Snowshoeing--March 8, 2014

Winter in Yellowstone

How It All Came Out Today

I can't really speak for everyone, but at OUR house the decades are fairly spinning--like a giant Groucho Marx You Bet Your Life spinner with a sneer on its face.  Why, it seems only yesterday ("Can I?  Huh?  Huh?  Can I?  Not 'til I'm 50?? Awww heck.") that I was toddling off to my very first colonoscopy.  Omaha it was.  2004.  And now a decade later...

I'm not going too far into details, just can't resist the highlights.  Paco left the house early early today to get a crown on a tooth he broke.  One car is in the shop, so I said all gallant like, "Ill just walk."  We live about 3 miles from the hospital, but the day was above freezing--bikini weather for Brrrrrr Lake.  Now, I'm just vain enough that I took some extra time today getting ready.  Don't want anyone examining my ROOTS along with my colon!  Neither do I want to become legendary for fuzzy legs.  Needless to say my pastoral walk into town turned into alternate speed walking/jogging as I raced the clock.  It seemed too early to solicit friend help, and besides my phone was dead.  With a mile left and my appointment time behind me, I hailed down a car.  She waved merrily and passed me by.  Then I got aggressive and stepped out in front of the next truck, flailing both arms this time.  And THAT is how I ended up being delivered to my colonoscopy by a Peruvian sheep rancher.  Honestly.

P.S.  Who knew my procedure included lunch in the cafeteria for me AND my newly-crowned designated driver!  AND I got an A FREAKING PLUS on my colon!!!!!!!!  Whoooo--eeeee!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

I've done some crazy things in my day, but I don't think I've ever masking taped whiskers to my cheek.  That puts you one up on me, Pete.  Hats off to you!  I celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday every year and have done since it began a few decades ago following his death.  This year I sent out copies of Bartholomew and the Oobleck with good intentions of following it up with a box of corn startch for ooblecking.  Good intentions.. If the truth be known, I'm only a semi-fan of Dr. Seuss' books.  He scores high on whimsy, medium to low on content, and higher than average on morals in my book, yet I remain a fan of celebrating his birthday and do so with more fanfare than most.  We're dragging it out at my school this week, so I can really sink my teeth in this year.  We'll decorate a tree, write some 100 wordbank stories (that's all Dr. Seuss was allowed by Random House for The Cat in the Hat,) read some old Seuss books, maybe make some treats, don some hats, decorate a bit, and invite some readers in.  I don't sound like a semi fan do I?  I just don't think he falls into any greatness categories.  In 1991 I had students write the title of their favorite Seuss book on a large poster of the cat in the hat which we laminated, rolled into a mailer, added an Idaho centennial cap, and shipped off to La Jolla, CA, where he lived at the time.  I've told my heartsick story about preserving the letter he sent back to us SOOOOOOOOOO well that it's STILL in hiding!  Then a few months later he died.  Dr. Seuss represents serendipity to me.  He fell into children's books, fell into infamy.  I don't think he was too conscious about any of it.  He had a natural gift for rhyme.  In another time and place, he'd have probably made a dandy advertising copy writer.  Back in the day he was a man in the right place at the right time--wide open market.  But then, he pretty much cornered red and white stripes, didn't he?  I don't mean to be too hard on the old guy.  I still remain a fan.