It’s visitor season at our house. I love it. Last summer we had a grand total of 12 days that we did not have someone staying with us. So far it looks like we will have a bit more free time this year, but not much.
Keely goes to Little Rock to spend the summer with her dad. We miss her a lot when she is gone, but it’s important that she get long stretches of time with her dad. It helps us because we don’t have to worry about dragging her along with us everywhere we go, or making arrangements for her to spend the night with her friends. She goes to Camp Lake Nixon every summer and gets to spend her days swimming and doing camp things. She has a group of friends and counselors that she reconnects with every year. What a great experience for her. In the evenings she gets to hang out with her dad and they do a lot of cooking. Escargot, Mussels in White Wine, and Veal Zurichoise are the current favorites. She for sure is her father’s daughter.
Back at the Ray/Cox B&B we are doing a lot of grilling and sitting on the deck in the evenings. Sunsets are spectacular, and because of the lack of humidity we can actually stay outside a lot. In fact most mornings and evenings a light jacket is a good idea because it gets pretty chilly.
Thomas Milbradt was a new friend that we met at an annual gathering of martial artists in Castle Rock known as The BBQ. He is from Germany and training to be a policeman. What a wonderful polite young man he is. We hiked, white water rafted and had a lot of great discussions about every subject you can imagine.
The Brakes, our friends from Great Britain stayed for 10 days. It is always so interesting seeing our country through their eyes. I met them at a dude ranch in Arizona over 20 years ago. They visited Arkansas several times, we did a trip to Cancun together and I’ve lost count of the times we have stayed with them in Wiltshire. We went to Taos, did some shopping and a lot of eating, drove into the mountains to Ouray, and even took in a rodeo (that one was for Terry). Terry and Steve are both big Louis Lamour fans. We have a huge collection of Lamour books, Terry always had several with him to re-read. Then he and Steve would get into discussions about them while Mandy and I rolled our eyes.
My daughter Kat stayed with us twice last year. I saw more of her last summer than I have since she moved to Louisville.
I’ve known Carla Hazlewood for over 30 years. She was a fellow student when I first started taking Taekwondo in the 1970’s. She has been out to visit a couple of times. Her last visit coincided with a visit from Heidi Mullins. I also met Heidi through Taekwondo, she was one of my students, single and new to Little Rock. We really hit it off. Both women live in Little Rock but had never met. The three of us had a blast and now they are good friends and see each other frequently in Little Rock. I feel like a matchmaker.
I’ve lost count of the times my brother Michael has been out. He’s bringing his motorcycle again this trip and plans to leave it here. I guess that means he is planning to come back? He’s also bringing his fiancée Patty and will be getting married while in Colorado. How cool is that?
My “Asian Daughters” were out for spring break. I wrote about their adventures in the Blog “Fear and Adrenaline”
Heidi was here last week with her boyfriend Kevin. They were only here a few days but we packed a lot into the time we had. Probably another blog on that subject….
Next week my nephew Paul (Michael and Kate’s son) will be out with three of his friends. They have all just graduated from U of A Fayetteville and are using this trip as a graduation celebration. Zip lining and rafting, hiking and camping are on their agenda.
Next out are Leslie Herrington and her daughter Anna Kate. Again, another TKD connection and Anna Kate is one of Keely’s best friends. They will be here for four days then will take Keely back to Little Rock with them.
Michael and his family arrive the next week. The will be staying close to two weeks and we may have as many as six in that party. That takes us until the end of June.
Will have a one or two day break then Heidi and Kevin are coming back in. Not sure how many others will be with them, Heidi was sending out text invitations when she was here. I don’t know any of the invitees so that means we will get to meet some new people. Could be as many as 10 so I’ll have to pull out the air mattress.
Next we go to Castle Rock for our annual BBQ. We will cut that a bit short as one of Steve’s former co-workers and his family will be coming in on Sunday July 15 for a week.
After that, two weeks or so to ourselves and then we get our Keely back. School starts and summer is over.
I love living in Southern Colorado where there are so many great things to do. I love living in a house that allows us to have it full of visitors. I love living with a man that enjoys having friends stay with us.
I love my life.
Michelle Rae 