Wow, OK...

So I've been kidding about hauling myself up the canyon to take over the extra hours in Russ' campground, and enjoy myself. Serves me right! This weekend Thom & Judy were able to hook me up with a temporary hosting job. Even if it's just for a few weeks (one of their managers had health complications and can't work for a few weeks) it's gonna be one hell of an adventure!

I spent most of today making lists and trying not to panic. Not that it's really stressful, but you try to plan for a two week (possibly a lot longer) camping trip with two days notice! No matter how well stocked the camper is, and how many things I think of, there's gonna be SOMETHING I've forgotten that's really annoying. Fortunately I'm not in the middle of nowhere, I'll have friends, and civilization not TOO far away.

Anyone wants to visit me, I'll be at the Willows Campground in Ogden Canyon. Would love to see some familiar faces! But I'm also looking forward to meeting new folks! If any of you do take it into your heads to come visit (and I hope SOMEONE does) Scott, Lynn, Sheri, Or Fran @ Tulip Tree will have my land number (no cell service). Otherwise I'll try to get down to Judy's to check email and update this blog a couple times a week. If I get busy I'll beg Judy to post a blurb about my general happiness & well being in her blog (http://www.jggrafx.com/ftroadrunners/)

Since it's the first question everyone asks, Willows is a few miles east of Huntsville, Ut (sorta by the monastery). An hour north of SLC, prolly the same from Logan, haven't driven that yet.

I'm feeling super guilty for bugging out on mom's personnel arrangements this year. As usual they have to be done the same day as the FFA competition (this means she can't use the OH Greenhouse where she usually works. Fortunately this year the count has dropped from 30 to 8 and it's being hosted at the presidents home rather than the ballroom. Previously the class or SHA Design would do the arrangements and we would mass assemble them for two days. This week I was supposed to go help her just Wednesday "unless I got a job". LOL. Well I did, sorta. We kept trying to plan me being there but it kept getting super stressful for us both, and then she got uber productive this afternoon. So she's doing them herself. I really hope she's okay. Her back is slow to re-learn it's old habits, and she gets the same kind of shoulder ripping muscle spasms I fight. I'm prolly not her best sympathy for that problem. I just help her find new ways to cope with it...she needs someone to say "That's awful, you are such a poor suffering martyr..." and then commend her for her bravery. I guess we've sorta bonded in mutual pain...I never wanted the whole martyr complex anyhow. And coping is always better than wallowing.

So I'm packing up Oscar, Royla, myself and the camper. More work really than you'd imagine. Especially considering the camper me & scott were all there this weekend. But a weekend is NOT a week, and though packing for one gives you most of the things you'll need for two. It is still gonna be an adventure. As soon as I get my camp set and the pets settled, I'll take pictures and get them posted. Gonna be down to T&J's begging advice anyhow (I'm competent willing YES, experienced NO). I think the easiest thing I'm going to have to take on is Judy's excel spreadsheet (those of you who've seen me work on a wedding bid know I how much fun I have "fixing" the fomulas, yes mom we're expert now, but wasn't that it's own adventure to get there!) My greatest worry is missing my pack (pretty sure they'll miss me too). But at the end of every day there will be the option to light a campfire, watch the moon rise (or the stars), and crawl into bed with a sense of having done something worth enjoying. Paycheck included. Seriously, they're actually gonna give me money for something I'd have easily been tricked into. I'm sure I'll come up with grumblings, aches and pains along the way, but I'd have those at home, & DAMN how often does an opportunity like this come up? I have the right equipment and connections, I have time, my health allows it, and I've had a very hard time coming up with reasons why not to.

It's now WAY past my bedtime for the second night in a row, and I have a long list of things to do and help Scott get done before tomorrows over! I'm gonna play like a Quaker Parrot tuck my head under my wing/pillow, and start of Tuesday screaming like a banshee (well that's Oscar's style anyhow). Yay for me!

No news for a while is good news unless you hear otherwise!
-m