fishing in Stanley

During his recent time in Idaho, Mikel was able to see family and friends, make a trip to Dillon to check out our new hometown (no home yet), and go fishing in Stanley during ISU's spring break.

He had a great time and is even more ready to move now! According to Wikipedia, Stanley had a total population of 100 at the 2000 census (no, I'm not missing any zeros) and elected a 22-year old female mayor in 2005 making her the youngest female mayor in the US. All this useful information I found out when I Googled the name of the city to make sure I spelled it right!

The fishing wasn't as good as last year but it's still fishing so how bad can it be!? Here are some pictures from the trip...

the Den

This is a picture from my trip to Dillon that I forgot about with my last post.

It's a little grainy because well, I took it in the bar and I had to turn on the flash or all these people would have thought I was a creeper taking their picture to post on some obscure blog/website. Well, that's exactly what I was doing but nobody will ever know!

This place is called The Lion's Den and it's quite the happening place in Dillon. I came here on my interview and ate here three times during my week. Once for lunch to watch the UMW men's basketball play in the NAIA tournament (one of the only places that had it on tv), once when I was looking for some real food to take back to my hotel when the taco bus was closed, and once when I went out to dinner with the AD's wife.

It's always packed and the owners and BIG TIME supporters of the university so I've been advised that it's good to be on the good side! The arena at UMW is actually named after one of the owners. I'm pretty sure he was a very successful basketball coach there for 20 some years. He also seems to always sits at the same table right by the door to people watch. They were very nice and offered to buy me a drink when I went in looking for dinner so I think I'm ok for now!

The place is really cute and cozy, complete with deer mounts on the wall. The food has been really good too I imagine that Mikel and I may visit a time or two.

adventures at MSU

I'm not sure if I should be proud or embarrassed but I NEVER use the library at MSU. I went to a seminar there one time (which was a waste of time by the way) and have never been there for intended purposes. I used to be in the library all the time at ISU because that is where I met Ted and did math. Now that math is out of the picture and there is an electronic version of most everything I ever need, I don't set foot in the library.

That all changed when I realized my teacher added a book to the reading list for my upcoming test that I did not realize. Because I determined that explaining to my teacher that I had not read the list and just now noticed that I have no access to the book she recommended, I found the call number, put on my hood (it was cold out), and headed to the library.

Success! The book was on the third floor in the East Wing... it sounded so serious and far away but I managed. I also took these pictures to document the feat. The library actually has little buttons you can push that move the shelfs to the left and right (like medical records with the big windy wheel things). Somebody could get smashed in the library. I never knew this was dangerous! I wanted to play with them but I restrained myself.

That is all.

Montana trip

Last week was absolute madness during my week in Dillon. 

I left East Lansing on the 3:30am shuttle, got on a plane around 7:30, had a lay over in Minneapolis/St. Paul, landed in Bozeman around 10:30am, found my luggage and the player who came to pick me up, managed to shove my luggage in the trunk of her bug, got to Dillon about 12:30 and met with the AD to get my car, keys to my office, and check into the hotel. From there, I think I had lunch some time, the AD left around 3:00 with the men's basketball team for the NAIA tournament, I had my first practice at 3:30 including a recruit, met with the recruit after practice, realized I couldn't sign on to my office computer or laptop without a campus account, couldn't use my office phone without the password, wrapped things up and headed to our friends house for dinner. This is when I was introduced to the taco bus for the first time. By the time I got back to my hotel I was exhausted but of course managed to talk to Mikel and my parents about the day. And that was Monday!

The rest of the week was more of the same... practices, recruits, trying not to get lost, asking for lots of help, getting lost, buying clothes in the bookstore, crashing at the hotel, eating at the taco bus, and repeat! All the people at UMW are absolutely amazing though; it's such a great atmosphere full of people who will drop everything and help you, want to meet and get to know you, and have nothing but good things to say about the girls on my team. 

I didn't get around to taking any picture on campus until my very last day there but I couldn't leave without documentation for the blog, could I?!

 Main Hall...

 Technology Center...

 P.E. Complex-- my building! My office, the gym, and the classrooms I will be using are all in here...

 Right around the side of my building is my parking space-- so convenient...

 The hall upstairs in the PE Complex. All of the coaches and HHP (health and human performance) professors are here...

 My office...

Not too bad! 

It was a great week and the trip back was just as much of a whirlwind as getting there. I am so thankful for the people who were able to cover my classes and take care of things so I could do this. Now, I'm just ready for Mikel to get back from his trip to Idaho. He's having fun but I miss him!

I thought I'd throw these pictures in too from the crazy storm back in February. I forgot to ever get these off the camera!

deliciousness in Dillon

I am in Dillon this week working at Montana Western. It has been a very fun but super busy week and I still need to take some pictures of school but I thought I'd share what I've had for dinner for two of the past four nights.

I would never have been brave enough to try it on my own but on my first night here my friends from Dillon took me out to eat and I had to come back tonight.... delicious! 

Yes, it's a bus and it's amazing!

random thoughts from lisa

Coach for a coach... this is the cute purse my club team gave me yesterday at our last tournament. They played the BEST they have all season and, although I had to make two attitude adjustments, it was overall a great day for the team. I'm glad I did it but I'm also glad it's over!

This was a DELICIOUS sandwich I got at a new deli across from campus. It was corned beef, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on rye. It totally is not something I would ever expect to order and Mikel did a double take when I did. Either way, it was AMAZING! After I took a couple bites and realized how scrumptious it was, I made sure to take a picture so I could share (you're welcome).

Lastly, a picture of the tigers from the circus. It's not a very good picture but this was my view from work today at Breslin. Considering I'm not really supposed to be taking pictures, I didn't worry about trying again!

spring break

There's not much exciting going on here over spring break. 

Last year, we went to Indianapolis for the symposium about sport psychology with Dr. Appleby (our advisor from ISU). We just got notification that the article we wrote based on the symposium was published and we were actually the featured article for the journal. They sent us a couple free copies of edition which was nice. 

With all the busyness that is going on this year, we didn't have any big trips planned this year. Unfortunately, it snowed the first day of spring break and then again yesterday which clearly indicates it's too early to be having "spring" break.

Mikel has been working and fishing as much as possible. I would include pictures but he has not taken any so I have nothing to share. 

I have been coaching my last week of club (thank goodness), working in my office without interruptions from students, and covering some events at Breslin. This week we have had the team banquets for both men's and women's basketball. These were quite the events! They were about 4 hours long and started with a cocktail reception and then continued to dinner. There were nearly 900 people at the men's with tickets at $45 a plate. 

It covered the whole arena floor... 

I could hear the ceremony from my position but the Breslin Center looks very different when it's completely empty...

Tonight and Sunday, I am working the Caravan Circus and on Saturday I have my last tournament. Hopefully I have some semblance of a full team and they play hard!

Next week, I will be headed to Dillon to get things going at University of Montana Western. I'm excited to get there but am not looking forward to the flying. Anything over a one hour time change is just not cool.  After that, Mikel is headed to Idaho for a trip he has definitely been looking forward to!

In the midst of it all, we're collecting boxes in anticipation for our move, trying to find someone to take over the lease of our apartment, and I have a stack of papers to grade!

Off to have a productive day!

A gem

Just a gem from our trip to Walmart today... It's a good thing I'm a good sport and let Mikel take these horrible pictures...