Indiana revisited for the Week....Post Views..11,813

     It always takes a week for me to get back into routine here at home after a trip.  This time is no exception.  The suitcases sit around for a couple days before getting emptied and then the laundry sits another couple days.  Meals are generally whatever is still edible in the freezer or a stop at fast food. The mail is piled high--after checking if there is something exiting, like a check to me.  NOPE. A few nights of extra long sleep is justified.  

    So Sunday afternoon--after whiling away the day on Saturday---I was texting Deb about going to hang out at their house and maybe go to a movie, when I was interrupted by a phone call from her daughter, Micki.  Deb had just been hit in the nose by a LaCrosse ball and they were on the way to the hospital.  She ended up having surgery that night at 8:30.  I went to be with her about 4pm and stayed until 10pm when the surgeon said we might as well go home since she would be out for the night.  Sure feel for her pain.  (No pictures, please)

    I have decided that since nothing exciting happens (ha ha) once I get home a week of revisiting adventures in Indiana would be timely.  

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FLASHBACK...FRENCH LICK, INDIANA....

(Adventure #2 after enjoying Holiday World) 

Kate, Stephanie and Grandma G visit the site of Pluto Springs at midnight after an outdoor hot tub soak.  

Pluto Water

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia                           (Grandma G pictures on right)                                                                                           Smell of sulfur still lingers.... 

"Pluto Spring", French Lick, 1903

Antique bottle of Pluto Water

Escape artist Harry Houdini (left) posing with unidentified man near Pluto Spring advertisement, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1907-1908.

Pluto Water was a trademark for a strongly laxative natural water product which was very popular in the United States in the early 20th century. The water's high native content of mineral salts generally made it effective within one hour of ingestion, a fact the company played up in their promotional literature. Company advertisements stated the laxative was effective from a half hour to two hours after ingestion. The water was an extremely popular product. In 1919, it took 450 railroad cars to transport the bottler’s output.^[1]
Pluto Water was bottled at the French Lick Springs, in French Lick, Indiana, a location with natural mineral springs that was also the source of a competing product, Sprudel Water. It was advertised "America's Laxative" with the slogan "When Nature Won't, PLUTO Will". The bottle and many advertisements featured an image of the devil, while its namesake was Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld; so named because of the water's origin underground.
The active ingredient of Pluto water was listed as sodium and magnesium sulfate, which are known as natural laxatives. The water also contains a number of other minerals, most notably lithium salts. Sale of Pluto water was halted in 1971, when lithium became a controlled substance.^[1]
It was the main subject of the novel So Cold the River by Michael Koryta.
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INFORMATIVE, INTERESTING, AMUSING, 

A BIT SPOOKY AT MIDNIGHT.....

THE ACTIVE STREAM STILL FLOWING....

         EARLY SPA WELL?

YOU GOTTA BE READY FOR SPOOKY ADVENTURE IF YOU CLIMB THESE STEPS AND OPEN THE DOOR......

THIS HAS SOME RELATION WITH THE ORIGINAL SPA....

(Remember we were exploring at midnight...no light except for a few small solar lights and marked off paths by small ropes.  At one point when we were leaving Stephanie calls out to me, "Aunt Georgie, I don't think you should go any farther".  I had crossed over the rope barrier and was heading to the abandoned stairway and spooky door and into the actual spring. OOPS. Glad to be back on the right path.)

    This has been a good 2 "misadventure" days in the life of Grandma G.

    "Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."

(Proverbs 4: 26 & 27)

Back Home Again....Post Views..11,797

WITH LOTS OF MEMORIES OF CALIFORNIA

      I arrived back in "the Couve" (Vancouver, WA) early Wednesday afternoon.  I had been gone 2 weeks, traveled a loop from Vancouver, to Portland to San Diego, to Carlsbad, to LA, to Atlanta, to Indianapolis, to Minneapolis, to LA, to Carlsbad, to San Diego, to Portland, to Vancouver.  Time to rest awhile....

     It always takes a few days to refocus when I get home...let my head know where I am and in what time zone and weather zone..... 

     I am glad to be home, but I may be traveling again soon.  Upon landing in Portland there was a text from son, Al, in northern Wisconsin.  Louie, my former husband, is needing triple bypass surgery and mitral valve repair.  Also needs to have dental work done before they will operate.  I, along with the kids, want to be there with him the day of surgery.  Can't make plans until a surgery date is set.

     Upon getting back to Vancouver I needed to pick up my little SUV from the shop that had patched up rust spots and cleaned the inside.  I had a voice mail from the owner on Monday saying he was gone on vacation this week, but someone would be there to assist me in getting my vehicle.  No one was there and the door was locked when we arrived.  My vehicle was in a garage with the main door closed in an open yard.  After some waiting around and some discussion with grandson, Zach, a neighbor business man came over and gave us "permission" to take the vehicle with my promise of coming in on Monday to pay the owner. Minor dilemma resolved. 

     On Friday I had a new experience---a professional massage. I've been doctoring with a painful right shoulder.  The doctor recommended a series of massages to break up scar tissues.  I was a bit apprehensive, but the session was fine and only a little painful.  Today I am rather lazy....guess that is part of the after effects.  Hopefully, this will be a new therapy that I will rely on.

PHOTO MEMORIES OF CALIFORNIA.....

VIEW OF PACIFIC OCEAN

NEAR GERRY'S

 OYSTER BEDS...

      

     

GRILLED SALMON 

AND STEAK.....YUM!

SELFIE AND SUNSET....

This has been a good 2 "back home again" days in the life of Grandma G.

"From the rising of the sun to the place where is sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised."  (Psalms 113:3)

San Bernardino Hike.....Post Views....11,771

FLASHBACK MONDAY....PART 2....
      After a lunch of mountain burgers, it was time to climb the mountain.....well...take a hike in the San Bernardino Forest.



                        Lily Rock....
























  Girls holding up the world...                    Boys holding up the world

    Bill has hiked "suicide hill" 

Manzanita tree...smooth, red bark.....
There is Manzanita beach town in Oregon....
I have been there....
How does one identify a dogwood tree?
(by its bark, of course.) 



     
     YIKES......

SPOOK TREES
COMING.... WE'RE NOT SCARED...


                         

      WILDLIFE...
SITTING ON A ROCK....
QUIET....DON'T WANT TO 
SCARE THEM AWAY.....





ENJOY THE VIEWS....

CAN YOU FIND THE CRITTER?

After a rousing game of "hide and seek tag"  (Grandma G just watched) it was time at 6pm to cross the desert once again and head back to the city.....

This has been a good mountain hike day in the life of Grandma G.

"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you [the Lord] are God."
(Psalms 90:2) (Psalm of Moses)

Desert Beauty.....Post Views...11, 760

 FLASHBACK 
MONDAY.....

Starting a 2 hour trek across the desert to Idyllwild in the 
San Bernardino mountains.....

 FROM SEA LEVEL TO
5000 ft ABOVE.....

 Mountain 
Burgers.....

I can't believe I ate another burger......



HARMONY IN AND WITH NATURE.......

Grandma G, Uncle Bill, Gemma, Jude in Idyllwild, CA

LILY ROCK.....
SOME FOLKS CLIMB IT....WE DID NOT....






This has been a good Flashback desert day in the life of Grandma G.

"Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.  Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert."  (Isaiah 35: 6)