No Day Off Today :-(

I'm already missing my day off. Normally I would swim, then start my errands of grocery shopping and several loads of laundry interspersed with on-line things I need to do and ending with a lovely chat with Aearwen. Unfortunately, since Chickie is on vacation, I'll be at work instead. That leaves me with enveloping the laundry into tightly-scheduled evenings, grocery shopping in the early morning today or tomorrow, and no weekly chat. I think of all the things I miss, it's my weekly catch-up with Aearwen that I miss the most.

The Needles in Custer State Park are so beautiful. The road winds
around and through the worn rocks where mountain goats roam. At the
bottom, in the grasslands, buffalo (American Bison) wander alongside
deer and antelope. It's a fabulous place and part of the sacred "Paha Sapa"
of the Lakota Sioux people. 

Chickie seems to be enjoying herself, though. Today she leaves the Black Hills of South Dakota and heads farther west toward Montana and her family reunion which takes place this weekend. While in South Dakota she did the tourist things - visited Mount Rushmore, drove through the Needles and Custer State Park, went to Wall Drug and visited the Badlands. It all made me a bit homesick, really. I haven't been back there since the early 2000's and I miss the landscape.

The Badlands of South Dakota make up the northern border of the Lakota
Sioux Indian Reservation of Pine Ridge. I'm trying to remember if it also
intersects with the Rosebud reservation, but can't recall exactly. I've driven
around this area from all directions as well as into the badlands several times.
I've even taken a helicopter ride over them - that was a treat! 

Now she'll leave the hills of South Dakota and continue on west to the higher, snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains in Montana. When given a choice, I'll choose the mountains any time. It's sounding like we've got thunderstorms and heavy rain here today (oh joy!). No outdoor pool today because of lightning, so we'll be crowded into the smaller 25 yard indoor pool. *sigh* Oh well, it's practice for the end of summer still pending. Have a great Wednesday - be kind to someone today. It can make a positive difference in their lives.