Missoula, Montana

7/13
Wednesday
McLeod Park, the last of the Missoula Working Water Turtles. Magnus never even wanted to get wet, he just wanted to play on the merry go round until someone was pushing too fast and he fell down, face first and got a mouth full of sand, got that wiped out with a towel and then rinsed with some water and now he is peacefully playing in the sand. Erik on the other hand got his swim shorts on and is running barefoot like a native. found someone to share not one but two water pistols, neither want to stop for lunch, and it is 2:39 pm. the sky is just so huge today, blue as blue can be. the wind is great, keeping it cool, even though the temps are over 88, the kids are having a BLAST! I do miss this part of Missoula. A PBJ and a bottle of water, sleeping bag and computer and I am set for the afternoon. I used to play at this park in the 1970's, the twins in the 1980's, Naomi in the 1990's and now the boys in 2000's. 30 years and nothing really changes, the equipment has been updated from metal to plastic (other than the merry-go-round) but the bathrooms and pavilion are the same, the concrete turtles that spew water out of the shells and the fountain in the middle for the kids to run through are the same as 30 years ago. I just wish that this town had more of a job market. it is really the kewlest town to raise kids, great bike system, great bus system. just wretchedly horrible housing cost. when we bought in 1990 it was 2x what my parents paid in 1982, in 2005, it is 4.5x what it was in 1990, which is just insane that a 1700 sqft house in 1982 was $35K and now is $215K. but the wages just stink. Jazzer is making $8/hour, I started at $5 in 1984. so $3/hour increase in 20 years. It continues to stagnate, when I left in 1993 I was making $11/hour (course Doug was making $8 and my parents were paying mechanics $15/hr) how people continue to exist here is remarkable. I need to do more bike riding in, I have been hit or miss with it this summer. did more in Boise than I did all other places combined. just too tired most of the time. not sleeping well, the bedroll under my sleeping bag seems to be deflating, I should blow it back up. My hair is in 2 braids and driving me a little crazy. it is four fingers past my elbow when braided, much longer when not. I may have to do something though, it is getting terribly thin and wraps around my bra when I try to pull it on, not to mention, it may start to dangle down when I have to sit to use the toilet, THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM. granted it is already brown, but still. LOL
got Erik's school clothes last week. he dad is insisting that he go at least one year to 'see' how it goes. Erik is doing well here at McLeod Park (beside Rocky Mountain Ears Nose and Throat as well as Rocky Mountain Eye) it is the last remaining water turtle park, all the others were 'retired' and the turtles were scattered in park lawns and the wadding pools dug up and hauled up to BFI. that SUCKS. Magnus is in the sand and Erik is in the water fountain. jazz called complaining that it is too hot to sleep at the house. she is going out to McClay's bridge to swim and cool off. told her that it was downright chilly here with the breeze.