Shivering cold in August.

It's Monday night, and the original plan was for me to head up to the airport tomorrow to catch a flight back into Houston tomorrow. 

A little tropical storm had other plans for me.

It looks like I'll get to stay an extra night here in Albuquerque with my friends Aaron and Meredith. 

For the most part, we laid pretty low today. Aaron and I grilled some steaks that we had seasoned with some salt and pepper, garlic, olive oil, and fresh thyme from the garden. We also grilled up some red corn with green chiles wrapped around each ear. Meredith cooked some fresh green beans and baked this incredible homemade pie from scratch... it had berries, strawberries, apples, manna...

It was good.

To say we laid low all day would be, well, incorrect. The truth of the matter is that I saw more of Albuquerque today than I think I ever have.

After dinner we drove up to Sandia Crest, elevation 10,678 feet. We made it up there just as the sun was setting, but the sunset (or what we saw of it) wasn't that impressive. However, there was a storm rolling in. Dark thunder heads in the last light of day provided some great photos. Lightning in the clouds was also a nice effect on some of those long exposure shots.

Aaron and I both took photos of the city lit up that we are pretty proud of. 

I took pictures up there till my battery on my camera was almost dead.

We decided to head back down the mountain as it started to lightly rain. However, before we could leave, we noticed three teenagers (I'm guessing at their age) arrive near the parking area at the crest with flashlights. It was late, and the little concession stand/store was closed.

I asked if they needed anything, perhaps to borrow a phone to make a call. (Our ride was pretty tight already with the 3 of us adults and the baby in her car seat).

"Do you have anything to drink?"

"Yeah... I think we might."

I checked the front seat of the car, and a bottle of water that I had bought Saturday for our trip to Santa Fe was still laying in the front seat floor unopened. 

"Here you go, I bought this the other day, and never even opened it. God is good. Do you have someone coming to pick you up?"

"Yes."

With little else said, I wished them good luck and good night, and met up with Aaron and Meredith in the car.

It was an interesting drive down the mountain.

Oh, and we ate some of that pie a la mode when we got home. Aaron had to give Meredith a back rub it was so good. He would have probably done it anyway, but, man... that pie was good.