Spring Cleaning

This year has been full of griping. We started the year with no hope of a bonus. This changed, and a teensy eensy bonus was earned. We then had the truck's transmission blow up. Bryan was (and I think still is) convinced it was all his fault. Not so. After some research, we found that the 90,000 mile maintenance fluid change on the truck was the problem. The fluid that was recommended was wrong. A claim has been filed. Bryan hopes for at least a refund of the fluid purchase. I'm dreaming a little higher, and hoping the transmission replacement cost will be covered. The new transmission has shown up after much despair. Tomorrow is the beginning of the 'hot rodding' project of the truck. We hope to have the truck repaired one week from Saturday. And I can't wait to christen the new transmission with a four wheel drive up Providence Canyon. I miss our annual spring drives. We always wander around Cache Valley in the truck so we can go wherever we find ourselves. We usually end up in Green Canyon, Smithfield Canyon, and Providence Canyon. There's something about the mountains; melting snow, flowing creeks, green hillsides, and newly sprouted leaves. It also marks the looked forward to annual trip to Yellowstone. We have planned our trip a week earlier than usual. Bryan's hoping to see wildlife galore and get great pictures with his new medium format lens. Next, the tooth that died. Although it was a horrible experience in the beginning, fortunes have turned. I used to have the worst cold spot back by that tooth. Any time I would have a drink, whether freezing cold or tepid, it would send my teeth chattering and my brain reeling. Hot foods even affected it. Now if I was smart, I would have said something to my dentist. But I thought this horrible cold was due to all my clenching. Since the tooth has been dead, I can now drink sodas from a can without curling my tongue just to keep it off that tooth. Even though it bothers me to have a dead tooth (for some reason it seems dirty), I'm glad it happened. Next time I'll pipe up and say something. Lastly, it was time to update the pictures on our blog. Part of it is a push to post new ones, and to be the carrot for getting the truck completed and starting our spring drives. I'm ready for a happier year. And spring is a great way to start. :)