Third Wheel

My friends, I must say, are very good babysitters. They want the old Shawna back, the one who smiles and jokes and plays around. The one who is always looking for a good laugh. The one who doesn't mind looking stupid in order to make someone else giggle.

So they dragged me out of the house on Sunday to go riding in the desert. We left at noon, hit the trails, stopped at a watering hole, explored an old mine shaft, then poked our way back home. Well actually the journey home was quite fast--we were testing the limits of the Rhinos we were riding in.

Right away I was beginning to feel pretty good- and I didn't hesitate to show that with my camera...

I did have a few pensive moments, where I stopped to enjoy the view and found my mind wandering back to my grief and misery.....

Usually someone would come along and jar me back into the "don't think about it don't think about it don't think about it" mode.

I found the sole to a shoe. It seemed funny to me.

After a bit of riding I realized that there's more dirt than anything out there. And the chapstick on my lips was attracting the dirt.

We stopped at the Desert Bar, which is a mecca for off roaders during the winter months. They have live bands, food, nice views.
On this particular day they just happened to have someone playing JAZZ FLUTE!!!

Or something like that.

Then we hit the road and visited the old mine. And I fell in it.

Down there.
Heels went right over my head.

So of course I have bruises and scrapes. That's gonna look nice for that job interview on Wednesday.

As the sun began to set, we raced back to the pavement. Literally.

And I went home feeling a little more peaceful inside. Thanks, friends!