School ended for me this week. I have found myself incredibly bored and lonely while Shawn is at work for 10 hours. I really have no reason to wake up in the morning, other than to make Shawn his lunch. If I don't put it together before he leaves at 6:30 a.m., then I get stuck walking a mile through the snow and wind, across the Yellowstone River, in order to deliver it by noon. No, I haven't been getting up early lately, but at least I'm getting my exercise in.
Other problems this week: the leather interior in our new car CRACKED when it froze and Shawn put his weight down on it. We bought this car a month ago and it is the newest vehicle we've ever owned. Additionally, the outside lock on the driver's side has frozen in place and the door is now permanently locked. We're forced to enter from the passenger side, painstakingly climbing over the passenger seat, to get to the driver's spot. Frustrating - especially when it's nine degrees, the wind is blowing, and you just want to get in the goddamn car and drive home. Shawn's height adds to the complexity of THIS issue. Hence, I've taken over much of the driving.
And still - an unnerving situation reminded me I am in the wild - vulnerable and part of the food chain. I stumbled on the remains of an elk while hiking alone on the Rescue Creek Trail. High in spirit, I couldn't resist walking toward the cliff to get a view of the Yellowstone River. This meant going off trail where the trees are denser. I smelled it before I saw it and gasped as I nearly stumbled over the hind limb of an elk. The rest of the skeleton, mostly picked-clean, lay a few feet away. If it had been a day fresher - I doubt I would be writing this now.
Finally - our two guinea pig boys, Hector and Oscar, are itchy and miserable! Oscar rolls on his back, contorting in pain and putting himself into seizures, much to our distress. It has taken a month to finally get them their much needed vet appointment, in Bozeman, an hour and a half away.
The drama.
*frown* None of that is good. Obviously the car issues should be covered under warranty. Hopefully the guinea pigs are going to be okay. And finally, the best way to avoid becoming part of the food chain is to learn to shoot a fairly large-caliber handgun and carry it on your person while walking. Firearms, the great equalizer (and if nothing else, generally a shot in the air will both bring help and scare away most predators).
ReplyDeleteYou sound like John Denver when he moved to Colorado "coming home to a place he'd never been before" from Rocky Mountain High.
ReplyDeleteRiitta says car problems should be covered under insurance.