Here is a video from the Estes Park Highland Festival in Estes Park, Colorado.

LightHusband and I have both performed at this in the past with our respective fife & drum corps. I just want you to know that there is nothing in this world quite like hearing massed pipes playing “Amazing Grace” 15 feet behind you. I used to sob out loud during the whole thing. To this day I can barely sing the song because of this experience … it was just that amazing.

… even better than what Star Wars character is what LOTR character am I? oooohhhhh … I could hardly wait to find out. I’m a much bigger fan of LOTR than of Star Wars. Thanks to Lyn/Frodo who led the way.

What LoTR Character Are You?

You are most like Gandalf. You are very smart for your age, but don’t get too proud. With that great brain of yours, you have a tendency to over-analyze stuff. Life isn’t as difficult as you think it is. You have a great sense of responsibility to care for others, and that’s good! Just make sure you don’t neglect yourself in the process.

I think I’m seeing a trend here … and it’s kind of funny. Funny-haha and funny-weird as my GrampyO would have said. But I supposed I ought not to place too much emphasis on these silly character tests.

I’ve been wanting to write this post for several days. But lack of internet connection and my general inability to maintain a course of action has gotten in my way. There was one very special thing we did when LightHusband and I were out in Colorado. I had to keep it to myself for a while, because it was magical and special and I wasn’t to certain about how to write about it. Then our internet went down and life sped up. So now that we have dial-up (poo) I am able to write again.

The special thing we did was that we got to meet some friends from on-line, in the brick and mortar world. Now they are friends IRL. We drove from Estes Park where we were staying, up through the Big Thompson Canyon (which is a magical drive all to itself) and through Loveland, into Fort Collins, Colorado. Via our NeverLost companion we found their apartment and met Makeesha and David Fisher and their two lovely young daughters. I’ve gotten to know them via a couple of e-mail lists I’m on and through the blog-o-sphere during the last 6 or 7 months.

They showed us their home town via a wonderful old timey trolley that we walked to. We rode the trolley to downtown Old Ft. Collins. This part of town really reminded us of Burlington, Vermont and we felt right at home. We felt at home with Makeesha and David too. Their girls were are really wonderful. They joyfully walked and talked for great long distances with us adults without complaining or whining.

It was really wonderful to have people who I’ve known in the two-dimensional virtual world step into the three dimensional brick and mortar world. Walking up the stairs to their apartment almost felt like a fairy tale … you know the one? Where the main character becomes real and pops off the page. I wanted to soak up every moment of the day; make it stretch out and last. Because it was just one day and they don’t live around the corner. It’s going to be a terribly long time before we get to see them again.

And having to say good-bye at the end of the day made it the worst of times.

Well … it’s home again, home again lickety split.

I got home very late Sunday night (or early Monday morning, depending on your perspective).  The flight touched down at 11:50 p.m.  I didn’t get my bag til about an hour later.  I had visions of one poor little man driving the baggage truck, and doing all the loading and unloading.  It was very slow.  People were getting impatient.  But the bags eventually came up 3 or 5 or 6 at a time.  Then it was off to find my van (where my mother had left it on Saturday when she flew home).  Then drive home to a wiggly reunion with my steadfast dog, Sam.

I realized in the midst of it all that I am seeing daylight now.  I am seeing my way out of the cave.  Smaug is diminishing, and I am recovering.  On Sunday, I navigated two major metropolitan airports, including security, got my baggage, found my vehicle in a somewhat mysterious location, drove home and slept in an empty house … all alone.  A year ago this would have been unthinkable.  Even 3 months ago, this would have caused a panic attack.  But on Sunday, I barely gave it second thought.  I enjoyed my fellow passengers and the inflight movie.  Felt badly for the seatmates of the man two rows back who snored so loudly I could hear him over my iPod (great heavenly day!!).  I walked the distance from baggage claim to parking garage all alone and was alone in the parking garage late at night and felt nary a qualm.  I was safe from the boogey man and all of his minions.  It was heaven.

The next day I was reunited with the LightChildren.  We’ve been have wonderful conversations sharing our adventures with each other.  They had fun with their grandmother (LightMom), who they have assured me was “… not the babysitter from the Black Lagoon or anything.”  I had a difficult time keeping a straight face at that.

So we are getting back into our routines again.  School, exercise, quilting, etc.  LightHusband returns on Thursday.

Breakfast at our lovely inn is served family style. This morning there was another couple here. So we sat at a long table with strangers in that uncomfortable place where conversation is anticipated but no one quite knows where to begin. And no one has really had a cup of coffee yet either. LightHusband excels in those situations; I feel like a turtle who has lost her shell. But we all survived and got know one another over some of the most delicious baked french toast with blackberry compote you will eat this side of heaven. Oh … well … none of you, dear readers will get to eat it; you’ll have to imagine it.

We discovered that our fellow inn-mates were here in Estes Park to get married. It is a second marriage for both so they were keeping it small. Our inn keeper doubles as a justice of the peace, so he would do the honors. We wished them well as they left the breakfast table and each went on our way.

It so happened that they were out in the courtyard when we came back out to leave on our adventures for the day. We wished them well again and off we went in our “keen-vertible” (as the gate-keeper at Rocky Mountain National Park dubbed it). We only got about 50 feet down the road when I said to LightHusband, “Do you suppose they have a photographer for their wedding?” He said, “You know, I was just thinking the same thing.” So we turned around, went back and asked if they’d like a few photos of their wedding. Um … why … certainly. Beaming, grinning from ear to ear. So we arranged to meet them and went on our way (to a quilt shop … hehehehe … I must get my quilting in). Across the road from the quilt shop some elk came to mow the neighborhood lawns.

We arrived back at the inn at the appointed time to find the groom looking anticipatory and somewhat taxed with the weight of expectation. The participants gathered and we all found our way to Lily Lake, which is a beautiful spot at the foot of Longs Peak. It is also part of the Rocky Mountain National Park. LightHusband took some wonderful photos and we both were witness to a beautiful ceremony that had more depth and heart than many large church weddings we’ve been to. Mr. InnKeeper is a deep well and has put together some profoundly moving thoughts about marriage and life that I was privileged to hear this morning. Both LightHusband and I were honored in some deep part of our souls that this couple opened up their sacred space and shared it with us. It made our time here very special.

The rest of the afternoon was spent dwawdling around in Estes Park and the RMNP. This evening we had a special quiet candle lit dinner for two … just us two in the dining room here at the inn. It was delicious. Every moment of it was delicious. The best part was coming out and discovering a sunset straight from heaven. See:

… from whence cometh my help (or is that hope) … I can never remember. But here are some more photos from our adventure yesterday.

Longs Peak

Church on the side of the road

Loveland Pass

Snowbanks on the side of the road driving down from Loveland Pass.

Hairpin curve in road … note the lack of guardrails.  We noted this lack on a plethora of occasions.

Overlooking this lake I was inspired to write:

Sitting on a mountainside overlooking Lake Dillon – listening to the wind rustling through the pines.  It’s both soothing and lonely.  I imagine how it might have sounded night and day; endless days, endless nights — no music, no television, no entertainment …

hard work, bitter words, sour tears, sick children, dead husbands and the endless wind for companionship whispering through the pines which stand stark against the spring snow as a three day growth of beard — spiky and jagged.

Ground Squirrel investigating my pen.

This morning began with coffee and sunshine … what could be better!!

I’ve been sleeping and resting. LightHusband and I are in Colorado for a short respite from our regular duties. It’s quiet here and beautiful. We’re staying in Estes Park at the gateway to the Rocky Mountains in a bed & breakfast. Our arrival was uneventful on Wednesday; they simply left the door open for us. Thursday morning’s breakfast was anything but uneventful. It was one of the best breakfasts ever. Beginning with fresh strawberries in frothy cream topped by granola, followed by a breakfast burrito hiding hash browns and accompanied by a light piece of blue corn bread. It was scrumptious.

Then we set out on our adventure. We are ostensibly here to scout out Keystone for a conference to be attended by LightHusband and his colleagues next week. So we drove down the Peak to Peak highway through the mountains to Lake Dillon … yes, we drove over Loveland Pass. All with the top down on our silly Mustang Convertible. Here are some photos I took on the drive. Well … one … I’ll post more later when I get LightHusband to sit down and give me some more.

In Lake Dillon we dropped off his dry cleaning for the conference next week and found a place to eat, called The Sunshine Cafe. I had the best grilled cheese sandwich of my life. It was called Jewelry Mine. It deserved the title. Whole wheat breat, cheddar cheese, avocado, tomatoes, and sprouts … accompanied by homemade potato chips. Oh. Mi. Gosh. It was divine. They served us our Fair Trade coffee in travel cups and we were on our way to Sapphire Point Overlook for more photos (to be posted … the mountains are spectacular and the ground squirrels friendly).
We chose to drive “under” Loveland Pass coming back to Estes. It was equally foreboding. We are accustomed to driving under Baltimore Harbor and under the Chesapeake Bay, but driving under the Rocky Mountains felt … well … HEAVY.

Dinner was at the Grubsteak in Estes. LightHusband had the venison ravioli (a signature dish the maitre d’ assured us) and I had the Pacific Rim salad (teriyaki grilled chicken with grilled pineapple and coconut shavings topped with mango vinagrette) quite delicious. Then back to our delightful cottage and a great night’s sleep with no interruptions by cats who want to go out, or sirens or garbage trucks or children or anything really.

I finally get it.  I’m in my mid-40’s and now … finally … I understand.

I understand the impulse that overcomes a person (usually a young man) and causes them to shoot spitballs.

Last evening I went to a “Mandatory Parents Meeting” for all of the parents who will have children on travel teams in our hockey club next season.  LightHusband had to take the LightChildren to their regularly scheduled in-line practice, otherwise he would have had to sit through this nonsense.

In my younger days I might have arrived early to ensure that I knew where the meeting was.  I would have gotten a good seat.  I would have paid attention, even taken a few notes.

Now, I’m beginning to get a sense of what’s important in life.  I arrived at the rink late.  Didn’t have a clue where the meeting was.  Complimented one of LightGirl’s teammates on a hairstyle change and chatted with a few other teammates; giggled too.  Have I mentioned that I like this age?  Gave up on procrastinating and slouched into the meeting late … so late I had to stand against the back wall.  With my (illegal) fastfood diet soda and straw in hand … we’re not supposed to bring food or drink from outside sources into the rink.  I break this rule regularly and with aplomb.  I’m spending several thousand dollars in rink fees for my children play hockey, if I want to bring in the occasional soda, I will.

Thus began what was to be the most. boring. hour of my life.  Hands down.  I have never been in a more boring meeting ever before.  I’ve been in boring meetings before.  But this one took the cake.  I felt bad because HeadCoach had to stand up front looking interested and supportive, but he was clearly bored out of his mind too.  I began to imagine shooting spitballs at him, just to lighten up the meeting … start a war of sorts (a silly one mind you).  My only problem is that my aim is notoriously bad and I probably couldn’t shoot far enough, so I’d hit someone I don’t know … that would be very bad.

You know a meeting is boring and horrible when it causes formerly well-behaved middle aged women to consider shooting spitballs.

At the end the meeting leader (who’s name I do not know) asked for questions, I considered raising my hand and asking, “Are we done now?” or “Did anyone ever tell you not to quit your day job?”  or “Why was this mandatory, we didn’t learn anything?”  but I’m just not that rude … yet.

Lyn at LifeShapedFaith was talking about a survey (APEST) she took to discover some of her spiritual gifts in terms of leadership.  She heard about it from Jamie and Jonathan (her husband).  It’s put together by Alan Hirsch at Forgotten Ways.  It’s quite interesting … and based on the gifts outlined in Ephesians 4:12 “apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers”
My results were even more interesting…

Teaching … 25
Prophetic … 15
Shepherding … 15
Apostolic … 11
Evangelistic … 11

I don’t know what the numbers mean.  That teaching was one of my primary strengths came as no great surprise, since I teach almost as naturally as I breath, but that prophetic was my primary 2 came as a bit of a shock.  Until I read the description:

The genius of Prophetic leadership is the ability to discern the spiritual realitites in a given situation or community.  This leadership style communicates the elements of the spiritual realities of God’s people and communities.  The Prophetic has an innate sense of knowing the mind of God on issues concerning growth and transformation.  As a leader, he or she is concerned that changes made today are needed to progress into the future.  The Prophetic leader seeks integration between spiritual realities and immediate need.  He or she is a questioner, freely disturbing the status quo or group awareness to solicit further questioning, all to gain clarity.  The Prophetic leader impacts communities through integration.  Prophetic leadership influences others by truth-telling, not afraid of speaking in a tension with the dominant way of thinking and practice.

Well … now that makes sense.  Now it makes sense why a long time friend of mine recently said, “You tell the truth so much sometimes I want to say, put a sock in it!”  Oh.  well.  It does come in handy when talking with BelleSon.

This is a photo capturing the birth of a star taken by the Hubble Space telescope in the summer of 2005. It’s one of our new neighbors on the Milky Way block. The new girls are always gorgeous.