2002 - No. 2         www.malecek.com        

   Ten weeks later, once Joyce was back on her feet, Gail and I left her alone as a test to see how she would cope.
    She let us use her car and we had a lovely 5 day trip to Utah and hit as many National Parks as we could.
    To make up for the nights we spent in the tent, we treated ourselves to a couple nights at a mountain Bed & Breakfast.

    You can read about it all and see the photos by clicking   MOAB.
   Informed on 11th April that Gail's mother was in the ICU in Prescott, Arizona.  I got on the next plane out (trip story).  Gail was in Wellington at a course, so it was left to her to organize everything back at home and then follow me a couple days later.  The good news is that Joyce made a complete recovery, after the nurses had written her off.  She wanted to move back to Minnesota and be near relatives so Gail and I spent the next two months helping her.  While I cleaned and painted the inside and outside of the house Gail did the yardwork and helped her mother throw away, give away and pack her belongings. We had a chance to meet her friend, Purnie, and the neighbors, Bob (die-hard Tigers fan) and Joan, who had helped get Joyce to the hospital.  Also got to know the next door neighbors who are in Potter's House, and Martha who was a good friend of Bill.

 fire   puttputt   parade   rodeo
   fire 10miles away                 mini-golf                    parade                          rodeo            
        click on photo to enlarge

Gail had leave from her school for Term II which meant that she could spend 3 months with her mother.  It also meant that she flew off on our 30th anniversary. I was also booked to leave that same day, but it was decided that I would stay and move Joyce to Minnesota, so I rebooked for 6 September.  Before Gail left we were able to get in a couple local hikes, play some mini-golf and checkout a parade and the "world's oldest rodeo".
When the
Cat's Away		 Malley
Muses		 And He Ain't BS'ing
  This mouse likes to climb rocks:  Once Gail was gone I could attempt some more rigourous routes. Photos and story of the two best ones can be checked out with these links
Watson Lake       Granite Mountain		 How come a bull can just stand around eating grass and develop immense muscles? While if I do the same, I'd just waste away?
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