Christmas Gifts and Childhood Memories

We received a most excellent gift for Christmas from my mom and dad this year. In our family it's tough to find presents for each other. We're dispersed around the country and don't see each other as much as we'd like.

This year Dad got us a coffee table book. This particular book is titled "Our Yellowstone" by Mark and Diana Treglown. It is a really beautiful pictorial of Yellowstone National Park. What makes it really special is that Diana Treglown is my sister. She has seen a lot of Yellowstone including parts that most tourists don't get to visit. She spent several years as a winter caretaker in West Yellowstone. That's about as close to the American wilderness as anyone can get these days.

It also brings back memories of my visits to Yellowstone as a kid growing up in Montana. Most years it seemed we went "back East" to the Chicago area to visit relatives. Sometimes we'd get visitors coming our way. I remember my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Rose bringing their family along with us to Yellowstone one year. I was only about 7 or 8 at the time; a long time ago. I remember seeing the geysers and a lot of wildlife. I especially remember a black bear coming through the campground and licking clean a cast iron skillet we had by the campfire.

Thanks Mom, thanks Dad, for the special gift.

Back in the Swing

We missed out on dancing for a couple of weeks. First, I was out of town and then I was under the weather. I got back home and am feeling better so we are getting back to our usual haunts. We went to the O Club last Wednesday and to the Studio One Christmas Party on Friday night. We also had a Christmas Ball at the Elk's Lodge on Saturday and went to the Rec Center to practice on Sunday. Some people go to the gym for exercise; we go dancing.