Farm Fresh!

Where has the time gone!?! My little pullet is finally a chicken! She has started laying eggs...2 a day so far! Thank goodness, now I can justify her presence without calling her either a glorified pet or Sunday Dinner. Some of you may remember I originally had 3 chicks and a goose. I'm down to one chicken and Lucy, the goose (I had to change her name, we were having an identity crisis). Lucy definitely 'rules the roost' and has the last word in the barnyard. I do believe she has learned to quit picking on the 1500 lb variety though because she has begun to walk with what looks like a permanent limp.

Fire situation update: Despite getting granted leave, I've decided to stick around and take care of the other millions of things I have going on...least of all my career, God forbid! My crew just got back last night and are resting up for the next detail, without me. I'm sad ;( Oh well. It's my choice. So nothing new and exciting, just working 24/7 and still have nothing to show for it. Typical.

Ticker

So it seems I'm counting down to my 10 year High School reunion!?! Ahhhh!?! Where did the time go!?! Anywho - thought I'd explain the ticker and that I'll be in the Detroit area for Thanksgiving! Yeah! Will keep you all updated...mark in on your calender!

National Emergency

So it seems we're in a national emergency fire wise and my crew wants me to try and take leave from school to go. It suddenly got really bad this past week and there are new fires popping up everywhere! You'd never know it to look here...raining everyday. I really want to go, but there are some issues I have to weigh:

Pros:
Great Money
Could pay off another debt
Stop humming and hawing about a new truck and just get it
Get out of the Valley again for a bit
Get in great shape

Cons:
School might not let me go
Probably would have to take leave without pay if they did (though my paycheck would still be larger from the fire)
Have to get a babysitter for the 'kids' again
Have to have detailed lesson plans
Have a test to take on the 16th (but could reschedule for about $100)

I'm sure there are a few more. If school is like 'no way!', I get to be on call here (which is no different than it is now really). But I'm torn between going and being responsible here. It's not like it's for that long...14 to 18...what do y'all think?

The Best Boyfriend...EVER!

So I've decide that Maverick is the best boyfriend a girl can have:

1. He loves to fall asleep on the couch with his head on my lap
2. He keeps my bed warm at night
3. He stays up late waiting for me to come home
4. He doesn't mind waiting in the truck when I go shopping
5. He isn't jealous of other men
6. He always answers when I call for him
7. He is always happy to see me
8. He protects me from big scary things...as long as they aren't too loud
9. He always trys to help carry big, heavy things from my truck
10. He gives me BIG kisses at unexpected times

Yes, I know this is a 'repeat' picture, but I came yesterday prepared with new ones and the server didn't work. Now it does and I'm not prepared. What a pain. But Mav looks the same as ever, just a lot bigger and he has outgrown his red collar for a cool camo one.

On another note: I think I am giving up on dating. I seem to meet these great guys, but it never goes anywhere. Maybe things are in a slump due to some bad timing, maybe it's me, maybe it's them and I'm not seeing it, maybe it a combination...?! Anyway, I'm getting a bit down about it all, and with school going great and everything else I'm not going to let a subject such as boys get me down.

Frustrated?

This is me today after our yearly fall High School meeting before the kids come back....ahhhhhhh!

To top it all off I won't be updated this more than about once a week. I'm rather upset about this, but we had to put some blockers on our computers at school because of the student misuse and unfortunetly the program we're using doesn't allow personal passwords. So I'd have to go get the administrator every time I wanted to get on....such as before school and after when he isn't around. I do have access a few other places, but I will be getting my own access by November when I get a new cell phone that has a wireless connection for the computer too....So until then I promise to check all your blogs out regularly, but I can't leave comments! I'm still here even if you can't all see me!

Last weekend was great. Went to Stratsburg to watch my buddy Kelly Wild Horse Race, then followed him up to Cheyenne for the night. Bar was boring, but we hung out Sunday and went out on his bike, played with his colt (which I get to babysit while he's in Iraq) and cooked Elk on the grill. Then I had to drive home in the worst rain storm I've ever seen in my entire life! If I'd known it was so bad before Denver I would have stayed up North, but made it home finally after 7 hours of VERY slow driving.

Just been getting my classroom ready for school. I'm surprised at how organized I am and my good attitude. That was one goal when I got back from WYO...to have a GOOD attitude about school. So far, so good...those crazy women I work with can't help being a bit off during meetings, and afterall, it obviously didn't kill me.

Logic?

So I seem to have figured out why I do stupid things regularly, like go out on fire as one of two girls on the crew and the only one in my squad...I'm below average in the logical intelligence area...hence what makes me the guys' amusement for a 16 day tour of duty. I was locked in a porta potty (they wanted to see how loud I could yell...), duct taped to a bench, had my boot laces tied to my Nomax pants...you get the picture.

Also, I'm debating the logic behind why I'm going to go on a date with a guy who disappeared from my life for about a month and then sort of popped back in. It's of course more complicated than just that...but still...I do sort of like him, but have been a bit 'warned' off. Why would you disappear if you thought I was so great? And any guy I date had better think I'm so great. I'm not selling myself short here!

And wondering how I'm going to juggle my increasingly busy schedule...working 32 to 64 hours per pay period for the Forest Service, teaching full time, running the ranch and baling for another farm after school for the next few months...crazy? Maybe, but I'm going to be laughing it up when I bring home that new truck of mine!

Speaking of trucks...some of you have wondered what I'm looking for. Preferably New - Used, Ford or Chevy Heavy Duty, Diesel 250 or 2500 with a trailer package and 5th wheel hookup. Going to go in search later next week. I would this weekend, but I think I'm heading to Denver to watch some Wild Horses Racing tomorrow.

Enough rambling for now...

Your IQ Is 100

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius Your Mathematical Intelligence is Average Your General Knowledge is Above Average

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

I'M BAAAAAACK!

Ok - got in yesterday evening...pretty uneventful fire weather in Western Wyoming which is where my crew got sent. Instead of being pimped back out to more exciting stuff, we decided to stay on in the area and patrol severity for the station there since we were asked and guaranteed 12 hours/day. Saw a lot of landscape, a little fire, a couple of great concerts at the local county fair (Little Big Town, Trick Pony...), went swimming in the lake a few times (actually mountian fed resevoirs), slept a lot...that's pretty much it in a nutshell. Good pay and really good food...hopefully I can afford to buy a new truck now once i sit down and review my finances.

Anyway - will fill ya all in later and with some pics. Getting some office work done and enjoying my two paid days off...