MT Christmas, Iowa City New Year's Surprise

Happy New Year! I have been back at work for a week after a trip home for Christmas. It was a very good time, and I was glad as always to see my parents, Grandma, Bozeman family, Alicia, and luckily this year my mom's brother and his family joined us from Texas for a more wintry, and truly white, Christmas than they're used to. The food was exceptional as it is at any Daehne gathering. I wish I got to see all of my family more, especially the Daehnes, whom I only see every other year or so.

We visited a ton, cooked, ate, played games, cooked, ate, and admired the snow. I fed a couple days for my dad but somehow didn't have to fix a single piece of yellow hay equipment. I had some good visits with friends and neighbors as well. I was happy to fit one day skiing at Bridger with Mr Larry Lee in before I had to leave. Can't wait to see everybody again soon!

I drove this round for several reasons, of which I had to keep reminding myself:

1. It cost about as much as flying
2. I didn't want to gamble six weeks ahead of time when would be best to fly. This worked out very well because the midwest's first blizzard of the year rolled through the day before I left, and flying would have been a nightmare.
3. I'd be able to haul a lot more stuff than I could fly with
4. I'd have the freedom of having my vehicle there

One of my favorite parts of being on the road is the near-certainty of seeing some interesting things go by, but I was a little disappointed this time, even after 2980 miles by myself in twelve days. There wasn't really anything of note to report; after 150 miles of ice on my way out of Iowa and 10 miles of snow as I left Bozeman, it was completely clear sailing. Each direction took me about 21 hours, Pella to the ranch.

The drive back to Iowa, however, included another story but not about roadtripping. I've been seeing a girl for almost three months, so not quite long enough to have planned Christmas around each other's families. She's from Iowa, and was with family around Christmas but didn't have as long a break as I did. I convinced her that I was going to spend New Year's in Montana to make the most of the long drive. I schemed with a friend of hers and planned secretly to surprise her in Iowa City, where her and her friends would be. To do this, I left on the 30th, drove hard, got to Pella the afternoon of the 31st, showered and changed, and got back in the truck for another hour and a half. All the while, I had to make it seem like I was skiing, going out with friends, or spending time with family. I somehow kept the ruse afloat, and showed up as planned. As I sat in the living room with a smirk on my face, she walked past me twice, and looked straight at me once before she was urged to notice something in my corner of the room. She was shocked. Mission accomplished. Happy New Year!

Work's sending me to the Netherlands next week, so more stories forthcoming!