This past weekend was a fun and productive one. For the first few days, I was able to get a lot of work done, which was nice. Dad flew in from Germany and arrived at the house at around 5pm on Sunday. We enjoyed his company that day, just visiting and catching up. The next day, Monday/Memorial Day, was a busy one. We got up early, had a nice breakfast, and then headed out to Red Rock Canyon State Park. Despite having lived here in the Valley for about 17 years, we have never been out there. That being the case, I drove around not knowing where to go. However, finally, we found the entrance and entered the park. What a treasure we have been missing!! I have to start by saying I am not exactly and "outdoor guy," but I loved it. It was a great place to climb and hike, and we had a blast for a few hours. The breeze was just right to keep things reasonably cool, as it was a pretty warm day.
At one point, I witnessed something very touching, and also very typical, between our two boys. They were climbing a hill together, with Rhett in the lead. They were far enough away that they didn't notice me watching, so I was able to observe them being pretty candid. For those of you who know Rhett, you know one thing if nothing else: he is just a nice kid without a malicious bone in his body. He does not make fun of or tease others. He does not put others down to make himself look better. He generally looks to help or lend a hand (when he notices help is needed). As he and Jesse hiked up this hill, Rhett turned several times at challenging points in the trail to take Jesse by the hand and pull him along and help him. At one point, he let Jesse grab hold of his shirt and he shouldered the load of not only hiking himself, but pulling his brother along. Later on, as they stopped to take a break, Rhett pulled out his bottle of water and took a drink. Jesse had not brought any water, so Rhett handed his bottle over, giving Jesse all he needed as well. They continued on like this until they got to the top of the hill. As I watched this little drama unfold, I was reminded that we are our brothers' keepers, whether they are our literal or figurative brothers. No one gets where they are alone, as we all need help at some points along the way, and we should be willing to give help when we can as well.
After Red Rock Canyon, we jumped in the van, and continued with the 13 mile loop around the park until we came back to the main road. We'd packed a picnic lunch, which we'd planned on eating at the park, but we were clearly running short on time. So, while we drove, we ate and talked, as we headed toward the Lied Discovery Children's Museum. By this time, we were pretty worn out, so we went back to the house to rest and cool down a little before dinner. I'd made reservations at Outback, and we went over there at 7 and had a nice dinner. Lots of fun.
When we got home, we visited some more. Dad is a big reader, and had been telling us about some books he'd read by Bill Bryson, which were similar to one we have called Harris and Me (which is hilarious). Since he's a fast reader, and Harris and Me is a short book, we gave it to him and suggested he read it before he took off. While reading, I'd catch him laughing out loud every once in a while. Anyone who grew up in rural America, particularly as a little boy, will love it. There's one particularly funny part where the craziest kid of the two in the book does his "business" on an electric fence to see what it will do. I won't say anything else other than GO BUY THE BOOK AND READ IT--YOU WON'T REGRET IT! Dad related that he'd not done this as a boy, but had a cousin who did and it knocked him out cold. He said just about every kid he knew had either done it, or seen it done. This doesn't surprise me, knowing how little boys operate.Finally, after this long day, we went to bed exhausted, and slept very well. It was a fun weekend.
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