Stream of Consciousness.

Sometimes I can't get motivated to want to write.  The thing is though that I love to write.  It feels good to put my thoughts somewhere more permanent than my head or chatting with a friend.   I'm still not motivated but I figured if I just started then maybe something would come to me.  I might wander.

We are back in the park for the winter season.  This will most likely be our last season in Yellowstone.  However, as every Yellowstoner knows, there are four lies of Yellowstone and one of them is "I'm never coming back."  (The other three include: "I love you," "We'll keep in touch," and "I'm not getting drunk tonight.") It's hard to stay away from here.  It's so stunningly beautiful and peaceful that it holds on to you and doesn't want to let you go.  The idea of being able to wake up before being at work at 10:30 and go for a ski through the Lower Geyser Basin (home to famous Old Faithful and numerous other phenomenal geothermal features) is one that is hard to leave behind.

I've been looking at photos from other's AT trips and it makes me excited to be leaving with a plan.  At least we aren't heading out into the real world with thoughts of an office job (which I don't believe I could ever do again!) or mortgage payments.  What comes after the AT is still a BIG question mark and one that the answer to changes almost hourly (or at least that's how it feels).  On one hand we love being out west.  Who wouldn't?  The mountains have a way of getting into your soul and holding you there while you just calmly breath in the fresh air.  The freshly melted snow turning small streams into roaring rivers that wash you clean without even stepping into the frigged waters.  On the other hand we would love to be closer to our families.  They should just move out west and make it an easier decision.  Oh well there is still plenty of time before that decision has to be made.

I haven't even taken my camera out of it's case since I've been back in the park.  (And I've been here for a whole week now!)  I'm a bit nervous to take my new camera out on skis and we have been rather busy preparing for opening day, which is tomorrow!  We don't have nearly the amount of snow that we had last year.  In fact, we are still using some wheeled vehicles and my ski poles hit the road often while skiing to work.  Hopefully the snow gods will see our dances and dump several feet of big white flakes on us.  Fingers crossed! 

Laundry time!  Sorry for the lack of any direction and the lack of postings lately.  Now that my routined life is back, maybe I'll get better.  Lots of love and best wishes to everyone during this busy time of year.