His family doctor is Doctor Seuss. If you find him in your soup, please don't shoot. He's the skinny, sweaty man in a green suit.

"What should we do today?"

"Chill?"

"Nah, did that yesterday."

"What day is it anyway?"

"Monday... no, it's Sunday. I think."

"Let's go for a hike."

"Where?"

"Sypes Canyon, of course. It is close to the house."


"I wanna get some exercise. Is there vertical gain on this trail?"

"Yeah, about a thousand, but you can extend it up, up and away."

"Let's do it."





The hike has some nice vistas of Bozeman and the Gallatin River Valley.



It also had hordes of butterflies, which I unsuccessfully tried to photograph.




We actually did some trail-running, a strain of fitness masochism. It is for those pour souls for whom ordinary running and ordinary hiking just don't quite cut it. It was fun. I like it. I like it a lot.


This may be my new hobby.

On the way home, we stopped by the Co-op for some split-pea soup and a salad. I was happy.


Then we had a talk.

"Um, I took a look at the checkbook."

"Yeah?"

"We're spending a lot more money than we originally thought."

"So? They'll make more."

"Plasma televisions are expensive. So are Harmon Kardon sound systems."

"Yeah, but, remember when Aragorn turns around, just before charging into certain death, and says, 'For Frodo'?
Didn't it just give you the chills?"

"Um, yeah. Well, I was wondering about our plan to co-exist peacefully and modestly on a budget..."

"That is crazy talk."

"But, do we really need..."

"CRAZY TALK! C'MON! FOR FRODO!"

"Well, all I really wanted to say is that maybe, just maybe, we should think about getting jobs."