Tuesday, November 29, 2011

What a difference a day makes.



I do declare I am okay.
I prayed.
Some of you prayed.
All of you were kind and 
encouraged me.
My sister promised to slap me 
when she sees me.
My daughter told me to 
"put on my big girl panties".
(eww I hate that word "panties").
Today, I had on my "rose colored" glasses.
 
 
We started our day with the train trip
to the Grand Canyon.
Now, I ask you...
if a train looks like a bus
and rides like a bus...
is it a bus?
Holy choo-choo, we booked the wrong trip.
We were on a bus to the Grand Canyon.
A little bus, but a bus.
Our guide was named Cody Coyote Victor.
White boy claimed it was spelled 
Kodie Kiotie Victor.
I gave him a couple of Indian names,
Annoys Me Alot
and
Runs His Mouth.
Both fit.
Supposedly, he was a rodeo announcer after
years of rodeo competing.
He taught Western history for years at a 
junior college.
He gave us way more background than 
even this blabber mouth wanted.
We first stopped at a volcano
Sunset Crater National Monument.
We were given a 15 minute allotment 
to check out the scene
following a 15 minute lesson on
 the difference between a National Monument,
a National Forest,
and  a National Park.
Google it b/c I can't remember
and I can't care to google it for you.


From there we ventured to the Indian ruins.
Pueblo ruins.
I now know pueblo means 
communal dwelling.
We were given 20 minutes there.
We may have gotten griped at b/c 
Stuart and I started to walk away from 
the Talk Master to get a picture
before he gave the time assignment.
The ruins were really fascinating.
It was so still.



 
hubba hubba

Oops I digress.
When we were back on the bus I texted 
our daughter Annie
that I had just seen Indian ruins.
She said she thought I was sick.
Indian ruins not Indian runs.
Ha ha ... Idiot. 
From there to a Trading Post for lunch.
Menus were passed back.
We needed to know what
beverage and entree' we wanted.
He told us "don't let them give you a menu.
Know what you want.
It will be faster."
We arrived and were seated.
The older guy across the table
had a menu in his hand 
I warned him,
"Oh, he is going to flip if he sees that menu."
Just then along comes Kotie the Time Nazi
and he grabbed the menu out of the guy's  hands.
He walked away and my sis-in-law said
"when I got up this morning, I was an adult"
haha
The guy across the table and his wife
were visiting AZ 
to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
They were from WI.
The man gave me my new catch phrase.
"It's the berries."
Love it.
Feel free to use it.
I will share it with you.
We had a few minutes to 
look around the Trading Post gift shop
and then
35 minutes later 
we were back on the time machine
headed to the Big Canyon.
And then smoke was coming out of the engine.
Pull over...
pour water in the engine...
creep along...
pull over and repeat...
and repeat again
Finally, we got to the first stop of the look out.
We are off schedule.
I think at this point 
Kotie had the Indian runs.
We went off to look at the site.
We had 30 minutes.
We then had to come back to the drop-off spot
  where he instructed us to 
walk over to the visitor center 
and wait for a big bus.
That bus would take us to the main visitor center
25 miles away
and then the company 
was sending another small bus
to take us home.
We walked to the visitor center 
and then he came over there
and said oops, walk back to the first spot.
Stop the madness.
We had 3 people who could hardly walk.
2 walked with canes.
Finally, we boarded the "new" big bus
and made the trip
to the main visitor center.
I took lots of pictures
from a safe distance.
I really couldn't get to the edge.
The railings are about mid-thigh.
Some people disregard the warnings and
go outside the railings.
None from our group disobeyed
but a man let his kids climb out on rocks.
I had to walk away.
Stuart took pictures but they all look the sme.
Words cannot give it description.
I tell you,
God is good.
God is such an artist.
It is amazingly huge and beautiful.
Breath-taking. 

 



We soaked in the beauty
and then loaded up in the replacement bus
for the long drive home.
The sun was set
and we were tired.
Kotie was now back at the wheel.
He called on his history as "the History Teacher".
He asked questions.
He called out True or False?
I called out in my mind...
gun squad or lynch mob?
We were all too tired to do 
History of the West,
Real or Reel?
(how Hollywood gave us fake facts.)
Some played along.
Most napped.
All in all, it was a good day.
I loved the sights.
I loved the 14 other bus mates.
All were so nice.
Everyone helped each other.
We enjoyed the marvelous sights.
I encourage you to
go see the Grand Canyon if you can.
But take the train.
I hear it's the berries.

 


Labels:

8 Comments:

At November 29, 2011 at 9:59 PM , Blogger Abbie said...

its the berries.... how wholesome. come home. i will hug you and we will talk about the grand canyon and our mutual distaste for the word panties. it will be fab. i can't care about your lessons from Kotie however, so in the interest of keeping them moderately accurate, don't repeat them to me. love you my very favorite mom!

 
At November 29, 2011 at 10:00 PM , Blogger Abbie said...

ps....dad looks really cute in you pictures. i like that shirt he's wearing

 
At November 29, 2011 at 10:10 PM , Blogger gena said...

Wow, what a gorgeous bunch of pics - even the one of that cute farmer !

I would not handle being away for that long or a BUS ride - yikes - I'd be Miss Pukes ALOT !

Glad you're feeling better and enjoying the trip....

hugs back at ya !

gena

 
At November 30, 2011 at 4:36 AM , Blogger SZM said...

I am noticing a theme here...great photos, appreciation for your spouse, enjoyment of the trip in general...but not really digging the town folk. And this post, well...it's the berries. I shall copycat you all the livelong day and say, "it's the berries." Let us see how the frat pack reacts.

 
At November 30, 2011 at 4:56 AM , Blogger Rebecca Palm* Gallimaufry Photography* said...

I think that YOU are the berries! :-)

 
At November 30, 2011 at 4:57 AM , Blogger Rebecca Palm* Gallimaufry Photography* said...

Wait....is the berries a good thing?? I meant it to be good. :-)

 
At November 30, 2011 at 11:30 AM , Blogger Denise said...

I'm surprised you didnt take a donkey ride down to the bottom of the grand canyon. Or do they even do that anymore? You're right it is a beautiful sight and pics just dont do it justice.

 
At December 1, 2011 at 6:18 AM , Blogger Rebecca said...

Beautiful, beautiful stuff you're seeing. Too bad about Codie Coyote though. Sounds like he did everything except potty train you. And with a little more time, he probably could have accomplished that, too.

Not sure I've heard "the berries" since my grandfather died many years ago. It sure brings back wonderful memories (and a few tears with 'em).

 

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