Trains and Timetables

 Song - Stop This Train by John Mayer

 

 Early in February my friend Jill and I decided to check off a bucket list item which was traveling up to Truckee on a train in the snow.  We had both had knee replacements several months ago and the photo above is what Truckee looked like the day before we were heading up there.  I was ready to cancel and split our losses as I wasn't too keen on walking in the snow and ice with my new knee!  But if you know my friend Jill.....she was having none of it!  We were going!!!

 

 

I purchased a ice tip for my cane and Mr. B was kind enough to attach it for me. He discovered that it flips up when you are indoors so you don't ruin any hardwood floors and flips down for outside use. The photo above is my new tip taking care of me in the snow!

We hopped (more like hobbled) onto the California Zephyr train on a bright Monday morning. And off we went on our snow adventure......except the train had other plans!

Stuck in a field in central California waiting for the crew to fix our brakes with the Sierra in the background.  We had several of these stops until finally they called a repair crew from Sacramento to come fix it permanently.  With each stop there was no electricity, no bathroom, no food and no air.

As we approach Donner Lake we enjoy the snow outside of our windows.

More and more snow as we approach the summit.....

We check into the old Truckee Hotel with Moody's Bistro awaiting us for dinner that night.

We forgot to tell them at reception that I still was not climbing stairs real well and they put us on the third floor!

Gilian from reception walked us up the steep stairs and even carried my backpack.  She was very kind and kept apologizing saying that the hotel was booked an she didn't have another room available. Our room was great with everything we needed.

That evening we had an incredible steak dinner at Moody's Bistro along with some excellent Frank Family wine.  Our waiter was fun as were the people sitting near us. It was surprising that it was a full house on a random Monday night but the food and service spoke for itself.  BTW it also is the place where Paul McCartney played several surprise gigs while his wife was up there skiing.

The following morning we get a text from Amtrak that our train was delayed by an hour or so.  We were content as it gave us time to get breakfast and go shopping in town.

However we kept getting messages about further delays and so we bought lunch to take onboard. The train didn't arrive until about 1:30pm about 4 hours late.

Above is a view of some of the tunnels we went though up on the summit.

We arrived home just as night was falling.  It was a fun time and a whirlwind 36 hour trip!

Thanks Jill for your adventurous spirit that I hope you never lose....J

Blissful Moments

Song - Sierra by Boz Scaggs

I have been "unplugged" for the last three weeks up in Lake Tahoe......

I was busy watching wildflowers grow......

....and big puffy clouds move across the sky......

We had warm weather, lightening storms, hail and brilliant sunshine.
 

 

There were ice creams to enjoy at Camp Richardson....

....and a 40th Anniversary to celebrate at Sunnyside.

 My mom came for a few days and enjoyed dipping her toes in the lake.

 After beach time I would return to the cabin to paint, read or enjoy a wild game of Canasta!

Mr. B enjoying a glass of wine with lunch at the Beacon.

An Osprey was spotted on the way home from Angora Lake.....

.....and a Red-Breasted Nuthatch near the cabin.....

....as well as Flickers in the late afternoon.

And chubby cheeked chipmunks ran to and fro getting ready for Fall.

 

And Mr. B got in lots of walks and swims in the lake.

BUT my very favorite part of all.....

...was a visit from this little cutie - my grandson Henry!

He got to dip his toes into Lake Tahoe and.....

...took a warm bath in the cabin's deep kitchen sink!

You know the saying "Go Jump in the Lake"!

Henry's dad and uncle did!!!

 I spotted a mama bear across the street from our cabin.  She had three little cubs stumbling along beside her.  I couldn't get a clear photo of the cubs as she was being protective......

....but later in the day Mr. B found them down another street in the forest.

And that's what I did on my summer vacation.  How about you?

"Laughter is an instant vacation."

--Milton Berle

Sisterhood

Song - Sierra by Boz Scaggs

Fall was definitely in the air up at Donner Lake this past weekend with warm days and crisp nights.  Leaves were dropping and swirling on the forest floor.

It was our 11th annual Girls Weekend and on Friday we headed up to the Sierra's for a few days of sisterhood, visiting, reading, shopping, relaxing, food and music.....oh......and quite a few laughs!

However this year things didn't go quite as planned. As Ellen and Barbara almost got locked up in the Truckee Jail!!!  This jail was used continuously from 1875 to 1964 and besides the two prisoners above, it has held notorious criminals such as Baby Face Nelson, Ma Spinelli and Machine Gun Kelly!  However, after we bailed these two out, we just went next door for a good cup of coffee.....

In historic downtown Truckee we did a lot of shopping and a little sightseeing

and we had a wonderful lunch together........

 ...at Moody's Bistro. (we were supposed to be mimicking the lady in the poster behind us but some of us - certainly not me - got confused)!

In the afternoon we relaxed around the cabin and then Ellen gave us a short but delightful talk on her passion of raising honeybees!  So many questions about the life of this very important little critter!

We played a late night game of Scrabble.....

I erased some of the words because of your delicate ears.....

But I promise....there was absolutely NO drinking involved!

"Just remember if we get caught, 

you're deaf and I don't speak English." 

 --Annonymous

PS - The menfolk seemed to adjust to their womenfolk being gone from the homestead just fine!

May Girls Trip

Song - "These Are The Days" by Van Morrison

For the last ten years five women and myself go on a weekend trip together.  Since this was our 10th Anniversary, we decided to spend 4 days in Lake Tahoe.

Our cabin was far enough away from towns and roads that we only heard the sound of Tahoe lapping gently against the shore and an occasional breeze through the trees.


We had a pier and a white sand beach!



We were very close to heaven!

You can see the "cabin" peeking out from the pines.

Zen rocks were all around.

Snow was on the mountains around us but it was sunny and warm on the beach - I came home looking somewhat like a lobster!

We read, relaxed, painted, took photo's, did needlework, laughed, ate some great food, walked, shared stories, slept in cozy beds, played games, meditated, breathed in the mountain air and enjoyed each others company as well as some solitary time.

At times there may have been some dancing and singing going on......but my lips are sealed!

Barn Swallow with beautiful colors

We did some bird watching.....

Do I spot a white head?

Yep.....a Bald Eagle flew over the lake looking for dinner!

Nothing like enjoying a hot tub with this view!

Every morning I enjoyed the sunrise from my bed.....

Will we go back to this little spot of paradise?  I don't think we can wait until next year! Love all of these wild women!

"Each person's perspective contains a pearl of wisdom, but this only becomes apparent when you string them all together."
--Thanks for being part of the necklace of my life. – Joanne Taeuffer