House Concerts #2 and #3

On Thursday we drove to Rapid City. Nothing too exciting to report
here. Montana: "Oh, look at that beautuful unspoiled mountain! Ooo,
ANOTHER one! And ANOTHER!" Wyoming: "Oh look, we're in green hills
now, thank goodness. If i see another darn beautiful unspoiled
mountain I'm going to be sick. Wow, look at them! They're green, and
hilly, and they... go... on....... forever........and ever.... " When
we got into Rapid City, Sadie started shaking like she does when she
hears thunder or fireworks, only there were none. One possible reason
is that she knew we were going to my aunt's house, where she prefers
to keep dogs in the kitchen or garage, otherwise known to Sadie as
"Doggie Jail."

The next day, we had a concert at our fan Bonnie Hilt's
house.


It went very well, considering they had a chocolate fountain
and about ten kinds of gourmet desserts. Just kidding, the concert was
great. But that chocolate fountain..... I'm just glad we don't own one
or I would probably resemble a giant beach ball.

The next day was a
big party for my Grandpa Leo, who was turning seventy, although he
says he only feels like it's fifty, and he acts more like he's seven.
We went to a lake and rented a big pontoon and brought my aunt's jet
skis, and had a good time.

Here's a couple pictures of Grandpa Leo. One on his motorcycle and one wearing his cowboy boots with his red swim trunks. You get the idea. All three of my aunts were there and a
bunch of my cousins. I learned how to drive a jet ski (rather
violently, according to my cousin).

I was having such a great time
that I stayed out for about and hour and a half once and made my mom
think I was lost. The next day all the adults went to a casino, while
my cousins and I went to a fun place where there was mini golf and go
carts and bumper boats and arcade games and all that fun stuff. I
think I was the cause of about three go cart pile-ups due to my
aggressive driving. That night I did a little mini concert for two of
my aunts and some cousins at my aunt JoVayne's house. Monday, we drove
to Denver. On the way, we stopped at a rock shop we've visited before.
My dad and I got a bunch of rocks, with some resistance from my mom,
who is not a rock person, who kept asking annoying questions like,
"Don't you HAVE one of those already? (Not the point. The point is to
collect as many rocks as you can) After passing the many signs between
Rapid City and Mount Rushmore that say things like,

Reptile Gardens! Get close, but not TOO close!
Black Light Mini Golf!
Rushmore Cave: The Beautiful One!!
Crystal Cave: The Amazing One!
Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns!
Outdoor Wildlife Park!
Presidential Alpine Slide! (what the heck?) (has pictures of
presidents sliding down giant slide with exaggerated expressions of
wild glee on their faces)

we finally got pulled in by,

See It! Feel It! SURVIVE IT!!!!!!!!! The Cosmos!

So, while my mom took a nap in the car, my dad and I went to go see
"The Cosmos", whatever the heck it was. It turned out to be a tour of
this place in the Black Hills where gravity has gone wacky.
It isn't
some fake thing with magnets, it is completely real. There is a house
where you can stand off the wall. When you throw a tennis ball
straight up, it looks like an invisible force pulls it to one side. It
was really cool, and I highly recommend it to anyone in that area.
When we finally got to Denver, it was almost eleven.

Last night, we did a house concert at my mom's old high school friend, Denise, and
her husband Ed's house. Here's a picture of them and their two boys. Afterwards we set off a TON of fireworks just
for fun. Well, fun for everyone except Sadie, who cowered behind the
couch. Their sons also taught me how to play croquet (I stink). We had
a good time.

Here's one last picture of three generations: Mom, Grandpa Leo and me