This and That

The first two years I spent in Yellowstone I absolutely loved.  I was always out on the trails discovering new features of the park with friends who are more like family than friends.

This year, however, I've wanted to go home since the day I arrived.  My friends who hike are either not here this summer or are living in other areas of the park.  The campground this year is full of old fogies who don't hike and really never come outside their trailers.  It's lonely.

We did have one get together on July 3rd.  It's a good time when we're together, I just don't know where everyone is during their time off.

I've been disillusioned with the hoards of people who come through the gate each day who don't even bother to put on a mask to keep me safe.  I see people coming in from Texas, Florida, California, Oklahoma, etc.-the hot spots of the country.  I just want to ask them "what the hell are you doing here in the midst of a pandemic?"  People have said the virus will go away after the election.  How did our country become so illiterate and stupid?  Why is Yellowstone's Superintendent not putting on the brakes on and limiting the number of people in the park?  Why isn't Montana's governor putting the 14 day quarantine order back into effect?

This week I decided that was going to make a point to get into the park on each of my three days off.  I made it out to Mystic Falls which did bring back some of my love for the park.  I had planned to hike Mary Mountain and Mallard Creek on my other two days off, but then I got sick.

No, I don't have the covid, but I did have something that required antibiotics.  I spent one day in bed and that night I got so ill that there was nothing I could do to get comfortable.  I learned what it means to live in a rural location where the nearest urgent care is two hours away.

The next morning Irv prodded me into getting up and making the long drive to Bozeman.  I found a really great urgent care where I was in and out in less than 20 minutes.

I got my prescription...I've had two doses so far, but I'm still not feeling great.  I have to be in my booth starting at 7:00 tomorrow morning for a 10 hour shift.  Help!

While waiting for my prescription to be filled, I did some shopping for my brother who is still in a long-term care facility in Tulsa.  Neither my brother or I have seen him in months.  His facility had a covid outbreak a couple weeks ago so all the residents are restricted to their rooms.  

Bob is doing really well.  He was thriving with the physical therapy and had been getting his strength back, he'd even been up on a walker.  All answered prayers!  Now that he's restricted to his room the therapy has stopped so he will probably go a little backwards.  Anyway, I thought a care package would cheer him up.

The section of Yellowstone that highway 191 runs through on the way to Bozeman is being repaved. They're using a process called hot-in-place-recycling.  It was fascinating to watch.  Apparently they tear up the old asphalt and somehow recycle it into new pavement.  All I know is that there was a lot of flames and heat coming out underneath those front vehicles.  It's supposed to be better for the environment.

On my way home I decided to stop at my favorite BBQ place for their turkey sandwich.  It tasted really good after not being able to eat for over 24 hours.  It also costs about the same as the quarter pounder meal here at the West Yellows McDonalds.

My beautiful, intelligent, empathetic daughter has a birthday this week.  Where has all the time gone?  I love this woman to the moon and back!

So that's my week in review.  Praying that I start feeling better by the morning because I'm in job where it's impossible to call in sick.

Right now I'm focused on September 27th.  I want to go home!