The Interpreter

Sorry I haven't written in so long; so much has happened in the past week, though!

I had an awesome time with Ellen and friends in North Dakota last weekend... it was the annual July-o-ween party (NoDak style) and I went as Cookie Monster.  I only found two ticks on me this time, which is odd considering I didn't do any hiking at all... anyway, my time in North Dakota was as memorable as always.

Meanwhile, the shenanigans at Mount Rushmore have not stopped by any means.  The other day, we got a complaint that a man in the men's bathroom was... pleasuring himself... with the stall door wide open for all to see... I have so much respect for the maintenance workers at the park who have to clean up every night...

I had 200+ people on my ranger walk the other day, which is a record number of visitors on my ranger walk!  My voice was killing me by the end of it, though.  The weather here also hasn't helped... the triple digit temperatures, coupled with the humidity, makes it difficult to breathe.

We had a large group of tourists from a bus tour come into the information center yesterday saying "Our bus driver told us there was a really nice elevator here in the park!"  Really??  At Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, you are interested in the elevator?

The Junior Ranger program here is getting old.  Every day I swear in about 400 kids, and most of the kids are not even interested in getting the badge at all... the comments from the kids are always entertaining, though.  Lately, in addition to me asking each junior ranger "which president on Mt. Rushmore is your favorite?," I ask them which park ranger looks the silliest? (Then I point to the two cartoon park rangers on the front of their junior ranger books, and then I point to myself).  Today, I asked one girl which park ranger looked the silliest, and pointed to the two rangers on the book, as well as one of the law enforcement rangers... the girl said that the law enforcement ranger looked the silliest, and the ranger handcuffed her!! So funny.

Lastly, our new name plates arrived!

Definitely the highlight of the century... (I have a really full life.)