Actually it was a choice between the Trona Pinnacles and the Charcoal Kilns in Wildrose Canyon (in Death Valley), but it was supposed to be 97 today and that sounded too hot for the Pinnacles. The Charcoal Kilns are quite high up and it's always cooler there, so we went there. We left right after lunch.
Rocket Boy doesn't like me to make a big deal out of his birthday, in fact he would rather I forgot what day it is. This always leaves me in a quandary, because I feel that birthdays should be celebrated. You survived another year! You're still with us! Who cares how old you are? But not everyone sees it that way.
So I was pretty low-key about it today, I let him get up first and change the boos' diapers. When he said he wanted to mow the lawn, I said fine, do it. But when he suggested Death Valley, I also said fine, let's do it, even though it might not have been my FIRST choice of an activity for today.
But I'm always glad I went to Death Valley. It's such a weird, quiet place. And so empty today. The first time we went to the Charcoal Kilns, back in April, it was quite busy, with lots of people on their way to hike to Telescope Peak. Today -- NOBODY.
When we came here in April, Baby A was afraid of the kilns, but this time he was braver. He and Baby B ran happily in and out of first one kiln and then another, stomping their feet while inside to hear the echo.
After the kilns we drove a little further up the road, to the trailhead for Telescope Peak, but I was feeling a little dicey, so stayed in the car. It was nice, though, about 72 degrees with a glorious blue sky.
Then we drove to Panamint Springs and had an odd dinner at the restaurant there. We were the only ones in the restaurant, and when Rocket Boy told the waitress we were from Ridgecrest, she gave us a 15% discount. Since the food is quite expensive there ($8 for a hot dog), it was nice to have the discount.
Then we drove home. It's such a lovely area, such a lovely drive. I'm still getting the Kaiser Permanente good health newsletter for some reason, and in today's edition there was an article about reducing stress by having a "quiet mind." Death Valley is like one gigantic quiet mind. Driving home through Panamint Valley, and then Searles Valley, and then finally the Indian Wells Valley provides a lot of time and space for contemplation.
We stopped at Albertson's on the way home and got a little cake, and then we had a tiny celebration of Rocket Boy's birthday before the boos went to bed. (The tortoises just had lettuce.) Boos were funny -- kept taking little tastes of the cake while I was gathering up plates and candles and whatnot. We lit candles and Rocket Boy obligingly blew them out after I sang Happy Birthday. And then he opened his cards and gifts. I had gotten him a DVD of "The Brave One" and also made a photo memory book of every photo we ever took of Whiskers. He seemed very pleased with both gifts. Boos were impossible to put to bed after all that sugar, but eventually they did go.
Rocket Boy drives me batty much of the time, but after that terrible bout of pneumonia/valley fever/aspergillosis/whatever it was! last month I realized how much I would miss him if he were gone.
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