So, Why Don't You Tell Us a Little About Yourself?

Well, basically I live in a valley in the Rocky Mountains. It's a big valley, with a sort of outlet to Wyoming and the plains near Yellowstone. As for the weather, we've got the same joke as many other people who live near mountain ranges: If you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes. It's been sunny, windy, chilly, and rainy just today. We're cooling off for summer; I think we only got up to about 70 F today. I never can remember how to transpose to Celsius, so I'll just say that that's comfortable t-shirt weather, but you'll need a sweater in the mornings and evenings if you're not moving much. The temperature reached over 100 F several times this summer, so this is all very nice and comfortable.

We're down below the usual pine tree level; I'm not sure of our elevation. We're about two days by car away from the ocean, and one day away from Salt Lake. There are mountains every direction you look, and the ground is pretty hilly. When I flew to Pennsylvania with my grandparents a few years ago, I couldn't believe that those little hilly things were the Appalachians! It seems a bit trite to talk about 'those bumps they call mountains,' but I really didn't appreciate how flat other places can be -- I don't think I do yet, since I've never been to either Dakota.

We live in a little neighborhood; we have a little more than an acre. We've got a barn, goats, chickens, rabbits, more than enough cats at present (kittens!), and a dog. Oh, and two lizards and various goldfish. We keep the goldfish in the old bathtub that we use for a goat-watering trough, to eat the algae that grows there every summer. The bathtub is pink.

We have a medium sized house, 5 bed/3 bath. I think I mentioned that I am the oldest of 7 children. My sister died of leukemia, and we are adopting 2 little boys from Zambia, so there will soon be 8 children around the house -- more or less. My brother just went away to college, but I am living out of my parents' home while I go to school locally.

Hmm, what else... Well, I share a bedroom with my sister who is soon to be 15, and I usually post from school or late at night in the kitchen where our internet hook-up is located. My mom has been on me lately to pay my rent (chores); she still feeds me, so I want to keep her happy!

I don't really know too much about the usual social scene in Idaho. We're a naturally retiring family (we get a lot of company from each other, as you can imagine!) and I was taught at home, so most of my friends are Bible study partners or friends my family has had for a long time. I have many acquaintances in school, but a court reporting/stenography school is not really a hopping place. Most of the people there are women with families they either have to support or go home and feed every evening, and there are not many males attracted to a 'secretarial' type of school. We're trying to recruit a few more, but this profession is steadily leaning towards women.

We've got quite a few trees; my dad likes big trees and my mom likes fruit trees. We've got a few big pines, a willow, a few locusts, a sycamore, a crabapple, pear, peach, several apple, plum, and an almond tree. The neighbors' elms are 'bent on world domination,' as I read in one gardening book, so we are constantly pulling their seedlings. Any of you know how long a baby elm's roots are? Long.

My mom enjoys gardening, so as much of the yard as she could wangle from my dad and sports-loving siblings is in raised beds for vegetables, a strip all the way around the house is in flowers, and she has a dry streambed rose garden begun. We've got grapes, too. I don't really like to garden, but I help out. I like fresh tomatoes and peas, especially.

My brother inherited most of the green thumb -- He's getting a degree in landscape architecture in college. My siblings are all very good at drawing, music, and math. I usually stick to English/literature related things, but I also play the flute and piano.

My family is rather sports oriented, mostly towards soccer, although my father used to run quite a bit and my brother still does. My dad has a bit of a back/hip problem, so he can't run like he used to. He once won second place in the Idaho Potato Marathon. (Idaho is famous for potatoes. Iowa, I think has corn. Ohio, I have no clue. Many people confuse us, though.) I don't really enjoy sports unless it's just a for fun event with friends. Put me on a team, on a field, and I end up coaching. I'm just good at telling people what to do. I can always see what they should do, why can't they?!

I've been running a bit lately, though, because I need to lose some weight and do some regular activity. I know spelling bees and reading don't count, but I wish they did. Eventually they'll probably invent some kind of machine that lets you watch a movie about superheroes and end up looking as good as they do -- until then, I'll run, I guess...

I've actually been improving. Don't laugh, but I ran a mile today 35 seconds faster than I ran it on Tuesday. Now, if I can just keep that improvement ratio maintained, I could be running in negative time very soon! Couldn't I?

I do tend to ramble a bit. Must be the late night. I'll have to remember: if I have a secret, don't post after 9pm. Got it.

Heidi