Lucky Lena

My dear, sweet wife maybe one of the luckiest people I know. She drew the tag of a lifetime this year. She drew a bull elk tag in the Bear Paw Mountains, one of only 30 rifle tags given out every year to over a thousand applicants. 3% chance of success = Lena's first try. I can't believe it. She also drew a Cow tag for a different area, and an antelope tag. The later ones don't really matter, because the bull tag is the main priority. I am going to get her a new scope for her gun, and take her shooting often to prepare. I am so excited for her, and a little bit jealous. Actually I was jealous at the beginning, but now I am just really excited. I get much more excitement from guiding others to success than my own personal hunting, especially when it comes to my wife. Lena's first Elk might just be a monster.

The grind

Life is a grind right now. Up early, work, repeat. Day in day out. I forgot what it was like to have days to waste in the summer. I am thankful though, I can't forget that.
Yesterday on the way home I picked up a hitch hiker named Darren. He was a lean clean shaven man from Amarillo Texas. He was traveling through Montana looking for work. He lost his job as a truck driver because he had gotten too many speeding tickets. He didn't have a house or a car because he was always on the road, so when he lost his job he headed north to Wyoming to look for work in the Oil feilds. He had trouble finding steady work because he didn't have a clean driving record. He did some concrete, and other construction work in wyoming and the headed for North Dakota. He ran into the same problems there trying to find steady work, and finally landed a job doing concrete. He said the man he worked for was taking a two week vacation with his family so Darren decided to keep moving. He worked in Great Falls for a couple days and then decided to head south for Helena.
He got stuck half way between the two until I picked him up. He rode along in the cab, somewhat nervously chatting. He told me his short version of "His story". I wonder how much more there is to it? He said he had an ex-wife and children outside of Boise, Idaho.
Darren asked me to drop him off by the Home Depot, where he would try to find people looking for someone to work. I gave him twenty dollars and wished him luck. I hope he makes it.

The summer never lasts.

I am always blown away at the surprising speed the summer sun seems to transcend the sky. It seems like it was just winter a couple days ago? All my big events are coming and going quickly. You wait what seems like forever, and then its already over. Summer to me means:
Great memories with my wife.
Visits from lots of good friends.
Lots and lots of work.
Humming air conditioner.
Going to bed when it is still light outside.
Rodeos.
Sun tan, even though I don't really want one.
Mowing and watering.
Fire in the back yard.
Wine on the patio.
Broken cell phones. Again and again.
Lots of driving.
Copenhagen.
Freak storms.
Big fish.
Fresh perch and walleye.
More time in a boat than a sailor.
Carpel tunnel.
Sunrise and coffee.
Early mornings on the vise.
Soon enough, Hunting Season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

People are people

Some we like, others we don't, and some we just don't get a feeling either way for. I meet all varieties in my lines of work. From struggling working class, to extremely privilaged white collar folks. Some I like, some I don't. I try to learn something from all of them. What to do, or not to do. How to treat other people, or how not to. The most surprising thing of all is none of them are predictable. You think you know something about someone because of where they come from, then you get to secretly feel the slam of assumption coming back in your face after a good conversation. Only you have to know that you thought something you shouldn't have. I feel like God keeps me guessing about life and people so I won't get comfortable and forget the basics, like the golden rule. One of my clients said it best last year, "I love people, I just hate the general public." Much of the time I feel the same way, but it is because we let little things become something they aren't. Pulling out in front of someone else is not personal. Try to let it slide next time, especially when you do it to some one else. One thing I am constantly reminded of in life, is that people are people. Never let your mind get to far from the mirror.