Sunday Morning Excitement

I have a love for coffee that has grown since I was the tender age of 6 and sipping out of a styrofoam cup given to me by my father (per my request) after church one day. I have the distinct memory of the taste of that coffee. Somehow, even at six, I paralleled the experience with drinking Castrol 10w50.

Since then my taste buds have changed either due to actual development for the taste or because my body has developed an addiction. Either way, I woke up this morning with an excited enthusiastic drive to grind the whole Kenyan coffee beans, put them in the French press, and then experience the satisfaction of pouring hot water over the granules and adding my own vanilla flavoring to signify my disentanglement from the local coffee dealers.

"$3.50 a pop for a vanilla latte no more!" I thought as I put the tea kettle on the back burner and turned the knob to 'H' for high. In the process I moved a blue plastic ice tray from the burner where the tea kettle now sat to the one next door, and satisfied that I had saved the tray, I sat down to instant message duff while she dj-d from the other side of the continent.

It was long before I heard the pleasant burbling of water which spurred a quiet and happy anticipation..."Aw... soon I will have coffee..." but soon this was replaced with... "There is no steam emanating from the tea pot.." and I went to the stove to find this:



As you can see... it was melting and bubbling and began to smoke and spew. My sister jumped up, while I stood there saying, "Oh Crap! Oh Crap!" and immediately grabbed a spatula and scooped the pieces off the stove and into the sink before running to the fire alarm and unplugging it.

I began to strategically place fans throughout the apartment, open all the windows, and laugh uncontrollably. Beth was laughing too. We eventually did get our cups of vanilla flavored freshly ground and French-pressed coffee with cream... sadly, one ice cube tray had to die for the cause.

Demolition of McDonald Pass Disc Golf Course

My favorite local disc golf course is McDonald Pass. As you see from the link, it is, or WAS, the oldest course in the state of Montana. It is also one of the more beautiful courses I have ever played. In the spring there are still snow drifts to go along with the creek, marsh, tree, and barb wire fence hazards. One can stop and look at the variety of flora as they come alive after the winter abates and then watch the variety of wildflowers, birds, and wildlife that can be seen there in that seemingly cut off from the world folf course in the mountains as they change through summer, fall, and back into winter.

Rumors had been circulating that the course was going to be taken down even though it is one of the most popular disc golf courses in the state, the sight of the Continental Divide Tournament, and a place for people of all ages to come and spend time in a gorgeous Rocky Mountain environment. No specific reason has been given, that I know of, and we had all hoped that these rumors were just rumors.

Unfortunately, they are not. This evening, my sister went with one of our close friends to play a round of disc golf only to come back in a state of distress because it is being torn down. She said they couldn’t finish their game and they left in tears.

In a city, state, (heck) country that is facing problems with obesity, disconnect with nature, depression, teenage delinquency, and over all disconnect from one another and our natural environment; why the hell would you take down a disc golf course that offers a place of sanctuary for people from all different age, economic, and cultural backgrounds? Why take down a place that gives kids and adults something constructive to do outdoors that is cheap (free) and a good alternative to watching tv, doing drugs, or hanging out on street corners?

I find it ironic that on the same weekend the city of Helena is having anti-meth workshops with kids they are tearing down an environment necessary to keep kids and adults off meth, off the streets, and physically active.

On top of that, it is one more thing that makes this town appealing that is being destroyed.