I'm not apologizing

 We have lived in the new house now for a skosh under 6 months.  It's been crazy and busy and new, and I have wanted to write a thousand times, but there has been no time.  I am tempted to apologize, but I just can't apologize for my inability to recreate our Rancho city life here among the trees.  So I won't.  I'll just tell it like it is.

 We had a cold first month, then four very hot ones, and now the cool weather is creeping up on us.  We are learning about country living, of course,
... like that road-kill lays there until the vultures carry it away,
and that all restaurants close by 8pm, and most by 2.
And we are figuring out how to live like country folk....mountain folk, actually.

Yep. We just bought our first chainsaw.

It’s been a hard adjustment, but there are sweet things, too.  Like that the lady at the library who already know your family, and will email you if she sees a book come in the donation box that she thinks your family might like.  Or that folks go out of their way -way out of their way- to help.    We live "Upcountry" and have thus learned that anything within a 30 minute drive is considered "a jaunt. We take a LOT of jaunts.

We have gotten ourselves somewhat settled, though I still don't know where some stuff is.  The kids started at a new charter school that we love.  They are getting to take classes again and things are starting to feel a little new-normal.

There is also the adjustment to the wildlife.  We have seen dozens of dear, and a coyote, and that is just in our driveway.  One sick little dear stumbled up to the house and spent the day resting around the yard until we called the wildlife refuge.  They suggested we bring it in, and it was found to be very sick with a fatal virus.  I was just glad it didn't pass away around the kids. We are adjusting, but we haven't gotten that far yet.

Adam got a new job at Safeway as a courtesy clerk (which is fancy talk for “bagger and cart-collector”) and is saving up for a car, which I cannot WAIT for him to get so he can drive himself the 10 miles to town.  He has decided to see how long his hair can grow, and it is now halfway between "Collar Duster" and "Get a job, ya' hippie!".  He is excited about his upcoming promotion to cashier as soon as he turns 18 this month.

Time for a list! (You know I love them!):

In 5 months here, I have learned how to:

Haul and stack loads of wood

Clean and start a pellet stove

Kill spiders with my bare hand

Recognize Bark Beetle damage

Thin a tree thicket

Fit 6 errands into one trip into town

Restart the internet (lots of practice with this one)
and (just today), to dig a trench with a beast called a Ditch Witch

The oldest is getting buffed out at his roofing job (which happens when you have the youngest back on the crew and lots of bags of 50 lb. concrete to be moved).

Ellie-girl has discovered a passion for baking, and is taking 2 classes through BYU Independent Study. Tessa loves the woods and is studying Spanish.  The Littles, well, they are learning to explore and play and have great adventures together.  It is the childhood I always wanted my kids to have.  At least the last two are getting it.

There is lots more to tell.

 I may or may not get around to telling it, 

but I will not apologize.