A Wheel, A Mouse And A Hike…………..

That pretty much sums up the first few days of our break. Any time Hank and I go somewhere with or without children we leave with a few stories. I don’t know if we ask for trouble or if we just enjoy laughing at the predicaments we always seem to put ourselves in, we do love to laugh!

Before we left, I had us kinda packed in a hanging bag and one of our smaller suitcases for China. Hank took one look and said it would not be large enough for all his stuff,aka running shoes, another pair of running shoes just like the first pair but he only uses them for walking, his boots, another pair of boots just like the first but used for something else……need I say more:). Well all the other suitcases are already full of China stuff so he brings down a suitcase we bought in Guangzhou our last trip. I think we paid 10 dollars for it. I naively said if it made it home from China, surely it can make it to Tucson and back. Famous last words……Hank had only pulled it maybe 8 feet from the car when the wheel along with the contraption that attaches it to the suitcase fell off. A hole about the size of your fist was left at the corner with liner still intact, thank goodness. We almost wet our pants we laughed so hard! I’m so glad I’m a girl and he got stuck carrying it!

Now the mouse was kinda funny as well. We came back from lunch yesterday and our back door was wide open. I don’t think I had closed it well when I came in from sitting quietly by myself drinking coffee and reading, this has been a very relaxing trip! We were sitting in the den and a little field mouse, or I guess a desert mouse ran by me and under the couch. Yes, I screamed, he was kinda cute though but grosses me out thinking he may run over my feet or bite my toe. Hank was on the phone, yes of course he was, and tried to find him for a minute but we could not. I did not want to walk without my shoes on until we got in bed:). Anyway, this morning I saw Hank’s hat on the floor and jokingly told him the mouse tore it up. Of course he did not believe me. Well just a minute after that the mouse sat right next to his hat. He threw a shoe at him, stunned him and carried him outside. I felt a little sorry for that poor mouse by then.

The “hike”. We wanted to run,walk a trail yesterday and asked the concierge about it. She directed us to the national park next door, saying it’s easy and clearly marked. We should have known when Hank back tracked to me 5 minutes into the walk to make sure I could find the sign, not so clear but I think I would have figured it out. This was not a little hike, we’re talking rock climbing at some parts. I’m really not afraid to be by myself like that and was just going along when Hank back tracked again because he got all turned around and he is like GI Joe. Anyway he got me through that part and ran ahead again. I got turned around a few times after that but finally found a backwards sign and was on my way again. We met up and as we were walking out the gate, Hank asked if I had seen all his arrows in the dirt??? My answer was ” what arrows?”. A group of people standing there said ” yeah, we loved the arrows”. I didn’t see a one. Pretty sure I’m not going on my own again:) we figured we went about 7 miles for me and 9 for Hank haha! It will make up for all this awesome food we are eating.

By the way I did go walking, or mountain climbing, again this morning while Hank was in a meeting. It was just a horse trail and I figured it can’t be that bad. Yep, got lost again but I could see the ranch and figured out how to get back. I think I will stick to my neighborhood trail:)

We have truly enjoyed this time together as well as the group with us. We have slept well and eaten well which I’m sure will not be true this time next week. My heart flip flops every time I think about leaving for China on Thursday……so very ready to move on to this next chapter….