Survival Gift

Recently I jokingly mused whether the Legal Dude was becoming a Wyomingite.

While the Legal Dude and I have certainly embraced aspects of the Wyoming mindset—a more relaxed and slower “stop and smell the roses” attitude—we may have lived too long on the East Coast (EC) for a true metamorphosis to occur.

Or perhaps we’re just too uptight—in our own idiosyncratic ways.

He:  Occasionally still drives like an EC impatient type A commuter and desperately misses Whole Foods and some of those big box stores. 

Me:  Still afeard of bears—or anything with four legs and teeth—and (sometimes) the beautiful and open, but oh so empty, spaces with nary another soul in sight.

(What, I ask, happens if one becomes lost, or breaks a leg and/or encounters a four-legged critter with big teeth?  And what if this occurs during inclement weather—like now?)  

Well my coz, Big J, who hails from Denver and all things Outward Bound, sent us a little holiday gift to help soothe the worries.

Big cousin J came to visit a month or so ago and told us everything we need to have in the car—a big empty coffee can with a candle; matches; plenty of water and snacks; extra socks, gloves, and hats; and blankets—as a precaution against the Wyoming winds and blowing snow while traveling. 

I guess he wasn’t convinced the EC city cousins had listened with quite the attentive ear and so sent these much welcomed gifts…

Everyone needs a little red Swiss Army knife--so he sent three!

Thanks to Big cousin J, we now travel with most—if not the coffee can and candle—of his suggested items and I don't have to worry about getting lost when exploring the many empty off-off roads that are Wyoming (in July and August, that is).

Just another small step forward to becoming a true Wyoming family—hardly!  

For all you academic types out there: Hope your reentry back into work week isn’t too harsh.