I have great admiration....

....for people that work hard because I don't, but I also have great admiration for people that schedule in some R & R with their hard work. Randy works very hard and our rest and relaxation this past couple of days has been Lake Tahoe......

.....where we chose to visit some mansions of the rich and famous of days gone by.

We talked a bit about our fascination with how the rich spend their money and these two beautiful places were just exactly what I would have purchased had I had their millions back then. First, the Vikingsholm Mansion, which was a mile hike down to the lake......read about it HERE. Most amazing.

I first saw this when we rode the Dixie Queen a few months ago (this is the view from the front of the mansion) and really wanted to go inside. It was only a mile down...but that meant a mile back as well. .....gained a greater appreciation for the "mile"....but we made it and it was really worth it. Money well spent, I would say.

The next one was the Ehrman Mansion....read about that one HERE. It was built in the early 1900's and was enjoyed by family and friends as they were invited to the property and treated with the highest degree of elegance from amazing beachfront amenities to formal dining every night at 7:30....(complete with a washed and gased car upon departure.)....and speaking of cars......

.....we stumbled onto "Hot August Nights"....read more about that HERE. We enjoyed wandering and admiring the restored vehicles and taking advantage of the craft fair and entertainment.

I especially enjoyed Sharon and the Chevelles....read about them  HERE . I could have listened to them all day...my kind of band. I enjoyed wandering the shops and meeting people, finding out where they are from....etc. etc....just doing the touristy stuff. Loved the beach, the pools and we found some "wings to die for" at Goodfellas Pizza...had them both nights. It was a great time.....now I'm resting from the R & R. So....there you have it. Work is necessary but so is play. It's always fun to take advantage of the beauty that is close by....it doesn't have to be extravagant....just a drive to Pine Valley, Zion, and now, for me,  Lake Tahoe. For the beauty of the earth I am grateful this day.