Rains, Stains, and Runs In The Hills

Summer is a great time of year! We are back to our mountain cabin in Cold Springs and enjoying the peace and quiet. Ahhhhhhh. Of course, that is until our neighbors arrive for the fourth of July weekend with thier pre-teen children and blast Justin Bieber songs from their car. Still, life is good, and it is always good to have a little unexpected surpise.


My John Candy movie reference, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles in the Blog Title starts with "rains" and water is abundant everywhere in the Sierras. We had two days the other day of heavy downpour to add to our already wet season. The lake is full, and the rivers are rushing. The rain delayed us about four days before we could begin staining the entire deck. Eventually we accomplished the deck and moved on to clearing the pine needles. The wet year has also caused detours to some morning runs. Cindy, Jacpot and myself run the 4.5 mile circumference of nearly flat Pinecrest Lake each morning, and although runs in the "hills" might be a stretch, I had a hard time coming up with something to rhyme with "automobiles". Occasionally I leave the house at 4:30 a.m. and run to the lake where I meet Cindy and Jacpot for a run around the lake. The detours have occurred due to the bulging river banks leaving me no place to cross and finding alternate routes, I even have to go over a hill.



We have been here a week and have five more to go. The weather is back to normal and the peace and tranquility is welcomed. A few nights ago, Cindy put out the garbage on the deck to be taken to the garage the next day, upon exiting the cabin the next morning at 4:30, two beady eyes stared back at me enjoying a nice breakfast. It was quite an unexpected surprise and I enjoyed it even more than having to listen to Justin Bieber.