The best day of vacation!

This morning was wonderful. Everyone woke up in a good mood and well rested. Kat didn’t know that Gma was going to be here when she woke up. So she came out of the bedroom and saw G’ma on the couch and her face lit up like a sunrise on the ocean.
Late this morning we went to Lily Lake and walked around the lake on the path. This path is great. Colorado has put in a handicapped accessible path all the way around this small mountain lake. You could smell how peaceful it was to see the plants waving in the breeze and the ducks bobbing in the water. I also got lucky and saw a trout in the lake along with a fingerling. Everyone’s blood pressure around that lake dropped by 20 pounds, it was so relaxing. The chipmunks and ground squirrels were friendly and open, thinking nothing of climbing up on your shoe to have a conversation with you (I didn’t get a picture, but one climbed up on Jill’s shoe and tickled her shin). Granted the conversations followed the same path; do you have food to give me? Still, it was nice to see that the critters were so friendly. After we walked around the lake and relaxed, we went across the road to the Bald Pate Inn, which has been open for business since 1917. They don’t serve lunch plates, they have a soup and salad bar along with sweetbreads, cheese, and wine. And PIE. I cannot forget the pie. Granted, we didn’t try the pie, but everyone I talked to raved about the pie.
After lunch, we came back to the condo and took very brief naps. Kat was determined that SOMETHING was going on. After repeated efforts at attempted naps, Jill took the kids out and I snuck in a nap.
When I woke up we took Kat in the Kelty and walked to town to look at an art center that showcases local artists only. I had to laugh when I saw an oil titled “Eastern Iowa”. Yep, that looks like a corn field as seen from a car on I-80. With a barn in the background.
When we walked back, it had started raining and rained the entire two miles back to the condo. We let Kat out and she walked almost a mile uphill. Then we put her back into the Kelty and let her ride. We also saw 4 mule deer in town and one trout in the river that flows through town.
When we got back I shucked sweet corn and Jill made tacos. Stepdad went to the Estes Brewery and bought beer. Truly a great supper after walking four miles. Here it is, 830 and I am the last one still awake. I think I am going to call this a night.