Rez life in the Hobbit House

It was absolutely gorgeous outside today. And tonight was just...oh, man. No words. I just couldn't be inside.

So I did what I love to do: went for a walk. I am once again struck by the fact that walking anywhere other than Oxford or the gravel road where I grew up just..well, it sucks.

First of all, there are dogs EVERYWHERE here. This is not a stereotype. If you talk to your average, white, non-reservation South Dakotan and hear them make some sort of joke about dogs on the rez, you might think they're being mean or racist. They are not. Well...I guess they could be, but it's still a fact that there are way too many loose dogs 'round here. There's no animal control officer on the entire Rosebud Reservation (which I believe I read is roughly the size of Rhode Island.) and many people do not believe in leashes or fences. So dogs run wild. Literally.

This is not fun when you're a pedestrian. Maybe I'm just already a cranky old woman, but I don't enjoy being constantly barked at when I'm out for a walk. I like to walk to unwind and relax, not be constantly on guard, wondering "Ok, is this a nice dog or a mean dog? Is that dog tied up? Is that a dog or a small pony?!? WOW, I hope that large, angry looking animal's chain doesn't break!"

There's also the fact that my favorite time of day is twilight, which is right about the time one should probably not be walking alone. Anyway.

The beginning of my walk was also punctuated by a particularly shrill and long-lasting set of sirens. I don't know if it went cop-ambulence-cop, or ambulence-cop-ambulence (I think the first), but it was there. Also not the best way to enjoy a peaceful commune with nature.

(Note: I have never lived IN town before. I have lived just outside of town, I have lived on a college campus...and I guess I stayed with my sister in North Platte, Neb. for a couple months...but I have never lived IN town. I like my privacy. Especially when I go for a walk.)

Sooooooo, needless to say, it was a short walk. Then I watered the tomatoes. My very first tomato plant - a hanging tomato plant, no less - produces the cutest little cherry tomatoes!!! So excited! I ate one, and it was delicious. Next year I might get ambitious and plant two.

And then I got the perfect end to my night when I was in the kitchen talking to Javier about getting the oven fixed, because the inside of it doesn't work. So he opened it to look inside, and surprise!

"Oh hey, there's stuff in there!"

After I got done laughing, I discovered that the oven had become a closet for ramen noodles and a pot filled with the grease they use to make fries. He said it's just like how they cook fast food. I told him that's gross. He said he'll probably throw it out. I hope so.