Open Invitation

Travis, Matt and I have discussed going on a backpacking trip this fall. We'd like to extend the invitation to other family members: Brant, Leslie, Erik, Jaime, Kelly, Kimbre, Lacey and Seth.
I know that we recently took vacations, but I'm thinking of a 3-5 day outing. Late October or early November seem to be the next available opportunities. Just don't tell Grandpa if we encounter snow.
Location? I was thinking of somewhere in the middle of Idaho/Utah/Colorado. Perhaps the Uintahs or NW Wyoming (Yellowstone or Wind River Range).
Feel free to offer your preferences and suggestions.

Slow Week

It's obvious that summer is drawing to a close. We have had unseasonably cool weather 60's and 70's (where was this weather when everyone was working on Matt and Kimbre's yard)? It is supposed to get up to the 90's this week but I think (and hope) the extremes are over.

Mom can count the days until she goes back to school (about two weeks). I am counting the days until I don't have 200 phone calls at the office Monday morning telling me which air conditioning units didn't work for church.

The couples in our ward are starting to return from summer jobs to get ready for school. It looks like our ward will be quite small again this year. The stake has considered combining the three married wards and making two but each time have decided against it.

Mom made chocolate chip cookies for me to take to my office this morning. Just imagine trying to give a priesthood blessing and all you can smell is fresh baked cookies.

We hope you have all enjoyed your summer. Some are back in school and others are getting close. We love you all and are proud of what you are and what you are striving to be (boy, I sound like Grandma and Grandpa. They used to bug me when they talked like that).

Have a good week.

home at last

Three weeks ago I left Memphis (and T-rav) to embark on a trip around the east/mid west. I flew 760 miles, drove a total of 1510 miles (205 from Richmond to the Outer Banks; 697 from the Outer Banks to Palmyra; 610 from Palmyra to South Bend, IN), and after realizing I somehow needed to get myself back to Memphis, took the train 549 miles from Chicago.

Total miles traveled: 2819

Aside from the guilt I felt for ditching Trav, it was a great trip. I was able to relax at the beach, spend some time with my family, buy lots of books, and visit my dear friend.

And I took a train! I really, really heart trains. And train stations. And train platforms (which should always be called platforms, not "tracks" like they apparently call them in the Amtrak system). And the tracks. And really everything about them. But I had never ridden a train in the US before. I went expecting all sorts of unsavory folks, kind of like the ones you find on the Greyhound bus. But I stand corrected; there was a lovely assortment of people aboard Amtrak, most of them very run-of-the-mill.

Anyway. It's good to be home, although Memphis will only be home for 1 more week. Then I'm back to Utah by way of New Orleans.

Oriental Institute, Chicago, IL