Back from the Wild...

Hola all -

Just got back from five days in the rugged backcountry of southeastern Idaho with the boys. My family meets up there every year to do a family campout. I tested my newly found dutch oven skills (and did pretty well) and got some good fishing in. That's a surprise to me since I usually don't do that well.

We also did some good hiking and 4-wheeling. Found some awesome trails that had some serious jumps and went into the woods quite a ways.

It rained the last night we were there, but it didn't dampen our fun and we still hung out around the fire in the drizzle and had a good time. Now it's rest for a couple of days and then I'm heading south with the boys again for another campout near Fairfield canyon. I just hope the fire going on down there isn't that close. I'll have to ask the guy we're going with (he's got some property we're using down there) to see how close it is.

All in all, the first week of this sabbatical has been pretty good. I haven't shaved in over a week and look pretty grizzly so far. (We'll see how long Michelle allows it to continue).

So, went on a good ride today on Wasatch Blvd. and around into Draper, etc. To those doing the Spudman, good luck, and when you feel good enough to ride/run again, just holla... I'm not doing anything.

TTYL

Only 3 Working Days Left

So, can I say that I am so excited, anxious, and just plain spaced out at work right now because all I can think of is having the next 6 weeks off of work - paid!

I start my sabbatical next Wednesday and don't go back to work until August 27th. I've got so much camping planned already that I'll be a regular lumberjack when I get back. Ol' Grizzly Adams.

Plus, I have to hurry and decide if I'm going to do the Park City half marathon on 8/25 - anyone interested in doing it with me?

Well, because I leave work so shortly, I have to abruptly end this little entry today and get back to work. I've only got 26 open action items to get done before next Tuesday. Although that sounds like a small number, I have to work with idiots to try and resolve them. Sometimes I feel like my sister who really does work with handis all day. Love ya Boo, you're a saint.

Geez - is it only 2:20 still, why won't that damn clock move faster.

I am NOT a Superhero

So, I am saddened that I didn't get to go on a ride Saturday morning, but Michelle is sort-of glad I stayed home that morning (plus, I'm not going to lie, I didn't even get out of bed until 8:30 after Michelle had been up that morning a few times - if you know what I mean).

However, later that morning, around 10:15 she felt a little better and I decided to go on a run. Mistake #1 - don't start a run near afternoon when it's already like 89 degrees outside. So, I got on my shoes and stuff and grabbed a bottle of water and headed out. Mistake #2 - take more than a bottle of water if you don't know how long you're going to run for. So, about 3.5 miles into the run and near the mouth of Little Cottonwood I am down to about two sips of water left, looking for people's sprinklers (I found an old lady's house getting watered and I thank her for watering when she's not supposed to), and decide to head down 94th. Mistake #3 - going farther than you're water supply can handle. So, needless to say, after running about 6.2 miles I get to the top of the street and have to walk (at this time it was 95 already - I saw it at the Walgreens). I go to the McIllece's neighbor, the Chards, all dripping in sweat and ask if I can jump in their pool. I grabbed the boys, jumped in, cooled off, and was basically wiped out for the day. Thank heaven for hose filled pools that are ice cold.

So, word to the wise - don't run in the afternoon when it's friggin' hot, take alot of water, and don't try and run uphill most of the way (it really drains your water and you).

High School Reunions

Last night Michelle and I went to our high school reunion - 10 years. We thought it was going to be horrible, but it turned out to be a little less so than we thought it would be. We paid for dinner but when we got there all the other people who hadn't paid had eaten it already. Thanks people for common courtesy (geez - I've gotten a heavy dose of people like that in the past 2 days).

Anywho, we stayed for about an hour and talked to the people we had remote interest in and then went to Porcupine for dinner with the people we still like and wanted to catch up with. It was only about 12 of us altogether. (I think that's a pretty good figure personally since my name tag for the night was "Dick").

I guess we'll see what all those people look like in another ten years...

I Love Fireworks

Spent yesterday, the fabulous 4th of July, by going to breakfast with our friends Greg and Chantel and their chit-lins, then we BBQ'd, hit the parade, and then watched fireworks. All in all, a grand day spent in the presence of family and complete weirdo strangers.

Speaking of - the stereo typical Mormon inbred family, and then their friends of the same stereotype, sat by us at the parade. Three floats in their children are all standing in front of us, scrambling for candy, and grabbing every flier as if they were playing supermarket scramble. It got worse when the mom actually gets up and runs over to pick up two otters pops that had been in the road a mere 15 seconds because they hadn't been snagged yet. I suppose they were working on their food storage, or that was their dinner. Needless to say, when the parade was over we were very happy to move our stuff and wait for the fireworks in peace.

I'd also like to voice my patriotism and thank all the service members of our armed forces for their dedication and commitment to making this the best damn country in the world. I love America, and I love people who stand up for it. So, to Kelly, Greg, Jeff, Jaren, and Brit (I mean Brett) - thanks! You rock.

Day 3 of Lots of Work

Today is day 3 of me having to watch the kids while Michelle is out of town. And while Michelle's parents have been around a bit, I am still at that point where I know she does stuff harder than me all day (albeit not as stressful, but definitely harder). I will be glad when she is back and when I can go back to work.

Also, the other countdown is that I have 2 1/2 weeks of work left before my 6 week sabbatical starts. That's 11 days (thank you 4th of July) of having to fix other people's problems before I can relax in wilderness for a while.

Well, kids are fighting and emails are coming in... how is it possible to work from home I ask?

TTYL