So, I get to work my first double shift today. That's 16 hours of non-stop fun. I can't even start to explain how thrilled I am. No one would be able to fathom my excitement. When I get out of work tonight at 11, it will have been 24 hours of work in the last 32 hours of life. Incredible!!

Anyway, it'll be worth it to be able to fly out and see the milkman's son, Lenny.


Ciao

Out with the old....




In with the new(er)!!



Meet my 19 year old Isuzu Trooper! I'm yet to name her, but I'm sure a good name will come with time.



"Let's send it over to Rick in Sports!!"

"Thank you Roger. In Jackson Hole Men's soccer action on Sunday, the best game of the day was between Argentina and the Tecos. Argentina, lead by their experienced midfield capitalized early off of a cross from the corner. The tallied a second goal about midway through the first half. But they didn't stop there. It looked like they were on pace to an easy routing of the Tecos when the scored a third goal just minutes into the second half. That's when things started to change."

"About mid way through the second have, the Tecos got some momentum with a few shots the just rang wide of the target. Moments later, the team youngster, Tucker Stewart beat three defenders before burying the ball in the back of the net, giving the Tecos, and their fans, at least one good thing to talk about. It took only a matter of about seven minutes before Emilio struck from 25 yards out on an immaculate shot that simply froze the keeper. Trailing by only one now, the Tecos thought their comeback was complete when Tucker broke out on a breakaway from half field only to get fouled in the box."

"But what?! No foul was called! Fans had to be held back from protest by security officers. The ref soon realized his mistake and after a second foul in the box, awarded Rolando a Penalty Kick, which he characteristically put in the back of the net. The come back was complete."

"The game ended in a 3-3 draw as both teams give it their all in the closing minutes of play. But I'll tell ya Roger, that was a great game out there today. Good game, real good game."

"I'll bet it was, Rick. In World news tonight-"

"It was. Good game. Real good game."

"Uh, huh. We know, Rick. We know."

"No you don't. I was there. Not you."

"... Okay, Rick."

"Touche."






Anyway, we are unbeaten in our last 3 games, and are 3-2-1 since I've been playing. We may just make the playoffs.

Quite a bit has happened, so I figured it was time for an update.

The soccer game last Sunday went well. I ended my two game pointless with two goals and (if you count drawing the foul leading to a P.K goal) an assist. We won 4-0. I think we are right around the middle of the league, so we have to win out, I believe, to make the playoffs. I'm not sure who, or when we play this Sunday.

Kim came out after my game and stayed until Tuesday. It was a great, but short trip. We went rafting one day and hit up the town square for some shopping another day. Which is where the next event comes into play. I'll paint the scene for you...


Kim decides she needs to shop and get a few sweatshirts for herself and her boo, Andrew. So we pick up Claire after she got off of work and started to head over the pass. We aren't we just cruising along having a good time singing, laughing, and talking.

It started to sprinkle a little bit, which made me a little upset because of all the luxurious features the truck has, the wipers aren't the greatest.

So naturally, the farther up the pass we head the more it starts to rain. By now it is a consistent, yet not too heavy, rain. We we coming around a bend in the road and all I could see were break lights. A guy two cars ahead of us pulled to the side of the road, parked his car, and darted across the street. That's when we first saw the steaming car upside down in the ditch next to the mountain. Thank god it was that side of the road, had he chose the other side, it would have been lights out.

So anyway, the guy darts across the street and pulls a guy out of the rolled car. By this time, I had already stopped and started my way to assist in anyway I could, already dialing 9-1-1.

When I got off the phone and had an ambulance and squad cars coming and i went to see what happened. Well wouldn't luck have it that I get to use my three (like that's a lot...) years of Spanish from high school. The man in the accident could not speak any English, and no one that had stopped to help could speak any Spanish but myself.

Looking back, I found it interesting that I didn't hesitate speaking, or stopped to think about what I was saying, and if I was saying it correctly. It just happened. And as I heard myself speak, i listened to myself and realized that it was all correct. I chuckle because I'm always afraid I'll screw up "Que paso" when I just want to talk to the house keepers at the hotel.

Sorry, got off track again. Turns out the man fell asleep and drifted into the left lane and the rumble of the rocks in the ditch woke him up. Once he woke up, he over corrected his SUV and put all the momentum on the wrong side of the car and flipped it. He was alright, cuts here and there, but nothing too serious. How I understood that coming from a Hispanic speaking fluently while in shock, is still a mystery to me.

He was on his way to pick up his family in Teton Village and bring them home to Driggs.

Since no one else spoke any Spanish they all faded discretely, leaving me to have to give the report to the Police and translate a few questions they had.

So finally, after around a twenty minute delay, we made our way to Jackson and had a pretty fun day. Of course, it cleared up after we got out of like the second store. The rain was just there to give it that cinema effect during the whole commotion on the pass.

In unrelated news, today will be the last day I drive the truck (at least, that's what is planned). We go the pick up the Trooper on Monday! I'm excited for it, and so are most of my friends. But there are a select few that have grown attached to the truck...... Ahh well!!


Well I think that is about all I have to update, I'll let ya know how the game goes on Sunday.

Hah, now that I think of it, I believe I say that I'll update after my game every week, and I never seem to. :-)


Tucker

I just realized that I have not posted anything in a while, so here goes nothing.

First off, I'm going to throw this out there, anyone want to buy me this coat in white please?! I mean I only ever asked for a new coat like every Christmas. :-) http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?site=NA&model=AL8Z&language=en

I've decided to stay through December and work as much as I can, and get some good boarding in the interim. I'm going to buy a Targhee season pass in the next couple of weeks so I can get up there as much as I can with friends and what not.

I'm making progress on getting out to see Len for his big race. I started having to work two of the three days that weekend, and I've gotten it down to one. It's looking good though, I think Nick will be able to cover the first for me so I should be all set. That'll be a good time.

Miss Kimberly is coming out to see me with Dave on the 19th, I'm looking forward to that as well! She is going to try and con her mother into buying her a ticket home a few days later so she can spend a few days here. That'll be a good time either way, I miss her dearly.

I've still been playing in the Men's league and have become a full-game starter. I've played the entire game the last three games. Although my team isn't all that great, it is till a good time. I'm glad I'm playing, I can't see myself not being on the field. We are in ninth place I believe out of eighteen teams. The top eight teams make the playoffs in September, so it's time to step up and try to get some of the other guys to step up their game.
I've had a few guys form other teams say that I should be playing on their team because they were better and that I "would fit in better" with them.

Besides that, not a whole lot is going on. Pay day was a few days ago; I brought home $920. I've only been here about seven weeks and I already have three grand in the bank, so I'm pretty confident the December idea is the route to go.

Oh yeah, the Trooper will be done this week. It will be nice having a little improvement in the vehicle department so I'm not burning a quarter tank every day I work.

I think that's about it for now. I'll write again and tell ya how the game went.


Tucker