Winter has arrived

Well, we drove to church on Saturday night on slippery icy roads. It snowed light snow showers throughout the day on Saturday and there were a couple of inches on the ground by evening. Just enough to make the roads really icy and indeed they were. I have to give it to folks that live around here, they know how to drive in that stuff and you don't see too many people spinning out or driving too fast like I used to see in Susanville all the time. But then we are in the cold white north here and since the winters start early and stay late, the fools who don't know how to drive in the snow and ice are soon separated from their vehicles.

So today the sun is out and it looks nice outside as long as you have your Nanook of the North uniform on... with gloves and long underwear. Maybe I'll stay inside since I really don't have any reason to go out anywhere.

Last night I ordered a new video card and 22" monitor for Karen's computer so we can upgrade hers a little. She has a puny 17" monitor now and her video card wasn't capable of running the right resolution for a nice big monitor so she will be good to go before the week is out. It cost less for both of those than I originally paid for my 22" monitor... prices come down on electronics, quite unlike food, gas and other commodities. Maybe it's time for me to build another system. Mmmmmmm.......

Mid Term Exam day!

Well, today I took the mid term exam for my tax class. I was a little disappointed that I missed 7 out of 42 questions but that still gave me an 81% for that test. Now if I can only get that good on the final and I'll be home free. The final is happening in the first part of December so I have a little less than a month to go. Today we had a chapter on business expenses and Schedule C. Man, talk about over my head! I didn't understand much of what I read today so I need to do a bunch more studying to get an idea what the hell they are talking about. At least I am feeling like I'm starting to get it, we had to do a tax return for today's exam and I got that right the first time. That one had sale of stock, dividend income, interest income and student loan payments. Ok, maybe I can do this... we'll see!

Having fun yet?

Yep I am, believe it or not. Yesterday Karen and I took a nice ride up in the hills east of here and had a wonderful drive on some dirt roads in the trees. I didn't get any pictures while we were up in the forest but along the way there are some windmill generators and I got this picture with the Tetons in the background.

As we were coming back into town we came across this beautiful canyon at the bottom of Wolverine Creek. You can see the Jeep there in the picture and get some idea of the perspective.


So weekend before last Krista and Curtis came up from Logan and we had a big breakfast on Sunday morning. I made waffles and Karen took this last picture that morning. I really enjoy seeing Krista and we had a nice visit with them.

Holey Moley!

What have I gotten myself into? This tax class is starting to humble me a bit... ok, a lot! I'm completely swamped with forms and schedules and tax tables and what not. Yep, lots of what not. Last night I had a nice little diversion trying to give Bob some advice on a computer issue. Now those things I know about. Taxes, dividends, taxable interest, publication 17.... ugh! I'm going to learn this one way or the other but man.... it's not easy for me. I don't know if it's an old dog new tricks thing or what but I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. Good thing I have a snorkle named Karen or things would be even worse. I have to give it to her, she knows her shit! Now if I can just keep mine together, then things will work out. One thing springs to mind almost daily... how in the holey hell did the tax laws get so convoluted? Why can't this all be simplified? Unanswered questions of our time!

Idaho fish

So we are working in the yard today and a friend drops by to show us the fish he caught. Brad is a friend of ours who likes to fish and catches some nice ones in the Snake River. He came by to try and get my goat today and show me this nice brown trout he caught this morning. This thing weighed around 5 lbs and he had another around 2 that he brought home to eat.

Brad told me he caught 9 or so fish in about an hour and this one was the biggest. He uses rapala's that he has modified and I am thinking that the jig and bobber combo I used to use in Eagle Lake might work well here. You know, sooner or later I'm going to have to get a fishing license and go fishing since the Snake River runs right through town. So I guess you could say that good old Brad was successful in getting my goat and seeing a nice fish like that makes me want to quit procrastinating and get out and catch a few. I have been here long enough now that I can legally buy a resident license and they aren't very expensive so I've got to put some thought into that even though the end of the year is coming up. Thanks Brad!

Back to work...

Well, sort of. I applied for a job with H&R Block and even though I was late to my interview, they still hired me. I have never been late to a job interview or much else for that matter since I hate to be late for anything, but it is true, I was late for that.

So last Saturday was my first day in tax class and the book we have to go through is really thick so there is a lot to learn. Karen is teaching the class but I don't want any special treatment other than the fact that I have her to answer the many questions I keep generating as I'm going through the class. I was a little skeptical that I could even do taxes when I started but I'm beginning to believe I can do it and having a little faith in one's ability is a big hurdle so I think I'm over that one. Now all I need to do is pass the class and that's the next hurdle. Unfortunately we will be doing this class virtually until the end of the year. This basic tax class is done early in December but then there is another class I have to take after that, that doesn't finish till late in the month. Then work starts on January 2 and runs till April 15. I have some plans for after the first of the year so I'll be making sure they don't schedule me for work during those times.

Who knows how this is going to turn out. Give me a chain saw or shovel and show me where you want me to put that fireline and I'm good. But put me in an office and I'm a little out of my element, so time will tell how this new experience will turn out. Stay tuned.

Zion revisited

Last April Karen and I made a trip to Zion National Park. Since it was spring there was a lot of runoff from snow melt and the Virgin River was very full and the narrows were closed. The narrows are a well known attraction there and we really missed seeing them so we decided to come back in the fall, so that's what we did.

There was still a fair amount of water coming down the river and in one place we had to wade a spot that was about waist deep which got us pretty wet as you might imagine. Some people a little smarter or better prepared than us were wearing waders and that would have been a good thing but we didn't have any and had planned on the weather being warmer than it turned out to be.

Needless to say, it wasn't very warm and being wet really didn't make it any more comfortable being up there but the scenery was breathtaking and it was worth the discomfort.

We made it about a mile up from the end of the paved river walk and it was for the most part a wading hike. After the first part where the water was waist deep, the rest of what we went through was knee deep at best and not too difficult. Both of us decided that next time we do this hike we will get some waders or do it when the weather is hot.


The Ranger at the visitors center said the narrowest part is about 2½ miles up so we didn't get to see that but as you can see it still was quite spectacular. Along the way there were some plants trying to change colors with the fall season and one of my favorites was the one in the last picture, poison ivy. There wasn't too much of it and it was easy to spot so we didn't get into it.

The second day we were there we had a 16 mile bike ride and Karen made it the whole way, I was so proud of her!

I have the rest of our Zion pictures posted on my web album. Here's the link: Zion