Mired in the Muck...

Whoa!  I’m in the present century at last!  TV!!!  With all the bizillions of channels, recording options…you know, television luxury.  I’m still learning this new system, but oh, is it nice to have TV again!

We’ve had a lot of rain over the past week.  The last few days it stopped – I tell you this before I tell you about my latest fiasco of country living.  I had to go to the high/middle schools yesterday.  Which is all dirt roads once you leave the highway…  Well, it looked ok as I drove my usual way to the building where we see kids.  As the saying goes, looks can be deceiving.  I wasn’t in my own car (thank heavens…) – we have a fleet of vehicles that we check out when we need to go somewhere.  Anyway, I was in the mini-van, and was driving on the side of the “road” (so to speak) to stay out of the ruts that looked bad.  You got it, it didn’t take me long before I was stuck!  Of course, I also didn’t have mud-walking shoes on, but I had to get out to go get help.  I walked through the muck, collecting oodles and gobs of goo on my shoes and trekked over to the high school main office.  It made their day, this ‘gringa’ having gotten stuck and I got plenty of razzing.  After they stopped grabbing their sides in laughter, they called maintenance to tow me out.  I was hoping I wouldn’t have to confess at work…only wouldn’t you know?  There was an emergency so while I was in the office waiting for rescue, my assistant called to have me come back.  Well, I’ll be there as soon as they get me out…

Actually I had just ordered some rain boots.  They have since arrived and will now accompany me whenever there is or has been rain…  More aptly named “mud boots”.  I will also drive the other way around – apparently part of the dirt roads have been sprinkled with rock, which keeps vehicles, and shoes, out of the muck.

We’ve had three days of emergencies, two for me and one for the other psychologist.  Trial by fire..   I’ve learned a lot.  I also learned from a super great police officer that my theory about attempted suicide as a criminal matter is what I thought at first, it’s a safety issue since there really is nowhere else for people to be safe.  Typically, that’s all it is and no criminal charges occur.  Not super comfy or nurturing, but safe.

That’s it today from…little house on the res!

Train Whistles...

When I first moved in, I was soothed by the train whistles as the trains passed through the area.  I began to notice, however, there sure seemed to be an awful lot of trains, and they seemed all around me, except for east.  When X and I took our tour, I mentioned all the trains.  He had a puzzled look and said “there aren’t any trains around here, the closest tracks would be Pierre” (one hour away).  This started some questioning to figure out what I was hearing.  As it turns out, it’s school buses!   Apparently here the kids don’t wait outside (in the cold…), but when the bus comes to their area it blares it’s horn for a considerably long time, and they do sound like a train whistle (to my defense).   Heaven help the people who may not have children and happen to live near where the bus stops…no sleeping in for them during the week…

Saturday of this week-end past Phoebe and I trekked into Chamberlain for her to meet her new vet.  She was all excited not knowing, of course, where she was headed.  Now Phoebe has two major neuroses:  heights and being on her back.  When we first arrived, I plunked Phoebe on the highest exam table I’d ever seen, or Phoebe either.  She shivered and shook like it was below zero.  Next, since our primary purpose was to examine some growth on her stomach, well, you guessed it, onto her back did she have to go.  She was a wreck.  After it was all over, and a diagnosis of a benign cyst, some discussion about tick and flea prevention…we prepared to leave. 

We had rain for about 24 hours so everything was wet, and muddy, very muddy.  The vet receptionist carried out our food and put it, as I requested, on the floor of the passenger seat.  She asked “do you have another dog?”  “No, why?”  “I hear one”.  Me too…sounding like the whimpering was under the hood (note I had just driven 25 minutes at high speed to town).  The receptionist went in to get the vet, while I took to calling to whatever was under there, which may not have been the brightest idea come to think of it, not knowing what it was.  I localized the sound as close to the passenger tire, but still couldn’t see anything.  I kept calling, and after a short while a tiny little nose appeared, then the upper third of a very wet, bedraggled, scared little black and white puppy.  By this time, the vet had come out with towel in hand.  The pup wasn’t going to come out further for a while, so the vet grasped the pup by the scruff, picked it up and wrapped it in the towel.  She wondered if I had brought it with me – don’t think so, my car’s been in the garage for days, etc.  Then she recalled someone calling the day before about an injured pup, and wondered if that someone had just come and left it at the vets.  Likely last night from the bedraggled look of it.  Well, at least they left it in the right place, but couldn’t they have created a box with cover or something?  Anyway, I hope it will be ok and find a good home.  It was hard to not adopt it myself, but if I start adopting every needy animal living here, I’ll have hundreds…

After that adventure, I shopped for groceries and then went to try out the little coffee shop on Main Street that I had seen.  As I arrived some fellow was out  front cooking something on a grill.  “What’re ya doin’?” sez I.  Grilling flatbreads, every Saturday between 11:30 and 1:30.  Cool, and they looked good too, will have to put that on my return list.  Anyway, I went in and ordered my cappuccino (of course) and a blueberry scone.  I spent some time chatting with the lady behind the counter, mother of the owner and told her I was new in these them parts...   We got to talking about my buffalo burger and she told me in hunting season they have prime rib of buffalo!  And they inject butter and jalapenos into it before cooking.  Yum – so when’s hunting season???  Oh, October to January or something like that – well, I’ll come try it.  They also grill steaks on Friday and Saturday nights when they stay open until 9PM.  Guess I’ll do another return visit. I plunked down to enjoy my scone too– lots of big, plump blueberries and she warmed it all up for me too.  While I was relaxing there, the griller-guy brought me some buttered bread thing:  “try it”.  Turned out it was bread swirled with cheese and jalapeno and butter – good!  Ah, small town life!  Back in Madison it’s quite customary to be an unknown, not so here…shall have to keep my nose clean, as they used to say.

With the rain I was worried I couldn’t line dry my sheets again.  I tell you – that is heaven!!!  Many of you probably have never had line-dried sheets, and if you ever have the chance to do it, you must.  They are crisp, almost like they’re ironed, and do they smell good!!!!!  Ahhh, it’s the little things in life!

BTW, dear readers, I learned this week-end that some of you have been nicely making notes that I didn’t know to find.  Well, now I know and will be better about watching for them now.  I even have a very kind reader from around these parts!  I have no idea how she found me – but thank you too for all your tips!

Most of my unpacking is now done in the main part of the house, although there’s lots to do in the basement, but I can take time for that.  Just have some pictures to get up yet!  Hooray!  And TV on Tuesday – wow!  I’ll really be modern!

Well, Mother Nature is now starting to kick up a storm, looks like – the wind is blowing and it’s nice to be tucked in all warm and nice.  And that’s it again from…little house on the reservation!

Two mornings ago, as Phoebe and I were on our “constitutional”, what to our wondering eyes did we see but two beautiful white tailed deer prancing about 40 yards in front of us, then to cross the road and bounded into the trees on the other side.  As I watched their beautiful tails hopping through the trees, I felt close to nature.  Phoebe was oblivious, but perhaps that was good, I can just imagine her on the chase, with me on the chase behind her.

Later that same day, I headed out to the high school, which is 29 miles, by the way, for the first time on my own.  Darting out in front of me was a pheasant, he (or she) looked like the Road Runner – tail up as it “ran” on it’s two feet across the road.  I almost had my dinner – missed him...  Oh well, I know I’d not be into defeathering a bird. 

I’m told there are some buffalo on a ranch on the way to the schools, but so far they have eluded me, sending out their brethren cows in their stead.  I’m sure I will see them eventually.

Speaking of buffalo, on Monday I trekked into town, the 2500 people town, where I stopped at the dry-cleaner-pick-up-drop-off-café-pharmacy store.  I decided to eat at the café since it was dinner time – it was very clean and rather quaint.  No wine…whine, whine.  I wanted to try the buffalo burger, which I did.  I can’t say I would need to have one again, it’s very lean, hence no fat, hence better for you, thus not my favorite.  It was good though, but I would generally prefer the higher caloric cow version, which I’m sure buffalo may be quite appreciative of.

New culture shocks came in the form of tics attaching themselves onto Phoebe’s fur – so far I’ve been able to capture them before they buried in.  Yuck.  Now I know we had tics in Wisconsin, but given that we were in the center of city, with sidewalks and very manicured lawns everywhere, we just never ran into them.  I’ve also been told fleas are a problem.  Great.

I tried to take some pictures of some of the river homes, but being the “talented” photographer that I am, my finger was on the lens so I will have to try again.  Here’s one, the Missouri river in Chamberlain.

This next one cracked me up.  I’d never seen a flower pot tree before, so I had to take a picture of it.

I learned recently that not all reservation schools have dorms, apparently many of the kids here come from afar, some even from other states.  The parents apply, I guess, and send their kids when openings occur.

I also learned that here attempting suicide is against the (tribal) law.  I try to keep my preconceived notions back as much as I can, since I’m really ignorant of the ways of reservation life.  I know there are no psychiatric hospitals, and I guess if it’s jail or a completed suicide, then jail seems a much better option.

Tomorrow we’re having a good-bye lunch potluck for X who, as I mentioned, is going to another reservation to be the CEO.  I wasn’t told until today, being so new I wasn’t in the loop.  Great!  There just aren’t a lot of food options out here unless I drive the 40 minutes round trip to town.  Well, so much looking up some great recipe in Bon Appetit, even if I drove to town I wouldn’t find the ingredients for fancy-schmancy recipes like Bon Appetit.  Casting my usual perfectionism aside, I’ll have to see what I can do.  It will be food anyway.

It’s turned warm again today, very pleasant without a sweater or coat this afternoon.  And that’s it for this time from Little House on the Reservation…

Did I tell you that I have a clothesline????  Wow!  I haven’t had one of those since my days in El Paso, which is a long, long time ago, my youngest was two!  Now, my eagerness of this “new” but really “old” strategy of drying clothes is my recollection of how wonderful it is to dry sheets on the line.  And how great it feels and smells that night when you crawl into fresh air-sun dried sheets.  So this morning I was happily hanging my sheets out on my line – talk about Laura Engels!

The other day Phoebe and I were on one of our walks when across the road from where we were, I heard a bunch of squawking and suddenly two pheasants flew out of the trees where they had apparently been doing pheasant-type stuff.  They were beautiful if not awkward looking in their moment of distress. 

Speaking of Phoebe, she is more and more converting to a country dog.  Her paws seem less tenderfoot, or should I say tenderpaws, and she has even ventured into the longer grass!!!  I have trusted more and more to let her be off leash when we walk.  I do carry her leash in case a situation comes up that I need to corral her.  One day I caught her rolling in the grass like a real dog instead of the city slicker she has always been. 

Yesterday the man who recruited me and was to be my boss, I will call him X, but now will be moving over to a nearby reservation to be their CEO, took me on a tour of the area.  We drove out to the high school/middle school, many, many miles away from the little town of Ft. T.  Of course, miles of nothing but fields and rolling hills.  And guess what?!  They have dorms at the high school and some parents have their kids stay at the school – unfortunately that’s not always a good thing but, well, how different is this?

We then drove another bizillion miles to the farthest housing area that is part of the reservation area we serve.  On the way we saw two antelope!!!!  As we got close to the living area, there were more and more true country dogs out playing in the fields or following us in the van.  It is so isolated, I asked how they get food.  I was told some have cars and drive to Pierre, the rest are brought food by some governmental agency or process.  In order for these folks to come to the clinic (we are a mental health, alcohol and drug, and a medical clinic combined) they have three (I think three) people whose job it is to drive out to the various places where people live to bring them to the clinic, or to take out medications if they need them.  Now remember the outermost living area is a bizillion miles away.

Most of what we saw speaks loudly of the poverty of these folks and was pronounced.  I was told the school was minimal and the alternative school less than that.  Surely it would be hard to be a teacher willing to come here – the housing they provide teachers was not much better than Native housing.  Very old, dilapidated trailers.  I feel very fortunate that my little house is, by comparison, a luxury home.  I think most of us, me included, do not do enough for the unfortunates in our own country, rather than sending help to international tragedies, when we have so many such tragedies in our own backyard.  Pardon my soapbox, I’ll get off now.

Speaking of my luxury home, of which you have heard me complaining about my lack of self-cleaning stove, dishwasher, etc., X told me that he and his wife replaced their stove, frig, and got a portable dishwasher while they were living here.  After adopting two darling little Native American boys, then three and four, they moved into town so the boys wouldn’t have to have long bus rides to school.  When they moved, the local place where they bought these items came and picked them up, sold them on consignment, and they lost very little money.  Hmmmm, a new stove, frig and possibly dishwasher may be in my future!

Today Phoebe and I are heading again to Mitchell, I have some things to return to Menards so can’t go to Pierre this week-end.  When in Mitchell last week-end I took my car to a carwash there that has a dog wash too.  Well, Phoebe is one dirty little dog and rather than white, she is more and more Toto colored.  So she will endure the indignity of a bath and I will get my shopping done.

That’s it for now, stay tuned for another segment of Little House on the Reservation.

Here's Little House on the Reservation, with Phoebe enjoying her new front yard.  Below is the view out my kitchen window, aka my back yard.

Mother Nature is wrecking near havoc as I write.  There seems to be a lot of wind here, and today it was such that I didn’t think Phoebs and I could walk to the Post Office, a mere block, so we drove.  Sacrilege.  But I love Mother Nature when she acts up, particularly if I am home, snug as the proverbial bug, and not needing to go out in her various wild states.  I’m not sure if wind farms harness the energy for other areas of the country, but if they do, the Native Americans here should really look into that as a great business venture.   Walking tonight I felt like Dorothy with Toto, actually Phoebe looks like Toto except for color.  If I see a munchkin, I’d best pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming.

One thing I’ve seen here that reminds me of years ago is people, sometimes a whole bed full, riding in the back of pick-up trucks.   I think city slickers think it’s too unsafe, in fact, the slickers don’t usually even let their dogs ride in the back for fear of retribution by PETA group.  But seeing it takes me back to earlier times.  I also don’t see helmets with bikers, probably part of the same difference between country and city life.

One thing that seems sad to me is the amount of trash along the roadside.  True, I'm from a very "green", recycling city.  That said, I didn’t notice litter on the Interstate, so it may be particular to where I am living, not having been to other parts of South Dakota as yet.  The space is so vast here, perhaps people think it doesn’t matter as it’s such a small drop in the landscape here. 

Last week-end, I drove into Mitchell, a town of about 15,000 people and a little over an hour from here.  That's the nearest Menards...  On the way I saw a house on fire; a rather large two story house with fire truck out trying to control the damage.  Speaking of fire trucks, I think I got a look at our local fire department.  There were about four pick up-like trucks, with flashing lights on the top of the cab and complete with fire equipment looking stuff in the bed.  Ha, ha!  Sure seemed funny to this foreigner.  But all the cars, well, all four or so of them, had pulled over to allow them full use of the road.

I will say people are very friendly here.  Today I had a message from the phone/Internet lady I signed on with, checking in with me to see how everything was and to please call (!) when I have time.  When I’ve needed to call the tech support, the help guys were clearly from good old U.S. of A. (!)(again), unlike many of the outsourced tech support folks back in the city.  Nothing against foreigners, but when you’re already pulling your hair out with some tech problem and you end up with someone in a foreign country whose English is heavily accented and you struggle to understand not only the solution to the problem, but their heavy accents as well, that’s not exactly a time I feel as patient or charitable as I might otherwise be inclined.  Nope, definitely not charitable at those times.  

Living here in government housing reminds me of one of my favorite movies:  October Sky.  A movie of coal miners living in a small coal town, where the whistle would blow and you’d see all the workers heading to, or fro, work, lunch buckets in hand.  This morning was like that as I headed out my door, only to see my neighbors all similarly heading out too, thermos in hand.   Not that there isn’t coffee at work, but to be honest, I may need to look for a thermos for work as well, if you can get my gist.

Well, over and out for now from the windy land of Little House on the Reservation.

Continuing adventures

I have achieved nirvana!   Finally found all the parts to the cappuccino maker!  It was questionable for a while, got down to the last two kitchen boxes…  And there were a couple of parts in one, and not the rest.  I was nearly hysterical worrying that I had inadvertently thrown the other parts away.  But lo and behold I found them in the last box.  By this time it was 2PM, but I quit what I was doing, made my cappuccino and sat outside in the glorious sunshine.  Exquisite – it’s sometimes the small pleasures that mean the most!

Added to my ecstasy was when the internet connection guy arrived…I am listening as I write to my favorite WPR (Wisconsin Public Radio to you non-Wisconsonites) programs!  The only thing I have to remember is when they give weather predictions, it does not mean me.

This morning I noticed three hawks circling my backyard.  I wondered if they were searching out breakfast, but never saw any dive bombing so I’m guessing pickings were slim in this particular neighborhood.   Note to self, don’t let cats out.   

I have learned there is no recycling here.  It’s been really hard to wad up all the packing paper, boxes, etc., and know that all this great recycling “stuff” will go to some landfill and not be “properly” recycled.    Trash pick up is twice a week I’ve learned, which seems a luxury to me given that we had once a week pick up; and every other week for recyclables in Madison.  I guess having no garbage disposal is what makes twice a week pick up necessary….

Another hard issue for me is smoking.  Not ever having been a smoker, having no friends who smoke and most of Madison is smoke-free, I never have to be around it.  South Dakota is a “smoke” state.  Living in a smoke-free state is something I will truly miss.

I found the post office yesterday, it’s about one and a half blocks up the street.  You may recall that was another culture shock in that I wouldn’t get my mail delivered to my door.  So it’s a good little walk for Phoebe and I to do at lunch break.  And Phoebe is allowed to come in, unlike the rules in city Post Offices.  Hooray for the country.

Phoebe isn’t too sure about the walking “paths”, which aren’t cement sidewalks.  Her paws seem to be objecting, I guess they need toughening up.  It turns out there are lots of stickers in certain weeds that get in her little citified paws which I have to pull out for her.  Also, though the streets here are blacktopped, they are replete with rocks/pebbles embedded in them and not smooth like in the city.  Another “hardship” on Miss Phoebs’ paws.  She seems to like her front yard quite well though.  She met the neighbor’s dog, Jack, and they seem to be fast friends.  Jack is a father of four darling little Jack Russell pups that are only eight weeks old, Phoebe was pretty curious about those puppies.  She also found it great fun to chase the garbage truck when it zoomed down our circle.  Her first garbage truck chasing opportunity.

Many dogs roam around here.  I hear there is a pack of wild dogs so I’m told to be careful with Phoebe.  There’s a neighbor dog, Max, a big white fluffy dog who likes to come to our circle to visit.   We met Max on one of our first walks.  But when he showed up here today and Phoebe saw him out the window she about went nuts – she’s never had a gentleman caller before.  I thinking she’s starting to like it here.

The above was written a day or so ago…to continue…

Yesterday I saw the wild dogs.  Several were in my front yard sniffing out Phoebe’s now established territory.  My neighbor lady was calling  out “shoo” and they headed out to the main street.  I counted nine of them.  Mark, the man who recruited me, told me when he and his wife lived here they would befriend them and take them to the shelter.  I would be similarly inclined were it not for the added fact that the shelter is all the way to Sioux Falls, a mere 2.5 hours away.   I’m not sure how I’ll deal with this issue, it breaks my heart to see them out fending for themselves.

This is a great area to be a kid, though.  I see kids out riding bikes on the streets and paths.  There are also paths driven alongside the roads for ATVs and I’ve seen several people driving around in them.  I’m guessing some use them for their mode of transportation around here.  Cool. 

I have learned most of my neighbors are new too.  Next door is another psychologist, his wife being Pepper’s new mom (one of the pups) and the “shoo” lady.  She’s African American and from Chicago!  They moved here in January.

Nicole’s dad introduced himself and his son, Robert, 7, as they were driving out (in their truck, of course).  They are from Pennsylvania, his wife is a PA here and he is a househusband who home schools their two children.  I forget when they arrived here but it’s less than a year.  I learned he and his son help build Habitat homes here in Ft. T for some of the native Americans – how great is that!  And I will get another new neighbor across the way sometime in the next week or so – he’s head of facilities, I believe.

I think my car is in shock.  I haven’t driven it for two days!  Today though I will trek to Pierre, I understand about 45 minutes away, to get some things that I know I won’t be able to get in Chamberlain.  Speaking of cars, I was getting gas in Chamberlain the other day when I noticed Super was less than Regular.  I figured I must be misunderstanding something so I went it to explain my confusion.  The clerk informed me that since SD raises corn for ethanol, there is some kind of subsidy in SD which makes Super cheaper.  OK then, since my car will take ethanol I loaded up with the Super. 

The townspeople (Chamberlain being town in this instance) tell me there is no tax for when I shop here in Ft. T given that it’s the reservation.  Cool!  Of course there’s only one store here but I’ve checked it out and it has quite a bit of stuff.  In fact, I forgot to get sauerkraut for my soup I was going to make so when Phoebe and I went for the mail, I stopped in to see if they had it, which I was kind of dubious about since sauerkraut didn't seem to me to be part of the Native American cuisine.  But they did!  I also got the local (Chamberlain) newspaper, which comes out weekly.  Altogether it was $.99!  When I expressed my surprise, I was told the newspaper here in Ft. T is free.  Cool yet again!

Well, that’s the updates for now from the land of Little House on the Reservation.

Notes from April 7th

4-7-09

I definitely have leapt off a cliff.

Finding things in Chamberlain isn’t hard.  The town is only a few blocks long with some stores in “surrounding” areas but all within a mile or two, I would estimate.  It’s finding out who does what that is the challenge.  And it seems not everyone organizes her life as I do, now how can that be?  So asking someone isn’t always fruitful, e.g. finding a dry cleaners.

I learned today there is no dry cleaners in Chamberlain (!).   This was culture shock #1 for today – me being someone who dry cleans her jeans so they stay nice, have a crease, and heaven forbid that they wouldn’t be ironed….  I did find at long last, however, that some stores have pick up for dry cleaning.   This turned out to be the café/pharmacy/dry cleaning pick up store.  I dropped off my clothing and learned they pick up on Mondays and return the next Monday.  So much for one-day service

I’d already had culture shock #2 before I came, having learned there was no dishwasher.   Well, I thought, I can wash dishes, or buy a portable, most likely the former since there is only me and three pets.  And maybe an occasional visitor, or so I would hope.

Culture shock #3 was harder, however.  No garbage disposal!!!!  Now this is definitely roughing it.  I do admit I was wondering given, culture shock #2, if that might include the no garbage disposal tragedy.    

But I was really glad I had found that liquor store today when I discovered culture shock #4…the oven is not self cleaning!!!!  This makes it a two glasses of wine night! 

Here I was contented to do more cooking since obviously, or maybe not so obvious to you dear readers, I won’t be going out to eat that much.  First “town” is 20 minutes away, so that’s 40 minutes round trip….  And for a foody like myself, I can’t say I’ll be all that eager to hit the restaurants that are here.  Now I will say I had a really good walleye dinner and the fried pickles were wonderful, but there still is not the abundant selection of gourmet restaurants that was true for Madison.   In fact, I’m not sure there is any gourmet-type restaurant here.  But discovering that I will have to clean my own oven, well, rotisserie chicken and grilling on my grill are looking ever more appealing.

I will say I like my little government home.  First, there are all these great fix-it guys to call for help when something is amiss.  And they are less than a block away so they arrive pronto-like.  Unlike when you own your own place and you have to call someone or beg assistance from a neighbor, given that yours truly is quite helpless about anything with metal on it, or anything non-metal in the remotely fix it department.    Second, there are lots of great windows.  I am a light freak and love the light coming in.  Since I face east and west, I get early and late sun.  Today was sunny and I really got to experience my new little home at its best.   And since I have no curtains or blinds, I would imagine the light will get me up early tomorrow for more unpacking.

I have as yet to find the rest of the parts to the cappuccino maker, which is a close runner up to the tragedy of clean-your-own oven.   Hopefully I will uncover these parts tomorrow. 

Note to self – when moving be sure to mark boxes more clearly and definitely pack your own cappuccino maker!

On the Road Continued

Sorry folks, but I sure can't figure out how to continue from my draft.  In interest of time here, I let the first part post and will try to figure this thing out later.

Anyway, back to on the road....

I've always loved La Crosse, and it didn't disappoint me again.  The bluffs and the Mississippi River are beautiful.  As we crossed into Minnesota this beauty continued for a while until we hit Minnesota farm land with lots of "contented" (I hope) dairy cows out enjoying their evening chew.

Ultimately I came across a wind farm.  It was dusk and the turbines were on, turning slowly with a center light glowing.  It was so beautiful.  This was a large "farm", maybe 15 or more turbines gently turning.  I saw more turbines through southern Illinois the next day but they weren't turning, which makes me wonder if they are "on" at night and "off" in day.

We spent our first night in Austin, MN, in a pet friendly Holiday Inn.  I had a rather strange cosmo, a second and even stranger cosmo at Charly's in Chamberlain, SD, the next night...I think I'll give up on cosmos for a while and revert to wine...

My waitress, a cute little thing, exclaimed "what's that?"  "a computer?" over my Kindle.  After explaining it was a book reader, she replied "cool".  Hmmmm, how insulated have I been in Madison, WI, where everyone seemed to know what a Kindle was.  I was blasted in the bar with ultra loud country music...had a really good BLT with mayo on the side (?) - never had a sandwich that way before, but it actually seems a good idea as you can put a little or a lot, depending on preference.

No cappucino in the morning.  Tragedy.  And no cappucino on the road, couldn't find one on my Starbucks app in the phone.  And here it is three days later and still no cappucino.  Worse than tragedy.  I thought I was very smart and had my mover pack the box well marked with my cappucino maker...only he doesn't drink them so not all the parts were included in that particular box, nor have I found my cups yet...  Obviously I need to move more to get this down pat.

In Minnesota the speed limit is 70, so of course I go 75.  As we crossed into South Dakota it goes up to 75, so then I was doing 80!  The first thing I noticed were the red (!) roads - I have since learned it's granite and helps with traction in winter.  "Cool".  Gone were the dairy moo-moos, in their place were their "brothers", the beef cattle, similarly out grazing.
Again, the terrain was quite flat and I did feel like Laura Engels...  I don't know what grows here but there are miles and miles of "ground".  I guess I will learn as spring and summer arrive.

The most astounding part of my arrival to Chamberlain is the approach.  Suddenly you are  on top of a hill looking right down to the Missouri river and it looks like you are about to drive right in - when doing 80 is takes you aback some, and I lightened up on the gas pedal "just in case".  Whereas the rest of SD (so far) was pretty flat, Chamberlain is very hilly and the river is big and beautiful.

I drove straight to Ft. Thompson thinking I might be able to drop the cats off...that's another 25 minutes unless you don't tell the GPS to go the "shorter route" rather than the "faster route", which I hadn't so it look maybe 45 minutes.  But I went by a big dam - can't remember the name - Big Bend maybe?  There were also patches of snow still left here, I guess they had a "really bad" winter, according to the locals.

With several getting lost attempts by my GPS I finally found the housing.  Do understand Ft. T "center" is about 2-3 blocks, so getting lost there is not easy, but Matilda (my GPS pilot) and I did.  She finally found the house address and I discovered I have about 14 neighbors.  We're on a cul-de-sac.  According to the workmen, there's a couple of doctors and other administrative types who live there.  I met my next door neighbor walking with a young girl, Nicole, an across the way neighbor.  Right away I felt better, as there will be people around me.

But aside from that, I am really out in never-never land!  There are miles and miles of rolling hills and the river continues to wrap around my whole drive.  If I wanted to do a cowboy movie, this is the place.  Among the miles and miles of unsettled land were some cattle farms with very little babies, calves to most of you, out grazing.  And of course, horses.  It is, in addition to isolated, stunningly beautiful.

When I left to meet the movers yesterday morning, I drove through a flock of turkeys, well, they're probably not considered "flocks" but since I don't know what they are considered, they're flocks for now.  I have seen a pheasant or quail or two, not sure which, running across the road, and one heron hanging out in the water.

I have ordered internet/WiFi but will not get it for a few days.  I also ordered DirectTV but won't get that for a few weeks.

I have learned that I will need to shop in Mitchell (where the infamous Corn Palace is, whatever that is, but I will find out) or Pierre, or even Sioux Falls to do major shopping.  Now I'm sorry I let go of my picnic ice chest, I may need one again if I want to do some bigger grocery shopping occasionally.

I found Al's Oasis, also apparently a big deal.  I'll take a picture sometime and try to post it.  But that grocery store was more to my liking, so I think Phoebe and I will make a trek there this morning before we head out permanently to our new home.

I will post a pic of my home later as well.  It is actually quite roomy and lots of windows and good light!  I face east and west so I will have perpetual sun, well, in daylight anyway.  There was room for everything and what there wasn't went into the large basement which was clean and dry.  I have learned there are wild dogs, along with the coyotes, so I must be careful when I put Phoebe out on her lead that I am watching over her so she doesn't become someone's lunch.  Although as a feisty terrier who is known not to back down from a fight, they might be her lunch!

Stay "tuned" for more entries, maybe in a week or so after I get Internet access again.

On the Road...

We took off Easter Sunday around 2:30PM, after a lovely family meal and, of course, the Easter egg hunt.  After tearful good-byes, we headed out.   The "we" included my 11 year old Westie, Phoebe, and two cats:  Harley (the orange one) and Jezebel (the black).

We got caught in the worst traffic jam ever, much worse than Chicago traffic (!) around New Lisbon, caused by the narrowing of the road to one lane.