So those of you who follow along, you'll notice there have been ZERO posts about exciting Tahoe enjoyments since our houseguests departed.

Wouldn't you know that I would survive a crazy year of international travel only to get COVID in the confines of my cozy cabin? So for the last nine days I've been sequestered here with my activities calendar completed erased. Yesterday was my first nap-free day feeling almost 'Me'.

I haven't felt like doing much but I did read two very different, yet equally enjoyable books. One, The Joys of Jetlag I mentioned on my previous post about negativity/anger. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was a fun literary romp through L.A., the world of bar trivia, life in a bookstore, and weird family. It was just perfect for tea on the front porch. That said, I'm ready for the rest of my Summer Fun to restart. Here's to good health and a full calendar!

Recently something has happened that left me angry. So angry/disappointed, I wrote a post venting. After publishing it, I went back to reading my book (thank goodness).

Anger is my least favorite emotion and I had been experiencing it for the last week. I just couldn't shake it until stumbling upon that one, perfectly timed, paragraph of reason. I am so much better for having read it and I no longer need to vent.

"A moment of patience in a moment of anger prevents a thousand moments of regret." -Ali Ibn Abi Talib

First off, I have to introduce new readers to Erline Christopherson Phillips. In 2013, while volunteering at the Lake Tahoe Historical Society, I discovered a box full of memorabilia donated by Erline. In July 1962, this then 16-year-old from Lodi, CA, became the first female (and only second person) to swim the length of the Lake. After failing on two previous attempts, the undaunted teenager completed a seventeen-mile swim from Baldwin Beach to Dollar Point, covering the distance in 13 hours and 17 minutes- a major accomplishment for a woman at the time. As a matter of fact, it was a record she held, unbroken, for 42 years. I knew her story needed to be told and long story, short, Erline came to South Lake Tahoe twice, in 2014 and 2018, to WOW standing room only audiences with her swimming stories.

As a matter of fact, in the July 25, 2003 Lodi News-Sentinel, Dr. Mary Jo Kane, director of the Tucker Center for Research of Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota wrote, "I propose that her accomplishment was even greater because of lack of support, funding, and training resources available to girls at that time."

Yes, our summer is always improved by the multiples of those with whom it is shared. What an unforgettable couple of days. Wow.

When Steve and I first relocated to South Lake Tahoe we were EVERYWHERE. It has been years but today felt like the Old Days.

This morning we accepted this invitation, "Come join us for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Bijou Skatepark! It’s a great opportunity to check out all the features and layout of the newly designed skatepark."

We were able to talk with the guys who made the original skatepark happen 29 years ago, Airick Valenzuela and Shon Baughman. How very, very cool.

I am never one to miss a photo opportunity!

Before the ribbon was officially cut, skaters went under the ribbon and ollied over it, to the delight of the audience.

While there is no way I'll be taking advantage of this new park, I'm excited for the community. It felt like a big win for all.

"Skateboarding doesn't make you a skateboarder;

not being able to stop skateboarding

makes you a skateboarder."

-Lance Mountain

We were where we are most Thursday nights in the Summer... at Lakeview Commons for a really excellent evening of music.

Oh, and we arrived early.

Before our next round of house guests arrive, I wanted to share what I have written for my next Talking on Paper writing group meetup.

Ralph Waldo Emerson advised that one should go “Go oft to the house of thy friend, for weeds choke the unused path.” This summer there is absolutely no weed to be found at our house. Guest Season is in full swing and while exhausting at times, I could not be more pleased by this phenomenon.

I am certainly not the hostess with the mostest though I absolutely love welcoming people into our little Cabin in the Pines. There are things about me that prior guests know and new guests should be aware of.  First off, I am not a foodie. We eat to live not live to eat. Meals are simple, and if a guest stays long enough, redundant. That said, they are plentiful and gleefully served al fresco when the weather permits.

The accommodations are best described as COZY. With only 1,248 sq ft of livable space, most guests realize they didn't come for alone time. Yet, with beds for six extra heads, we can house entire families with comfortable beds, warm flannel robes, and hot coffee awaiting morning.

Speaking of mornings... I love being a tour guide and I strive to find unique opportunities while making sure highlights are not missed. Most times this involves early morning departures which I live for. There is little chance of sleeping in when one accepts our invitation.

And knowing that travel tales need to be told, a stack of Lake Tahoe postcards is offered for anyone who wishes to share the fact that they are vacationing in the Sierra. I appreciate this description of this form of communication, "Postcards: The Haiku of Correspondence".

My departing request, asked of everyone who traverses that well used path, is to sign my Guest Book. It is my way of documenting our guests' stories of their stay with us. Ibn Battuta said it best, “Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”... even if your story is short enough to fit on a postcard or on one page of a Guest Book.

Here's to Guest Season!

We delighted in this highly anticipated event, "South Tahoe Public Utility District and UC Master Gardener present the Tahoe Friendly Garden Tour featuring beautiful and sustainable gardens in the Meyers Community".