Honey, I’m Home & I Had a Hard Day

Thanks for the title, Shania Twain!

We went to Montana to see Granddaughter #1, taking Granddaughter #2 with us. They are half sisters. We also saw our friend, Barb McNey, whom some of you know from when we all worked together at General Dynamics.

We walked with Barb along the Bitterroot River in Hamilton, Montana.

The day was beautiful, the air was crisp and clean. The mountains were really lovely. We saw no “wild” life besides birds. There are magpies in Montana (and Utah), though. They are related to ravens. I cannot for the life of me figure out why there aren’t any in Arizona. But I digress. I told Barb about how we were going to Yellowstone Park at the end of our trip so Elektra could see the bison and whatever else we are lucky enough to see. I told her about our first time there, so many years ago. Here’s that story for your reading pleasure:

One time in July, when Thomas was 14, TJ and I decided to go to Yellowstone Nat’l Park. Sonja was 18. I wanted her to go, but she was busy.

We got to Yellowstone. I was taking a million photos using a film camera. I saw buffalo, deer, everything but a bear. I really wanted a photo of a bear, but we saw nothing. No bears.

That night, we slept in the cabins at the park. Our cabin was one room with a sink for water. No toilet. 2 beds. Thomas slept on one bed, and Tim and I on the other. In the middle of the night, per my regular schedule, I had to get up for a potty break. The toilets were in a building across the compound, about 100 yards away.

I tried to be quiet, but the door squeaked. I hoped I didn’t awaken the entire campground with the sound. I kept thinking how dark it was. What if I encountered that bear I wanted to see! I glued my eyes to the bathroom light on the porch of the toilets, hurrying quickly across the dark compound. I didn’t hear TJ follow me out.

Finally reaching the building, I went inside. There were like five stalls. No one was in there but me. My imagination went wild by this time. Anxiety arose to almost panic levels.

When I finished, I crept back out, spying our cabin and our truck. I hurried toward the cabin, tunnel-visioned on the light above the door. Suddenly, I heard a voice.

“I’m here,” said Tim, surprising me. I started, then I screamed because I hadn’t seen him standing behind our truck.  In the dark shadows.

He grabbed me, putting his hand over my mouth, so I wouldn’t scream again, but I recognized him now. I broke down into gales of laughter. Not a bear. Only a husband who was trying to keep me from awakening the whole camp.

Never saw that bear. 

So fast forward to 2025, where we spent three days with Granddaughter #1 & Grandson-in-law, at Malmstrom AFB, near Great Falls, MT. That place is beautiful, as well. The river that flows by is the Missouri River. I had no idea! The rainbow trout in that river are huge! They are literally two or more feet long. Arizona rainbow trout? We’re lucky if they break twenty inches.

Next, on our way home, we drove through Yellowstone Park. Wow. That area is pristine. God may have copied some part of Eden when He made that park. The geysers are amazing. As you drive along, you realize you’re driving over a volcanic caldera. Then we saw the animals. There were deer, elk, birds, American Bison.

We stopped at Old Faithful Geyser. We were in time to see the eruption. So wonderful! Elektra enjoyed all that as well. So did Ruby Sue, by the way.

We left the park, going out the west entrance, so we could begin our trip home to Phoenix. All of a sudden, traffic slowed to almost a stand-still. How annoying. We wanted to get out of the park. We wanted to find a place to stay with our trailer so we could get a decent night’s sleep. As we crept along, we became more and more frustrated. Finally we found out why… a bear.

All the cars in front of us were stopped to take photos. Finally… after 35 years more or less, I got my bear photo. Yes. I was so excited.

In the meantime, since we’ve been home, TJ and I are editing books. We hope to have two available by the middle of July. More on (I just said moron) that later.

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