Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I have been very blessed this past year and I am thankful and grateful for all that has happened. My brother flies home tomorrow and simply being together as a family for the next couple weeks is more than enough.

However, there is one thing I would like. I know for most of my teenage years I asked for a motorcycle, and never got one. Maybe you knew better, knew I was a teenager living in Houston and asking for a motorcycle in this traffic was suicide.

I think my request this year is reasonable and honest. I have tried very hard to be a good girl this year. Santa, I would like a job. I would like a permanent position with the National Park Service. I'm sure you have connections, I mean your reindeer must have relatives that live in Park land. I'll keep applying, and you see what you can do on your end.

Sincerely,
Kate E.

Day 12: Last Day

Day 12: College Station, TX to Houston

Miles: 97

Gas Mileage: 40

Soundtrack: 94.5 the buzz

I woke-up with a full blown sore throat and what I knew to be the beginnings of a cold. Not zesty. I had hoped to attend the sandwich seminar at the institute but was not feeling up to and was just plain ready to be home. Thankfully, it was not a long drive. I got home, unloaded my car, and took a nap. The morning I was in Portland, I realized exactly one month ago, Oct 13th, I had left Cape Hatteras. In one month, I had quite literally driving across the country.

It was a wonderful two weeks I spent on the road. I didn't get to see everyone, but I saw a lot of friends and it was wonderful to meet spouses, children, roommates, dogs, and cats. Even though everyone said I should have come a week earlier, I was blessed with little snow and a safe drive. A few days after leaving Montana and Idaho, they got a lot of snow.

A huge thank-you to my dear friends who let me stay with them, to everyone who fed me or sent me on the road with a snack or a lunch. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Please let me know if I can ever return the favor!

Day 11

Day 11: Amarillo, TX to College Station, TX
Miles: 520
Gas Mileage: 40
Soundtrack: reading (eh-hem), 102.1 the edge, the official HW 6 between Marlin and BCS mixed cd (aka the official Thanksgiving break cd #2)

Another long day. I started by getting my car's oil changed and her tires rotated. 90,000 miles on my baby! She was still really dirty and I was embarassed to claim her as mine when the maintenance was done. I drove to College Station, arrived in time to attend one of the family ward's additional meetings, then went with my friend Sarah and her husband Danny to a midnight showing of Harry Potter.

The theatre was already seated by the time we arrived but we were able to get decent seats. There were a lot of people dressed up, including a Rita Skeeter. During our two hour wait before the movie started, I went up to said Rita, and told her what a big fan I was of her writing and how I loved her biography on Dumbledore and when she would be publishing again. The girl, Elizabeth, got a real kick out of this, and took a picture with me. Totally random. Will probably never see me again in her life. Random.

The movie was superb. I was so thrilled by how closely they kept to the story line, not too much else was added, but the one dancing scene that wasn't in the book worked. I was thrilled with the way they really did take polyjuice for the Ministry, and the way they told the tale of the Three Brothers and made it seem fairy tale-like. Awesome. I'm hoping to see it again, in the theatre (which means I really liked it) soon.
We got back to the Garcia's close to 4 and I zonked out on the couch. I was starting to get a sore throat, thanks to all the singing I'd done the day before.

Day 10

Day 10: Grand Junction, CO to Amarillo, TX
Miles: 680
Gas Mileage: 40
Soundtrack: Chicago, Damn Yankees, Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods, Kiss Me Kate, West Side Story

This was a looong day. By the time I got up, they had opened I-70. There were still places where it was snow-packed and icy and made for some very scary driving. My car, that had been rinsed in a nice rain in Oregon, became filthy once more. I found that I desperately need new windshield wipers as well. There were some tense moments, but I made it. My plan was to attempt to camp at Lake Meredith again, but by the time I got through the construction in NM, and lost an hour, it was dark, I was tired, and I wimped out and got a room.

As you might have noticed, today was a musical soundtrack day. And my downfall...I know better, I really do! I sang and sang and sang until my throat was raw and scratchy.

Day 9

Day 9: Downey, ID to Grand Junction, CO
Miles: 450
Gas Mileage: 33
Soundtrack: 94.9 Z-rock

Another early morning. I woke first to a little voice saying, "Mom, mom, I threw-up." Ah, the joys of motherhood! Lisa got her oldest to school, we snapped a quick photo, and I headed south to Logan, UT. I hadn't been to Logan in a long time. I was meeting a friend for breakfast, got there a little early, and drove around USU campus. What was cool was that homecoming had been a few weeks earlier and you could still see where the different clubs and organizations had painted the street. I loved that tradition when I was there. Great place, Utah State!

Me and Lisa.
I went to Angie's, "where the locals eat", for breakfast and met Margaret, a friend from my major, also trying to break her way into the National Park Service. She was spending her winter in Logan, subbing at the high schools. It was good to see here again and to catch up.

My next stop was Syracuse, UT, to see another old roommate, Tarrin. It had been a long time since I'd seen her as well. She was in the process of moving, but was so put together and her kids were well groomed, yet another amazing friend. I entrusted my camera to her almost three year-old to get a picture of me and her mom. I think she did well. She was super excited to take pictures and I let her snap a few. So cute!

Tarrin's beautiful girl and handsome little man!

I made one last stop in Provo to see a friend from high school days, Amy. It was a quick visit and I didn't get a picture. It was grand to see her as well and discuss life in limbo.

Then, the long push to Grand Junction. I had decided to stop there for the night, which ended up being a good thing because I-70 over Vail Pass was closed because of snow and bad roads. I wimped out and got a hotel room instead of camping. It was cold and I don't get along well with cold.

Day 8

Day 8: Deer Lodge, MT to Downey, ID
Miles: 323
Gas Mileage: 34
Soundtrack: U2, various Idaho radio stations

I had forgotten how cold it gets in Montana. I loaded up my car and stopped and got a peppermint hot chocolate from my friend Mona in her little shack. Her expression when she saw who was pulling up was priceless. We had a lovely chat, in her shack, and another friend pulled up while I was there and all three of us talked for a while. I love that little town!

I headed to the ranch and met my friend Laura, who I hadn't seen in much too long. She is truly amazing to me and very near and dear to my heart.

I also chatted with my old supervisor and it was so good to see her as well. There are some things that have changed about the place, but mostly, it's the same. A lot of the staff was in a meeting and I wasn't able to see everybody which was disappointing, but I needed to press on.

My friend Laura.
My former supervisor and superb interpreter, Julie.

Going south, I made a very important stop, and one I had not made enough during my travels between Deer Lodge, and Logan, UT. My grandmother's sister and her husband live in Blackfoot, ID. I think the last time I saw them was in 2004 as I headed up to Montana for the first time. My dear Uncle Vear had turned 90 this past summer and when I pulled up to their home he was outside sweeping the driveway. They sure keep busy. They were so thrilled by the timer function on my camera, it was pretty cute to watch.

We had a lovely chat, then we went over to where one of their sons, Ron, works, and I got a tour of the grain elevators. That was fabulous. It sure is a pretty place.

I left and had a little hop down to Downey, ID where I was staying with my friend Lisa. True to fashion, we stayed up quite late talking. Lisa is another amazing friend of mine. They all are, really. However, this woman, a month away from giving birth to her third child, took me out to the back shed, collected and carried some large pieces of firewood, and got a fire going to warm their house. Did I mention she's eight months pregnant?!?! Amazing.

Day 7

Day 7: Missoula, MT to Deer Lodge, MT
Miles: 85
Gas Mileage: 35
Soundtrack: none- I enjoyed my favorite stretch of interstate in the entire country in silence


I got up early and attended the student ward in the institute building. It had been a long time since I'd been there and there were few familiar faces. However, two that I remembered from way back when, were visiting that ward for the day and it was grand to see them again.


Today was a wonderful day in terms of driving. Not only was it a short drive, it is also my most favorite stretch of interstate in the country. I've driven it many times and I know it well. I made it to Deer Lodge and was so exhausted I conked out for about two hours. I got up, went to a rehearsal for the Christmas comedy night and was able to see friends there, then spent the rest of the evening with my friend Elizabeth and her family. We got a little carried away with the pictures we took. This one is one of the less silly ones of the bunch.


I stayed the night at Elizabeth's and cuddled with her cute cat Alice. True to the behavior of the past few nights, we stayed up much too late talking.