Monday May 26 2008

Frosted Hills in Front of the Ranch Yesterday.

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Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Raven with a Flock of Birds.

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Heavy rain and overcast this morning. Still cool. Surely the snow is still piling up in the mountains. Today we go to Pinedale to the cemetery.

We've sure had a lot of birds in the yard lately. Many kinds of finches, yellowheaded blackbirds and goldfinches, juncos, white crowned sparrows among others. I've been throwing them some seeds since it snowed so much. The mourning doves show up every day. They just ignore Raven. Well she is a bird dog. The only trouble with a lot of birds is that they run into the windows at a bigger rate. Yesterday one was stunned and sitting on the front porch step. Sparky totally ignored it. In a while the dogs came in and Raven was kind of hacking, like maybe she had feathers in her throat. I said "Raven!! Did you eat that bird??" . She got a rather astonished panicky look, and very guiltily snuck out of the room.

Last night I heard the first frogs singing. I'm always thankful to hear the frogs again. I'm afraid some spring I won't hear them any more.

http://www.nasa.gov/phoenix

This is about windmills for electricity.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2705973/7888907

http://medialab.semissourian.com/story/1190960.html

Sunday May 25 2008

Killdeer at the Kramer Place

Betty's photo.

Shed at the Kramer Place

Taken about a week and a half ago.

The low spot in the mountains is Washakie Pass,

The high spires are the Cirque of the Towers.

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This morning was glorious. Sunny brilliant blue heavens. Greening hills and fields. All the hilltops are still coated with a layer of snow that gives a striking contrast to the rugged landscape. Finally a true spring day. However just so you know its still Wyoming, all the puddles and ponds had a thick layer of ice. There still a chance of showers for several days and it has clouded up in the afternoon.

I'm finally coming out of the chemo funk where I just want to sit and sleep. That has always taken three or four days with almost nothing accomplished except meals and basic existence. Yesterday I did get the recycling ready to go tomorrow, and my survival gear tote organized and back into the SUV. So this afternoon I've cleaned the kitchen and utility room floors with the hoover steam vac bare floor (also carpet) cleaner - wonderful machine, and wiping down baseboards and where ever there's dirt and cobwebs. Joe was asking if I wanted him to do it, but I was pretty sure it would be more difficult to show him how than to do it myself. So I asked if he would really clean the table and chairs with pledge and he did. So that was a great help. I don't think he realized that it's a muscle job, thinking you just wipe the cloth over as you would dust the coffee table, but anything is better than it was. The floor will be tracked back up with mud and gunk, sand and little rocks, but the stuck on stuff is cleaned off for now until it builds back up. I made an applesauce spice cake with pecans this afternoon.

Also I've almost gotten my clothes packed for the trip and other things I will take are organized. Still have too much more than I want to haul around. Such difficulty making decisions on what I want, leave this and that home when maybe those are the things I'll really want. As I have for several years now I really want to pack light, though it may be an exercise in futility. As well as a challenge to see if it's possible.

Betty called yesterday and this morning. It's always fun to visit with her. Nancy from Nebraska also recently called and she has been a faithful part in the web of support. Beverly called too this afternoon and they are staying as hectic as ever.

Tomorrow we will take flowers to Joe's brother Jim's grave in Pinedale. It is good to know that Susan in Green River will take care of his other family graves this year. Thank you Susan.

Saturday May 24 2008

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There's not much news today, or nothing interesting to write about, so as I was organizing photos I came across these pictures I'd never shown before. They are from the Midland Ranch, our neighbors to the south about 15 miles.

It's still raining, snowing, pea-sized hail, misting, thundering, with fields getting greener by the minute. Hardly out of the 30s though. Thankfully not much wind. Judy M. had another bad day at her place in CO, so check her blog again if you're interested in that. Scary times.

This is a little story I wrote some years back for our writer's group:

THE VACUUM CLEANER SALESMAN AND JOE’S MOTHER

(This story reminded me of Wilda's famous tale of the vacuum cleaner salesman. I suppose in those days there were lots of those kinds of stories around. Electricity didn't come to our ranch until sometime in the '50's with the REA, long after vacuum cleaners were common most other places. Oh, yeah. This story goes with today's theme - If It Isn't True It Should Have Been - since this was just a story Cousin Abe made up to tease Joe's Mom Rae with, and he insisted on telling it often.)

On a recent trip to Salt Lake City, a favorite cousin reminded me of a story about Joe's family I'd heard his Dad tell long ago and forgotten. Abe had loved to tell this story about Joe's mother, Rae. Rae and Abe are gone now and the story continues.

In the long ago days when there were still traveling salesmen that came around to the scattered ranch homes, an electric vacuum salesman came to the Thomas ranch. He was quite a salesman who wouldn't take no for an answer. And although Rae told him she was very busy separating milk and with her other chores, he insisted on showing her how wonderful his magnificent vacuum cleaner was. She tried to tell him again she wasn't interested in a vacuum cleaner, but the salesman had brought a scoop shovel of manure from the corral and began to scatter it over the room, and generously threw it onto the spotless carpet. All the time he was making his mess, he talked fast and furiously and Rae couldn't get a word in. He consoled her not to worry that she could put the vacuum cleaner on painless low payments.

Rae kept a spotless home, with everything in it sparkling and in its place, but now it was filthy. He told her how the vacuum cleaner would make her housework much easier. In fact, it was a modem day miracle. And if it didn't clean up the mess he'd made with the manure, he would eat it!

He began to put the machine together with its many attachments and hoses as Rae disappeared into the kitchen. She came out with the sugar bowl and spoon and began to sprinkle sugar on the manure. The salesman thought Rae was just making the test a little harder, and he commented that the vacuum would have no trouble cleaning up the sugar too, so she didn't need to bother doing that. To which Rae replied, "Oh, I'm just sweetening it up for you since you're going to have a big meal here. We don't have any electricity."

(And BTW the refrigerator we just traded in a few years back was the original and only one ever, bought when the power got here. It was over 50 years old when we got the new one and still working, although they say the old ones take a lot more power to run them.

Lynn Thomas
Sublette County Artists' Guild
May, 1999

Friday May 23 2008

Beaver Slide -

Old Timey Hay Stacker From When They Used Horse Teams

Most of them around the country are rotted and fallen down.

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Another cool stormy day with the power blinkin'. I no sooner got started on the today's blog again than out it went. Frustrating! Then seemed to have lost the text, so closed to start again later. Don't know if its the stormy weather bothering the satellite connection, or what.

The dogs are mostly denned up and don't want to go out. Joe too. Me too, actually. Ground is still mostly white, but melting with puddles and mud. At least today I got some drinking water put aside. There has been vicious weather going on in NE Colorado near where Judy lives, and in SE Wyoming. Laramie and Cheyenne are on the western edge of the plains, but this is rather rare for over there. Lots of stories from yesterday and today on http://www.pinedaleonline.com/#tornadoes , and you can read Judy's experience at http://www.fortmeyer.blogspot.com/ I heard more was going on in her area this morning on the news so hope she still only has to re-rake the yard and nothing more serious there.

A quiet day without any news to report. There are only about 3 or 4 free days between now and leaving for Vegas. I might start packing today and get that over with. Have to bring the suitcase in from the garage - I just took them out there about a week ago. Also need to go through all the junk I unloaded from the SUV before getting it cleaned, sort and put back only necessary things. Maybe this afternoon.

Sad that I won't be able to join the upcoming Ned Jacob art workshop up in Jackson Hole. They had kindly saved me a spot in case the timing worked out. How come everything fun always comes at once?

We're trying to find when I got baptised. I can't remember ever getting a certificate, but maybe I did. I usually save everything like that, and have never seen it. It was about 1964 or so. Beverly is writing a letter to see if they have the record.

Thursday May 22 2008

Big Snowflakes and Birds

Stormed All Day Today

This is the East Fork River yesterday on the drive home. Another Panorama. You can compare this to the Thursday April 3 photo of the East Fork where I told you about the car on the far bank and how we measure the depth of the river by how close to the headlights the water gets. It's right up there and the banks are about full. Click to see the car.

Judi was sure good to tote me around all day yesterday. She also looked up several sources and numbers for me that are helpful. She is an angel for sure. None of our Mixed Media members turned up yesterday at the center's art group. But we had a nice time there with Pam’s art class. About 7 or 8 artists came and just worked on things they are doing. I finished two of the pastels I'd been working on and took them out to Ruth’s to be framed. Now I'm anxious to see how they turn out. Gary was sporting a huge goose egg on his forehead and lots of bruises on his face from a vehicle accident. Don’t think I’ve ever seen such a big bump, poor guy!! I’ll let him tell you the details though.

After looking at the calendar it already seems like there are only about 3 days left to get ready and pack before leaving for Nevada. Joe seems o.k. about the amount of time I'll be gone. I'm already looking forward to seeing everyone there. Betty’s in Mesquite will be the first stop for the weekend. I’m anxious to see all the improvements she’s been making to her property. I’ll leave my car there and Debbie will come and get me there Monday morning so I don’t have to drive down to Vegas. It’s been hot in Vegas and I don’t do well with “hot”. Sitting in Debbie’s pool sounds like a good plan. Joan Wright says that when I get to Vegas she wants to come over and see me there. That will be wonderful.

We're back to winter again this morning, big snow flakes really coming down and cold. It snowed almost all day. It covered up the dish and didn't have any TV or Internet a good part of the day– we would if one of us would go off and sweep the snow off the dish, but the way the snow it was piling up it wouldn’t last for long anyway. The power was off for about five hours and that is why the blog is late again. I read and took a nap, since we weren’t able to do much else. A guess is that perhaps 6 or 7 inches of heavy wet snow fell through the day. It’s warm enough for it to melt about as fast as it fell. All is white again. It will sure be good moisture for the country anyway and this will be a wonderful start for the hayfields and grass on the desert. Yesterday the streams were sure up to the tops of their banks and this will fill them even more.

Earlier Smokey was trying to catch a bird on the yellow pick up. So she's still around. There are more kinds of birds out in the yard, including a big flock of pine siskins and some of the house finches with red heads. They come through this time of year on their way to the mountains. They need overshoes today.

The clean car didn't last long yesterday before getting rained on and then mudded – maybe 30 minutes. I NEVER get home with it still clean after a wash either.

Debbie sent me the information of the Nevada Cancer Institute which is near her. That is where they will arranged for me to go for my next chemo treatment. This morning I called Oncology at Jackson and made sure they are sending me to the right place. I went to the online site to check it out. Dr. Meno and the nurses thought I will be just fine to go there.

Wednesday May 21 2008

Double Rainbow Looking Up the Lane

Taken By Betty Last Fall

I put two halves together for a panorama

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During the night we had more thunderstorms with wind about 60 mph. Not much moisture except small sprinkles here. It looked like Pinedale had more rain than here at home.

This morning I left at 7 a.m. again and took the car to Wolf's for an oil change and check up, and they cleaned the inside and outside. He even waxed it twice, they said. Detailing, they call it. It was a hairy stinky mess, lots of nose prints on the windows. I've been wanting to have this done for a long time now. I just haven't felt like crawling around inside the monster. Kind of like Jonah in the whale, except I'm so stoved up that I can't move around and scrub once I get scrunched in there. He did a really great job so it will be worth the money and should last even with the dogs riding for quite a while with just wiping windows and brushing out the hair and rocks.

Judi will pick me up at Wolf's and we'll go to the art class at Rendezvous Pointe and have lunch there. Maybe some more of our Mixed Media group can attend too, and I'll get to see them.

Memorial Day has snuck up on me this year. I didn't realize it is early. Went in to Ridley's this afternoon and ordered some flowers for Memorial Day for Joe to take to his brother Jim's grave at the Pinedale cemetary. I'll go along with him. I called on Tuesday and ordered the ones for Green River for his parents and grandparents and brother Bob. Susan the florist will take them to the graves there for us this year. This will be the first time we've ever missed going to the G.R. cemetary. I don't think Joe wanted to drive that far anyway.

Judi took me up to get the chemo pump taken off at the clinic. Then we picked up the car. I went out to the framer this afternoon and took two pastels to be framed that I finished up today. That will be nice to have some new work done and framed. And then got a little groceries and some baked chicken from the deli for dinner and on home.

I'm feeling a lot better tonight, but will probably be ready to go to bed early.

Tuesday May 20 2008

Head of Hoback Canyon

Hoback River in Flood - Last Time had Ice
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Big Change from 2 Weeks Ago

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We're having lightning, and looks like it might storm, so I'll turn off the computer and write later. Feeling better this evening....

Don't think I've every had such a discombobulated attempts at trying to write. No sooner got started for about the fourth time, and the power went off. We've had storminess all afternoon, but no rain, just a lot of wind, thunder and lightning. It's back on now and maybe I can get this written up. Skim if you think this is wordy, but some people want the details.

Up early yesterday morning, and there was a beautiful full moonset going on. Left at home at 6:30. Judi and I met at Rendezvous Pointe at 7:30. She had offered to take her car, as I was trying to arrange to get the inside of mine cleaned while we were gone, but never could get ahold of the guy that does the work. So drove mine. It was a gorgeous morning, and heading north the scenery was beautiful. I should have stopped a few times for photos but didn't. The whole countryside has turned green in just a week or so, and even the leaves have popped out as you drop down into Jackson. Whole hillsides of the aspen trees are leafing out now. For the first time all winter we saw the Tetons as we drove in to town. I took some pictures out the window on the way home, but hardly any turned out. We saw wildlife, but not as much, so the migrations must be about over.

We got to Oncology just about on time, 9:30, and got into the chair. Barb and Dave from Pinedale were there too and we visited with them. Judi brought her laptop and shared it with me. I checked email and played a little free cell. I was going to bring mine and write on the book, but decided not to.

They took blood tests this time. The liver function tests are close to normal now which is good news. The pain in that area is still gradually getting better and I'm about not to need pain med in the day, have been decreasing that for some time. I like to take it at night though and be more comfortable sleeping. I saw Dr. Meno this time and got enough prescriptions to last for a while since I'll be going to Vegas.

Dr. Meno thinks the abdominal pain has been tumors blocking some of the liver ducts (not the bile duct which Dr. Mulvihill repaired when he removed the gall bladder and said I would have no more trouble with that). That seems to make perfect sense and the best answer about that I've had for the source of that pain. And - if that is the case - it means those tumors are shrinking.

For some time now I've been going through all the possibilities of how I would get to Vegas for Tayler's graduation and the other family things that are going on then - Birthday party for grandsons Shane and Clayton, and Beverly's surgery. So many options they were just whirling around in my mind trying to make a decision of what to do. And how to fit it all in between the treatments. I refused to dwell on all the thoughts and just knew that when the time came, the right decision would present itself. Had checked into flying - same old story about getting to an airport and all the airport rigmarole. Whether to pay almost triple to fly from Rock Springs or Jackson and still have to drive 2 or 3 hours to get there - as opposed to driving 6 hours to SLC and getting on the plane there. I had about decided to take the shuttle that runs from Pinedale to Salt LakeAirport and get on the plane, arrange for wheel chairs or a cart ride in the airports, on and on. Then I found out the shuttle isn't going to run at all this summer.

So I knew that when I went to my appointment and talked to them there what they had to tell me would be the key. I asked Dr. Meno about driving and taking my next treatment in Vegas, maybe even two treatments. He thought it would be just fine. I told him I was concerned about this sleepiness I have during the day might not be safe to try to drive on a long trip. He prescribed a few "wake up" pills ($11 each) to take to keep me alert and said they would work fine - just to take them early in the morning, then they shouldn't affect sleep at night. He told me to stay on track with the treatments, to take this two week break and take the next treatment in Vegas. There would be no problems getting the treatment(s) there.

We stopped by KMart and picked up the prescriptions and shopped for things that were on my list. Judi drove us home. She is so patient waiting so long, and being helpful. She took the prescriptions over to KMart early so we could just pick them up without waiting. I shopped for groceries in Pinedale and got gas. Didn't get home until about 8 p.m.

So here is the schedule for traveling:

Monday May 26 - Pinedale Cemetary

Tuesday May 27 Meetings: Mixed Media, with information discussion for the Pinedale Community Fine Arts Center and then SCAG business meeting, will be all day in Pinedale.

Wednesday, 9:45 May 28 am scheduled for another CT scan in Jackson. Guess they want to see if this new chemo treatment is working. Although I hadn't been scheduled for the next scan until after this two months of Full Fury, they are going to do one half way through. I'd rather stick to the original plan Dr. Ward had, but will go get it.

Friday May 30th + or - a day I'll drive to Vegas and see how I do - whether to drive all the way to Betty's that day, or if I get tired I'll go as far as feels alright and get a motel and go on to Betty's in Mesquite on Saturday.

Monday morning June 2 Debbie will come and get me and take me to Vegas since I'm not sure I want to drive down there in the traffic right now. I'll leave my car at Bettys. That is the day of Shane and Clay's birthday dinner with all the family.

June 3 Debbie will take me for the next chemo treatment at the Las Vegas Cancer Institute. She says its about 20 minutes from their house.

June 5 Probably get the pump off

June 6 Tayler's graduation.

June 7 A graduation party for Tayler.

June 11 Beverly's surgery.

June 17 will be the date for the next treatment, and think I'll see how it goes to know whether to come home for it, or have it in Vegas and then start home about the 19th. All I have to do is call Head of Oncology Judy,at Jackson, and she will arrange it. This is a long time to be gone - about 3 weeks - and a long time for Joe to be here alone.

Sometime while I'm down there I hope to see a few of my high school girlfriends - maybe have lunch at Overton or Mesquite so need to set that up.

Last night I sat up most of last night getting just a couple hours of sleep, not especially sick, but very uncomfortable with various miseries. My eyes are really giving me trouble, not a new thing, but a little worse this time. It's kept me from doing almost anything last night and all day today. The various symptoms start while I'm still sitting in the chair, gas, runny nose, the eyes started burning and they get blazing red. After I got home there was a little nausea, shoulder and neck pain, and headachy. None of it is terribly awful, but sure don't feel like doing much of anything. Enough of that, but some people have asked what I'm going through. It will slowly get better, By tonight the symptoms I've had have gradually gotten better, the eyes are doing better but will bother me for some days. I took a nap for most of the afternoon, and went back to bed after dinner. Back up now and able to write.

Today the Richies took one bunch of their cattle out. The cowboys were riding at the crack of dawn and gathering the cows and calves out of the field with a pretty pink sunrise as a backdrop. They go out past the river with the herd, and drop them near a water hole. Then will go out and push them further out on the desert. The the second bunch will go out behind them probably the next day.

Tomorrow is another long day but should be home earlier. I've set the alarm for 6 a.m.