Sunday Trip

Today we went to Lassen, we had to get away. I am not sure it helped.
This is not a place I need to go, in my heart. I am bitter, angry but through all this I have suffered none of the above. leave it to me to wait until it is mostly over to fall apart.
I did that when David had the wreck, in 1967. I was pregnant with Ken, and David was needing my total care. I was in control of all my facilities, I was going to be tough and stay strong. I did too, Until.
One day I walked into his hospital room and he was doing great, he was going home. I broke out in tears and cried uncontrolably .
I walked by the nurses station and could not stop the tears flowing. I cried like someone had died. Long, sad Sobs.
That is how I feel today, Long sobs. I thought a day away would help but it made me even more nervous. " I guess my nerves ain't what they used to was."
So back to Lassen,
We took out chairs to the lake and sat. Soon we both became hungry. As we set the picnic up, here came the geese. Big Geese. I guess they are used to being fed crumbs but I was not feeding a fowl another fowl. (we had chicken).
I shooed and shooed. I finally said, "I cant do this, that goose is sitting by me and watching and I am afraid he will start honking and jump on the table."
( I had heard him at another table honking).
We gathered up our food and packed it away. Then we drove around the camp sites to find a vacant table in a camp spot.
We began eating. The food was cold, the biscuits were cold. the corn was cold. Nothing was good. But we made the best of it, I could not believe it when I heard David say, "Well it serves a purpose, it is food." In 45 years i had never heard that come from his mouth. He usually wants GOOD HOT food, and in a clean environment. I guess he had my dool drums.
We walked around one end of the lake and we began missing our family times. We recalled a day we took D M and G to Lassen and they climbed on all the downed trees, played jump in the tree hole and had fun walking around the lake. We even waded in it.
We recalled a time we took J to Lassen and he did not like the ice, (snow). He tried to play with it but his little hands got too cold. OK NOW I am crying again.
We recalled a lot of the trips we took with our children to Lassen, camping in the cold and sleeping on those cots and sleeping bags.
One child, K needing to go potty so stepping out back of the tent we realized it was not just to do number one. David had to get up, grab a shovel and bury the evidence.
Sheri crying because she hated camping, (she was only a year and a half.)
One thing we recalled was the clothesline we always put up. I began laughing and said "Why did we do that, We did laundry at home but we took a clothes line with us, CAMPING.!" (of all places)
We recalled the griping about the long trips we took, the "Are we there yet? How much further? my feet hurt, I can't carry this any more, Will you tote me, I cant stand that smell, It smells like rotten eggs"
Then David finally stopped his griping and thoroughly enjoyed the treks. LOL
We finally got to Hell. Yes we walked to Hell, Bumpuss Hell. It is a huge area of Sulphur pots that constantly steam from the vents in the volcano.
Charles was with the Colosio boys so he was into something around camp, usually as much dirt as he could find.
But I would not trade those memories for anything.
They bring a smile to our faces even in the bad times.

Photos to follow. (when I feel like it).