Only $2 for a lesson and pretty things!

I've had a really bad cold. One of those sticks with you for way way too many days, wipes you out completely and daily, gives you a 24 hour a day headache, makes your brain constantly in a fog, kinds. Keep that in mind.

Thanksgiving Point was kind enough to do $2 Tuesdays this month. :-) My kids showed absolutely no interest in going to the gardens (normally $10!). I figured that left me with two Tuesdays left in the month when they would be at school. The first didn't work out, so I thought I'd go on the last Tuesday the offer stood. I've been wanting to try my hand at writing a fairy tale, and that seemed like the perfect place to go for inspiration.

So, I loaded up my laptop, paid my $2, and found a secluded little place near the waterfalls and cracked open my laptop. Perfect conditions, right? Well, as it turns out, my body was needing rest and relaxation WAY more than it was needing the incredible high that writing offers. In an hour and a half, I managed to write about a page. I finally gave up, cursing my brain fog, and set out to enjoy a bit more of the gardens. Darn brain fog also kept me from realizing that in my current sickly state, that wouldn't be a good idea.

When I finally headed back toward the building (all uphill, of course), I had gotten almost to the top when I came upon an old man. He was probably a good 90 years old, bent over from age almost to his waist, and unable to go further without resting. I wasn’t even sure if he was ever going to make it all the way without someone giving him a piggyback ride or something. He looked up at me as I neared him and then he said, "Wow. You look really tired." A little more poignant coming from him. Yeah. Maybe I should have just stayed home and taken a nap.

But, on the bright side, I did get to see lots and lots and lots of pretty things! Here are some of them.