The Dynamic Duo

I have been meaning for quite some time to write a post about my new classes. This post would, theoretically, be witty, poignant and insightful. But everytime I think about it, I’m just too tired to be any of those things. So I have decided to just ramble on about whatever comes to mind until I’m no longer coherent. How about that?
The big thing today was the earthquake, over 6.0 on the Richter Scale, centered in Wells, NV, not all that far from where I live. It occurred about 6:15 this morning, a time when I would normally still be in bed. This particular morning, however, found me at the nursing home in Elko for my very first clinical experience for my Certified Nurses Aid class. I was standing in the middle of a hallway, as a supervisor figured out what we were going to be doing for the morning, when suddenly the floor started rolling, and I felt like I was on a ship. Then we noticed the chandeliers were swaying. One of my coworkers was kind of freaked out, but it didn’t seem to bother the residents. More about my Nursing Home experiences at a future date. It really wasn’t all that bad where I was, but I understand they had some pretty extensive damage in Wells, though no one was badly hurt. When I arrived at the prison that afternoon, I learned that most of the inmate work crews had been sent to Wells to assist with the clean up, and I ended up working an hour overtime waiting for them to return so I could hand out their store purchases. I talked to UltraDad tonight, and he is fine also.

We had a very nice time last weekend. I had been planning to spend the long weekend (taking Friday off, with Monday a paid holiday) at Panther’s house in Emmett, ID. Jimbo would be there, having recently returned from his trip to Nashville, as well as my brother and wife, Dave & Jane and their daughter Linda, who is a Senior at nearby Albertson’s college. At the last minute, UltraDad ended up being able to go along, thanks to the good weather projected for the weekend.
We had a great time, and were able to spend part of Saturday at Panther’s husband John’s family cabin in McCall, ID. “Cabin” doesn’t really do it justice; it’s a charming log house on 10 wooded acres, including a stream. We were able, in turns, to try snowshoeing, which I really enjoyed. I had always pictured snowshoes as giant, woven tennis-racket looking contraptions, and the walking with them as quite an arduous undertaking. These modern snowshoes were maybe the size of a badminton racket head, and were super easy to put on and take off. Using them to walk confidently on top of 4-5 feet of snow seemed not much more difficult than normal walking with normal shoes on dry ground, though I could feel the snow kicking up the back of my legs and hips as I walked. I really want to get a pair for Ruby Valley winters! The ‘boys’ (Murphy and Rowdy), weighing 5-7 lbs each, lightly skipped across the top of the snow, gathering iceballs in the long hair of their legs and bellies. Some of the ice balls were golf ball sized, and I think the dogs weighed twice their normal weight by the time I got them back in to thaw out by the fire.
Jessica was able to meet us at the cabin, which was great. We enjoyed a great meal of chilli, biscuits and oreos and played a very fun game I had never before played called “Apples to Apples”. Maddeningly (for us) , and unwittingly, Jessica and I kept playing right into Jim’s hand!
Panther and John were soon to celebrate their one year wedding anniversary (congrats kids!), and would be returning to the cabin on Monday, so Jessica opted to leave her pickup there and come back to Emmett with us for a few days. On Sunday, we were to go to church with Linda, and she invited anyone who wished to go early and sing in the church choir with her. She ended up with four would-be singers; Ultramom, Panther, her Dad, Dave and brave Jessica. The choir director was great about it, and we soon found ourselves resplendent in choir robes, singing our hearts out. It was great fun.
Later that afternoon was the great Pizza Cookoff, pitting Aunt Panther’s bread machine pizza-dough recipe against UltraMom-Jessica’s thin crust. Actually, this recipe started off as an UltraMom’s specialty, but Jessica has taken it to a new level, and Ultramom only assisted on this particular day. Several of Panther’s inlaws came to help judge and enjoy the repast: John’s mother, who is amazingly active and loads of fun, his sister, Donna and husband Jeff, and their two grandkids Jack and Naomi. The consensus, when nearly all the pizza had been consumed, was that both pizzas, each in their own special way, were winners.
All too soon, Monday was here, and it was time for UtraMom and Dad to return to their normal-for-now, busy lives.
Okay, kids, that’s it for tonight. After I got off work late, I stopped by the LDS church close to my house where a Blood Drive was going on, and I donated a pint or two, so I’m using that as an excuse for my weariness; that and the fact that I got up at 4:30 this morning. At least I had an excuse to eat a few cookies.

UltraMom, the snow trekker