It is Really Tough to get GOOD help these days...

Seriously. It is really hard to get good help these days.

Fr’instance. Yesterday, Mom goes on a hike with this group of people from the RV park, partially because she wanted to go hiking, and partially because the hike leaders have “wintered” at this same park for the last several seasons and she wanted to pick their brains about places that I could go hiking. Because dogs aren’t allowed in National Parks. Someone jokingly suggested that Mom get me a ‘Service Dog’ vest to wear, and then I’d be allowed in, but Mom said that I wasn’t “well behaved enough” to get away with it. Me? Not well behaved? The nerve! So Mom goes off on this hike (which was in Zion National Park, and so I couldn’t go along…), and comes back with a bunch of pictures, and is all fired up about hiking.

Cool. Because hiking is good.

So today, Mom and Dad took me on a short walk around the RV park, and then Dad said that he wanted to go on a short hike. He hasn’t been hiking since his ankle surgery (over a year and a half ago), and wanted to ease into it. Ease is fine. So we drive the Box on Wheels (Mom says it’s a Jeep, but I think it looks like a box on wheels, and so that’s what I’m going to call it) just a little bit up the road and parked and went on a two mile hike. Which was great fun, as I got to get all dusty, and sniff things (although Dad pulled me away from this spiky plant thingy before I got too close). BUT. But, my secretary and photojournalist DIDN’T BRING THE CAMERA. Hello? McFly?!?

It was a great hike. Really. And Mom promises me that she’ll bring the camera next time.

Uh-huh. Sure, Mom. I think I may have to get a backpack and carry it myself to make sure that it goes on every hike.

Note from Fi’s Mom: Yep. You may very well be getting your own backpack – so you can carry your own water and dish.

Okay. Whatever. So. We get back from the hike, and Mom decided to test out the pool and hot tub. So far, this RV Park has 5 paws from all parties involved.

Then Mom had to go grocery shopping. I declined to go along, because I saw Mom’s list and she had a lot of stuff to get. And because some of the stuff on the list was non-grocery, she decided to go to Wal-Mart in Hurricane. Before Mom and Dad left Park City, three separate people told Mom that one form of entertainment in southern Utah is to go to Wal-Mart and watch the polygamists shop. Mom kind of laughed, knowing that there are polygamist colonies down south, but didn’t think much of it.

Note from Fi’s Mom: For those of you who don’t live in Utah/Idaho/Arizona, yes, there is a fairly sizeable population of fundamentalist Mormons who still practice polygamy. And unless the local church leader is actively marrying 14-16 year old girls to 40-something year old guys, law enforcement pretty much turns a blind eye. Heck, there was a town a few years ago where the Sheriff/Chief of Police (or someone like that) was a polygamist. I think he got arrested mostly because the state felt that having someone sworn to uphold the state laws, who was actively breaking one was probably not the legal representative they were looking for… Anyhoo, while the ‘mainstream’ Mormon church has officially stepped away from polygamy, there are plenty of people who practice polygamy. The women are readily identified by the long-sleeve, floor-length dresses they wear and long hair (either in a braid or bun of some sort).

So, Mom goes to Wal-Mart, and before she even got out of the car, called Dad to tell him that all the people telling her about the polygamists at Wal-Mart weren’t kidding. Apparently Mom saw a bunch of polygamists, but since her phone battery was dying, didn’t attempt to sneak any pictures. Because Dad has never seen a polygamist. Mom says that’s because the only place in Utah that Dad has ever lived is Park City, and there aren’t obvious polygamists in the Park City boundaries.

After coming back from Wally World, Mom decided that she wanted to get a map of the hiking/biking in the area so they could pick hiking trips that I could go on, and so they could also scope out road biking routes. A bike shop in Springdale (right at the entrance to Zion Nat’l Park) was recommend as a good place to go for advice, so Mom loaded me up, and we drove the 15 or so miles to the bike shop. And the closer you get, the more stunning the scenery gets.

But did Mom bring her camera with her? Say it with me… Of Course Not!!!!

I swear, it is IMPOSSIBLE to get good help these days!

The only plus is that Mom got this great map that shows all sorts of places that Mom and Dad can go hiking with me. And Mom found some good places for them to go bye-sickling, so that made Mom and Dad happy.

So, I will leave you with pictures of Mom’s hike from yesterday. The one I wasn’t allowed to go on because it was in a National Park. And what is up with that? Am I not a part of this great nation? Why can’t I get to see the wonders of the world, too? I’m going to have to talk to my congressman. Assuming that he’s not dining with the local polygamist leader…

(Biggify these for the full effect.)


*sigh* I guess I can't fire my own mother, huh?

*kissey face*
-Fiona