A Roller Coaster Day!

Well, I awoke before 5AM today! Can ANYONE believe it? I couldn't... there I lay, unable to fall back asleep.... UGH. So, finally Jeff gave in to my fidgeting and we both got up before 6am. We came to the lodge & started coffee & a fire. After the 2 hands came in & had their coffee, the 3 guys went out & fed the stock and I took a shower. Just as I stepped out of the shower - the generator quit - so no water, no power, etc. At least I was done, right? Apparently, there is something on the pipe that the water runs through that freezes - so they had to go up & defrost the pipe.

THEN - we got an instant message from Tammy (Jeff's boss) that one of the hands had IM'd her and said he quit and wanted out Monday. SO... she asked Jeff to go talk to him & see what the problem was. He left to do that and I went & did devotions & prayers. When he returned, he said that there was a misunderstanding - Tyler didn't quit, the other guy (Scott) quit, but we knew he was headed to AK so that wasn't a surprise. Jeff said he'd be welcome back here anytime and Scott seemed to appreciate that. The talk w/ them both was a good thing for Jeff though, as they were able to all loosen up a bit and get things cleared up. So, we got stressed for nothing.

OH - Then Bendigo lost a screw out of his glasses. He hasn't broken them a single time that I know of, but manages to do so our 2nd day in here - can you believe it? So, Jeff stole a screw from his glasses (since he uses his contacts mostly) and fixed them, and I asked for a glasses kit to be sent in on the next plane.

All that and it's only early afternoon! HEY... we DO have a question for everyone out there! We are going to set Bendigo up a blog also, so does anyone have a suggestion for the blog name? We are considering "Backwoods Bendigo" but are open to suggestions.

This afternoon we got moved into our other temporary quarters - the dogs are seriously confused but seem to be pretty content overall. The one thing they just don't get is why they aren't allowed in the lodge. Anyway, as soon as we hear back from the board (assuming it's positive) we'll be able to start demo on the foreman's cabin & begin the remodel.

Well, time for wind down & bed (yes, it's only 7pm but I've been up FOREVER!!)

Home Sweet Home

Well, we've arrived! The plane ride in was uneventful and we arrived around 10:00. The pilot made 3 trips & was able to bring nearly every #1 box we had!! So, that was good news - except that we are in our temporary, temporary quarters - so we'll have to move all the boxes again in a day or 2 and then AGAIN when the cabin remodel is done. Ugh.

The dogs weren't sure they liked the flight - Sage tried to climb up on top of the cargo, then into our laps, but finally settled down on the floor. Josie just laid right down & stayed there.

I'm attaching photos of our flight in, our arrival, the ranch & pack bridge, our foreman's cabin (the one to be remodeled asap), elk just across the river, and the lodge.

















We'll see how things go over the next couple weeks. We can already determine that there may be some personnel issues, but are trying to stay positive and hope we can win them over.

Bendigo is all settled in his cabin / room. We looked at several options & he chose one. We are hopeful he can stay there & won't need to move to make room for staff. He seems quite content & shows no concern over being there alone. The 2 wranglers that are here currently are just on the other side of the building though, so he's not really alone. He & Jeff just finished up a game of pool in the lodge & we're all getting settled in for our 1st night.

Almost "home"!!

Well, here we are in Salmon ID - waiting for weather to clear so we can fly in. Today was too stormy so we're spending another night in a motel - a DIFFERENT motel than last night!! The good news is that they expect tomorrow to be much clearer & nicer & so they should be able to make multiple plane trips to get our stuff into the ranch. So, we are quite excited & encouraged about that. The one good thing about having to delay our flight in, is that we got to spend a good portion of the day w/ Tammy (the General Manager) and get some things reviewed & paperwork filled out.

I'll try & take pictures tomorrow so I have some to post to the blog. We'll see if I remember to dig out the camera.

Btw - Gordon - thanks so much for your helpful labeling of boxes. We are quite curious what is in our boxes marked #5 or #8 - and I'm not sure if the picture labeled "Miss America 1932" is a compliment - or ?

Saying Goodbye is the hardest thing

What a wonderful, blessed day! We had a fellowship-filled day with church family & friends today! First, a great Sunday school & worship service (at which Jeff both sang & played his harmonica!) and then afternoon dinner at our good friends the Shold's and finally a fun sing-along & dessert time w/ many of our church family.

Tomorrow we pick up the U-haul in the afternoon & start loading, and will try to complete loading Tues a.m., so we can get the house cleaned & be done. We'll see how it goes... there's always more stuff than you think, more to do than you think, less time than you think, and fewer boxes than you think!

We feel especially melancholy to be leaving at this difficult time for everyone. Death's, illnesses and other family's moving - all combine to make this a very bittersweet event. But, we know we will return often to visit and pray that we will be able to be a blessing to the new people who will enter our lives.

Life is too short - Hug your loved ones

Terrible news today... a local girl, a friend, and a young mother & bride, died today. In her early 20's, and she's dead. She was diagnosed with Crohn's disease just after Christmas, and today died unexpectedly from that treatable disease. The entire town is in mourning - until her baby was born (less than 1 year ago), she worked at the restaurant, grocery store, post office - pretty much was known everywhere, by everyone. She was energetic, sweet... all those things that you would want your daughter to be. I was a Christmas party just days before she was hospitalized and diagnosed - I saw her with her baby that day & her husband. It just seems so surreal that now she's gone. Shocking, Heartbreaking. We'll miss you Janelle.

Flying B Ranch

Ok, so what are the particulars of our new adventure? I'll do my best, but you may have to email me w/ questions that I don't think of! Jeff will be the Operations Manager of the Flying B ranch - a corporate outfitter - located on the middle fork of the Salmon River, in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness area in central Idaho. The closest towns are Salmon & Challis, both of which are approx 20 minute flights from the ranch.

We'll live on the ranch year-round, except for 2 months during the off-season (Dec - March) when we can go wherever we want. We plan on traveling / visiting a lot during that time. I am not sure yet what I'll be doing - there are several positions I can fill during the season, so it will depend a lot on where I'm needed. Or, I may not work at all. We'll see. Bendigo has also been told he can work full or part time, as we decide, if he wants to. We'll continue to homeschool, and may also plan on sending him out to visit family occassionally if he feels the need to spend more time outside.

The ranch has many buildings, most of them sleeping quarters. There are a lot of guest cabins as well as staff quarters. Also a lodge (includes bar & store), the foreman's cabin (where Jeff & I will live, Ben will likely be in a staff quarters), workshop/tack room/garge building, store rooms, etc. 65 head of horses are kept at the ranch year round, and 60 acres of hay are irrigated & baled to feed them thru the winter.

We'll have a staff of approx 9 people. These include cooks, housekeeper, wranglers, store / bookeeper, and staff for the off-site ranch location called the Root Ranch.

Wolves are quite numerous in the area (there are 4 packs quite close, 1 in each of the adjacent drainages), which has resulted in decreasing numbers of bear & cougar. They've also caused a significant drop in the elk population.

Ok, I think that's it for now. We're frantically packing to get moved, as Jeff has to be there by the 26th, so it's quite a short time. I'll post more pictures after we get there, and will put our new shipping address on here asap.

More Wedding Pics

A few more pics. Some of Jeni's funky wedding shoes, etc.

Jeni Wedding

Well, we have returned from the wedding, and I had a wonderful time. We had the shower on the 7th and the wedding on the 14th. I also got to spend time w/ Mom & sisters as well as Luke & Jeni. Here are pics from the wedding of Jeni & CJ, Me & Fam & Luke & girlfriend Anna. If anyone wants some hard copies, let me know. I'll do another post later with the information on our new home (addy, etc.) and then a separate one w/ more detailed info on the trip. Also, I've included pics of the quilt I made Jeni & also of the cake (Thanks Ger & Mb!!).

A Few Pictures of hte Ranch

Here are some pictures of the ranch and the flight in. This picture from the air is of the spot where the ranch sits.. if you can see it down there! It looks pretty brown & dry, but in the summer will be quite green & lovely - like a little oasis. I didn't get very may pictures on this trip, but will post more after we get moved in.

Testing, Testing.... Anyone Out There?

Ok, so I'm going to test you all out & see if anyone is actually READING my blog. So, here's our B*I*G N*E*W*S!! --- And we'll see who, if anyone, responds!!

Ok, so here it is

We're moving again!!! And it's a radical change this time. We are moving to the Idaho Wilderness to manage a corporate outfitter business. We'll live full-time, on -site at the ranch, located inside the Frank Church wilderness. Access is via plane (although a person COULD ride in via horse, it's about 8 hours riding). We'll get 2 months off per year and can travel or do whatever we want during that time (which will take place Dec - mid March).

So... we plan on being in place by the 1st week of March, so lots to do in the meantime. When we return from the wedding, we'll be desperately getting ready to move.

So... what do you all think?

Man! What a Day!

We were up at 4:30 am - YES, I said 4:30 AM! We had to be to Weiser, ID by 8:30 THEIR time. I HATE time zones. Why can't we all just get along at the same time? AND... if you DO have to cross a time zone, should it just be the rule that the time is always for the EARLIER of the 2 zones? UGH! So, anywho, it was a very educational day. We'll know more on the outcome within a day or two so will post more then.