling lawn to do volleyball or whatever etc. Plus there is bear lake itself. {it's my aunt and uncles who live in logan} All i would need to do is call and ask
love caren

## Monday, October 06, 2008

### Oh my land

Jenafer, who is that grown-up little blondie? My goodness, I honestly did not recognize Lillian. Why didn't I know that she had such long, blond hair? She is very pretty (no surprise there, given all your girlies are gorgeous), but wow--that hair blew me away.
And Erica--I know she may not like her hair, but what a doll! She is so adorable and pretty. I feel sort of deja vu - ish when I see her in pictures. She looks so much like the pictures of you from when we were little--maybe it is just because of the hair, but she certainly reminds me of you!
Your family is growing up so fast, Jen. I couldn't believe how old Heather and Benjamin looked in that picture on Mr. Toad's car. And when I was reading about how Jacob got misplaced, I couldn't believe that he was a "seven year old". That doesn't seem possible.
I'm so glad you had a great time. It looked like so much fun. And I hope Mema, Jenafer, Amy, Caren, and Telima have a GREAT time this weekend. Make it a success, okay guys, so we can do something like it in the future--only this time with LaDale and me! We're thinking it might be fun to go to a cabin in the mountains somewhere and hike, eat, watch movies, and just play around. What do you think, in 2-3 years?
Love you all!

### More pictures

My girls at Snow White's well
My whole bunch on a wild ride!
Three exhausted children after a day at the beach
This is one of the A's in California Adventures sign, just for this month.

### Disneyland pictures

Benjamin, Jacob and Heather all attempting to pull the sword out of the...stone? I don't think it is even a pretend stone, but you get the drift.
My princesses meeting the princesses. This was Lillian's most favorite part of the whole trip. She kept pointing to the various girls dressed as Snow White and saying "Me, me. me!!!" Meaning that she was Snow White. At least as far as she is concerned.
This is a new part of Disneyland, called the Princess Fantasy Faire. The whole area is devoted to princesses. We are making our own crowns right at the moment. They give you the crowns and stickers for free!
Lillian on the carousal! Very cute!

## Saturday, October 04, 2008

### Home again, sigh of relief

So, we are officially home from our Disneyland vacation. We had a lot of fun and some scares. The biggest of which was on Monday night.
First of all, before entering the park, we had the standard discussion with the kids. You know, don't wander, pay attention, but if we do get separated, then you go up to a park employee, someone either running a ride or with a name tag and to tell them that you have been separated from us and they will take you to the lost parent pickup place.
Well, after the parade on Monday night, we had about a half hour before the park closed and we decided to do Space Mountain. Benjamin had been talking up the ride all evening, so Erica was excited to try it, but Jacob and Heather didn't want to go, so we, the kids who didn't want to go and I, went to where the ride exited to wait. There is a bathroom at the exit to Space Mountain so I changed Lillian and we waited. We noticed that the pictures they take on the ride pops up just around the corner from where we were sitting so we got up to see if we could see Daddy when he popped up. We were standing there when Heather asked if she could go to the bathroom and I gave permission. Then Lillian grabbed me and tried to force me up the exit and when I pulled her back and looked around, Jacob was gone. Heather, Lillian and I looked all around the area but didn't find him. We went up to the top of the area, where we left the stroller, no Jacob. We went down and looked again, no Jacob. Then I went up to the cashier in the little shop there and told him my seven year old was missing. He made a call and said that security was on it's way. Then I looked up and saw Jeff. He and Erica were standing there. Erica had needed to use the bathroom, so they had left Benjamin at the front of the line and came to use the bathroom. When he was informed that Jacob was missing, he left Erica with me and went to get Benjamin. Then they looked around the area. Security hadn't arrived yet. I was going to send Jeff to the lost parent center, when the security guard finally showed up and took Jacob's description, he left for a moment and came back and informed us that Jacob was indeed at City Hall. We all went up there and picked him up. He had done exactly what he was supposed to do. They gave him a button and an autographed, personalized picture and he was just fine. The only one not fine was Benjamin, he hadn't gotten to ride space mountain!
Well, I'll write more later.
Love ya all!
Jenafer

### Bragging ahead

One day.
One deep freeze.
Two sessions of conference.
3 pre-schoolers.
2 adults.
One kitchen.
Four pans of enchiladas.
3 pans of Fiesta Chicken Salad.
15 lbs of cooked, shredded chicken.
30 chimichangas.
20 chicken quesadillas.
Two big chicken pot pies.
Two meals worth of crescent chicken filling.
One quick chick creole dinner.
Two very very tired feet (can't speak for Bradley).
One very very tired pregnant mom.
Approximately 18 meals, completely done (not counting all the shredded chicken waiting).
One very very full freezer.
It's a pretty nice feeling.

## Thursday, October 02, 2008

### C,D,G

I got a little frustrated with one of my piano students yesterday. She kept turning to look at me while she was playing.
Finally I said, “Why do you keep looking at me instead of your music? Do I have notes written across my forehead?”
She promptly stopped any semblance of playing and turned to fully face me.
"Yes,” she said.
I felt my eye brows lift. “Where?” I asked.
She pushed her finger into my forehead. “Here, here and here.”
“Oh, yeah?,” I said, “And what notes are they?”
Turning she very purposefully played three notes on the piano, C,D then G.
How many times have I heard those three notes, even in that order. Strange how at that moment they seemed to connect to me as if the sounds had solidified into invisibly thin steel strings that flew through the air to lodge in my chest. They filled me with longing, a nostalgia for something to be mine.
At that moment those three notes were mine. They’d been written on my forehead. They belonged to me.
So I’ve decided to write a motif using those three tones and dedicate it to … well... ME.
Or I could write a dramatic aria with a lot of pounding in the lower register and high, hair pulling, screechy trills and call it Crazy, Demented, Grade-school teacher.
Or maybe I’ll be inspired to create a hymn with majestically full chords, awe inspiring lyrics and ethereal counter melodies and call it Consistently Devoted to Good.
Actually, I think instead I’ll stick with Committed, yet Daydreamy Girl.
Love to all,
LaDale
P.S.- Thanks Caren.

### A Little Bit of Everything

If LaDale gets credit for the water then I must get most of it because I told her and all of my children more than once but not all of them remembered. Oh, wait a minute, I didn't think it up. It was told to me by one or more of my leaders at girls camp when I was young. I guess it is just smart advice.
Announcement, Announcements, Etc.
Christopher Tobler is getting married. He thinks it might be sometime in January so I will let you know when I find out more.
A year from now, the Pace family is inviting all of the adults, no one younger than 18, to come to Bryce Canyon for a hike. We know that it will take out most of you because of school or work but we are planning to do some serious hiking, even me. We want everyone to know now so that if you can and want to come, you can begin getting into shape.
Happy Birthday to Adam a day late. I did talk to him yesterday.

### hey now i can't have all the credit....

I being the wife made sure my husband was prepared for anything on the hike. Which for the most part he let me have my way. {with the traveling pharmacy}. Samuel did forget the sunscreen i set out for him. Anyway I can not take full credit on the thoughtfulness because once upon a time ago {about 6 years}. Our wonderful sister LaDale gave me the wisdom of drinking plenty of water before hand to avoid altitude sickness. I have always remembered that great advice. She gave me the prevention method. I just gave the guys a treatment method {It worked}. Even though LaDale didn't know it, it was a joint effort.
So from a little sister to a big sister, thankyou so very much LaDale!
love ya
caren

## Wednesday, October 01, 2008

### Happy Birthday to my first 5yr old

I just wanted to toot my family horn and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Adam. He is 5 today and very excited. He will just have to wait until this afternoon before he gets to open his 'prizes.' Love you all. SKT

### Mt. Charleston the Mighty

G'Day to my wonderful family. A little while ago, 20 September, David and I attempted the infamous Mt. Charleston hike. We planned on taking the South loop, closest to the lodge and Bristle Cone trail head. Neither one of us expected to make it all the way to the top and we were OK with that. We just wanted to get away from life and spend some time in the mountains. I admit that it had been 10 years since I last hiked Mt. Charleston and over 6 years since I last did a major hike. (Major as in more then 1 mile.) 10 Years ago I hiked Mt. Charleston with our Grandfather on his last ever hike anywhere before he died. He was so determined to reach the top that, at his slow pace, we finally made it around 3pm. Then, about 2-3 miles from the bottom, he slips on some loose rocks and twisted his ankle. It was dark now and I ran down the mountain to call Dad and ask for help. My flashlights batteries dies about 20 minutes after I started running down the mountain and I took a wrong turn. Knowing we were close I kept going down and eventually came out to the picnic tables. I called Dad and he and Mom came up. Dad and I went after Grandpa and together we all came down that last little bit. Now for 2 weeks ago.
David and I woke up early and were on the trail by 6:30am. We reached the half way summit before 10am. We thought to ourselves, "We may be out of shape but we are making great time." We decided to stop going for the top at 1pm and turn around if we did not make it. But we made it all the way by 12:30. We only stayed until 1pm and then we started our way back down the mountain. That is when the troubles started.
All was great until David's knees started giving him grief. Add to that a little altitude sickness and an environmental pink eye from the howling wind on our right side. I felt very sorry for David. The good news is that David brought his hiking stick, the one with the face carved into the wood just below the handle. Plus my wife made me a walking pharmacy with advil, anti-diarrhea pills, anti-nausea pills, and several others. These, with plenty of water, helped David as well as myself. We did finally get back to the car, and it was before the sun was down so we didn't have to use our flashlights. (I might add that I brought 2 extra AA batteries just in case.) I really had fun and I'm pretty sure David did as well. We were soar for the next few days, or weeks, and I am still peeling off dead skin from my legs due to the fact that I did not put on the sunscreen that my wife packed for me. The joy. Love you all. SKT