Photo sent by Beverly - doesn't look like it's going to go any bigger by clicking on it. (Mike was my first husband, my kids dad. There actually is no picture of him in the photo. The little girl - Mary - was my mother in law, and I knew her mother.)We had a very near disaster in Sublette County yesterday while a group of ladies were playing bridge at one's home. I believe about eight ladies were involved. Click on Gina's horseback41 blog up on the top right sidebar and read her report. I am so thankful and grateful that all are apparently o.k. now. Very scary for sure.
It seems like its been a really busy day. I tried to get the blog started first thing this morning, lost some of what had been written, then just stayed busy with other things until about 9 p.m. Other people's blogs are yet to be read, which I usually do with my breakfast.
Joe had to call the dentist back and get pain and antibiotic meds for his tooth. Of course the dentist was out of town until Monday on a conference meeting somewhere. They finally got him and got Joe some prescriptions. He's feeling better already after a few of the pills.
We asked James to come to dinner tonight. (Salad, Meatloaf, onion roasted potatoes, steamed asparagus, and some of Melita's leftover Swiss onion pie, bran muffins (probably the best tasting thing that was served.) and then vanilla ice cream with raspberry kaluha sauce. I got most of the things prepared after lunch, since time was going to be tight later in the afternoon.
To the clinic as usual with an added doctor appointment to see if something can be done about my nose - that turned out to be informative and perhaps it will be better in about a week, grocery store, waiting for prescriptions and I got about half the things needed for the sinus treatment cure. Will get a humidifier and the rest of it tomorrow in Jackson. Went home and popped the food for dinner into the oven. Really enjoyed James coming over this evening. He's been working on sending the bills for the furnace repair and frozen pipes to the builder (nearly $1000 for the furnace repair and fixing the pipes so they don't freeze) and then we've been getting a comprehensive list typed up of things in the house that need to be fixed by the builder. We appreciate James' help very much.
Beverly has been working on our genealogy off and on for a while. After the family get- together this weekend in Vegas with my sister, who brought a box of family stuff, Beverly was looking around for the gr.gr.gr.gr. grandparents info online and found a cousin who had written a book about them on the ancestors.com site. They died in the Willie Handcart disaster, but their two daughters were rescued. We both wrote to Lisa, and Bev has already sent her info and some pictures. She lives in Burley Idaho which isn't too far from here. Surely we will get together with her one of these days.
From our new cousin Lisa, whohas an interesting journal from the grgrgrgr grandfather: "Always a pleasure to hear from a long lost cousin and yes you are related to Emma through your kids. This is all very cool. I would kill to see those vases brought over from England. I'm guessing they were brought over (in the handcart) by our Emma. I can't believe they survived. I have a picture of myself holding an handkerchief that Emma brought over. It belonged to my late cousin Pearl smith Russell (Emma was her grandmother but she never knew her; Pearl was Joseph Girdlestone Smith's second to youngest child and born about four years after Emma died.) You can find a picture of me holding the handkerchief - it survived a voyage across the ocean, the trek across the praire and a housefire, if you can believe it. You can see it at http://www.webspawner.com/users/westenskow/handkerchiefonc.html "
The photos today are various views of the Wind River Mountains. The one with the green roofed building is the county dog pound.
Another gorgeous day, warm and the streets all drying. Just needed a sweatshirt today.
Got presentable and went down to Cafe on Pine for lunch with Jo. We visited about the art center and how to continue plans for possibly getting it on the ballot again next time - that gives us a year and a half to inform the public. I sure enjoyed seeing Jo again and the lunch. I'd vowed quite a few years back that I would not eat at "Chef Wendy's" but have to admit it was very good - had a cream of vegetable soup.
Then went out to Melita's to pick up my forgotten coat. Stopped along the way for a few more photos. Over to the clinic for the doctor checkup on my sinuses. They had an emergency and otherwise were backed up, so said I'd go do an errand and be back in 20 or 30 minutes. I went to Office Outlet and bought the promised day planner and since getting home have filled it with all the dates known at present. So hope to keep it up. It turned out to have only bitsy squares for appointments so wish I had checked it out better - stood there for 20 minutes looking at them all. I tore all the packaging off, or would have taken it back. It will be fine, and its good that the book size is pretty small. Got back to the clinic and they were still busy so asked if I would come for the doctor appointment tomorrow and that is no problem. Barb put a new dressing on my arm, flushed the line, and got my protime test. It is 3, so still o.k. and Oncology said stay on the same dose of coumadin.
Forgot to tell you that yesterday in taking my french easel through the house to the car, that it leaked a gob of cadmium red light oil paint onto the carpet and then one of us walked in it, so had to try to clean that up. Got it pretty well out with turpentine carpet cleaner. I knew when I got to Melita's that the red had been lost somewhere. Ruth always says "Artists have only two kinds of clothes. Those that have paint on them and those that are going to have paint on them." It probably goes for rugs and car upholstery and everything in the studio. The easel is made with the bottom it stands on open on that end, and this is such a problem always making a mess. Not sure what to do about it, the way it's configured. Joe did cut me a piece of board to place in there but it still leaks paint from the palette and looses small brushes. Other that and the difficult set up, I like the easel. Just glad the paint on the rug wasn't worse.
Time to fix dinner, and have no special news so will close.
Kay and Wanda at Mixed Media Meeting
Moose in Melita's Back Yard
Pine Creek downstream
Pine Creek upstream
Melita's Chickadee
Cabin near Pine CreekToday was our small art group meeting and we went to Melita's again. Going to Melita's in the morning there was a bunch of mom's taking their toddlers and babies for a walk in the park. So cute. My commission of "Bob" is nearly finished. Just some small touch ups. What an enjoyable day there with the other artists. Charm, Ruth, Kay, Wanda, Melita and I attended. Melita served Cesar salad with the most wonderful dressing, green pea soup, and Swiss onion pie, with a fresh raspberry pastry for dessert. Can't think of the right name for it - like kringler. There was a moose in her back yard for a while. The camera ran out of battery, so didn't go closer to it.
(Well, I forgot to put Charm's name in the report until she reminded me she was there at the meeting too. My poor awful memory lately. Then Melita sent an email and said I forgot my coat so will have to go get that. At least it must not be Alzheimer's. They say you think everything is just fine with that - no clue you're forgetful. And I'm very aware that I'm not remembering stuff. It's getting worse. The nurses at chemo always ask the question, "How's your memory?". They call it Chemo Brain. After I goofed on the appointment date of removing the port, Nurse Carol thought I should have my head MRI'd. The calendar I bought isn't working so great, since I don't remember to write stuff in it. I have a day planner on my list, but I'm not very sure it's going to work either. Hopeful, but not sure.) On Tuesday the 10th we will have the small group over here to our house. Plans were also made for the date of the next larger Mixed Media meeting here on the 17th. We tried to get the art room at Rendezvous Pointe both days but it was booked - scrapbooking! And what a day. It was 36 degrees on my car thermometer, with water standing in all the streets and parking lots downtown. Sounds like another storm coming, so all that thawing will turn into sheets of ice now. It sure seemed like an early spring day, no wind, and just needed a sweatshirt outside. Later got to the clinic where my favorite Barb flushed the line. Then back home and heated up some leftovers for dinner. So about ready for bed.
Deer bound, snow to chests,Betty sent this photo, sent to her by Gerry in Idaho Falls, who said they do have 4 feet of snow there. What a struggle for the poor animals. I actually wrote this haiku for my photo of deer in the field in the evening posted on the 30th, but figured you wouldn't go back there and see the poem.
Black wintry river,
Got all these photos... so here are some more.It's groundhog Day. I read a little bit about the history of it, and it started way back in pagan times - kind of sounds like a fertility thing - weren't they all. Then the Christians called it Candlemass Day, which I've never know what that was either. But in astronomy February 2nd is a "cross-quarter" day in the solar calendar, which means that it falls exactly between a solstice and an equinox. I'm not going to copy the whole thing about how it got to be groundhog day to us, but you can look it up if you want to. The sun is brightly shining so it looks like we'll have six more weeks of winter. Maybe in Pennsylvania but in reality spring won't come until May or June here.
Joe went out to the ranch this morning to feed the cats. Said he still drove right in. I don't think we ever had a year we could still be driving in in February. He had a hamburger for lunch at Boulder on the way home. Says he's got a toothache with his gum swelling up like it did about five years ago. Boy, that time was awful - his whole face swelled up, so he doesn't want that to happen again. I've got a call in to the dentist and at least we can get him some medicine until he can get in. If it gets too infected the dentist won't be able to work on it until that gets better and he doesn't want to go through that again.
We go to Melita’s house to paint tomorrow with the small group and I’m sure looking forward to it. I guess I’m the February hostess of our next big Mixed Media meeting so have to get that planned and done before I go back to chemo on the 27th. Wednesday Jo Crandall asked me to lunch. This Friday is my doctor appointment with Dr. Ward in Jackson - he's the doctor from the Huntsman. Saturday Kay and George invited us to a dinner get together they are having.
I think the Dyson is the vacuum I will get. Two other friends also recommended it and Shirley said you can get them refurbished like new from Amazon.com for about $200, I might try that, because I’ve spent so much money on the house that $500 for a Dyson or $800 for the Oreck sounds like a lot right now – I mean it’s hard to conceive a nearly thousand dollars for a vacuum cleaner. I’ve been wanting a Dyson or Oreck for some years now because they are lighter to use, but hadn’t gone ahead with buying one because of the price. Sears also has a canister that really cleans hair and all. The lady who cleaned the house totally before we moved in had the Kenmore. I was impressed with the way it sucked the nap up and all. She swore by it, cleaning houses all the time. I didn’t get far with my online shopping. It takes me a long time to do that. Other people must just know what they want and go click and buy. I have to look and compare everything. I did buy two more sets of XL twin sheets. We only have one set each. Also chose some boots from Cabelas but they want almost $100 with shipping for them. Boots on sale are almost always size 5 or 6 and I'm a lot bigger than that. Think I'll just wear what I've got since spring will be here in a few months.
Beverly sent me some cute pictures of great grandson Samuel. Boy is he cute. Beverly says he is a little more than two months old now. I'll try to see if I can get one of them onto the blog, but they are in PDF so it might not work. .....Nope, couldn't get it to open or download, and would not copy either so guess you won't be able to see him.
Betty called yesterday and we had our usually good weekly visit. Her dog Cody walked by the window with a big rat in his mouth while we were talking and she had to get it away from him before he ate it.
Finally I am feeling better today. It took a while this time, just have been going through the usual stuff, but seems like more tired. I’ve really been going to bed early and staying there 12 or 14 hours, not sleeping the whole time but getting rested.
I've done 755 blog posts so far. Doesn't seem possible, but it's been about that many days since I started the blog - though not quite since once in a while I put in some extra entries.
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This is the window in the front door,
Backyard deer
A panorama of the snow in the back yard I know the game will be on here tonight. Joe wants the Cardinals to win, and me too, if I were in to it. It's sunny and calm out again and this looks like a dog walking day. Maybe even a painting day. I may just buckle down and get some internet shopping done - two more sets of extra long twin sheets, the arm cover for showering with the picc line, researching the vacuum - Sandra recommends the Oreck for dog hair. Every once in a while I do a stupid thing by spacing stuff out. Remember I sent my coat to LLBean for a new zipper? Well..... It's a Land's End coat! so after about a month it came back the other day with a note that it must have accidentally gotten in the box by mistake. Right. Now I have to do it again and the postage wasn't cheap either - $15 to send the first box. I'd probably have been better off to have someone repair it here in town. The zipper repair isn't very free . BTW Sandra is taking off from SLC on Tuesday to spend a month with the elephants in Thailand. It is a huge dream of hers to do this trip and I'm so glad it's coming true. Dave's mom is going with her. Safe travels Sandra and Sue. Have a wonderful time. I want to see the pictures. I'm feeling a lot better today. Doing more laundry, etc. Joe's still trying to get his snowmachine to start - Yeaaa I just heard it start up. He'll probably need it next time he goes to feed the cats. Peggy called last evening and we had a visit. She invited me to come to Atlanta again, I've never been "down south". With the direct flight from Jackson it might be a possibility to go there in the spring. I could be there in three hours or so. I'm sure Joe won't go. But he has been back there several times. It's where his family is from way back when - the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Wolf
is shaved
so neat and trim
Red Riding Hood
is chasing him.
Burma Shave
Click to get more info or a forecast.
