Friday January 16 2009

Calo Flamenco

(it won't go bigger, sorry)

A beautiful day, sunny and still but below freezing. Got windy again later in the day.

I LOVED the Calo Flamenco dance event I went to last night. Thought if I got there by 7 p.m. there would be a good place to park but there were cars galore. Some empty seats though. It was loud, colorful and visually exciting - two hours long. Always thought flamenco was strictly Spanish, but they gave us a lesson on its origins, and it was mainly from the Gypsys who brought influences from many other countries, Moorish, and near eastern as well as folk dancing from Spain. They put on a very good and entertaining program- the guitar player and singer were excellent, dancers too. The audience is expected to yell out Ole! or Bravo! and other words - Toma!, Venga! and Agua! (you're so hot). I got to sit with Kay. There are five programs left in this year's upcoming events so I plan to go to as many as possible.

It made me think that when I was a little kid in So. Calif. there were Gypsys with their horses and carts. My mother was scared to death of the Gypsys. I just thought they were wonderfully exciting and romantic. Even then I would have loved that rambling life - in my dreams anyway. The area wasn't nearly as developed as it is now, and the Gypsys camped in the hills. Nothing is more beautiful than those California hills were then.Very little of it left now.

Did I already say I went and got our new phone yesterday - we've been using a loaner. Am browsing the owner's manual now. What ever happened to it just being a phone - plug it in and it rings and you answer it. This has so many features I don't know where to start - guess will get the date and time on it if I can figure that out.

Joe went to coffee and came back and told me he'd lost the garage door opener. I told him to go back to Ridley's and see if it had fallen out of the truck where he parked. About 45 minutes later he found it in his coat pocket. Thank goodness. I wasn't looking forward to going in and out of the house each time to open the garage door. I’m glad to have the opener. We do only have one for each door a single and a double. So I should be investigating how to replace or repair them. We keep having trouble with the double not wanting to close.

At the ranch there was no opener, and I always had to open and close it myself. And if I were late, Joe would never turn the porch light on. Power bill you know. Lucky I never broke my leg out there trying to get from the garage to the house in the pitch dark. He insisted on always closing the door (except when he wanted it open) so varmints and birds didn’t get in, or one of the cats get shut in there - so couldn't skip getting back out of the car and pulling it down. A cat got shut in the garage for a couple of days a few times, no food or water etc. and they would hide so we didn't know they were in there until it became obvious with their little deposits here and there. Guess they survived on mice.

Gads, then he ran over the garbage container that was out at the curb when he went to get a haircut this afternoon. Fortunately it's pretty indestructible.

Didn't sleep again last night, just seem to be wired and suppose its because I'm not needing those pain pills which made me very drowsy, or other changes since getting the port out. Not feeling very tired. Judy at Oncology says they will prescribe me some Ambien - not sure I want to get started on something else or not. It may be best to give things a week or so to settle down and then decide.

Cheyenne came over after lunch and got the printer set up and showed me how to begin scanning. THANKS CHEYENNE! So, Cousin Maryann, hopefully I'll get your family photos back to you soon now. I don't think the printer has a fax in it.

In a little bit I'll go get groceries, take the loaner phone back to the phone company, maybe go into the Cowboy Shop scouting the boots, and go to the clinic.

Earthquake Activity

City:Hoback, WY
Distance to Epicenter:26 miles / 42 km
Magnitude:3.7
Date:9:15 PM MST 2009-01-15
Minimum magnitude displayed is 2.5. For more information, visit USGS.

More on the earthquakes in Yellowstone: There was a phony text and video posting on January 1st by a man, claiming to be a geologist, advising of a potential state of emergency due to the increase in earthquake activity in Yellowstone National Park and recommending a 200-mile radius evacuation around the Yellowstone volcano caldera. The alert postings have been bouncing all over blogs and discussion boards on the Internet.

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Note sent from Deanne, Dr. Close's long time nurse and associate:

This a very sad day…Our Dr. Close died around 2 AM Jan. 15 of a massive heart attack.

He did not suffer. Our emergency people were wonderful!! We will be celebrating his life & thank God that we were so blessed to have him as part of our lives. He has touched so many lives, forever.

Dr. Close was our doctor for many years, and was with us especially through the years when Joe was having so many medical proglems. Sublette County was so fortunate to have him. Guess I selfishly have to say I'm sorry he won't be there for me, as I was counting on, through my illness. Since he retired they have been doing wonderful hospice work with terminally ill patients.

Continue your journey, dear friend.

Here are some links to read more about Dr. Close - or google your own.

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http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkjPI_3BJZIYB3rxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByZ3RtN3J1BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkAw--/SIG=12883qbc6/EXP=1232228680/**http%3a//www.williamtclosemd.com/old/awards_press.html

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkjPI_3BJZIYB4LxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTBydHRjbmRzBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMwRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkAw--/SIG=126tmh7cm/EXP=1232228680/**http%3a//www.jandysbooks.com/nonfic/beyondstorm.html

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkjPI_3BJZIYB4rxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByN2s4bDgzBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNARjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkAw--/SIG=125go7vm2/EXP=1232228680/**http%3a//digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/blogs/%3fp=765

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkjPI_3BJZIYB7LxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByOHJhc2x0BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDOQRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkAw--/SIG=12c8p44kc/EXP=1232228680/**http%3a//www.books-and-authors.net/Interviews/WTClose.html

Thursday January 15 2009

Fremont Lake Panorama - Click It to View Larger.

"The Boys" and I drove about a mile up the hill

yesterday and took a few pictures of the Lake.

All the water isn't even frozen yet. I don't

know what the ice fishermen and ice skaters

are doing.

EXCEPT FOR THE WIND!!! It’s another nice day – somewhat warmer. Brilliant blue sky, lots of sun glaring off the snow. Yesterday I saw 37 and today 34 for highs. Water is dripping off the roof. The roads are clearing off a little and there are slush and puddles. The snow pack is also settling down considerably right now.

I was late getting up because I slept very poorly last night. I’m sure it’s the change in the medicines (less pain med) that is causing things to be different. But I’m feeling quite good at the moment. Joe did go to coffee again and got the mail.

Gina called this morning and came over for a cup of tea. I popped some of those refrigerated dough cookies into the oven for a snack with our tea. After we got all the world’s problems discussed, I sort of twisted her arm to help me get almost all the paintings that have been stacked against the wall in the guest room, hung up through the rest of the house. That was fun doing it together, and thank you very much for helping Gina. No telling how much longer I’d have procrastinated doing that. A deer portrait sketch has gone missing somewhere, and there is a set of three of those. We wanted to stick them near the front door, but I’m going to have to find it again before I can hang them and get the spacing correct.

Then we decided to go have a burger at the Stockman. So I heated Joe a bowl of leftover stew and off we went. Good food and conversation. Next I drove out to Ruth’s frame shop to see if the snow scene had been framed yet. It will be going in my bedroom when it’s done. She said she was still waiting for our certain mat board liner to come in. I was going to the Cowboy Shop to see about snow boots but spaced that out so will have to go back. I tried yesterday too, but when the power went off they closed early. Next went to the clinic and Amy flushed the picc line.

When I got home, although windy, I took the dogs for a walk up the hill. I think I have figured out where Mary Pat’s house is – Just very nearby – but I can’t see where her driveway is yet. I saw her out walking her dog on the road as I left yesterday and we said “hi”. She has a little wire haired fox terrier - it looks like. She is the one who stopped when we were moving in and asked Curtis if he would come and build her a fence too. He told her it would be $6 or 7000, and she agreed, never dreaming he was pulling her leg, and wasn’t from here either. He got such a kick out of that. Mary Pat is a wonderful person. She has a cabin over in the Wyoming Range and has had our Mixed Media art group come and stay for days to paint there.

We both can tell the difference in how much warmer the house is with the new blinds pulled down over the windows. Sure hope it helps with the gas bill.

Tonight is a program presented by the Pinedale Fine Arts Center with flamenco dancers. Lois gave me her season tickets for the programs when she went south last month, so I am planning on going to see that tonight. I’ll let you know how enjoyable it is. There is leftover spaghetti for dinner which will be easy. Harder may be deciding what to wear.

One of Kay's Flower Arrangements

INFO ON THE YELLOWSTONE EARTHQUAKES

The notable swarm of earthquakes that started December 26, 2008, beneath Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park has stopped for now and may have ceased entirely. This sequence of more than 500 seismic events was most intense on December 27, 2008. The sequence included sixteen events of magnitude 3 to 3.9 and approximately 70 of magnitude 2 to 3 (as of Sunday afternoon, Jan. 4, 2009). Visitors and National Park Service employees in the Yellowstone Lake area reported feeling the largest of these earthquakes.

Wednesday January 14 2009

Today they brought the new window shades and installed them. Mr. and Mrs. Grove got here about ten a.m. They are sure nice people. (Remember their Rocky Mountain Home store burned down about a year ago. Their new building is ready to open next week they said and invited us to the open house.) It took them about an hour and a half to hang the eight shades. I don't know why these photos turned out so dark and couldn't edit them out of it enough either. It definitely isn't that dark in here. They are really bad but as long as this was today's happening thought I'd put the pictures in. Now perhaps some swags or window treatment. Over the big living room window, because of it's shape, perhaps a beautiful artificial floral swag would be pretty - up above the window.

The shades are actually a more creamy and bright color than the catalog showed. I had chosen a linen texture look of brown/beige. It must be that so much light is coming through them, it makes them look much lighter. If I'd know that I may have chosen a darker shade. We're both happy with them. Joe will probably have the living room closed up all the time, because the bright light is really bothering his eyes. He sits with his dark glasses (shades) on a lot of the time. S o one more thing accomplished.

Beverly called and gave the news of what is happening down there. She said the new grandson doesn't want anyone to hold him but his mother. And she has to go back to work in a few days. He will be unhappy. In a checkup at the eye doctor, her mother in law was told she had had a stroke. She fell about a year ago at Beverly's house while she was watching their dog, and now they think that's when it may have happened. But she said she was fine, so they didn't suspect more than the fall. She still wears high heels most of the time, and they are telling her they are going to take them away from her.

Joe Feeding Horses a Few Years Ago

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Horses at Ranch - Fog

Looking back through the photo files.

Well, this afternoon the power company is having that scheduled power outage to put in new equipment. It's supposed to last from 3:30 to 5:30. But the same company did this down near Salt Lake a couple days ago, and in Immigration Canyon a lot of people were in the dark and cold for 2 days because they made a mistake - they reported on SLC Fox channel this morning. I got a stew going in the crock pot so perhaps by dinner time it will still be warm and we will have something decent to eat. I think in a little bit I'll make those banana nut crumb muffins I like to go with it. We'll get the house good and warm before 3:30. I have to go to the clinic as usual - wonder if their lights will go out or maybe they have a generator. And will get the bills paid online for sure. Yesterday I filed all the stack of paperwork.

Tuesday January 13 2008

Kay's Yellow Cat

Kay's View

George is the foreman of all you can see,

and more, the 7D River Ranch -

oh..... no, not the mountains!

Soup and Bread

Kay, Melita, Ruth and Wanda

Kay's Brown Cat

Today Joe went to coffee and was gone a long time. Craig came over after Joe got back and they put in the breaker I've mentioned before. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING US, CRAIG.

I went to our small Tuesday painting group at Kay's house. There were five of us today and we had our usual great time. I'm still working on the pastel of Bob with the team and sled and made some progress although it is slow. Trying to "draw" with those chunky chalks is not easy. Kay served potato soup and homemade bread with homemade rhubarb spread for lunch , and last summer's Colorado peaches and whipped cream. There was a bald eagle soaring over the hill in back while we ate lunch.

Left there about 4 p.m. and went to the clinic - this is the day the dressing gets changed, the picc line flushed, protime for coumadin, and checking my blood pressure which was pretty high when they took the port out in Jackson. It was down to normal today. When I got home a little after five, Joe asked if I wanted to go to dinner and so we went to the Chinese place. Saw our Boulder neighbors Frosty and Susan there having dinner with their family. I haven't seen Susan for a very long time, and it was nice to say hi to them. Frosty is feeding the elk again and said there is about 550 on the feed ground (by the ranch) - maybe 125 more than last year. Although some years I know he has had 700 of them. Probably because there isn't much snow on the ground there they aren't coming in to the feed ground but out fending for themselves.

Poor dogs spent nearly all day in the vehicle, first with Joe and then with me, but they would rather go than get left at home. They are zonked out now. It was a very nice day. And just to let you know I am feeling pretty darn good!

Monday January 12 2009

Neighbors Bill and Phyllis

Our Horse Drawn Feed Sleds

Afternoon Update: Today got the whole house cleaned and sheets washed and changed! So I'm a lot better! Yeaaa!

Duene's blog about calling the cops made me remember that I forgot to put in a funny (?) story on Joe. After I came home from store the other evening, the doorbell rang and there stood two sheriff deputies. I was rather astounded to see them. They asked if we'd made a 911 call. I said no I'd just gotten home from the store, and asked Joe if he'd done it. Well he was all indignant, but turns out he accidentally pushed the 911 button on this phone we have. I guess we convinced them we were fine - no family violence or anything, or no druggies trying to break in, no awful accident. Their office had already called and Joe had told them that it was a miss on the buttons. So he was all huffy about having to explain it again.

BTW - He did fine going to the ranch and ate lunch at Boulder.

Morning Edition: The sun is shining off and on, and still lots of clouds to the south - northwest has more blue sky. Of course the wind is blowing. Temperature just below freezing, so not as cold as it could be. I remember when we first moved permanently to the ranch in winter that the sun shone a lot. Weeks on end of bright blue skies and no wind. The storms came and went, but we had lots more high pressure for extended periods. Even if it was below zero, you could go out in a long sleeve shirt and a down vest and be warm if you were working or skiing. I was out every day in those times and seldom cold. It was pleasant even if crisp. Joe had me out at day break feeding the 20 or so horses we had then with our team and sled. Adventurous doings every morning, with the horses always being cantankerous and wanting to fight and run away. I think the weather has changed to being this everlasting cloudy, dreary and windy scenario, making it very unpleasant to be enjoying the outdoors. Can't even go walk the dogs.

Well, Joe's gone to the ranch again to feed the cats. I suppose he will be careful not to get stuck. I'm just getting going at 8:30. Breakfast will be simple -tea, yogurt and maybe toast or shredded wheat in a bit. It's yet to be seen what I'll accomplish today. But..... I am feeling a lot better so hopefully the bad week is over with and it will just get better each day. Paying bills and going through stacked up paperwork is the first thing on the list to be done. If anything interesting happens, I'll be back to report.

Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Sunday January 11 2009

Last of the Jackson Photos

The bottom one is some kind of shopping

center/offices - I've never gone in it.

Sunday the 11th: Gloria called this morning and we got to have a good visit. It’s about 62 down there (AZ). Today has had clouds, but the sun is shining through most of the time. One of the neighbor’s houses has a flag and I watch that to see how hard the wind is blowing – it’s usually standing straight out. Today will fold the laundry and am journaling into the blog what I missed getting in the last week – so you can go back down for what you missed or skip it - which ever you wish. We’ll have a steak and baked potato for dinner. The group had SCAG meeting and luncheon yesterday in Big Piney and I didn't go, but got an email that said what fun they had. Gina had some photos of the gals at the meeting on her blog. Maybe next time I'll feel up to going. Charm has gone to visit her brother's family in Bozeman.