Informal Poll

poll by twiigs.com

What's Going on?

More of a rhetorical question really. Stephan's done with work for two days- he's going to work cows Thursday and Friday. I spent the day making Halloween costumes for Red and Besa. Besa is going to be a bumblebee- using mainly a nylon trick-or-treating bag we found in Missoula. Red's costume is more complicated- she's a cow with our brand on her left hip. So far they aren't too happy about wearing clothes, but not too upset either. Red fell asleep in hers this afternoon, so it must be comfy!

I don't think I'll be dressing up this year since I have to see clients and the Strawberry Shortcake costume I own just doesn't seem professional.

Stephan.... well, he's full of surprises.

New Fun

I tried this once before but it didn't work so well. But now you can scroll to the bottom of the blog and check out my Nike+ data (that is, how often, how far, how fast I've been running). I figure it's good motivation to tell the world. My goal is to run 100 miles before the end of the year. So far I've got 64.4 under my shoes.

Anyone want to share their goals with the world? Just post what you're planning on doing BEFORE the end of the year (I'm not all about New Year's Resolutions) and feel inspired! This is the one time I'll allow anonymous commenting - as long as you're on the topic - so go for it!

Glacier Trip

I finally got around to uploading all the photos from our short trip to Glacier National Park. Like I said, we arrived at 7am and drove around until about 11am. It was really cold and I was scared to death of bears, so I stayed in the car most of the time.

We didn't see any bears. But check out some of my favorites: this one with Stephan and the girls, this one of one of the actual glaciers (before they're all melted), and this one that has my favorite fall colors in it.

Enjoy!

Problems with Authority

We left Baker at 8pm, arrived in Browing, MT (about 1 hour East of Glacier National Park) at 5am. We slept in the car (in the hospital parking lot) from 5am-7:30am, then took off for the park. We tooled around the park for a few hours, Stephan took this photo, then we went up to the border.

When I got home and saw the photos from the trip I realized why the Canadians didn't want us in their country. They asked us if we had "access to any funds" beyond the $200 we brought with us. They asked us if we had any weapons, firearms, alcohol, anything we were planning on selling, drugs, or cigarettes. Then they asked us when the last time was that we were in court. And the time before that? Any drunk-driving charges? What was our purpose for visiting Canada? How long would we be staying? Where would we be staying?

After about 45 minutes they let us pass. Looking at this photo, I'm surprised they let us in at all.

And, since Stephan told me specifically not to post this photo, I'm doing it anyway. Good luck buddy.

Overheard: On the Phone

Me: Hi Dad, we're back in Montana!

Dad: Are you back from the nether-world?

Me: Well, we're back from Canada, we may still be in the nether-world.

And it's true. More to come.

Off Again

Because we can't seem to sit still lately (and it just gets worse and worse) we're on our way to Calgary Canada this weekend. Where will we be?

Here.

I know, I know, it's a little crazy.

I'm sure we'll have lots of stories when we get back.

Two More Reasons...

As if I needed any more.

Overheard: In Bed (not icky)

Him: What is that smell?

Me: What? Did you fart?

Him: No. Your face stuff.

Me: It's the same stuff I put on every night. German Chamomile.

Him: Well it's very strong right now- move out of my face.

Me: What's wrong?

Him: It's effervescing in my eye.

Me: Remind me tomorrow of that phrase tomorrow: effervescing in my eye.

It did WHAT?!

Dear Don & Melissa,
I'm really sorry I didn't take any photos of the Sausage Supper last night. I had a really bad headache and by the time I got there it was almost over. Besides, the more interesting news this weekend is the over 1 foot of snow that fell last night. The blizzard started just as the supper was over (about 8pm) and continued until just before 9am (I think, I was sleeping). Anyway, it's amazing. I've never seen snow so early in the year before. Stephan left for work an hour early- which was good because he'd be stuck here now!

I Should Get Paid for This pt. 2

In an effort to take the pressure off of Stephan to get all the house winterizing done, I just finished putting up that plastic stuff on the 3 windows in the front room. And, since it was 3:30 am when I started- and, trust me, I firmly believe that NOTHING should start at 3am, just ask these people- I was thinking...

Who invented this stuff? What were the first trial products like? Was it the same people who brought us the Shrinky Dinks? (seriously, that video cracked me up, I love how shrinkable plastic is actually the answer to the anti-family culture perpetuated in the later 2000's). Is this the adult version? Is this what I get for growing up? I've replaced Shrinky Dinks with Energy Efficient Shrink Film, Strawberry Shortcake for the Zone Diet, Spider-man roller-skates for Nike+ cross-trainers, and My Little Pony for roping and riding.

Ok- that last one has not entirely happened yet, but would be TONS of fun if it did!

**Edit- when I posted this an ad popped up asking "Do you have ADHD?" Alright... who told on me??

Actually, Pretty Good Weather!

I often write about how crappy the weather in SE Montana is- either too hot or freezing, always with ridiculous wind. This week, though, has been gorgeous. it's been in the mid-60's, sunny, breezy (ok, sometimes downright blustery), but wow, beautiful. It's fall here, despite the lack of trees. There are a few places, mostly near streams, where trees grow and the leaves there are all gold and falling. It smells great- just under the trees. Like pockets of fall.

The annual Plevna Volunteer Fire Department Sausage Supper is this weekend, so posting may be spotty depending on how the grinding, stuffing and cutting goes.

I've maxed out my photo limit on Flickr (mostly because I'm cheap and won't pay for a pro account), so I'll try posting photos from last year on the blog. Meanwhile, check out last year's post for tedious photo links.

Follow Up

No, I certainly didn't take that photo. The snakes we saw were all very small (except the green one, which was medium sized), and I couldn't find a photo of a small enough one that represented what we saw. So, imagine that but smaller. Here's what happened:

A beautiful fall morning, we go for a jog out toward the cemetery. I'm focusing on not dying, so I'm not paying much attention to what's around me. As I glance down I see that I'm about to step on a little snake. So I scream, jump in the air, flail my arms and legs around (to.... what? Distract it? I don't know), and keep walking. Luckily that snake was dead. It was a rattle snake.

A few yards up was a larger green snake splayed across the road, obviously dead. I did make Stephan stand between me and it so I couldn't see it.

Later, while running up a hill I saw another baby snake, this one coiled on the far side of Stephan. I scream again, and run very fast down the road. At this point I want to go home- but that means passing the three snakes again. So we keep running away. Stephan tells me that it's so cold that the snakes are probably frozen (some hooodee ha biology geek speak) and may warm up and move off the road.

So we turn around- he throws rocks at the snakes, which are all dead. Yippie. As we're almost back home (less than 1/4 mile away from the house) again I see a snake just before I'm about to step on it. More screaming. More flailing. Another baby rattler, dead- thank GOD. Stephan pokes at it, fascinated. I'm glad I didn't eat breakfast.

Again, I'm not running outside again until the ground has frozen and those suckers are tucked away for good.

Snake. Time. People.

- or -

The 4-snake run.

Long story short (I'll fill in later)- we went for a run this morning and saw 2 [dead] baby rattle snakes and 2 other green colored snakes, also dead. I only screamed for 2 of them, both I jumped over as I ran.

And, people, sorry to say I'll not be running THAT particular path again until the ground is good and frozen.

In Case You were Wondering...

1. Yes, we did listen to the VP debate Wednesday night. We heard it in the car on public radio. I had to throw chew-toys at Stephan to keep him from barking while driving. We were both screaming at different times. Stephan was most upset by her use of the word "Maverick" and I just kept wondering how "Drill Baby Drill" was supposed to make anyone comfortable.

2. The white cat has feline Herpes. It's a disease that's not transmittable to humans or dogs, and has infected his right eye so he cries all day. Stephan thinks it's grosser than when the dogs had tapeworms... hmmm... licking your sister's butt or licking strange cats' privates... I think the dogs are the deviants here.

3. Mrs. K. is still doing well, if you see her please feed her.

4. Seriously, if you saw something positive Thursday night that I'm missing, email me, call me, post here, tell me why she shouldn't be seen and not heard.

5. It all just goes to show you that there must be balance in life. I love Montana, but it's filled with gross things (like the huge spider I just killed IN OUR BEDROOM), and I love Chicago, but I hate the traffic, the noise, the crowdedness, the commercialism, the air pollution... I guess that isn't really balanced though.

Seriously in Need of Sleep

It took 19 hours for us to drive home yesterday. We left at 4am, arrived home at 11pm. Stephan drove 18 of those hours, but he didn't have to go to work today. Instead he stayed home and helped fix a roof on a milk barn, put the bucket on a tractor, push-started an old tractor, put chains on tractor wheels, and towed a truck with a tractor.

He really knows how to wind down!!

Him: How to wind down?

Me: Wind.

Him: I know. I hate the English language.

Where We've Been

Me: What should I write about? What should I say?

Mom G.: Well, Lorelei is doing better...

Him: No, just start with something about us watching the Cubs from not too far away from the friendly confines.

Me: Uh, how should I tell them why?

Him: Just tell them we were here checking on Mom.

Mom G.: Mom K.

Him: Mrs. Koruba, people know her by that.

Me: What should I tell them?

Him: That she was dehydrated, she went to the hospital, and now she's back home.

Mom G.: Yeah. What else? Don't say the thing about eating too much.

Me: That's the thing about blogging- I'm the one who's doing the typing, so I can type anything I want.

Mom G.: Did she spell all the words correctly? (watching TV) Giovanni? That's not how you spell Giovanni... Like Antoinne, people are spelling it Antwan... silly.

Him: It's phonetic.

Mom G.: Yeah.