I got my vacation! After nearly 4 frelling years I got my vacation!!!

I was beyond happy, relieved and all that jazz. I was just in heaven.

My grandparents bought a "condo" at a luxury hotel in Beaver Creek Colorado over 17 years ago. Since then we have visited nearly every summer. It's rented out during the rest of the year to cover expenses.

Beaver Creek and the surrounding area is beautiful. The rockies are breathtaking, airy and huge. The feeling of life and beauty is tangible everywhere, even where humanity has deemed itself worthy to intrude. Unfortunately that human presence continues to grow, but it can only impede on certain flatter areas. I noticed a lot of concervation efforts this year, especially on the hiking trails.

I took a couple hundred pictures. It wasn't as much as I hoped to get done, but I got a few nice things in there. My favorites include a deer that my dad and I got within 20 feet of, a man-made water fall, and some open mountain pictures. My dad got some really amazing shots, even of me. I don't know how, but he made me look sorta beautiful. I'll use that picture to make a deviantID later.

Unfortunately I have developed what is probably poison sumac. I noticed some bright red berries on the first hike that match the pretty picture in the doctor's office. I have a hug swollen spot that is just gross. I may be a little groggy as I am now on mutliple medications to help with this itchy problem that has also become infected.

It may be some time before my Colorado pictures get posted. I tend to go in semi-chronological order so far, though I may stop doing that as much. I may make an exception and try to get some pictures up before a month or so has gone by.

I hope everyone else's summer is going really well. The journals I have had time to read have looked interesting. I have come back to over 400 messages that include art, journals and community notes. I will not be able to comment on everything, but I always tend to try. I'm being forced to be more selective than I like to, so I am sorry if people aren't hearing from me.

Well, back to either looking through it all, or sleeping. . .