LABOR DAY FUN

Well, this is my first official posting…so we will see how it goes! This last weekend was Labor Day weekend. Andy and I have been stuck at home all summer because of work and summer school, yuck, so we finally took the chance to get out of the hot Phoenix Valley for a long weekend. It has been over 110 degrees here for the past month, and I believe that it set the record. Anyways, we went camping at Bear Canyon Lake. We went with our friends, Dave and Ayami. We also took our dog, Austin, with us. This was an adventure because it was his first road trip with us, and unfortunately for him, maybe his last! We started out with me driving the truck, Andy shotgun, and Austin in the extended cab (we had all of our camping gear in the back). By the time we got to Payson, Austin and Andy were basically sharing shotgun. For those of you who know me know that I am not a fan of dogs in the house, and that goes the same for dogs, or any other animal, riding in cars. So just imagine my temperament!

It rained most of the weekend. It was refreshing to me to get cooled off; we had good gear and for the most part kept dry, except for our crazy dog. Andy tied him up to a tree next to the truck, so that he could have shelter, but he is not so smart, and got drenched. He was spooked the rest of the night with the lightening and thunder, and poor Andy was up all night making sure that he didn't run away (he can chew right threw his rope). The next morning we just relaxed. Andy and I took the dog for a hike down to the lake and just tried to enjoy being outdoors finally.Even though the weekend was hectic with the crazy dog, I really enjoyed being up away from the city. It is a funny thing, when I am here in Phoenix; it is almost like I am in survival mode. I was raised in a small town, which is very different from the city life. It is crazy… everyday, you have to battle 2 hours of intense traffic, work your 8 hours a day, and then go home and try to live a normal life. The pace in a big city is so fast, and you just get wrapped up in it. When I was up camping this weekend, my world slowed down to almost a halt. I had time to think, relax, and I felt like myself. I felt normal and at home. I know that both Andy and I are looking forward to the slow lifestyle again. Maybe someday…