Cabin Getaway

A Success Story

Once upon a time I tried to wear contacts. 

It was the 10th grade and needed a driver's license, but I was practically blind in one of my eyes (apparently sometimes people like to drive with only one eye open or while wearing an eye patch, so this was a problem). 

So, I went to the eye doctor, and he prescribed me with one contact lens.  It took me about 30 minutes to put it in the first time, but eventually I was good to go, and I went on my merry way to the DMV.

Anyway, after about a month things started to get weird.  My eye began getting really really red, and it got the point that people began to notice.  Mainly the shady character I sat next to in Driver's Ed who asked if I was on drugs (a legitimate question for someone (me) who looked very much like a ten-year-old at the time). 

So, after that I stopped wearing the contact.  And I was left with a year's supply of unusable right-eye lenses.

A year or two later, I got glasses because my eyes were progressing toward blindness, and a year or so after that I thought, "Tons of people wear contacts.  I should try that out again."  So I went to the eye doctor and got two contacts this time.  And I wore them for a few weeks.  And I bought another year's supply.  And shortly after my eyes headed toward drug-lord status yet again.  So I was left with many expensive boxes of garbage.

It was irritating.

Wondering how this story will end?

Well, a few weeks ago I was talking to Scott about the contact saga of my life, and he suggested a few things that I'd never tried while wearing them.  Like phasing them in one hour at a time or using better cleaning solutions. So, I tried these things with my dusty supply of contacts, and now I can successfully wear them for ten hours per day!  I still need to wait a few more weeks before I declare this a complete victory, but it's going pretty well.

If it all works out, someday I will write an inspiring blog post book about pushing through the despair of being too sensitive for contact lenses.

15 Miles on the Erie Canal

We recently returned from a trip with the Bruening's to the Eastern United States (and across the river to Canada).  It was awesome.  Here are some funny highlights:

The trip began on our anniversary, so Scott and I spent our special day eating at McDonald's and sitting on an airplane.  And, just when you thought it couldn't get any more romantic, we spent the night in Ohio in a room with my little sisters who declared this anniversary "the best ever." 

Canada attempted to rip us off at every turn.  Don't be deceived when they tell you they accept American money because they'll give you change back in Canadian dollars.  This happened to me right before we headed home, so I ended up buying a lot of Subway sandwiches that day.

My brother, Scott, got severe burns on his knees from his canoeing trip with the Scouts (All in favor of vetoing all church camping trips, say Aye!), so we had to push him around in a wheel chair most of the time.  That, or he just found places to sit or lie down at every destination. I will never forget looking at the Niagara River and seeing Scott curled up on a slab of concrete next to it.

I've got a ton of photos that look just like this only the background is different.

We had an eventful trip to Denny's.  I've found it takes a special type of person to be a Denny's server.  Our NY server was not happy working on the 4th of July and serving 19 people with 1 cook in the back, so he gave each of us assignments to help pass out drinks and such and take orders.  I almost volunteered to scramble some eggs.

While we were in NY, we took some paddle-boats on the Erie Canal.  I think the highlight of the entire trip for me was when my dad yelled, "Ramming speed!" and tried to attack our boat...at between 2 and 3 mph.

Thank you Grandma & Grandpa and Mom & Dad for taking us on a fun trip!