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We enjoyed our 10th (+/-?) annual trip to Red River, at least this we did. There were the usual activities; fishing, hiking, swimming, movies and ice cream. We did not bother the fish, though not for lack of trying. The ladies were disappointed at not getting a single nibble but that’s the way it goes sometimes. They gave it a pretty good effort and, when that failed, they took it out on the swimming pool. Vivian did her best but finally had to bail on the hike along the nature trail that winds around and up and down the side of the mountains along the river. It’s a bit much for a five-year old. Kaylee didn’t go because her tummy was unsettled but Sophia and Rebecca stuck it out and now can lay claim to having conquered the infamous Red River nature trail.
We’ve stayed at the same condos every time we’ve come, it being about the only place in town with a pool and that being a prerequisite established by Abigail from the gitgo. The last several years we’ve stayed in the same rooms because we liked the configuration. The two are side by side and the bigger of the two has one room with enough beds to accommodate all five granddaughters while their moms share a kings-size bed in another room. The smaller is ample for Joyce and me. Hopefully we can continue to get those two condos.
Being condos, we have kitchens and other amenities. Joyce handles lunch while Kari takes care of breakfast and dinner, which are taken in the daughter/granddaughter condo but ice cream and a movie are enjoyed in the grandparents’ condo because the configuration is a little better for that. Jill washes dishes and keeps the chillun from wrecking the place.
One of the actives that is on the todo list is renting a four-wheeled bicycle that everyone can ride in and peddle around town. Make that almost everyone. Joyce never did go in for such nonsense and I gave it up a couple of years ago because I didn’t fit in the danged contraption. My legs were too long and I banged my knees on the steel frame when I pedaled, making me grumpy and not fit company. I finally figured out that the loss of the manpower I brought was more than cancelled out by the grouchy grampa that resulted so I resigned my position and I don’t think I am missed.
It’s always a pleasure to come to the cool mountains from the hot, dry plains. We had rain each afternoon, some of it more than just your typical mountain shower and we enjoyed listening to the rain and thunder as we played games. Our rain gauge showed .73″ when we got home, so things weren’t as dry as they could have been.
After getting home on Friday, we had our annual July 4th celebration on Saturday. There was a pretty good crowd and the usual hilarity. The only casualty was the trampoline. The four teenagers in attendance all got on it together, which was too much for it, and it ripped down the middle dumping all on the ground. No one was hurt.