Overdue for a wonderful experience, a\u00a0special time with my husband, I have recently been blessed and able to experience a number of wonderful experiences in just two days.\u00a0 I am so happy and excited about this adventure that I need to share it with you…<\/p>\n
As my birthday is\u00a0also our wedding anniversary, 1991, that day was a Saturday this year, January 2013.\u00a0 Having a birthday on a Saturday is extra-special in this house = no having to report to the office, no pressing issues or errands\u00a0that cannot wait, no having to be apart from each other.\u00a0\u00a0It could be a perfect gift to ourselves, a renwal,\u00a0as long as\u00a0we remain light-hearted in our spontaneity\u00a0.<\/p>\n
Knowing these especially personal events were going to be on a Saturday, my gracious husband asked the magic question: “What do you want to do for your birthday?”<\/p>\n
“Well, hon,” I responded, “seeing as these celebrations are on a Saturday, why don’t we go for ride, go on an adventure, maybe get lost, have a picnic, let’s drive around Lake Tahoe.”\\\u00a0 We’ve never been there or done that, how does that sound to you?\u00a0 Nothing expensive.\u00a0 Simply wander and wonder in nature.\u00a0 Just for the day.\u00a0 The most expensive part of this road trip will be the gas.”<\/p>\n
“Mm, I like that,” he said.\u00a0 “I’ll do some internet research, get a map, and see if anything special is going on like a show or a concert.”<\/p>\n
With that plan in mind, I shared this with a few nearby friends.\u00a0 Cindy, a hotel manager, offered to get us a free hotel room in Reno, NV.\u00a0 With that in mind and highly excited with her gift, I accepted and reservations were made.\u00a0 We would be able to stay in Reno, Nevada, overnight.\u00a0 A dog-lover by nature,\u00a0Cindy also volunteered to dog-sit.\u00a0 You know, came in a few times a day to play with both of our dogs, feed them twice a day, and enjoy them.\u00a0 As the dogs are familiar with her, they were actually delighted!\u00a0 Ahh, the blessings began!<\/p>\n
The car is packed with our warm,\u00a0bulky winter jackets, duffel bags with clothes and toiletries, a change of shoes-from-snow-boots, a cooler with sandwiches, drinks, and insulin, we headed up the Sierra Mountain Range.\u00a0 By the time we were at 4,000 feet, my ears were popping.\u00a0 Not unusual.\u00a0 I just had not experienced this in a while.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Walls of snow along the highways’ edge gradually grew from 4′ to 8′ as we continued.\u00a0 Nice.\u00a0 Althought the snow was dirty, it was nice to see it once again.\u00a0 It had been a long time.\u00a0 Maybe two years since we ventured\u00a0into the mountains for the purpose of playing in the\u00a0snow, experiencing it.<\/p>\n
Our first stop was Emerald Bay (http:\/\/www.vikingsholm.org\/history%20of%20eb.html<\/a>)<\/em>.\u00a0 Intrigued by the name and the little we know of its history, we\u00a0exited the highway to see what was to be seen, if anything.\u00a0 The day was superbly clear and bright, the temperature no higher that 40 degrees at 1:00 in the afternoon.\u00a0\u00a0As this specific area was closed\u00a0to traffic and pedestrians for the season, we parked along the roadside\u00a0with many other\u00a0curiousity seekers and walked a deep, snow-filled path through the woods.\u00a0 A breathtaking view atop\u00a0a special spot\u00a0overlooking Lake Tahoe was magnificent!\u00a0 No, we didn’t take pictures.\u00a0 We didn’t have to.\u00a0 These pictures will stay in our hearts and memories.\u00a0 Ahh, take a deep breath.\u00a0 Fill your lungs with cold fresh air; exhale; greedily inhale the majesty again.\u00a0 That ‘s what we did.<\/p>\n Okay.\u00a0 Reverie over, stomachs growling, we returned to the car for the purposely prepared\u00a0picnic lunch.\u00a0 Gosh, the cliche\u00a0remains true about an adventure sparking ones’ appetite.\u00a0 It did for\u00a0us!\u00a0 Before gobbling, however, an insluin injection must precede this submarine sandwich stuffed with fresh vegetables.\u00a0 Not a problem.\u00a0 It’s my life with diabetes.<\/p>\n Slowly traversing down the winding mountain road, ears popping once again, we are back on the highway heading toward Reno, Nevada.\u00a0 As check in time was 3:00pm, we had plenty of time, not rushing for anything.\u00a0 Upon arriving, we found the hotel room to be exsquisitely furnished with a refrigerator, stove, cooking utensils and the like.\u00a0 After all, it is an Extended Stay America Hotel (http:\/\/www.extendedstayhotels.com\/Reservations\/SelectRoom.html?sid=70c6e015-b611-4600-9fcd-99a614952d1d<\/a>).<\/p>\n Once rested after this part of the four-hour drive, we changed clothes into something more special, formal.\u00a0 We didn’t know where we were to end up and wanted to be ready.\u00a0 This part of the adventure brought us to the Peppermill Casino (http:\/\/www.peppermillreno.com\/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=regional&utm_campaign=general%2Bbranded&gclid=CM2kq5a1kLUCFYp_QgodEzUASg<\/a>).\u00a0 Unfamiliar with its acoutrements, we hungrily wandered the active premises looking for a “nice place to dine.”\u00a0 Coming upon “Biminis Steakhouse” (http:\/\/www.peppermillreno.com\/dining\/fine-dining\/bimini-steakhouse\/<\/a>), we approached the maitre’d for seating.\u00a0 “Do you have reservations?” she asked.\u00a0 “No, we don’t,” I answered.\u00a0 “I wasn’t aware that reservations were required.\u00a0 But today is my birthday and our wedding anniversary.\u00a0 We were walking by and thought this would be a perfect setting for us to celebrate.”<\/p>\n “Well, okay.\u00a0 Let me see what I can do,” she responded as she overlooked\u00a0the available table spaces.\u00a0 “Here we go.\u00a0 I have an opening overlooking the pool\u00a0with its fountain\u00a0near a window.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Overdue for a wonderful experience, a\u00a0special time with my husband, I have recently been blessed and able to experience a number of wonderful experiences in just two days.\u00a0 I am so happy and excited about this adventure that I need … Continue reading