Lost In Translation

Note: We will be in Canada September 4th through the 16th. Alberta to Pendicton BC.  I will not be using my cell or iPad because of the expense so it is unlikely that I will be posting until we are back in the U.S. If I snag a decent wifi I might do a short blog. So until the 17th.......... Everyone take care.

 Rest Area outside of Billings MT as we head to Butte.

As we continued our journey which has taken us through Montana, we drove through The Crazy Mountains.  The "Crazies" as they are sometimes called are a mountain range in Montana in the northern Rocky Mountains. With a name like that I just had to look up the story behind it. There were a couple of stories (see Wikipedia) but the one I thought most likely is attributed to what I think of as a case of "lost in translation". The Crow natives considered the mountains to be a place to go for vision quests. Since trappers and other people of European decent were likely not familiar with the concept of "visions" or of going someplace to have a vision, and the Crow may not have had a word for vision, it probably ended up being interpreted (and I am taking liberties here) by non-natives as "the mountains were the natives go to be crazy".  A more accurate name in my opinion would be Vision Quest Mountains. 

And this all relates to traveling with a Hearing Dog how? Well directly it doesn't but indirectly it does relate to my life as someone with a severe hearing loss. The Crazy Mountains label was, as I mentioned, probably a result of miscommunication and misunderstanding.  Both those words describe what happens to me on just about a daily bases and to basically anyone with a hearing loss. The extent of the "lost in translation" experience depends on the extent of and type of hearing loss as well as an individual's skills in dealing with the loss, such as wearing or not wearing hearing aids, (Dependent upon whether or not a person can benefit from hearing aids.) and ability to lip read and put speech into context. For me the experience of communicating with others is a bit like a trip through crazy mountains rather than of going on a vision quest. I will admit though that living with a hearing loss can lead to insights into others and myself. So maybe there is some "vision" involved even if I haven't sought it out. I suppose I could label my hearing loss as a Crazy Mountains, Vision Quest kind of journey. I am very happy to have Cherelle be my guide through part of it!  And there you have the tie-in to Hearing Dog. 

    Overlooking part of Butte MT and one of the many abandoned mines that surround the city.

Warm wishes to everyone from me and tail wags from Cherelle, aka Cher.