Monday

Our refrigerator is making ambulance sounds again.  It did this before, a long time ago.  I called someone to repair it, got his answering machine, and held the phone inside the refrigerator so he could hear what it sounded like. 

He called me back later, when I wasn't home.  He left a message.  I wish I could remember what his message was, because the refrigerator hasn't made that noise again since.  Until last week, anyway.

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Barrie took a bunch of new pictures at her dog lot.  Kasey took most of them.  Good job handling the camera, kiddo!

Kudar, 10 months old.



Tinkerbell, getting some loving from Kasey.

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An update on the egg from yesterday.

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Rollie, the woman Rodney King is engaged to was not on the jury that acquitted the cops.  She was on the jury that awared him $3.8 million compensation.  From the news stories I read, the other jurors didn't want to award him near that amount, but she fought for it.  No wonder he likes her!





Sunday

Ah, spring in Pinedale. The sun is shining,and it is snowing.  The National Weather Service may have finally gotten a forecast right.  They say the wind is going to blow tomorrow.

I think I would have enjoyed the White House Correspondents dinner last night.  Obama (and Jimmy Kimmell) both came up with some pretty funny stuff.  I especially liked Obama's comment that he had to get his Secret Service men home before their new curfew.

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On this day 1992 - Rioting began after a jury decision to acquit four Los Angeles policemen in the Rodney King beating trial. 54 people were killed in 3 days.

I'm glad I wasn't on that jury.

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My drawing today will be my lunch a little later.

Saturday

Cold, windy morning.  I don't think we're going to see the sun today. 

Norton just renewed my security subscription.  I better figure out which computers are covered.  I think it was on Barrie's old laptop.  Certainly don't need it on that computer any more.  And I might have to reinstall it on the desktop when I get it back.

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Barrie went to work yesterday and her boss lady sent her home, after calling to set up an appointment for  her at the clinic.  She has strep and tonsillitis and is on antibiotics.  I don't know if she would have gone to the doctor on her own.  Nice boss lady.  Wonder what it would be like to boss Barrie around and tell her what to do?

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My drawing of the day yesterday - my tiny teddy bear in  his argyle sweater.  I was in Faler's a few years ago, and they had a box full of these little miniature teddy bears.  I think they were about $1.50 apiece, and there were so many to choose from it took me about an hour to pick two. 

I drew this with charcoal, but in a drawing pad.  I don't like the charcoal paper very  much.

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Wish I were creative enough to think up things like this to draw.







Friday

What a nice rain we had yesterday!  Just as the sun was setting, the sun hit the side of the hill behind my house, and it looked like an old Ektachrome photo. Intense colors!

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I watched the movie Big Daddy on crackle.com last night.  What a cute movie!  I had tried to watch it earlier, but something was wrong with my reception.  Not reception - wrong term.  Internet speed?  Strength of connection?  Anyway, had trouble watching it, but last night was smooth and a sharp clear image.

I found a small package on the floor of the back seat in the pickup.  It contained two CDs of the Carol Burnette show.  Good grief!  I purchased some of those some time ago.  The date on the invoice in the package was 2010.  So I watched four episodes of Carol Burnette yesterday.

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Things to do today:

1. Get up before noon
2. Make a To Do List
3. Finish mending bamboo brush carrier
4. Do a daily drawing
5. Carry dirty dishes downstairs
6. Work on charcoal drawing of cowboy.
7. Read Facebook posts

That enough.  Don't want to overdo it.

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Thursday

How exciting, right?  (NOT!)  Keeping up with my vow to plop something on my drawing table every day and draw it.  Charcoal on charcoal paper, quick sketch, and no erasing allowed.  It's kind of like taking medicine, I know it's good for me and it should get better.

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Kasey went to Kindergarten screening yesterday.  She came home excited and happy.  They gave the kids new backpacks, loaded with dry erase board, pens, markers, crayons, pencils, and a list of summer activities available at the school. 

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Barrie was playing a music video on her computer last night, and Kasey was on the couch with her, and they were singing along withit.  I tried to video it, but wasn't able to get anything.  The living room was too dark, and the TV was on.

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Wednesday

Nothing new. Worked on painting of elk this morning at art group. Am mending my bamboo brush carrier. All the stitching is coming out at the bottom.

Got the iPad out today and tried to get Kat interested in the mouse game. She watched the mouse and tried to dig under the edge of the iPad.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Tuesday

Our yard is starting to look so nice.  It's greening up, and Barrie has raked it, and trimmed willows.  She got a little bit of sod from somewhere and put it in the little front lawn.  We have never had a good lawn there.  The big pine trees were there, and the grass didn't like to grow under the trees.  And the yard had three puppies in it last year.They were not good gardeners!

I made myself draw a few things in the sketchbook yesterday.  So far, I am drawing things from life.  Kind of boring stuff, but challenging.  Today maybe I'll draw a tube of toothpaste.  It's kind of crumpled up and bent. 

And I did a tiny 4" x 6" painting in the little moleskine book.

Sunday

Beautiful sunny day.  I'm watching the cooking show on QVC.  Sometimes I grab my credit card and just can't help but order something.  They have such tempting gadgets.  I have also ordered meat from them, and have never been disappointed.  I ordered  a big ham from them one year, have ordered pork tenderloin, hot dogs, and their steaks are delicious. 

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I've kept my promise to draw every day - - -  well, at least for two days now.

I can't believe how difficult it was to (attempt to) draw a pine cone.  By the time I finished this, I think I had sort of figured out how to draw it.  Should do one every day.  This was done on kind of slick, off-white paper, in charcoal. In real life. 

I was looking for a pad of charcoal paper, and came upon this sketchbook with only one drawing in it.  I drew my great nephew several years ago.  I intended to draw his brother on the other side of the paper, and as you can see, I didn't get that done.

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I am reading a book on my Kindle called "Ramblings from the Barn".  It's a book of anecdotes and poetry by a guy who owns a bar called "The Barn".  Very entertaining.

Saturday

On this day in 1916, Bill Carlisle, the infamous "last train robber", robbed a train in Hanna, Wyoming.

On this day in 1918, the "Red Baron" was shot down and killed during WWI.


They must be doing extensive renovation in the house across the (so called) street from me.  The neighbors moved out about a month ago, and they have been working on it ever since.  I seea new washer and dryer were delivered this morning. 

While looking at the house, I noticed some bird activity.  I looked through the binoculars, and it looks like a pair of chickadees are getting ready to nest inside the wood siding on the side of the house.  The siding has knotholes, and it appears one of them fell out, giving the chickadees a perfect door to get behind the siding.

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My stepdaughter and her husband in Colorado Springs have just put their house on the market, as he is being transferred to Cheyenne.  They are  not happy.  They have done so much work on this house and have lived in it for a long time.  The pictures on the wall are mine, and I made the quilt on the back of the couch.

Friday

The new laptop came yesterday, and the guy (Fed Ex) opened the door, knocked loudly, and announced himself.  I haven't even looked at it.  Barrie said she would have a go at setting it up, and she will probably figure it out.  If not, she'll ask.

Mike called about the desktop Dell.  System 7 has to be completely reinstalled.  We made a complete backup of the files on it the day before Barrie took it in. 

Petty, time consuming things today.  I gave Paul a little XM radio several years ago, and put it on my plan.  Then I put the one in Tracy's Yukon on my plan.  I put Barrie's pickup radio on the same plan.  That's my birthday present to each of them. 

Tracy told me Paul's radio wore out and they got a new one.  She got the ID numbers for me.  I tried to do it on XM's website today, and couldn't, so I called.  Of course, I got someone who was hard to understand, but finally got the account transferred from the old radio to the new one.  Now if Paul will turn it on when he gets home tonight, I can activate it.

Also had to update my credit card information on my Paypal account with new expiration date.  I couldn't log onto my account.  I finally decided I had to change my password.  Funny thing, when I entered my new password, I entered the exact same password I have been using for years, and Paypal accepted it. 

Isn't technology wonderful?

Thursday

The new laptop is to be delivered today.  If it didn't require a signature,   UPS would just leave it at the post office, but this has to be delivered to my door.   I swear those "Brown" guys tap lightly on the door, and then leave a note that says they attempted to deliver it, but no one was home.  I left a big note on the front door that says someone IS home, and to knock loudly, open the door and yell if no one comes to the door.  They usually come late, so Barrie will probably be downstairs. 

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I got up this morning intending to do some drawing.  At least once a week, I resolve to do more drawing and draw every day.  Good thing I'm not promising God.  I even got out my book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" which usually puts me on track for a while.

But I started browsing a watercolor Flicker page on the internet instead.  I found the above little watercolor, which fits me perfectly.  It's already afternoon, so now I will decide if I want to draw something, watch a movie, or read.  Hmmmm.

Both my friend Vicky and I are interesting in doing watercolor portraits.  Now I wonder?  Should we go for this effect or not?  I bet this would be easy.  But I don't think it resembles our grandchildren.



Wednesday

It's been trying to rain all day, but I'm betting on a little snow tonight.

I see there was a donkey basketball in Pinedale.  The first year I was in Pinedale, I was talked into taking part in a donkey basketball game.  Because I was a naive first year teacher, I guess they figured they could rope me into it.  They were right.  It was fun.  I don't remember who the faculty played.  Seems like it could have been the FFA kids.

I sort of started three new small watercolors in art group this morning.  Maybe I bit off more than I can chew.

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Barrie said yesterday she didn't want the day to end.  First, she got a ton of dog food delivered, then she got a new cell phone for $3.  Then she went to the Food Basket and found six pair of good jeans for Kasey and three shirts. 

She took our desktop computer to Mike this morning for repair.  Sure hope he can make it well again.

This makes me laugh.  Now would not be a good time to be in the Secret Service!

Colombia must be quite a place.  The media is making a big deal about Hillary Clinton seen drinking beer there.  Good grief.  I wonder if they was any real news happening in the world.

Tuesday

Got a phone call this morning from a truck driver who wondered how to get to our house.  He was delivering a ton of dog food for Barrie.  He called me because Barrie washed her cell phone.  That's a little hard on them.  They don't like washing machines.

Barrie went down and got a new phone this morning.  She got a great deal and ended up having to pay $3 for a new phone.  She says it's nicer than her old one, so now she doesn't feel so bad about washing it.

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Done?  Well, I'm through with it, anyway.  I love working with charcoal and am going to do more.  I really, really need to work on drawing fabric (and hands).



The cat in the picture

Several people commented that they could see a cat peeking over the fence in the picture of old farm machinery I posted Friday.  But Barrie looked at it and said it was a horse.  When I look closely at the photo, the four legs of the horse are definitely there.  I thought that was just part of the machinery.  Good eyes, Barrie!

Barrie lets Kasey drive the last mile of the little two track dirt road going into her dog lot.  She sure has a grip on that steering wheel!

This is Barrie and Kasey's favorite camping spot at Willow Lake.  It would be a little early to camp up there right now.

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I don't usually post jokes here, but this one was posted on Facebook, and it made me laugh:

As you well know, some of us have been known to have had brushes with the authorities on our way home from the odd social session over the years.

A couple of nights ago, I was out for a few drinks with some friends at the Marriott Hotel and had a few too many beers and some rather nice red wine.

Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I did something I’ve never done before:  I took a bus home.

Sure enough, I passed a police road block, but as it was a bus, they waved us through.

I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise, as I had never driven a bus before and am not sure where I got it.

Sure enough I passed a police road block but as it was a bus, they waved it past.

I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise, as I have never driven a bus before and am not sure where I got it.Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I did something I've never done before: I took a bus home.

Sure enough I passed a police road block but as it was a bus, they waved it past.

I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise, as I have never driven a bus before and am not sure where I got it.Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I did something I've never done before: I took a bus home.

Sure enough I passed a police road block but as it was a bus, they waved it past.

I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise, as I have never driven a bus before and am not sure where I got it.Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I did something I've never done before: I took a bus home.

Sure enough I passed a police road block but as it was a bus, they waved it past.

I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise, as I have never driven a bus before and am not sure where I got it.
Knowing full well I may have been slightly over the limit, I did something I've never done before: I took a bus home.

Sure enough I passed a police road block but as it was a bus, they waved it past.

I arrived home safely without incident, which was a real surprise, as I have never driven a bus before and am not sure where I got it.urSure



Sunday

I got two new books in the mail from North Light yesterday.  Another reason (excuse) for me to not get any art work finished.  I can read about it instead of doing it.  One book is about drawing light and shadow.  The other is about painting watercolor faces. 

The woman who paints the watercolor portraits has some very interesting techniques and I like her work. 

Paul and Tracy are coming in August and she has reserved a camping spot at the Narrows campground at New Fork Lake.  We have no idea what it is like, and will have to wait until we can drive into New Fork to see what it's like, what kind of boat dock they have, etc.  They may decide to leave their boat home this year.

Fremont campground is not taking reservations this year, because of the construction.  The campground won't be closed, but the spots will be on a first come first serve basis.  It sounds like the boat dock may be closed at times, also. 

I don't have a dog to hug, but I'm sure I could hug one of Barrie's.  I have a cat, but she won't let me hug her.

She caught another mouse last night. She left it right in the center of the bathroom door.  She wants to be sure I notice them.   

Friday

Beautiful sunny day today, and almost 40 degrees.  But the forecast is for rain and snow.  In fact, the Yahoo forecast predicts severe weather. Yeah, right!

While visiting his daughter, Conley saw this photo of an old manure spreader, and asked her to print a copy for me.  I love to paint old rusty things in watercolor, but this might be beyond me.  It will be fun to try, though.

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Barrie took her HP laptop to Mike K. last week.  He called her yesterday and told her she can pick up the computer case, but there was nothing he could do with the computer.  It was "fried".  Now we need to get the desktop Dell to him.  It's still crippling along, but definitely sick.

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Another dead mouse on the floor this morning.  Good job, Kat!



Thursday

The only picture I have to post today is a Calvin cartoon.

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Beautiful spring morning in Pinedale, with a couple inches of new snow.  Every branch and every twig was frosted with snow.  It is melting fast.

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Barrie left for her dog lot about 4:00 yesterday to feed her dogs.  It was almost 6:00 when Julie (day care) called me and told me Kasey's father had not picked her up at 4:00. which he was supposed to do.  As Barrie doesn't get phone reception at the dog lot, Julie could't reach her.  So I went to pick up KC.  She was the only kid left, and  looked a little sad.

She perked up and showed me how she can open the pickup door by herself, get in, and close it.  She gets in her carseat and buckles herself in.  She never quit talking as I drove home.

When we got home, she told me wanted macaroni and cheese for supper, but not the kind I make.  She wanted it like her Mom makes it.  So I fixed a boxed dinner.  She told me the only thing I make she likes is French toast, and she wanted French toast for supper too.  I told her to forget it!

She told me I couldn't move things on the kitchen counter, becaue that's the way her Mom wants it.  I told her to forget that too.  It was my turn to use the counter top if I was cooking.

When Barrie got back closer to town, she found Julie's message on her phone, and also one from the father figure (he called at 4:30) telling her he wouldn't be picking Kasey up.

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In the mood to paint this afternoon.  I have been watching some oil painting videos on the computer, and would like to try some of the techniques I saw.  And today I'll try to paint the canvas instead of my clothes.

Wednesday

I actually almost completed a painting in art group this morning.  I'll let it sit for a while and will probably see things I need to fix.  Kind of a fun painting to do.  I painted the trees with a sponge.

What a fine idea!

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Tracy sent me my horoscope this morning.  It said I should just read a book today.  I guess I can handle that.  



Monday

Barrie is a dog magnet.  Last night she was heading out of town to pick up KC, and saw two dogs going down the bike path next to the highway, dragging their leashes.  So of course she stopped.  The terrior type would fit in a dog box, but the other one was soo big.  So she rode in the front seat of the pickup.  She looked like a Newfoundland, but had some funny white spots on her.

Barrie called around, and posted on Facebook.  It was several hours before their owner called.  He was sure glad to get his dogs back.

If you read my blog, you might remember that Barrie found a lost Beagle up by Soda Lake last year.  His owners were from Utah and glad to get him back.

Barrie let the puppies out to play when she was at the dog lot yesterday.  Here they are playing with Maddy in the pond.

Two wet, dirty pups digging in the snow.



This is a sight I'll never see again.  This was the pine tree outside my bedroom winter after our April snow storm last year.  Both pine trees were attacked by beetles, and were cut down last fall.

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This was my horoscope yesterday:

Dress for the job you want to have, not the job you currently have.

Well, I already have the job I want, but I think this means I can stay in my pajamas all day.



Sunday

Beatiful day today.  Happy Easter everyone!

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I watched the movie Titanic last night.  I've watched it before, but not for a long time.  Well done movie!  I love the way so many true historical facts about the ship were included -  passengers, works of art, dogs on board, and the fancy car.  The first time I watched the movie, I did some research on the Internet and saw the passenger list and the cargo list.  I read a report on the bodies recovered, whether or not they were claimed by relatives, where they were buried, etc.  Also read about the life of Molly Brown.

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This is where I was one year ago.  Paul and Tracy were taking me to Coors Field in Denver to watch the Rockies season opener.  This was taken on I 70 before the tunnels.  The radio said the highway was closed.  Between Paul's excellent driving, and Tracy's little Yukon, we made it to Denver.

It was snowing in Denver, too.  The game was cancelled, and we went to lunch at the Cheese Factory, then to the Tattered Cover bookstore to browse.  No game, but it was sure a fun day.

Saturday

I worked on an oil painting this morning.  Boy, did I paint!  I got more paint on my clothes than I did the canvas.  I like to photograph things I am working on, because for some reason, viewing the work in progress on the computer screen gives me a new perspective.  I can see things I don't see while I'm painting.

This is from a really old photo I took years ago out by the Air Force Detachment on the Boulder road.

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I remembered to ask Barrie this morning if she can drive into her dog lot yet.  She is. 

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I get so much spam e-maill, and am so tired of it.  My e-mail program catches almost all the scam and puts it in a scam folder.  But once in a while there is one that I want to read.

I get lots of offers to enlarge my penis, and lose weight, etc.  But I have been getting this one about once a week for several months now:

Good afternoon,
Here with the Better Business Bureau would like to inform you that we have received a complaint (ID 78688511) from a customer of yours in regard to their dealership with you.

Please open the COMPLAINT REPORT attached to this email (open with Internet Explorer/Mozilla Firefox) to view the details on this issue and suggest us about your position as soon as possible.

The people who sit around dreaming up this stuff need to get a job.

Friday

Yesterday I said I couldn't find my camera, and "Anonymous" left this message: 

"maybe a little elf borrowed your camera while you were sleeping...teehee"

You are busted, little elf.  You took a picture of yourself!

(Barrie had to do a walk through on some property and the battery  in her camera was dead, so she snitched mine before I woke up.) 

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Kay called this morning and said she was sick.  So the last oil painting class was canceled.  I learned so much in this class.  Now I have to keep painting!

Five legs?

I love this old house in Toston, Montana.  What more could you ask for?  It's got a garage, a balcony, a basketball court, and I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't have an indoor swimming pool in the back part.  There was a car parked there, so I think probably someone was living in it.

Thursday

Now playing on XM Radio, Zac Brown Band, "Ain't in No Hurry". That's definitely my theme song.

After a full year of pinching back, fertilizer, water, and plenty of sunshine, I finally have a coleus plant I am not ashamed of!  The top photo shows what it looked like shortly after I brought it home.  It was gorgeous when I bought it, and it wasn't happy here.  The bottom photo was taken today.  No, I didn't talk to it.

Almost finished this watercolor yesterday. I will probably darken the shadow and try to fix the bulge in the front tire.  It looks a little washed out in the photograph.

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Another object in my house has grown legs and walked off.  I just used my compact camera right here yesterday.  After I took the pictures I wanted off it, I put the card back in and put it on the shelf behind me.  When I wanted to use it this morning, it's not there. 



Wednesday

Art group this morning:

Dorothy is back and joined us this morning.  Pat was late, but her daughter, Dixie brought her in.  Conley finished another painting of a duck and displayed it on the wall.

And Rollie stopped by to visit and pick up the waffle iron I was looking for a home for.

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This has got to be my favorite town in Montana.  It is a tiny town right on the Missouri River.  This is a one lane bridge across the river.  When Barrie and I were there, a pickup came across the bridge with kids riding in the back.  Sure don't see that any more.

I never got a chance to photograph the old buildings in Toston, because as soon as we crossed the bridge and railroad tracks and turned right, a pack of dogs attacked us.  A woman seemed to be walking her dog, but five more dogs had joined her.  We had dogs in kennels in the back, and the dogs all surrounded the truck, barking, and jumping up on it.  One was a Chihauhua.  When we got away from them, we drove just a short distance when four more dogs came after us.  And one of those was a Chihauhua.  We were happy to get out of there and back on the highway to Helena.

When we went back the next year, we only saw two dogs, and Barrie drove all around the town so I could take pictures of all the old buildings.

Tuesday

Had to argue with Blogspot a little tonight.  I had to log in again, and they asked for my mobile phone number.  Sorry.  No reason for them to know that.

I watch a lot of movies on my laptop, and I had a moment of panic last night.  Well, maybe not panic exactly, more like a "damnit" moment.  I tried to watch a movie and had no voices, just garbled sounds.  I shut the computer down and went to bed.  This morning I did a system restore, and everything seems to be working fine.  We already have two computers in need of repair, and it's a pain.

Facebook has a "Sublette for Sale" group for people to post things for sale or items they are looking for.  I don't check it very  often, but it is kind of interesting.  There are lots of Easter baskets for sale listed, and one woman needs a watering can and socks for her two-year old.  Another person has baby goats for sale. 

But the most interesting one was someone who does light electrical work, light plumbing, light construction, light automotive repair, gardening, landscaping and yard. work.  Coming soon will be pickup and delivery service for groceries, prescriptions, and mail.  Will also sing for churches and special events.  Wow!

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Another old photo from my computer.  This is Kasey taking her first horseback ride.  She was having a good time and doing great until the horse snorted, and that didn't set well with her.  This is the same girl who rode a sheep in the rodeo last summer!

 

Monday

Got just a skiff of snow last night.  Winter is wimpering.

Barrie was here a while ago driving her work pickup.  Looks like it's the season for her to do yardwork.

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Have a few more pictures from our Montana road trip I wanted to share.

The finish line for the Race to the Sky Sled Dog Race in Lincoln, Montana.  Barrie's been in this race.  I think she took fifth place.

Lincoln is pure logging country.  This is the sign in front of their medical center.

Barrie was telling me about a tree somewhere around Lincoln called "The Boot Tree."  The loggers hung their old boots in it.

We were on a dirt road, just sightseeing, when Kasey said she had to go to the bathroom, so B..arrie pulled over under this big tree and got KC out.  When she looked up, there they were.  We found the boot tree.  A few tennis shoes were there too.  What fun!

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I watched the movie "The Postman Always Rings Twice" last night.  The name of this movie was so familiar to me, I thought I remember my mother reading the book.  The orignial was filmed in 1946 with Lana Turner, and the novel was written in 1934 (by James Cain).  I have a feeling the 1981 version I watched last night was quite different.  It starred Jack Nicholas and Jessica Lang.  I had a little trouble keeping up with the plot.  I had a feeling it was going to have a bed ending, kind of like Bonnie and Clyde.  It did.