Saturday

Had a great breakfast this morning at the Wrangler with Barrie and Benny. What a wonderful start to a beautiful Saturday.  Snow is predicted for tomorrow.

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The pictures I posted yesterday of Shoshoni looked pretty depressing, but I tend to photograph old things.  There are parts of Shoshoni that look pretty good.  They have some senior housing, a couple of nice parks, and of course there is the little old Presbyterian Church, which is beautiful.
 

 

The minister and his family lived in a house right next to the church.  Their daughter was my age, and we went through school together.  The minister's wife used to play the piano in the high school gym for our school dances.

 

 

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I bought something that maybe isn't good for me.  I used to love to take naps on the couch years ago, when I was still working.  That is one of the things I planned to do when I retired, but for some reason, I have never started taking naps.  Last week I bought a throw for the couch, a soft fuzzy blanket.  For some reason, I all of a sudden have an urge to nap on the couch!





Friday

Now playing on my radio, "I Want You to Love Me Like My Dog".

I am not in favor of excessive government control, but can't our government step in and outlaw Black Friday?  People run amuck!!

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Every now and then I go through files on my computer and try to get rid of some things.  Kind of like cleaning my closet.  I got stuck going through old photos, and am always fascinated with the photos I took in my old home town, Shoshoni, several years ago.  I decided to post some of them.

 

This is what's left of the Derby Dining Room and Bar.  I used to work here.  There was an old unused gambling  room off the bar.  Nick kept a mattress in there for drunks, sheepherders, or someone who just needed a place to sleep.  They are pretty sure that is where the fire started.  Even though the Derby wasn't open, someone got in and evidently was smoking in bed.

 

This is the front of the Derby and the east side of Main Street.  There used to be a restaurant there, a pool hall, a movie theater, and the hotel on the end.  The Yellowstone Drug Store was on the ground floor of the hotel.

 

 

And this is Sid's store.  Part of the store was originally the restaurant, and part of it was the movie theater, so the floor sloped.  Part of it was two stories, and had narrow hallways with no exit.  So eventually, the fire marshal shut it down.  The store was full of merchandise for many years.  Sid's son eventually started to haul things out and sell them from a wagon parked in the street.  I bet it's not empty yet. 

 

 

I used to know the people who lived here.

 

 

This motel sign was on the edge of town.  Missing a lot of light bulbs.  I like how they spelled "singel", and wonder what "IR" means.

 

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About the pie I posted a photo of yesterday.  It may look like I dropped it getting it out of the oven, but it tasted really good!

 



Thursday

 

Sara Lee, where are you when I need you?

Wednesday

The fire alarm is going off, and I am cooking.  I think that's just a coincidence.

The fire drills here are unique, to say the least.  I think the purpose is to just make sure the alarms are working.  Our instructions are to stay in our apartments, and if we really do need to leave the building, they will come get us.  I spent too many years running kids through fire alarm drills at school, and I always have the urge to get up and find a line to join.

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I still don't know who this cowboy is.  It is from a photo I took years ago at the Winter Carnival.  This guy was standing on a snowbank talking to Stan M., and I snapped his picture.  I did a pencil drawing, and more recently, a watercolor.  Several people told me they thought it was Tim Baxley, but I showed these to Barb P., and she says it's not.  Anybody recognize him?

 

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I've given up on the parsley I planted in my windowsill.  Very few of the seeds sprouted, so now I overplanted with chives.  Seems to me the basil is growing very slowly.  The planter is in a south window, and gets plenty of sun.  



Monday

I try to walk some every day.  The walk down the hallway to check my mail is nice, but today the office delivered my mail to my door because I got a package.  So I guess I will just have to walk for the sake of walking.  There is an exercise bike just down the hall, but I hate the things.

I got my "new" laptop out today to install some programs.  Laptops tend to wear out.  Well, all computers do.  I decided to find something as a backup with Windows 7 while I was still able to.  No way am I going to fight with Windows 8.  Been there, done that, and returned the computer.

I've decided I will install Microsoft Office 2007.  I have purchased Office 2010 twice on EBay.  The first one, EBay pulled the auction for some reason, and the second one, the seller returned my money.  And I'm not paying retail price for it.  Office 2013 is out, and I thought maybe I could find 2010 at a bargain. 

 

I worked on a pencil drawing of this beautiful little girl last week, but I sure didn't do her justice. 

Saturday Schedule

I hope I don't get into the habit of this schedule!  I couldn't stay awake last night, so I went to bed really early (for me).  After a good night's sleep, I woke up at 3:30.  I got up at 4:00, fixed some steak and eggs with fried potatoes, and a pot of coffee, and read for a while.  I went back to bed about 7:00, went sound asleep, and woke up at 10:00 and washed the breakfast dishes. 

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When I walked down to check my mail yesterday, two women were sitting in the lobby visiting.  I decided to be sociable and sat to visit with them.  Well, chalk another one up to experience.  I found out the girl who cleans my apartment is worthless.  I must be missing something.  I think she is great.  And the guy who drives the bus from Rendezvous Pointe is terrible, and always late,  and the housekeepers do a terrible job of cleaning the apartments and are lazy.  There was more, but I forget what, exactly.  There must be something wrong with me that I don't notice these things.  Next time I check my mail, I think I will have a reason to get back to my apartment fast.

 

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I tried to kill my little windowsill herb garden.  It was below zero, and I left the planter between the drape and the window glass.  The basil was laying flat, but it recovered.  Tough little guys.

 

 

Every year after the first big snow, I would get this book out to read to kids.  The book is Alfalfa Hill, and the illustrations are in pen and ink.  This artist is one of my favorites, and once in a while I will look him up on the Internet just to see more of his work.

 





Friday

AHHH---- Barrie to the rescue.  She picked up my prescription. She started my truck and moved it off the street to the parking lot in front of Sublette Center.  She said she would come back and clear off the snow the city piled up around my truck, but I see Kevin is already out there on the little tractor clearing the street. 

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The prescription was only a little over $18!  Good grief!  I paid $139 for a tiny bottle of eye drops, and a ninety day prescription for blood pressure med was just $18.  Well, I did injure myself trying to get the darned cap off the bottle. 

 

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Barrie told me Kasey's dad would not be picking her up for the weekend because "his job blew away".  That seems to happen a lot.

 

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Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing when Kennedy was shot.  That is, if they are old enough. I had been to the dentist, and was driving down Miracle Mile just out of Tucson when the radio announcer said "It has been confirmed.  The President it dead."

 

My friend who was with me and I were stunned speechless.  When we got back to Silver Bell, I didn't go back to work.  We went in the house and spent the next two days glued to a television.

 



Thursday

Alice, my sister-in-law called this morning.  She had good news - she sold the sewing machine I had sent home with her.  A friend of ours bought it for her daughter for Christmas.

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There must be 8 inches of beautiful snow on the ground this morning.  It snowed during the night.

 

 

It looks like I better move my pickup off the street and into the parking lot in front of Sublette Center.  In fact, it looks like I should have done it yesterday!

 

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Meanwhile, in the kitchen - - - -I may have solved at least a small part of my failures.  I have an oven thermometer, but thought it was at the house.  I found it in the back of a drawer today, and tested the temperature in the oven.  Sure enough, if I want the oven to be 400°, I have to set it to 450°.

 

How did my grandmother ever bake such delicious bread and other things in her old coal/wood kitchen range?

 

 





Wednesday

Cooking hard boiled eggs (again) and rice.  Stay tuned.

 

These are the colored mats I ordered for the art group. I wasn't sure if they would be good quality, but they are nice, so I ordered some for 8" x 10" pictures.  These cost less than half what the mats cost in the art supply catalogs. 

 

I'm watching EBay for tubes of watercolor .  Sometimes you can get bargains, if you are patient and keep watching.

 

I started a new pencil drawing today.  It's only 5" x 7", so it shouldn't take long to finish it.

 

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In the Kitchen With Duene

 

Egg salad is so easy to make, right?  First you hard boil some eggs .........

Well, I had a little trouble getting past the first step.  An egg exploding in the microwave oven is VERY loud!  I've had that little microwave egg cooker for years, and it has always worked perfectly,  Until today.

I have a small frozen pizza, so I think that is what I will be having today. 

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And it goes on, and on, and on, and on.  Dr. Jensen's office called this morning.  The doctor wants to see the medical clearance, and he would rather it be in the form of a report, not just handwritten on a prescription pad. 

 

So I call Dr. Barry's office in Salt Lake.  Well, guess what?  They can't release my information unless they get a request from Dr. Jenson.  I guess the patient doesn't have the authority to ask them to send the release.

 

So, back on the phone with Ann, in Dr. Jensen's office, and they will fax a request to the cardiologist who can then fax the report to them. 

 

Why do I feel I'm caught in the vortex?

 

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Anyone want to come over for an egg salad sandwich?

 



 



Monday

I did manage to make a loaf of bread yesterday that looked good at least.  It was sourdough cracked wheat bread, and the taste was a little disappointing.  I think I am ready to grab a loaf of Wonder Bread and package of bologna off the shelf at Ridleys.

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I called the ophthalmologist's office in Rock Springs this morning.  I wanted to make sure he would accept what I had as a medical release for surgery.   I finally got a call back from a woman in his office this afternoon.  Progress!! I have an appointment Dec. 11 to have the surgery done in one eye.  I don't even have to go early for an exam, I can just show up at the surgery center at 10:30. I've been chasing that man for three months.   

Sunday

There are lots of tracks in the snow outside my window this morning.  Maybe they are deer tracks, but they are probably just Maggie and Boo, the two dogs who live here. 

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The cardiologist I saw Friday did prescribe blood pressure medication for me.  Kind of strange that he is the one who prescribed it, but whatever.  From the readings I have had in the past couple months, it looks like my blood pressure goes up sometimes and down sometimes.  I told him I had the opportunity to have my blood pressure checked on a regular basis here, and he thought that was a good idea.  And that I may end up cutting the dosage in half.

 

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Disaster!  Bad, bad, bad.  I have been looking for new bread baking ideas on the Internet, especially sourdough bread.  I usually use yeast in mine, but have been seeing articles and recipes about just letting the sourdough leaven the bread.  I think if I want any bread to eat this week, I better stick to a tried and true recipe.

 

These loaves fit into my trash can very nicely.

 



Friday

Happy Dance!!  Just got back from seeing a cardiologist at the clinic and I have a medical release in my hot little hand so the ophthalmologist in Rock Springs can give me a mild sedative and do cataract surgery.  They are not even open today, so I will call Monday and get this whole process started again.  Finally!

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I just found 20 multicolored mats for 11" x 14" prints for $38 and ordered them.  I don't need that many, but our art group at Rendezvous Pointe can always use more mats.

 

 

They are really moving along with the construction of the new apartments, and are even working weekends now. 

 

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The baby basil growing in my windowsill is thriving, but the parsley is slow to sprout.  I only see two little stems up.

 





Thursday

I visited with Rod R, and Sarah a while this morning.  Sarah flew into Rock Springs, Rod picked her up and brought her up here to visit with her Grandfather.  They said Big Rod was alert and enjoyed visiting with her.  He went to sleep that night and didn't wake up.  Leslie was with him when he died. 

I was so glad he was able to go that way, and enjoyed his last time with his family.

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They were scheduled to turn the power off here at 11:00 while they hooked up the power to the new apartments.  It didn't happen.  So I guess the power will be turned off at a different time.  We just don't know when.

 

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Kasey loves to climb this tree,  which is out in front of Sublette Center.

 

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I worked on a new painting of quakie trees yesterday, and did not make a good start.  I only got one tree trunk done, and it doesn't look right.  I guess it's too soon to quit on it, but it doesn't look promising.

 

 

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Well, my question about the power being off has been answered.  They turned it off about 1:00 and it is already back on.

 







Wednesday

We have been noticing how hot the art room at Rendezvous Pointe, and today I mentioned it to Cindy.  She said the whole place is too hot, and that Paul has fought with the county over  it.  Seems like it should be a simple thing to just turn the heat down, but what do I know?

 

Kasey was with me for two days, and we had a wonderful time.  She wanted to draw with my colored pencils.

 

 

And I have a new picture of my cat.

 

And a picture of Barrie when she was three.  I love how she spelled "Gerama". 

She read three books to me while she was here.  Barrie said her reading is over the top, but she is  just average in math.  I got some pennies out and we played an addition/subtraction game.  Then I got out a deck of cards and taught her how to play Blackjack.  Once she caught on, she loved playing Blackjack and decided she wants to go to a casino in Las Vegas!

We played "Go Fish" after that.  I was a little hazy on how to play the game, so Kasey took the liberty of changing the rules to what she wanted .  I decided to install both card games on my iPad. 

Someone posted this on Facebook not long ago.

 

And a few days later, someone posted this:

 



Remember : Cold season is starting and cows seek heat on car hoods. do not forget to tap on the hood to give the cow enough time to get off before you drive away. 

Now that's funny!

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Barrie just went down the hall to check my mail, and the stickers for my vehicle registration were there.  She put them on my license plates for me, and I am legal again.

 

Barrie is going to be working for Susie Blaha part time.  She will be learning vet tech skills directly from the veterinarian.  She originally worked for Susie to pay off a vet bill, but Susie wants her to stay on.  I think she will enjoy that job.

 

 

 

 

Sunday

Another bright, sunny day.  So bright and sunny that I have closed my drapes and opened a window.  The fresh air coming in feels so good. No more winter?

 

I have finished the painting of the old barn.  I'm pretty happy with it.  I need to get a mat on it and look at it for a while before I call it done.

 

I've started a new painting of quakie trees.  So far, all I've gotten done is put some masking tape and masking fluid  on the paper.  I can't decide if I want to put snow on the ground or not.

 

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I've been watching for the third book in the trilogy by Mike Mullins.  It seems to be out in hardcover, but not for the Kindle yet.  It's a fictional story about Yellowstone Park erupting.  I've read the first two and can hardly wait for the next one.

 

 

 

 

Saturday

A bag of Cheetos, a couple beers, and "The Dirty Dozen".  A great way to spend an evening.

 

I don't know for sure why I like this movie so much.  It's not the type I usually enjoy, but it's a great movie.

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Molly

 



 

Boo

 

Here are my "cookie" customers, Molly and Boo.  I took dog biscuits out to them this morning.  They live here at Sublette Center.  Their owner, Ken, is the maintenance man.

 

I'm not real sure her name is Molly.  I think it fits her, though.

 

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I have been getting irritating phone calls from a couple of sources.  One is a woman who asks if the lady of the house is in.  I don't know what they are selling, or wanting, because I hang up as soon as I hear that.

The other starts off with something about emergency medical alert.  I hang up that one too.

I have done the "do not call" thing, but there are a few that can slip through due to some reason or another.




Friday

Ahhh.  Another beautiful day at Ridley's.  We were just discussing how it seemed the checkout girls seemed to be more polite to the customers.  We wondered if maybe they had been getting complaints and told their employees to shape up. Well, the one I got today hasn't gotten the word yet.  I thanked her and told her to have a nice day.  I think she grunted in return.  The ironic thing is, her name tag said "Angel".  I suppose if I had to work there, I might be grumpy too.

I wonder why they don't turn the lights on in the big freezer cases where the vegetables and frozen dinners are?

I bought some dog biscuits for any dog who might come to visit - Lenore's dog, Nicky's dog, and the maintenance guy's dogs.

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I ordered a new wick for my humidifier.  It isn't wicking the water, so I guess it needs to be replaced.

 

I have baby basil in my windowsill planter.  No sign of the parsley yet, but I think it will be showing soon.  I think I still have chives in the kitchen window at the house, but I don't really care if I have it here.  I have a very large bag of dried chives in the freezer compartment.  Tracy ordered it from a bulk supplier on the internet, and got more than she bargained for.

 

 

Thursday

I have cleaned the litter box, the apartment was cleaned this morning, I have Kielbasa in the crock pot, I have a good book, and Johnny Cash is playing on my iPad.  Life doesn't get much better than that!

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I'm thinking I may finish my painting of the old barn today.  So far, I am liking how it is turning out.  All I have left is to finish the old wooden fence in front of it.

 

I stretched and stapled down a new sheet of paper yesterday.  I think I need to paint my old standby subject, quakie trees.  Just have to do them occasionally, and I have perfect models right outside my window.

 

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The King is still King!  George Strait won Country Music Entertainer of the Year Award last night.  I couldn't agree more.

 

 

Wednesday

Thinned ranks at art group this morning.  There were only three of us there, Vicky, Lenore, and me.  We all got something accomplished.  Vicky finished a painting, Lenore matted a couple new ones, and I worked on the old barn.  Vicky brought banana bread, fresh out of the oven.  Yummm!

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Someone knocked on my door last night, with a tray supper for neighbor Nancy.  Then Mary came down the hall.  The three of us were standing in the hallway, with our doors open.  For some reason, Kat decided to come out in the hall.  Then she got scared and dashed into Nancy's apartment.  When she got in there, she realized it wasn't home, and freaked out.  She never meows, but she was almost howling.  When she heard my voice, she came to the door and went in my apartment.  Poor dumb critter!  Barrie says I can't die until the cat is dead.

 

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Two residents here have been moved into the nursing wing, Harold Faler and Rod Rozier. 

 

 

This is kind of how I feel now that I've gotten my watercolors out again.



Monday

 

Another picture from the elk hunting trip last weekend.  Yes, that's a motel room (in Alpine), and yes, that's a horse, and yes, that's my daughter on him.  This horse wandered into the parking lot at the motel, and followed them into the room.  They used an extension cord to lead him back outside to wait for the brand inspector.  Kasey got to sit on his back in the parking lot.

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Lenore was just here.  She is thinking seriously about buying an iPad, and wanted my opinion and to look at mine. 

 

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Kat went ballistic about 5:00 this morning.  She started twirling in circles, trying to catch her tail and growling and snarling.  She started out on the platform of her cat tree, but moved to the bed, on top of my feet.  Tonight I am taking the spray bottle to bed with me.  So beware, Kat!

 

I bought a windowsill planter and some potting soil, and have planted some herbs in my south facing living room window.  I got a variety of different seeds, but only planted basil and parsley. 



Sunday

 

My friend Sally posted this a few years ago, and I have saved it to use on my blog.

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Ni

 



Grandma Gadget is at it again.  I have been trying to bake French Bread, and wasn't getting the shape of the loaf right.  I found this baking form on the Internet and ordered it.  I made bread yesterday, and it worked great!  And my sourdough is nice and bubbly.

 

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Nicky stopped in yesterday after she finished her nursing shift and brought her dog to meet me.  She brought Lucky with her for the weekend.  Lucky is a miniature pit bull.  I had never seen one before.  Pretty little dog, and super friendly.

 

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Barrie, Kasey, Benny and his friend Levi went elk hunting last weekend.  They didn't see any elk, but caught some nice fish.  I think this is the Greys River, over by Alpine.  Benny had this fish on his line, and had KC reel in in.  She was so excited.

 







Friday It's November!

I haven't even been outside yet today.  But it snowed a little last night while it was still kind of warm, then it froze.  Barrie said all the streets in town are solid ice.
 

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Barrie, her friend Benny, and Kasey came yesterday afternoon.  Benny took KC down the hall with her bag to collect trick or treat candy, while Barrie and I stayed here looking at photos on the computer.  I'm not sure what Kasey was dressed as.  She wore a princess/fairy dress over her blue jeans and white turtleneck.  She wore necklaces.  She also wore tall black boots and a pirate eye patch. 

 

They took KC down town to go trick or treating, then brought her back after supper, and she spent the night.

 

 

Benny, Barrie, and Kasey looking at photos on the computer.

 

 



This is what Benny looked like when they brought KC back after supper.  SCARY!  Barrie refused to wear a costume.