Overdue Balance

THIS is why Montana is so GREAT!

If you don't pay your bill, the construction company blocks the
road to your house...

the very road that you owe $26,000 for. I dunno if you can tell from the pictures, but there's definitely no way to get a vehicle in there now. They also post a sign with your name on the truck so that everyone who drives past knows that you suck at life. Nice.

Sweet Home Ala...I mean SALIDA

Okay, so Keith was right. I do LOVE Salida, CO...and I DO wanna move there...tomorrow even! I'm working on it...

To help my parents understand my lack of nesting, I've prepared a list of the top 10 reasons that living in Salida would be awesome!

1. It's the rafting capital of the states, and probably, the world
2. The average age of residents is WAY less than 70
3. Grass actually grows there, without assistance
4. 80's rock and country are the only radio stations that come in halfway decent
5. There are surf waves right in the middle of town
6. People make eye contact and wave
7. The town is small, but you can still get this, that, and the other-free foods, so I won't starve
8. Everyone likes to play outside
9. There are fourteeners everywhere
10. Rent is not over $1000 a month, in fact, it's not even $100 a month

Oh yeah, and the views are spectacular!

You Go Girls!

These little girls put me and pretty much everyone I know to shame...
WOW!




Skip the intro if you wanna, but make sure you listen to her sing!

Lucky Dog

3+ weeks into the sugar-free, egg-free, dairy-free, cranberry-free, and sesame-free diet, I'm happy to say that things are finally looking up! The first week of no can sugar was spent with a splitting headache as well as muscle weakness and trembling similar to that experienced during a bad bout of the flu. Not fun, to say the very least. Miserable would be probably be a more appropriate term. Yep. I must say, though, that I do feel better. I'm not exactly sure how much better, but definitely better. The cravings for cane sugar are SLOWLY subsiding, and I'm actually managing to get enough to eat (despite what Keith says.) I'm not so sure that any of it is all that good for me...I'm not necessarily impressed with the way that wheat and gluten make me feel, but without them, my diet would be fruits and veggies with a bit of meat. Not enough to sustain me at this point in my life, as far as I can tell anyway. Maybe it'll be the next thing to go (again). I'm sure getting a lot of practice in the area of self-control!

The river is starting to get REALLY low...bummer. It was sure fun while it lasted. We're still running trips, but the splashes are at a minimum. The carnage seems to have reached unprecedented levels, however. Boats flipping left and right, especially boats full of minions and oldies, people joining the Rio Grande Swim Team even more often, and guides deciding who's turn it is to plug the Birth Canal in order to save on multiple-raft disaster. Everything is certainly a lot different than it was in May at 4,000 cfs. *Insert daydream...*

Hyside recently lost his little balls, and Kona, just days later, almost lost her life...ugh! Whose idea was it to get the dogs again!?! Oh yeah... ;) We were on our way to the dog park in the toaster van and K was driving and talking to Garrett on the phone about the RL fire. The dogs were in the back, (apparently opening the windows in the van farther and farther) and pretty much freaking out with excitement at the idea of going to the park, just like they always are. As we're turning into the parking lot, the genius we call Kona, full-on leaps out of the back window of the van onto the pavement. oh $hit!!! Keith saw this in the mirror, but I guess that she landed on her feet, then her momentum kept pushing her forward and she hit her chin on the ground then rolled a couple of times. Dummie! I was SO sure that she at least broke a front leg, and probably her freaking neck... We both go racing out of the van and find her standing dazed and confused next to the van. Her collar was laying on the ground, but at that point, nothing looked broken or terribly out of place at least. I was amazed! After examining all of her legs, her body, and lastly, her head, she still seemed alright. She had a bit of road rash in a couple of places on her chin, but her eyes, ears, mouth, and teeth all looked fine. Keith wanted to go home right away, but I talked him into letting her walk it off at the park since there were no other dogs there at that time. Much to out surprise, she wanted to play with the frisbee and even sprinted after it. Lucky girl! Lucky us!

The Hyside would miss his sister...