day 4 of 8

Mom: "this is my slinky dress and here are the heels I got to go with it. Sandy and I want to go dancing"
Pops: "Well you guys should go"
Mom: "I meant with you and Michael!"
Pops: "I don't think so"
Mom: "What, do I need to get a new husband who likes dancing?"
Pops: "Don't worry, you will be a widow soon enough..."

The holidays are just getting started, folks.

an Arizona Christmas

It seemed like such a good idea at the time.

My parents have two houses. "The Mausoleum" in Spokane (17 rooms, 5 bedrooms) and the "Casita" in Mesa (9 rooms, 3 bedrooms). The pic above is out the back yard - gorgeous view of the Superstition Mtns. When asked where we wanted to spend Christmas this year I let Aims decide. She went for the better weather and selected Arizona. Months ago.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. The 'rents decide they are going to sell the house in Spokane, sell the house in Mesa, and get a bigger house in Mesa. Sounds great, right? Well, until they decide to put the Casita on the market WHILE WE ARE VISITING FOR CHRISTMAS.

Now if you/ve never been in this situation, your life is dictated by your real estate agent, the house must be impeccably clean, and you could have to vacate the house at any time. Perfect conditions for a vacation. Particularly when you have a 12 year old boy along. And me.

Needless to say, it's day 2 and not very relaxing.

Thanks to Nick Bonzey for this one

http://nonamerah.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/869/

Want to know what your co-workers are making?

Well, if you work for the feds, there's an easy place to find out:

http://www.fedsdatacenter.com

I was surprised to find that my "official" title is, wait for it:

'Social Sciences Student Trainee'

huh?

The current photo

The photo above was taken while I was hunting - it's a shot of the Bridger Mountains looking across the Shields River.

It was a happy time even though I had no luck at hunting.

"Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length"

Robert Frost, Witness Tree, 1942

I, for one, would prefer a bit more length and a bit less height.

Just once.

Sad

Steve & Kate are gone.

And I'm sad.

They are headed back to NC, away from the savage beauty and craziness of Yellowstone.

It's a hard place, is this, and not everyone is cut out for life here.

I wish them both nothing but the best.

Stress, Performance, and Situational Awareness

Yep, I will be teaching those subjects tomorrow.

For today, though, I have a ton of stress, low performance, and no situational awareness.

I think it's coffee time...

Bloody cold

High of zero today.

And it was -35 at West Yellowstone this morning.

The snow has turned into sand.

Restless

Been busy, no doubt about that.

Work is busy, EMS is busy (in that we're working on ambulances, not too many calls), and things are always busy at the house.

With hunting season over and park roads closing, I'm finding myself eager to get out. Get out of the GYA. Just drive. Drive for no reason other than the rush of driving fast with the music loud. To sing loudly. See the country. Feel free.

I've got 63 hours between now and work Monday morning.

Off I go.

As the great poet Jagger once said,

"You can't always get what you want."

Good times.