Gone and back again

The Hatch family snuck away!  We told as few of people as possible, got some homework for the kids and left the ranch as the sun set.....
People come to places like Anahim Lake to 'get away', and we head for the bright lights instead.   Hotels (with pools of course!), restaurants, and shopping!

We were away for five nights and I have to say, I'm really, really delighted to be home.  I don't mean to whine, but hotel beds are not as comfy as mine, eating out is over-rated and EXPENSIVE and shopping is fun but darn hard on the bank account!
Don't get me wrong, we had a wonderful time and I'm pretty excited to say that most of my Christmas shopping is done (earliest ever).  The boys absolutely love the swimming and being catered to more than usual.  Lazer tag, movies, eating out and arcades are amazing for 6 and 9 year old country boys!  We got to visit with some wonderful long time friends and see some new country too.....great trip.  

I'm also totally excited that I got my Christmas present early this year....a really nice Bradley smoker........  YUM!  Busy looking up recipes and anticipating our next meals....  I'm really looking forward to making our own lunch meats (summer sausage etc).    
Trips like these are necessary, and we should do them more often.  It is great to get a break away from home, and makes us appreciate our home and lifestyle 

even more.

One of the last good decent shots I got with my old camera....at my father in law's place in Mexico.  

So, funny story.  I've had a good camera with an amazing lens for quite some time.  However, it stopped working properly quite some time ago (like, years ago).  I've tried all sorts of different setting and asked many people, but kinda figured it was a fairly major problem.   Although I quite appreciate my little camera and my phone camera, I've really missed have a 'good one' lately, so thought I would finally bring it to a shop to see if someone could fix it.  So I brought it on our little holiday.  Now, I don't know if it was the -20 I left it in by accident, or the kids stomping on it (also by accident of course), but all of a sudden on our trip I hear "click, click, click, click, click, click, HEY IT'S MY TURN, click, click click".  

Yep, the camera is working fine?!?!???

Mum and I and the boys moved the first and second calvers in to the ranch today, to start feeding, and I took a few shots.  I most certainly need some practicing (and some lessons), but the camera worked all day.  How strange is that?

  

Not enough snow for the snowmobile, but good fun with the sleigh behind the quad anyhow!  

 Happily heading for the ranch and the hay bales!  

My turn!  

     

So I'm pretty excited to be home, have a good working camera (holding my breath on that one) and new adventures in cooking and smoking with Bradley....

I'll keep you posted.  

As Always,

Punky