Clean and ladylike in Yosemite Valley

Well, Dear Readers, I had a deliciously slow and meditative weekend  in Yosemite Valley.  The skies were bright blue, the sun was warm, and the backdrop of the Valley was unusually shimmery.  It was perfect for my dear Mom-in-law Clara's  first trip to Yosemite and our intergenerational family road trip.

Mom reveled in the rustic grandeur of the Ahwahnee. I was similarly entranced, but for more pedestrian reasons.  It was a mind warp to be in the lap of luxury in an environment I've only known as a scruffy camper and worse, a scruffy and scumbag rock climber.  You would have been thoroughly embarrassed to watch me sashay around our fancy-ass hotel room, fancy-ass plush bathrobe flapping as I pranced around dorkily.  There was a fancy-ass bathtub into which I tossed three packets of fancy-ass bath salts.  However, be assured that  I remain a badass, scruffy mountain  mama, as I only indulged in the soaks after beating myself up on a couple of trail runs.

'Scruffy' and 'scumbag' indeed - my usual hygiene practice in Yosemite consists of sneaking into the Curry Village showers once the body odor begins to attract bears.  Thus, the luxury of maintaining such a high level of daintiness  in an otherwise stinky-macho environment was quite the novelty and brought out the lady in me.

See?  Some lady, eh?  I kept saying to Mom, "Look at us! Two swell broads out on the town!"

You worldly sophisticates out there will recognize  the Ahwahnee Dining Hall, a truly grand setting. "Just like something out of King Arthur!" exclaimed Mom.
 
 

The Christmas Tree was already up in the lobby.   It was so sparkly and festive that I couldn't go into my annual bitch storm about the premature arrival of Christmas and that the decorations shouldn't show up until after Thanksgiving, damn it.

 

                                          
Also, proof that the Apocalypse is nigh -  I'M WEARING LIPSTICK, PEOPLE.   But, just to balance that out, my hair's kind of  a mess.

I have more to share, most especially the tale of Mom's epic hike up to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls.  Now we're talkin' badass mountain mamas!

Comments

[wordgirl]

You guys look great. As for the lipstick, I find that even when I'm going barefaced, I need a little lip color. Without it, I'm afraid someone who didn't know better might try to check for a pulse.

[GraceD]

Welcome, Wordgirl!

Yuppers on the lip color. Another one of my elders told me that she has 'reached the age' where she has to wear lipstick. I'll get to that point probably sometime next year.

[Ms. Jane]

The Jane Family do not camp, and are forever having people trying to get us to do it.

Several years ago, Himself and I headed up to Yosemite for the weekend. I told my beloved scruffy and scumbag rock climber friend that I'd gone up there.

He smiled beatifically and pronounced "We'll get you camping yet!"

"Perhaps," I said lightly, then said as I flounced out of his office with a hair flip "We stayed at the Ahwahnee..."

Isn't it just the BOMB???

[susanna]

My seeester (the one of whom you remind me) got married at the Ahwahnee. Or she had her reception there. The wedding was in the chapel on the Valley floor.

Tres mountain chic, you and my seester are.

And you and the mother-in-law are fabulous.

[Jenny]

fantastic, Grace!

[Margaret]

What wonderful times and you look terrific in lipstick, Grace. It makes you look very powerful! I prefer myself in color because it takes away from my wrinkles.

[Kris]

You freakin' go you bad-ass mommas, you. You with the lipstick (which I have NEVER seen you wear) and she with the hike to lower falls? You guys friggin' take the effing cake. I only wish I could be there to revel in your bad-assness. An inspiration to us all.

As for me, it is all about the eye-liner. I can get out of the house without the lipstick, but not the eye liner. I have considered doing the perm make-up (read "tatoo your freakin' eyes"). Alas, I'm not as bad-ass as you are...at least not yet. I'm only 38, you know!

[Marilyn]

I really do need to get to Yosemite...it's grown embarrassing that I'm a native Northern Californian and still haven't been there. As for 'cleaning up,' lipstick is the ONLY cosmetic I wear these days...I gave up even the rudimentary basics when we moved to the tropics. It was a bit alarming though to return stateside, go to my first hair appointment here (with a new stylist) and have her (with her shockful of gorgeous gray hair) tell me that "as we grow older, we have to be careful what lipstick shades we wear"...how the pigment begins to drain from our skin with age...she insisted on selling me another color than what I was wearing (she also does colors). So now every time I apply lipstick, I picture myself as a pale old bag. Thanks a lot, lady! I might be 50 on the outside, but inside I'm still climbin' rocks...at least metaphorically... (And yes, I found another stylist after that.) :)

[pam]

Well, you had to wear lipstick, didn't you? It balanced out the beautiful gold shawl. Plus, you couldn't let your companion outshine you! You both look beautiful. You're so lucky to have such a great MIL.

[Jim]

And yummy lipstick it is...

[ComfortAddict]

I love how you smile in the pictures that you post, Grace. The warmth from your heart beams right through.

[nina]

Dear, dear Grace. You and your MIL rock! Have a most wonderful Thanksgiving. Much love from the land of rain (well, fog today) and Space Needles.

[Vicki]

I love these pictures of you and your MIL-you and your lipstick smile. (makes my lips stick together just thinking about it)

I came by to wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. When I say Grace, I think of you. I'm thankful you live in my blog neighborhood!

We're under 5 inches of snow and more on the way. :-)

[badger]

Yup, she beams just like E.T....??? hahaha!

that was the first superfancy restaurant i ever was in! i was so terrified. Doss took me there... her roommate Alessi was working in the park as a doctor and we got a free place to stay! And so snootily, alessi sent her fish back to the kitchen as overdone. i had never thought of such a thing! omg, high-handed! They paid for my dinner.

[Crystal]

Happy Thanksgiving!!