The New Year

The Red-Eared Slider. A small turtle that makes his home near water where plentiful food can be found. He has the ability to stretch his neck so that his body remains hidden under the water safe from predators, while only his nostrils peek above the surface to grab a quick breath of air.

As I face down the new year, I see that I am like the red-eared slider.

I live near water (Hyrum reservoir), I don't move very fast, my ears are red (it's frickin' FREEZING here), and most of the time I can barely get my head above water for a breath.

The beginning of each new semester makes me feel overwhelmed, and as I sit in my classes the first day and listen to the instructors lay out the details of my life for the next 4 months, I keep asking myself "What am I DOING?" But inevitably, I muddle through, finish finals, and bob up to the surface for air.

Well, enough about that. Mother Nature decided to start the year in Hyrum with a HUGE dump. We have had so much snow that I have shoveled our driveway more times in two weeks than I did in the four years we lived in our last place. Now, don't get me wrong, you all know that I love the cold and the snow, and I don't mind the shoveling either, but it's like Ma Nature is trying to whallop me with "Shock and Awe" up here. For heaven's sake, pace yourself woman!

So come up for a visit everyone, and I'll teach you some survival skills, like how to build and igloo, proper mukluk fashion, and we'll watch for some elk foraging in my yard. Heck, we may even finish tunneling through the snow to bluebird for some chocolates or dinner while you're here. Just park in Ogden and call us and we'll bring the dogsled down to get you. I don't have dogs, but the kids endurance is really starting to improve.