Friday, May 4, 2012

Day 124

I haven't felt top notch today. My allergies are killing me. I think the pollen count must be high. My nose has been runny, my ears hurt, my eyes are watering and itching, sneezing like mad, and if that isn't bad enough I've had a headache from down below.

Bai and I went back to bed after we got Dalt off to school. The public school was having field day all day today, so I let Bai take it easy too. Well, at least for 1/2 of the day. The rest of the day he spent on his end of the year math assessment. He did ok, 84%. He could have done better, because the problems he missed weren't even the hard ones. They were the very basic ones. I'm proud of him though, because at the beginning of the year, when we first took him out of public school, he had a low 50% on the very same test.  Tomorrow he does his reading assessment.

When I picked Dalton up from school today, he was soaked to the bone. His entire body was wet. He said the last 15 minutes of school they played some sort of wet sponge game on the football field. It was very hot here today. 86* but it felt much hotter. The humidity was insane. Five minutes outside and your clothes were sticking to your body. So, I am sure they had a blast getting soaked.

I did the whole cook and clean thing until Michael came home from work. After we ate, we took the boys for a hike. I don't know the exact distance, but I'd say it was a good mile. We went out around the hill to where they strip mining company has been rebuilding the road. It's been dry the last few days, so the mud was pretty well dried up or it wouldn't have been possible.

Before we left the house, Dalton found himself a little friend. I thought he was going to take the little one along, but he tossed him soon after.

He of course had to pull his socks up before we could go for a hike. He pulls up on his socks more than anyone I have ever met in my life. We've tried every brand on the market. None will stay where he wants them.
Oh, look! Another little friend.
Finally, we are on the move.
Maybe a 1/2 mile up the hill from our house we saw this. No clue who made it or why. Bai said it is Big Foot's Hut. However I assume it is some of the local teenagers who like to come into the mountains and have a good time.
Michael brought a shovel along to try and ditch some of the mud puddles. Bai thought he had to help on the way down to the pond.
This was taken standing in the same spot as the photo above. The road splits. You can go down to go to a pond or on up the road.
My men are checking out the muddy pond in this one. The strip miners had to clean out the mess they made in it. Now it looks like one big mud puddle instead of a pond.
There were a few deer tracks along the way, but no actual deer.
After a hike up the mountain that caused our hearts to beat like drums, we made it to the end of the "road" . Well, the dozer had went on up to the main top of the mountain as you can see in the photo, but the "road" wasn't cleared enough to bother trying to climb up this evening. So we stopped here.

Bai took this photo. He said the holes in the rock were a cross. I wouldn't have noticed. He pays a lot of attention to detail.
Michael and I... all sweaty and skanky.
On the way back down, Michael ditched a few more muddle puddles which were huge and never going to dry up. We found this little guy as the water drained out.
 Michael was in deep thought as he watched the water clear out.
 Not long after, we headed back down the hill and to the house.
Sorry, I don't have more photos of Bailey. He would not put his shirt on long enough for me to take pics. He was roasting. Like I said, the humidity was insane and we were drenched with sweat by the time we got back to the house.

I didn't do any further walking tonight. I just haven't felt up to it. I did get my water in, but food has been so-so. Hopefully I can get lined back out tomorrow.

5 comments:

  1. Looks like quite a hike! Love the greenery - how wonderful to have the opportunity to walk outdoors :)

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    1. If we weren't so miserable from the humidity, it would have been an extremely pleasant hike. It came one heck of a storm last night (hail and all), so it isn't so hot today so far.

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  2. What a beautiful hike! Like all the creature sightings :)

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  3. lots of lovely photos! I really enjoy the area where you're hiking! So green and beautiful!

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