Mud Slinging

I had Round Valley on my radar for today, and then my friend Meghan posted this great blog post about being happy, doing the things that make you happy, and being okay with yourself and the things that do not make you so happy.  I think if you look at your failings, it gives you room to grow and improve and it's just as important to look at those things as the things that make you happy, but to remember not to get so mired down in your faults that you end up miserable and cannot get out.

Yesterday was a tough day dealing with German probate issues (still resolving my dad's estate, over a year after the fact.  But things are moving along, and it gives me and my brother a chance to improve our communication along the way...  see how I just spun that into a positive thing?  Yeah, that's what it's all about!)  Anyway, after dealing with really difficult German translations and paperwork yesterday and an argument with my brother, I started to feel quite overwhelmed.  I called my sister-in-law and she gave me a pep talk.  I sent off a couple of emails to friends in Germany who might be willing to help out with this, and *thankfully* they replied this morning and are willing to take on the task.

I figured instead of diving right into the paperwork again this morning, I would have a little "me" time and take the dogs up to Round Valley.  Hearing Meghan's words in my head to "do the things that make you happy"...  I was definitely motivated, even if not feeling at my fastest or strongest.

But the day was beautiful, and if anything was going to cheer me and give me strength, it would be running in the sunshine with the dogs in Park City.  Just remembering to put a smile on your face (sometimes you have to force it at first... but you know what?  after a little while, it really starts to make you feel better, and happy, and stronger... ) really can make all the difference and change your world around.  Luckily with dogs as cute as mine, I don't have to force the smile so much.

The trailhead at Quinn's Junction of Round Valley was deceptively dry today!  As we got up into the network of trails, the slipping and sliding became more frequent.  Indeed, the dogs were covered in mud and even elicited some comments from passersby.  My response was that they would have a date with the hose when we returned back to the house (I held true to my word once we got home.  The dogs were not happy with that).

The temperature was about 50 degrees (warmer than Salt Lake, at 44 degrees) and brilliant sunshine.  The high peaks and the ski slopes still have some snow on them, but the lower trails are relatively clear ~ except for the ice and mud in the shady patches, that is.

On the descent back down to the car, I slipped to one side, tried to hang on, and then just decided not to twist and hurt myself.  Instead, I took a hard whack to the knee and landed in the sagebrush.  I laid there for a minute, rubbing my knee, and Vernon came back to check on me and give me a kiss on the cheek (he's the German Shorthair Pointer in the photo above).  Well, at least the sagebrush smelled really good when I landed!

I walked for about 20 yards, and my knee felt fine, so I ran the 2 miles back to the car (we did a total of about 8 today).  What a gorgeous day!  And it gave me the strength to tackle that nasty German paperwork when I got home (I really got a lot done today as far as that was concerned).  A bad day running is better than a good day working, but actually I'm kind of looking forward to three soft days at work after my hard fall on the ice!