Sunday November 30 2008

Sandy and Lynn at Mixed Media Art Show

Another month gone. Found a picture of Sandy and I at the art show I hadn't put in, so thought I'd stick it in. Gina took this one.

Am making some turkey noodle soup for dinner. Guess we could have some biscuits with it, maybe salad..... or not. PerhapsTurkey Tetrazinni next! Still very windy. A skiff of snow on the ground this morning but gone by afternoon. I have to buy a thermometer so we know how cold it is out. Or warm as the case may be.

The dogs actually seem to be enjoying their small space as if it were safe and comfortable for them. Raven lays on the deck and watches for any movement across the landscape and the yards. If Joe will leave them out for a while instead of keeping them in the house all day, they will get to playing. Raven runs around and around, jumping off and on the deck, and nipping Sparky as she races by him. He stands still and tries to nab her as she goes past He's pretty good at flipping her over.

Bonnie and Cheyenne came by this morning and he worked on my laptop right here. He got Office Outlook going as well as having both centurytel and hughes.net email coming in to it. They brought his little son, who is so well behaved and cute. I was glad for the chance to visit with Bonnie. They had been to church and she looked so pretty, all dressed up. Thank you so much for your kindness Cheyenne!

I feel better today, at least the pain med is holding down the neck/shoulder pain now. Betty and Sheral called today and I enjoyed talking to them. I intended to call some people too, but haven't done it yet - maybe tomorrow.

The garbage men apparently never took our garbage Friday, so it's been sitting in the driveway since Friday. Maybe they just missed ours because everyone else's is taken back to their houses. Maybe Joe didn't get it out early enough. All this city "stuff"!.

This is a link that Sandra sent about wind farms in eastern Wyoming that I thought was interesting with good information - the way things change on the range.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/28/us/28wind.html?_r=2&partner=IWON&ei=5058

Saturday November 29 2008

Let Me In!

Not much going on right now to report anything interesting. Have been sleeping through the chemo pain most of the time. The wind roared most of the day and after dusk when I let the dogs out it was snowing - the flakes are flying horizontally. It's still doing it at almost midnight when I let the dogs out again, but not piling up much at all so far. I'm sure glad to be snuggled in our new place before that started. Have been enjoying seeing the deer on their daily routine. Tonight there was a fair sized buck in the yard about sunset.

Got some phone calls today, but Joe answered the phone and took messages. Can't remember if it was yesterday or this morning that I talked to Beverly. Thanks for calling and I'll try to catch up - hoping this neck pain is gone by tomorrow or so. Howie, Joslyn and their boys, Jacques and Reeves, stopped by about 5 p.m. They are sure nice looking boys and tall like the Thomas's. They were just little guys when we saw them last at one of the family reunions out at the ranch. One is a junior and the other a freshman at Laramie UofWy. The family does a lot of team roping together. Jacques got Joe's TV in the living room going and looked at the other two which was very nice of him. But the two in the bedrooms - looks like the receiver has gone haywire. I'll get Dish called pretty soon and have them come back and straighten them out. Joslyn brought us some pretty yummy cinnamon rolls she had made. Thank you Joslyn. They had invited us to go to Lakeside Lodge for dinner to celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary (CONGRATULATIONS!) but neither one of us felt we could do justice to a big meal. We sure appreciated the invite though. I made some potato soup for our dinner and that was just the right thing.

Sorry no pictures to post lately, not much is in the laptop to choose from. Bonnie and Craig are stopping by tomorrow after church and will take the laptop to their son, Cheyenne, to get the Office Outlook program going and then I can use the new centurytel.net email. I haven't tried going to that home page yet, so another new thing to learn. Have still been using the hughes.net home page, but I want to put that on vacation and not pay for two email bills. I also have a pretty big stack of papers and bills to get through and better get with it.

So this blog is mostly to say I won't be blogging or looking at email for several days until I get the laptop back. Maybe by then I'll have something interesting to write about Talk to you later.

Friday November 28 2008

Haven't had very good days since chemo on Tuesday. I sat up in the recliner all night last night in quite a bit of pain - yet not as much as the last time. And no TV to watch. I'll have to call asap when I feel like being on the phone to try and get them going again. It keeps saying no signal, but not to call that they are working on it. There has to be something more wrong than that though. It's been going on more or less since they Dish guy was here to hook it all up. At first I just wasn't getting local channels on my TV, the it has spread to all three TVs.

Joslyn came by to see the house this morning and visited for a while. She was in town for the day

. About 11:40 I went down to the clinic to get the pump off and found that they were to be closed in the afternoon. So lucky I didn't wait any longer or it would have been another day wearing the darn thing.

Joe had gone to the ranch to feed the cats and bring a few more things back with him. He said he ate lunch out and brought home the mail. Joslyn came back to see him/us in the afternoon. She was waiting to give Howie a ride back to the ranch after work because his truck was in getting repaired. So we all had another good visit. She invited us to go along with their family tomorrow evening up to Lakeside Lodge for steaks to celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary. So we might do that if I'm feeling up to it.

It's windy and mostly cloudy today.

Sorry I'm not getting many photos on lately. There aren't many to choose from on the laptop (PC was left at the ranch). Maybe I'll find some to use, or maybe just leave these days without any photos. I'm going to bed early again tonight, or if I get to feeling o.k. I might call about the TVs. I ate a late sandwich for lunch/dinner, and heated Joe up some of the leftovers at dinnertime.

Thursday November 27 2008

.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

TO EVERYONE!

Debbie called in the morning and Betty a little while later. About all we did today is fix the turkey dinner and eat. I bought too big a turkey and we have too much left over. It was the day I was supposed to go get the chemo pump off, but the clinic wasn't open. So have to wait until tomorrow. All the TVs have gone out, so I have to get on the phone to Dish. Why does this keep happening?

Wednesday November 26 2008

Feeling o.k. so far today, just pretty drowsy mostly. Keep meaning to take a nap but haven't gotten there yet. Charm called to check up on me this morning and she's doing her turkey dinner preparation ahead. I've prepared all the thanksgiving recipes up to the point of baking/cooking/roasting. It will be the regular turkey dinner. So tomorrow it should be fairly easy to finish up. Even bought one of those throw away aluminum roasting pans for the turkey.

Her son Andy brought Betty Pfaff over for a visit today and what a pleasure to see her. She might come back again before she goes home to Kemmerer. She brought us a housewarming gift. Guess next I'll look at the email, have lots in there right now.

Joe went for coffee with the guys this morning, Then he dug some bigger rocks out of the fenced in part of the yard and threw them over the fence. Maybe he's thinking of getting them out of the way of mowing, but he's said several time's he's not going to mow. We have two weedeaters at the ranch and I'll bring one of them over here in the spring. Now he's gone to wash his truck again. Guess that mag coating for the roads is really stuck on the sides of the truck.

Pericles' Funeral Oration starts: "I shall begin with our ancestors," and "Thus choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting, they fled only from dishonour, but met danger face to face."

Gina and Bob have flown Jim's plane to Cheyenne/Laramie for Thanksgiving with her family down there. It will only take them less than two hours to get there. It's about all day driving. Bet she'll have more neat pictures on her blog.

Here's an article and more pictures of the art show.

http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2008/11/MixedMediaArtistsArt.htm

Jim Roscoe has won the State House of Representative seat.

http://www.pinedaleonline.com/#roscoe

Tuesday November 25 2008

The Sawtooths on the way to Jackson

Charm arrived about 8:15 this morning and soon as I got my shoes on we were on the road. Snow has stayed on the ground through Bondurant and the Hoback, but the road was clear all the way. There were a lot of deer along the road and coming home I bet there were 20 big horn sheep right in the road - not caring to move - licking the salt off the highway. They all seemed mostly like young ones. Hope they are safe as things got dark tonight. Darn little stinkers.

Things went along well for a while and after we passed Daniel junction I just couldn't keep my eyes open and had fair to middlin' nausea. Carol at oncology gave me some nausea med. I slept in spurts most of the day, in the car, in the chemo chair, through my lunch - I would wake up trying to spoon tomato soup into my chin, and dozing off part of the way home. The chemo treatment went along as usual. I didn't get much of an answer on stronger pain med if I get another bad painful week. except to call when it happens. Next appointment I'll get the CT scans and an MRI on my neck again. That's about all, a lot like the other times.

Charm went over to see Greg and Jim's art show and said it was really nice. I knew I wouldn't be able to do it this time. We went to Smith's and I mainly got prescriptions refilled and got the turkey. It was a long day, especially for Charm. Thank you for going with me Charm. I sure needed to be driven this time and I really appreciate it. She also bought us a poinsettia and I have it sitting by the fireplace. It's very festive. Much love and blessings to you, Charm.

Put the groceries away. Am having some Top Ramen and going right to bed. I was able to get onto my hughes.net web page last night, but only began to eread all the messages there. Will be catching up starting tomorrow.

Craig stoppped in today and plumbed the new fridge for ice and water. I was gone and didn't see any of it, but it seems to be working fine. We're not used to all the newfangled luxuries. It will be real nice to have. Thank you so much for helping us with that Craig. You and your family are special in our lives.

Gina got some way better pictures than me of the art show, dinner here at the house and them flying over the country today. Check out her last week's blogging: http://horseback41.blogspot.com/

Here is a link with 31 pictures of a bear cub that came into a ranch yard in Bondurant. Kind of cute.They were taken by the people that man the Bondurant weather web cam. : http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2008/11/Theresabearcubonther.htm

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY SAMUEL RYAN

Sammy Grandma Bev and Shane

Bev and Samuel

Samuel Ryan Beall

Shane Andrea and Sammy

Monday November 24 2008

The rose Bonnie gave me for my birthday

opened up today.

Here is the biggest news!! Andrea and Shane had their baby yesterday. It's a boy and they named him Samuel Ryan. He weighed 8 and 1/2 pounds. Joe hollered at me after I was in bed that Beverly called yesterday and that they had the baby and it was a boy. That makes me a great grandmother for the first time. Not so long ago I wasn't sure I'd be here to become a great grandmother. Anyway Beverly and I talked this evening, and she told me all about it. I know she is just going to want to be holding that baby all the time. She and Brent are grandparents of Brent's son Eric's little baby boy born early this year. Beverly has had all boys.There are pictures in my email that she sent, where I'll go next and try to see them - if the email will work. I might be able to put a picture on tonight.

This morning was awake about 7 something and asked Joe if he would unload the rest of the Walmart bags out of the car, which he did. I couldn't resist beginning to put some of it away. But needed to get busy, get a shower and get things ready for the small art group who were coming to paint here today. I called Sandy at the phone company and asked if someone could c ome and get my internet going, and set up my email into the laptop with my new email address. He got here about 9:30 or 10 and I pretty well stayed with him while he did everything so I'd perhaps know how all this new stuff will work. It didn't take him long. And one thing he did say was that I only needed one, ONE (1) of those little boxes that they other guys put one in every room. He might have been here about an hour and got most of it set up. I'm still having probably a small problem, in getting to my email. And I don't know where its going to download in to. It should be OfficeOutlook, but that won't open I recently found out. Remember I said that last spring I asked this same Mike to work on my computer to get Outlook set up, and now it seems like that was never done or done right. So there is still more to figure out.

Joe said he was going to the ranch, and I guess he got a few more things and fed and watered the cats. He ate at Boulder about 2:30 and didn't want any dinner tonight. He got home about 4 p.m. just after the gals left.

They arrived beginning about 9-ish. Charm came first and she had very kindly offered to make a salad and also made some delicious oatmeal white chocolate cookies. Boy were they good. I knew what the day would be like so bought Stouffer's family size lasagna, garlic toast and a Marie Callender coconut cream pie. Any way, we had Charm and I, Lois, Melita, Sandy, Nancy, and Kay. Just as people were arriving is when the phone co. guy came. I had some coffee made and the gals sat up their stuff to paint. I never got mine set up until after lunch. All of a sudden I remembered I had to get that lasagna into the oven. It hadn't unthawed although it had been out of the freezer at Walmart since about 5 p.m. yesterday. Would something you wanted to stay frozen ever keep that long? But soon we had a pretty good lunch without too much effort. Everyone helped get it on the table and off again.

So after everyone left I had to run down to the driver's license place, this was my last chance to get the eye exam taken care of this week. And lucky I got there. But they told me I had to go to the eye doctor for the exam and get him to fax my results to Cheyenne, that the eye exam they give is different than the eye doctor's. And if it doesn't get there before Dec. 10, they will cancel my driver's license. Yikes! I only got the letter the middle of last August. So.... somehow have to get the test. Our eye doctor is in Rock Springs, although sometimes he comes up here on a Friday.

After the driver's license office, I went past the second hand store and decided to go in looking for a small table or TV stand for the TV in my studio room. So far I haven't been able to come across something small that will hold the TV and receiver. But I did find a couple of dog toys, six matching wine glasses, and a turkey rack! I keep working at getting yesterday's shopping put away - still have some more to go.

Tomorrow I have to go to Jackson for my next chemo treatment. Charm is going to drive me. We're also going to see an art show that Greg and Jim W. are in while we're up there. Then we'll go to Smith's for groceries. I'll get our turkey there. I'll need a prescription renewed there too. So we'll pretty much be gone all day tomorrow doing that.

Sunday November 23 2008

No Pictures for Today - This is a silly one - I must have

moved the camera taking the crowd at the art show.

This looks kind of like contemporary art - Sandy

thought tipis. Anyway maybe interesting.

Today was the day I had chosen to go to Walmart in Rock Springs to see how much I could get on my very long list of things I've been writing down since the last Walmart shopping trip. I was tired from the day before and didn't get up until about 8:30. Hurried and got myself ready to go. Joe said he would go with me, but I just wanted to go by myself and be able to browse and go slowly if I needed to - not have him and the dogs waiting for me to get finished.

I got down there about 11 a.m. and went back to Herberger's first. Well, this time I didn't bypass the ladies clothing sale racks and got 5 tops and 2 pants at a great bargain - about $15 for each top and $7 for each pair of pants. YES.....I KNOW!! Pretty nice stuff for very little money. I checked out the housewares again but didn't find much there this time. Bought another set of towels, kind of a chocolate brown color.

Then drove by to see if the furniture store was open and it wasn't. I want to check to see if they have a chair or two that I like. And tell them my dresser arrived with a scratch on top. I went over to pizza hut and had the personal pan pizza..... yum. So then I started the ordeal at Walmart. Must have been in there between 3 and 4 hours. Tried to get most of the stuff on the list, but was unsuccessful in that. And that's o.k. I'll have to go back yet again, or try someplace else. Eventually will get everything we need. Loaded the "stuff" in the car and then went back in for a few groceries so I wouldn't have to shop for groceries in Pinedale. Took a fried chicken breast and some fries from the deli for dinner and started the drive home. By then it was dark and I found, like when we went before, that there was a lot of oncoming traffic from Pinedale direction. I got home about 8 p.m. and only unloaded and put away the groceries and then crashed in bed.

Saturday November 22 2008

Welcome Bear

Welcome Cowboys

Friday night I tried to get my email and then log on to write the blog about the art show and could get no internet connection. I figured something was wrong with the internet or maybe the sites, who knows?? But turns out it was still wacko on Saturday (and also on Sunday and also on Monday). By then I figured it was something the phone co. guys had done, but I knew not what. And I knew no one would come to fix it until next week. So put the laptop away.

Today Gina and Bob, and Bonnie and Craig came to dinner. Joe and I spiffed up the house, vacuumed the carpet for the first time since the kids left and I did as much of the dinner ahead of time as I could. I fixed Cornish game hens with wild rice and baked acorn squash, salad, and an apple pie. When they got here I gave everyone a tour of the house. Craig and Bonnie brought two Welcome signs that Craig made out of metal - I didn't take any pictures of us all - never even thought of it. But later have taken some of the welcome signs so you can see Craig's artwork. I am supposed to choose one of the two and I love them both but have been a little more partial to the bear. So have decided to choose the bear...... Maybe. You can vote if you want to. I really enjoyed the evening.

Whatever else we did, I can't remember, but that is the main thing that happened today.

SOME PHOTOS FROM THE ART SHOW

Husbands

Ruth, Cristy - Artists,

This happened when I pointed the camera at them.

Reception Table

.

Nancy pours the wine and takes care of guest book

My Wall

The Crowd

Dick - Lois

Friday November 21 2008

Sunrise this Morning Across the Street

Lynn Joe Sheryl Dick
Yesterday at Bottom's Up

Thank you everyone for making my birthday seem like such a special celebration. I had a wonderful day.

We Have Snow! It's lightly snowing this morning and had a little skiff in the night. Doesn't seem to be sticking much. The sun is trying to shine too with the flakes still flying. Joe went downtown to wash his truck again in the snow. Hope he's got his long johns on. And I hope it doesn't keep it up enough to deter people from coming to our art show reception at the library this evening.

The furniture store delivered my dresser and the second living room end table today. Now I can put my clothes away and quit living out of a laundry basket. The desk is on special order and will come in a couple of weeks. I'd like to get a couple more chairs from the furniture store.

Earlier I had gotten part of the ingredients out to bake some oatmeal cookies for the reception. Wish I had my cookie press but it's still at the ranch. I would have made those really yummy thin crispy Swedish butter cookies if I had the press, but oatmeal will have to do. And bars may be easier. - Well - later - and I never did get cookies made.

The telephone man was supposed to come this morning to finish up getting all the connections installed etc. But he didn't show up until after lunch. He said I needed a little box jack in every room where there was either already a connection (2 rooms) or where I might want to use a phone, computer or TV. So he and his helper started drilling a hole through the floor next to the molding in every room and got them fastened to the baseboard. I waited for a while for them to get finished and move their trucks from in the way of the garage door. Then they said they were done and left - except his truck was dead and was right in back of my car which was in the garage. Finally they drove one truck away and I backed out at an angle and headed for the art show a little late. And BTW I wasn't very impressed with these two guys. They never told me how to work the "plugs-ins", or set my computer up with the new email address I was to get, and several other things. And guess what - here comes the weekend.

I stopped at Ridley's and bought my homemade cookies. I saw Bonnie in there shopping so got to say hi to her. Then I got over to the library and helped a little bit to get the food ready for the art show reception. We always have a very nice layout of hor'de oeuvre's, and everyone enjoys the party. The reception and show really went well. Lots of people came. We had sold 12 paintings from the show last week and 8 more tonight. I sold some to the new Marbleton Clinic earlier this summer, and one small one tonight. We all think this was the best turnout and the best sales since we've been doing the show. I suppose we started doing an annual holiday show about 20 years ago, maybe longer.

Ruth came over this afternoon to see the house before we go to the art show. It's been a long time since we've seen each other and it was nice to have her stop by. After the show I came home and thought I would blog and look at email and ..... NO CONNECTION. I thought maybe it was something wrong with the Internet, and after several tries gave up trying to connect.

Thursday November 20 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ME-EE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

(AND MANY MORRRRE)

. See the Fish

.

I probably have to explain this one. It's Raven's and my shadows on the dock and that is the bottom of the lake - that is how clear and pure Fremont Lake water is.

Very Still Lake

Dear Charm, Thank you so much for the cinnamon rolls - I cannot leave them alone! And thank you for taking me to lunch. It was very enjoyable.

Dear Bonnie, Thank you for the bouquet and for your thoughtfulness in stopping by to give me birthday greetings.

Dear Sheral and Dick, Thank you for coming to visit. Thank you Dick for MOPPING THE FLOOR! That is one of the nicest birthday presents I ever got. For loading the dishwasher and other helpful things. Thank you guys for the yummy lunch and for singing Happy Birthday 69 times - boy was that awful!

Judi, Duene, Zeke, Sherene, Gina, Mary, Judy, Charm again, Nanny, Bev and Clay, Noleen, Debbie, Edis, Zane, Sandra, Sherese and the family also singing, actually quite a few people sang - anyone I am not thinking of (brain glitch) - Thanks for your thoughtfulness with calling or sending birthday wishes. I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for my wonderful friends. I love you.

Edis sent me my horoscope for today: "You're an idealist and a fighter. You're also independent and not afraid to buck a trend. You're hardworking, witty, playful and highly practical. You like your toys. Once committed to a goa, you're extremely determined! People admire your enthusiasm for what you love. After undergoing a major change this year, next year will be lighthearted, social and good for relationships." ..... If it's not true, I would like for it to be.

Boy, things did start happening fast yesterday after I began the blog in the morning. Charm got here about 10:30 and I showed her the house. She took me to lunch at the Chinese restaurant and we had a great visit. It has been way too long since I saw her last. Afterwards I went to see our art show at the library - hadn't seen it yet and its been up for a couple of weeks. It's very nice. Tomorrow is the reception and I said I would make cookies - but no cookies are made yet.

I went up to the clinic to get my protime blood test. It's back to being too thick again. Better remember to call Oncology in the morning to find out if they want me to change the coumadin dose. Should have called today!

Then I remembered that I hadn't gotten the eye test for my driver's license and drove around town looking for their new office - finally asked at the Chamber of Commerce where it was and its right in back of Jame's real estate office. But it was closed - used to be on Wednesday and now is on Monday and Tuesday, so I will be late getting my license. I'll go Monday. Went to Ridley's to get a couple of prescriptions with the required time standing in line. While I was there went through the store to see what we needed that was on the sale flyer. Washed the car. Stopped at the P.O. Got a milk shake. Did the recycling. There were a few more things I can't remember.

Came home and put groceries away. Then fixed us some leftovers for dinner. Had just cleaned that up and Sheral called and said they were in Pinedale and wanted to take me and Joe to lunch next day for my birthday. They had brought a trailer to their ranch to store it there for the winter. And that they were going to stay in Pinedale because their place is closed up now, but all the rooms in town were full, so they just wanted to come by and see the house and say hi and they would start home. I talked them in to coming and staying overnight. Fixed them a turkey sandwich with can tomato soup - mmmmmmmm how good was that? That was fun, and we visited non stop.

This morning I made an omelet and hash browns for breakfast, and in a while I drove Sheral around to see the other top two houses we looked at and then we went to The Barn Door to see those twin antique headboards that I liked so well. She liked them as well as me and we measured them to see if they will fit our new beds. Happens that everything in the place is on sale so the price for the headboards was down $100 since I was in there last looking at them. We looked at all the pretty things. and then came back home and measured the bed. The deep mattresses is the problem - I'm just not sure enough that the headboard will even show unless we adapt them some how.

Then they took us to Bottom's Up for sandwiches and it was very good, plus good company. Then they took off for home. Today started off looking like, and was predicted to, snow, but while we were in the restaurant it cleared up, so they would have good weather for their drive home. This afternoon I got a couple loads of laundry done. We're having more leftovers for dinner. Tomorrow the phone co. guy is supposed to come and finish that job. I'm pooped again.

Well..... then tonight when Sheral and Dick got home they called and sang happy birthday AGAIN. Yes.... I KNOW!!!

Judi sent this: http://www.peepandthebigwideworld.com/ .Then click on the red starburst that is today's video. Peep is yellow & a chick. Chirp is red & a girl baby robin. Quack is a purple duck shaped like an egg.

Wednesday November 19 2008

Some of the other cabins near the outlet

of Fremont Lake - yesterday

.

Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay

Shows how still the lake got later

in the afternoon. I've never seen it

this still before.

.

Here's our house, the beige one with Joe's

red truck sitting in front, and a view

of the mountains from where our street turns off

up the hill. Just going down that far we loose

all that wonderful view. Fremont Lake is

straight over the hill. Click and you can see

THE MARVELOUS FENCE!!

This morning Joe went back out to the ranch before I even got out of bed. He took the dogs with him. It's another beautiful day and supposed to get to about 55 degrees. James wrote from Georgia near the Florida border and said its cooler there than here. It was supposed to get to 27 last night. Good luck to the orange groves.

The house needs to be cleaned - perhaps this afternoon. It hasn't been vacuumed or dusted since we moved in and there's a lot of muddy dog tracks on the wood floor again. I'll probably get a box or two emptied. Some of the boxes sitting around have files in them and may just go on a shelf. Talking about shelves, for once in my life I have a bunch of empty cupboards and shelves. I hope I keep them that way and not get a lot of unnecessary clutter piled up.

In a while I will go to the clinic for my protime test again. It was supposed to be yesterday but I played all day instead. Then Charm is coming over to see the house and we're going to lunch together for my birthday, so I better get busy. I should decide on which shades I want and take the book back to RM Home.

I need to get a printer for this house, and I have my laptop here. Left the PC tower and its printer at the ranch. They have hooked up wireless here and my laptop is wireless. I'm reading about wireless printers this morning and wonder if its a good idea or not - to get a wireless printer. I probably will get an HP so it will be compatible with the laptop, and my PC is also an HP. Anybody got any advice or information or experiences to share?

Here is an interesting site to visit. The homeless horse population and too many wild horses as well, are a huge problem right now. If you are a horse person or have an opinion, you might be interested in checking this survey out.

http://survey.ictgroup.com/uhcsurvey/

I might write more later if something interesting happens.

Tuesday November 18 2008

.

It's the 80th birthday of Mickey Mouse,

.

.

Which one do you think is mine?

Nancy and Dick's House

Wind Rivers

WRs again - Mt Bonneville in the shadow

Fremont Lake from the overlook

A little more to the west showing the bluff
or butte - notice the lighter places where
wildfire has burned the sagebrush and
grass is growing now.

This morning Nancy called and invited me up to her place on the lake for the weekly small art painting group and I said yes I'd be there. Then after we hung up I remembered this was the day the phone/computer/tv guy Jerry was supposed to come. Well, Joe said he wouldn't be here, which is just as well, because I want to be here when he does the work - my computer you know and Joe doesn't know anything about computers to tell me what the guy did. So I called Sandy at the phone co. and asked if he could come Thursday instead. Did I mention that the computer is wireless in this house and it works just great. Its really noticeably faster too. Guess it's DSL? And after getting all my painting stuff together drove up to Nancy's. Joe went and got our forwarded mail at the Pinedale post office for the first time and got his truck washed.

Somehow the dogs got split up, and Sparky managed to get in the truck with Joe and Raven was left home, so I took her with me. The last few days have been beautiful, and so was today. I took 62 pictures of the lake and things up there. It was easy to go be with the gals because instead of an hour's drive away I just drove up the hill a few miles. I've only seen Nancy once or twice all summer. And this was the first time I've seen Nancy and Dick's new house. The tore down their old cabin and had this one put up in its place. The forest service oversee's cabins on the lake and gives them a hard time, just like you would expect of the bureaucrats. They also had an awful time with the builder, but finally they are in their new place. They will go to Overton NV for the winter in about 3 weeks or so. Nancy made us a wonderful lunch with tortilla soup and salad and apple pie. We had a good time together and I got a small fall scene started. The lake was just like a mirrow with absolutely no ripples. This is the first time I've ever seen it like that. It always has ripples. There were a bunch of fish all about a foot long down below their boat dock, made me wish I had a fishing pole. Native Cutthroat I think. Next Monday they are coming here to paint, and I'll fix us lunch.

On the way home I went to Rocky Mountain Home and picked up a sample book of the pleated shades or blinds that we're getting a price estimate for. So have to decide which one to choose pretty quickly - tired of parading around in PJs with no window shades. Joe was just out here in his shorts - don't tell him I told the whole world.

When I got home Joe invited me out to dinner again and we went for sandwiches at the Brew Pub. That was nice. The furry faced guys liked it too.

I took 62 pictures today, so will put more of them in the blog from time to time. Tonight I got them enhanced and straightened out - I always seem to have the camera tilted and I don't know why. Guess I list to the right. Debbie called me and we talked on the cell phone. At the ranch there was never cell phone reception, so now we can talk for free on the Verizon family plan. I know I missed a call on the cell phone from Beverly too. Oh all this technology - it's such an awesome feeling to have all these modern gadgets.

Monday November 17 2008

A pencil drawing of Joe

and a really old retired truck of Norm's.

The Snake Plant

Another long day. We got up early again and went out to the ranch. I had to meet Laurie from the museum. She will take my slide photos and add them to the Lynn Thomas Collection in the museum. She got there at the same time as we did and she went right to work packing the slide files into boxes and then loaded it all into her SUV. We had a nice visit while she was there. Laurie also took the 5' high sword plant or mother-in-law's tongue (whichever you call those tall succulent plants). I'm not sure how she got it in onto her back seat but it went bye bye with her. So I'm glad it won't die this winter. We never had space in any of our loads for it, and anyway I didn't want to move it to the new house. Thank you for coming today Laurie, and for giving the plant a new home. I've had it for 4o years and it started as a bitty 4"potted plant.

I gave the house another once over and found a few more things to take to the new place. But mainly I missed my big warm bathrobe so packed it too, although I originally intended not to bring it.

Joe worked very long and hard today. He turned off and drained the water system, got the two remaining cat's food and water all set so they will be o.k. for probably a week or more at a time, got all the buildings locked up. The water and draining stuff especially was a long involved thing, but it couldn't have gone much quicker. I put the glass in the living room storm door so the snow wouldn't come through the screen and lay against the door. We loaded the artificial Christmas tree in the car to bring in. We got there at 9 a.m. and it was 3:30 before we were done. While waiting, I even got a 45 minute nap sitting in the car with the dogs. I was so surprised - the dogs would hardly get out of the car. They stayed mostly in there the whole time.

On the way home we stopped at the Boulder Pub for a burger and fries which was both lunch and dinner. After we got home Joe fell asleep in his chair almost immediately and now is already in bed. Worn out. I'm tired too and hope to sleep well tonight. Was supposed to go to Rocky Mountain Home today and get the estimate for the window blinds, but they were closed by the time we got home, the post office too.

Oh..... one of the things I got was that hughes.net file and was able to go into the site the second way they have - I didn't have that address before - and guess what - my password and ID were right all those times I was trying it. I don't pretend to know why "IT" did that, but I had nearly 400 messages to do something with. The good percentage of them had downloaded into my Outlook at the ranch, so could be deleted, and 86 were new. A lot of those were either deleted or saved and I have about a dozen that need attention. But that will be later. I wanted to thank everyone who sent comments on the blog - and I enjoyed reading those.

The phone/computer guy Jerry is supposed to come tomorrow. When he left last week he told me to be sure and call Sandy (phone co. rep person -she's the one that keeps everything running I'm sure) to remind him to come and finish here on Tuesday. (Rolling my eyes here.) So I called Sandy when we got home tonight and got her just before quitting time, and she will put a note on his desk.

Sunday November 16 2008

Monster Rock

One of my favorite rocks on the

way from the Ranch to Boulder

This was a more relaxing day. I really wanted to go back to sleep but haven't. I had lots of long visits on the phone - Bev and Deb, Sandra, Bonnie and Betty, so that was nice.

My project for today was to get the boxes of medicines, lotions, and all that bathroom stuff sorted out and organized so we can find things. It's now stored in small baskets in the hall closet. The hall closet is one of the strange things of the house. From the outside it looks very nice sized with two big sliding closet doors on it. However, inside the shelves are so narrow that hardly anything will fit on them, not even deep enough to hold a folded bath towel. So I decided to use it for a medicine cabinet or for anything small that doesn't really have its own place. That leaves another small closet sized place in the hall with a regular door for all the bedding, towels and linens.

There are a lot of nice touches in the house, and then..... in places you wonder what the builder could have been thinking of. Some of the kitchen cabinets are nearly useless they are so awkward and going back into a corner with no good way to put something in there or see what is there. The clothes rods in the closets are so high you need a stool to climb on to get the clothes up and down. Then the very narrow shelves are above that, so very little will I put up there when I need a tall step stool to get up there. I have mentioned elsewhere about the very odd outlets. And we had to ask for a kitchen light switch to be put in because the one he had installed was clear over at the back door. ????? As in you have to walk clear across the dark room to turn the light switch on. The drain outlet for the washer is halfway up the wall - that really looks ugly and it comes out of a hole in the wall - I suppose mice might find their way in to there as well around the natural gas line for the dryer. (we got an electric dryer so not using the gas there.) We're making a "punch list" that will all be corrected at once - when we find everything that's wrong.

Well, Joe wanted to have dinner this afternoon at the Cajun place. He had just eaten lunch when he told me and he wanted to go right then. I said no it was too early and we'd just eaten lunch, so when dinner time came and I said let's go, he said it was too cold out. Maybe we should go out to dinner at noon if this is going to happen. So then he wanted an omelet and that's what we had for dinner. And some strawberry shortcake.

There was another really pretty sunset tonight. It was a lot nicer out today, very little wind, and the dogs stayed out a good part of the day, seeming to really take in all that was happening in the neighborhood. Had to wash their feet again today, but used the big bowl for it instead of the bathtub. The ground sure isn't drying up here like it does at the ranch. If I don't fall asleep, I'll download the pictures I've been taking all week - not nearly as many as I usually get. But we'll see if there's anything worth using on the blog.

All the missing days are blogged now if you want to scroll on down for them.

Saturday November 15 2008

Here's the new Pinedale phone number. 307-367-4878

Wow! What a whirlwind it has been. The kids left early this morning. It was really sad to see them go. We were all blubbery as usual when they leave. Debbie has been here six weeks and it hardly seems like any time at all. Not to me anyway..... Maybe a lot longer to her. Beverly and Curtis were here for over a week. They got us all moved in and mostly all set up. When I look at how the last several weeks have gone I wondered how I could have thought I could possibly do this myself and how I kept saying it was going to be really easy. We have all worked really hard to get as far along as we have. Probably I could have done it but it sure would have taken me weeks longer and lots s-l-oooo-w-e-r.

I've only missed the last three day's blogging, but am not sure I can even remember what we did. I'll try and insert Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in order below today as I get around to it. And maybe add some pictures. Nothing too remarkable went on, just the collective whole is mind boggling.

The main thing that happened is that Curtis and Debbie worked their butts off in very nasty cold snowy rainy and windy weather to get the chain link fence built to pen the dogs in. They first made a materials list and took Joe's truck down to Rock Springs to get the materials from Home Depot. First Curtis dug all the post holes by hand. I tried to get him to go rent a post hole digger to get the work done but he didn't. They worked all the daylight hours. The mud was just packing onto their shoes and they were slogging through all that to work. They had to mix and pour cement in the post holes in bad weather. There aren't enough words to thank them for working the way they did to get it finished. It is awesomely amazing that the job is done. They have to come back in the spring and finish up since Home Depot didn't have all the parts for hooking up the gates, but that doesn't matter right now - the dogs are contained. I don't know the size. It might be nearly a quarter of an acre that is enclosed. We can let them out either the back garage door or the sliding doors in the dining area. It is entirely adequate, especially if I can get out and give them a good walk every few days.

While they worked outside Beverly then helped me finish packing stuff from the ranch to the new house and getting stuff put away, organized and arranged. Debbie and I had done some of that, but Beverly kept me moving and nearly finished up. Thank you Beverly. The furniture and appliances have been delivered. The girls even arranged the furniture. Things are looking really nice too.Some of the furniture was on back order and will come on the 21st.

Eventually I'll show some pictures. Talking about pictures, I'm so sorry I didn't get more of the process of us working, but it seemed like I only had ambition for so much, and taking pictures was low on the list of priorities, even when I had the camera in my pocket.

Today I did three loads of laundry, cleaned the wood floor and made up a bed. We have enough leftovers that getting some meals together for several days should be easy. I've mostly just sat here writing on a new chapter in The Book - about the time of my first marriage. I've got ten pages done. After this part is finished, it will go on to Part 3 - Wyoming. I hope I keep up some momentum with it. The Wyoming section will mainly be editing journals and other material already finished. That sounds very simplistic, because it will still be a lot of work to bring it all together and check back with letters and other paperwork I have in the files - 4 big drawers full.

I've mentioned the mud? Well, I can tell you now that it is the worst stuff I've ever seen. Think of getting 20 pounds of dog poo on each shoe- the sticky kind - and then tracking it around the new floors and carpet. It packs on and into the dog's feet, between their toes and ruffles up around their feet like mud slippers. I know it's because we're probably the lowest house in this whole subdivision and the water probably runs down and settles here and has for eons. Oh, joy! Or rather ... Oh, misery. I'll be cleaning floors all the time when it ever is wet out. I'm with Duene now. The faster the snow and frozen ground can come the happier I'll be regarding the mud - and hope it never thaws until late spring.

I had nearly finished cleaning the wood floors and the dogs came in with it all over their muddy feet again. Joe keeps letting them in and out, in and out. I took them into the bathtub and forced them to get in one at a time. I can't really lift them any more, especially Raven - she probably weighs more than 80 pounds. When he refused to jump in on his own I wrestled Sparky in. Raven was another matter. We had quite a long talk trying to encourage her to get in the swimming pool on her own. I finally got her front feet in and threw the back end over the edge. Hurrray, we did it and she was so proud of herself. One at a time, with a few inches of water in the bottom of the tub I massaged the mud out of their feet and dried their feet. Well then you know I had to clean the whole bathroom. I'm pooped.

I'm trying to get on hughes.net to see my email on their home page, but apparently after all this time I've forgotten my password in three days. No luck so far. I may have to wait until Monday to see if you have written, when I next go to the ranch and look for the hughes.net folder in the files to find my password. I sure thought I brought that folder but can't find it so far. You can comment on the blog if you have anything you want to write to me in the meantime. (see the little envelope below, and sign in as anonymous. It should go. Thanks.

Friday November 14 2008

Beverly - KP

What all happened today, I can't remember. Some of our neighbors have come over and gotten acquainted on different days. They have been helpful with information, conversation and even loaning some tools to Curtis. The man who is the president of the home owners association is real nice, about our age. Joe knew his wife from back when he was young.

The garbage truck came today! We haven't had our garbage taken for 30 years.

Another cold and windy day. Debbie and Curtis finished up the fence today and got it all enclosed. You know it means I'm going to have to do poo duty now. Beverly and I got some of the paintings up on the walls in the living room. I had absolutely no ambition for moving forward. Beverly went out and cleaned up the garage. It looks pretty neat now. Debbie had to go to the bank AGAIN and sign up for the s.d. box AGAIN. We had already been down there and although they had her signature and went through their procedure almost 3 weeks ago, she had to go back today, twice. It took quite a while and I hope it is done now. The sale of the bank to Wells Fargo has really messed up all their records it seems. We set them up for the s.d. box years ago and on a previous bank sale the records didn't get scanned into that new system either, so lucky we asked about it and got it taken care of.

The dogs are sure wanting to go "home". Sparky keeps trying to lead me to the car, as in "let's get out of here!" They are getting more used to everything though. It didn't take them long to learn where the biscuits are now. Tonight we had grilled tuna steaks with creamy Parmesan rice and stir fried snow peas and yellow squash. We all went to bed pretty early.

Thursday November 13 2008

I never had a pantry before.

Or a garage door opener either.

Another day I won't recall - this now being Sunday. I know we were still doing things pretty much the same as for the last several days, unpacking, organizing and putting stuff away. The pile of empty boxes is stacking up again. Definitely another day with awful nasty weather. We all worked hard the entire day with whatever needed to be done and beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I keep being worried that Debbie and Curtis couldn't possibly finish the whole fence by the time they want to leave.

Beverly, Joe and I may have made a trip to the ranch this morning and picked up one more load of stuff and brought the rest of my clothes - (writing on Sunday - have forgotten). It was very rainy and snowy in Pinedale and as we drove south it all let up except for the wind. We got the cat cages put away, left them clean water and food. Smokey and Tigger are the ones that are left there.

Mike of Rocky Mountain Home Center came this after noon and measured the windows for pleated shades. I'll go in Monday after I go to the ranch and receive the estimate. And if its reasonable we'll go with them. He put the same kind of shade on the living room window at the ranch some years back and we liked that one. I always intended to get all the windows there done that way, but never did ..... yet. Tonight we had spaghetti for dinner. It was easy because I already had the sauce made and frozen earlier.

Wednesday November 12 2008

Working Girl - Beverly

Half Moon Mountain between Boulder

and Pinedale.

Still writing for today next Sunday. And not remembering what went on. Same thing as the other days, or close enough I don't need to write about it anyway. Curtis and Debbie working on the fence. Beverly and I going to the ranch and clean there and bring more stuff in. This was our first night to stay in the new house. I know tonight we had grilled T-bones and baked potatoes with asparagus. We thought we should celebrate with champagne but it was too late to get any by the time we thought of it. Everything going fine.

PHOTO ESSAY WORKING ON THE FENCE

PHOTOS

A general description of the photos is that I wanted to show you not just the kids working on the fence, but the neighborhood outside the back yard. This is

mainly looking toward the north - west is left and east is right.

We bought two acres. The fence maybe encloses about 1/4 acre. It's hard to get the photos in the right order so I didn't try very hard. I guess you can figure it out. I

managed to photo them working with some sunlight - but the wind is cold and

just howling. It was mainly snowy, rainy, cloudy and WINDY.

.

.

Debbie and Curtis with the wire going up.

NW Corner - This shows the drainage area that is to the West of our property - perhaps could be called a seasonal stream. We have to stay 50 feet from it with any fencing or building, so as not to cause any flooding, as well as other easements so the wildlife can pass through. Seems kind of foreign to me to buy property and then not be able to fence it in but I'll get used to it.

NE Corner - wire laid out on the ground.

Curtis Deb Bev - hoping the cement is set.

Curtis - Beginning - That pipe to the left is the well. Corner posts are set in cement at this point.
The junk in the background belongs to the guy next door. I feel sorry for him but he paid the contractor in advance, and the contractor just built the garage with an apartment above, and got the basement of the house started and then disappeared with the guys money, so now its for sale. I wish that HOA would make him clean up all the stuff.

Curtis sawing the posts to the right length.

Curtis Deb Bev again.

Getting the posts in at the beginning. Shows hay again. And that's the garage/apt. I mentioned.

Just beginning, that's Sparky, and this shows the hay that they spread around to help the work area be less muddy. I hope the hayseeds sprout into grass next spring. The wheelbarrow belonged to my dad when I was in grade school. I inherited his wheel barrow.