Saturday, June 18

Getting Out Again

After having been pretty much homebound and sick as a dog for the past two weeks, today was refreshing for all of us. The boys scampered and skittered. They felt good and had a great time. Zorak seems to exude a very "happy place" sentiment lately, too, which only helped to brighten today's outing. I was just very, very happy. And it's not hot down in the caverns, which was lovely.

Cathedral Caverns is amazing! If anyone comes to visit us, they must be wholly prepared to be dragged down there. Period. It's exquisite, in so many ways. Visitors only go about 3500+ feet into the caverns, although it's an amazing trek that takes about an hour and a half. You must have a guide in order to enter, but after taking you through the high points, he leaves you on your own to meander back through the maze of limestone and absorb some of what you've witnessed. The path is wide enough for wheelchairs, strollers, and those who just don't want to get too close to the edge. The best part: we're only half an hour away!

I would show you pictures, but we discovered a different feature on our camera: it has no internal memory. I'd popped out the XD card to download pictures to the computer so we could have a clean card on our trip, then either got busy tying shoes or loading stuff in the car. Whatever happened, I spaced the card and left it in the printer. :-( But I can say with all certainty that we'll go back many times. Like a great museum or a truly good book, I think you almost have to go back time and again to soak it all in.

We drove past a few more parcels of land, one of which needs further investigation, then stopped at the Western Sizzlin for supper before heading home. Good call! Two out of three were out cold before we hit the Madison county line. James swiftly readied himself for bed and the three of us spent half an hour snuggled up, chatting. He is such a neat child, wow. Now Zorak and James are off to dreamland and I am contemplating whether I would rather sleep or read a bit more... and wondering if there's any way to do both. (Decisions, decisions!)

Oh! I read two great books this past week: The Parsifal Mosaic by Robert Ludlum (author of The Bourne Identity), and The Devil in the White City (a true telling of the man behind the 1893 World's Fair, Daniel Burnham, and the parallel life of a psychopathic killer on the loose in Chicago during that time, H.H. Holmes). Both were good reads, although each for very different reasons.

Tomorrow is Father's Day (like y'all didn't realize that, I know, but it crept up on me this year). I'm at a bit of a loss. I'd planned to treat Zorak to an afternoon of fishing with the boys, but tonight he said he needs to spend time with the mistress after church. I guess she got a little difficult last week. So now I'm not sure what we'll do tomorrow. If I can get up and get the boys up in time, perhaps we can make cards in the morning. I hate that we didn't get this taken care of before. It's been such an overwhelming week, and I haven't even made plans for John's birthday on Monday, either. Thankfully, Zorak knows that our lack of organization in no way reflects the depth of our love and appreciation for him. I'm glad for that. (And I've got 48 hours to get prepped for John!)

Anyhow, I think I've decided that if I fall asleep reading in bed, that counts for both. The strongest need will win, and that can't be bad, right? And so, to bed. G'nite!

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

7 comments:

melissa said...

SO, basicly , if we need you, you'll be in the cool depths of those caverns till summer is over?
I am so glad that y'all are feeling better!
We are at M&D's beach house this weekend, close to your old pad. Wish that y'all were here....(we're having steaks tomorrow-NOT crabs!).
Glad you had a good day!

Staci Eastin said...

Oh, if only I could find a way to read and sleep at the same time....

Kim said...

Caverns you say? My husband loves to go into caverns. We went into some caverns when we were on holiday at the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore about ten years ago. Who knows, maybe we'll get to Alabama some day!

Donna Boucher said...

I can totally relate to the reading and sleeping thing. I need to learn to read and knit and then I will be all set!

So glad you are feeling much much better!

J-Lynn said...

The caverns sound neat! I used to go to Howe(s?) Caverns all the time growing up. We visited some with my grandfather I believe in either NM or AZ too. There are some here but it's quiet a trip to get there, I think the kids would be amazed though! Were you allowed to touch any of the stagnalites (I think I botched that word but I'm too lazy to look it up).

We didn't have anything ready for DH for today either. His birthday is Thursday and I was too busy preparing for that, he gets gypped...lol

Hugs - I can't believe John is another year older tomorrow!

Jess

Thom said...

I'm glad to hear you guys are feeling better!

In VA, we have Luray Caverns and they are facinating. I haven't been in years but your blog makes me want to go and visit them again. I'd fogotten how very cool those caverns can be.

I'm looking for a good read for my upcoming trip. I think I'll grab a copy of the Ludlum book. Thanks for the tip! :0)

Jersey Girl said...

The Parsifal Mosaic is one of my all time favorite books. I've read it several times. I recommend all of his (Ludlum's) books.