Montana Shakespeare in the Parks

Every year a theatrical group from Bozeman, MT travels the state putting on free productions of various Shakespeare classics for free in local parks. This year, in Missoula, they put on Much Ado About Nothing on the University Campus.

Check out their website for next years schedule. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks

Camping, Clotting, & a Crazy Good Time

      My brother & dad came out for a visit last week. Their plane dropped down in Missoula (their first times flying directly into Missoula!) on Wednesday afternoon & I met them at the airport during my lunch break (my new job is still kicking ass!) & dropped them off @ their rental car.

They hurried to get their car packed & were off to pick out their camping spot & start fishing along Rock Creek. I was able to visit w/ them a little that night after work, but they didn't get a chance to meet Bryce til the following night since he was out on a fishing trip of his own on Wednesday.
     The meeting went well & the boys even planned a fishing/camping trip w/ the four of us on the Gallatin River for the weekend as well as a just boys fishing trip in the Bitterroot Friday afternoon while I was still at work. I was really happy to see them getting along so well & even a little surprised they were already planning trips together!
     I'd been having some pretty intense leg pains in my left calf that had almost left me unable to walk Friday morning. Around lunch my co-workers kicked me out of work to go see a doctor about my worsening pain. So Bryce met me at CostCare for what I thought was going to be a quick doctors visit (A place I highly recommend to my fellow uninsured Missoulians) . Soon I was being rushed to the hospital for a barage of blood tests & an ultrasound on my leg for a possible blood clot. THANKFULLY this was not the case. I was then returned to where I work as a patient, not an employee where I had an MRI on my leg revealing an injured muscle w/ fluid gathering around it. No big deal compared to the initial thought of a clot.

     The bad news was the I sat at home on pain killers for the weekend while the boys took off on their fishing trip. There was no way I was going to be able to do any hiking & no way I wanted them to stay @ home w/ me while I slept all weekend (I've never taken anything stronger then extra strength Tylenol up until this point in my life, so needless to say these pain killers kicked my butt & I slept a LOT).
     Bryce survived the camping trip w/ my dad & brother. So we spent the rest of their time here fishing (well, I worked, they fished), eating good food (my brother discovered Famous Dave's while he was here & my dad reluctantly tried out HuHot & ended up LOVING it), geocaching, & spending a lot of quality time w/ each other. I was sad to put them back on a plane on Tuesday afternoon, but love knowing we ALWAYS have an amazing time when we're together. Miss you guys!

Cedar Lake Trail

This morning Bryce & I woke early to meet Kristin @ our meeting point to head to Seeley to meet up w/ yet another friend, Greg, for a day of hiking. We drove for 2 1/2 hours before we finally reached our destination trailhead. After 4 people and 7 dogs unloaded themselves from our vehicles, we headed up the trail. The day was beautiful & the 1,500 ft gain seemed almost effortless amid the fields of wildflowers and stunning peaks. Life is good & even better when spent w/ great people in great places.

Note the snow the dogs are playing in in the first week of August!

Rock Creek Rd

My dad asked me to go on an adventure for him. So I did.