One, two, three seat

Moments ago this conversation occurred.
Sara: Josh, wake up it's time to go to bed.
Josh: I'm the one, two, three seat.
Sara: The what?
Josh: On the seating chart. I'm the one, two, three seat.
S: I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you sure you're not sleeping?
J: Trust me honey. All vehicles have it. Even new cars.
S: Really? That is interesting. You're sure you aren't asleep? I'm pretty sure you're sleep talking.
J: Mumphhhhhhh.
S: Good night honey. I am going to bed. We can discuss the one, two, three seats later.
J: Mmmmmmm.

Do the buffalo roam?

I drove through the entire Theodore Roosevelt National Park this afternoon and didn't see a single buffalo. But I did see the wild horses. I was pretty excited when I came around a bend in the road and saw one lonely guy in the flats. I got a little closer and saw a bunch more.

One lonely mustang

Hold on a tick, I'd better start at the beginning of this little adventure before I show you more. I decided I'd go to TRNP for the day since it was a free admission day and they have quite a few hiking trails that could provide me with a work out. Plus, the sun is shinning and it's warm outside. I hopped in my little car and away I went!

I went into the visitor's center before heading into the park to check in with the rangers about hiking alone, if there were a lot of people in the park and the grasshopper population on the trails. The ranger let me know that the shorter hikes are good for someone alone and that there were a lot of people around for the time of year. She tipped me off to a couple trails I should take but warned me that the grasshoppers would be pretty intense on the trail with the best view. She was reassuring about two other trails where "the grass was too short for grasshoppers."

The Missouri River is in there somewhere.

I climbed back into my car (after noticing that everyone in the parking lot was sixty plus years old and wearing a shirt that coordinated with their spouse... seriously, they matched... and most of them were in minivans) and headed into the park.

I saw lots of little prairie dog communities. I was a bit worried by the fact that these little guys don't seem too worried about the cars driving around their neighborhoods. Nor were they concerned with being so close to the cars that they might be smooshed on the edge of the road. As I approached one little guy I kept thinking he would move. I almost honked then realized he was dead. I'm not sure this is the image a national park should be putting forward for its visitors.

RIP little Dougie

I pulled into the first trail the ranger recommended. Wind Canyon Trail. This is the one the ranger thought would have a lot of hoppers but the view 100 yards in would be amazing. I could do this. I opened my door, cautiously climbed out and scanned my path to the trail head. A 4 inch long grasshopper was looking at me. I kid you not, I could see his teeth when he smiled. He jumped, I screamed and got back in the car. You can do this, Sara, you can do this. Two ladies pulled up and got out of their car as I was repeating a motivational mantra in my mind. I thought I can follow them and they'll clear the path of hoppers as they lead the way!

Wind Canyon Trail Head

I got back out of the car and scurried up to them, quickly striking up a conversation so it would seem more like I was joining them rather than stalking them down the trail. I considered asking one of the gals to hold my hand. I'm pretty sure I stopped just a few steps past the trash can at the trail head and wasn't moving forward. It's like I was frozen in place. The ladies looked at me with questioning eyes. About 300 grasshoppers of various sizes, shapes and colors were bouncing around. All I said to the women was, "nope, nope, no. Can't do it. Too many grasshoppers," and turned around, flinching back to my car.

To make a long story short, I didn't get past a single trash can at the various trail heads I attempted to go down. I tried three times but it didn't work. I'd get out of my car, cringe, shriek a little, take a few steps and get right back in the car. That grass that was "too short for grasshoppers" was a total lie. I didn't think the ranger would appreciate me calling her a liar to her face so I kept it to myself on the way out of the park.

Another trail head I didn't wander down.

I could really tell that fall is here from the vegetation. While there aren't a lot of trees in the park, the trees that are there were certainly changing from green to gold. And the grasses on the hillsides and prairies are no longer green but brown and dry looking. Oddly enough, the river bed was dry looking too. It's hard to believe this is the same river that flooded this spring.

The view up Buck Hill

Back to the horses. I would like to dedicate Ray Lamontange's All the Wild Horses to them. May they never be tethered with tears in their eyes. They are beautiful! I stopped right in the middle of the road because the horses were on it and because I had to take their picture.

The only evidence of buffalo in the park were their deposits. Every time I drove over, on, around, and through their number twos I would search the landscape for them. But no luck. No buffalo for me today.

Sadly not the ski hill.

I will visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park again next year. Before the grasshoppers are out and before the landscape starts to die out. I think it'll be prettier and more fun when I can get out of the car to enjoy more of the scenery. Perhaps I'll take you there when you come to visit!

I am in love...

with Scotch Book Tape! The box even has directions for how to do book surgery! Do you realize how many times I have done book surgery in the classroom?!

Dunn County Zoning Meeting

We're a third of the way through the hearing and had just finished the Sabrosky's amendment to the ordinance and the power went out. That's how we roll in Dunn County.

Check out this haul

My kitchen has become foster care for my coworkers extra homegrown produce. I'm not complaining. I may even be doing happy fists and little dances about all the yumminess.
Tracey gave me the red tomato (minus the one I ate for lunch) and the peppers. She heard the story of boiled meatballs in reddish water and must have felt bad for me since the meatballs were supposed to be stuffed green peppers in tomato sauce. She also got me her mother's recipe. Thanks Trace.
Denise gave me the cucumbers and the green tomatoes. The tomatoes will be sunning themselves on my kitchen windowsill until they're ready for me to eat!
Maybe they'll start sending their canned pickles and stewed tomatoes my way. I'll most certainly provide them with a nice home and take good care of them.

I walked to remember

After burning out on running at the gym this morning I slowed 'er down to walk and switched on the TV.  I flipped through the channels and was frozen by C-SPAN airing people reading the names of those who died 10 years ago today.  There was no way I could change the channel or even have climbed off the treadmill until they finished.  I had to listen to every name they said.  So I walked and I cried and I listened.  I know I missed a lot of people since I came in somewhere around W and it isn't nearly enough tribute to everyone who has lost their life since but I heard and I remembered.

Hhhhhhhwhat!!!

OUTRAGE!   I was firing up the computer just now to post about how I was going to put working out off for a half hour because one of the greatest episodes of Will and Grace ever was going to be on: The Matt Damon episode.  Yes, my friends, the Matt Damon episode.  He and Jack are both trying out for the gay men's choir.  Jack realizes Matt Damon's character is straight and uses Grace to try and out him.  It's a wonderful, wonderful episode.  This short clip is all I could find on a quick internet search:

I never see this show on TV anymore.  Lifetime replaced it with Reba for a while and now that goofy show with Doogie Houser.  I know there are people in the world who want to watch both of those shows.  I am not one of them.  I want to watch old episodes of Will and Grace from 10 to 11pm every night.  I miss them.  I would also like to download episodes on itunes but they don't have a single one!  What is the world coming to?!

I must apologize, this post very quickly went from a cheerful, excited, positive blog about my love of Will and Grace to one of sheer disgust and disappointment with the world around me.  Maybe I should change my attitude and get myself a box set  of Will and Grace on DVDs.  I'll watch episodes late at night just to make it feel like to good old days of Will and Grace in syndication.  Sigh.......

And I still put working out off for half an hour by blogging.  DARN YOU LIFETIME! 

Look what I did!

my piping skills are lacking

I made a real live key lime pie!  Are you so proud?  I don't know how it tastes yet but I suspect it won't suck.  I followed the recipe from the bottle of key lime juice and it's almost exactly the same as this one from Martha Stewart.  I was a little lazy about the crust... I bought a pre-made one.  Sorry Martha. 

I did use Cynthia to make real whipped cream, which just so happens to be amazing!  I couldn't help but sample it.  Plus, I did the old zip lock bag piping trick!  I'm pretty excited that there are left overs for strawberry and nutella sandwiches.

(Josh just cut himself a quarter of the pie for a sample piece and says it's very yummy).

Perhaps if you come to visit I'll make you key lime pie!

You have got to be kidding

I am literally still sweating from sweeping all the grass clumps off my driveway from the half-butted mowing the "lawn care" people did yesterday and now the landlord's son is out mowing again.  Granted you could hay the grass that's out there right even after yesterday's mowing but really!  I just cleaned the joint up.  Can't you at least wait until Sunday or get some goats to do the lawn care?  Besides, the goats would do a better job and we wouldn't have to wait for them to have a free afternoon to cut the grass, they'll just graze their way across the lawn. 


Note:I didn't scream at the grasshoppers.  I just called them swear names under my breath and beat them with the push broom. 

T-Minus 365

We're exactly one year out from a wedding.  Next year at this time Josh and I will be having a splendiferous time dancing, laughing, and celebrating with all of our friends and family. 

Get ready.  We're going to have a good time. 

ps.  We're leaving for MN tomorrow around 2:30pm.  We're doing Twin Cities centric errands on Saturday and probably dinner with family.  We go to the State Fair on Sunday then Jess and Jay's.  Monday we return to the Little Town House on the Prairie. 

Do you have any errands you need to run with us on Saturday? 

Target?  Dick's?  Aveda?  Barnes and Noble?