6.28.2009

Proof of God.....Montana for One!







Year #5 trip to Montana. It never grows old. I'm always elated when I get there, and sad when I leave. I've been able to share it w/everyone in my family except the most important..the 'hub'. We have promised that next year will be his turn. I'm secretly hoping that when we get there we won't return:) We will buy some land with river front property, preferably the Wise River, and unhook our trailer for 'good', only to leave to visit friends and family. Maybe I'll get a horse and a raft. This year's wildlife was 1) bear who we surprised while driving around the corner. He was big, black and had a brown snout. He hunkered down behind a tree and watched us watching...well.....Him ofcourse. We saw several deer, an elk, dozens of antelope snacking on unsuspecting farmers amber waves of grain. We saw eagles soaring, and last but SO not least a beautiful owl up on the the summit of the mountain we were camping at. I wish I could share all my pics. I will share the best. Speaking of pictures, let me entitle this next segment with "50 and still learning....for 'criken' out loud," Don't you love the title....makes you curious doesn't it! It goes something like this:
10 things i've learned since turning 50!
  1. The only way to get tree sap off a dog is to cut his hair.
  2. Bugs in the wild are to be expected...bugs in a restaurant is reason for a free meal.
  3. When your son, (or daughter) turns 21 and asks you to pick a drink for them...brush up...all I could remember from my 'hey' days and 'hangovers' was a 'whiskey sour'. Do they even make those any more?
  4. Crack a window in your camper @ night, or an alarm will sound to let you know you are about to become extinct from carbon monoxide poisoning! (thank God for alarms)
  5. If your dog sleeps in the bed w/you (and you know mine does), make sure you don't put his bed @ the foot of YOUR bed...he falls off in the middle of the night w/a thump. A quick flip of the flashlight and there was skuttle mcdoo staring up @ me as if to say "what the world". Two nights, two tumbles, two "what the's"and I finally figured it out.
  6. Just because I like to 'skinny dip' in a river that is close to freezing, doesn't mean my daughter shares my passion! Actually, I believe @ 50 I just don't care anymore about such things. Now, if there's other peeps around not gonna happen, but.....if it's an empty campground...and it was....I can't think of to many things I love to do more than take a cold, exhilarating dip in a fast, freezing river! A large holler must accompany this exercise or it just isn't complete.
  7. I can hitch up, pull, unhitch a 5500 pound trailer anywhere. Once again, I've broken the barriers that have long been in place stating what a man can do and what a woman shouldn't or even worse can't do! Huh uh!
  8. When trying to look nice for my son's 21st b'day I plugged in my 1000 watt (or more) hairdryer to my car converter....don't do this.... I blew a fuse and went to dinner with a 'rat' doo!
  9. If I were to believe in reincarnation (and I don't)...but if I did....I was Calamity Jane in another life. I'm versatile...that's for sure...I can run up quite a charge @ my favorite clothing store 'Talbot's', and not think twice about wearing cut off jeans, no make up and combing my hair w/a stick :)
  10. Last but not least. Dressed in my waders, geared up and standing in a river casting my line.....NEVER...and I mean NEVER will I be a hot shot and have my camera slung over my shoulder. Why.you may ask...come one you peeps can figure it out. I 'criken' fell in and now my brand new b'day camera is non-operational!

I'm home now, scratching my skeeter bites, using crest white strips to erase the stains left by our daily morning brew. The camper is clean, the bugs have been washed/scoured off my car. Said goodbye to my children yesterday. Not w/out tears, unable to speak, only to walk to the car, crawl in and sob. As long as I live, the job that I will have held the longest is mother. It has defined me like nothing else.....being the mother of Cortny, Katie and Tim. I'm glad they all have been able to experience 'Montana' along w/me. No big trips for a while. Only down to the community center to teach aerobics. Hope to go camping w/our friends Steve and Vicki before to long. Also, a day trip to the Grand Canyon's North rim w/our friends the Ristows to have dinner @ the lodge. Once again, I'm ready to take my trailer off to a new adventure. Soon.....very soon :)

1 comment:

Jackie said...

I posted a comment but it has not shown up:( I basically said that you are amazing and that Calmity Jane may be too tame. Also, you rival the most prolific authors. Tami Stepp, I miss you:)