The Myth & The Majesty

(... or a repeat of it on BBC, since I wasn't inclined to get up at 4AM and I could then fast-forward through the slow bits.) It's been interesting to watch the opposing sides battle as far as people's enthusiasm for the British royal wedding. I have to say, I understand some people's opposition -- glorifying rich folks and all that, thoughts that monarchies are outdated -- but I was far more attentive than I expected. And I have my reasons. Here's what I think. There are some things we Americans simply do not understand. We very carefully removed any semblance of a monarchy from our government 240 years ago and we've (mostly) stuck by that decision. The British, on the other hand, have ruling families that can be traced back for generations. This isn't just tradition, but true history -- centuries of history -- being honored by a truly modern couple. While they may not have the same technical political power that was once held, they have influence

This week has been one of paperwork. Which may explain my absence here. Who wants to hear about paperwork, really? Alas, that is my current world. Everything, it seems, expires within about six weeks. My car insurance, my driver's license, my license plates, my check card, and for good measure, my cell phone. So for the last week, I've been taking care of business. I am now a full resident of South Dakota, as is my car. And that's all there is.

Despite the promise of bad weather, yesterday was blessedly quiet. No calf emergencies, no cars in the ditch on the way to a funeral. You've seen the products of my day alone, and I have to say -- it was a hugely productive day. Tomorrow, this phase of my year ends and I head back east to get ready for the next one. Sophie needs licensing. Rock needs shoveling. Boxes need packing. And then I get to go to the Hills. Fantastic news. For tonight, I can relax. Play some cards. Eat some cake. Make fun of my uncle. And when the house gets quiet, I can step outside and enjoy the crystal clear (cold) night sky unspoiled by city lights. Which may just be the perfect end to a couple of pretty great weeks. Have a good weekend, all.

That is all.

As predicted, it started snowing about an hour and a half ago. Normally, this wouldn't be noteworthy. It's April. It's South Dakota. Snow happens. And really, today it's not particularly noteworthy. Morning chores went off just as smoothly as always (even more so because there was a fourth set of hands today) and the day progressed. Today, however, those grandparents of mine had a funeral to attend a few hours away ... so I'm calf-sitting. It's only natural, then, that it would snow today. Even though it was over sixty just two days ago. Thank you, South Dakota. [Harrumph.] The wind has died down for now and the temperature is just at freezing, so for now I'm not too concerned. If it gets too nasty out and something happens, I can give Mr. Rogers a call and get some help.  [Yes, you get a pseudonym now. Blame the sweater and the fact that you called me Rain Man.] In the meantime, I have baking to do. By the end, it's going to be pretty

I found myself cowering in the kitchen this morning while my grandparents went out to clean a calf. Generally speaking, it's not a good sign if my granddad mutters something about needing a couple shots of whiskey before any task; today it was enough of an indication for me to stay put. So I made gingersnaps instead. That "guest" status I have is tough, I tell you. My time here will come to a close in a few days. From here it's back to Sioux Falls for about four weeks to shovel rock, pack boxes, and hopefully sell my washer and dryer. (Anyone in the market?) Then comes stage 3 of the gypsy year as I return to Storm. It's a good life.

(Hopefully this helps me fix my publishing errors on Facebook. We'll see how that goes.) Everything about my day-to-day life has changed drastically in the last eight months. Heck, everything's changed two or three times, really. But the one thing that is catching my attention the most right now is just how much my drinking habits have shifted. In Wausau, I had Pepsi every day and the proximity of Red Eye meant that I was regularly drinking beer. No surprise on either part -- there was a soda machine at work and, well, Wisconsinites take their beer seriously. If I had coffee, it was usually at a coffee shop and usually adulterated. In Sioux Falls, I drink a lot more tea and there's usually an open bottle of wine around. I'm also more conscious about the volumes of water I consume. When I drink coffee, it's usually one or two cups at home with a shot of some flavor of Coffeemate. (I love the stuff, probably because it's non-dairy and therefore doesn't m

(Thank you, Kermit.) Imagine this. You wake up just after dawn. Yawning, you settle in to eat breakfast in front of a picture window. As you munch on your Cheerios, you idly watch the action outside. There are no cars. There are no airplanes. You can't hear a single mechanical noise until the furnace kicks in. What you do see are cows grazing, cats chasing each other in circles, turkeys strutting by, meadowlarks checking out a birdfeeder, a herd of about fifteen deer on a hillside, and you're reasonably certain you saw two antelope ducking through the trees. Welcome to my morning. It's rough, I tell you. The Hills are ripe with their own wildlife -- deer, antelope, big horn sheep, bison, the occasional mountain lion. But for sheer variety in one sitting, it's hard to beat the kitchen table here. Especially the calves. They manage to be both cute and hilarious. (How is it that something that adorable grows up into something so ... well, not?) Oh well.

I'm still out west, still "helping" with calving (seriously, there are moments when I doubt my usefulness), and I'm trying to take every opportunity to enjoy the space. By all accounts, I've raved enough about this place that both of my regular readers are probably rolling their eyes. But it bears repeating -- there are things about this particular area of the country that just can't be found anywhere else, and it is wonderful. My personal history has almost all of its roots here. All of my grandparents are from the general area; my dad's mom grew up right here and my dad's dad a bit east of here. My mom's parents both grew up straight south of here -- on the very same road, a few miles apart -- although twenty years earlier than the grandparents I'm visiting now. (My mom's dad worked for my dad's granddad at one point. It gets confusing.) My mom's siblings are both within an hour of here, one of them just fourteen miles away on

So far today, I've wrestled a day-old calf, fed a herd of cattle (and a herd of cats, but that's another story), cooked an okay meal for three, driven an hour, helped with a meal for thirty, did dishes for thirty (okay, only helped there, too), and walked about two miles. It's been a pretty full day. And now I want a beer. Hmm ... May be about time for the Gas Light...

The last week of my life has been markedly different than it's been in the past. My days have been filled with chores and baking and I'm finally getting regular sleep. It's been fantastic. Aside from that, it's been absolutely awesome to be back West River. I don't know as I fully grasped how much I missed it that whole time I was in Wisconsin, but after a week here -- with the promise of another week at least -- I feel so much more normal than I have in years. It's a little astonishing, actually. When I remember the memory card from my camera I'll be back with pictures of last week's baking creation. It may be awhile. In the meantime, I should probably get back to work and enjoy the weather. Have a good week, all.