Badlands, Great Views!

Hello from the road!

Dad and I are socially distancing on the highway for the week. There will be an extensive road trip blog later on but, as Dad said today, "This deserves it's own blog!"* Today's stop was Badlands National Park in South Dakota.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's the most beautiful natural place I've been in America.** We did a few outdoor walking trails,*** drove the loop road, and stopped at MANY vistas.

I now give you way too many photos with very little commentary because, quite frankly, all we did was take photos.****

Fun fact- Dad and I do not plan to match outfits when we travel but it always happens.

Funner fact- we did not complete this trail because of steepness.***** If you zoom in behind my beautiful face you can see people coming down the ladder provided in two very different and hysterical ways.

Funnest fact- several times I told Dad I was going to get a "quick pic" and then took 3 panoramas that take a cartoonishly long time.

 Accordingly, Dad had almost hit his limit of vistas.

 And then he definitely hit his limit of vistas.

Not me, though!******

 And at one point the hills were yellow. It could not be explained.*******

Thank you, Badlands!! You are a dream!
-KT

*Give the man what he wants! #GTMWHW
**What a hysterically caveated statement. But I really mean it!
***I refuse to use the four-letter word here or ever. We prefer "walking outdoors" in this family, thank you very much.
****There was minimal signage reading . . .  the stripes are the different sediments over time, blah blah blah, science, rocks, magic, geology. If you really cared you'd have already looked it up. I know I don't and didn't.
*****Dad intelligently planned to wait at the bottom. I started up the path behind a family with two small children. After watching the mom help up the crying child through a steep part, I realized that no one was going to pull me up when I cried so I turned around. I CHOOSE MY CHOICE!
******Or you either, apparently! 'Preciate ya!
*******It most certainly was explained by a sign I did not bother to read.

Quarantine Summer

Teacher summer!!! Well, teacher quarantine summer. We have finally answered the age-old question, “what could make Kelly stay home for the entire summer?” with “a global pandemic.” Perhaps you’ve heard of it?*

Yes, this should have been the summer of #tokyo2020 and #olympicgold and #pregaminginasia. But hopefully it will just be #tokyo202One and a dream deferred.** Unlike the Olympians, I have not spent the majority of my existence preparing my body to be in peak physical condition on July 24th, 2020, and I am confident that I can recreate my current health level in one year with incredibly short notice. Just in case, though, I have started training now.***

So, the whole world is at home and I am no exception. My most recent travels have primarily been wherever I can walk to. Blog super fan Tim**** suggested I document the surrounding neighborhoods. Since (1) he is so wise, (2) I hate to disappoint a fan, and (3) I have precious little else to do with my time, I now give you: the quarantine suburb times!!

Spring sprang and spring sprung splendidly! Some flowers really showed off. 

I’ve learned where the house with the best***** yard sculptures is. 

I’ve also learned where the birds like to hang out. 

Some neighborhoods have better views than others.

And one house was clearly a horror set complete with impending doom clouds. 

But also, world’s worst bench?

And I now need to walk this street on a regular basis to determine if: 

• this is always up all year, 
• it hadn’t been taken down by April, or
• it had been taken down at a respectable time but was put back up later to bring joy to the neighbors. 

I found where the sidewalk ends, the local emo park, where the path smells the best, and my own zombie apocalypse scenario where you can stand in the middle of what is usually an incredibly busy street to take a selfie because no one drove for that one beautiful month.******

I am still trying to decide if this is where you go to be punished or rewarded. 

General societal shifts were noticeable through neighborhood signage. We started with inspirational chalk drawings,

Progressed to passive-aggressive reminders to drive slowly and remove dog waste,

And are currently hoping for better. 

At some points walking was with others!

And at another point, walking included biking. 

And mostly it was all totally fine unless it was comically bleak.*******

When not walking, I got an incredibly cute cat!

And worked a poll!

And did an elaborate 3D craft repair!

And upgraded the lawn!

And found my life’s true passion: power washing********

Not pictured are incredibly organized drawers, cabinets, and closets.

Dear World, I miss you, but I know I’ll get to see you again soon.********** I imagine I’ll even be really excited to go on a tour of a fort again!

Until then, Black Lives Matter,

-KT

*I’m really hoping this blog isn’t your only news source. 

**Apologies to Langston. #BLM

***

****

*****Or maybe just most?

******Remember how safe but bored everyone was that month? Stay home. And if you can’t, wear your mask!

*******I’m fine but I do not speak for the Teletubby community.

********Yes, you can hire me. Yes, you can afford me. 

*********Or, at least, eventually. Because really, America? Wear a mask.