Monday, July 07, 2008

Getting Down and Dirty!

My husband and kids spent the better part of a recent week in Utah, riding ATV’s on a trail.


You can catch a couple of them near the top of this picture. From what they told me, they were caked in dirt and sweat for a day or two at a time--not to mention periodically having to scrape bugs off their goggles and teeth. But they had a wonderful time, and would go again in a heartbeat.

I, too, enjoyed my week (at home on call for Jury Duty), working on my book, rewatching episodes of “Seinfeld,” and taking an average of two hour-long walks per day. For walking in our hills--in any weather, including 100 degree heat--is MY idea of getting down and dirty. Especially with a bathroom shower so close at hand.

What does it for you? Sports like tennis or soccer? More subdued yet messy activities like gardening or cooking or ceramics? What gets you “happy dirty?” Leave us an answer in the comments...but please, keep it clean. ;)

Tina

Tina Ferraro
How to Hook a Hottie - Book Sense Top Teen Pick
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress - Finalist, National Reader’s Choice Award
www.tinaferraro.com

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Tina,
I have to say that I agree with your family. I just spent a wonderful week in Mexico, riding around on a Quad (ATV) and getting realy dusty and dirty. I won't reveal what birthday we were celebrating, but when the seven of us ladies pulled up on our quads, we surprised a lot of people.

Dona Sarkar-Mishra said...

Hmm, my idea of down n' dirty includes nothing related to dirt, mud, or removing anything else from underneath my fingernails... :)

I would much prefer to have a weekend like yours Tina!

Cara King said...

For me, "happy dirty" means crawling about in the nooks and crannies of a used bookstore in London, finding wonderful never-heard-of-by-me treasures for a bargain price.

Or sitting watching Iron Man yet again, popcorn shards littering my lap. ;-)

Cara

The Golfing Librarian said...

Growing up in Washington state, I became quite fond of hiking and being"in the mountains". However, the older I get, the more appealing the idea of being "choppered in" sounds. I recently had the chance to hike in Zions National Park and Capital Reef National Park -- LOVED it!

Chuck

TinaFerraro said...

Janie, I can just see you driving a big hog. Okay, an ATV, but same thing to me!

Dona, we're twins separated at birth!

Cara, crawling through London bookstores sounds fantastic. In fact, I spent some time in Hay-on-Wye, Wales a couple years ago, combing the bookstores.

Chuck, the choppered in thing sounds good to me, too. Have you actually done it?

Simone Elkeles said...

I like hiking in the mountains. It's relaxing, and you can't beat the scenery. You get all dirty, but you feel like part of nature which is cool.

stephhale said...

It looks like they really had fun! My boys would love to do that when they get a little bigger.
We get pretty dirty everyday playing in the sandbox but it's so fun! :)

Marley Gibson said...

Honestly, I'm not the outdoorsy type, unless it's sitting by the pool on a chaise. LOL! My happy dirty is in the kitchen cooking. Mixing, chopping, whipping, whisking, stirring...all of it. That's my sport! = )

Heather Davis said...

I spent plenty of time getting dirty in my summers in Alaska at fishing resorts -- fishing, moose hunts, whathaveyou... ;) Nowadays I get dirty cleaning out my closets. Is that messy enough? I make myself try everything on to see if it fits and if I still like it. Then, I give the really good stuff to my friends and bag up the rest for charity. Last weekend I came up with two dresses I didn't want anymore and gave them to my friends when I went over to a pool party! It was a good trade --rummage for pool! :)

TinaFerraro said...

Simone, I like mountain hiking, too.

Steph, yep, definitely boy-fun when they are old enough.

Marley, I kinda knew you'd be a dirty cookin' girl. I so admire your talent in the kitchen.

And Heather, terrific about cleaning out your closets and giving things away. And not to give away the ending to TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS, but suffice to say, Nicolette would approve!