Yosemite 2011

As indicated from Linda's distribution of some our pictures, we're back from our epic great circle tour through our western National Parks. We had a great time and are still speaking to one another, which is impressive considering we had to take turns blowing up the queen size air mattress every couple of hours when it died on us in Sequoia Nat'l Park. What was worse, getting up to visit the privy in 45 deg temps in the middle of the night, or feeling your rear gradually contact the cold hard ground - or both?! We made it through replacing the air mattress, breaking and jury-rigging two tent poles, and replacing a leaking propane cook stove.

We finally got to see the North Platte train yards (impressive) after many years of passing through, visited roommate John Latourrette and his wife at their mountain cabin NW of Reno, NV, and then hiked until our legs were putty in Tuolumne Meadows (pronounced "two owl on me"), Yosemite Valley, Sequoia, King's Canyon, and the Grand Canyon. The vistas were dramatic and we were extremely fortunate to be able to see active waterfalls in all areas due to the high snowpack from last winter. The ranger at Yosemite told us in her twenty years she had never seen Yosemite Falls still active in September. We saw lots of bears, elk (one right in camp sniffing in our car), marmots, deer, coyotes (one howling at the moon outside our tent one night), California Condors, bluebirds, magpies, woodpeckers, bison, etc.

We were conscientious about keeping hydrated and allowing for adapting to altitude changes, so we avoided those problems and were pretty much able to do everything we wanted. We didn't suffer from a lack of food either in spite of cooking dinners with the camp stove on a picnic table. We became expert at one-pot meals. We also splurged once in a while and took in dinner at the lodges in the parks, all of which were great quality at reasonable prices. We had to be extremely careful with our food and anything with a fragrance to use bear boxes and not leave anything in our car or the tent. Bears are known to pull the doors off of cars to get at any food left inside. We had no such encounters, thankfully.

We ended our great circle route by passing through Durango, CO and taking the narrow gage train up to Silverton and back. We decided to get up into the Rockies since we knew that at the end of September the aspens begin to turn a brilliant yellow. Sure enough, we hit it perfectly with the mountains streaked with golden foliage amidst the dark green firs and pines. What a sight! All the way home through Nebraska and Iowa we were trying to figure out what we should do next.....

Final Product!

I'm now 36 weeks! It's so hard to believe that I could have this baby at any time now. Weird. We've finally finished all but minor finishing touches in the baby's room/Mike's office and we have the majority of the things we'll need for baby. So now there's just that whole delivery thing. We can't wait to meet the little peanut!

O Laptop! My Laptop!

O Laptop! My Laptop! our fearful trip is done;

The ship has weather'd every rack; the prize we sought is won;

The school is near, the bells I hear, the students all exulting,

While follow eyes the campus map, the textbooks grim and daring:

But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Laptop lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

My Laptop does not answer, its lips are pale and still;

My motherboard does not feel my arm, it has no pulse nor will;

Yet I am anchor'd safe and sound; my voyage closed and done;

From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;

Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Laptop lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Thank you to Walt Whitman for providing the basis for the above verse. Since I started in verse, I figured I might as well finish in verse. Although they say these misfortunes come in threes, so there may be one chapter left to go. I'm crossing my fingers that all has passed, however. I have paid tuition, paid rent, bought textbooks, bought a parking permit, bought groceries, replaced my windshield, will soon be replacing the motherboard of my laptop..

My first class was a good one. As suspected, I think I am the oldest one in the group, but we seem to be a bright-eyed and motivated bunch. Many of the grad/equivalency students will be in a few more of my classes tomorrow, so I'll begin to get a better read on their characters. The biggest struggle thus far is figuring out the e-learning portal that all professors seem to rely heavily on. THANKS to Kevin for providing me with a loaner laptop while my computer lies fallen cold and dead in his office. I would literally be lost without it.

The other biggest struggle was a physical one, and occurred when I decided to go off in search of a field of goldenrod. I had it in my head that a lively bouquet would be just the thing to bring fresh, growing energy to my new apartment. The chosen field was literally swarming with grasshoppers, who didn't seem able to distinguish between the field and my body, but were stirred up into a frenzy by my approaching footsteps. I persevered toward my object, despite the thousands of little bodies that seemed to be dive-bombing my trunk and limbs. I pulled my sweater tight around me (it was 50 degrees today) to keep them from touching my neck or face, and I practically ran to the goldenrod, karate-chopped a few choice stalks, and high-tailed it back to the car. Not as peaceful nor contemplative as I had imagined, but worth it for my sweet little bouquets.

Onward and upward (I hope).

Our New Hobbies

Laura and I have recently taken up a couple of new hobbies, with varying levels of success. For a few years now I have been considering taking up wood-working, and last weekend I bought a chair at Goodwill for the new baby and decided to restore it. I sanded it down (by hand), painted it using the same colors we used to paint the baby's room, and coated it to protect the wood. I also had to replace part of one of the legs. The end result is what you see here. Overall, I think it came out pretty good. The project was not without a few 'gliches' but I think on the whole was a success.

Our second hobby, on the other hand, went less well. This morning I asked Laura to give me a hair cut. This was to be part of our new "belt-tightening" before the baby comes. The result (shown below) was less than successful. I guess I will just have to wear a hat for the next few weeks. After this, there was unanimous agreement that this hobby should be scratched from our routine and that maybe the $15 for a haircut is worth it.

We'll let you know how our next hobby adventure goes...