Happenings as of Late

Most of you already know (or at least assume) that finding housing in another country when you have a seventy-three pound horse/dog has not been easy for us.  It seems like hardly anyone is willing to rent to people with a dog (understandable), and the other problem is that no one wants to rent to people they haven’t met (also understandable).  I mean, we could be crazy American crack addicts with a horse dog who barks ALL the time (and half of that would be true--and not the crack part).  My point here is that renting to two Americans in their twenties with a Gigantor dog doesn’t seem to appeal to too many Canadians.  Never mind the fact that Tommy is amazing at his good job or that I’m going into PhD school.  People hear the words “Americans,” “twenties,” and “dog,” and they run for the hills.

Fortunately for us, there is a neuroscientist who is studying at Duke (and who got her Master’s at SFU) who is willing to rent to us.  The apartment (yes, apartment) is in a community called UniverCity (cheesy, yes), which is situated atop Burnaby Mt.  The only other thing on top of Burnaby Mt. just happens to be Simon Fraser University.  This means that the high rise (http://www.libertyhomes.ca/thehub/) is about four minutes away from SFU.  And that’s walking!  The bad news is that it’s one bedroom.  In a highrise.  With Madison the shetland pony.  The good news, aside from it being super close to the school, is that the high rise is a Green Community, which means that everything--from the grocery store, to the bank, to the eye dr, to restaurants--is set up to be walkable.  The skybus, which is Vancouver’s transportation masterpiece, is also literally outside the building, which makes Vancouver very accessible from the mountain.

Of course, this plan in subject to both parties signing the papers (we told her we’d make a decision by the early weekend) and is probably also contingent on her not asking how big Mads is.  I really REALLY hope it works out.  Please pray that it works out and that Madison miraculously loses her ability to bark.  I mean, I hate to take that away from her, but you gotta do what you gotta do....

In other news, my younger brother, Baker, left for basic training on Tuesday.  I can’t even explain how proud of him we are.  Tommy and I talked to him on Monday night after his going away party, which, from what everyone says, was amazing, and he seemed very happy with his decision.  I am so happy for him.  He seems content and excited, and I know the army will give him a lot of needed direction in his life.  He’s such an awesome kid.

Today I bought Laynie and Shelby a prize to send in the mail.  I also got to talk to Nanny, who continually amazes me with her sweetness and her love for her dad, Papa Jones, who is getting nearer to being with Granny Jones every day.  So all of this is happening:  Baker is making major life decisions/changes, Dad’s birthday was Tuesday (Happy Birthday, Pop!), Laynie is growing like a weed, Papa Jones isn’t doing well, and Tommy’s cousins are pretty much all having babies at the same time...all while we are thirty hours away.  But, even on the days where I feel like I am missing everything, I still feel really good about SFU.  I know that these choices are presented to me and Tommy for a reason, and above all, I know that no matter where I go, we will have the love and support of both sets of parents, all our grandparents, siblings, niece, and extended family.  When you really think about it, we’re really lucky kids.

Love from SLC (soon to be Vancouver!),

Sarah

Fourth of July

The original plan for the fourth of July was to hike the Cirque the towers, which is part of the Wind River Range.  We were planning on taking Madison the Brave, but as the time came closer, and the rain started in on SLC, I decided that backpacking and then sleeping with a wet dog in my tent who's prone to barking at every little thing wasn't in our (read: Madison's) best interest.  So, me and Mads stayed here, and Tommy and Josh (our friend who lives in Evanston, WY) decided to brave the Cirque regardless of the weather forecast.

I spent Friday wishing I had gone with them.  The rain had cleared up, and Madison was staring at me like she hated my guts for making her miss prancing around the Winds to the tune of "Born Free."  On Saturday (happy fourth!) I decided I would make another attempt, with my friend Ali, on the Living Room.  What's the Living Room, you say?  Well.  It's an elusive trail summit that I have been looking for for quite a while.  There are numerous trails behind the University of Utah (really close to our house), but no matter which one we took, me and Mads just couldn't find the Living Room.  But!  On Saturday, me, Madison, and Ali took a different trailhead on the advice of a friend who had found it already.  Armed with lots of water and sheer determination, we marched ourselves straight on up...and found it!    It turns out that the LR is aptly named; people took large slabs of rock and literally made chairs, a three seater couch, and a coffee table.  We couldn't quite figure out what the thing is I'm standing on in the first picture, but it made for a good shot, I think.

Meanwhile, I got home that afternoon, and the phone rang.  Tommy and Josh were back in Evanston as a result of a killer horde of mosquitos that were actively terrorizing the the Cirque.  Tommy said he was going to camp in the Uintas instead; Josh was giving up and going to a Fourth of July BBQ.  I went to see the fireworks in Sugarhouse park, and when I got home, T's car was in the driveway.  Josh had borrowed his lighter and forgotten to give it back.  Unable to cook anything, T wasn't interested in hanging out in his tent and munching on trailmix, so he came home.  I was glad.  It's always more fun to spend a holiday with your honey.