It is this time of year, that every TV station, newspaper and show has some kind of a review...listing all the highlights and " low lights" of the year. Hey...why be different? So, let's see what I can come up with!
In Review:
BEST CACHE: Even though, I didn't get it, I will have to say...it was at the Beaver Dam with 1st SGT.
BEST DAY CACHING: My Day out in Dwight with Peanut, caching with the Triplets. (FYI..... triplets are here...all boys, and proud owners of Lil Cacher t-shirts!)
"I AM ADDICTED " DAY: JUNE 9, 2009. first day out with 1st Sgt.
MOST UNREALISTIC THOUGHT: The Movie Deal ( My idea came from the Julia Child Movie, just released this month...Ah, I think it made 6 Million at the box office on day 1!)
MOST FRUSTRATING: Has to be 2 DNF's...The "Cannon" AND the" Corner of 3rd and Main"! ( still can't find those suckers)
BEST QUOTE: " A bad day of geocaching, is still better than a day at work" ( quote from the Lil one, after a almost complete day of DNF's!)
SPEECHLESS MOMENT: There aren't too many...ha ha....had to be when The Alphabet Man signed the Log as . . . . The Alphabet Man! ( oops...busted)
MOST PAINFUL CACHE: Cache # 102...The killer Cornstalk ( even though I had no "physical" bruises, I was pretty sore the next day!)
THE MOST TAKEN OFF GUARD MOMENT: When I was paying a bill , and someone asks me, if I was Goldysgirl!
THE BEST "FIND": Had to be the cammo tape at Wally World! ( I love duct tape)
MY FIRST TRAVELBUG: Alaskan Pooping Moose
MY FIRST GEOCOIN: Hmmmm...I don't know, 1st SGT grabbed it from me, so fast...I never saw it! LOL
THE SCARIEST CACHE: Definitely when I got turned around in the woods! Still freaks me out to think about it!
THE WORST "OMG" MOMENT: When I get the e-mail, telling me I have the wrong numbers on a cache. ( I guess I could also list that as, "my most challenging for anyone to find")
MY FAVORITE "HIDE" : Has to be my " well hung" in the cemetery.
THE "PROGRESS" AWARD: Goes to the "pot-stirrer" having gone from "nothing to do with caching" . . . to . . . "caching addict!"
THE FAVORITE BLOG: Well, let's see.... I have NO idea...you tell me. Send me an e-mail.
So, let's wrap this year up and start fresh in 2010. Let's see what kind of trouble we can get into and out of! Have a Great New Year. Happy Caching in 2010! See you on the trails!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
It's Been A Great Run !
Today it is 4 degrees, with a wind chill of -10 degrees! Welcome to Illinois. First Sgt has better weather in Alaska! 6 months ago...today....I went out Geocaching with 1ST Sgt! The weather was a little nicer, well let's not kid ourselves..it was a LOT nicer than it is today! Wow, I just looked back and read all the blogs the other morning ( my way of procrastinating) and what a great time we had!
I am making some small changes in my life...that have turned out to be BIG changes. But, when everything settles down ( and it will) I will have oh so much more time! But seeing, I only got the Halloween decorations in a few days ago...I would say I am behind a little.
My plans for today ( not going to be aGeocaching Thursday) is to go to" town", have a couple of appointments, pick up a few decoration items, and then home to finally finish off a huge order I have been working on. With the weather being this cold....I may not get the lights out today!
Christmas is only 2 weeks away...The Lil one will be down and I will be spending the holidays with Goldy's family. Any thoughts of Geocaching before Christmas, are long gone out the window!! I am saving those "boots" for January!!
So, I want to take this time to Wish A Merry Christmas, to all my new found friends! Yep...you...people I have never met, but enjoy reading all your logs. A big promise to Scott & Peggy, as I will get your caches ( someday) and I know Prince Charming and family has been hiding tons of them . A special Happy Holidays to the "we" of the nice cachers for putting up with all my "directional " dysfunction and to The Alphabet Man, for taking all the heat in the blogs.
Merry Christmas....Happy Caching ....See you in 2010
I am making some small changes in my life...that have turned out to be BIG changes. But, when everything settles down ( and it will) I will have oh so much more time! But seeing, I only got the Halloween decorations in a few days ago...I would say I am behind a little.
My plans for today ( not going to be aGeocaching Thursday) is to go to" town", have a couple of appointments, pick up a few decoration items, and then home to finally finish off a huge order I have been working on. With the weather being this cold....I may not get the lights out today!
Christmas is only 2 weeks away...The Lil one will be down and I will be spending the holidays with Goldy's family. Any thoughts of Geocaching before Christmas, are long gone out the window!! I am saving those "boots" for January!!
So, I want to take this time to Wish A Merry Christmas, to all my new found friends! Yep...you...people I have never met, but enjoy reading all your logs. A big promise to Scott & Peggy, as I will get your caches ( someday) and I know Prince Charming and family has been hiding tons of them . A special Happy Holidays to the "we" of the nice cachers for putting up with all my "directional " dysfunction and to The Alphabet Man, for taking all the heat in the blogs.
Merry Christmas....Happy Caching ....See you in 2010
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Team....Part 2
We now have 3 caches under our belt. I would like to think this is going well...but, I really can't admit that... yet. As a matter of fact, I am beginning to have some serious doubts. Seester is entering the cooords, and is doing a great job (or so I think) We are heading across town and going on to finish this quest. It was probably a good thing, I have selected My hides, as I do recognize when the Tom-Tom is not sending us down the correct roads. I am leaning in from the back seat, with the whole...don't listen to that, keep going straight, no... turn right, what the heck, turn left. Finally I have to do the whole, go straight until I say different, and give me that Tom-Tom. Ok, problem solved, it is not that seester forgot the . or even the slash, but like 3 whole numbers, and the driving time was listed for over 11 hours. I really don't recall 1st Sgt having this much problem with me. If memory serves me right (and we all know, it doesn't) I thought I was quite an expert by the 3rd cache.
The next cache is another cemetery. No muggles....good. The team has gone from yelling... to deer stand voices... to no talking what so ever. Actually potential has switched to mumbling mode. We have 3 people walking (with 1 mumbler) but all 3 are just staring down into the GPS and slowly taking steps. All 3 are going different directions. No one is aware of anyone else! They are in what is best described as robotic mode. Seester has the TT, which has still not quite recovered from the driving incident. So when TT says, TURN AROUND NOW, I about fall on the ground laughing when I see all 3 of them, turn in a complete circle and starting walking in the opposite direction. I watch this for several minutes, there is dead silence ( no pun intended) except for Potentials low mumble.
I call everyone over to ground zero. Even SIL, who doesn't have a GPS but loves the history in the cemetery comes over. I start off with... Let's just say, this is ground zero,... uh, that would be where the cache is...where do you think it would be? All 3 glance up, and look back down at the GPS...this reminds me of math class in grade school, when you don't know the answer, but think that by looking at the floor, the answer will appear. OK...let's re-phrase that..what does the GPS say? Well, Seester says that the TT shows the little red car, by a checkered flag. Good...and BIL says the blue ball is almost on top of the green circle...Good...and Potential, well he says he doesn't know why heck the back light on this thing keeps shutting off. SIL is silent. OK... we are here...look around, where would a cache be hidden? Just think...I already told you it would not be hidden at a grave site. Look around, what do we see? No answer, everyone looks down at the GPS. Ok, we have grave sites...1 tree...and grass...any ideas? Seester looks up to the top of the tree. Would anyone bring a ladder out here? No...I am 5'5...BIL starts circling around looking at the grass, Potential is fiddling around with the backlight of the GPS, SIL ( who doesn't have a GPS) walks to the base of the tree and picks up the cache.
On to cache #4... I realize a GPS unit (at this time) is obviously optional, and apparently really not even needed. Since they loved the swag in the last cache, I know they will go nuts over the next, as it was my first cache hidden, therefore it is large and has by now, tons of swag. BIL stops on a dime, but does now realize that he can at least park the truck in the designated area. The GPS units are being analyzed, Seester and BIL start off in the correct direction ( I think they are getting this) SIL ( no GPS unit) says " I found it". Potential has the back light working, but has only 1 leg out of the truck.
I get their competitive juices running, as I mention on the way to the next cache, that they should be ashamed that the only one without a GPS is finding these caches. Well, she says in her southern drawl, I was really just admiring that birds nest. As we approach the next stop, BIL says, I see it alllll ready.. ( big southern drawl there) it is gonna be in that there Cedar tree. My first thought...I TOLD pot-stirrer I didn't want to be known as the "tree lady" and my second thought...Is THAT a cedar tree? Do we have Cedar trees here? Bil slams on the brakes, backs up a hair, leave the engine running, and 3 of them jump out, leave the doors open, leave GPS units behind and are sliding down the grass, going after this cache! Now that is how to go geo-caching!! Well, Potential did make it out of the truck, but was still eyeing and mumbling to the GPS! SIL, once again, was the first to the cache.
I am feeling better ( why?...I am not sure) but I really think they are getting the hang of this. I did have to have a little discussion as to why it has to be placed where you found it, and not where you THINK would be a better place. On our way to the next ( and I am thinking) last cache... Potential sits in the back seat, and continues to mumble and play with his GPS. My ears pop up when I think I hear him say...well we should go about 1 mile north..then turn east...Hmmm...that is interesting ( at this point I know where I am, and that is going to be about right.) Then he says to BIL, are you driving about 63 miles per hour? Yep...Ok , he says, then we are blah, blah, blah above sea level! He is so excited. (I just want to get to the cache.) We pull up once again in a cemetery. Bil stops the truck, everyone is gathering their Units. SIL, ( of course) heads off to a really old headstone. Potential steps out of the truck, eyes glued to the GPS, he is completely silent. Without ever taking his eyes off the GPS. He walks directly to the cache, picks it up and says...I found it! The rest of us are still at the side of the truck. Potential laughs, He says..."I think I got this GPS figured out!" Everyone stands, with their mouths open, and look to me. Well... What can I say?!!
"The first round is on me!"
(It is NOT a coincidence that we are in Erable)
The next cache is another cemetery. No muggles....good. The team has gone from yelling... to deer stand voices... to no talking what so ever. Actually potential has switched to mumbling mode. We have 3 people walking (with 1 mumbler) but all 3 are just staring down into the GPS and slowly taking steps. All 3 are going different directions. No one is aware of anyone else! They are in what is best described as robotic mode. Seester has the TT, which has still not quite recovered from the driving incident. So when TT says, TURN AROUND NOW, I about fall on the ground laughing when I see all 3 of them, turn in a complete circle and starting walking in the opposite direction. I watch this for several minutes, there is dead silence ( no pun intended) except for Potentials low mumble.
I call everyone over to ground zero. Even SIL, who doesn't have a GPS but loves the history in the cemetery comes over. I start off with... Let's just say, this is ground zero,... uh, that would be where the cache is...where do you think it would be? All 3 glance up, and look back down at the GPS...this reminds me of math class in grade school, when you don't know the answer, but think that by looking at the floor, the answer will appear. OK...let's re-phrase that..what does the GPS say? Well, Seester says that the TT shows the little red car, by a checkered flag. Good...and BIL says the blue ball is almost on top of the green circle...Good...and Potential, well he says he doesn't know why heck the back light on this thing keeps shutting off. SIL is silent. OK... we are here...look around, where would a cache be hidden? Just think...I already told you it would not be hidden at a grave site. Look around, what do we see? No answer, everyone looks down at the GPS. Ok, we have grave sites...1 tree...and grass...any ideas? Seester looks up to the top of the tree. Would anyone bring a ladder out here? No...I am 5'5...BIL starts circling around looking at the grass, Potential is fiddling around with the backlight of the GPS, SIL ( who doesn't have a GPS) walks to the base of the tree and picks up the cache.
On to cache #4... I realize a GPS unit (at this time) is obviously optional, and apparently really not even needed. Since they loved the swag in the last cache, I know they will go nuts over the next, as it was my first cache hidden, therefore it is large and has by now, tons of swag. BIL stops on a dime, but does now realize that he can at least park the truck in the designated area. The GPS units are being analyzed, Seester and BIL start off in the correct direction ( I think they are getting this) SIL ( no GPS unit) says " I found it". Potential has the back light working, but has only 1 leg out of the truck.
I get their competitive juices running, as I mention on the way to the next cache, that they should be ashamed that the only one without a GPS is finding these caches. Well, she says in her southern drawl, I was really just admiring that birds nest. As we approach the next stop, BIL says, I see it alllll ready.. ( big southern drawl there) it is gonna be in that there Cedar tree. My first thought...I TOLD pot-stirrer I didn't want to be known as the "tree lady" and my second thought...Is THAT a cedar tree? Do we have Cedar trees here? Bil slams on the brakes, backs up a hair, leave the engine running, and 3 of them jump out, leave the doors open, leave GPS units behind and are sliding down the grass, going after this cache! Now that is how to go geo-caching!! Well, Potential did make it out of the truck, but was still eyeing and mumbling to the GPS! SIL, once again, was the first to the cache.
I am feeling better ( why?...I am not sure) but I really think they are getting the hang of this. I did have to have a little discussion as to why it has to be placed where you found it, and not where you THINK would be a better place. On our way to the next ( and I am thinking) last cache... Potential sits in the back seat, and continues to mumble and play with his GPS. My ears pop up when I think I hear him say...well we should go about 1 mile north..then turn east...Hmmm...that is interesting ( at this point I know where I am, and that is going to be about right.) Then he says to BIL, are you driving about 63 miles per hour? Yep...Ok , he says, then we are blah, blah, blah above sea level! He is so excited. (I just want to get to the cache.) We pull up once again in a cemetery. Bil stops the truck, everyone is gathering their Units. SIL, ( of course) heads off to a really old headstone. Potential steps out of the truck, eyes glued to the GPS, he is completely silent. Without ever taking his eyes off the GPS. He walks directly to the cache, picks it up and says...I found it! The rest of us are still at the side of the truck. Potential laughs, He says..."I think I got this GPS figured out!" Everyone stands, with their mouths open, and look to me. Well... What can I say?!!
"The first round is on me!"
(It is NOT a coincidence that we are in Erable)
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The Team...Part 1
WOW! Words really cannot describe our day of Geocaching with "the team". The team (out on black Friday) consisted of 1 brother-in-law (BIL) 2 sisters-in-law (SIL) with the 2nd one being, my actual partner-in-crime- at times, that I really do call SEESTER. Oh...and 1 potential ( yet, unlikely) brother-in-law that I will just call Potential. This is a 5 person team, ... 3 GPS devices and...me. Keep in mind, I AM the ONLY person who has ever done this. But because they are totally clueless, this doesn't seem to phase them. I, on the other hand, am greatly concerned! I have taught for many, many years...and I actually have a good reputation that tags along with my "name"...the difference being...I KNEW what I was doing, I was prepared, and I had lots of experience.
A camera could not have captured the day. We probably needed a video camera, or better yet, the whole scene from Goldy's view! I have gathered all my "gear"..and as I walk out of the house, there they are...all lined up in a row. What!?... I ask. "Well, what do we do?" They are all excited. Uh...we will start by getting into the truck. Oh boy...I may turn into 1st SGT by the end of the day.
Potential has brought a GPS unit. He has never used it...it is still in the box...the charger is still in that "impossible-to-rip-open-hard plastic." He DID bring new batteries...he has NO manual...he got it as a gift in HIGH SCHOOL! You do NOT want to know how old this thing is! As we back out of the driveway, I hear someone say...that thing is pretty old, do you think the coordinates are the same? I DID NOT hear that, or so I pretended, and I am thankful that 1st SGT is NOT here!
I am a little smarter than you may think, as I decided to take them to a few of MY hides...rationalizing that I may be a little a head of them, on my part. We head to the first cache. BIL is driving, when Ton-Tom says you have reached your destination...that is it, he has slammed on the breaks, we are parked, we are there. He doesn't care that there are unnamed roads in which we can travel. Nope! we are there. Okay...so we will walk. I was a little excited that no one, not even the guys, knew about coords, and which way to walk in relationship to the numbers. I think they were a little impressed. I gave the credit to 1st SGT. BIL, is trying to follow the "little blue ball" SIL is checking out all the old headstones, Seester (and I) are trying to get the Tom-Tom from driving mode to walking mode, and Potential is TRYING to turn on his GPS. We are off to a great start.
I stand back, to try to get an overall "picture". No one is walking in the same direction. I never had to round up cattle, but I kinda have that same feeling, as I am rounding everyone up...and getting everyone headed in the same direction. At one point, 2 of the team were actually walking together and getting pretty close. BIL must have thought that also, as he yells out (remember he is from TN) "Y'll gone too far now, "yous" a whole lane off." They stop...they look at us...I can't believe they are falling for that. BIL is saying to me... "I've stalled em now, I think I'm gonna get the truck and drive right on over there and get me that there cache, I think I can get there before they do" Seeing, they are only 3 feet away, I doubt that, but, they were clueless so they just walk on by. They are too busy "looking" to see where BIL is heading. Yep...this is going well. Somehow, and I don't know how, SIL and Seester are now together and are searching to the right, and to the left, but no where near the cache. Ok girls, lets regroup, stand back for a moment, and think about the hint. That is all it took, I am not sure if that looked like a NFL tackle or a slide in to home base, but they got it. I need a referee's whistle. And WHERE are the guys? As we head off to the 2nd cache...I mention that Geocahcing is NOT a contact sport, and the guys need to use their "deer stand voices"
Cache #2, is in a park. It is my hide, I don't have one of the GPS units , and I can't even remember what tree it is actually in. I do remember that The Alphabet Man was the last to find it, and he re-hid it "as found or better" This is just a flashback to finding all the other hides from the Alphabet Man. And it is MY hide! So while the newbys are off in 3 different directions... by the swing sets (?!) ...I am slowly circling the trees, looking for my own hide! Geocaching is not for the memory impaired!
Cache #3 is downtown, a VERY busy downtown today, after all it is black Friday! After some time, they find it. When we get back into the car, I re-explain the whole Muggle/ stealth-like theory. I may have to stay away from downtown for a couple of weeks.
It only gets better. I started this blog off with WOW...which really means...why oh why!
A camera could not have captured the day. We probably needed a video camera, or better yet, the whole scene from Goldy's view! I have gathered all my "gear"..and as I walk out of the house, there they are...all lined up in a row. What!?... I ask. "Well, what do we do?" They are all excited. Uh...we will start by getting into the truck. Oh boy...I may turn into 1st SGT by the end of the day.
Potential has brought a GPS unit. He has never used it...it is still in the box...the charger is still in that "impossible-to-rip-open-hard plastic." He DID bring new batteries...he has NO manual...he got it as a gift in HIGH SCHOOL! You do NOT want to know how old this thing is! As we back out of the driveway, I hear someone say...that thing is pretty old, do you think the coordinates are the same? I DID NOT hear that, or so I pretended, and I am thankful that 1st SGT is NOT here!
I am a little smarter than you may think, as I decided to take them to a few of MY hides...rationalizing that I may be a little a head of them, on my part. We head to the first cache. BIL is driving, when Ton-Tom says you have reached your destination...that is it, he has slammed on the breaks, we are parked, we are there. He doesn't care that there are unnamed roads in which we can travel. Nope! we are there. Okay...so we will walk. I was a little excited that no one, not even the guys, knew about coords, and which way to walk in relationship to the numbers. I think they were a little impressed. I gave the credit to 1st SGT. BIL, is trying to follow the "little blue ball" SIL is checking out all the old headstones, Seester (and I) are trying to get the Tom-Tom from driving mode to walking mode, and Potential is TRYING to turn on his GPS. We are off to a great start.
I stand back, to try to get an overall "picture". No one is walking in the same direction. I never had to round up cattle, but I kinda have that same feeling, as I am rounding everyone up...and getting everyone headed in the same direction. At one point, 2 of the team were actually walking together and getting pretty close. BIL must have thought that also, as he yells out (remember he is from TN) "Y'll gone too far now, "yous" a whole lane off." They stop...they look at us...I can't believe they are falling for that. BIL is saying to me... "I've stalled em now, I think I'm gonna get the truck and drive right on over there and get me that there cache, I think I can get there before they do" Seeing, they are only 3 feet away, I doubt that, but, they were clueless so they just walk on by. They are too busy "looking" to see where BIL is heading. Yep...this is going well. Somehow, and I don't know how, SIL and Seester are now together and are searching to the right, and to the left, but no where near the cache. Ok girls, lets regroup, stand back for a moment, and think about the hint. That is all it took, I am not sure if that looked like a NFL tackle or a slide in to home base, but they got it. I need a referee's whistle. And WHERE are the guys? As we head off to the 2nd cache...I mention that Geocahcing is NOT a contact sport, and the guys need to use their "deer stand voices"
Cache #2, is in a park. It is my hide, I don't have one of the GPS units , and I can't even remember what tree it is actually in. I do remember that The Alphabet Man was the last to find it, and he re-hid it "as found or better" This is just a flashback to finding all the other hides from the Alphabet Man. And it is MY hide! So while the newbys are off in 3 different directions... by the swing sets (?!) ...I am slowly circling the trees, looking for my own hide! Geocaching is not for the memory impaired!
Cache #3 is downtown, a VERY busy downtown today, after all it is black Friday! After some time, they find it. When we get back into the car, I re-explain the whole Muggle/ stealth-like theory. I may have to stay away from downtown for a couple of weeks.
It only gets better. I started this blog off with WOW...which really means...why oh why!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Possible Black Friday Team
I am multi-tasking today, trying to get everything "done" so I can go caching on Friday. The pot-stirrer has her family here from North ( I think) Dakota, and they definitely have to get him up to speed on some local caches. I, on the other hand, have relatives ( Goldy's side) coming in ( from TN) for the Holiday, and I have been wanting to get them into caching for quite some time now.
Not knowing how I am going to get all this worked in...I was putting off a plan until "later". Well, the pot-stirrer calls this morning...no, I have to pass on a shopping trip...too much to do. She says they are going caching on Friday. Isn't it deer season or something? So, don't wear a cammo Elmer Fudd hat , she tells me. Ya, with a white little "bobbed" tail. Well, I know how my luck runs, and of course, I have a higher chance of being injured in a Walmart on Black Friday at 4 am! ( That is why I never do that!)
So, as I make my pumpkin rolls ( didn't know I could cook?...hmmm...you would be surprised) and throw laundry in...I get to thinking. Maybe we could have a team!!! The pot-stirrer could take the Dakota son-in-law, I could take the TN brother-in-law , 2 sister-in-laws and 1 "potential" brother-in-law. This may work out. This may work out better than the year we went to the "cut-your-own-Christmas-tree" farm and the tree fell on me!
I could probably bring this idea up tonight, while we sip wine and eat "my -secret-recipe" cheese ball. (That I still have to make) I AM thinking this may be the plan.
So, on my mental "to do" list....I have to get to a couple of stores yet....more laundry, a couple of dishes for the Thanksgiving pot-luck....finish this blog...oh, make sure I bring the camera ( had someone find one of my caches, last weekend, and they called me Ma'am...ouch!! Oh, and talking about cache logs, the Alphabet Man found one of my caches, and signed it The Alphabet Man!) Soooo.... add to my list....review blogs, make sure I didn't insult him....( my little one, always says that....mom some people may be insulted by your blogs) let's see, what else...make phone calls, download some stuff...Oh I got to go....
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!
Not knowing how I am going to get all this worked in...I was putting off a plan until "later". Well, the pot-stirrer calls this morning...no, I have to pass on a shopping trip...too much to do. She says they are going caching on Friday. Isn't it deer season or something? So, don't wear a cammo Elmer Fudd hat , she tells me. Ya, with a white little "bobbed" tail. Well, I know how my luck runs, and of course, I have a higher chance of being injured in a Walmart on Black Friday at 4 am! ( That is why I never do that!)
So, as I make my pumpkin rolls ( didn't know I could cook?...hmmm...you would be surprised) and throw laundry in...I get to thinking. Maybe we could have a team!!! The pot-stirrer could take the Dakota son-in-law, I could take the TN brother-in-law , 2 sister-in-laws and 1 "potential" brother-in-law. This may work out. This may work out better than the year we went to the "cut-your-own-Christmas-tree" farm and the tree fell on me!
I could probably bring this idea up tonight, while we sip wine and eat "my -secret-recipe" cheese ball. (That I still have to make) I AM thinking this may be the plan.
So, on my mental "to do" list....I have to get to a couple of stores yet....more laundry, a couple of dishes for the Thanksgiving pot-luck....finish this blog...oh, make sure I bring the camera ( had someone find one of my caches, last weekend, and they called me Ma'am...ouch!! Oh, and talking about cache logs, the Alphabet Man found one of my caches, and signed it The Alphabet Man!) Soooo.... add to my list....review blogs, make sure I didn't insult him....( my little one, always says that....mom some people may be insulted by your blogs) let's see, what else...make phone calls, download some stuff...Oh I got to go....
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Queen of Hide & Seek
Not me... the pot-stirrer! Spent a few hours on Tuesday, getting ready for her first hides! I drug out of the closet all our containers, tape( cammo, grey, black) baggies ( of various sizes), wire, wire cutters, scissors, printed off log sheets, and sorted through FTF and swag items! We put together around 20 caches. My house looked like a first grade art project.
On Thursday morning...our usual day of caching...we set off. Apparently the pot-stirrer has been studying all the caches, and decided that the surrounding "empty" towns need a little excitement! I rode shotgun, didn't even take my GPS. After my last hides and the whole missed number on the coords...I figured I was not getting involved! Well, not too much! Pot-stirrer decides that Cullom, Chebanse, Herscher and a few side roads in between... ( no idea where we were) needed to be decorated with a little caching! Of course, on our way, when I mention, I will have to show her how to " place a cache" in the computer...she about freaks out! Oh no...she thinks these are going under my name! I don't think so...this is your idea, your baby...just step up to a new level!
That argument lasted until we arrived in Cullom. I have been in Cullom only a hand full of times...I got my passion for teaching EMS from Doc, (have not seen him for years) And there is a great little bar/restaurant there that has absolutely the best Grilled Prime Rib! Anyways...when she gets to her first location, she returns to caching mode and the whirlwind of her hides begins!
There are several things we do not see eye to eye on...my driving...and here idea of hiding a cache! There are so many great places out there. She, of course, has her own ideas...which is fine...but we spent half the time..."discussing" the "better" sites. She did let me have a few suggestions, and I just noticed that she put in the log that this location was GG's idea!! Right, give me a break!
I think she placed like 11 caches. I had to race back home, the dogs had a grooming day, but before I even got there, she is calling. Turns out, Reviewer Jones had a couple of comments. This is one of the main reasons I didn't want my name on anything! I swear he "knows" me, and maybe has like a red flag by my name. Anyways, she is totally freaking out...I, of course, am being the "calming" factor! LOL Turns out to be absolutely nothing, he just needed a little clarification. I reassured her that this is just a form letter they send out, nothing personal. Seeing I remained so "calm" with MY incident, I knew how to handle this situation!
Reviewer Jones just had to be sitting around waiting for something to do, because before she even had them all entered...one was posted! And before I even got home from the dog groomers...there was already a FTF!
I had to smile on the FTF... a "local" cacher was the FTF, this was the same person she nearly ran over leaving on her FTF marathon just last week. Poor dude had to sign in as a second to find ( ya, but by a minute!) Just goes to prove what I have already said...you have to get up pretty early to beat the pot-stirrer when she is on a FTF mission!
So to sum up my thoughts of the day...I still think the better hide was by the recliner...with the recliner as the hint. But no...she doesn't like hints...so let me give you a hint...on one end is the recliner, the other end is the "party grove" ( female lingerie hanging off trees, like some kind of a trophy) and the cache is in the middle! I love the cache in the park, finally she gives in to one of my ideas ( she, of course, hates it) So, when you find that one...make sure you log in, as a great hide GG ! HaHa! I think the last hide of the day, was my favorite. She did agree on that location. I probably won't hear too many more complaints on MY driving after that " one hide"...(bump!)
P.S. Decided to take the camera out on our caches...need to get a few photos in the gallery.
On Thursday morning...our usual day of caching...we set off. Apparently the pot-stirrer has been studying all the caches, and decided that the surrounding "empty" towns need a little excitement! I rode shotgun, didn't even take my GPS. After my last hides and the whole missed number on the coords...I figured I was not getting involved! Well, not too much! Pot-stirrer decides that Cullom, Chebanse, Herscher and a few side roads in between... ( no idea where we were) needed to be decorated with a little caching! Of course, on our way, when I mention, I will have to show her how to " place a cache" in the computer...she about freaks out! Oh no...she thinks these are going under my name! I don't think so...this is your idea, your baby...just step up to a new level!
That argument lasted until we arrived in Cullom. I have been in Cullom only a hand full of times...I got my passion for teaching EMS from Doc, (have not seen him for years) And there is a great little bar/restaurant there that has absolutely the best Grilled Prime Rib! Anyways...when she gets to her first location, she returns to caching mode and the whirlwind of her hides begins!
There are several things we do not see eye to eye on...my driving...and here idea of hiding a cache! There are so many great places out there. She, of course, has her own ideas...which is fine...but we spent half the time..."discussing" the "better" sites. She did let me have a few suggestions, and I just noticed that she put in the log that this location was GG's idea!! Right, give me a break!
I think she placed like 11 caches. I had to race back home, the dogs had a grooming day, but before I even got there, she is calling. Turns out, Reviewer Jones had a couple of comments. This is one of the main reasons I didn't want my name on anything! I swear he "knows" me, and maybe has like a red flag by my name. Anyways, she is totally freaking out...I, of course, am being the "calming" factor! LOL Turns out to be absolutely nothing, he just needed a little clarification. I reassured her that this is just a form letter they send out, nothing personal. Seeing I remained so "calm" with MY incident, I knew how to handle this situation!
Reviewer Jones just had to be sitting around waiting for something to do, because before she even had them all entered...one was posted! And before I even got home from the dog groomers...there was already a FTF!
I had to smile on the FTF... a "local" cacher was the FTF, this was the same person she nearly ran over leaving on her FTF marathon just last week. Poor dude had to sign in as a second to find ( ya, but by a minute!) Just goes to prove what I have already said...you have to get up pretty early to beat the pot-stirrer when she is on a FTF mission!
So to sum up my thoughts of the day...I still think the better hide was by the recliner...with the recliner as the hint. But no...she doesn't like hints...so let me give you a hint...on one end is the recliner, the other end is the "party grove" ( female lingerie hanging off trees, like some kind of a trophy) and the cache is in the middle! I love the cache in the park, finally she gives in to one of my ideas ( she, of course, hates it) So, when you find that one...make sure you log in, as a great hide GG ! HaHa! I think the last hide of the day, was my favorite. She did agree on that location. I probably won't hear too many more complaints on MY driving after that " one hide"...(bump!)
P.S. Decided to take the camera out on our caches...need to get a few photos in the gallery.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Geocaching at any age!
I have been extremely busy, in other aspects of my little life. I actually had to turn down a geocaching day, just to finish a project deadline! Yuks! But, ( hopefully, I will be ready, once again next week.
Remind me and go back and tell the story of the pot-stirrer hanging from a rafter, looking for a cache. No, I was not there, but I was on speaker phone....just in case! What? would I call 911 and give them the coords? Or would I drive out there and take a couple pics before I called for help! LOL
Noticed there was an ad from Geocaching regarding a 7 day Alaskan geocaching cruise! Where you stop at different ports and go caching. The best part...The last stop in Alaska is at Juneau......hmmmmm Ist Sgt could be waiting for us! It is in July...we should consider this!
And before I have to get out of here...I wanted to say Happy Birthday to 1st Sgt. That alone is proof that you can go geocaching at any age!!! LOL Hey, you are what 56? ROFL 1st Sgt was also born on a Friday ( the 13Th) and he turned out pretty good, so all you superstitious people...take note!
I will be back in the geocaching circuit real soon!!
Remind me and go back and tell the story of the pot-stirrer hanging from a rafter, looking for a cache. No, I was not there, but I was on speaker phone....just in case! What? would I call 911 and give them the coords? Or would I drive out there and take a couple pics before I called for help! LOL
Noticed there was an ad from Geocaching regarding a 7 day Alaskan geocaching cruise! Where you stop at different ports and go caching. The best part...The last stop in Alaska is at Juneau......hmmmmm Ist Sgt could be waiting for us! It is in July...we should consider this!
And before I have to get out of here...I wanted to say Happy Birthday to 1st Sgt. That alone is proof that you can go geocaching at any age!!! LOL Hey, you are what 56? ROFL 1st Sgt was also born on a Friday ( the 13Th) and he turned out pretty good, so all you superstitious people...take note!
I will be back in the geocaching circuit real soon!!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
2 More Caches
Not under my belt...but hidden! No big deal, no hoopla, no duct tape excitement...just slipped a couple more out there.
My first intention was to place them on Thursday, after our great day of caching. But, as we drove to the site, we encountered Muggles! So, we drove by and waved back, like we were in some parade or something! Got to love a small town!
I got up Friday morning, feeling the effects of Cache #102. I guess that long, hot bubble bath did not do the trick. My butt is extremely sore, and seeing I did not land on my butt, it must be from all the"rolling on the ground, laughing" that I did.
I hid the caches on Friday morning. Check the coords, and wrote it down! 8 hours later, I go back...and check the coords! I worked the weekend shift on my real job, but go out again on Monday and check the corrds!
I think I am now ready to list the caches. So, be on the lookout...2 new caches! Don't worry, pot-stirrer will NOT be the FTF...as she knows where they are!
Happy Caching!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Geocaching boots
The plan was to head down to a mall, pick up some flavored coffee beans for the pot-stirrer, buy some boots for our winter escapades, while picking up caches ALONG the way. And like most plans...it just didn't happen!
We head off, I have print offs of 15 or more caches...all located en route. But, we divert straight to the mall. We just had to get those coffee beans. I am sure they would not had sold out before we got there, but....I am not driving. From the mall, we head to the craft store...I decide to pick up, the "perfect evergreen swag" for the holidays. 20 swags later, I end up with a 3 foot Christmas tree. That was MY change in plans. It is lunch time....so off for a nice sit-down lunch. Finally, a sit down and eat, never happens when you are out caching with the pot-stirrer. But, then again...who is caching?
After completely over-eating and indulging in 1 margarita, we locate the boot store on the GPS and head that way. Notice, we haven't stopped for even 1 cache. Once in the store, I have to pull myself away from the Christmas decorations, and head for the boots. Really not hard...I pick up a boot, slide it on...fits...throw it in the cart. I am done. Or so I think. I have to locate the pot-stirrer, as she has some wide foot deficit, and is clear across the store, in the men's section. She has boots and boxes spread everywhere! She is looking for the perfect boot!
I try on a couple of Elmer Fudd hats, while patiently waiting. (hats don't work on me) Just when I think we are ready to wrap this up, she glances down and sees what boot, I have picked out. "Is that the boot, you are getting?" Ya, why? "well...it is kinda plain" We are geocaching, not going for a style show. She doesn't think it will be warn enough. So, I start looking all over...I try on a couple of pink ones, just to "stir the pot". She has her boots ( I call those construction shoes) and so she is making suggestions for my boots... No, I don't want anything that ties...No heels! (geocaching in stilletos) No, too heavy...No, I don't want buckles! Nope, too low on the ankle. No, too high up the knee. Nope...just want something to slip on! I finally find something that will work...she claims it is not waterproof! What? Who makes a boot that is not waterprooof!
Now I am in search of a boot, that has a "waterproof" label. I end up buying a pair of "runway priced" boots/shoes that have a zipper on the side, but claim to be "waterproof"! When we leave the store, I smell like tires...it is raining out..it is getting dark. Mind you, we have not gotten 1 cache!
I check my I-phone and see there is 1 right by us. It was a LPC, nice and easy...even in the rain. As I am checking for more nearby caches...the pot-stirrer is headed for Starbucks. I see that there is a cache nearby. No...she's not going, she is getting Starbucks and we are heading home. It is only 0.4 miles away! A true geocacher would not pass up a cache that is only 0.4 miles away! Rain has never bothered her before, besides she just bought boots...but she is not budging.
I have to announce that I will buy the Starbucks, if we can stop for the cache! Well, that worked. It takes less than 2 minutes for this cache..and we are off to Starbucks.
Suddenly rain must not be an issue, as we bypass the drive thru, only to park, get out and walk in the rain. Once inside, she can't decide whether she wants the pumpkin or the Carmel...oh, so she gets both!
On the ride home...the rain has stopped ( of course) but it is already dark out, so I don't even suggest.... Really I was re-thinking the whole day, and realized what I really wanted was my old moon boots from the 80's
The "get winter boots for caching" can now be crossed off my list. Make sure you look for us this winter, I will be wearing Goldy's cammo coveralls...no hat...and my little black designer WATERPROOF boots!
We head off, I have print offs of 15 or more caches...all located en route. But, we divert straight to the mall. We just had to get those coffee beans. I am sure they would not had sold out before we got there, but....I am not driving. From the mall, we head to the craft store...I decide to pick up, the "perfect evergreen swag" for the holidays. 20 swags later, I end up with a 3 foot Christmas tree. That was MY change in plans. It is lunch time....so off for a nice sit-down lunch. Finally, a sit down and eat, never happens when you are out caching with the pot-stirrer. But, then again...who is caching?
After completely over-eating and indulging in 1 margarita, we locate the boot store on the GPS and head that way. Notice, we haven't stopped for even 1 cache. Once in the store, I have to pull myself away from the Christmas decorations, and head for the boots. Really not hard...I pick up a boot, slide it on...fits...throw it in the cart. I am done. Or so I think. I have to locate the pot-stirrer, as she has some wide foot deficit, and is clear across the store, in the men's section. She has boots and boxes spread everywhere! She is looking for the perfect boot!
I try on a couple of Elmer Fudd hats, while patiently waiting. (hats don't work on me) Just when I think we are ready to wrap this up, she glances down and sees what boot, I have picked out. "Is that the boot, you are getting?" Ya, why? "well...it is kinda plain" We are geocaching, not going for a style show. She doesn't think it will be warn enough. So, I start looking all over...I try on a couple of pink ones, just to "stir the pot". She has her boots ( I call those construction shoes) and so she is making suggestions for my boots... No, I don't want anything that ties...No heels! (geocaching in stilletos) No, too heavy...No, I don't want buckles! Nope, too low on the ankle. No, too high up the knee. Nope...just want something to slip on! I finally find something that will work...she claims it is not waterproof! What? Who makes a boot that is not waterprooof!
Now I am in search of a boot, that has a "waterproof" label. I end up buying a pair of "runway priced" boots/shoes that have a zipper on the side, but claim to be "waterproof"! When we leave the store, I smell like tires...it is raining out..it is getting dark. Mind you, we have not gotten 1 cache!
I check my I-phone and see there is 1 right by us. It was a LPC, nice and easy...even in the rain. As I am checking for more nearby caches...the pot-stirrer is headed for Starbucks. I see that there is a cache nearby. No...she's not going, she is getting Starbucks and we are heading home. It is only 0.4 miles away! A true geocacher would not pass up a cache that is only 0.4 miles away! Rain has never bothered her before, besides she just bought boots...but she is not budging.
I have to announce that I will buy the Starbucks, if we can stop for the cache! Well, that worked. It takes less than 2 minutes for this cache..and we are off to Starbucks.
Suddenly rain must not be an issue, as we bypass the drive thru, only to park, get out and walk in the rain. Once inside, she can't decide whether she wants the pumpkin or the Carmel...oh, so she gets both!
On the ride home...the rain has stopped ( of course) but it is already dark out, so I don't even suggest.... Really I was re-thinking the whole day, and realized what I really wanted was my old moon boots from the 80's
The "get winter boots for caching" can now be crossed off my list. Make sure you look for us this winter, I will be wearing Goldy's cammo coveralls...no hat...and my little black designer WATERPROOF boots!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
My 100th find!
I start the morning off with scraping the windows and dressing with 2 layers under my hoodie. I throw a jacket in the cache mobile...just in case. Scrounged up some gloves, don't need any boots, but do wish I had a hat. Actually wish I had a head that looked good in a hat!! Today is a normal geocaching Thursday.
It turns out to be a beautiful day ( in the 60's) all the farmers were in the fields and were totally oblivious to our 1 mile loops down every gravel road. We had crossed over the border, which sounds exciting, but really it was just the border to my home town state. The thought process on all this, is get some caches "far away" while the weather is nice...and when " the snow flies" we will get caught up on the caches in our "nearby " area. Well, seeing that our "nearby" caches are also 30 some miles away...It really doesn't make that much sense! But, I guess I can get some relief knowing that when I slide into a ditch, it is at least on some "familiar ground"
By the end of our tour, we pick up 12 caches. For a minute there I felt like Thelma and Louise, but we all know how that ends ...
Today we are not rushed, we are picking these caches up at a pretty good pace. Of course, you always have that one..."so obvious you can't see it" ...the" if it was any closer it would bite you"...and the " how did we not see that cache"...that slows you down a little. I ran into some geese at one cache ( well, not literally) and had time to go back with some food for them...just as I promised.
1st Sgt, who obviously monitors my day to day activity sent me a congratulatory note on my 100th find, and added that he has " created a monster" I mentioned to the pot-stirrer 0n thursday that I was pretty sure I had reached the 100 mark. Her response..."Don't care" I decided right then and there (Ma-ism) I won't even mention it....so I won't!
It was on the last cache of the day, number 102 ( but who's counting) that I was attacked by a killer corn stalk! We were strolling out 1/2 mile to a cache. ( You are told that right up front).. The owner of the cache mentions something in his description about being able to walk through the crops, but don't take them down. He didn't say anything about them taking you down! Try to get the picture here...I was walking, talking, and messing with the GPS, ( I may even have been chewing gum) I decide to "change lanes"...when Bham! I was down! Seeing that the corn had already been combined, I think this would be categorized under light weight division! That stubby little stalk, took me by surprise! I think I did manage to get UGH out, but ...barely. I was down, but not for long! After visually looking for bones sticking out, and mentally assessing the degree of pain, I realized that I had saved the I-phone, and that's what counts!! I did roll over and laugh, just so I could tell 1st SGT that I was ROTGLMAO! The pot-stirrer said I hit so hard, she felt the ground shake...but we all know how she exaggerates everything!
We are going to try to get back to that area "before the snow flies". We will take a right, instead of a left, and ( hopefully) pick up a couple of Scott & Peggy's caches!! (see how I casually mention this...like we have been for years!) Cache on, be safe, and watch out for the killer corn stalks!
Note to pot-stirrer: When your co-cacher "goes down"...you DON'T just step over them and keep walking! LOL ( 100th find..tee hee!)
Geocaching Thursday
We (being me and the pot-stirrer) usually go out caching on a Thursday. It is really the only time our schedules don't collide... So, when the phone rings on a Wednesday... at the crack of dawn I really think something bad has happened. The over-caffeinated pot-stirrer is calling...there are some FTF's out there, we need to get them! Ok, I say, so is that where you want to head out on Thursday...Oh NO! She wants them today~!! Aren't you up? Ahh nooooo... Well , she tells me, she is going..." with or without me". Ok, I am up now. Claims she will be here in 1 hour! Yea right, by the time " 1 hour" rolled around, we already had 2 FTF's!
So, this is how the day starts out! Her caffeine buzz had to be powering her GPS. My signal, was about as weak as the 1/2 cup of coffee I gulped down. We buzzed from FTF to FTF, being all stealth like...she's talking all "low", probably didn't want anyone to "hear "us. Her paranoia was showing...every time she saw a vehicle, she just knew it was someone out to get the FTF! I was starting to get a little paranoid too...I was waiting for someone in a "cammo" outfit, to jump out of the huge mounds of leaves and scare the begeezer's right out of me. Having watched the movie "shooter" the night before probably added to these paranoid thoughts. I really did manage to "get" her ( and it was quite funny) as I was looking up the "next cache"...I told her..."Oh alphabet man, just logged that one as a FTF! OMG...I wish I had my camera ready...that look was oh so worth it! just kidding, I say, really NO ONE is even UP yet, let alone out getting FTF"s
After a record breaking morning, I plead for a breakfast stop. Her idea of breakfast and mine are 2 different things! I am thinking 2 eggs, over medium, maybe crispy bacon, some of those really nice browned chunky potatoes...rye toast...mixed fruit jelly....Ok wake up! I manage to get down a dry Cherry danish from some gas station ...and we are still going...and going... and going. After picking up all the new FTF's , we stop at a few caches that I had already found. She does a really nice job, of adding these to her "found it" list. We did stop at the cemetery, 1st Sgt, you remember, the whole bunny nest incident, where you screamed like a "girl"! Ya, who was rolling on the ground laughing then!
We were back home, before the sun came up...well not really, but we were NOT gone long. Seriously someone has to control her caffeine intake!
So, this is how the day starts out! Her caffeine buzz had to be powering her GPS. My signal, was about as weak as the 1/2 cup of coffee I gulped down. We buzzed from FTF to FTF, being all stealth like...she's talking all "low", probably didn't want anyone to "hear "us. Her paranoia was showing...every time she saw a vehicle, she just knew it was someone out to get the FTF! I was starting to get a little paranoid too...I was waiting for someone in a "cammo" outfit, to jump out of the huge mounds of leaves and scare the begeezer's right out of me. Having watched the movie "shooter" the night before probably added to these paranoid thoughts. I really did manage to "get" her ( and it was quite funny) as I was looking up the "next cache"...I told her..."Oh alphabet man, just logged that one as a FTF! OMG...I wish I had my camera ready...that look was oh so worth it! just kidding, I say, really NO ONE is even UP yet, let alone out getting FTF"s
After a record breaking morning, I plead for a breakfast stop. Her idea of breakfast and mine are 2 different things! I am thinking 2 eggs, over medium, maybe crispy bacon, some of those really nice browned chunky potatoes...rye toast...mixed fruit jelly....Ok wake up! I manage to get down a dry Cherry danish from some gas station ...and we are still going...and going... and going. After picking up all the new FTF's , we stop at a few caches that I had already found. She does a really nice job, of adding these to her "found it" list. We did stop at the cemetery, 1st Sgt, you remember, the whole bunny nest incident, where you screamed like a "girl"! Ya, who was rolling on the ground laughing then!
We were back home, before the sun came up...well not really, but we were NOT gone long. Seriously someone has to control her caffeine intake!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Who are we?
(Music opens: CSI theme song...Who are you....)
(Music fades...)
Well I don't know my Up from Down...my North from South ( at times) and I definitely can't sing, but it would be a good opening. I get a nice e-mail from the "nice cacher" and he, has a she, that makes them a we, and she of the we, was the one responsible for the nice save with my totally screwed up coords. Cool! I think that would be neat to be out caching as a "we". Which made me think of the fact...that I really don't know any of these people, but like everyone else ( I think, everyone does this) I put a "picture" with a geo-name. So, in my mind I think I know a lot of these people!
For example...while out caching one day, the pot-stirrer refers to "fuzzy" as a she. No, I say, Fuzzy is a he. How do you know? Well, I don't... I tell her, but I "just know" that he is a he. She insists that he is a she. In my mind....Fuzzy is a he. But, do you know that for sure, she asks...No, but I WILL when I get home, because I am gonna look it up, and I am just hoping HE has , at least, 1 picture in the gallery. HE didn't look like, the Fuzzy in my mind, but he is a he. And I can see where he gets his name. And so the stories go on...only in my mind, do I really know anyone!!
I get the weekly news letters from Groundspeak, like everyone else. And I see where they have these geocaching get togethers...and I am thinking...do these people KNOW each other? Or do you go in and they have a" stick on" name tag that has...what? their geo- name or their real name? And if they have their real name...do you know who they are? ( I think they should have both names on the sticky) I do know for sure, that you would never see "Alphabet Man" on the sticky...because that is really just a name we made up for him. Never met the guy.
After reading the nice note from the "Niche cachers"... I realized no one really knows me.... ( well if you live within a 10 mile radius of me, you would know Goldy, so you would know "Who I AM".. but I am truly harmless, I am not the dysfunctional, wine drinking, "blonde"that I may portray. I write the blog, only to bring an occasional smile to 1st Sgt and Big Sis. Ma sometimes gets a "reading" if Big Sis, stirs the pot and calls her.
Everything I blog about, really happens I just write about it...in a BIG FONT way!
So, happy caching....I am off ( but not speeding) as I just found out...from a friend of a friend of a friend...that the owner of one of my recent, very frustrating, finds is actually a "ticket writer"
COOL!
(Music fades...)
Well I don't know my Up from Down...my North from South ( at times) and I definitely can't sing, but it would be a good opening. I get a nice e-mail from the "nice cacher" and he, has a she, that makes them a we, and she of the we, was the one responsible for the nice save with my totally screwed up coords. Cool! I think that would be neat to be out caching as a "we". Which made me think of the fact...that I really don't know any of these people, but like everyone else ( I think, everyone does this) I put a "picture" with a geo-name. So, in my mind I think I know a lot of these people!
For example...while out caching one day, the pot-stirrer refers to "fuzzy" as a she. No, I say, Fuzzy is a he. How do you know? Well, I don't... I tell her, but I "just know" that he is a he. She insists that he is a she. In my mind....Fuzzy is a he. But, do you know that for sure, she asks...No, but I WILL when I get home, because I am gonna look it up, and I am just hoping HE has , at least, 1 picture in the gallery. HE didn't look like, the Fuzzy in my mind, but he is a he. And I can see where he gets his name. And so the stories go on...only in my mind, do I really know anyone!!
I get the weekly news letters from Groundspeak, like everyone else. And I see where they have these geocaching get togethers...and I am thinking...do these people KNOW each other? Or do you go in and they have a" stick on" name tag that has...what? their geo- name or their real name? And if they have their real name...do you know who they are? ( I think they should have both names on the sticky) I do know for sure, that you would never see "Alphabet Man" on the sticky...because that is really just a name we made up for him. Never met the guy.
After reading the nice note from the "Niche cachers"... I realized no one really knows me.... ( well if you live within a 10 mile radius of me, you would know Goldy, so you would know "Who I AM".. but I am truly harmless, I am not the dysfunctional, wine drinking, "blonde"that I may portray. I write the blog, only to bring an occasional smile to 1st Sgt and Big Sis. Ma sometimes gets a "reading" if Big Sis, stirs the pot and calls her.
Everything I blog about, really happens I just write about it...in a BIG FONT way!
So, happy caching....I am off ( but not speeding) as I just found out...from a friend of a friend of a friend...that the owner of one of my recent, very frustrating, finds is actually a "ticket writer"
COOL!
Ma-isms
Every now and again, I can feel the love from 1st Sgt, with an occasional e-mail regarding my blog. They are usually short...and to the point. I love the one where he informs me " Geocaching is not for dyslexics" Then today, I get another one... hey you were only 45955.7 feet off. 45 THOUSAND 955 POINT 7. Yes...1ST SGT, I am aware of that. I didn't have the exact number, but yes I was aware...that I was a little ways off. I am just thrilled that you actually took the time to convert that to feet. As I read that e-mail and go to the next, I think of something Ma always said... " always have to get the last word in...edgewise"
Edgewise (!?!) Where did she get that! ?! Who says that? Looking back, I realize we didn't grow up with the usual sayings...we grew up with Ma-isms! One of her favorites..." You kids will be the death of me, yet" MA...you are 86 years old!!!
Unless you grew up in the 60's in a Catholic grade school, you probably don't appreciate the fact that on every paper, and I mean EVERY paper ...we had to put J.M.J in the right upper corner. So, when Ma would would be really ticked...she'd Say... "Jesus, Mary & Joseph!" We knew we were in trouble then.
Most kids, grew up hearing the words...you wait until your father gets home. Oh No, not at our house! Why wait until dad got home...Ma could handle this herself! By the time dad got home, we were already half way through our punishment! Or, I should say, 1st Sgt was half way through the pound of dark chocolate. Yep, he had to sit at the picnic table, in the summer...and eat 1 pound of dark chocolate, all because Ma thought he was eating the chocolate chips from the freezer. I guess if we were the type of family... that waited " until your father gets home" ...well, we would never have this great memory, because it turns out Dad was the one eating the chocolate chips. I keep my chocolate chips in the freezer, and every once in a while, I remember, oh so clearly, that day.
Re-thinking all these sayings, and trust me, she had hundreds of them, (" I hope you have 10 kids and every one of them, is just like you ") I was trying to recall who it actually was... trying to get the last word in...edgewise. I was the baby girl so I didn't have a chance to EVEN say anything, so I KNOW it wasn't me. ( Don't start Big Sis) The more I think about it, the more I think it was ACTUALLY Ma, that always got the last word in...edgewise. I can almost bet ( my life) on it, that when my day comes, as I make my way to the pearly gates ( hopefully I have the right coords!) I know I will see Ma ( remember we went to a Catholic school) standing next to St. Peter and she will have that little smirk on her face, and I KNOW what she will say... I can hear it now..." well... look what the cat dragged in."
With this being my prediction, I better get my chance now...So... I am gonna step up to the plate 1st Sgt...and as I picture you rolling on the floor, laughing " whatever" off...I am going to do a first... so listen up... ( maybe you should write it down)
When I hit the Publish button on this screen...I am getting the last word in...edgewise! ( All is Good! xo)
...POOF!
Edgewise (!?!) Where did she get that! ?! Who says that? Looking back, I realize we didn't grow up with the usual sayings...we grew up with Ma-isms! One of her favorites..." You kids will be the death of me, yet" MA...you are 86 years old!!!
Unless you grew up in the 60's in a Catholic grade school, you probably don't appreciate the fact that on every paper, and I mean EVERY paper ...we had to put J.M.J in the right upper corner. So, when Ma would would be really ticked...she'd Say... "Jesus, Mary & Joseph!" We knew we were in trouble then.
Most kids, grew up hearing the words...you wait until your father gets home. Oh No, not at our house! Why wait until dad got home...Ma could handle this herself! By the time dad got home, we were already half way through our punishment! Or, I should say, 1st Sgt was half way through the pound of dark chocolate. Yep, he had to sit at the picnic table, in the summer...and eat 1 pound of dark chocolate, all because Ma thought he was eating the chocolate chips from the freezer. I guess if we were the type of family... that waited " until your father gets home" ...well, we would never have this great memory, because it turns out Dad was the one eating the chocolate chips. I keep my chocolate chips in the freezer, and every once in a while, I remember, oh so clearly, that day.
Re-thinking all these sayings, and trust me, she had hundreds of them, (" I hope you have 10 kids and every one of them, is just like you ") I was trying to recall who it actually was... trying to get the last word in...edgewise. I was the baby girl so I didn't have a chance to EVEN say anything, so I KNOW it wasn't me. ( Don't start Big Sis) The more I think about it, the more I think it was ACTUALLY Ma, that always got the last word in...edgewise. I can almost bet ( my life) on it, that when my day comes, as I make my way to the pearly gates ( hopefully I have the right coords!) I know I will see Ma ( remember we went to a Catholic school) standing next to St. Peter and she will have that little smirk on her face, and I KNOW what she will say... I can hear it now..." well... look what the cat dragged in."
With this being my prediction, I better get my chance now...So... I am gonna step up to the plate 1st Sgt...and as I picture you rolling on the floor, laughing " whatever" off...I am going to do a first... so listen up... ( maybe you should write it down)
When I hit the Publish button on this screen...I am getting the last word in...edgewise! ( All is Good! xo)
...POOF!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Another Toughy!
We did manage to have time for that last cache of the day. We were hurried, but it couldn't be as bad as the last one... we think. It wasn't, but it was a tough one. Good one, but not what we were expecting!
We start off with a closed road, so we go around...ya, I have been here in the past, but not driving, so how to get around the blocked road...well don't ask me! We finally park it, and start to walk. We would have been better off, at the closed road sign...but it is good exercise, so we walk it.
The Garmin signal is all over the place, and my I-phone is off...nearly dead! I decide to turn it on, just to get an idea of where we are headed. I am in the middle of no where with just a sliver of green, left on the battery...and the phone rings! And, it is work! You have got to be kidding... I can not be wasting my battery on a phone call from work! I ignore the call...and keep "poking".
I know what we are looking for, from the description...and my location was good, my theory, I thought, was good, and I would have been successful...had this been a "poking cache" The pot-stirrer ( standing right next to me) calls it. She, of course, is not "poking"...but "looking"
I snap another picture...for Ist Sgt, and that is when I realize...AHHHH, "we" ( 1st Sgt & I) have "done" this guy before! I recognize his MO.
Ok...game on, I wish I knew that before going into this! Oh well, I am sure he will place more...with his style, he is a geo-caching addict! There will definitely be more.
We start off with a closed road, so we go around...ya, I have been here in the past, but not driving, so how to get around the blocked road...well don't ask me! We finally park it, and start to walk. We would have been better off, at the closed road sign...but it is good exercise, so we walk it.
The Garmin signal is all over the place, and my I-phone is off...nearly dead! I decide to turn it on, just to get an idea of where we are headed. I am in the middle of no where with just a sliver of green, left on the battery...and the phone rings! And, it is work! You have got to be kidding... I can not be wasting my battery on a phone call from work! I ignore the call...and keep "poking".
I know what we are looking for, from the description...and my location was good, my theory, I thought, was good, and I would have been successful...had this been a "poking cache" The pot-stirrer ( standing right next to me) calls it. She, of course, is not "poking"...but "looking"
I snap another picture...for Ist Sgt, and that is when I realize...AHHHH, "we" ( 1st Sgt & I) have "done" this guy before! I recognize his MO.
Ok...game on, I wish I knew that before going into this! Oh well, I am sure he will place more...with his style, he is a geo-caching addict! There will definitely be more.
Pot-stirrer and the Did Not Find
It is finally my day off, and I think I have a ton of things to do. Pot stirrer calls and tells me about a cache...she did not find. Turns out she goes caching...without me...on her weekend off! Well, that is the first problem. Anyways, I listen to her tale...and it is a tough one. She goes into detail, telling me all the surroundings, and that is when I say...it is the ( blah, blah, blah) Don't want to give any spoilers!
She says she didn't even know, you could have caches like that! So we spend the next 1 hour, still on the phone, scanning e-bay looking/showing all the cool caches! She is determined...and I want some caches, so we make plans to go caching today...and back to the scene of the did not find!
She picks me up at the crack of dawn, my idea, and we head off. She is driving, I am shotgun. And the I-phone is NOT charging, as I think. Can you see where this is heading? We pick up a couple of not- really- near- by ones, and while stopping for a cup of coffee...I realize the phone is not charging, and the battery is going quickly!
This is the start of my frustration! I shut the phone off, to save the battery...and we head to the scene, after all, she has already been there and I am sure I know what we are looking for! We arrive, and neither one of us, knows north from south...we are very turned around. We start looking...and looking...and looking. Maybe they want you to think it is.... so, we start looking nearby, and looking, and looking. I get the caching stick out and I am banging the heck out of everything, I am poking, stooping , prodding and starting to think some really negative thoughts.
The pot stirrer calls it quits, but I dilly-dally just a little longer. We may be just a couple of girls, but the BA in her "real " geo-caching name stands for BAD A**. I just hate to admit defeat...but we are cold, wet, hungry, and she has to go to work...and we have 1 more cache we wanted to get!
Then out of the blue, I hear her say...there it is. Finally some words, I wanted to hear. I turn and look, and I am so frustrated I can't even get excited! I snap a picture, just to send to 1st Sgt...seeing he is thousands of miles away... I don't think we will be spoiling this for him.
I head back to the car, the pot-stirrer is doing some little cart wheel dance...she is so excited! She can hardly contain herself! As we drive away, I ask her if I can have at least " 1 star" since it was exactly WHAT I said it was going to be...But I just couldn't see it.
When I get home...I log in as "found it" and just said...NO COMMENT. I 'll be dammed if I give any help to the next guy!
She says she didn't even know, you could have caches like that! So we spend the next 1 hour, still on the phone, scanning e-bay looking/showing all the cool caches! She is determined...and I want some caches, so we make plans to go caching today...and back to the scene of the did not find!
She picks me up at the crack of dawn, my idea, and we head off. She is driving, I am shotgun. And the I-phone is NOT charging, as I think. Can you see where this is heading? We pick up a couple of not- really- near- by ones, and while stopping for a cup of coffee...I realize the phone is not charging, and the battery is going quickly!
This is the start of my frustration! I shut the phone off, to save the battery...and we head to the scene, after all, she has already been there and I am sure I know what we are looking for! We arrive, and neither one of us, knows north from south...we are very turned around. We start looking...and looking...and looking. Maybe they want you to think it is.... so, we start looking nearby, and looking, and looking. I get the caching stick out and I am banging the heck out of everything, I am poking, stooping , prodding and starting to think some really negative thoughts.
The pot stirrer calls it quits, but I dilly-dally just a little longer. We may be just a couple of girls, but the BA in her "real " geo-caching name stands for BAD A**. I just hate to admit defeat...but we are cold, wet, hungry, and she has to go to work...and we have 1 more cache we wanted to get!
Then out of the blue, I hear her say...there it is. Finally some words, I wanted to hear. I turn and look, and I am so frustrated I can't even get excited! I snap a picture, just to send to 1st Sgt...seeing he is thousands of miles away... I don't think we will be spoiling this for him.
I head back to the car, the pot-stirrer is doing some little cart wheel dance...she is so excited! She can hardly contain herself! As we drive away, I ask her if I can have at least " 1 star" since it was exactly WHAT I said it was going to be...But I just couldn't see it.
When I get home...I log in as "found it" and just said...NO COMMENT. I 'll be dammed if I give any help to the next guy!
Link
In less than 12 hours after everyone hits the road to home...I have picked up the house... ditched all the left over snacks...threw the "empties" in several different containers...watched 4 episodes of Brothers & Sisters ( wanted to see a normal family) and finally check my e-mail.
That is when I see it! You may have noticed lately, that checking my e-mail, can bring me many different surprises! There I have an e-mail from a fellow geo-cacher....not telling me he has ended up in a bean field, but saying..." I hope you don't mind.... he has added my blog as a link to his site. Wants to have all the geo-caching blogs in one area.
Truly very nice of him....but how did he even find my blog! I check out his site, and see a couple of familiar names...and some really cute baby pictures! I guess he found one of my caches...but he found my blog? Good golly...I didn't think anyone read my blog!
I have to send off an e-mail of my own, to none other than...1st Sgt! He is probably surprised also...seeing that the number counter is so low...who would have thought. But then again...it was only one person. I ask him, if he thinks some of the geo-cachers, might recognize themselves? He said he knew who he was! Dah! That one was easy! I am just a little concerned...
Oh...okay. Well, if you think you are in my blog...you may not be......and,you know, what can I say? It is, what it is.
Ahh..I am sure no one read this.
That is when I see it! You may have noticed lately, that checking my e-mail, can bring me many different surprises! There I have an e-mail from a fellow geo-cacher....not telling me he has ended up in a bean field, but saying..." I hope you don't mind.... he has added my blog as a link to his site. Wants to have all the geo-caching blogs in one area.
Truly very nice of him....but how did he even find my blog! I check out his site, and see a couple of familiar names...and some really cute baby pictures! I guess he found one of my caches...but he found my blog? Good golly...I didn't think anyone read my blog!
I have to send off an e-mail of my own, to none other than...1st Sgt! He is probably surprised also...seeing that the number counter is so low...who would have thought. But then again...it was only one person. I ask him, if he thinks some of the geo-cachers, might recognize themselves? He said he knew who he was! Dah! That one was easy! I am just a little concerned...
Oh...okay. Well, if you think you are in my blog...you may not be......and,you know, what can I say? It is, what it is.
Ahh..I am sure no one read this.
Family Time...Next Day
We sat around that night...having a few cocktails ( wine for me) re-hashing the last 24 hours...then we start discussing the good ole days....some of the adventures Big Sis and I had gotten into....and then ( with just the right amount of alcohol) Big Sis decides to read the blogs!
Seeing that Other Sis is not a" blog watcher" ...this could go either way! The more she reads the crazier it gets. By this time, everyone is talking at once, playing out the roles, embellishing to the nth degree... Ma sits there with her, oh so familiar smirk-laugh ( the one where she almost has to hold her teeth in) I am sure anyone looking in....would think we are nuts...but this is just typical family time!
Ma continues to insist that she REALLY did walk 5 miles, in the snow, uphill, both ways to school...but has now added "ask Uncle Billy if you don't believe me!"
As we wind up the night ( I should really say morning) Ma wipes the laughing tears from her face, and remarks...Oh my...I wonder what people think about us, when they read your blog"
"Don't worry Ma ( I reply) no one reads the blogs.
Seeing that Other Sis is not a" blog watcher" ...this could go either way! The more she reads the crazier it gets. By this time, everyone is talking at once, playing out the roles, embellishing to the nth degree... Ma sits there with her, oh so familiar smirk-laugh ( the one where she almost has to hold her teeth in) I am sure anyone looking in....would think we are nuts...but this is just typical family time!
Ma continues to insist that she REALLY did walk 5 miles, in the snow, uphill, both ways to school...but has now added "ask Uncle Billy if you don't believe me!"
As we wind up the night ( I should really say morning) Ma wipes the laughing tears from her face, and remarks...Oh my...I wonder what people think about us, when they read your blog"
"Don't worry Ma ( I reply) no one reads the blogs.
Geocaching with The Other Sis
While planning my 24 hours with family. I decide to print off a few caches....just in case, we could fit them in. After wining ( or should I say whining) dining and spending all our money...we head back home. I suggest other Sis ride home with me! ( nice move)
It just so happens, I have the geo-caching bag, the I-phone, the TT, and some print offs, right there in the back seat.
I give Other Sis a 2 minute tutorial, and as 1ST SGT would say... we were good to go. Big Sis is following in her car, with Ma ( who now is refereed to as the "Q-Tip) sitting proudly in shotgun position. No Ma, there were no guns involved! Anyways...Big Sis give me " the puzzled look" when I detour and pull off in a cemetery.
OtherSis has set the "coords" and did it very nicely. Hmmm... has she been practicing? She goes right up to the cache, but of course doesn't recognize it...because it it a LPC. So I point it out to her, explaining if she was not a geocaching newby, she would have got that right way!
Off to the next one...I had printed off a few of my hides, primarily because I knew where they were, and it would be easy to teach her. Psychologically, I probably just didn't want to look dumb...just in case I couldn't find it. Learned that lesson when I went with the little one!
We do stop by and pick up a park and grab...not one of mine, but a nice easy find. Ma is just riding with Big Sis... totally clueless!! She did think she saw some kind of animal...."right there ...by the tree... 3 trees down" ....I didn't see anything, but it WAS a bean field, and I didn't want to look too close...it may have been a geocacher looking for the bridge!
Other Sis is doing great! She must have gotten the better end of Dad's navigational gene! As a matter of fact, she is really looking like a pro here. 1ST SGT would have been impressed! Had she been with him in June, he probably wouldn't be on BP meds!
It was starting to get dusk and Ma was getting a little concerned, that we were driving her through cemeteries. So, we headed home.
A good day of caching with the professional newby! But the night is just starting.....
It just so happens, I have the geo-caching bag, the I-phone, the TT, and some print offs, right there in the back seat.
I give Other Sis a 2 minute tutorial, and as 1ST SGT would say... we were good to go. Big Sis is following in her car, with Ma ( who now is refereed to as the "Q-Tip) sitting proudly in shotgun position. No Ma, there were no guns involved! Anyways...Big Sis give me " the puzzled look" when I detour and pull off in a cemetery.
OtherSis has set the "coords" and did it very nicely. Hmmm... has she been practicing? She goes right up to the cache, but of course doesn't recognize it...because it it a LPC. So I point it out to her, explaining if she was not a geocaching newby, she would have got that right way!
Off to the next one...I had printed off a few of my hides, primarily because I knew where they were, and it would be easy to teach her. Psychologically, I probably just didn't want to look dumb...just in case I couldn't find it. Learned that lesson when I went with the little one!
We do stop by and pick up a park and grab...not one of mine, but a nice easy find. Ma is just riding with Big Sis... totally clueless!! She did think she saw some kind of animal...."right there ...by the tree... 3 trees down" ....I didn't see anything, but it WAS a bean field, and I didn't want to look too close...it may have been a geocacher looking for the bridge!
Other Sis is doing great! She must have gotten the better end of Dad's navigational gene! As a matter of fact, she is really looking like a pro here. 1ST SGT would have been impressed! Had she been with him in June, he probably wouldn't be on BP meds!
It was starting to get dusk and Ma was getting a little concerned, that we were driving her through cemeteries. So, we headed home.
A good day of caching with the professional newby! But the night is just starting.....
Family Time - Day 1
Big Sis has been entertaining Ma for 2 weeks now...Other Sis and Hubby are flying in from the Hippie state for a week visit. I get them for 24 hours.
For the next 24 hours, we accomplish/ found out/discovered...in no particular order
hours of shopping at an antique mall
spent boo-coo bucks at a Hobby Lobby
etched wine glasses ( which we put to good use)
Ate a late lunch ( and drank wine) at a brewery
Found the check ( made out to me) that Big Sis "set" down
Spread a rumor to friends / family that a football coach was being fired ( well we thought we heard that on the "muted " tv)
visited coffee shop, several home decor shops and a junk store...( All purchases will probably be in our garage sale next year)
bought wine ( a couple of times)
learned a whole new craft (thanks other Sis)
drove by the ole homestead
reminisced about the good ole days
recovered Big Sis's cell phone ( dropped in a parking lot....before alcohol was started)
Found out Other Sis is indeed a pot stirrer ( but stealth like)
Realized Ma fits in the " short-cute-white-haired-little-old lady category ( with a twist of Maxine)
Downloaded fonts from the computer
BiG Sis still fits the whip-lash-willy driving category
And.....took Other Sis for a few geocaches!!!
For the next 24 hours, we accomplish/ found out/discovered...in no particular order
hours of shopping at an antique mall
spent boo-coo bucks at a Hobby Lobby
etched wine glasses ( which we put to good use)
Ate a late lunch ( and drank wine) at a brewery
Found the check ( made out to me) that Big Sis "set" down
Spread a rumor to friends / family that a football coach was being fired ( well we thought we heard that on the "muted " tv)
visited coffee shop, several home decor shops and a junk store...( All purchases will probably be in our garage sale next year)
bought wine ( a couple of times)
learned a whole new craft (thanks other Sis)
drove by the ole homestead
reminisced about the good ole days
recovered Big Sis's cell phone ( dropped in a parking lot....before alcohol was started)
Found out Other Sis is indeed a pot stirrer ( but stealth like)
Realized Ma fits in the " short-cute-white-haired-little-old lady category ( with a twist of Maxine)
Downloaded fonts from the computer
BiG Sis still fits the whip-lash-willy driving category
And.....took Other Sis for a few geocaches!!!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Dear Rewiever Jones...
I guess that is how I will start. I will keep it simple....I will act like this happens everyday...but to other people! I will skip the part about humble pie...Certainly not mention the cammo duct tape excitement ...or... thinking I was climbing the Big Boy Ladder.
I would like to mention the "nice cacher" that found this cache, and saved my butt, but I really don't want to draw attention to anything or anyone ( anyone being ME!)
So, before I write THE note to Reviewer Jones, I want to thank the "nice cacher" for actually finding the cache, for giving me the correct coordinates, for not getting stuck out in the mud, for the nice e-mail, purposely avoiding the whole criticism lingo. For my own peace of mind, I can tell that the "nice cacher" does not live around here, I believe he said something about coming 50 miles for a FTF....good! I won't have to run into him in public, secondly he called it a soy bean field, and even though I don't know a 4 from a 5...I do know, if he was a local cacher, he would have just called it a bean field.
So, thanks again to the "nice cacher" and if you are ever in this area again, and you see some cachers out...I will be the one carrying the 4 GPS units, triple checking all my numbers!
So, here goes... Dear Reviewer Jones,
while reviewing GC #------- I realize that there is an incorrect number on the.......
I would like to mention the "nice cacher" that found this cache, and saved my butt, but I really don't want to draw attention to anything or anyone ( anyone being ME!)
So, before I write THE note to Reviewer Jones, I want to thank the "nice cacher" for actually finding the cache, for giving me the correct coordinates, for not getting stuck out in the mud, for the nice e-mail, purposely avoiding the whole criticism lingo. For my own peace of mind, I can tell that the "nice cacher" does not live around here, I believe he said something about coming 50 miles for a FTF....good! I won't have to run into him in public, secondly he called it a soy bean field, and even though I don't know a 4 from a 5...I do know, if he was a local cacher, he would have just called it a bean field.
So, thanks again to the "nice cacher" and if you are ever in this area again, and you see some cachers out...I will be the one carrying the 4 GPS units, triple checking all my numbers!
So, here goes... Dear Reviewer Jones,
while reviewing GC #------- I realize that there is an incorrect number on the.......
Trying Not to panic....
Panic does not look good on me, therefore, I try to avoid it all times. In my line of work....things happen...hearts stop...and crazy things like that...so panic is NOT an option in my job. I don't do panic. So, what is this real weird feeling I have right now, ( may be a small form of panic?)
When I decide to just go ahead and panic, I find myself speed dialing the potstirrer, rambling on and on, about 100 miles an hour, about wrong coordinates....muddy bean fields....5's instead of 4's...miles off the coordinates!! You can never really predict a response from the potstirrer, so when she responds with...." well, they found all the others ones, right?" I guess this doesn't even surprise me. It certainly doesn't make me feel any better! I now have to go into a 1/2 hour dissertation on how this is a WORLWIDE treasure hunting game....how there are over 900,000 of these hidden treasure, and I can not even get mine right! This doesn't seem to phase her. But...if she was the one looking in the muddy bean field, instead of the bridge...well then this may be a different story.
The dogs are getting their exercise, as they follow me while I am pacing back and forth in the house. Ok, let's be reasonable, the cacher that figured this all out...seemed very nice, no swearing , no threats, he even listed the correct coordinates for me. That alone, is a blessing, due to my great directional disorder, I wouldn't be able to get to the cache myself. I was planning on relying on my coordinates, if the cache needed maintenance, because truly, I don't know where they are! So, by having the correct coords, I can actually go to the cache, instead of being in a muddy bean field! The "nice cacher" has a lot , and I mean a lot, of caches under his belt...so he certainly recognizes a "newby" like me.
I decide to make this quick and painless, before all the e-mails start piling up. I go to my log in, and edit the cache. I list the coordinates given to me by "nice cacher". I hit the enter key and....Wa-La! Wait, I see red...uh oh, it is a note....oh great the new coordinates are so far off, from the original, that I can not edit them. What?? It is only a 5 instead of a 4! ( says, the potstirrer) but it turns out, that one number is over 8 miles in error! 8 MILES! That is a long walk!
So, I need to temporary patch this up. Duct tape will not work on this one. Let's see, I will go and edit the story part, and list the new coordinates at the beginning...ya, that should work. I open up the reaming e-mails, nothing too threatening there. The Alphabet man did not find it, he didn't have the " correct coords" great...( eating more humble pie/ better add a little a la' mode to it) Still, no hate letters ....yet!
I do realize that I have to contact Reviewer Jones and get the coords changed. I get a e-mail from the "nice cacher", he tells me the same....just contact Reviewer Jones . Ya, I feel like when you are sent to the principles office. Slowly dragging your feet, trying to come up with a better explanation. I guess I could say, that once you got stuck in the muddy bean field....ruining all the farmers crops...that there truly was a sign there, listing the correct coords, just have a tow truck pull you out ...and then head over the 8 miles ...to a bridge, that actually has the cache!
Ah no...not gonna work!
When I decide to just go ahead and panic, I find myself speed dialing the potstirrer, rambling on and on, about 100 miles an hour, about wrong coordinates....muddy bean fields....5's instead of 4's...miles off the coordinates!! You can never really predict a response from the potstirrer, so when she responds with...." well, they found all the others ones, right?" I guess this doesn't even surprise me. It certainly doesn't make me feel any better! I now have to go into a 1/2 hour dissertation on how this is a WORLWIDE treasure hunting game....how there are over 900,000 of these hidden treasure, and I can not even get mine right! This doesn't seem to phase her. But...if she was the one looking in the muddy bean field, instead of the bridge...well then this may be a different story.
The dogs are getting their exercise, as they follow me while I am pacing back and forth in the house. Ok, let's be reasonable, the cacher that figured this all out...seemed very nice, no swearing , no threats, he even listed the correct coordinates for me. That alone, is a blessing, due to my great directional disorder, I wouldn't be able to get to the cache myself. I was planning on relying on my coordinates, if the cache needed maintenance, because truly, I don't know where they are! So, by having the correct coords, I can actually go to the cache, instead of being in a muddy bean field! The "nice cacher" has a lot , and I mean a lot, of caches under his belt...so he certainly recognizes a "newby" like me.
I decide to make this quick and painless, before all the e-mails start piling up. I go to my log in, and edit the cache. I list the coordinates given to me by "nice cacher". I hit the enter key and....Wa-La! Wait, I see red...uh oh, it is a note....oh great the new coordinates are so far off, from the original, that I can not edit them. What?? It is only a 5 instead of a 4! ( says, the potstirrer) but it turns out, that one number is over 8 miles in error! 8 MILES! That is a long walk!
So, I need to temporary patch this up. Duct tape will not work on this one. Let's see, I will go and edit the story part, and list the new coordinates at the beginning...ya, that should work. I open up the reaming e-mails, nothing too threatening there. The Alphabet man did not find it, he didn't have the " correct coords" great...( eating more humble pie/ better add a little a la' mode to it) Still, no hate letters ....yet!
I do realize that I have to contact Reviewer Jones and get the coords changed. I get a e-mail from the "nice cacher", he tells me the same....just contact Reviewer Jones . Ya, I feel like when you are sent to the principles office. Slowly dragging your feet, trying to come up with a better explanation. I guess I could say, that once you got stuck in the muddy bean field....ruining all the farmers crops...that there truly was a sign there, listing the correct coords, just have a tow truck pull you out ...and then head over the 8 miles ...to a bridge, that actually has the cache!
Ah no...not gonna work!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Victory & Defeat
Lets see...how did this whole thing go so badly? I make the purchase of a "geocaching" lifetime, by finding the cammo tape...I sit up all night, making 7 new caches. I have them in various sizes, shapes, and colors of duct tape. I head out with the potstirrer for a day of great hides. We celebrate with dinner...all is good. I log all my hides...reviewer Jones, approves them all ( see, I must be getting better at this!) And I am on cloud nine. I have climbed up at LEAST 2 rungs, if not 3 rungs, on the Big Boys Geocaching Ladder!!! Life is good! ( This is the "victory" part.)
I go do a couple of shifts at work...that is where the real money is made (until the movie deal comes in) Now...this is where....the story, in my mind...plays over and over in slow motion. I get off work, I check my e-mail, I see where someone has sent me a note through the Geocaching site. Cool, someone has found one of my new caches! Then I read the note, my gut sinks...I have put a wrong number on one of the coordinates! A 5... instead of a 4! The cache info, takes them to the middle of a muddy bean field! That one number takes them, literally, many miles from the actual cache. OMG...in slow motion I can see my head banging on the desk...I have just fallen off the Big Boy Geocaching Ladder! I glance at my e-mails and see I have 12 messages from Geocaching! I can not possibly bring myself to even read them.
I brush myself off...lots of dust, at the bottom of the ladder, I go to the kitchen and grab a fork...I start eating humble pie. ( This is the" Defeat" part)
I go do a couple of shifts at work...that is where the real money is made (until the movie deal comes in) Now...this is where....the story, in my mind...plays over and over in slow motion. I get off work, I check my e-mail, I see where someone has sent me a note through the Geocaching site. Cool, someone has found one of my new caches! Then I read the note, my gut sinks...I have put a wrong number on one of the coordinates! A 5... instead of a 4! The cache info, takes them to the middle of a muddy bean field! That one number takes them, literally, many miles from the actual cache. OMG...in slow motion I can see my head banging on the desk...I have just fallen off the Big Boy Geocaching Ladder! I glance at my e-mails and see I have 12 messages from Geocaching! I can not possibly bring myself to even read them.
I brush myself off...lots of dust, at the bottom of the ladder, I go to the kitchen and grab a fork...I start eating humble pie. ( This is the" Defeat" part)
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Caching with the dogs
I have to take the dogs to the groomer, conveniently located near a cache. So , after the whole "spa" day, we head out for a "found it"! Yea right... we find ourselves, in this stupid ditch, that of course, contains water, that we just visited a few days ago. Couldn't find it that day ( in the rain) so have returned to the scene of the crime. I am thinking this is in the drainage pipe. And due to that line of reasoning ( since my last visit) I have purchased, a mag light. Hot pink...wouldn't want to get it confused with the potstirrers! This, of course, is a joke, because the potstirrrer would NEVER own a hot pink mag light. Hey it was 8 bucks at Wally world, and I think it is cute!
We drive to the cache, pass it up several times, realizing that since our last visit, the corn has been combined...and I don't even recognize the place. Finally agree on the spot, park down the road, and since I have the dogs, I have to totally shut off the car, and do a lock down! Normally we stop for caches with car running, doors open, middle of road....well you get the picture!
Now I am not one to say, that the dogs are not well behaved, but just this morning, I had to do "the ole' grab one by the neck -as he jumps out the window -after hitting the auto window button- in his hyper stage!!
This, of course, is why you never see a log in, with the words...found this cache while out with the dogs today, also why Goldie always said...."never tell anyone, I own a poodle" And to make matters worse, couldn't find the stupid cache! I swear, it is not there!
We drive to the cache, pass it up several times, realizing that since our last visit, the corn has been combined...and I don't even recognize the place. Finally agree on the spot, park down the road, and since I have the dogs, I have to totally shut off the car, and do a lock down! Normally we stop for caches with car running, doors open, middle of road....well you get the picture!
Now I am not one to say, that the dogs are not well behaved, but just this morning, I had to do "the ole' grab one by the neck -as he jumps out the window -after hitting the auto window button- in his hyper stage!!
This, of course, is why you never see a log in, with the words...found this cache while out with the dogs today, also why Goldie always said...."never tell anyone, I own a poodle" And to make matters worse, couldn't find the stupid cache! I swear, it is not there!
It is all in the name
After the celebration dinner, I return home to enter all my new hides. 1 glass of wine later, and I am feeling pretty confident. I really want to use the name, "well hung", out at the cemetery hide.. but was starting to chicken out. But then again, there are caches called BFE #1, and BFE #2... but I think... does everyone know what BFE stands for? I actually have a friend (Dr.) that comes from the E in BFE, and wonder does he know what BFE stands for? But I also realize, I could never really ask him that. So, as I re-think this whole thing...I realize that 1st Sgt was in E of the BFE.
So...1st Sgt, do people in E of the BFE, know what that stands for? And is E in BFE...really BFE, or is it really where we live now...are WE in BFE?!! Hey, let me know, I would really like to sleep at night!
So, being the person I am, really the chicken I am...I use neither the word well or hung.
So...1st Sgt, do people in E of the BFE, know what that stands for? And is E in BFE...really BFE, or is it really where we live now...are WE in BFE?!! Hey, let me know, I would really like to sleep at night!
So, being the person I am, really the chicken I am...I use neither the word well or hung.
Cache 7
I stay up half the night, making me some new caches. I make 7, all different sizes and shapes. I am truly on a roll. I have duct tape, I have swag, I have great ideas! I have informed the potstirrer, that in the afternoon, we are heading out! Of course, it is raining...what else is new, but we do head out, and we are in search for the best hides ever! We go a couple of towns over, and start looking. We drive and drive, look and look. I am serious now, I am stepping up...I am gonna play like the big boys. These are not gonna be any easy hides, we are gonna challenge everyone! We are gonna have a great hide...a great cache! There are so many potentials, but we finally narrow it down! I am sure it was quite the sight to see, 2 people, facing a tree, gps in hand, checking coords! Several hours later, and 7 hidden caches, we grab some dinner...in celebration! Yes...I have now entered the league with the big boys! We discuss, our favorite hide...I think I really like the "hanging" one in the cemetery. I think it will be tough! I also consider , calling it "well hung", but chicken out ( Don't need the geo-caching, slap on the hand)
Feeling pretty good, about myself, I call it a night...yep! I have just entered a new league, I am one of the big boys!
Feeling pretty good, about myself, I call it a night...yep! I have just entered a new league, I am one of the big boys!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Survival
We survived! In less than 2 1/2 hours, we found 6 caches! One was a nano....my first ( potstirrers second) Had to take a picture, set it right there next to a chap stick lid. Nice...those nanos are nice! Note to self: get some nanos. Was the FTF on one cache, made us feel pretty good, as a familiar name was on all the logs, except this one...wonder if he couldn't find it! I was feeling pretty good, when my "sense of direction" led me the correct route...around a bridge construction site. Yep, 1st Sgt, you are correct...Goldy has my back.
As usual, went off the planned course, when my I-phone says there is a cache...2.3 miles away, I think we should go. 9 miles later...I think the 2.3 miles, is "as the crow flys". All turned out great. Couldn't pass up that "one more" cache, and it was actually big enough to drop off a travel bug! The rain stopped, not sure when...but when the squeaking of the wiper blades, throws off your concentration...you realize the rain has stopped. My shoes... and clothes ( of course) are still wet!
We survived the whole... off the road...no you are still on the road...the ignore the muggles who are gawking at us ( in the rain)....wave to the muggles, let them know we are having a good time.
We survived the whole...back the car up and go to the left...no the right....no wait...do a 3-point-turn -about.
We survived the whole...look there, at the blue thing... that is it....no, that can't be it...ok, that is it...they can't hide them there.
We survived the whole...what end is the west end of the rail...west end of the rail, or west end of the lot...where is west...my i-phone says I am heading southeast....so west is...no, that can't be right.
Hey! We survived....and had a good time (soaking wet...in the rain)
As usual, went off the planned course, when my I-phone says there is a cache...2.3 miles away, I think we should go. 9 miles later...I think the 2.3 miles, is "as the crow flys". All turned out great. Couldn't pass up that "one more" cache, and it was actually big enough to drop off a travel bug! The rain stopped, not sure when...but when the squeaking of the wiper blades, throws off your concentration...you realize the rain has stopped. My shoes... and clothes ( of course) are still wet!
We survived the whole... off the road...no you are still on the road...the ignore the muggles who are gawking at us ( in the rain)....wave to the muggles, let them know we are having a good time.
We survived the whole...back the car up and go to the left...no the right....no wait...do a 3-point-turn -about.
We survived the whole...look there, at the blue thing... that is it....no, that can't be it...ok, that is it...they can't hide them there.
We survived the whole...what end is the west end of the rail...west end of the rail, or west end of the lot...where is west...my i-phone says I am heading southeast....so west is...no, that can't be right.
Hey! We survived....and had a good time (soaking wet...in the rain)
Words of Wisdom
My first flash back of MA, was when the potstirrer said "You won't melt". ( 1st Sgt and I have heard that all our lives.)
I gather all the information on a few caches, in a selected area, and we head off in the cache mobile. Good thing the wipers work! It is not only raining...it is cold...it is overcast...it is grey! So, not only the wipers, but the heat, the defrost, and the lights...were all put to use. I dressed for the occasion, or so I thought! Tennie whoppers, hoodie, warm socks, rain coat. We head to our first destination. I pull off the road...or so I think...but potstirrer claims I am in the middle of the road. Who can possibly see? It is raining too hard. Who would even be out here on a day like this! Our first cache is by a ditch, and with ditches...comes water. Within seconds I am soaked, my tennie whoppers are sloshing, my socks are saturated, in fact, I have water half way up the legs of my jeans. My I-phone is wet, and I need those little windshield wipers on my glasses. And I am thinking it is a magnetic... in the drainage ditch! Of course...she has a flashlight!
My second flashback of MA..."you kids don't even have enough sense to come in from out of the rain." ( back me up on this 1st Sgt!)
I gather all the information on a few caches, in a selected area, and we head off in the cache mobile. Good thing the wipers work! It is not only raining...it is cold...it is overcast...it is grey! So, not only the wipers, but the heat, the defrost, and the lights...were all put to use. I dressed for the occasion, or so I thought! Tennie whoppers, hoodie, warm socks, rain coat. We head to our first destination. I pull off the road...or so I think...but potstirrer claims I am in the middle of the road. Who can possibly see? It is raining too hard. Who would even be out here on a day like this! Our first cache is by a ditch, and with ditches...comes water. Within seconds I am soaked, my tennie whoppers are sloshing, my socks are saturated, in fact, I have water half way up the legs of my jeans. My I-phone is wet, and I need those little windshield wipers on my glasses. And I am thinking it is a magnetic... in the drainage ditch! Of course...she has a flashlight!
My second flashback of MA..."you kids don't even have enough sense to come in from out of the rain." ( back me up on this 1st Sgt!)
Fever
It is not swine flu, it is not the flu at all. It is not a cold, sinus infection or pneumonia...it is a fever. The potstirrer has a fever, and it started in the Dakotas. She will inform me...that it was North Dakota, but unless you live in the Dakotas, I really don't think North or South makes a difference.
She has returned from the family vacation, and she has geocache fever. This may be terminal, as I noticed that many other caching friends, have had it for years. She has hung with me for 50 some caches and really showed no signs, then out of the blue...it has her. I am thinking it came in the Garmin box.
After a 13 hour drive back, to the infamous state, of road construction, potholes, and lousy weather. She calls...wants to go get a few caches. Seeing the weather has been nothing but cold and rainy, I had actually made a dentist appt. for noon. Oh...that doesn't matter, she says...it won't be dark for hours. We will still have time.
As I leave the "plaque pickers" office, I give her a call. Yep, she still wants to go...Yep, it is raining where she is. Yep, she has checked the radar. Yep, it is pretty much orange.
Well, it is not like we are gonna melt, she says. ( Flashbacks of MA.) Yep, she will meet me in ten.
Oh ya... she has the fever.
She has returned from the family vacation, and she has geocache fever. This may be terminal, as I noticed that many other caching friends, have had it for years. She has hung with me for 50 some caches and really showed no signs, then out of the blue...it has her. I am thinking it came in the Garmin box.
After a 13 hour drive back, to the infamous state, of road construction, potholes, and lousy weather. She calls...wants to go get a few caches. Seeing the weather has been nothing but cold and rainy, I had actually made a dentist appt. for noon. Oh...that doesn't matter, she says...it won't be dark for hours. We will still have time.
As I leave the "plaque pickers" office, I give her a call. Yep, she still wants to go...Yep, it is raining where she is. Yep, she has checked the radar. Yep, it is pretty much orange.
Well, it is not like we are gonna melt, she says. ( Flashbacks of MA.) Yep, she will meet me in ten.
Oh ya... she has the fever.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Garmin vs I-Phone vs Tom-tom
Since I brought up the subject of checking out the potstirrer's new GPS, I thought I better follow up with that. She, actually bought the Garmin, for the car, but since it has lat and long coords, we decided to check it out for geocaching. The nice thing about her Garmin, is it speaks the name of the street to turn on....my TT, is 1 year old, and only says " turn right" or whatever. I know 1st Sgt would have loved if my TT said the street name, because as he will attest...when it said "turn right"...I turned right...right at that second! As, 1st Sgt is holding on for his life and screaming..."it said in 500 yards...that was not 500 yards, 500 yards is a football field!" Okay now...so I loved that feature. My TT has a bar screen at the bottom, when you are in walking mode...kinds lets you know if you are getting closer to the cache. Hers got better the more she messed with it, but... I think I like the TT better. Her walk screen showed the river, which I DEFINATELY needed when 1st Sgt "STOLE" that cache from right under me...just because HE was on the correct side of the creek. I will probably be 90 years old, and still remember that beaver dam incident.
But, the I-Phone is really second to none! That little sucker can put me RIGHT ON! And now that I can actually read, to a degree, the coords...even a bouncing satellite won't throw me off.
The down side to it all, is that geocaching with the I-Phone can drain your battery so fast! Especially when we are at a DNF for over an hour, just because it is the Alphabet man's...we think we gotta stay and look forever!
So, that is my findings...you decide. Potstirrer thinks she is going to "save up" and get a pre-loaded geocaching Garmin. In the meantime...she will be off to visit her family...and at least know what street to turn on!
But, the I-Phone is really second to none! That little sucker can put me RIGHT ON! And now that I can actually read, to a degree, the coords...even a bouncing satellite won't throw me off.
The down side to it all, is that geocaching with the I-Phone can drain your battery so fast! Especially when we are at a DNF for over an hour, just because it is the Alphabet man's...we think we gotta stay and look forever!
So, that is my findings...you decide. Potstirrer thinks she is going to "save up" and get a pre-loaded geocaching Garmin. In the meantime...she will be off to visit her family...and at least know what street to turn on!
Pay backs are hell!
I have been dealing with poison ivy or poison something for 3 weeks now, and the worst part of it... is I think I got it doing yard work in my own backyard! I, of course, wait 3 days to see if it actually something, so when it blisters, I break down and get the $36.00 Zanfel. Knowing that this will do the trick...I can't wait to tell 1st Sgt..how fast that worked! So, I do my usual shifts at work, wearing long sleeves, in the middle of summer, and stopping every couple of hours, to scrub with this crap! At night, I added the Calamine lotion, because waking up every 2 hours, scratching...is no way to get my much needed beauty sleep! I threw the Benadryl gel in the garbage, with a note to self, never to waste my money on that. The cortisone cream was not working...ok maybe it was old or something. I finally break down and ask the Doc for a RX for solu-medrol dose pak. Yep!....Cortisone. Now I hate taking cortisone, not that I think it will make me any more deranged than I already am, but why take the chance. So, now I am dealing with 3 creams, cortisone pills, long sleeves, day and night, and add a benadryl pill at night to help me sleep! So, when I wake up in the morning and see some on my leg...I start to have a little anxiety! Like maybe, this isn't poison anything, but I am being eaten alive at night by a spider or something! This leads me to completely strip all the linens, and de-fumigate the house! Of course, this is how I spend my day off!
The Zanfel tube is done...the cortisone pills are gone... the calamine lotion is empty...the "poison" area is dried... red... and scarred! But I can scratch anywhere on my arms, and a nice big rash appears! Just great! And boy, does it ever itch.
So, I go to the self-help section, in my mind...and remember when I had a reaction to Motrin...the very pricey specialist prescribed a 3 drug treatment plan, all meds you can get over the counter, all weird meds that really don't make you think of a rash treatment. But there was a scientific explanation and it worked! So, now I was off to Wallie World to get yet 3 more drugs, also picked up a calamine-cortisone cream for good measure, oh and ya, throw in that bottle of Aveno lotion!
I don't remember this treatment being such a slow process. The itch-scratch cycle is driving me mad...or maybe it IS the cortisone! Needless, to say I am at wits end. So, I break down and lower myself to ask for 1 more RX for the cortisone pills! Good Lord!
The following Tuesday was my first day of some relief...so I go out and mow the yard, after all, I am on every drug combo you can imagine! 2 days later, I am feeling much better, so I do my day of geocaching...in the woods...hey, might as well test this out! As I write this...the horror of itching is starting to fade, with just 2 days left of the pills...I may make it after all! On the other hand, this constant "grazing" in front of the refrigerator....is all Cortisone related!
Hey, what can I say...but...Sorry 1st Sgt...I really didn't mean to laugh at your poison ivy! Pay backs are Hell!
I will "cache" up with you later...got to get a snack!
The Zanfel tube is done...the cortisone pills are gone... the calamine lotion is empty...the "poison" area is dried... red... and scarred! But I can scratch anywhere on my arms, and a nice big rash appears! Just great! And boy, does it ever itch.
So, I go to the self-help section, in my mind...and remember when I had a reaction to Motrin...the very pricey specialist prescribed a 3 drug treatment plan, all meds you can get over the counter, all weird meds that really don't make you think of a rash treatment. But there was a scientific explanation and it worked! So, now I was off to Wallie World to get yet 3 more drugs, also picked up a calamine-cortisone cream for good measure, oh and ya, throw in that bottle of Aveno lotion!
I don't remember this treatment being such a slow process. The itch-scratch cycle is driving me mad...or maybe it IS the cortisone! Needless, to say I am at wits end. So, I break down and lower myself to ask for 1 more RX for the cortisone pills! Good Lord!
The following Tuesday was my first day of some relief...so I go out and mow the yard, after all, I am on every drug combo you can imagine! 2 days later, I am feeling much better, so I do my day of geocaching...in the woods...hey, might as well test this out! As I write this...the horror of itching is starting to fade, with just 2 days left of the pills...I may make it after all! On the other hand, this constant "grazing" in front of the refrigerator....is all Cortisone related!
Hey, what can I say...but...Sorry 1st Sgt...I really didn't mean to laugh at your poison ivy! Pay backs are Hell!
I will "cache" up with you later...got to get a snack!
A great day of caching
The potstirrer worked overtime, so our day starts a little later than usual. But I am ready, print-outs, bags, I-phone, the whole works. I pick her up in the "cache-mobile" and announce I am riding shotgun. I have always wanted to do this, instead of being the one driving, navigating, settting corrds, etc....After all, we are off to test out her Garmin. Since, I have the paperwork, she has no idea, we are doing the alphabet man's caches! Good thinking on my part. We started off in a town, she use to be a medic in, so she knows her way around. That saved us a lot of time. Beginning at the furthest of our " 2 town" day, at the furthest cache, we worked our way in. We stopped at 11 caches, only 2 of the caches were NOT the Alphabet mans. Only 2 were DNF, ( of course, they were the Alphabet mans) 1 of those 2...just was NOT there, and the other was my fault, with a dead battery. Ended up with 3 travel bugs, 1 being a total surprise. And dropped off 1 bug, that we had picked up earlier in the day. The highlights of the day, was probably when we got one of the Alphabet man's cache...rated a 3 on being hard ! But really blew our sails away, on the very next cache, being a DNF, with a rating of 1.5!! Our last cache of the day, was purely on description, as the battery in the I-phone was DEAD!....it was very much past DUSK! And for some reason of the grace of "Goldie"...I checked my "other right" and found this one....better yet it had a TB in there...had just been placed there that evening! We signed that log in the DARK...and literally had to feel our way back to the cache-mobile!
The low points of the day....hmmmm, maybe scarfing down 1/2 a hot dog while en route....or perhaps walking a trail for 2 miles out of our way, not realizing the battery was too low to even pick up a signal!! The dejuve' was at a roadside pick up, when the hint said the "south" side of the road. I am not sure how the conversation started...but I know it ended up with me saying..."Yes, 1st Sgt"...then we laughed! So, all is good. The sun sets way too early anymore. Cuts down on our number of caches for the day.
We have a whole stack, we didn't get to. So, something to keep in mind, the next day we go.
Oh...and how do I know the potstirrer is now addicted? Probably when she said, we better get some good boots for the winter!
The low points of the day....hmmmm, maybe scarfing down 1/2 a hot dog while en route....or perhaps walking a trail for 2 miles out of our way, not realizing the battery was too low to even pick up a signal!! The dejuve' was at a roadside pick up, when the hint said the "south" side of the road. I am not sure how the conversation started...but I know it ended up with me saying..."Yes, 1st Sgt"...then we laughed! So, all is good. The sun sets way too early anymore. Cuts down on our number of caches for the day.
We have a whole stack, we didn't get to. So, something to keep in mind, the next day we go.
Oh...and how do I know the potstirrer is now addicted? Probably when she said, we better get some good boots for the winter!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The potstirrer and her new GPS
Well, the potstirrer has come a long way. First no interest in geocaching at all. Then...she goes along for the ride..so I don't get killed. Then she realizes that she is there...to drag my broken bones out of whatever woods I might be in. Suddenly she is starting to "follow" the blue dot on my I-phone. Next she is following coords...and looking at the compass! Before long...she is picking out wooded caches, and takes over the I-phone...while I am picking thorns out of my toes!!
And NOW...she is hooked. Tee-hee. She is taking a long distance drive to visit family...and tells me she needs a gps...but maybe she will get one that can do a little geocaching. (Yep!) She tosses that around for awhile, and finally just does it. She is now a proud owner of a Garmin...with lat and long settings, so she can go caching! She, of course, is also concerned that she won't be able to find the caches, with just the Garmin...but, hey I did a whole day of caching in Dwight, with just the Tom-Tom.....so we are good to go ( as 1st Sgt says).
So, today is the "test" day for the Garmin. I stayed up half the night, plotting and picking...just for a good day of caching. I got a stack of print offs, and am heading out the door.
What I didn't ( and won't) tell the potstirrer, is.....99% of today's caches ....are the Alphabet mans! Hey, I had no choice...he is EVERYWHERE!
I will keep you posted!
And NOW...she is hooked. Tee-hee. She is taking a long distance drive to visit family...and tells me she needs a gps...but maybe she will get one that can do a little geocaching. (Yep!) She tosses that around for awhile, and finally just does it. She is now a proud owner of a Garmin...with lat and long settings, so she can go caching! She, of course, is also concerned that she won't be able to find the caches, with just the Garmin...but, hey I did a whole day of caching in Dwight, with just the Tom-Tom.....so we are good to go ( as 1st Sgt says).
So, today is the "test" day for the Garmin. I stayed up half the night, plotting and picking...just for a good day of caching. I got a stack of print offs, and am heading out the door.
What I didn't ( and won't) tell the potstirrer, is.....99% of today's caches ....are the Alphabet mans! Hey, I had no choice...he is EVERYWHERE!
I will keep you posted!
The Alphabet Man
I have been dealing with the alphabet man for some time now. That is not his name, of course, or even his geocaching name....but that is what I call him. I have never met him, but I know of him, from his caches. He is EVERYWHERE and he is TOUGH. And we are just a little bit afraid of him. When I first started caching with the potstirrer....we would pick caches in an area that had several nearby...no big deal...but if we took a lot of time to find one...sure enough it was the alphabet man. At first we thought it was because it was a micro, or even an nano. We have found other peoples micros...but his is tough. Then it got to a point...if we couldn't find it right away...we would check to see if it is HIS! Then we got to the point of seeing if it was his BEFORE...we even started looking.
When we DO find one of the Alphabet man's...we are feeling good...walk a little taller, like yea we got one from the Alphabet man! But when we don't...it is like WHAT???? The last couple ( with the lil one) the DNF's...were, of course, the alphabet man. I didn't even warn the lil one...about him, but what was I thinking? Letting her first attempts to be the Alphabet man! So, in disgust I log on as a DNF...I think he could "tell" somehow that I felt defeated, because HE GOES AND CHECKS ON THEM! OMG...and...of course...they are there and they are fine...and then, of course, all these other people find them after me! Now I really feel like a CHUMP!
I checked out a picture of the Alphabet man...and he looks normal. From some of his comments, I think he may have a sense of humor. Never seen a picture of him smiling ....hmmm. I noticed he has not looked for any of my caches...and I am sure that is because they are just too easy for him. And I am OK with that.
But the grand finale to all of this...is that potstirrer called and says we are geocaching in the am! Pick out some good ones. I ask if she wants to do the Alphabet man's that I DNF....she groans. Ok, I will pick out a whole new location....that is whenI realize that the Alphabet man is EVERYWHERE!!!
We go in the AM...stay tuned!
When we DO find one of the Alphabet man's...we are feeling good...walk a little taller, like yea we got one from the Alphabet man! But when we don't...it is like WHAT???? The last couple ( with the lil one) the DNF's...were, of course, the alphabet man. I didn't even warn the lil one...about him, but what was I thinking? Letting her first attempts to be the Alphabet man! So, in disgust I log on as a DNF...I think he could "tell" somehow that I felt defeated, because HE GOES AND CHECKS ON THEM! OMG...and...of course...they are there and they are fine...and then, of course, all these other people find them after me! Now I really feel like a CHUMP!
I checked out a picture of the Alphabet man...and he looks normal. From some of his comments, I think he may have a sense of humor. Never seen a picture of him smiling ....hmmm. I noticed he has not looked for any of my caches...and I am sure that is because they are just too easy for him. And I am OK with that.
But the grand finale to all of this...is that potstirrer called and says we are geocaching in the am! Pick out some good ones. I ask if she wants to do the Alphabet man's that I DNF....she groans. Ok, I will pick out a whole new location....that is whenI realize that the Alphabet man is EVERYWHERE!!!
We go in the AM...stay tuned!
Caching With The Little One
My little one came to visit for the day...we decided to do a dinner and movie. The dinner was rushed (in order to get to the movie in time) and the movie was terrible...still waiting for a plot! The good news was that while getting ready for dinner, I check my mail and see that someone has found one of my caches! Great....but the lil one, wants details. So I go into detail, the drive to and from, the dinner, actually stayed quite for the movie, and then on the drive back. Yep, she wants to go do a couple in the morning. Really I think she doesn't believe me, but...we head out in the am. Let's just say the "caching aura " was completely off! Not a good day for caching. I started off screwing up, a cache name we were going for, but with the coords of a nearby cache. Makes for a long walk in the woods. And still a DNF to boot. After clearing our heads and filling our gut...we go for #2.....that would be #2 as a DNF! I am pretty sure at this point, that she thinks I am making this up. We head off for one clear across town...thinking the whole area has "bad karma", but I divert off to a little isolated one I was wanting to find. Thank God...we found it...or else I am sure she was ready to have me committed! All morning she kept eyeing me, like maybe I had more than 2 glasses of wine the night before....and perhaps I had stayed up all night drinking, or something. So, I was saved.....we head for #4, for the day, and it starts to rain...we get to the general area, it is now pouring...we are soaked...no way! We head back to the car. The day seemed like a bust! We are hot...we are soaked...we feel defeated...we crash at home.
Then it hits us...when you can't find them.......hide them! We throw 2 caches together....head off to the next couple of towns....and DONE! Feeling better all ready.
Then it hits us...when you can't find them.......hide them! We throw 2 caches together....head off to the next couple of towns....and DONE! Feeling better all ready.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Updates
It seems like it has been forever, since I have been caching. So, I guess I will just give you some updates!
I was reviewing the logs of some of the caches we "didn't find" and see that on the same day we were standing on the street corner for over an hour, some one ELSE "found it" and then goes on to log an easy cache! WHAT!!! You have to be kidding!!! I mentioned it to the pot-stirrer. I can not even print her response here!
The cache for the "cannon" was logged by the owner, as being replaced. Hmmm...so that probably means it was NOT there, the whole time. Of, course, 1st SGT thinks it is in the missile! I am going to have to talk the pot stirrer into going back to check that one!
Big Sis, did get a GPS unit, not within the time frame , or the store, that 1st SGT and I bet on, but she did get one!
Second Sis is coming to visit ( from the hippie state) sometime in October. She wants to go geocaching! But... ( hang on) she is bring MA!! OMG!
Big Sis came for a visit, brought along her GPS so we could go caching ( after I set it up for her) Well, I really can't comment on the whole day, but when she left , I noticed she left me her whole geocaching warehouse....bag, containers, swag, pencils, buttons, note pads and a couple of caches ( pre-made, ready to place) She did take the GPS ( to sell on e-bay) and even though she says " I am done!" I hope she will still cache with me some day, but more important, that she laughs about this some day !!! :)
1st SGT has found all the caches, on his island, and has sent out a travel bug in honor of Goldy ( final destination....here) I, in turn, have sent out a travel bug with a final destination to him. Hopefully the travel bugs have 1st SGT and Goldy's sense of direction.
The pot stirrer is vacationing in another state, but promises to go caching, when she returns. The ticks and skeeters should be at a minimum by then.
I am still waiting for the movie deal.
I was reviewing the logs of some of the caches we "didn't find" and see that on the same day we were standing on the street corner for over an hour, some one ELSE "found it" and then goes on to log an easy cache! WHAT!!! You have to be kidding!!! I mentioned it to the pot-stirrer. I can not even print her response here!
The cache for the "cannon" was logged by the owner, as being replaced. Hmmm...so that probably means it was NOT there, the whole time. Of, course, 1st SGT thinks it is in the missile! I am going to have to talk the pot stirrer into going back to check that one!
Big Sis, did get a GPS unit, not within the time frame , or the store, that 1st SGT and I bet on, but she did get one!
Second Sis is coming to visit ( from the hippie state) sometime in October. She wants to go geocaching! But... ( hang on) she is bring MA!! OMG!
Big Sis came for a visit, brought along her GPS so we could go caching ( after I set it up for her) Well, I really can't comment on the whole day, but when she left , I noticed she left me her whole geocaching warehouse....bag, containers, swag, pencils, buttons, note pads and a couple of caches ( pre-made, ready to place) She did take the GPS ( to sell on e-bay) and even though she says " I am done!" I hope she will still cache with me some day, but more important, that she laughs about this some day !!! :)
1st SGT has found all the caches, on his island, and has sent out a travel bug in honor of Goldy ( final destination....here) I, in turn, have sent out a travel bug with a final destination to him. Hopefully the travel bugs have 1st SGT and Goldy's sense of direction.
The pot stirrer is vacationing in another state, but promises to go caching, when she returns. The ticks and skeeters should be at a minimum by then.
I am still waiting for the movie deal.
A little slice of tradition
Sitting around the other day, bored, along with the other half million bored people. Logged into Facebook, to see if any one's life was as boring as mine. I see my niece ( Goldy's side of the family) writing that she is bored. Suddenly I get an idea.....we can go geocaching together! I IM her, she being a typical teenager, it goes as follows:
me: what r your plans for today
niece: don't know
me: do u have to be anywhere today at a certain time?
niece: no
me: do u want to go treasure hunting?
niece: what kind of treasure?
me: secret...yes or no
niece: when
me: now... yes or no
niece: I guess
me: tennis shoes are mandatory, this requires getting hot, dirty, walking outside...still in?
niece: I will get ready.
Whew, talking to teenagers is almost impossible...that and they text 100 words a minute!
So, I head off and pick her up. This is the middle niece, and I decided to ask her, because she is an athlete ( in case I get hurt, she may have to drag me to the car) she's not yet into perfume, make-up and foo-foo clothes. perfect! On the way to the first cache site, I explain about geocaching , travel bugs, muggles and latitude/longitude. It is kinda nice, when you, as the grown up, do the explaining, because they can't tell if you know what you are talking about or not! However, she did know the muggle from Harry Potter. I gave her print offs to "study up" on the drive to the woods! Yep, we did 5 wooded/trail caches, and her first cache was a travel bug. I snapped a picture of that ( I may need to use it for blackmail some day) She did really good, got her first thorn berry scratch ( didn't even whine!) and turns out she does have a sense of direction! ( go figure) By the end of our 4 hours, we were dirty, tired, sweaty, hungry and smiling. It was a good day. I decided lunch was in order, she had no preference, so I stopped off at an A&W root beer stand. We ate and talked, I swore her to secrecy and gave back her cell phone. I think she missed at least 40 texts while we were out! As I drop her back home, I ask how she liked geocaching. She says, "ok"......back to teenager mode.
As I drive home, I look back on the day, and realized that it was only a day to her...but someday she will talk about the time, "aunty" took her treasure hunting, she probably won't remember the date, or even the year, but she WILL remember, and I really hope she remembers the A&W visit too, because....that is where we ALWAYS stopped after a great family day outing. It was OUR family tradition! I am sure she has already told her friends and swore them to " don't tell anyone".....typical teenagers!
me: what r your plans for today
niece: don't know
me: do u have to be anywhere today at a certain time?
niece: no
me: do u want to go treasure hunting?
niece: what kind of treasure?
me: secret...yes or no
niece: when
me: now... yes or no
niece: I guess
me: tennis shoes are mandatory, this requires getting hot, dirty, walking outside...still in?
niece: I will get ready.
Whew, talking to teenagers is almost impossible...that and they text 100 words a minute!
So, I head off and pick her up. This is the middle niece, and I decided to ask her, because she is an athlete ( in case I get hurt, she may have to drag me to the car) she's not yet into perfume, make-up and foo-foo clothes. perfect! On the way to the first cache site, I explain about geocaching , travel bugs, muggles and latitude/longitude. It is kinda nice, when you, as the grown up, do the explaining, because they can't tell if you know what you are talking about or not! However, she did know the muggle from Harry Potter. I gave her print offs to "study up" on the drive to the woods! Yep, we did 5 wooded/trail caches, and her first cache was a travel bug. I snapped a picture of that ( I may need to use it for blackmail some day) She did really good, got her first thorn berry scratch ( didn't even whine!) and turns out she does have a sense of direction! ( go figure) By the end of our 4 hours, we were dirty, tired, sweaty, hungry and smiling. It was a good day. I decided lunch was in order, she had no preference, so I stopped off at an A&W root beer stand. We ate and talked, I swore her to secrecy and gave back her cell phone. I think she missed at least 40 texts while we were out! As I drop her back home, I ask how she liked geocaching. She says, "ok"......back to teenager mode.
As I drive home, I look back on the day, and realized that it was only a day to her...but someday she will talk about the time, "aunty" took her treasure hunting, she probably won't remember the date, or even the year, but she WILL remember, and I really hope she remembers the A&W visit too, because....that is where we ALWAYS stopped after a great family day outing. It was OUR family tradition! I am sure she has already told her friends and swore them to " don't tell anyone".....typical teenagers!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
I want a movie
Turns out, my computer was not the only thing with a virus...Yep, got me one too! So, 5 days into the creeping crud, I finally am able to tackle a doctor for a prescription. ( Hey, I offered to go to the office and pay the co-payment) Anyways, missed 1 shift at work, and have been on bed rest ...going on 3 days. YUK!! Remind me to be very sympathetic when Peanut goes on bed rest. Since the earth cache failure, the computer has been fixed...cha-ching....the I-phone appears to be functioning, I have read a complete book, and watched HGTV for 24 straight. ( If, you ask me...Tonisha should have had "her show cancelled" after that last episode of Design Star) Day 3, I am able to swallow my own drool now, so I head out in the yard to weed. Ask Big Sis, what I think about weeding. This is when I realize, I need a cache...I need a life..I need to blog. And that is when I see "it". "It" being the commercial on the new up and coming movie. The movie where the girl, needs a life, decides to cook her way through Julia Child's cookbook, and write a blog about it! Really now...based on a true story, no less! Hey....I need a life, I write a blog, I go Geocaching....I want a movie! How do these things happen to everyday people!?!
So, I decide what I need to do, is set things straight....I Love my TOMTOM....I Love my APPLE I-phone...I love ATT&T ( well, I did have a heated conversion with them, recently, coincidentally exactly 7 days BEFORE my I-phone crashes) Let's just continue...my backpack is a REEBOK, oh and I Love it...my shoes can be any brand they want....I sign my logs with a BIC...my monitor is a DELL...my computer...............
So, I decide what I need to do, is set things straight....I Love my TOMTOM....I Love my APPLE I-phone...I love ATT&T ( well, I did have a heated conversion with them, recently, coincidentally exactly 7 days BEFORE my I-phone crashes) Let's just continue...my backpack is a REEBOK, oh and I Love it...my shoes can be any brand they want....I sign my logs with a BIC...my monitor is a DELL...my computer...............
Earth Caching
Pot stirrer calls me up, she's out "camping", wants me to come out for the day...maybe we can do a couple of "caches". Well...now, for someone who really isn't into geocaching....and to suggest we go caching, then she must really be bored. Seeing, I have roped her into a few things, I decide I will go, for a day of relaxation. I check the local area, and yep, right in the same park...is an earth cache! This will be my first earth cache. ( so, why don't I have an earth cache listed with my "finds"?, well...that's where the story begins.) I read the instructions to make sure it is not TOO hard...and then ...print! The next AM I set off, TT , cache print out, back pack, walking stick ( I know, it is just an earth cache) and all the usual good stuff. TT gets me there in 1hr 35 mins, not bad. Got to explore all the back roads...nice drive. After a quick tour of the park, we set the coords and get to the earth cache. Really didn't need any coords, just headed over to the informational kiosk. I answer the 4 questions, and click the necessary picture to qualify, actually I take 2 just to be sure. Done! Now that was easy. So, while we are in the area, lets head out for one more. The pot stirrer, says this...NOT me. My memory is just a little blurry, but I do recall, slipping jeans over my shorts, grabbing the OFF, and the walking stick. Why I left the "tennie whoppers" in the car, well, I thought we were just going for an earth cache. We end up in a terrain 3, difficulty 3 woods, the cache was placed "before the leaves were out", no hints no ...nothing...just a message of "Good Luck". In hindsight...always go with your first instinct....always go to the first place your I-phone takes you...and never make little clicking noises to the deer standing right in front of you. The deer actually was not the problem, he just stood and looked at us..to see what WE were going to do. I would have taken a picture, but the only camera I had, was on the I-phone that I was using to navigate. We did find the cache, and actually before the sun set. We did click a picture of my feet in my flip flops afterwards. Along with the pictures of deer on the road back to the park. And I am sure someday we will laugh about it all. The fact that I sat down on a log to pull stickers out of my feet....the fact that the ammo box that was sitting right next to the log. The fact that we were so far in the woods...I decided we should leave via the cornfield. The fact that the pot stirrer is freaking out, because the corn stalks are hitting her in the face. The fact that I even was smart enough to think of the cornfield,(corn always goes in a straight line, and always ends at an opening) We may laugh at the fact that my TT took me a different( and wrong way) home... The fact that it took me 4 hrs to get home. The fact that my I-phone crashed...The fact that while trying to re-boot my I-phone, The computer crashed. The fact that I had to drive to Best Buy that same night and Apple had to reset the phone to factory settings. The fact that I lost all my pictures on the I-phone.. resulting... in the fact that I didn't meet the requirement of the earth cache. Yep, we will laugh about it all someday....just not today!
Monday, July 20, 2009
The Feisty squirrel
We leave our street corner and head out for the next cache. The first problem with a name like "the feisty squirrel" is that the name alone will suck you right in. We read, the cache....ok sandwich size lock and seal. At least it is NOT a micro! Hint reveals..."hollow". The second problem is that you need to read the entire cache. So, we wasted at least 15 mins at the wrong entrance. Yep...we are at a huge forest preserve, trees, creeks, wild life, thorns and ticks! I just never learn...do I? We realize the mistake and head off for the correct coords. OK, path is open... muddy... but open. Should we go in...or come back on a day we are physically and mentally prepared? Well, the pot stirrer points out, that the cache is a few feet from parking. She heads off...with both the TT and the walking stick! I stumble through the thorn trees at least 5 feet behind her. "you, would recognize poison ivy, if you saw it?" "right?" Yep, she replies "we are in it". The clue of hollow is useless, seeing every other tree is hollow. No feisty squirrel in sight. We continue. I am thinking due to the recent "no find" cannon, and now the street corner, the pot stirrer is determined she is going to find this one! In hindsight, we should have taken the trail, THEN crossed over. But, that , of course, would have been too easy. 27 hollow trees later...2 ticks...lots of deer poop...and a gps bouncing signal... we(actually) she gets the cache. I, in the meantime, am trying to get my jeans untangled from a thorn bush. Satisfied with her success, and a little smirk, on her face, we head back for the car. "do you want to check out the feisty squirrel?" I ask. "he is suppose to be only 2 feet northwest of here." "What?...you mean the RABID RODENT that will probably attack us, and be gnawing off my ankle, while you are running out of the woods, trying to call 911?"
I tell you, where does she come up with this stuff?
I tell you, where does she come up with this stuff?
Yo! That's my corner....
When I planned for the day of caching....I went with the "Spirit Quest", all cemeteries. Then I added, 1 "in town" and something about "The Feisty Squirrel" caught my eye. Feeling pretty good after the "Spirit caches", we head for our 1 "in Town". We suddenly find ourselves, on the corner of 3rd and main in some "po-dunk" town. Not sure what the population is...but they do have a zip code, so they must be on some kind of a map. This town consists of a post office, and 2 bars. Hmmm....In front of the post office, is a letter drop box, a newspaper stand ( chained to a telephone pole) and 1 garbage can with a flip top lid. How hard can this be, you ask? Well, don't ask! We couldn't find it! We started out "stealth-like" running our hands along items. Nothing. Ok, let's read the hint. It says, Harry calls it "diagonally". Who's Harry? the pot stirrer inquires. Like I would know. I've never been here. Harry could be the post master, he could be the town drunk, he could be some kid, or even a dog! However, if Harry is a dog, and he can say "diagonally", then we are definitely taking him with us. So, with the clue "diagonally", I head across the street to check the 3 remaining corners. One side had a bank, now closed, with broken windows, and weeds coming out of the sidewalk cracks! Check....nothing. Across the street from there, is a half falling down building, used to be perhaps, a bar and grill? Check weeds...nothing. The last remaining corner , consists of an empty lot, actually, no weeds. Check...nothing. So, we are back to the corner of 3rd and main. After searching for at least 40 minutes, the pot stirrer goes to the car and returns with (?) paper. What? I inquire. She informs me, if she is going to stand any longer on this corner, she would at least want to appear, as if she is passing out religious pamphlets! Now, realize she is wearing a neon orange softball shirt, with a bar logo silk screened on the front and the name BAR WENCH printed on the back. Right...religious materials! Me, I am wearing jeans, terrain 3 shoes, sleeveless top and my Foster Grants. ( I don't want to be recognized) So, in 40 minutes, we have gone from "hookers" to "bible- beaters". The search continues...no luck. The previous logs tell the tales of multiple attempts at this cache. We are no longer be stealth-like. The pot stirrer is literally picking up the trash can and looking underneath! I am having deja vu of "the cannon" cache. The townspeople are starting to stare. ( All 4 of them! ) We have been on this corner for 1 hour now... It is time to go. I ask the pot stirrer if she is leaving, or is she just gonna stand there and wait for her "Marlboro Man"? Boy, if looks could kill!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Day Trip and Flashbacks
I finally scam the pot stirrer into a day of geocaching. As I " prepare" for the day....I find myself in a flash back....
"day trips" to Eagle Lake. Those REALLY were the good ole' days.
There were no cell phones... no yelling for "shotgun"... no fighting... no gps.. a real no hassle! Ma packed the station wagon with1 blanket, 5 towels, 1 wash rag , a jug of grape Kool-aid ( the real stuff, made with sugar), 5 aluminum tumblers in assorted colors, 1 baby bottle or "Tommy tippy" cup ( depending on " the baby's" age) filled with jello water, a loaf of bread, jar of peanut butter, grape jelly , 1 butter knife, 2 floats, ( for the older girls) a sand bucket ( for "the baby") and us 5 kids. To this day I could not find my way to Eagle lake, because once in the car, we sat in" birth order." Which put me, backseat... middle... no window. ( the beginning of my directional disorder!?) Us girls wore pedal pushers, or sunsuits, ( bathing suits underneath!) and flip flops. Seeing "other sis" never went barefoot in the water ( ? ) she got to wear tennis shoes. The unwritten rules, consisted of: no going out "over our heads"... no bickering... no bellyaching ...no "splashing". And , of course, the 30 minute-after-you-eat-rest-or you will drown rule. No sunscreen in those days, so when we got home (sunburned) Ma would lather us up with Noxzema. I look back, I think.....Noxzema?... What the....
So, as I pack the car for a day of geocahing, I make sure I throw in... 2 cans of off, several pens, pad of paper ( yes, 1st Sgt) , lots of swag, walking stick, TT, I-phone, cables to charge everything, computer print outs ( for pot stirrer) extra shoes ( for different terrains) bottled water , couple diet cokes, alcohol gel, mosquito repellent bracelets ( thanks Big Sis) paper towels, extra baggies ( some one's log may be wet) a trash bag, ( we might need to cache in, trash out) sunglasses, and a chapstick. And you wonder where I get this?!
Six hours, 8 caches, 1 potty break and exactly 100 miles later... we return!! No Noxzema needed!
"day trips" to Eagle Lake. Those REALLY were the good ole' days.
There were no cell phones... no yelling for "shotgun"... no fighting... no gps.. a real no hassle! Ma packed the station wagon with1 blanket, 5 towels, 1 wash rag , a jug of grape Kool-aid ( the real stuff, made with sugar), 5 aluminum tumblers in assorted colors, 1 baby bottle or "Tommy tippy" cup ( depending on " the baby's" age) filled with jello water, a loaf of bread, jar of peanut butter, grape jelly , 1 butter knife, 2 floats, ( for the older girls) a sand bucket ( for "the baby") and us 5 kids. To this day I could not find my way to Eagle lake, because once in the car, we sat in" birth order." Which put me, backseat... middle... no window. ( the beginning of my directional disorder!?) Us girls wore pedal pushers, or sunsuits, ( bathing suits underneath!) and flip flops. Seeing "other sis" never went barefoot in the water ( ? ) she got to wear tennis shoes. The unwritten rules, consisted of: no going out "over our heads"... no bickering... no bellyaching ...no "splashing". And , of course, the 30 minute-after-you-eat-rest-or you will drown rule. No sunscreen in those days, so when we got home (sunburned) Ma would lather us up with Noxzema. I look back, I think.....Noxzema?... What the....
So, as I pack the car for a day of geocahing, I make sure I throw in... 2 cans of off, several pens, pad of paper ( yes, 1st Sgt) , lots of swag, walking stick, TT, I-phone, cables to charge everything, computer print outs ( for pot stirrer) extra shoes ( for different terrains) bottled water , couple diet cokes, alcohol gel, mosquito repellent bracelets ( thanks Big Sis) paper towels, extra baggies ( some one's log may be wet) a trash bag, ( we might need to cache in, trash out) sunglasses, and a chapstick. And you wonder where I get this?!
Six hours, 8 caches, 1 potty break and exactly 100 miles later... we return!! No Noxzema needed!
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