This month, in Sum(mit County)

Women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, as such, Momma now has little use for her slick, fingernail polish red Outback, Maggie Rose.

On the other hand, Colorado and Subarus have an exceptionally symbiotic relationship. In fact, I contend you’ll see more Subies in this state than just about any other. Which bodes well by the hiker standard that Subarus are most likely to pick up hitching hikers.

Dad drove across the expanses of the state of Kansas to ease the transition; for you see, Maggie Rose is a manual. I have encountered such vehicles before. Historically I know I can shove about in a farm truck, can make a boyfriend scream and clutch at the “Oh no” handle, and can stutter and stall as well as George VI. But to actually navigate with other vehicles in the vicinity…well, as Dad warned in a pre-text:

It’s not an easy thing to learn. So be prepared to be frustrated and exercise lots of patience. It is true that we have tackled tougher situations. You remember when I tried to teach you how to drive on the ice in Canyon City?

Are you referring to when I was 15.75 and went around the house, hid all the glue, then insisted you let me drive you to the store as I so desperately needed glue for a school project? The time when we ended up wedged between two fences and the officer who responded slipped on the same black ice which put us there in the first place?

…Nope, don’t recall.

We spent a week practicing driving, in the time around my work and his cross country skiing and self-instituted retreat. Fortunately, in Colorado it is not hard to find grades on which to practice getting going uphill (regarding both x-country skiing AND manual driving). After a few days we were confident enough to let me drive us over the pass to ski at Vail. During this time, Dad impressed me with an ever accelerating propensity for technology, as he spoken-word-texted Momma updates/flirted with his personal assistant Siri.

Can’t say I like her much as, when he asked, “is Bethany hot?” she replied, “No… it is 31 degrees in Dillon CO.” Even as the relationship between technology and I deteriorates, familial bonds ease and strengthen.

Our final test was my driving him back to the airport, down I-70 in Sunday afternoon stop-and-go-interstate fun.

Upon resuming life as usual, our second SOS Outreach ride day of the season happened upon a day when temperatures were in the negative double digits. The kids were troopers and we got creative with activities. Perching in the uppermost reaches of the highest roost on Keystone Mountain we discussed Discipline. We then spent some time playing tag and hide and go seek in the Snow Fort.

Some days later I received notice from my sister from another mister, the Luscious Leticia, that she was in the area. Again we reconnoitered and updated, this time around I got to meet her man, Mike. These people are the arsenic of the earth; I feel a visit down that way coming on (no seriously, they live south of me).

As the month began to end, we began to get some snow. Frisco’s Spontaneous Combustion Celebration brought us together under cover of darkness, as flakes finally fell. Heavy machinery and town employees stoked the bonfire beside the lake. The ember and ash fluttered up into the sky, as downy white flakes drifted down.

We ring of humans expanded and contracted with the variable heat. When the city Christmas tree went on, the smell and cackling flames burst forth with intent. For a moment it held form, needles glow red, stand out from the the orange inferno, before collapsing into fodder for lapping flames.

Then, they set off the fireworks.

Even as blessings abound in my own life, the truth is, January has been a tough month for some in our community. Imagine a week of -20 F, providers threatening to shut heat off if you miss yet another month’s payment. 3 homes have burned to the ground in the past month, taking lives with them. Employment numbers aren’t where they usually are, and with less snow than usual, injuries are rampant and medical bills are exorbitant.

Do you have a few extra $? Would you trust us at FIRC to allot them to someone/s in need?
Consider it, Please.