We've lived in Bridgeport now for 4 years, 4 months, and 14 days. And before yesterday we had yet to climb Courthouse and Jail Rock six miles south of town.
Anybody who knows me and my love for rock climbing must think this is criminal. But we've had 2 more children in that four year time frame, and that tends to change the way you define 'good times'.
At any rate, an old camp friend, Jenny, brought her new husband, Jamie, up to Bridgeport to visit for the weekend. I realize our town isn't much of a tourist trap, but boy, can we fake it really well! The two of them took photos of every thing from Main Street to the Moon. Both British transplants to Colorado, we had fun picking apart their language. Jenny thinks she's speaking very American since living here over a year now, and I laughed that she thought that! Once a Londoner, always a Londoner!
On Friday night, they caught the tail end of the race in Gering, in which The REV took home the "quick time" award in the first event, then raced his heart out in the next match, smacking the wall sideways at about 50 mph, right in front of his wife. He has the bruises to prove it, if anybody want to see them. His wife went for a short walk after that. A late night getting home and kids into bed, we stood in the kitchen snacking and playing 'catch up' until 1230, when Allen got home, then heard his side of the story until after 1:00 in the morning.
Saturday morning was the 5K walk at 7:00 which we skipped and then the Camp Clarke parade, in which Jenny & Jamie were the guest riders in the passenger seat of the ambulance, throwing candy and playing with the sirens. Jamie also got to hold Dave's ceremonial rifle, his first time with a firearm in reach, and the Bridgeport residents got a chuckle out of his child-like excitement.
Jamie is an avid biker, and biked south and west to Redington, up the Gap road, and back to Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon while the rest of us had a huge picnic & napped willingly. Allen had pastoral duties in Gering and Scottsbluff and before he'd returned, we were loaded up and ready to ride out to the fairgrounds for the Truck and Tractor Pull, another celebration of Camp Clarke Days. Now, I don't know anything more about a Pull today than I did last week, except that you see who can pull the most weight the farthest distance. It was fun for the first couple hours, the weather was perfect, the crowd was huge and the announcer was a lot of fun. Then my children got tired, and it wasn't as much fun anymore.
Before the night was over, however, Allen came riding in on the hood of his race car with Andrew (his trusty pit crew) working the pedals, promoting the track and the racing on Friday nights. Allen had a blast and when Andrew got out, The REV jumped in and tore off around the arena, spinning up dust and sand and waving to the crowd. It was a lot of fun.
At Midnight, we were putting the kids in the bath, dreading Sunday morning.
Alas, every good few minutes of sleep must come to an end, and when it did, we were dragging ourselves up to church. After another late lunch and a few hours of resting, (while Jamie was biking 28 miles to Angora Hill and back), we decided on a whim to hike the rocks.
Dave & Kalli came along and Lars stuck to Dave like a magnet, not wanting to leave his side, unless it was to run ahead of get off the trail. I don't know if stupidity took over my brain or what, but my new hiking days come complete with a baby backpack on my back and I decided this would be great fun. Indeed it was, and we hiked straight up for over 2 hours. About half way there, it dawned on me that I was no longer 20-something, and that I was probably going to feel it the next day, but up we continued. Allen and Jenny (who both have better senses about heights) overcame a few fears of the day by going with the group. Then they'd had enough and stayed on level ground while Jamie, Kalli & I continued up, trying to find a way to the top. After several different directions and failed foot holds, we retreated roughly 6 foot from the highest point, calling it a night. The way I look at it is this; if we'd made it to the top this time, we'd have no reason to go back, right?
A late return to the house, and Jenny & Jamie packed up to hit the road. As they were loading up, the pager spoiled our good byes and I was off where duty called.
Now it's Monday. The laundry is piled high, the dishes, higher. The fridge is packed with left overs. Toys are everywhere covering the floor and deck and where there are not toys, there are drink boxes, cups, crumbs, newspapers, mail, more clothes, shoes, and bags of 'stuff' waiting to find their way home.
But here I sit.
Contemplating Old Friends and thanking God for New Friends, too.
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