This morning I made fried Matzo half way for MIL and all the way for DH. DH likes his crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. MIL likes it soft and fluffy throughout. So I divided it in thirds, cooking DH's and my portion and after it was done, MIL cooked hers the way she preferred it.
When we actually had the go ahead to leave on our trip, that is when I made three reservations. One was for a tour of Carlsbad Caverns. Last time we were there in 1999, all of the ranger led cave tours were sold out. The only one we could go to was a self guided tour of the big room. It didn't help that on top of that I went down in the cave with prescription sunglasses on. And without the sunglasses, everything was fuzzy. So although darker, I could see better. And on top of all that the main reason I wanted to go to Carlsbad Caverns National Park was to see the bats and that was sold out too!
When looking at the tours to take, I choose one that said it had 16 steps and was classified as easy. At Mammoth Cave in KY, when it says 200 stairs, I know right away that it is not the cave tour for DH and MIL. 16 steps sounds like it's relatively level, however this tour had us descend 800 feet in an elevator as well as on a switch back style ramp. One third of the way down, I said we can abort the tour, but DH said no. So we then walked down two thirds of the way down and MIL was at that moment trying to decide if she should abort or not, however she decided to go all the way. The Ranger told MIL that they wouldn't be going fast as there was a lady with a walker on the tour. DH told his Mom that since he was down, he might as well take the tour. We did slowly ascend to the midway point of the ramp but then the last section was a killer. DH would walk two levels and then rest for 5 minutes. MIL wanted to power through it slow and steady. I stayed with her to make sure she was okay. When we reached the elevator to go back up, she was exhausted. DH was less tired as he had rested at the various intervals. Of course MIL is 21 years older then DH which is a big factor. She was saying she deserved a metal for surviving the tour. After the tour we had lunch in the cafe at the park. DH and I both wolfed down our lunches however MIL was too tired so she wrapped up her sandwich and drank a hot beverage instead. We bought her a pin that said Carlsbad Caverns National Park as her badge for making it down and back up again.
We left the park and went back to the motorhome. MIL crashed on the couch, I paid bills online, DH read and watched TV. I made chicken quesadillas as we had to be back to the park by 6:45 PM as that was when the Bat Flight Program began. Before we left the park earlier we notice they had handicapped parking lower in the canyon so it was relatively flat to the amphitheater. The ranger talked about the Brazilian Free-Tailed Bats which inhabit the cave. It was cool as the come out of the cave counter clockwise like s tornado. They swirl around and then groups pull away and leave for the South. Then eventually there is a steady stream of twirling flocking bats. MIL didn't go with us as she was worn out from her earlier adventure. There were huge thunderheads that were in Texas that we could see from the park. As we were leaving the park, it was so cool as the moon was behind the thunderheads and it outlined the clouds. Back at the motorhome and headed to Tucson, AZ tomorrow to visit MIL's daughter and DH's sister.
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