The day was here, it has been a little stressful. The Troll was referred to a specialist and we were both a little stressed. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the doctor, and the Troll was ready to leave like 90 minutes early. SO .. I say OK, as I grab my backpack.
"NO WAY !!!!!!", He grumps at me...... "NO WAY HOLLY!"
"We are going to the Doctor, we are NOT letterboxing"
"BUT, there are several drive-bys on the way that I NEED", I tell him, with backpack still in hand.
"NO NO NO and **beep** NO!" in the best Troll voice he has.
So I relent and put my backpack down, and we go. I point out several places on the way that I could just run and grab the box while he stays in the car, but I don't have my STUFF, thanks to him.
We get to the doctors with TONS of time to spare, and I remind him yet again that I could have grabbed just a box or two in all this time. He just gives me that Troll stare.
OK
So here we are in the office and the Doctor comes in. Super nice guy, and he sits in the chair next to me, the Troll is on the exam table. So he is talking to us and I find myself in a mini trance staring at his hands as he is talking. I guess he realized I was staring at them and he stops talking, looks at me, and says,
"I apologize for my hands being inky like this I was coloring with my son at lunch time."
I smile and reply, "OH my hands always look like that" as I produce my ink laden hands for him. "I letterbox" I blurt out before I even knew what I was saying.
"YOU DO THAT ????" he says with a HUGE smile, "my kids LOVE doing that..... what is your Trail Name?" he asks me.
Now the Troll's eyes are rolling into the back of his head and he is about to come off that exam table and wrap his grubby troll fingers around my throat.
So the doctor and I have a little letterboxing conversation before he continues on with his analysis of the Troll's condition.
It was sooooooo classic!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Recon Mission
I have been reluctant to write about this until now and do so with a heavy heart!
You see I have been on a mission since December 17, 2007. There is another one of those special boxes close to my home and I have been OBSESSED with having it, obsessed but unsuccessful.
My first attempt at this special box was back in December, it was a beautiful day and I was in need of some stress relief, MAJOR stress relief. I went down the road to Table Rock with 4 boxes in mind but REALLY only one, this very special, coveted box. The thought going through my mind was, WHAT in the world is wrong with me, NOT knowing it was RIGHT here!
I knew pretty much where the clue was sending me, I was on a quest. The other boxes I could not find did not PHASE me at all, they would be there forever, not this box, this was a once in a lifetime find, and it was sitting there waiting for me. (yeah I really am this nuts !)
I approached the spot from a different direction then the clue but I KNEW, YEEEHAAA, this is it. With it being a weekday, there was no one on the trails, so I climbed onto the ROCK, and went across and climbed the hill to where the box rested. My heart racing, I reached into the small little cave - nothing ! I looked around under the larger rock, nothing, I grabbed a stick and started pokin around inside the small and large cave, nothing, I took the stick and whisked the fallen leaves back and forth in front of the 2 caves, nothing, I climbed above the caves to a smaller cave and a hollowed out root ball, nothing .............. I read the clue again, yeah this was it ..... I was POSITIVE, but no box. AUGHHHHHHHH I probably did scream into the sky, I was this close, THIS CLOSE, and someone beat me to it. You see this is one of those special boxes that when you find it you TAKE it with you.
I was MAD, my Irish blood whirling, ERRRRRRRRRRRRRR, I climbed back and navigated the trail back, again looking for the other boxes I had come for with no luck - I was too mad that I missed my window of opportunity.
I drove home mad at myself, walked in the house, over to the computer and emailed the owner of the box. Now that I think about it, she probably thought I was totally RUDE, because my email was something like this:
OK ...... WHO HAS IT .......... Who has _ _ _ _ _? Who has it because if I know them I am going to their house and stamping in that BOX ! I can not believe it has been there over a month now and I just found out about it and I MISSED IT!
(you have to again remember about my stress levels with my job, I get a little wound too tight at times, and yeah there is that Yankee in me that shines through at times!)
The email back was short and sweet:
No one has it HOLLY ! It is still there.
OMG..........
Now I am FLIPPING ........ Beating myself up, HOW IN THE WORLD did you miss it ??? I went to bed mad and thinking about it.
The next day was still a really nice day, I called the school, I went and picked up Sean after school instead of him getting on the bus. He had NO IDEA. He gets in the car and says "Why did you pick me up MOM?", I said, "You need to come to Table Rock with me there is this SPECIAL box that you need to help me with that I could not find yesterday and we need to FIND IT !". It really is a good thing my child is into this hobby, because if anyone else witnessed this conversation .... well ..... I am sure I was something like HEMI (over the hedge).
Over to Table Rock (GOD BLESS Park Passports!), and I drag my child down the trail. We get to the spot, I read him all the clues and we climb onto the rock, up the hill, to the caves. NO BOX........ CLIMB in there I order him, climb up under that rock and look around in case it washed down. I hear, "NOTHING MOM".
AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Ok I relent and back down the trail we go and head home.
The Troll wants to know where we have been, LETTERBOXING we say!
I go to the computer, email again and tell her:
I went back again today and I can not find the box. I am almost 100% positive that I am in the right spot. The clue is very specific, and the box is not there!
The owner and I both email the last planter, I describe where I go, they have a picture (not great) but a picture of the spot - It looks right, I FEEL TERRIBLE, I know this box is missing, I don't want to say that but in my heart I KNOW it is missing.
Last Sunday, Sean and I went for try number 3 - NO BOX - it has been now 2.5 months we have been in search of this box. I email the owner yet again and tell her that I tried yet again, no box.
The last family to plant this box (who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent) was going to check on it today. My GREATEST fear was to be sitting here when I received an email saying:
HEY HOLLY, IT IS STILL THERE !!!!!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH YOU !!!!
SO .......... I told them I would LOVE to meet them and go with them to check on the box, to see where I was messing up.
About 1:00 I got a call, grabbed my pack, the purse of communications and a water bottle, made arrangements for someone to get Sean off the bus and headed down the road to Table Rock.
I was really thinking that I was an idiot, honest, I wanted her to tell me, HERE IT IS, but when we got to the spot and crossed the rock and I showed her, she said YEAH that is where we planted it. I was crushed. We looked everywhere around, moved thousands of leaves, followed the terrain in the direction that it appeared water would flow, we spent a lot of time (not that I have already spent 5 times this amount of time in my last 3 attempts). NO box.
She was as crushed as I was. OH how I just wanted someone to say Holly you idiot and hand me the box, the last thing in the world I wanted was this thing to be missing or muggled. But I guess at this point we can honestly say it is not there, and AGAIN, I say that with such a heavy heart!
I sit here tonight yet again CRUSHED and feeling sorry for the owner and the last planter, because this is a total heartbreak.
SORRY ....... how I wished this story ended happy with Holly being the village idiot !
BTW
the one other box I have also searched for 3 times - I found today - thanks to my companion - TINK - your Couch Tater is fine and resting!
You see I have been on a mission since December 17, 2007. There is another one of those special boxes close to my home and I have been OBSESSED with having it, obsessed but unsuccessful.
My first attempt at this special box was back in December, it was a beautiful day and I was in need of some stress relief, MAJOR stress relief. I went down the road to Table Rock with 4 boxes in mind but REALLY only one, this very special, coveted box. The thought going through my mind was, WHAT in the world is wrong with me, NOT knowing it was RIGHT here!
I knew pretty much where the clue was sending me, I was on a quest. The other boxes I could not find did not PHASE me at all, they would be there forever, not this box, this was a once in a lifetime find, and it was sitting there waiting for me. (yeah I really am this nuts !)
I approached the spot from a different direction then the clue but I KNEW, YEEEHAAA, this is it. With it being a weekday, there was no one on the trails, so I climbed onto the ROCK, and went across and climbed the hill to where the box rested. My heart racing, I reached into the small little cave - nothing ! I looked around under the larger rock, nothing, I grabbed a stick and started pokin around inside the small and large cave, nothing, I took the stick and whisked the fallen leaves back and forth in front of the 2 caves, nothing, I climbed above the caves to a smaller cave and a hollowed out root ball, nothing .............. I read the clue again, yeah this was it ..... I was POSITIVE, but no box. AUGHHHHHHHH I probably did scream into the sky, I was this close, THIS CLOSE, and someone beat me to it. You see this is one of those special boxes that when you find it you TAKE it with you.
I was MAD, my Irish blood whirling, ERRRRRRRRRRRRRR, I climbed back and navigated the trail back, again looking for the other boxes I had come for with no luck - I was too mad that I missed my window of opportunity.
I drove home mad at myself, walked in the house, over to the computer and emailed the owner of the box. Now that I think about it, she probably thought I was totally RUDE, because my email was something like this:
OK ...... WHO HAS IT .......... Who has _ _ _ _ _? Who has it because if I know them I am going to their house and stamping in that BOX ! I can not believe it has been there over a month now and I just found out about it and I MISSED IT!
(you have to again remember about my stress levels with my job, I get a little wound too tight at times, and yeah there is that Yankee in me that shines through at times!)
The email back was short and sweet:
No one has it HOLLY ! It is still there.
OMG..........
Now I am FLIPPING ........ Beating myself up, HOW IN THE WORLD did you miss it ??? I went to bed mad and thinking about it.
The next day was still a really nice day, I called the school, I went and picked up Sean after school instead of him getting on the bus. He had NO IDEA. He gets in the car and says "Why did you pick me up MOM?", I said, "You need to come to Table Rock with me there is this SPECIAL box that you need to help me with that I could not find yesterday and we need to FIND IT !". It really is a good thing my child is into this hobby, because if anyone else witnessed this conversation .... well ..... I am sure I was something like HEMI (over the hedge).
Over to Table Rock (GOD BLESS Park Passports!), and I drag my child down the trail. We get to the spot, I read him all the clues and we climb onto the rock, up the hill, to the caves. NO BOX........ CLIMB in there I order him, climb up under that rock and look around in case it washed down. I hear, "NOTHING MOM".
AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Ok I relent and back down the trail we go and head home.
The Troll wants to know where we have been, LETTERBOXING we say!
I go to the computer, email again and tell her:
I went back again today and I can not find the box. I am almost 100% positive that I am in the right spot. The clue is very specific, and the box is not there!
The owner and I both email the last planter, I describe where I go, they have a picture (not great) but a picture of the spot - It looks right, I FEEL TERRIBLE, I know this box is missing, I don't want to say that but in my heart I KNOW it is missing.
Last Sunday, Sean and I went for try number 3 - NO BOX - it has been now 2.5 months we have been in search of this box. I email the owner yet again and tell her that I tried yet again, no box.
The last family to plant this box (who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent) was going to check on it today. My GREATEST fear was to be sitting here when I received an email saying:
HEY HOLLY, IT IS STILL THERE !!!!!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH YOU !!!!
SO .......... I told them I would LOVE to meet them and go with them to check on the box, to see where I was messing up.
About 1:00 I got a call, grabbed my pack, the purse of communications and a water bottle, made arrangements for someone to get Sean off the bus and headed down the road to Table Rock.
I was really thinking that I was an idiot, honest, I wanted her to tell me, HERE IT IS, but when we got to the spot and crossed the rock and I showed her, she said YEAH that is where we planted it. I was crushed. We looked everywhere around, moved thousands of leaves, followed the terrain in the direction that it appeared water would flow, we spent a lot of time (not that I have already spent 5 times this amount of time in my last 3 attempts). NO box.
She was as crushed as I was. OH how I just wanted someone to say Holly you idiot and hand me the box, the last thing in the world I wanted was this thing to be missing or muggled. But I guess at this point we can honestly say it is not there, and AGAIN, I say that with such a heavy heart!
I sit here tonight yet again CRUSHED and feeling sorry for the owner and the last planter, because this is a total heartbreak.
SORRY ....... how I wished this story ended happy with Holly being the village idiot !
BTW
the one other box I have also searched for 3 times - I found today - thanks to my companion - TINK - your Couch Tater is fine and resting!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Introducing Fred .......
What a glorious day ...............
Sean planned on riding horses today. He has two of his own horses. A miniature horse named Dolly, that we bought him when he was first born. At this point he is too big to ride Dolly, but I would never part with her, she is part of the family. Here is a picture of Sean riding Dolly when he was 6 months old.
His other horse (technically a pony) is named Buster. Buster is close to 22 years old and was born here on the farm. From what I understand, the Troll had bought a horse, and one day when he looked out the window there was a colt next to the horse. Back in 1999 when the Troll and I were first together, we gave Buster to a little girl named Kimmie that I used to ride with. Kimmie is now all grown up and too big for Buster, so last year she gave him to Sean. So Buster has been more then full circle. He is your typical pony, he is grumpy, smart, fat, and aggravating! I LOVE BUSTER. So after breakfast we walked out into the pasture to get Buster. We had a grooming session and then we had a ground work and riding lesson. Sean wore his brand new Justin cowboy boots that he picked out all by himself. It was a very fun morning.
After lunch .... the Troll was off to the Clemson baseball game. I talked Sean into going letterboxing with me, and I told him he could bring FRED.
Fred is Sean's puppy. He is a dachshunese, you see we had a little accident here with my dachshund, Sebastian Alexander VIII, and our pekingese, Penny, who was abandoned here on the farm over 2 years ago (I thought she was spayed). Fred is now about 5 months old and the cutest little thing you have ever seen.
Sean decided that Fred needed a signature stamp, so I helped him create one.
I think so far he has used this stamp once or twice but he was NOT with Fred (and that was kinda the "rule" that they had to be together but he was so proud of the stamp, I think he did an exchange with 't' and Mama Fox one day ).
So off boxing we went, to Table Rock. I was in search of the one J Walkers box that eluded me the previous weekend, PLUS that trail is so nice and secluded that I felt it would be good for Fred's first time out. Fred did well and we were able to find come to the table. I helped Sean and Fred find the previous 3 boxes so they could add their stamp to the logbook.
It was such a nice day and it was only 2:00 and Sean actually ASKED if we could go up on the "regular" trails. I told him it would be WAY too crowded, but there were boxes up there .... so ......
We found your so vane and for the THIRD time I attempted Justink's everyone knows couch potatoes don't go hiking. ERRRRRRRRR yep THIRD try. I just don't get it, this one is another one that bugs me. (TINK HELP !)
Well needless to say it was SOOOOOOOOO crowded, Fred did well but he was on sensory overload from all the people wanting to pet him, and all the dogs. It really was too crowded to box.
BUT we had a great day and now Fred is an official letterboxer and the official Fred & Sean stamp is inky. If you see them together, please ask them for an exchange, they will be THRILLED.
Sean planned on riding horses today. He has two of his own horses. A miniature horse named Dolly, that we bought him when he was first born. At this point he is too big to ride Dolly, but I would never part with her, she is part of the family. Here is a picture of Sean riding Dolly when he was 6 months old.
His other horse (technically a pony) is named Buster. Buster is close to 22 years old and was born here on the farm. From what I understand, the Troll had bought a horse, and one day when he looked out the window there was a colt next to the horse. Back in 1999 when the Troll and I were first together, we gave Buster to a little girl named Kimmie that I used to ride with. Kimmie is now all grown up and too big for Buster, so last year she gave him to Sean. So Buster has been more then full circle. He is your typical pony, he is grumpy, smart, fat, and aggravating! I LOVE BUSTER. So after breakfast we walked out into the pasture to get Buster. We had a grooming session and then we had a ground work and riding lesson. Sean wore his brand new Justin cowboy boots that he picked out all by himself. It was a very fun morning.
After lunch .... the Troll was off to the Clemson baseball game. I talked Sean into going letterboxing with me, and I told him he could bring FRED.
Fred is Sean's puppy. He is a dachshunese, you see we had a little accident here with my dachshund, Sebastian Alexander VIII, and our pekingese, Penny, who was abandoned here on the farm over 2 years ago (I thought she was spayed). Fred is now about 5 months old and the cutest little thing you have ever seen.
Sean decided that Fred needed a signature stamp, so I helped him create one.
I think so far he has used this stamp once or twice but he was NOT with Fred (and that was kinda the "rule" that they had to be together but he was so proud of the stamp, I think he did an exchange with 't' and Mama Fox one day ).
So off boxing we went, to Table Rock. I was in search of the one J Walkers box that eluded me the previous weekend, PLUS that trail is so nice and secluded that I felt it would be good for Fred's first time out. Fred did well and we were able to find come to the table. I helped Sean and Fred find the previous 3 boxes so they could add their stamp to the logbook.
It was such a nice day and it was only 2:00 and Sean actually ASKED if we could go up on the "regular" trails. I told him it would be WAY too crowded, but there were boxes up there .... so ......
We found your so vane and for the THIRD time I attempted Justink's everyone knows couch potatoes don't go hiking. ERRRRRRRRR yep THIRD try. I just don't get it, this one is another one that bugs me. (TINK HELP !)
Well needless to say it was SOOOOOOOOO crowded, Fred did well but he was on sensory overload from all the people wanting to pet him, and all the dogs. It really was too crowded to box.
BUT we had a great day and now Fred is an official letterboxer and the official Fred & Sean stamp is inky. If you see them together, please ask them for an exchange, they will be THRILLED.
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