The Myth & The Majesty

It's raining again -- snowing just south of here, actually. And further west. Because it's May and it's the Hills. My summer has begun, such as it is, and I'm hanging out for a few minutes at a coffee shop before I head off to the land of unreliable Internet. (Plus, well, right now I have free time, sort of.) And wondering why there's a commercial for a Sioux Falls bowling alley on TV here. Sorry. Train of thought ... Um ... Ah yes. Although my summer is technically something of a step back (sort of) I couldn't be much more excited about it. I mean, I get to spend the summer cooking. In a place I love. With people I haven't seen enough of in the last four years. And I get to go hiking. And kayaking. And haunt my favorite coffee shop on the planet. And hang out at the ranch occasionally. And study for various acceptance tests. And fill out applications for schools within easy reach of school and an incredibly helpful former professor. ...

What can I say? Not a whole lot has been going on. I've celebrated my birthday in some fairly random ways. On my 18th, I was in Kansas City and the roller coaster I was waiting for got shut down due to lightning. On my 21st, it snowed 8 inches. This year, as we were sitting down to eat, the civil alert sirens went off. I looked at Shorty, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Air raid?" While a tornado would be moderately commonplace at this time of year, this time there was a wall of wind coming. It had been nice all day -- sunny and clear -- but around 7PM storm clouds were approaching. When the sirens went off, we checked the weather to find that they were expecting the wind to go from calm to 50+mph straight-lines in a matter of seconds. We spent the next five minutes battening down the hatches. And watching. Sure enough, you could see it coming. Trees south of us suddenly bent under its force, moving slowly toward us. When it hit, the temperature dropped about ten d...

I can't let this kind of occasion go by without at least acknowledging it. Even if -- in this case -- all I can think is, "Rock. On." Yep.

Hm. The dishwasher was just smoking. That can't be good. (A text message from me to Shorty just a little while ago.) Well, it's May. Later this month, I'll be moving to the Hills. Before that, I'll be turning 27. This may be the year I start aging ungracefully. In the meantime, I have to go deal with a smoking dishwasher. I hope this isn't an indicator of the month to come.

(... 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.