Weekend activities

Had a weekend. A real weekend. You know, the kind of weekend you wait for all week, just so you could do nothing important and kick into that chill pace of things.

I don't think I've had a real weekend like this in a very long time. Between working at mike's place, on weekends, and having to study- on weekends, it really has been a while since I had a good quiet weekend.
I guess you got the point.

Got up Thursday morning and went out to clear some fallen trees off of the trail up-canyon in Frijoles (That's the canyon the visitor's center is on). Hacked away at 2 and a half trees but had to be back at HQ by 11:00 because they were having a staff meeting and wanted to introduce all the new people. It was pretty interesting, because other than the introductions and the usual stuff that goes on at any staff meeting ANYWHERE, they also showed us a few items that were going to go on display once they finished remodeling the museum (that's only supposed to start next year). So we got a sneak at next years display. The some beautiful pieces of art and different traditional tools made by artists from the surrounding pueblos. The were very nice, but I think this does raise in interesting question- should the museum be presenting items from the pueblos that claim the people that lived here were their ancestors, or should it be presenting artifacts that were found here, as unimpressive as they might be?

After the meeting a goodbye lunch was put together for Lorel, the maintenance secretary. She got a promotion in Rocky Mountain National Park. The BBQ wagon was pulled out and burgers were spread out. No shortage of food. Hungry interns like myself don't give up on opportunities like these... I was stuffed.

The only notable event from the rest of that day was that Dale and I went up to one of the large storage buildings (snow plow garage, I think) to move a small rattle snake they found in one of the corners. Picked it up with a hook made out of a golf club and put it in a bucket. Then carried it out side and let it go. Really uneventful afternoon. At 5pm my weekend started.
I read a little, I cooked some dinner, and then I grabbed my camera and Joined Bri and Moli who were doing the effects for the night walk. I won't ruin the surprise by explaining why a night walk at Bandelier needs "effects", but I will say that going on the night walk is a very special experience. Well recommended- if you ever find yourself around this area on a Thursday night during the season. The three of us hung around after the walk was over and took some pictures of the Ruins and the cliffs in the dark. Friday was truly a day of nothingness. I woke up late, I spent a few good hours E-mailing, I went over to the park library and checked out a couple of books, I took a nap... I almost was called to go on a search- but the wife of the missing person found him exactly were he was supposed to be right as I was putting my backpack on. Later on I cooked some dinner and carried up to Virginia's place, at the other end of park headquarters. Virginia works for fee collection (stands at the entrance station- most of the time). She is relatively new at the park and when she came none of the regular apartments were available- so they put her up in the old "Superintendent's house". The park superintendent hasn't lived in the park for quite a few years. They just get a house in White rock or in Los Alamos, but the house that used to belong to the superintendent is still being used. It is a hug house with a living room designed for entertaining guests. Wooden floors and a fire place. Too bad it's at dark the end of the housing area, and has only one girl living in it. She theoretically has a roommate, but she's only around a couple days a week. Plus she only has the stuff the fit in the back of her pickup when she came down from Seattle- so you can imagine how empty the house looks. A lot like the opening scene of oh-so-many horror movies.

Had rice and stir fried chicken, which I cooked, and fine root beer that she bought. Sounds like a fair deal to me since Virginia turned out to be quite a root beer connoisseur, and she buys some fancy aged root beer.

Saturday morning stated early with a load of laundry, and then Bri picked me up to go to the Farmer's Market in Santa Fe. Considering the lack of taste that the vegetables in the grocery stores have around here, I understand why Americans would want to go to the Farmer's Market. But for someone that grew up on food from the REAL market- a market that's open 6 days a week instead of just on Saturday, and is CHEAPER than the grocery store- I'm sorry, the price and wrinkled pepper were just not for me. It was a fun experience- colorful and friendly, but like a tourist attraction would be. I would take the shouting in SHOOK HACARMEL over this any day of the week.

Then we went for a late breakfast at a deli type place- and I had some awesome pancake with blueberries. Even got to take some home. We had other things to do- go to a book store, buy some stuff at target, got to a grocery store... but we just did it at our own pace, with no hurry and with good conversation and laughs. Weather was great and the music in the car just seemed to fit (Did I just write that???). On our way back we talked about movies and realized that neither of us had seen the Borune Ultimatum, so after we unloaded the car we headed out to Los Alamos and caught the 4pm show. Liked it a lot.

As we were driving home again, we decided the sky was too good, and stopped at the fire tower to take pictures of the sunset. We ended up staying there and taking pictures if the moon too. Not to worry- we had leftovers from my stir fried chicken and half a bottle of wine to keep us company while we waited.