Vacation = Relaxation Part 2

Be sure you've caught up with our adventure thus far:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2019/08/vacation-relaxation-part-1.html

Although there is no longer a formal dress code for dinner at the Windsor Dining room, we are traditionalists.  (What's wrong with a jacket and tie?)  Skytop is a special place for us and we like to dress appropriately.   My son is especially enamored with the classic look, which is just one of the many reasons why he loved the resort.  He can dress as he wants and as he feel comfortable with no qualms.


We arrived at the Windsor Dining room, we introduced ourselves and the greeter immediately knew that we were to be taken care of by Charise.  As per Colleen, Charise had not been working at Skytop for very long, but she completely understood the allergy situation and Colleen made sure she was well informed and trained.  She made a delicious meal even more enjoyable and since our family dines out infrequently (due to two things:  my allergies and cost).  And our meal was DELICIOUS.  I enjoyed the chilled mango and ginger soup (and I'm not a chilled soup person), rack of lamb and sorbet for dessert.   Both of the boys had the filet mignon as their main course, which was cooked to perfection and my husband tried the red velvet torte for dessert while my son had...ok...I can't remember, but it was something raspberry.  (You can't go wrong with raspberry!)  It was a marvelous meal!


After dinner (and thanking Charise for taking such good care of us), we sat by the fireplace (which was not lit) in the Pine room.  Saturday night are for music and dancing.   My favorite part is of course, the elimination dance and Grand March:  (https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2017/08/tradtions-elimination-dance-and-grand.html). We were surprised that the music had not already started, but...My husband had promised we would dance, but unfortunately we never did.  My son and I did get up for the elimination dance.  We DID follow directions and left the dance floor when we picked the wrong number.  (Wish I could say the same for the rest of the people on the dance floor!)  We also participated in the Grand March which is always a lot of fun, even when people don't listen and follow the simple direction.  (The activities staff people who run this do a great job and they must have an incredible amount of patience because trying to keep everything running smoothly is next to impossible!)  After the Grand March punch is available (and I'm sure more people took advantage of the beverages available in the Library Lounge...an extremely unique bar/lounge that if you're visiting you MUST check out!).  There was more music (and some questionable dancing) before my husband and I went back to the room.  Our son asked if he might stay and relax on the South Porch (which I also think was his "place" to text and chat with friends).    This another reason why I/we love Skytop so much...my son can do what he wants/explore/be independent and we know that he's safe.  
Yes, I made him wear the birthday hat!
We got ready for bed and I attempted to hang up some birthday streamers for my son.  (I figured when he came up it the room would be semi-dark and he'd be too tired to notice.)  Around 11 I texted him to come up by 11:30, which he did.  The only issue was (and perhaps this would be solved if we splurged and got a suite) that his getting undressed and prepared for bed is a PROCESS for him and it's NOT quiet.  (He may be a teen, but he's very meticulous about certain things.)  I just want to go to sleep!
Sunday: It's the boy's birthday!  How 14 years have flown by!
I actually slept in, which for me, even on vacation, means past 6!  To sleep until 7 is unheard of for me.  My 14 year old son was awake and out the door by 8:30.  (He does like to sleep in, but maybe sharing a room is a good thing!)



 Before we went to breakfast, I told my son we needed to do our annual birthday photo.  We went outside to do so and it was really bright. So I told him I needed to go to the car to get my sunglasses.  Little did he realize that I was going to get his birthday present.  (The vacation WAS part of the his celebration, but I got him something else too.  He SHOULD have known what it was and figured it out when I told him NOT to take the box out of the car or look in it, but...When I walked back both guys were sitting in rocking chairs on the NORTH porch.  
   Pleased with his gift, we headed into breakfast.  Charise was also on the morning shift, and she immediately remembered that I asked to have a pot of coffee on the table.  (I knew it would be easier for her.  We drink a lot of coffee!)  The boys headed to the buffet while Charise and I discussed what I would have for breakfast.  (In order to be safe and avoid any allergen cross contamination, she would bring me a plate directly from the kitchen.)  Had a huge breakfast (because it will tide us over to lunch) which included lox (but no bagels...what they claim to have as bagels Charise, my husband and I all agree are NOT bagels) and toast.  It had to be wheat toast because the white bread had EGG FLOUR in it.  (Who the HELL came up with that???).  Thank goodness Charise was looking out for me!  (And thank Colleen for assigning such a diligent young woman to our table!)  It was a delicious and filling (since we don't do lunch) meal for all of us.
My son and I decided to go for another walk around the lake.  He changed into his "walking" garb and we enjoyed a stroll around Mountain Lake (clockwise)
 





When we finished, instead of walking back up to the lodge, we headed down Leavitt's Branch Road to the Lakeview Inn.  However, before we got there, we took a path that lead us across the Leavitt Branch of the stream and ended up on the far side of the lower lake.  (Which is where there is swimming and a giant Wibit for families to play on.  Don't know if it is exactly my cup of tea, but it does look like a lot of fun.  Maybe some year I will try it.  Some year I will try swimming in the lake again.  I haven't done that since I was a little girl!  How's that for dating myself?)  At that point my son decided to give the Leavitt Falls Trail a try.  Hiking solo is a no-no in my book, so I followed.  We had done part of the trail before and it is beautiful, but it also one of the most difficult trails on the property.  Thanks to my son carrying/using a walking stick AND the ropes that Rick, the Naturalist at Skytop, had put up, we managed to make it further than we ever had before.  However, towards the end of the trail the drop is quite steep and not wearing hiking shoes I did not think it was a wise idea to continue (from what I understand we completed over half the trail). So we turned around and headed back the way we came.  Some time I WILL (with help) do this trail.  (I spoke with Rick during our stay and he usually runs a hike there on Sunday mornings, but had injured himself this summer and was unable to do so.)


 The two of us made our way back to the Inn and Callaways.  The kid said he was hungry, but actually just wanted a drink.  He hung out there while I made my way back to the Lodge.  I was hot and tired, but felt that I had gotten a good workout!

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