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.