Elk Hunt FAQ Teaser

No, no FAQ page yet on the elk hunt (sigh). But, to inject a dose of well-earned and long-anticipated adrenalin into your systems, we're going to go ahead and post the answers to two of the questions we've gotten from several of you:

Elk Hunt FAQ#9
If chased by an angry elk, should one attempt to climb a tree, play dead, act aggressively, or something else?

Our knowledgeable elk-hunting neighbors inform us that you're as likely to survive an elk charge by responding with a little kindness. While making soothing sounds, approach the elk with one palm outstretched and allow it to sniff you.

Elk Hunt FAQ#4
How far would we be from the closest source of our morning surge of (insert brand here) coffee?

This is Montana, ya dotards! We'll be brewing our own in a cast-iron kettle over the crackling flames of the morning campfire. We'll also be introducing you to a "secret ingredient" that we add to the pot--that is only available in the back woods of this the greatest state in the union!

Elk Hunt (No)News

For those of you have e-mailed, asking about the elk hunt this fall, we're charging ahead, full steam like the wiley and elusive brutes we'll be gunnin' down. We're still waiting for our webmaster to update our site with directions to our secretive house in the country, the registration form, and the FAQ we promised you. Keep the questions coming!

Brett'n'Sooz Hom(ep)age Update

Just a quick "Thanks!" to our ol' pal, Keith, for adding the Blog link to our homepage on his site. For those of you who haven't breathed the thrilling breeze of nostalgia recently, check out the archives there.
The Brett'n'Sooz Hom(ep)age

Montana Elk Hunt

Exciting news! We will be organizing an elk hunt this fall. Since settling in to our new home here in MT (see picture), we have been eager to throw an open house for all of our friends far and wide.

Initial thoughts ran from the mundane (squirrel BBQ, wine and cheese with Triscuits, bowling party, etc.) to the impractical (windsurfing in Waikiki, synchronized skydiving). Elk hunting, thanks to the legendary organizational talents of Sooz, was a happy compromise.

We hope to have a new page on our website brettnsooz.clanotto.com soon with all the details and a convenient registration form. In the meantime, we will use this blog to keep you posted on the details.

For those of you who have never hunted the fabled elk, feast your eyes on this prize!

Believe you us, you'll need a dry pair of shorts in your hunting pack if you see one of these babies charging down the forest path!

Send us your questions so that we can start compiling a FAQ on the hunt. The window of opportunity is October and November. We're thinking about a weekend-week-weekend event, and all of you would be free to flow thorugh our doors at your convenience during any or all of that period.

Can't wait to see you all!

Weathering the Snows

Where to start?!

Our hearts are full as we think back on the past several months of precious life and reflect. Yes, such moments of reverie are occasionally interrupted by the odd flashback: "When is my project due?!" "Where did my students go?!" or "What is that high-pitched noise coming from the engine?!" But really, who except the dullest of dullards doesn't experience similar memories?

We apologize for the slow pace with which we are bringing up to speed on our lives, moves, and exploits you, our ever-faithful following of friends (consider the alliteration, as someone wise once wrote.... Consider the.... Hey, deja-vu!).

Let's begin at the beginning, or somewhere near the exact middle at least:

2000

• We cross the border into the state of wedded bliss.
• Adventures too numerous to list here....
• We acquire a new dog.
  

2001

• Our celestial wee one graces us with her presence.
• We acquire another dog.
  

2002

• Brett's career in mountain biking seems doomed.
• We move to VT, lured by the promise of living in a Viking village.
• We acquire our sixth, seventh, and eighth dogs in quick succession.
  

2003

• Brett falls prey to the unlucky lure of quick lucre.
• Brett falls prey to the responsibilities of the first-year teacher.
• Susan completes family tree / inventory of family firearms.
• Dog pack scaled back to two.
  

2004

• Brett falls, prays, punctures lung, loses two toes, takes break from mountain biking.
• Susan wins coveted "Midwestern Transplant" award.
  

2005

• Susan completes volumes 1,2 of fictional trilogy about unhappy Midwestern dorm-mom.
  
• Brett wins local Xbox competition, contemplates career as dairy farmer.
• After auditioning several exciting sites, we move back to MT!
  

2006

• Susan completes advanced certification in various computer-related skills.
• Brett takes up elk hunting, burns family furniture, replaces same with homemade.

More to come in our next installment!

Love for now.
~us

Our Last Days in VT

For those of you who may not know, we've left VT!

Sorry--for those of you who hadn't heard, we left Montana and moved to VT!

The highlights from our days in VT:
1. Brett taught at a prestigious private school
2. Brett laid down the engineer mantle
3. The birth of our child
4. Sooz honed her baking and other amazing cooking skills
5. Brett punctured a lung (see picture)
6. Numerous trips, shopping for the location of our NEXT home
7. Attempts to be granola-loving, tree-hugging, sandal-wearing, liberal-voting VT-ites
8. Brett laid down the stock trader mantle
9. Refining our friends' patience by randomly replying to exactly 1.72% of all e-mail, Christmas cards, and other correspondence
10. Realizing that, in our true hearts, we aren't granola-loving, tree-hugging, sandal-wearing, liberal-voting VT-ites!

Love for now, Brett'n'sooz

An Open Letter to Dear Friends

Dear ones,

We are so excited to have finally arrived!

Where, you ask? In that crazy little place called "the blogosphere," of course! :)

We know that many of you have been wondering for at least a little while what we've been up to since last we met. We look forward to oodles of quality time, thanks to Mr. Gore's clever invention.

Pull up a chair. Pass the chocolate. Let us pour you a frosty glass of iced tea--with lemon. Let's catch up!

Love, Brett'n'sooz

PS Special thanks to our dear friend John for helping us with the technical "know-how" to get our feet on the ground.