What a surprise!

I got on the bus this morning to a wonderful surprise.  One of my favorite men of all time was on the bus and sat with me for the ride to Mammoth.  Bob is 85 years old and has been working seasonally and as a volunteer here in Yellowstone every summer since the late 1960s.  He's a treasure-trove of stories and not afraid to say what he thinks.  He's a curmudgeon of the first degree, but somehow he's taken a liking to me and we have a great time.  He fascinates me because he was educated at Exeter, Princeton, and Stanford, was a WWII soldier, and worked as an engineer for a few years before he gave it all up to be a Yellowstone Park ranger during summers and a southern California surfer during the winters.  He's hard of hearing, which makes conversation tough, but I relish every moment I have with him.  If only he were...40 or 50 years younger--I'd have a huge crush.  I've seen the pictures--he was a handsome devil in his younger days!  He had to take an ambulance ride to Livingston last night (he's ok, thank goodness), which is why he was catching a ride back to the park this morning.  So, I didn't get my nap, but it was worth it to sit by my friend and gossip at the top of our voices the entire ride to work this morning.

Blah.

I'm feeling blah today.  As is the world outside.  It's been cloudy and kinda breezy for the entire day, but without any real gumption.  Even nature is feeling apathetic and listless on this September Tuesday.  I can't wait to get on the bus and slip into sweet oblivion as the dual narcotic of British BBC voices over my I-Pod and the hum and slight vibration of the bus work their magic on my eyelids.  It's only 2:30?  On Tuesday?  Ho hum.

Squirreling Stuff Away

It's definitely autumn!  The crisp light and intoxicating air makes me so, so happy.  But also nostalgic and kind of pensive.  I get really strong impulses this time of year.  I want...no, need to buy school supplies.  Even though I'm not in school and neither do I have children.  A more sensible impulse is my need to preserve foods and fill up the freezer.  I froze a bunch of strawberries, raspberries, roast beef, and chicken this weekend and reorganized my big freezer to see how much meat I have going into snow season.  I have a lot.  It's awesome in there.  I also drooled over squashes and bought apples to bake.  What can I find to put away next?

Bittersweet

This has been a generally really bad weekend.  Suffice it to say that some people are really not who you think they are.  Also, I'm looking for a second job. Which will no longer be a luxury, but rather a necessity.  BUT...thank God for family.  Aaron, Karen, & Brian soothed my jangled nerves last night, Amanda has been a rock who has seriously saved my sanity and sense of me this week, and Tom and Bonnie sheltered me for a few hours so my shoulders could "un-hunch" this afternoon.  Over the phone, my folks offered measured and much-needed advise and reminded me that "this too shall pass."  Thank you, everyone.