There’s this saying...

If you don’t like the weather in Wyoming, give it ten minutes because it’s sure to change.

When I finished my blog post this morning, the flakes had stopped and the sun was shining.

It’s been shining ever since, making it an overall very nice day except for the strong Wyoming winds.

Same shot, different time of day and weather...

  
The Legal Dude is back in the Mountain West and will soon be home, after a quick stop into Whole Foods in Ft Collins.

As I sit at my laptop looking eastward, I see an Albany County school bus pull into the school parking lot.

Don’t know if it’s the teenagers, or the 7^th grade bus.  

Being so late, nearly 4 p.m., one can only hope their team did well in the championship.

  

Here’s to sunshine in your neck of the woods….may it be so sunny and bright!

The last game…

The buses were lined up at the junior high by 7:30 a.m.  

The teenager left the house at 7:45 to hop a bus, which is now carrying his team to Cheyenne for the end-of-season basketball tournament.

It’s snowing—a light but steady snowfall, which slightly diminishes visibility.

They can't be seen but two yellow school buses are parked over there

Fortunately the winter advisory, in effect since Friday morning, expired before 6:00 a.m.

50% chance of intermittent snow showers between here and Cheyenne all day long, however.

I have no idea when they’ll be back—early if they lose, late if they win.

The Legal Dude is out-of-town otherwise we too would be on our way to Cheyenne.

He’s on his way back from White Plains, NY, where he took a team of 3^rd years to an annual competition.

He won’t be home until mid-evening.

So I’m here alone, waiting for my men.

Can’t say I’m sorry the teenager’s traveling time is over.   

Although it's only a temporary hiatus, depending on this next season's sports... 

Revisiting—our town

Without a doubt, our little town is lacking.

There’s a lot that’s missing…like dress shirts and dress pants for the teenager (and the Legal Dude).

The local “Staples” carries just that, and not much more.

Wal-Mart is NOT Target and the K-Mart has the feel of a store that’s on the verge of closing.

Most of the restaurants are mediocre, and those we do like charge the equivalent of D.C. prices.    

Laramie has only two grocery stores, at either end of town, but there are two local food shops that carry unique—and also ethnic—foods, but at a cost.

Book and video shopping is limited but there’s always Amazon, Netflix, etc., and I hear Borders filed for bankruptcy.

This post, however, is not meant to dis our town. 

Despite what we don’t have, I still appreciate what we DO have.

I can still look around, and think, “Wow! We really live here!” and be happy for it.  

With warm, almost balmy, weather this past week and clear skies, the Snowies have been magnificent! 

(I thought about taking photos, but they never capture the beauty I see every morning as I head west to the University.)

Clouds are moving in as colder weather—and snow—heads in our direction once again.

I’m reminded that February and March (and even April) are the real winter here.

While driving home this afternoon, I thought it might be time to revisit what I love about this place…

The beauty of the snowcapped mountains

The blue, blue sky

The magnificent cloud formations (even when they are dark and foreboding)

Blazing, intense and hot sun, which is a g-d send on those frigid, frigid days  

The riding barn, a 10 minute drive from home, where I now take riding lessons

Western boots

Western paraphernalia

Cowgirls’ basketball

Art Classes

University life

 

Who cares that frozen snow litters our landscape, that strong winds are never ceasing or that winter may linger for yet another two months.

This is, Wyoming, after all…

Still hard, sometimes, to believe we actually live here!

My first riding lesson was today.

Our friend's daughter. We gave her a gift of her first riding lesson

 The horse is Astro. 

He’s a Morgan. 

Morgans are compact, not too large, which is good for me since there’s less distance to fall.

We had to postpone twice due to frigid weather.  

While we ride in a barn, it is not heated and like everyplace else here in Wyoming, is subject to the strong Wyoming winds.  

  

Today I learned to steer (reign, I guess), trot and I tried to “post.”

Posting is when you bounce up and down while trotting or galloping.

You raise yourself up in the stirrups.

It supposedly doesn’t hurt the bum so much when bouncing up and down.

You use your legs, back and ab muscles and need to stay in rhythm with the horse while hanging on.

Oh, and you’re supposed to steer (reign) too!

One more thing—you’re supposed to post up while the horse is raising his right leg. 

It’s a lot to remember.

It’s hard work!

My lesson is an hour long. Fifteen or so of those minutes is learning to bridal Astro, walk him and a few other things. 

I was exhausted after riding 35 minutes!

I am, though, determined to learn how to ride so I can tick off yet another notch on my way to becoming a frontier woman.

Or maybe, it will be my one and only notch…   

I have survived

The adrenaline is flowing.

I took part in my first group project/presentation this morning.

It wasn’t such a big deal and there were four of us.

It’s been decades since I last presented to a roomful of university co-eds.

It went well. 

No assignments due tomorrow, although several due later in the week—including one terribly dry text.

For the moment though I’m too wired to sit and concentrate.

So I turn to you, dear blog-o, for a little narcissistic drivel.

Brain Freeze

Had classes today.

I leave the car parked at 9 am and climb back in around 3 pm.

Despite the sun, it was Frigid.

Walking back to my car, I got a brain freeze—literally.

First time it’s happened here. 

Sure it won’t be the last. 

Dear Blog-O

[Written but not posted last night]
 
Tonight I do not like living here.

It is -7 with the wind chill.  The house is groaning under the wind and swirling snow.

Blowing snow creates drifts and visibility is diminished.

We’ve been under a winter weather advisory since 5 pm that will continue through 11 am tomorrow morning.

WYDOT has issued road advisories against unnecessary travel between the Colorado state line and Laramie.

Nothing unusual here, except that the Legal Dude is out there, in the weather, making his way up the interstate from DIA.  

He called. 

He’s staying behind a semi, both doing 15 to 20 mph on an interstate where the legal speed limit is 75 but most drivers travel 85 mph.

He has an 8 am class tomorrow morning so he’s determined to make the trip home. 

He said he can’t see the exit signs. 

He saw a car spin off the road.  

Some people slowed while others used the opportunity to go even faster, a strange phenomenon—which is more common than not—that I just do not get.

I’m not the only one though, pacing and waiting patiently for a loved one to pull off the unpredictable Wyoming roads.

People here travel all the time and weather can frequently be an issue, even during the two seasons that are July and August.

It doesn’t mean that I have to like it.

Sweetness...

These are what a friend dropped off after reading yesterday's post...

She wanted to cheer me up, especially with the Legal Dude gone.

What a sweet friend!

I’m on the mend—hopefully—from my cold, the teenager is feeling better and the Legal Dude comes home tomorrow.

Everything’s coming up Daffodils.

Thanks, Caitlin!

Flicks versus chocolate…

The Legal Dude is out of town. He left two days ago for D.C.

I’ve been fighting a cold, the first severe one since moving here.

Other than going to classes, doing coursework and taking care of the teenager (which meant getting him out of the house at 5:45 am yesterday morning for basketball practice and a 9 am game this morning) I’ve stayed put—mostly on the couch, in front of the fireplace.

The teenager had a bit of a hard morning (maybe more on that later), which left both the Legal Dude and I feeling at a loss.

With the Legal Dude gone, feeling under the weather and the teenager feeling the way he was, I teetered an eensy-weensy bit emotionally.

When feeling this way I either turn to chocolate or to movies.

Certain flicks make me smile, shed some goofy tears and just leave me feeling all over Hallmark warm and fuzzy.

Admittedly, these movies are chick flicks but, hey, they do the trick.

One of the most recent additions to my repertoire is “New in Town,” starring Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr.

Renee’s first scene in Minnesota—stepping out into the frigid windy temps—makes me hoot, as does a whole lot about this movie.

I find I can relate—to the concept of moving to an environment so totally new and foreign and yet so great one  is surprised to discover they actually like living there.

In some small way, I feel this movie was made for those who willingly made some significant change in their living environment.

If you somehow missed the movie, check it out.

Even the Legal Dude enjoyed it, and it’s a much better flick than “Did you Hear About the Morgan’s,” which supposedly took place in Wyoming.

So here’s to fun movies on a cold and windy night, ‘cause it’s snowing and blowing again.

Meet Astro

One of my New Year adventures this year is to take riding lessons.

Today I took a step closer to beginning that adventure.

Nine year old R.N.—a friend, neighbor and the daughter of a colleague of the Legal Dude—will also be taking lessons.

So this afternoon R.N.—together with her mom and younger brother (the little tyke)—and I drove out to meet Astro and his mom.  

Clip Art--But this horse is the color of Astro and just as handsome

The barn where we’ll take lessons is not heated and with the severe temps, Astro’s mom decided it was too cold to ride.

But we got to touch and pet Astro and to feed him lots of treats.

First lesson is scheduled for Monday, weather permitting.

We decided on “English.”

Wanna bet who’s going become the better rider faster?

My money is on nine-year old R.N.!

Thankful...

The UDUB Heating Plant is hard at work…

and probably working overtime...

FRIGID—Redux

I did NOT sign up for this.
 

Photo of my TV (Doesn't take wind chill into account!)

Cold, snow and (even) wind—okay.

Negative 35 degrees—okay, as long as the mercury begins to inch upwards after a few days.

But THIS!

One of the teachers over at the ECEC (where I was observing this morning) told me it was -65 when she woke up at 5 am! 

Geeze….

Again, I did not sign on for this!

Did you?

Say What? It's HOW cold?

The temp this morning when we awoke was -27º with a wind chill of -47º.

The high for today will be -8, if the mercury actually reaches that high.

I believe this a first for us—the -47, not the -8.

The frigid air freezes, not only, the nose hairs, but then glues them together (sorry!) a mere second after stepping outside.

I didn’t see any kids walking to school today.

Of course I drove the teenager—he who refuses overcoat, hat or gloves—to school this morning. 

Actually, he stuffed a pair of gloves in his backpack.

Hallelujah!

One tiny step forward for motherhood…

It’s off to class I go. 

Please stay safe out there…

Woman with shovel—hear her roar

All this ice and frozen snow (which is different from ice) from the streets melts and bleeds onto our sidewalk, leaving a major ice floe on the corner of our lot.

I have now gone out thrice to chop it away, but alas, I am left with this...
 

gallons upon gallons of water just waiting to refreeze, leaving a little ice rink on the corner of our lot.

I am woman though—with shovel.  Hear me roar...

Because, alas, I'll have to keep doing it again, and again, and again...