Well, we made it!

We did, in the end, go to Yosemite.  It was under false pretenses, rather, but it as it all worked out in the end, it's OK.

On Thursday morning, we packed up and got ready to go, waiting to hear from the managers at the place where we were staying whether the water (which was off due to a broken main) was back on.  Now, I'm willing and able to go without water in the right circumstances, but those circumstances (not to put too fine a point on it) involve access to an outhouse (especially in the winter).  It's no fun to be in a house with no running water, if you can imagine what I mean here.  I will say no more.

We finally got the news that the main was fixed, and packed up and hit the road around 1:00 for what should have been a 7-hour drive.  (Shades of Gilligan's Island here.)  Around San Onofre, we realized that we had forgotten the camera.  We turned around.  One hour later, we were back at San Onofre.  (One ought not to have to see the same nuclear power plant twice on the same drive.)  And then we hit LA.  It took us a full hour to get through Santa Monica.  Santa Monica really isn't that large. But we finally made it up to Yosemite and to the house where we were staying at 10:00 (pm), to be greeted by my parents with the news that with regard to the water, not so much. 

Alas.

However, we all decided to make the best of it and headed to bed.  It was rather disconcerting on Friday morning when the manager made it clear that she assumed we had water and had to be told that, in fact (as I may have mentioned), not so much with the water.  We were assured that it would be on by the time we came back from our adventures in the valley, and further assured that if it were not fixed, we would be moved to a house with running water.  (Hooray!)

So off we went to Yosemite Valley.  We came through the tunnel in the road down into the valley to be met with this:

Talk about a perfect day for views.  We stopped to be tourists (of course).

The whole park was caught between burgeoning spring and winter.

New green growth and white snow were everywhere.  Especially on the trail that we took to hike to the bottom of Upper Yosemite Falls, which were in full flood.  It's one heck of a climb (about 1100 vertical feet over the mile and a half up), but the views of Half Dome through the trees were pretty inspirational.

And there were some places to stop and (literally) hang out.

(Note, I did not know about that until it had already been done.)(And yes, the drop just to the right there off that rock is exactly as precipitous as it looks.)

When we finally made it to the view of Upper Yosemite Falls, we felt like we'd really earned it.  And we found out later that they falls are probably the best they're going to be all year.

I'm convinced.  Do you see that they're falling into a huge snow pile there?  Amazing.

Evidence.

We also found a place to look down on Lower Yosemite Falls.  I didn't last long, I must admit.  Those are great big redwood trees way down there - we were high up.

The trails were wet and slick and steep, but beautiful in their own right.

It was a wonderful way to spend the day, even though there was still no water when we got back.  But we moved houses, and never was a hot shower more welcome.  You can also bet we all slept well.

The rest of the weekend was much the same.  We snowshoed, and snowshoed some more, and everyone went on a ranger hike (while I worked, sigh).  And on Saturday night, my parents treated us to a truly amazing meal at the Ahwahnee, which was quite an experience - I was lucky enough to sit with a view of Yosemite Falls through one of the huge cathedral windows.  The food was delicious, the views were like a postcard, and the company was wonderful; it was certainly a spectacular way to spend an evening.  (The girls were duly impressed by the grandeur of the dining hall, and Younger Daughter was particularly taken with the pianist: "Look, mama!!  It's not a radio!"  Heh.)

In the middle of all of that, I got very little knitting done.  In fact, most of what I did get done happened on the drive home.  So this is what I have to show for my weekend away.

One square of the Mitered Crosses Blanket from Mason-Dixon (proceeds go to Japanese relief efforts).  That's Noro Silk Garden in the middle, and Berocco alpaca (I think) worsted weight on the outside.  I'm knitting it on the amazing size six Signature needles that my beloved sister-in-law gave me for my birthday (can I just say how much I love Signature needles)(and my sister-in-law for knowing that I love Signature needles?  She also gave me size fives for Christmas)? 

And that's all the news that's fit to report!