Wendy's trip log: Alice In Wonderland Experience, Camp, horse racing and home demo.

Summer fun

August 2022

This is a hodge podge of odds and ends that pretty much happened in the month of August It's also a great representation of what my life has looked like this summer. Weekends have almost always included time at the race track to watch one of the two horses run, spending time at camp, and working on the house, but there are a few out of the norm activities that I have been to in between and this Alice In Wonderland Experience was one of those such activities.

My friend AnneMarie invited me to join she and her friends to this different activity identified as The Alice in Wonderland Experience. Basically, you go around an area searching for clues and items that will guide you to another area. You have to answer questions and take challenges based both on Alice in Wonderland and to the area. Many of the participants dressed in Alice in Wonderland garb. I choose to be the White Rabbit.

I must say, it was not what I expected, but then again I didn't really know what to expect. I guess I had hoped that there would be more hands on Wonderland items located within the community. I kind of expected big billboards or giant plastic mushrooms, perhaps a set of croquet. But this EXPERIENCE was 100% on your phone. Each team has a lead and the lead holds the answers as well as the ability to go on to the next point. It is my understanding that when we located an area the phone would connect and be alerted that we had met that desired location. I totally didn't understand, so I just walked with my team and did what I was told. There were times when we had to shake our phones or tap a space on the phone. It was simply just different. I was grateful for the experience, but I would not do something like this again. We did end up completing, but that was simply 100% due to AnneMaries husband, because I was not at all aware of wth I was doing.

My friend Nicole as the Queen of Hearts and a really great looking White Rabbit.

Let me tell you about the HORSES.....Well, I think I have spent at least every weekend that I have been home this summer at the track. This track to be specific. Vernon Downs. Every weekend, one of our two horses and sometimes both are running here. It makes sense, the barn is right around the corner, and the farm is also nearby, so racing at Vernon is perfect. The track is not like it used to be folks, it has become a family affair and each weekend in an attempt to draw in a crowd, this place has some strange and fun activities added to the race and keep families interested in coming. The horse toss for example.

For a $1 a horse people can buy a little horse to toss in a moving barrel after the 7th race for a chance to win prizes and at the end of the season you have a chance to win a car. I have only tried this one time, and found that I either have terrible aim or the difficulity level is higher then it looks. Of course it's fun and kids that help pick up the lost horses, (most of these shown here) get a free ice cream. The encouragement of families is a free bounce house, miniature horse races, costumed figures, free blueberries, free pies, and free cobbed corn followed by the corn on the cob eating contest.

The contest was quite the sight to see. So....despite the idea that horse tracks are mostly about gambling, they also have morphed into a fun filled family event. I would be there regardless to support the horses, they have become "part of the family", but having these little perks certainly make the time a bit more exciting.

Best is when the horses come running in for the last leg. I have a tons of videos of either Kisses or Crazy Beach coming on down that dirt path....me yelling like a psycho in the audio. Often the clip ends with me cheering, but there have been a few where I have a hint of sadness in my voice. Ahhhh, he didn't win.

Mark has made it his passion and his blackmail to get as many of his friends/co-workers to come out to watch at least one of the races. He generally gets a crowd of friends to come out and cheer the horse on. He has always invited these people to go in with us to the winners circle should that be the outcome, and he has been known to give every single person a picture of themselves in that winner circle. There have been some times when the photo department couldn't keep up. (And his pockets are empty at the end.)

We have all had to experience the track and we have all been either beaming with happiness as we stand in the winner circle or walk away to the car saddened by the terrible loss.

Regardless of the outcome, these are OUR horses and we just love the role they have in our lives. I love watching how excited Mark gets when talking about them, I love how he has become the Carrot Guy as he makes weekly trips out to the barn to feed each and every horse in that barn a few carrots. He will enter and rattle that bag...every horse head will suddenly poke out of the stall and say HELLO.

Going to the track has become the norm, and although, I never thought I would be that person who would be hanging around watching horses run, here I am. I still don't officially bet, I likely never will, but I swill cheerlead, pick the horse I hope to do well, and loose my cool when one of our two horses takes the 1st place win.

Another part of my life has become camp.

My camp life has it's own little unique community. Some of the friendships that I have developed out at the camp will impact my life forever.

I love spending my days both in the outdoors and with long lazy hours of communication with good people while spending my nights next to a burning fire and a few smores. I also love sleeping in my camper. I always sleep so well nestled in the little hole where my bed is, windows open and the fan blowing. I love long mornings slowly drinking coffee as I watch the camp world come to life, my dogs nose perked as someone is cooking bacon.

I love friends and family joining me for a few cocktails and fun. I love walking across the park and always having an invite to a meal, or a gathering or some late night Karoke.