The Cataract Creek Gang Strikes

It was a busy week with work, during which I had to tell my favorite patient that I wouldn't be seeing them much longer. We had a good YW activity cleaning out our closet and seeing what actual usable supplies we have available. There were only 2 YW in town this week, so it worked well and now we have about a sixth of the junk that was in there - organized, labelled, and catalogued so we know what we've got. Everything else is in the dumpster. 

Steerage level passengers. 

Part 2 of learning to sew pants happened this week and it was nice to learn about how to tailer them to different body types, although is much easier if someone is helping. I was a little annoyed to learn that we had to buy our own fabric for this class (especially because I had to pay a lot of money to take it), but I got a good deal and maybe I'll just make my own pants from here on out instead of buying them. Although I haven't bought new pants for years anyways. 

The railway.

Rog and I decided to celebrate our anniversary via a trip to Williams and ride on the Grand Canyon railway. It was a nice 45-minute drive and we had some good pizza and a hotel with a pool and hot tub and king size bed. Although I immediately morphed into a KING, making the bed still at full capacity without Roger in it. 

Let me tell you the draw of this train ride, which was the driving force behind our trip. For years as a child, I dreamed up this train ride/robbery wild west-style experience that I thought would be hilarious fun. Turns out it exists and it was definitely hilarious fun. We got the slum seats with open windows (and I worked several discounts) and were entertained by live musicians on the way up. We spent a few hours at the canyon - snacking and hiking around and taking pictures. And then we boarded up to come back. 

The Canyon

We had new performers and were interrupted by the Cataract Creek Gang stopping, boarding, and robbing the train. It was hilarious and there was a child next to us that cried the whole time and afterwards threatened to punch those guys in the face. His older brother realized that they hadn't even taken any of the backpacks on the overhead bins and said, "Those fools!" 

The robbery.

It was a good time. The passenger service man was also the cutest and kept giving us all these handouts. And then we got to drive back in terrible traffic while I read one of my favorite books to Roger with some key edits. We got back around 8pm to the news that Rog had a HW assignment that was due and my counselor had an emergency tooth procedure in the valley, leaving me to do the lesson for church tomorrow. It's on temples, so I'm fine. 

The Aspens & Yardsales

This is week one of my new diet and training program. Now that I'm actually hungry again (thanks, probiotics among other things), it's a lot easier to figure out what my body wants to eat. And Roger has had some free time, so we were able to make some yummy food - wings and spaghetti and chef salad and apparently every single zucchini in the store. Looks like we're switching to squash and broccoli this week. 

Photoception. Of a sort, anyway.

I had a lot of fun things planned - boxing, sewing class, a boating trip. But unfortunately, they were all cancelled for various reasons, the least of which is monsoon season. Roger spent a whole week delivering sand bags to the humans in Doney Park and was refused by most people there. Who are living to regret that decision. Everyone with sandbags is ok. Everyone without is flooded. 

Instead of all those fun things, I did other fun things. I finished a couple books in my TBR pile (which is pretty small again). I worked on my own personal sewing project. I changed our auto insurance company so our price and coverage will both remain about the same. I worked on our new 'important documents' box in case we need to evacuate, it's ready. And Rog and I had some really good planning sessions. 

And I only whined once.

Saturday, we went yard saling. I ended up splurging $2 on a new camp stove and 2 books. #SpiritualGifts. Then Rog and I took some salt out into the aspens for some deer to enjoy and we had a nice chicken salad lunch and took some photos. It started raining on our way back. We picked up our new parks pass and enjoyed spaghetti a la Roger with some New Girl for dinner. 

Compromise

The Fourth of July was driving day for us. And let me tell you the Sandalls do not pack like the Hutchins. I feel like we have dedicated work time where we work hard and everyone is busy and has jobs and if you pause for too long, you'll get another job. Here, I felt like nobody needed my help until I wanted to leave since my car was ready. But I stayed for a bit and I made everyone French toast and then we left. 

We got Hannah and Aurora to Dex's house and even had a chat with the man himself before he went on a motorcycle ride with his kids. What a guy. Then we split and made it to Page for a quick dinner and potty break. I dropped Grandma off at her house and was home by 7. And Rog even picked up her forgotton walking stick, so all was well in the world. 

We found a swing in the woods. 

I went to my first in a new series of sewing classes. This is where I learn to make pants. Let me tell you the first trial is booty, so I'm glad we've got some more class time to make it better. But it is fun working on a project and adjusting it how I want - and learning how to do THAT better. 

Otherwise, I had a CRAZY work schedule including a fall clinic at the Peaks and at least one start of care every day. The good news is that our marketing from last week seems to be kicking in. A little too well. 

Roger found a package at work that wasn't able to be delivered and it was meant for a friend of mine. So I made some calls and he said he already got a notice saying it was damaged in the mail and counted it a loss, so we could take whatever we wanted. Aka a freezer full of packaged deer meat. 

Matching.

I had a great Oly class on Saturday with a sub - aka Brian, the owner of the gym, who is also a PT. We had a really good discussion and he helped me figure out some things. Then Rog and I went hiking and I was a little cranky and really low on blood sugar, but made it out thanks to some quick glucose Ragnar snacks. Then we restocked at the oil store (and got a free bottle!) with a new cilantro flavor to try and a new hunting buddy for Rog. And we made homemade pizza and watched The Princess on Hulu - a new film about a warrior princess. It had potential, but was cheesier than expected, and we knew we were in trouble when it was halfway through and she hadn't even escaped the tower yet. 

Today is our anniversary. We've got some good things planned. Like teaching Roger how to say "Gloucester". And producing our new song: Compromise, which Roger said he hoped would never end. 

Roger shot this off our porch at 140 yards. 

Sandall Hole '22

My last of 3 sewing classes was this week and since I'm a super skilled learner (aka I already knew how to use a ruler), I finished in only 2 classes. So instead, the teacher helped me pattern out a dress I'm hoping to make and I'm excited to see how it turns out. 

Our YW activity was postponed in favor of helping fill and tie sand bags to help people prepare for some crazy potential flooding with monsoon season post-fire. It was really good and they invited a nonmember friend to come help out and we got to meet some more nonmembers who were coming to pick up sand bags and tell them what we're about. And we got to have some fun physical labor together. 

Uncle Rog.

Work has been pretty light, so I offered to take Friday off without pay (so I could have another 4 day weekend without dipping into my PTO). That said, my Thursday turned into the busiest day of my life that I was somehow able to complete by 4 so the Grandma Sandall and I could drive up to Page for the night. We ate at a Meixcan restaurant and made plans with Roger and Hannah. 

Hannah met us at Dex's house with Aurora the next day and we headed up the mountain to Twelve Mile Flat. Roger met us there on a quad and he took Aurora for a ride as he led us "2-3 miles" (aka 9) to our campsite. We got unpacked and Aurora met the other kids, so we left her to go fishing. It was a moderately successful fly fishing experience with lots of potential snags and tons of ants and skeeters that were eating me (and only me) alive. 

Her first fishy.

Rog took Aurora fishing on the Windy, aka the Kid River, and she had mixed feelings. She loved reeling a fish in until it was out of the water, hated live, squirming fish being near her, and loved poking and playing with the dead ones after Roger thumped them. We dropped her back at camp and headed out for day 2 of stream fishing, this time with Old Faithful (aka my favorite lure) at North Fork on the quad. We were successful and caught some yummy fish to be fried and tinfoiled (because we like them both ways). 

Blue Lake

Sunday we hung out at camp and helped some people pack up and prepared taco salad lunch. Hannah played a few rounds of a game until everyone quit because Hutchins play where cheating is allowed ESPECIALLY if you never tell her the correct rules IN ADVANCE. Which is something they can't handle. Their loss. We went night fishing at Blue Lake and froze our noogies off, although Hannah did catch three "honkers". Then we almost threw up after Ryan drove us back to camp.