How About This!!

Tonight for the first time since getting home I was able to get more of the internet to come in. The wireless box is still exactly the same (not right). I can't figure it out, but anyway was able to go to Pinedale on Line, my home page, and found this story. I have never gone by the spot this young woman was found murdered without thinking of her and who did the crime. As a matter of fact, there is another unsolved disappearance of a young woman jogger who went missing near Louis Lake at South Pass. Her body has never been found. Hmmm.

(From the link below, or http://www.pinedaleonline.com/, you can read more about our Sheriff's Department solving this case. There are several articles. It says they have solved quite a few other cold cases as well. I'm proud of them all.)

Arrest made in 25-year old murder case The Sublette County Sheriff’s Office held a special press conference on Sunday, March 1, to release the news of the arrest of a man in the shooting death of Elizabeth Ehlers in 1984. A former Daniel man was arrested in Montana on Sunday charged with the crime. Pictured here are members of the Sublette County Sheriff's Office "Cold Case" detective team and the Sublette County Attorney's Office. Back Row: (L to R) Sublette County Sheriff’s Office "Cold Case" detectives Sarah Brew and Lance Gehlhausen, Sublette County Attorney Investigator Randall Hanson, SCSO Detective Shane Templar. Front Row: (L to R) Sublette County Sheriff Wayne "Bardy" Bardin, Sublette County Prosecuting Attorney Lucky McMahon, Sublette County Captain Detective Brian Ketterhagen.Click on this link for more details on the case: Arrest made in 25-year old murder case

Monday March 2 2009

This is a portrait of me painted by my favorite oil painting teacher Keith Ward. I took alot of lessons from him in the 70's. He was one of the artists for the Dick and Jane reading books, among other things. Beverly has this one, as well as the following six or so older paintings in the blog done by me. I photographed them at her home when I was down in Vegas.

Joe and the dogs went to coffee and got the mail. I showered, emptied the dish washer from yesterday's lunch and got the rest of the big stuff in for the next load. Had some cream of wheat for breakfast with my activia yogurt while I read the email. Finally was able to connect to you other guys' blogs. I've missed you! Love your cat tower, Duene, and seeing your art studio. Thanks for comments that I've received too.

This was the morning that the Dish Tech guy was coming over at 11:30 to realign the dish position to point to the satellite. He got here right on time and got it all fixed lickety split. He said he got a bolt really tightened down that the other installers had left loose and we shouldn't have this problem from hard wind again. Hope he's right. We seem not to have gotten any more error messages or windows telling us we owe them money so I hope that's all fixed too. I was able to go in to their interactive program and get those pop up messages deleted thank goodness.

Joe put up Sandra's atomic clock sensor outside with the first one and I got the clock sittinig on my dresser. Joe checked and said that both clocks are within 2/10ths of a degree of each other. The other one is in the living room.

Charm came over after her haircut, about the time the Dish guy left, and brought us long handled bath brushes. I had told her if she came across any to pick us up a couple, and she had found some when she was in Jackson last week. I'd been looking for some ever since we moved in and not found them anywhere. I can't wait to scrub my back with it. So asked her to stay for lunch. She had gotten a "wrap" at Obo's deli, but decided to eat it with us and had a leftover tamale. She agreed they are pretty good. It was great to get to visit with her. We don't see each other often enough. Soon she put on her snow machine suit and left for home. She says their road is really rough and "chewed up", so she'll have a rough ride home on the snow machine. The county may plow their road in a week or two and then they should be able to drive in and out again.

That reminds me. We got a letter from our home owner's association and they are making progress getting some of our roads in our subdivision designated county roads, but not our street. Perhaps if they do it won't be long that our street will be included. If that happens we won't have to pay for maintenance and plowing.

This afternoon I took the dogs for a walk. They really enjoyed being out. Even flushed out a rabbit and chased through the drifts but of course couldn't catch it. They've been sacked out ever since so guess they got tired out. I walked very slowly while they ran around and played.

It is warmer today and and pretty cloudy. Sounds like tonight will be in the 30's, quite warm for this time of year, and in the 50's tomorrow ! with a chance for an inch or two of new snow. Hard to figure how we will get snow at 50 degrees. I've gotten through the mail, and a stack of papers filed. This evening called to activate the new credit card and have that taken care of. Cut up the old one in little bits. The person I talked to said a merchant's records where I had bought something in the past had been compromised - most likely by a hacker, but also possibly by an employee. He wouldn't say which merchant. Am ready to pay the bills that have arrived by online bill pay.

My blogs posts are caught up to date now, and I may (or may not) remember a thing or two I missed and stick it in. Will get some photos in as soon as I can.

Joe asked if I wanted to go out for dinner tonight, so we all had Chinese.

Sunday March 1 2009

Elephant Hugs

This is the oldest elephant, a very large male.

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A Kiss for Sue

This is their room.

Sue and Sandra

Sandra getting a Kiss

Sandra said: The small ele with the food in her trunk

is my foster baby, Tong Jan and she is 4 years old.

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Each elephant has its own Mahout - handler.

Some of Sandra's Photos of their Trip to Thailand

to visit an elephant sanctualy for a month.
This photo is of the 4 month old baby with his mom

and auntie...he's rolling a tire.
There are two that age with their mothers.

This was a fun and busy day. Sandra called yesterday and said she and her mother-in-law Sue were back from Thailand visiting an elephant sanctuary there - gone nearly a month - and would like to come and see the house. So I invited them to come to dinner, or lunch, and we decided on lunch. Talked to Bonnie after that and invited her and Craig too.

I didn't tell you yet, but Beverly sent me home from Vegas with SEVEN DOZEN authentic tamales - frozen in a cooler - and I was sure they would be good. Brent's company has a some Mexican laborers, and one of the wives sells her homemade tamales. A lady at work keeps buying them and giving them to everyone and I guess Beverly's family is about tamale'd out. They get too many. I love real tamales, so thought they would be good for our lunch. I also made taco salad to go with them, and my neighbor Phyllis' "Yummy Cake" for desert. I made my own taco shell bowls. That and the food prep took quite a while, but we were ready for lunch about 1 p.m.

I really enjoyed the company and visiting. Sandra and Sue brought her laptop with about 450 photos of the trip to the elephants, which we all watched after lunch. They told us all about their adventures and the long plane flights to get there and back. Sue brought me a small "painted jar with a lid" with a tiny orchid carved out of colored soap - very unique and delicate. Thank you Sue! And Sandra brought the Christmas or housewarming gift she had had for some time - an atomic clock with indoor/outdoor temperature and weather on it (which I've taken to my room) - Thank you Sandra. I always wonder what the temperature is in the morning, so now I'll know.

A funny thing was that we had the same kind of clock I bought when we moved in and I didn't know it was indoor/outdoor. The kids set almost everything up, and I think Curtis set the clock, but they put the outdoor sensor on the mantle and I never knew what it went to. When I said it must have gotten thrown out with the package, Craig said that the outdoor temperature wouldn't be registering if the sensor wasn't somewhere in the house. After doing some deep thinking I realized that "thing" on the mantle was for the clock. Then Craig installed it out on the front porch and voila (or walah if you prefer), we had the indoor outdoor temperature in just a few minutes.

It was a great afternoon. By the time I got everything put away and the dishwasher filled, it was almost dinner time, but both Joe and I agreed we didn't want dinner so just had another piece of cake, mine with a glass of milk, and called it good. I went to bed about six for a nap for a couple of hours, then got up and started to catch up the back blogs. I know doing this after the fact I'm not remembering some things we've done, but guess that's the way it is.

Nanny called this morning, and also Debbie, I had to tell them I couldn't visit because of preparing the lunch, so will call them back soon. Nancy sounded good and happy there in the desert. Debbie is still having the bad cough and said she didn't think the medicine helped much.

A funny thing I have to tell on Beverly - She called later in the evening and this weekend they had flown to Logan UT for Brent's brother's wedding at the Logan temple. She had just gotten back and was answering her phone messages and came across one that said "Hi. This is Mom, Are you still sleeping?" She thought I had called her, and why didn't I remember that they had gone to the wedding? I was befuddled because I didn't remember calling her, and I did remember that they were gone for the weekend anyway. But she convinced me it was my message, and I'm thinking oh mi gosh - how horrible - my memory is way worse than I thought. Well, then she played it back to me over the phone and I had to agree it did sound like me, but I still insisted NO I hadn't done that. Welllllll ...... She began to remember that she had called Clayton from Utah and that was her own message! Now I don't feel so bad about my bad memory. I think we'll laugh about that for a long time.

I still have lots of tamales if you want to come over and try some. They remind me that when I was a little kid in L.A. a Mexican lady lived across the street from us. She was really nice and baby sat me once in a while and ironed for my mother too. She made the most wonderful tamales. Mother would buy them from her and I've loved them ever since. I can remember from time to time asking Mother if we please couldn't get more tamales. I have good memories of Maria taking care of me. I was about five or so. She had a big house full of nice furniture and lots of knick knacks and dishes in glass windowed hutches. But she lived down in the dark basement with a bunch of cats. She bought horsemeat to feed the cats and grilled it for them over a gas burner. One time I was there she offered me some grilled horse meat and said she also ate it. That was the most delicious meat I've ever eaten, and much later I was glad for that experience, since I never would have tasted horse meat otherwise, and on the principal of the thing wouldn't think of eating it now. But because of that I know why people in other countries enjoy it.

Saturday February 28 2009

After the fact I'm not remembering much that happened this day. (As I write this it's now Monday.)

Joe went out to the ranch to feed the cats, and said our lane was tough from the tree in to the house. But he didn't need to put on the chains. He supposes that next week he will need to go in on the snowmachine. Everything there was fine.

Joe brought the mail and there was a set of new credit cards. I also got a letter that said some of the credit card information for my account may have been compromised at a third party location and my card number may have been part of this occurrence. That is what was wrong with the card in Las Vegas. So they gave me a new card and number. It was just a coincidence that it happened when I was in Vegas. It was time to issue new ones anyway. So hopefully all is well. I still need to call them to activate the new one. I'm just glad someone is watching.

Also in the mail was a copy of the report on last CT scan from St. John's oncology which I asked them to mail to me. The gist of it is that the pancreatic tumor is about 1 - 1/8" in size. The liver lesions are somewhat better/smaller. There are some very small incidental renal cysts (on the kidneys.) Since they see more than just the tumors or organs where trouble is, they comment on the report what else they have found. I've been aware all along that I was having deterioration of the spine assume this is causing some of my pain and trouble getting in and out of cars or chairs, etc. That pain has gotten worse and this scan probably answers why by saying there is "Very severe degenerative change (since the last scan about 3 mo. ago) of the visualized thoracolumbar spine". Will be sure to bring this up at my next doctor visit to see just what this change means.

This afternoon we got the whole house cleaned and that feels good. After dinner I went to the store and got groceries we needed. It's a good time to shop because it's way less crowded and more parking spaces.

Friday February 27 2009

Slept in, got up and showered and to the clinic for the protime test I was scheduled to have on this day. I had an appointment last Thursday with Dr. Kappenman to follow up the sinus problem but had called from Vegas to change that date to March 4. Also cleaned out the refrigerator which looked exactly as I'd left it. The dogs ate good. Was happy to have all that done so quickly.

Only thing was I insisted today was Saturday, and sure lost a day there someplace. As the day went on I got a little more energetic and got quite a bit accomplished, including unpacking and all the laundry. I'm missing my pair of black knit pants I took down there, and Debbie hasn't found them anywhere. It's a mystery what has happened to them. I left a small tote bag at Beverly's house so maybe they are in there. Debbie is sending it UPS. It was miscellaneous stuff and some medicine. I just scooped everything that was loose into it.

There was a raging ground blizzard moving the snow all day long and I was surprised how the drift across the back yard had grown while I was gone. It had snowed here one or two days about the middle of the week, but guess it was just another 3 inches or so. Not much more interesting to write about for today. Oh, yes, except that my internet wasn't working when I turned the computer on again. The wireless box has something wrong with it. Called Centurytel for help but Sandy was gone on vacation. A new girl who had only been there about 3 days called me back and couldn't help much. Sandy was out of town until Monday. She said to call their help number, but by then it was too late, and I won't be able to do anything now until Monday. I also was able to get the error messages off the TV screen. But Dish called us, and said our signal was not strong enough and said they would have a technician come on Monday and readjust the position of the dish to point it to the satellite again. Them calling us is a first.

Joe was thoroughly entranced by the new vacuum, and kept at it until he got it mostly figured out and vacuumed the living room. It's kind of complicated. The manual has only picture drawings with essentially no text. And I want a manual that says (A) do this and (B) next do this and (C) this attachment goes on here. Hopefully they may have something I can download off the internet that will be more informative. But I suppose we will figure it out as we go along. It really did make a big difference in getting the carpets cleaner and better looking. Perhaps it will help with the sinus "thing" too. It's supposed to have really good filters.

By night time tried the computer again and was able to down load and read the email but still not able to connect to the blog. The wireless box says it's on DSL, but the internet button isn't lit. I have to call an 800 number for that - and dreading it.

Thursday February 26 2009

Bev and Deb leave us at Hurricane off ramp and

we get in Laurie's Car

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Bev, Mom and Deb

We switch vehicles from Laurie to Cheyenne at Evanston WY

Cheyenne, Bonnie, Laurie

The crews that got us back home.

WELL I CAN HONESTLY SAY I HAVE NEVER HAD A DAY LIKE THIS ONE IN MY LIFE!! You think you have seen and done about everything you are going to and then suddenly there is something new and different.

We were loaded and ready to leave Debbie's by 7 a.m. We drove over to Beverly's because we were taking her car. Unloaded all the luggage and stuff I shopped for from Debbie's SUV to Beverly's little Camry ..... and it all fit! Bonnie didn't shop like I had, but I was so glad for the chance to get things that had been on my list for a long time - and no where to buy them anywhere near us.

We were to meet Laurie about St. George. She lives between Salt Lake and Provo and she started driving down through Utah on I-15 about 7 a.m. We ended up getting as far as the Hurricane/Zion off ramp. Cell phones are wonderful for this kind of experience, as Bonnie could really keep track and coordinate with Laurie where we each were. Both cars pulled into the service station there at almost the same time. We got a photo of Bev, Deb and me with the 70 degree desert and the red sandstone bluffs in the background before we took off. Speedily unloaded all the "stuff" from Beverly's car into Laurie's, said goodbye, and headed north. - Found out later Bev and Deb got back home by 1 p.m. including stopping for lunch.

Laurie moved right along and it was an enjoyable drive ..... As Joe and I had for the many years we went back and forth from Las Vegas to Wyoming, we went from spring back into winter as we drove North. I got some photos, and especially liked the snow covered mountains before we got into Salt Lake. We stopped at a Wendy's for lunch, and then back on the road. Bonnie and Laurie had talked at first about getting as far as Laurie's house and Bonnie and I would take her car on home, but revised that plan and she continued to drive us on to Evanston. We tried the 800 north off ramp to Orem and Provo canyon instead of the University exit at Provo and that was also interesting. A little less congested, a little further on the freeway.

By the time we got to Provo Canyon there was snow covering the ground. We took a short side trip at Midway where Bonnie and Laurie had lived years ago, and which I had not seen before and really enjoyed it. Saw where Robert Duncan has his studio there. It had begun to gradually get more overcast, breezy and spitting snow every once in a while. Not too much longer and we were nearing Evanston where we would meet Bonnie's son Cheyenne. He was going to take us on the next leg of the journey. About that time Bonnie's brother Marc called her on her cell and said he could have the plane pick us up on Saturday when his wife was going back home to Spanish Fork from Mesa. Too bad, but it was too late for that.

As we crossed the Utah Wyoming line Mother Nature welcomed us home by flinging icy hail and it tap danced on the windshield for a ways. From then on the weather took a turn for the worse, off and on. Again Good Son Cheyenne's truck and Laurie Darlin's SUV pulled up at the Pilot station at about the same time. There we got Laurie, Cheyenne and Bonnie against a Wyoming snow bank - and I will post those pictures - this one and the one in St. George - as soon as I learn how to get them out of the new camera. We got everything from the SUV to the truck, and sped off into the gathering dusk. I just have to say that Laurie Darlin' went far beyond the call of duty, driving down to St. George and clear back through the length of Utah and then back to her home in one day. THANK YOU LAURIE!

As we drove night soon fell and the further north we went we began to run into flurries and short blizzards. By the time we got to LaBarge and Big Piney it was snowing and blowing, but Cheyenne drove us carefully on toward home. The wind was really blowing a blizzard as we got into Pinedale, but we were back home by about 8 p.m. One more time unloading all my stuff into the house. Joe was waiting for us and it was good to be home. THANKS, CHEYENNE! YOU GUYS TOOK GOOD CARE OF US. "The Boys" were glad to see me and stuck to me like glue for the next several days, and sleeping as close to my bed as they could. I had a can of chicken noodle soup for dinner and went to bed.

It was a wonderful trip. Everything went well, and it looks like I can travel like that just fine with no problems. THANKS BEVERLY AND DEBBIE FOR HAVING US AND TAKING US ON SO MANY NICE OUTINGS. It was a wonderful trip, and I sure enjoyed traveling with Bonnie - in fact, she made much of it possible - getting there and back. SO THANK YOU TOO BONNIE! AND THANK YOU BROTHER MARC!

Wednesday February 25 2009

Beverly in the Kitchen

Clay Waiting for Dinner

Debbie and Beverly Grill the Salmon

Beverly Scrapbooks, She and Bonnie

Look at one of her Scrapbooks

Bonnie at Beverly's House

Today Debbie is going to get an xray of her chest and a doctor visit for her bad cold in case it's pneumonia. She'll get some medicine for it. Debbie won't go out and around with us. Beverly took us shopping today. She picked Bonnie and I up at Debbie's and we went to Best Buy to check out the cameras and vacuums. Went directly to the camera department and debated back and forth whether to get the Cannon Power Shot SX110 IS or the SX120, The 110 has 10x zoom and the 120 has 20X zoom. I would have loved to have the 20X zoom, but the camera was at least twice as big as the 110, and very much more complicated to learn to operate. So I ended up getting the 110.

Next over to the vacuum department, and more debating about which one to get. The first wish was for it to be lightweight, but of everything there they were withing 3 to 5 pounds of each other. It is about 21 pounds. I thought about it for quite a while because the Dyson was the most expensive at almost $600. Some were under $100 and to read the propaganda, all of them were good. We were armed with a printout of the Consumer Reports info on vacuums and the Dyson Animal (for pet hair) was down at number 13 on the list, with Hoover's on top. I just kept remembering how many of you told me how you loved your Dyson, so finally decided to get it. It was a hard decision at the price. It better be good!!!!!!!!

As I was checking out my credit card was not accepted at first and we had to call, but they did let it go through. I thought it might be one of those check ups you get when you travel sometimes, but I had hardly used it on the whole trip. I had paid with a check for the camera.

Next Beverly took us on down the shopping center a ways to a HUGE discount shoe store - DSW I think. They had taken me there before and the amount of shoes in there is totally awesome. Been having trouble getting my socks and shoes on and tied for a while so I got four casual slip on styles in different colors. I like them all a lot. Well, when we went to pay for those, the card had to be verified again. But went through again. They asked all those questions to be sure it was me and said to call them when I got home and they would explain what was happening, but indicated one of the stores I shopped at had said or done something with the card - I just didn't comprehend what the person was saying exactly. She told me I could use it a couple more days and then it wouldn't be good any longer.

After shopping we went to a Pic Up Stix for Chinese food, and then on home to Beverly's. The original plan was to go to the Hotel Paris on the strip and sit at their side walk cafe and watch the fountains at the Belagio across the street. We were a little disappointed not to do that, But Beverly had to get dinner ready and my grandson Clayton had to be at a meeting at 7 p.m. for Boy Scouts. Debbie came over to have dinner with us. Curtis had to work late. Beverly made us grilled salmon with fruit salad, wonderful sauteed yellow squash with onions and mushrooms in it, and rice pilaf. While she made dinner, I read the camera manual for about two hours just to learn how to take a picture, and got photos of some of my artwork that Beverly has in her home. It was obvious that, as I thought, the old camera had gone kaput at Boulder Dam, and wouldn't take pictures of the artwork, so finally before the sun set I was able to get the new camera to take pictures. I hardly made a dent in the information in the manual. Another thing to learn. After dinner Debbie and Bonnie went home, and I went with the others to their church to see Clayton receive his badge. He had earned his Personal xxx? badge and it would be presented to him. He has three more badges to finish up and he will be an Eagle Scout, and he's only 14. It was fun to see, and I was able to get pictures of him there.

Beverly dropped me off at Debbie's and we visited with her and Curtis and had the mandatory time playing with Bella, their Italian mini greyhound. She is amazing, at chasing, jumping way high, flying through the air to catch her toys. Debbie was only allowing her one toy while they had company and she was very deprived. They have another dog, Max - maybe an Alaskan sled dog mix, He is very sweet and has a great personality.

Bonnie had talked to her daughter Laurie Darlin', and it was decided that she could meet us tomorrow and take us home. So we got packed up and ready to leave early in the morning. And all of a sudden our time together was about over.

Clayton Receives His Personal Management Badge.
Two More Badges and He Will Be An Eagle Scout.

The Boy Scout Troop

Clayton's Personal Merit Badge

One of the pair of new shoes