A Change of Plans

We are down to 

          Three-Hundred 

                    Seventy Days 

[and] 

                              Five[ish] Hours 

                                        until we take off for Colorado! 

I get rather excited when I think about it, but it's also bitter-sweet right now.
The "cousins" we planned to travel with are not able to come.
To be completely honest, that was going to be half the fun of the trip. The four of us are best friends. El and Emmers are both adventurous but cautious and sensible. KK and I are more adventurous and crazy. We would have balanced each other out perfectly!
There were so many plans, and now they have to change. Life doesn't always happen the way you plan it, so you adapt and enjoy. And sometimes the adaptations surprise you.

El and I started brainstorming immediately about who else we could invite. The two of us would be fun, but you know what they say: "the more the merrier and the cheaper!" She called up one of our dear friends who is living in Maine right now, but comes back to Wisconsin regularly. We were both surprised and amazed when she replied (paraphrase):

"Of course! I have no idea what I'm doing next year, but I would LOVE to go!! How much do you need? I can't pay all of it right away, but I can send you a check for part this week if you need it!"

How awesome is that? No questions, no "let me think about it," just "when do I pay?"

I spoke to one of my long-time best friends, Ruthie. She's spunky and crazy and adventurous too, but will be taking paramedic classes next summer (she had worked her way up to advanced EMT at 19!), so can't commit. That's another disappointment, but we'll see what happens.

Right now there's one friend pending decision, and we might have to start looking for a fourth adventurer if she can't go.
          But we'll see.
                    We still have three-hundred seventy days and assorted hours left.

--Kiwi D. Fruit

A Vernon County Excursion

Last Saturday I joined my boyfriend, Tobias*, and his parents, on a day-trip up to a small town in Vernon County, Wisconsin, to visit his grandma. The plans had changed multiple times due to various schedules, and then Tobias was ill on top of it all. Our Friday and Saturday plans ended up as Saturday from 8:30 AM-10:30 PM.

Tobias's grandma Donna lives on a farm in Vernon County, Wisconsin. We live on the southern edge of the state, where the land is not flat, but not hilly either. More rolling swells, covered in fields. Vernon County, however, is full of steep hills topped with sandstone outcroppings, with winding valleys and creeks. I had forgotten that even Wisconsin has beautiful, dramatic landscapes.

The land Grandma Donna lives on has been in the family for the past 160 years, and the original portion of the house was built in the 1920s. The whole house has family photos scattered over it; some of the most recent grandchild graduation, others I'd guess to be left over from the late 1800s. Her basement is like a time capsule. I would have been content with a rainy day, because I would have simply stayed downstairs and poked through all the old books and records and pictures!

 After returning from a quick visit to Grandma Donna's sister, Tobias and I struck out on a hike. I was so excited to get outside and explore in the beautiful 75-degree weather!

I was oblivious to the camera here.

In this one you can get a sense of how far up we were.

 I am not going to lie. Half the point of this post was to give me a chance to show off our adorable pictures!

I am kicking myself for not taking a few shots of the scenery, though. I'll have to get those another time.

"Here, take a picture!" [spits water at me]

They have a spring on the property, diverted into a (rather gross-looking) tub. Quite drinkable, though.

We left with high spirits, a beautiful sunset, and a promise from Tobias to bring me back sometime. Maybe this summer? I'll hold him to it.

Happy Spring!

--Kiwi

*I had only had to think for a minute before I had his "code name." Tobias. Years ago, my close friend Ruthie and I came up with this lovely scheme of how we'd meet our future husbands--who happen to be brothers--and decided their names would be James and Tobias Wayne. Tobias is mine. =)

Another Trip?

Well folks! It's been what, 6 months since I posted here last? Pretty sad, isn't it. Eventful things have been happening in my neck of the woods, but most of them aren't really the "Share With the Interwebs" type of thing. I've been wanting to get back into blogging some, but frankly didn't know what to type about.
Then at the beginning of this month my sister and I started making Plans.
Big Plans.
The kind you Capitalize.
People, my sister and I are going to Colorado next summer, and we are stoked!

We're not leaving until July of 2015, which is 498 days away (yes, there is a Colorado Countdown Timer), which gives us plenty of time to plan, save, and scheme. As of March 20, the brief rundown is as follows:

• Arrive in Colorado Springs on Saturday morning, and explore the Garden of the Gods visitors' center, maybe Focus on the Family/Whit's End, etc.
• While in Colorado Springs we'll be exploring Garden of the Gods, the city itself, hike on Mt. Evans, celebrate our "cousin's" birthday, and whatever else we feel like doing.
• Then we're headed over to Estes Park, where we'll get to go into Rocky Mountain National Park during its 100th year of National Parkhood! (If you remember from my last post, I got to go stand by the sign but never actually enter!) We'll hike in RMNP, of course, and tour the town and buy souvenirs and take pictures. We also might take a horseback ride--that's still in discussion.
• We'll also spend about a day in Denver, touring the city and seeing all the sights.

My sister and I invited our "adopted cousins" to accompany us, and we're all so very excited about taking at trip to begin with--to be going with each other is even better!

I'll try to blog a few times as we continue to plan. We'll be doing hikes and walks in our area to start getting in shape for next summer. The next 498 days can't go fast enough. =D

--KiwiDFruit