I haven't really had a chance to hang out with Katie since our big trip, and it's been ages since Polly and I got to really chat... so we decided to invade Grandma's house for the weekend for a chance to catch up. Tons of fun! There are lots of pictures of me in this set, alas. Other people had control over my camera for a while.
Polly and I: we were born 5 days apart and have been pals ever since.
Primita Katie and I, together again!
Grandma, with the windfall of 3 young bodies, of course put us to work. But, there might need to be a bit of clarification for those of you reading this not of my family: Grandma so kicked our butts during this work session, and when we decided to quit at noon, she was just getting started! Is is reasuring or depressing when your almost 80 year old grandmother is running circles around you?
I started cutting dead branches, and like the obsessively stubborn girl that I am, couldn't stop till there were no more that I could reach...
...and my arms felt like jello!
After our hard morning of work (and we did get a LOT done!), we went to the local swimming hole for an afternoon in the sun.
Do not be decieved by this cozy picture of beach relaxation! After the winters rain and snow, this sand was harder than a rock, and VERY uncomfortable. We didnt last so very long, but got our time in the sun.
The geese took over the dock, so even if you were brave enough to risk freezing your extremities off for some mountain swimming, you would have risked terretorial honkers!
After our eventful day, Grandma took us all out to the Snowflake Lodge for dinner.
Alas, we had to go home after a very short stay, but wasn't it grand?
I got a new foster dog this weekend. His name is Chase and he is a very adorable handful. We went to the American river yesterday. I wanted a good hike and he REALLY wanted to swim. I may not have known that coming, but I learned quick. He almost pulled me in when we finally got close to the water! This from a dog who may be big, but he almost never pulls on the leash, so it caught me totally by suprise. Then, he swam nonstop for the entire afternoon. I litterally had to tie him out of the water occasionally to keep him from freezing, that water is COLD. He is a recent rescue from the streets so while he has the frame of an 80 pound pup, he only weighs 60 lbs! You can see his ribs well enough to play them like a xylephone, sad. But, he is eating nonstop and we will get him fattened up, yes we will. Anyways, the point is, he has no insulation from the glacial water. I only managed to get in up to my waist, but still got wet all over, can you say shaking dog anyone? brrrr. 
He did scare the crap out of some poor guy though. He got away from me once and ran upstream. I caught up with him hanging out with a guy in snorkle gear who was babbling a little, but I didnt think much of it since he was petting Chase and they seemd friendly. I finally pieced together that the guy had been snorkling in a little pool and Chase came out of nowhere and jumped off his back like he was a trampoline! (I have to admit I would have loved to see that, though I am sad that he scared the poor bugger) Scared the crap out of the poor guy, as I imagine it would. Crazy dog. 
The Cold Canyon trail is a UC Davis educational project, for nature lovers and students alike. Really though, it is about the best education in the various forms of poison oak that you could find! 
