What's Up, Buttercup?

So you're probably wondering what I've been doing...

Well, aside from the basics.. (the car is FIXED!!!!!!!! Made my first crock pot meal, had my first real fight with James, had my first make-up sex with James - and YES, it IS all it's cracked up to be!!!! lol, visited my mommy, hung out with Kim and Jakey)... I have been:

Attempting to transplant a Hollyhock plant from my mom's house. So far, it is not going well lol


Admiring the growth of my green beans... and if you look close, do you know what you'll see?
A BLOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From each of these blooms will come a green bean!! *beyond excited*

Taking wierd pics of the awesomely cool flowers growing in my yard...
And making a stockpile of things to sell, either on my Etsy site once I get it up and running, or at local craft fairs... and my current obsession? BABY BIBS!!!!!

This is my work table, filled with bibs in process and 3 that are ready to sell already! :) I'm learning so much from making them, and having a TON of fun in the process. So far I've only done ones for girls, but once I use up these yarns I'll switch and do some for boys. FUN!!!!! :o)

So.... what have YOU all been doing???

They should put warning labels...

On movies like the Bucket List.

We watched it today, and I'm currently sobbing like a child. I didn't know it would impact me that deeply... and I think I would have been okay... had it not been for the woman giving her husband a lemon swab.

And it all came back to me... my dad in the hospital bed... the beeps of monitors all around... and me, giving my dad swabs of water because they were afraid to let him drink out of a cup.

Grief is such a wierd thing... a stabbing pain coming at the most unexpected of times.

Nerds 'R' Us

*~*Today a coworker noticed that the statement "I before E, except after C" does NOT apply to the word "freight." WHOA. That blows my mind.*~*

I've become freakishly obsessed about Biology this week!. I got a book from the library about Biology in general, plus one on DNA... This is what happens when I read books written by Robin Cook. Since the first chapter is about basic chemistry needed (somehow) to understand biology, I've been playing on chemistry sites online... and found Chem4Kids! SO SO SO cool... and it has sister sites for other types of science and even math!

Sometimes I wish I could go back to high school and somehow manage to overcome my emotional and concentration issues... and go into the medical research field like I sometimes dreamed of. (I daydreamed of lots of things, lol... not just one career) Now as an adult I'm looking for ways to increase my knowledge of Science, so maybe a door will open for me to use it.

Maybe if I get prego, I can give my kiddos a passion for science! Maybe one day I'll end up doing work with "my kids" (kids ministry in an impoverished city near here) again, and can tutor them! Maybe a new path will open up... one I can't anticipate. Be that as it may, I can't build my life around "maybe"s and "one day"s... so for now, I'm just letting my inner geek run amuck causing mass chaos and destruction....

So stay tuned for more wierd chemistry and biology websites... or possibly for me to become completely distracted and loose interest! lol

Abandonment

Time and time again, as I allow myself to feel and examine my emotions, I come back to that word. Abandonment.

This seems to be a theme in my life. I think it really hit me when my parents split up at the age of 12. My dad had been my knight in shining armor as a child, vowing to vanquish anyone who hurt me or tried to take me away... but when Mom and I packed up our boxes to move, the only response from him was when I found a card in his trashcan... it read "Daddy, I love you." with cute little crayon drawings. That basically summed up our relationship from that point forward. We had occasional visits from him... usually him wanting to "say goodbye" before he commited suicide. *eye roll*

At the same time, my mom was working a lot of long hours... my grandparents had their own lives to deal with (Grandpa was going blind)...

And I felt so abandoned.

I see this being repeated in my mind even today. When I have serious discussions with James, I fear he'll leave me. When I make a mistake at work, I worry I'll be fired. When I don't hear from a friend in a while, I wonder what I did to make them leave me. I feel like I'm always waiting to do that one unforgiveable thing... the one that will make the other person walk away and never come back.

I see all this... but I have no idea how to overcome it. How do you shut off (or circumvent) something ingrained so deeply?

How does the garden grow?

At the moment, the garden is growing GREAT!!!! Not only do I have morning glories:

And the newest bloom, my very first blooming cosmo of the year:

But I also have green beans:

Isn't it crazy how tall and bushy they're getting???

And MUCH to my surprise... when I went outside last night, I discovered that after two months of waiting for them to sprout... I have pepper plants!!!!!!

Two different sets of them, in fact!!!!!


I know I planted four types of peppers... cayenne, cerrano, jalapeno, and umm... maybe bell peppers? I dunno. I'd given up on them ever coming up, after waiting all of this time! I was so surprised!

I also have carrots coming up here and there in the back, and some cherry tomatoes... I'll make sure and take pics of those later. I'll also have to take new pics once I get the garden area weeded and the peppers and cherry tomato plants thinned out.

How about you? Do you have a garden? Anything cool growing in it?

Trapped

Sometimes people don't really grasp the impact their advice could have on a marriage.

For the past 2 months and 13 days (HOLY CRAP. It's been THAT long?! *filled with anger and hurt*) I've gotten an earful as I walked to work daily waiting for James's car to be fixed. (James works an hour drive from home, and was taking my car.) James was not showing much initiative about getting it fixed... (Yes, my husband does read this blog, and he won't argue with that fact.) much to the dismay of my coworkers.

I heard a lot of advice from them... "get in his face EVERY DAY and nag him about it until he cracks!", "If that were my old lady, the first day she had to walk to work.... *insert dire consequences here*", "someone's got to wear the pants in this relationship, and it doesn't seem like James is going to do it..."

Now, may i just remind you that I come from a seriously nasty verbally/emotionally abusive home? I even posted a collage (somewhere? lol I can't find it) about how I see in myself both the abused and the abuser...

I don't talk about how through my teenage years I emotionally abused my mother to the point that it still haunts me. I don't talk about how I emotionally abused my friend Jade to the point that she probably still needs counseling. I don't talk about how I almost didn't marry James because I was afraid I'd abuse him too. This is my worst fear.

So now, here I am, completely trapped. By not doing anything about the situations in our marriage, nothing will ever change. The dominant phrase of our married life seems to be "If I don't do it, it won't get done." I've begun saying things... pressuring him to help me more... and in some ways it's worked! We've worked out a plan for meals! (Whoever cooks, the other one does the dishes immediately after the meal.) Our kitchen has stayed clean for weeks!

But at what cost?

I feel the angry abuser rising up inside of me, more and more each day. I don't WANT to wear the pants in our relationship. It's not fair that I should be asked to wear the pants! I ALREADY WEAR THE FREAKIN' SKIRT!

It's not fair that people think it's my job to nag James every day to do things he darn well knows need done! I'M NOT HIS FREAKIN' MOTHER! Why is the success or failure of our marriage placed entirely on MY shoulders?!

I'm beyond angry... at my self for letting him use my car, which is what started this chain of events... at my husband for not giving our marriage more effort...

But mainly I'm angry that after decades of women fighting for equal rights, THIS is where we're at. I'm still seen as a failure if our relationship has issues. I'm still expected to have a clean house, but also expected to work a full time job and care for any children we might have. I'm expected to control my husband, but if anyone hears about it I'm called a b#$%&.

And do you know who puts the bulk of this pressure on me? OTHER WOMEN! WTHeck is their problem?!

So, at the moment the only options I see are:

1. Abuse James - hate self - commit suicide.
2. Medicate myself deeply - not care - loose self completely - never have babies.
3. Don't abuse James or medicate - crack under the pressure - come to hate James - kill him as he sleeps.

So far, I'm still going with option #3. I'm hoping that if we ride things out, we'll learn to get a system going for more and more things, and life will improve. Maybe I won't have to kill him as he sleeps. (Maybe instead I'll poison his food... black-eyed peas, James?)

But if I hear ONE. MORE. COMMENT. about how it's a woman's lot in life to be her husband's mother... especially if it's said BY A WOMAN... i may have to add an option:

4. Kill woman who said it - Go to prison - Become the newest "friend" to Bertha the 500lb lesbian cellmate - Learn to love orange clothes and ugly slippers.

He's Here!!!!!!!

Introducing: K-boy!!!!!!!! He was born yesterday at 2:20PM!!! Isn't he adorable???? 7 lbs 11 oz!

Aunt Clara saw me holding him and put one of the hats I crocheted onto his wittle head... turned out to be a bit small, but still cute. The other ones were bigger!

Uncle Markie had to hole him... doesn't it look natural??? Uncle Markie and his girlfriend are having a baby in January, so this is good pratice for him :)

So now K-Daddy is visiting us and we're having good chat times. :o)

Guess What?

MY SISTER IN LAW'S WATER BROKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*shrieking*

I'm gonna be an auntie soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fankful Fwiday

I've been battling depression on and off this week... so I decided to celebrate today with a bit of thankfulness! I'm thankful for:

*Fast internet! - The net was down Monday and Tuesday here at work, and I about lost my mind... so much of our work involves the internet.

*Fitness - Today is the first time since my owwie that I've walked to work without any pain from being out of shape! YIPPEE!!!!!

*Food - The Fellowship of the Fabulous Foodies is really inspiring me to try and cook new things... check out the recipes I made last night! Oh, and if you like to cook, we're also looking for other foodies to join in and post recipes! You can join us here!

*Funds - Uncle Norman and James spent Monday figuring out how to fix the bathroom floor, and how much it would cost... and not including piping that needs replaced, we're looking at only about $100!!!!

*Funky clothes - I'm feeling inspired to embellish and tailor my clothes. If I actually DO it, I'll be posting pics soon!

*Freedom - Today is FRIDAY! In 3 hours my weekend will begin... and I can't WAIT!!!!! lol

How about you? What are YOU "fankful" for today???

Anytime Now....

UPDATE: My brother-in-law and I talked today, and the doctor decided not to induce K-mom until the 26th. Her due date was the 21, so I'm glad they're waiting a little longer... the daddy has serious heart problems, so I think the longer the baby is inside, the better it will be for him. Sooooo... sometime in the next 9 days, I should become an auntie!!! Although that means I won't get to hold him yet... it means I have more time to KNIT and CROCHET!!!!!! I found some SERIOUSLY cute patterns... *plotting*

I'll be an AUNT!!!!!!! My sis-in-law K-mom is going to be induced tomorrow (Tuesday) and I am SO EXCITED!!!!!!! The ultrasound showed he is a boy, and on my blog he will be refered to as K-boy. (As opposed to his big sis, K-girl!) I wasn't around for K-girls birth, so that is making K-boys arrival just that much more exciting! And of course, I had to try out my knitting and crocheting skills on the little guy with some bibs...

And some hats... LOL

Here's a close-up of this one... I learned how to switch colors as I crocheted, without cutting the yarn!!!! This was fun AND educational!

This blue and white combo yarn was especially annoying, so I gave the rest of it to my mother-in-law... the white yarn on it is much thinner than the blue, and makes it VERY hard to work with. Bleck.


And then I had two skeins of the blue yarn of that type left... so I made it my personal mission to use it all up! I made this blankie:

(I NEVER thought I'd have the patience to do a baby blankie... but I did!!!!!! ) and now I'm down to only half a skein!!

I also made him some booties... LOL No, Aunt Jana hasn't gone baby crazy at all!!!!!! I'm such a sap when it comes to babies.

Art Day at the Jana House!

My hubby and I spent the evening watching TV and making art....

This one was inspired while I was at work today... feeling like I was being sucked into a whirlpool and barely keeping my head above water.
This one was supposed to be me, being sucked into a black hole in space... but the crocheted vortex doesn't look so vortex-ish. The rest of space was SO fun to make though!!!! I may have to try this one again!
My hubby even joined the fun!!!!!!!!!! He grabbed the acrylic paints and the art paper and went to town!! Check out his awesomely cool tree... I love people who can draw amazingly cool trees. Trees are the funnest things EVER to draw!

This one was inspired by a scene from Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks, my hubby says. Maybe I'd understand if I read the book? *a little afraid*

This one was inspired by our watching of a Unsolved Mysteries series of DVDs about UFOs! LOL We've been on an Unsolved Mysteries kick lately.

Permission to Feel

Today is not going well.

Remember yesterday how I said I was feeling like an emo teenager? Today is worse... I feel like every nerve is on edge. I just want to lock myself in a room alone for a long long while.... I just want to be alone. I feel hopeless... like I can't handle life anymore.

But unlike before, when I ran in terror from those feelings... today I'm going to embrace them. I'm going to let myself completely feel... Just by giving these emotions permission to exist, I feel a giant weight lifting.

I'll keep this post updated throughout my workday, as a way to 1. keep my sanity 2. track my emotional life

Just Keep Swimmin'

I'm sure by now you have all heard about the flooding in the Midwest... but I decided to give you a glimpse into how it appears firsthand. These pics were taken Saturday as we tried to drive to the south end of our town:

We did NOT attempt to cross the highway until much farther down the highway... my car is far too low to the ground to try that!

Notice how fast the water is moving across that street... that REALLY scares me.

Right before this pic, a man was sitting in the carport of his flooded yard, watching all the action arround him while laying ON HIS TRAMPOLINE!!!

It's a boat! It's a car! It's NOTHING NOW!!!! (Said to the tune of "It's a bird! It's a plane! It's SUPERMAN!" At least I think it was Superman... maybe it was mighty mouse... i dunno.)

I really wish my camera hadn't filled (I hadn't gotten my memory card in it yet from the old camera) so I could have showed you pics of the evacuations. They evacuated a retirement village, and all along the road there was a line of walkers, wheelchairs and such. Boats were going out into the flooding to bring the residents to shore... something about that scene just touched me deeply, and I fought back tears.

That was last weekend, and people are drying out now... there is still flooding on the south and west ends of town I think, and for some reason the street I live on has begun flooding again at the bottom, (we live FAR uphill from this!) and many people are homeless until repairs can be done on their homes.

But now more rain is predicted... Storms tonight, tomorrow, and tomorrow night. Please keep my town in your prayers.

Progress Report

Thought I'd give some random updates:


*We're still working on getting the house cleaned and organized... will it ever end??? LOL I've gotten rid of so much of the old roomate's stuff, which has helped A LOT. I've given a lot away on freecycle and still have some stuff to take to Goodwill. I really need to go through my art supplies... I have so much stuff... and I hate to throw stuff out, knowing I might want it later. BUT... I have so much stuff that I can never find anything, and that is more frustration than it's worth... so... tonight I'll begin using up stuff so I don't have to throw it away!! LOL I'm so bad.

*I bought a new camera. I feel guilt for spending the $$$, but at the same time I will use it so much that it is worth it to me. Far cheaper than getting film developed or making copies of other people's pics. I'm also going to enter some photo contests, and hopefully *crossing fingers* win back some of the money I spent.

*I've been insanely emotional this week, for no explainable reason. I've moped around like a teenage emo-kid, and cried at random intervals. I feel like the house is never going to get clean... and as I spend my time trying to get caught up on that, the back yard is becoming a wilderness again. I also haven't made any art, and my inner child is becoming very sad. (Probably the reason for my emo-ness. I must appease her!)

*My back is better but still not totally healed. Yesterday I made it the whole day without any pain pills!!!! Yippee!!!! Today is not going quite as well... i walked to work again (day #3 of this week) and my back was hurting really badly by the time I got in to work. No idea why.

*I set a record high weight yesterday *sigh* Scales suck!!!!

*I'm almost crocheting a baby blankie for my new nephew!!! I never thought I could have the patience to finish even a baby blankie.... i'm so proud!!!!

*I managed to fry the middle finger of my right hand... more about the "Flautas of Death" will be on our Foodie Blog tonight, after i get the pics (of the flautas, not of the burns... the burns look gross.) loaded onto my computer.

*Today at work, I was discussing my emotional-ness with a coworker... and got the second vote-of-approval for the natural me. She and my husband both like me better unmedicated... which surprised me. Emotionalness and all... they still love me. That really moved me.

*James found the fuel system I need to make my glass bead-making kit work, and it is CHEAP!!!!!!! I'm so excited!!!!! It will be my reward for having a clean house! WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO!

A Hike To Remember

Remember the hike that took the life of my precious camera? Well... in it's memory, let me share with you the images last recorded on it's memory card as I share my trip memories of the hike.

We arrived on the trails at Shades State Park, and my brother in law led the way down this section of trails:

After a while, we were thirsty and decided to refill our water bottles from this stream:

Mmmm.... the water was GREAT!!!!!!! So refreshing and cool... AND NO CHLORINE!!!!!! Wooo hooo!!!!

As we walked, we were amazed at the peaceful flow of the water over the rocks.


But after a while, the water was not quite so peaceful anymore. In fact, it was downright angry!!! But at least the area around the water was gorgeous!!!!!


Watching the water flowing down the rocks was amazing too...


In it's last final moments, the camera recorded these two images... before plunging (with me) into the water. This is where we fell into the water... I slipped on the top rock, landed on my butt on the rock below it, and my camera sailed lense-first into a pool of water beside me.


Rest in Peace my little Canon PowerShot. You led a good life, and you'll be missed.

Determined

The happy open mood has passed... a wave of depression followed it...

And now determination seems to be my current state of mind.

Months ago, I was eating oatmeal every day for breakfast at work, just like my boss and my coworker. I was really working to lower my cholesterol, and we were having fun finding new combinations of things to put in our oatmeal.

On April 3, out of the blue, I was told that I was not allowed to use the same microwave that the others used to make their oatmeal. I would have to get the measuring cup, bowl, etc all out of their break room and take it to the other break room... make my food... bring all of that back... eat my food... wash the dishes in "my" breakroom, and then return the dishes to theirs after they had dried. No explanation was given at all.

I searched and searched for a reason to not feel insulted by that and not take that personally... but I still haven't found one. It hurt me deeply, and I have not eaten oatmeal at all since that day. The thought of eating it makes me ill, thinking of how my boss thinks I'm just trash and not worthy to use the same microwave my coworker (in an equal position) uses. As a matter of fact, a few days later my boss bought a new kind of hot cereal for my coworker to try. Several times my coworker has asked why I no longer make oatmeal, and I've made excuses... and turned as tears rolled silently down my cheeks.

Today, I decided this was not going to happen anymore. With tears and anger flowing freely, I packed up my own #@&@ oatmeal into neat little baggies with cinnamom, sweetner, maple sugar, etc... a different concoction in each bag. (Despite the fact that the company buys it oatmeal for the others... If they are that crappy, I don't want to eat their stupid oatmeal anyway.) I brought my own #@&@ bowl, my own #@&@ measuring cup, and even my own #@&@ spoon!!!!!!!

I will no longer hurt my body because someone else has hurt me. If I have to use the low class breakroom, so be it... but I'm eating my oatmeal.

Open

Today I'm experiencing something I have not felt in a very long time... today my heart feels completely and totally open. I feel my soul reaching out to others, and I'm just kind of wanting to hug the world. It's so deep it almost hurts!! I want to embrace the world protectively... make everything right, for everyone in the world... I don't want anyone to hurt.

I don't want this feeling to leave... it's so amazing!!!! Did I feel like this in the days before medication? I remember seeing injustices and feeling such strong reactions... I remember having a heart that was easily broken for the pain of others.

I'm so glad to have this part of myself back again.

What I'm Doing!

So, you may be wondering how I filled two whole days without work. Let me share:

(I wrote this last night at like midnight, and realized this afternoon that I never hit the post button lol)

*Finished crocheting rows 9-18 of a ripple afghan for my soon-to-be born nephew
*Finished reading Congo by Michael Crichton - OMW that book is absolutely AWESOME!!! Must read more of his books!!
*Read chapter 1 of "23 Minutes in Hell" - not my normal reading material, but a friend from work loaned it to me and I have to say it's kinda interesting.
*Completed 2 levels of The Hobbit (a video game!)
*Watched two episodes of Family Feud - NBA Players vs their moms! SO HILARIOUS. I'm gonna miss it while I'm at work tomorrow. Perhaps I'll tape it. *pondering*
*Watched the Price is Right - not the same with Drew Carey.
*Watched The Godfather - not the most impressive movie ever, but it was okay.
*Pasted some recipes I tried and liked into my recipe book
*Started writing a letter to my penpal Pam
*Cooked two different types of enchiladas... mmmm.....
*Tried a new technique for making a vase... so far, so good!
*Read The Black Opal by Victoria Holt... the first part was AWESOME! The second part sucked... no plot, no action... BORING!! The third part was really goood... one woman, three men who love her, and two murders... SWEET!
*Watched Don't Say A Word, which is an absolutely awesome movie!

Ingredient of The Week - Carrots!

Yes, we have a new ingredient of the week... on our NEW site!!!! Suzie, Jami, & I started a new blog just for recipes, friendships, and fun!!! Come check us out HERE.

As my grandma always said... Try it! You just might like it!!

Ow.

I really thought that after taking a day off of work to relax, my back injury would be better.

It is SO. MUCH. WORSE. I cried at my desk this morning, because the pain just wouldn't go away. I cried on the way home, because it was still there. It hurt to sit and type. It hurt to walk to take papers to different people. It hurt to move to answer the phone.

I hate being sick or in pain. I never know what I should go to the ER for, what I should see the doctor for, and what I should just "suck it up" and move on about.

So I'll ask you all:

How do you decide what to do about a sickness or injury??

(Not specifically mine... I plan to head to the ER soon. But in general... how do you know what to do?

UPDATE: Just got back from the ER. No broken bones, nothing that showed on x-rays... just strained muscles and bruised tissues he said. I have a note for two days off of work, and two prescriptions for pain meds.

P.S. - I think that x-ray techs have to go through a course in Sadism 101 to earn their degree. Douchebags!!!

Adding Insult To Injury

After we finally limped to the car after our hiking adventure, we decided to stop on the way back at the house where I grew up, and the cemetery where my dad was buried.

Keep in mind that by this time my back was spasming, my left hip was also hurting from the fall, and we were semi exhausted.

Sooooo... we passed over a little bridge on the way to my old house, and I began to cry as I told James how my Grandpa walked me down there so we could throw rocks in the stream. I was embarassed... I rarely let people see me cry if I can help it, and my brother in law was in the back seat. Anyway, I showed James the house, and all was well.

Then we went to the cemetery.

My family has a plot there... and as I went down our row, I was so happy to see the graves decorated! (Since this was a completely random trip, we hadn't brought any flowers with us. And the nearest place to buy more was... umm... *thinking* 45 minutes away? The cemetery is in the middle of nowhere. It's so far out, that on the way to my aunt's funeral the HEARSE GOT LOST!!!!! Seriously! It had to turn around in someone's driveway!!! )

My grandma had a pretty flower arrangement saying "mom", my grandpa had a pretty one saying "dad"... my uncle Joe had a blue arrangement, and my aunt Wanda had two pink ones....

And what did my dad have on his? NOTHING. My uncle went out there, put flowers on all the other stones, and left my dad's totally barren. I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO angry. I went to the pile of unloved flowers, and tried to fashion a bouquet for my dad out of flowers they'd taken off of other graves to mow. Most were faded, missing flowers, or dirty...

I had to make my dad a bouquet out of the FREAKING TRASH! THE TRASH!!!!!!! I was so mad. I sobbed, I yelled, I threw ugly flowers, and called my uncle some things I won't repeat on here. I was emotionally devestated. I ranted on the way home, and at a barbeque James's family had that night... people just looked at me like I was crazy and completely flipping over nothing. I was too angry to care at that point.

Finally, the next day I couldn't handle it anymore, and went back out there with a crapload of flowers. My dad's grave is now extremely festive, with a gnormous bouquet of blue and white flowers that I arranged myself.

His dignity is restored, and I'm at peace again.

Whirlwind Weekend!!!

Holy Crap! This weekend was NUTS!

Well, Friday was nice and calm and relatively normal. After work we watched a movie, and then I went to bed.

Saturday, however, was a different story. We decided to hang out with my brother-in-law to celebrate his birthday! We took my bro-in-law and his girlfriend (who I love dearly and refer to as "the good sister in law") out to chinese, dropped the girlfriend off at home to get ready for work... and went HIKING!!!!!

I love hiking.

We went to a new State Park, and as we drove along we kept seeing trees down along the road in different places... evidently a crazy storm/tornado system went through Friday night. We went to the park, pulled in, let my bro-in-law choose a trail... he decided to take rugged trail 8 to rugged trail 7 to rugged trail something-or-other to another trail to yet another trail... We grabbed our drink, and away we went!!!

We went through dense woods... then the trail led us to a stretch of rocks with water flowing down and over them. We filled our water bottle from the stream! (Water without cholrine... ahhhhhhhh...) I stopped frequently to watch the sun sparkle on the water, and take a crapload of pics... It was going great!!!!! Or at least it was, until my feet slid out from under me.

I landed VERY hard on my butt in a bunch of water... and watched my $200 digital camera splash into a nearby thing of water. I quickly made sure I wasn't dead (I wasn't!) and went back to rescue my camera. The lens was bent, but it was still working. Unfortunately water had gotten inside the lenses, and we can't take clear shots anymore *sigh* We attempted surgery later on the camera, but it didn't work.

Decided to keep walking, and eventually came to where the trail led to a large creek... which was flooded due to the rains... and the trail was flooded. So we hiked up a hill to get around, only to find out that a tree had fallen!!! So we hiked around the tree too, and then DOWN the steeper side of the hill... went onto trail 7 to head back.

The longer I walked, the worse my back and hip hurt. By the time we came out, I was about ready to die. (Even now, it hurts to sit in even the comfiest of chairs, walk short periods, and so on.) James was exhausted, and bro-in-law was done for too. So much for finishing two or three more trails that day, eh? LOL As we drove out of the park, we stopped to tell them that trail 8 was flooded. Their reply?

"Oh yeah, we know. We're trying to tell everyone that trail is closed."

Well thanks SO MUCH for that.

Douchebags!!!!