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.
