Duene's Place

Little Musher Chicks

2012-02-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

Barrie took this picture of two little musher chicks at the Stage Stop Race at the parking lot up the Green. I'm not sure who the little girl in red is, but I think her dad is one of the racers. Kasey is definitely dressed for the weather and has a big grin on her face.

When I taught kindergarten, I often had students who whined about going out in the cold and begged their Moms to write them a note to stay in. I don't think Kasey is going to be one of those wimps!

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I took one load of art magazines to art group at the senior center today, and started organizing the magazines we have on the shelves there. That's all I did today. Cleaned out some old catalogs and tried to get all the watercolor magazines on the same shelf. Same with Wyoming Wildlife, Artist Magazine, and Southwest Art.

Visited a while with Melba J. after art group. Tiger has been in the hospital ten days, had a triple bypass. Melba says he is feeling kind of rough, but that's to be expected after heart surgery.

Tuesday

2012-01-31T12:32:00.000-07:00

I've seen a few photos converted to drawings lately. Photoshop has a filter to do this, Photoshop users are notorious for experimenting and coming up with different ways to do this.

I knew I had a tutorial on my computer for this, so I looked it up this morning. It involves about seven steps, layers, applying guasian blur, etc. I used an old photo of Barrie (because she was even more photogenic than her daughter). I kind of like the results.

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I'm getting sick of sorting through magazines. I can't make myself get rid of them without looking through them first to see if there is something I want to save.

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After finishing the book, I watched the movie "Lost Horizon" last night. The person who wrote the screenplay pretty much made up his own story, as it sure didn't follow the book at all. Kind of disappointing.

Magazines

2012-01-30T11:08:00.002-07:00

I finished "Lost Horizon" last night. I hate it when I finish a good book. It's the kind of feeling you get when all your company goes home. You want don't want it to end.

I tried starting a new book last night, but couldn't get into it. So I decided to continue in the futile attempt to clean and unclutter my house. This is my rope basket. I think it was made by a guy in Riverton. It has been in the living room, full of three year old photography magazines, and covered with a pile of Kasey's toys. I have most of the magazines in the pickup ready to recyle. Now I am going through all the art magazines I have upstairs.

I will keep some, but most of them will go to the art room at Rendezvous Pointe, where people can borrow them, keep them, or tear pages out of them.

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I am always amazed at the silly and useless research is being done by someone. Our grovernment probably, or at least paid for by government grants. Here is one of the latest:

People whogive in to racism and prejudice may simplybe dumb, according to a new study that is bound to stir public controversy.

Theresearch finds that children with low intelligenceare more likely to hold prejudiced attitudes as adults.

This is one of those things we all know without having someone do a study on it. People who are racists and predujiced are dumb. Just saying.

Sunday

2012-01-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

Tracy sent me this picture of Daisy tunnelling in the snow in their yard in Colorado. That's one happy dog!

A little 4" x 6" painting I did yesterday. This is the view out my upstairs bathroom window.

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I ordered a George Foreman Grill this morning. I've looked at them for years, but never got one. It has several interchangeable plates, and I'm getting rid of three small kitchen appliances, a waffle iron for one,

I've never liked the waffle iron and never used it much. It might be because of the way I got it. I found it in the Target Store in Silverthorne CO while visiting Paul and Tracy. I tried to buy it, but the guy on the floor wouldn't sell it to me because it was the display model. I was back a couple days later, and the guy wasn't around, so I put it in my cart and took the plastic tag from the edge of the shelf with the price on it. I checked out and had my waffle iron!

When I got back to Tracy's house, I thought I should make sure it heated up before I left for home, so I brought it in. I looked at my receipt from Target, and the thing wasn't even on there. For some reason, it didn't ring up, and I got a $50 waffle iron for free! I didn't go back to Target and tell them of their mistake. Guity conscience? Is that why I've never liked it?

On the same day, I found a ball point pen in the snow outside the Bed Bath and Beyond store. I looked at it when I got home, and notice it was engraved with someone's initials. It was a Cross pen. I got on the Internet and discovered I had found a $50 pen.

That was SOME shopping day!

Saturday

2012-01-28T10:46:00.001-07:00

This is my handy snow guage. I can tell at a glance how deep the snow is. That is, if the wind doesn't blow, and we have had very little wind lately. Thank goodness. I think it was 10 below zero last night.

Here is Kat, having a cozy nap. This is what she looks like most of the day, between bursts of engergy and destruction.

I'm watching a live video on my computer this morning on how to paint skys in watercolor. I watched one last week, and it was pretty good.

Friday

2012-01-27T13:03:00.003-07:00

Now playing on my iPod Paul Simon, "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard".

Sunny day, and the icicles hanging outside my window are sparkling. The wind is starting to come up.

Maybe this guy is far enough along for me to post a picture of the progress. The hat and face are pretty well finished, but the shirt is still just a figment of my imagination.

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Roger wanted the link for the free Ebooks. I get it on Facebook, but you should be able to find them here:

http://ereadernewstoday.com/

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I continue to laugh at weather forecasts. This was the forecast for yesterday on my Yahoo page:

Pinedale, WY

SEVERE WEATHER ALERT

Forecast Details:

Periods of snow. High around 35F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.

Light wind, one inch of snow. Just what makes this a "severe weather alert"?

Thursday

2012-01-26T13:22:00.002-07:00

Maybe you remember the pencil drawing I did of the cowboy some time back (on the left). I gave him a "makeover" today using charcoal (on the right). I think it's a big improvement.

The calf roper I am working on in charcoal is progressing. Today I am working on the rope and his hand. Hard! His shirt won't be any easier.

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There have been a lot of free ebooks for the Kindle on Amazon lately. Someone (?) has been searching the freebies out and posting it to Facebook. I have downloaded about 15 free books in the last couple of weeks. Some of the more catchy ones are "Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun", and "Bubba and the Dead Woman". Wow, can't wait to read those.

But I also got "The Picture of Dorian Gray", and several other good titles.

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I just read in an artist magazine that Leonardo da Vinci was famous for not completing projects. Way to go Leonardo. We are kindred spirits.

Wednesday

2012-01-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is to show Vicky how we cope when she's not at art group to bring us delicious baked goodies. I brought cheese and crackers and a can of mixed nuts, and Dorothy brought some trail mix. So we survived.

Lenore finished her painting of a fire and matted it today. I think this is a very striking painting, one of her best!

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I worked on the Papago church painting this morning, but didn't accompish a lot. I have a feeling this is one of those paintings I will still be puttering around with six months from now.

I put the painting back and got my charcoal pencils out when I got home. Wonder why I've never used charcoal much in the past? I can't get the details I do with graphite, but I can get nice dark darks so my drawings have contrast and value changes, which I haven't been able to accomplish.

Tuesday

2012-01-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Last night I heard Barrie coughing downstairs. I called down, “are you sick?” She says “yes”. I say, “Well, knock it off, you’re supposed to be healthy.” Kasey says, “Oh, let her do what she wants to do, Grandma.”

Before I got my Kindle Reader last year, I had a few new books from Amazon that I hadn't read. I decided to read a "real" book and give the Kindle a rest. I am reading the book "Lost Horizon" by James Hilton.

This book was assigned reading when I was still in high school, about a hundred years ago. I resented being required to read it, and didn't expect to like it. Instead, I was fascinated by the story. This is the first time I've read it since then, and it's hard to put the book down.

On the cover, it says this was the first paperback ever published.

Also found the old black and white movie on Amazon, so of course I had to buy it. Shopping and spending money is just too easy!

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A friend posted this on Facebook.

In honor of Hostess declaring bankruptcy, this week we're eating a sandwich that is also morally bankrupt: The Twinkie Hot Dog. Turn the Twinkie upside down, slice it like a bun, slide a hot dog in there, and act as if you've done nothing wrong.

Sunday

2012-01-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

I still don't know how to paint sagebrush, but I think I'm a little closer. I'm tired of working on it.

The wind has come up a little today. So the little gobs of snow stuck on the branches will soon be gone. The sun is shining so bright that I am tempted to wear sunglasses in the house.

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Here is my horoscope for today:

Follow any new urges you have to do something unexpected today. Early in the morning, if you feel like doing something other than what you had planned for the day, then do it!

The "Early in the morning" part is what tripped me up. You see, it was almost 10:00 this morning before I got up (late night reading). Too late to change my plans, and besides, I didn't have any plans.

Saturday

2012-01-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Beautiful day. We got more snow overnight and it is still snowing. I watched Kasey walk up the front walk this morning, struggling in snow up over her knees and giggling every step of the way.

Barrie left her with me when she went to the dog lot this morning. She said she might not make it in and out, and didn't want to have to snow shoe out carrying Kasey.

Kasey went with her Mom plowing snow yesterday. She had a great time, loved plowing snow.

I don't have pine trees any more since the beetles killed them, so I took a picture of my neighbor's pine trees.

The snow is piling up on even the little twigs of the willow outside my window.

And the branches of the quakies in the yard.

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I'm making a little progress on the pen and ink elk. Slow going, all those little dots. Just keep dotting, Duene.

Friday Do over

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Started the church all over again. The first one willl go on the floor of the shower for a good rinse job so I can use the back of it.

This is what I call the "Conley Sky" because he's the one who showed us how to do it. The paint is thinned down and put in little spray bottles. You start with wet paper and spray the color on, then you keep tilting the paper in different directions and add more color if needed.

I used miskit film to cover the white places. It's kind of a cross between contact paper and plastic wrap. You press it down, then cut carefully around the edges with an exacto knife to remove where you want the color.

I always forget about the problem this block of paper has. In spite of being glued down on all four edges, it wrinkles and buckles when it's very wet. I guess it will flatten out eventually.

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This is my horoscope:

Force yourself to follow through on the tasks you have at hand. Part of your problem right now might be that you have a lot of half-baked ideas cluttering up your mind -- you need to pick one of them and complete it today!

Does this mean I should quit starting new paintings and drawings, and finish what I've started? Darn, I hate that! And I resent the "half-baked" statement.

Thursday

2012-01-19T11:23:00.003-07:00

I wonder if the National Weather Service is doing a happy dance today? I think this is the first time all winter that they have correctly predicted the weather.

More snow and wind is predicted for today.

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I painted the sky in the Arizona church painting, and it is bad. I'm going to start it all over again. I think I will use miskit film to cover the church, and use the method Conley showed us for the sky, spraying the paint on (thinned down and in a little spray bottle).

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This is one of the reasons I hate politics. Anyone else think journalists (and TV) should just be put out on the ice?

"Newt Gingrich lacks the moral character to serve as President, his second ex-wife Marianne told ABC News, saying his campaign positions on the sanctity of marriage and the importance of family values do not square with what she saw during their 18 years of marriage."

How ridiculous is that? Putting a bitter old ex-wife on national TV to bash the guy? I think no matter what his positions, I would vote for him, just because of this.

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I'll leave on a cheerier note. Here is Pinedale's own John Perry, speaking at an anti SOPA rally, wearing his "Grateful Dead" scarf.

Wednesday Snow

2012-01-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

So beautiful outside! It's snowed about 3 inches, and looks like it is going to keep it up. I haven't even seen Barrie yet today, but I bet she's busy plowing snow.

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Chloe is in the house. She heard me in the kitchen, and yowled from the front porch to be let in. I would take a picture of her, but I can't get her unwound from my ankles. And she is making me sneeze.

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Vicky baked a pineapple upside down cake for my birthday, and brought it to art group this morning. Still warm from the oven, and yummy. Thank you, Vicky. You are a special friend.

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I went to Ridley's today. Is that twice in one month? Wow! Anyway, I saw the same girl again who sacked my groceries and insisted on taking them out for me. What a nice treat. I looked at her name tag but already forgot it. Most of Ridley's employees aren't friendly, but she sure is. Had to tell me about her husband who was home for the day, so he was in charge of the house and didn't know how to cook pasta.

Tuesday

2012-01-17T14:36:00.000-07:00

This is a small 6" x8" watercolor I thought I would whip out today. But I am stuck. It wasn't supposed to be a winter scene, but at this point, to me, it looks like that should be snow on the ground .

I'm no doubt biting off more than I can chew, but I am starting this watercolor tomorrow. Have the image transferred to the paper and some miskit applied.

This is the church in Sil Nakya, Arizona, a little village on the Papago reservation. I lived near there. Some friends and I drove across the desert, sometimes through dry river beds, and found this place. Looked like only three or four families lived there.

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I have heat! Finally! I've unplugged the electric heater and hope I can pay the power bill this month!

I believe Roger said last month it was probably the thermo coupler. Give that man a cigar! That's exactly what it was.

Monday

2012-01-16T09:43:00.000-07:00

I've decided I need to have at least one birthday a week. Thank you for my song, Kasey! Love you!

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When I was teaching, this was one of my favorite things to ask kindergartners, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Little boys usually wanted to be a fireman, or a policeman, and a lot of them wanted to be what their fathers were. One little boy wanted to be an emperor. I wonder where he is today?

And of course a favorite of little girls was to be a ballerina, or a mommy. One little girl said she wanted to be me, and one said she wanted to be a ribbon. I think she did grow up to be a ribbon.

Tracy called me yesterday, but I wasn't by the phone. Sister-in-law Alice called. I think they were right on the border between Nevada and Arizona, and she was having a hard time keeping her time straight. Arizona doesn't have daylight savings time. She was getting ready to go to a casino where she was one of the finalists in a slot machine tournement. ?????

And later yesterday afternoon, Leslie (stepdaughter) called. Nice day!

Sunday

2012-01-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

This is the shirt Tracy sent me for my birthday. Love the shirt and love the sentiment!

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I finished the book "Whispers" by Dean Koontz. I have read quite a few Koontz books in the past, and don't remember that any of them were romance stories. This one definitely was, and contained several steamy love scenes.

Pretty sad game last night, but I still love you, Broncos.

2012-01-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

Did a quick little 4" x 6" painting in my Moleskine book this morning. I wonder what this would look like as a larger painting?

Last night I noticed my water container had a little yellow plastic ball in it. Kat had been playing with the ball earlier on the floor. I got it out, and it is back in there this morning. ??? The cat is goofy, but playing in the water? Washing her ball?

Later, I found a dead mouse on the floor. Kat has been busy.

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Fighting with computer. It came with some program installed that plays videos, and I don't want it. I want to play videos with Windows Media Player. Without asking, this program made itself the default video player, and I can't find the file extension in the Control Panel to change it back.

I removed the program, and it seems to have removed my videos along with it. Maybe I can find them on my back up drive and get them back.

Friday

2012-01-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

This watercolor painting has been leaning against the wall for a long time. Yesterday I added the tall trees on the right side. I almost wish I hadn't, but maybe it looks a little better

My ink pen spent yesterday soaking in its cleaning solution. I gave it a good rinse and filled it with ink, and am ready to go again.

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I'm reading two books at one time, and shouldn't do that. Not sure my mind can handle it. I'm reading a book by Dean Koontz, "Whispers." Been a long time since I've read Koontz.

The other book is "LOST" by Rob Guthrie.

I think (hope) I have a commitment from Gene Paul to come work on heat on Monday.

2012-01-12T11:13:00.002-07:00

This was not my idea. Tracy made me do it. It's an iPad app, a mouse game made especially for cats. I don't think my cat quite gets it. She watches the mouse, she's interested, then she tries to look under the iPad. Then she starts to chew on it. The mouse goes "Eeep!" if you touch it. Kat accidently put her paw on it once, but didn't seem overly impressed.

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Joan D. is showing Vicky's watercolor painting at Art Group yesterday.

Barrie went to the post office for me and delivered the new mats to the art room. We got some really nice mats, and I wish now I had ordered more small ones. Lenore and Vicky cleaned and straightened the cupboards. Shoulda been there, Judi!

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I watched a Carol Burnett DVD last night. Years ago, I purchased the collector's series, they came once a month, and I have about a dozen of them. Now, that's my kind of entertainment. Late last night, I was sitting upstairs, laughing, all by myself.

Learned some interesting things about the cast. Vicki Lawrence, who was a regular on the show and later had her own series, "Mama's Family", was also a singer. She recorded the song "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia", which sold more than two million records.

On this day in 1971, "All In the Family" debuted on CBS-TV. You can still see these occasionally on TV, but the Crackle.com web site has them also.

Tuesday

2012-01-10T14:30:00.001-07:00

Both Vicky and Lenore sent me this photo. It is entitled "Real Cowboys Have No Fear". Cute and funny!

This must be where all our snow went. This is a house in Cordova, Alaska.

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I'm keeping my drawing pencils and my ink pen busy, but my watercolors are being neglected. I still don't feel ready to paint sagebrush for my antelope. I am not doing well, and am not going to ruin the painting because I am impatient.

I am working on the background of the oil painting of the deer in the snow.

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Read a very disturbing news article on the computer this morning.

North Carolina is compensating victims of a mass sterilization program that targeted poor minorities in a 20th century eugenics program, offering a $50,000 a person.

North Carolina sterilized more than 7,600 people in North Carolina from 1929 to 1974 -- one of many other states in misguided attempts to weed out criminals and the mentally disabled. At some point in the century, more than half of the states in the U.S. had similar programs that allowed for the sterilization of those the government deemed unfit to procreate.

We abhored Hitler for this practice in Europe. Isn't this the same thing? Obviously this is a part of U.S. History that is not very well known.

Monday

2012-01-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

It's a wonder I didn't have a heart attack yesterday before the Broncos finally won. What a game and what a finish! Barrie and I were both yelling.

Paul and Tracy did not go to the game yesterday. They sold their tickets. They just got a new TV for Christmas and got it hooked up to the new receiver yesterday, and Tracy said the picture was incredible. They probably got a better view of the game than if they had been there. Still . . . .She said they both yelled so loud that they scared the cats.

I went through the 100+ photos the Denver Post had this morning, and picked a couple of my favorite to post.

Demaryius Thomas stiff arming the Steelers player in the last play of the game.

Tebow's reaction after Thomas made the touchdown.

And his reaction after that. You gotta admire this guy, both for his ball playing abilities, and for his faith.

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Has anyone heard of or seen the Alphasmart? It's a portable word processor, runs on three AA batteries. I think they're used mostly in education, but writers also use them. I just won a used one on EBay. Why? Darned if I know. I like gadgets.

Sunday

2012-01-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest super duper time waster. I have started a pen and ink drawing of an elk. I am doing "stippling method", which means I sit by the hour and make little dots on the paper with my Rapidiograph pen, the x3 one, which is an incredibly fine point. I kind of hypnotize myself when I do this. I think it's the kind of activity a person in an institution might do.

Does anyone remember the old WordPerfect program? It used to be the top of the line word processing program and I used it. It used keystrokes for commands. I think F3 was for "cancel" or "undo". I used it before I had Windows on my computer. (DOS operating system). I had no idea the program was still around. Found this on eBay, and they sell for around $40. Wonder what the program is like now?

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Tracy called yesterday. They don't have much more snow that we have in Silverthorne (CO). They have season tickets to the Broncos and were debating going to Denver to watch the game today. They weren't too enthused, because its pretty certain the Broncos will get beat. But I hope those guys surprise everyone.

Friday

2012-01-06T13:39:00.001-07:00

My friend Nancy in California sent me some more photos. I'm going to borrow a couple to post today. These were New Year Wishes.

May the worst thing that happens to you come in slobbery pink and furry TAN.

May your cup runneth over with love

Great pictures. Thanks, Nancy.

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I made beef stew with dumplings last night from the leftover roast I fixed a couple days ago. I know how to make stew. You just clean out the refrigerator, right? Carrots, potatoes and onions of course. And then add two zucchini that were starting to look shriveled, and two tired looking tomatoes. And some celery and a few leftover green beans. And add some spices and a couple bay leaves. It's recipes that give me a problem.

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I went to Rendezvous Pointe this morning for the oil painting class, and after I sat there a while, I decided I had goofed. Sure enough, it starts next Friday, not today.

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Watched a terrible movie last night. It starred Tom Cruise and Nichole Kidman, so should have been good. NOT! Maybe they did a good acting job, but the movie was rotten. It was called "With Eyes Wide Shut".

Tonight I plan on watching Sam Elliot in Conager, a good western. I've seen it before, so I already know he will win the widow's heart in the end.

Thursday

2012-01-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I posted pictures of the sled dog puppies. I found this photo of Chloe as a small kitten the other day. Chloe has been visiting almost every day. One day, she came upstairs after eating, and actually laid down and went to sleep for a while. I wouldn't mind having her in the house more, but her hair really triggers my cat allergy. Still don't know what is so special about Kat's hair, but it doesn't bother me much.

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The continuance of the oil painting class I am taking from Kay Meeks starts for another six weekss tomorrow. I have taken a long time figuring out what to paint, and I finally decided on a deer in the snow, from a photograph I took years ago when I was still using a film camera.

I spent yesterday morning in art group practicing painting sagebrush on a new sheet of paper. Not a lot of success yet.

I like this. The game of Monopoly really is old. It was patented in 1933 by Charles Darrow, who later sold his interest to Parker Bros. The rest is history.

All Grown Up

2012-01-04T15:11:00.001-07:00

Here are the puppies as they looked last August, after getting high on fermented chokecherries.

And now they are grown up sled dogs.

Karma

Kori

Kudar

Barrie was on a roll taking pictures at the dog lot. Here is Kasey and Tank.

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Today is National Trivia Day! In 1948, the stitched “W” was added to the rear pockets of Wrangler jeans to represent Wrangler Western Wear. Bet ya didn't know that!

Tuesday

2012-01-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

I tried up upload this yesterday, several times. It finally uploaded last night. Blogger doesn't seem to like videos.

I don't know how long she would have kept singing this if I hadn't cut her off and told her that was plenty! When I tried to get her to sing "Red Solo Cup", she told me she didn't know the words. But she can sure sing along with it when she hears it on the radio.

I'm reading a new book on my Kindle, "LOST" by Rob Guthrie. I already read his first book, "Black Beast", and enjoyed it. Rob is from Pinedale. I never taught him, but I taught his younger sister. His mom, Donna, worked with me as a teachers' aide.

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If I lived in Italy, I think I would stay home on New Years Eve. Those Italians really go all out to celebrate! "Two men were killed and 561 other people were wounded as Italians celebrated the New Year with massive displays of illegal and homemade fireworks. "

Monday

2012-01-02T11:25:00.001-07:00

Kasey and her new puppy, which she named "Jingle". It has a jingle bell around its neck, but it doesn't have the little ball in it that makes it jingle. ???

Using the new app on the iPad, Disney's "It's a Small World". I love the smiling Winnie Pooh on her pajamas.

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Read an article on my Yahoo News Page this morning:

The top ten Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2011 are:

•Convict sues couple he kidnapped for not helping him evade police

•Man illegally brings gun into bar, gets injured in a fight, then sues bar for not searching him for a weapon

•Young adults sue mother for sending cards without gifts and playing favorites

•Woman disagrees with store over 80-cent refund, sues for $5 million

•Mom files suit against exclusive preschool over child's college prospects

•Man suing for age discrimination says judge in his case is too old

•Obese man sues burger joint over tight squeeze in booths

•Woman sues over movie trailer; says not enough driving in "Drive"

•Passenger's lawsuit says cruise ship went too fast and swayed from side to side

•Mother sues Chuck E. Cheese – says games encourage gambling in children

New Years Day

2012-01-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! (But it doesn't feel new to me.) I missed midnight, so wasn't even aware when of the time you're supposed to jump around and yell.

I watched a movie last night - a terrible movie. It was about a man and woman who meet at a wedding. Turns out (I finally figured out) they used to be married to each other. She was very British and hard to understand. And the entire movie was filmed with a split screen. Sometimes they just showed different views of the same scene, but sometimes one side showed flashbacks of their lives when they were young. (At one time, the film showed them making love in her hotel room, while the other side showed them making love 15 years before.)

The movie ends with her getting in a cab to the airport, and he is standing on the sidewalk watching her leave. Then the next scene shows him in the cab with her, talking about how hard it is to be happy. I have no idea how the movie actually ended.

After that terrible movie, I watched Babe. THAT'S a movie I can understand.

Shouting!

Saturday

2011-12-31T10:36:00.002-07:00

As we don't have any snow to speak of, I thought I'd go through my pictures and post a couple of January photos from years past.

This deer was standing in the deep snow along the road out by the Air Force station on the Boulder Road. I took the picture years ago with my Minolta SLR camera on slide film, with an 800 mm mirror lens.

These two plastic "garden" rabbits sat on top of a stump in my back yard. We moved them to the front yard when Jarvi and Shorty moved into the back yard.

Oh how I miss the snow!

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I don't know why I'm even bothering, but I am going through files on the old HP laptop and removing everything I think it can live without. Maybe that will help get it back in running condition. I can't believe all the crap that gets put on the hard drive of a computer by other programs. It actually booted up on the first try this morning, then spent a long time making updates to itself and configuring. Who knows what it's doing?

Friday

2011-12-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

Have spent the entire morning fussing around with computer. My new laptop came with McAfee anti virus program installed, and the trial period is running out. I have a license for Norton that is good for three computers, so had to do some reading and researching. It was already installed on 3 computers, but I remeoved it from the old HP laptop. Dowloaded Norton to this computer, entered the key, and I guess I now have Norton activated.

I got Barrie a new 4GB memory card for her camera. Her camera won't accept it, says it is locked. I tried it in my compact camera, and it says it is the wrong card.

My Canon Rebel also uses an SD card, and it worked perfectly in that camera. What the heck? In the past, my SD cards work in both the Rebel and the compact camera.

Ahhhh! Don't you just love technology?

************************

Barrie's Christmas was jinxed. The card for her camera won't work, and the book I ordered her didn't come. When I tried calling about it before Christmas, they were closed for the holidays, so I sent an e-mail. Got a reply a couple days ago. They said it shipped separately, and it was on its way. Date of shipment was 11/29. Wait a minute! That was a month ago! How did they ship it anyway? By mule train.

So another e-mail this morning questioning them. Merry, merry Christmas, Barrie!

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I ordered a bunch of picture mats for our artist group a couple days ago. Maybe I got a little carried away, but we never seem to have the right mat for our work. And our group has plenty of money, so we can afford it. They will weigh a ton, and Barrie has promised that she will deliver them to the art room at Rendezvous Pointe when they come in.

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Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

When blondes have more fun, do they know it?

Thursday

2011-12-29T12:32:00.001-07:00

Got a Christmas card from my friend and former teaching partner, Heidi. She and Bob live in Washington state, and have two boys. Don't these guys make you smile just looking at them? They look like "keepers" to me.

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As always, the NWS predicted something that didn't happen. We got a little skiff of snow last night, but not the winter storm they predicted. Sunny this morning, and the wind is blowing.

I have pounded the heck out of a beef roast this morning with my handy dandy little meat tenderizer with 42 little knife blades. I rubbed it all over with a rub I found in the cupboard for roasts and steaks. I am tired of trying to make decent food in my crock pot or pressure cooker. This roast is going to be cooked the old fashioned way, in the oven with carrots, potatoes and onions around it. Stay tuned to see if the dogs got it, or if we liked it.

My watercolor antelope is almost finished. I am going to start practicing painting sagebrush on scrap paper today. Maybe I can actually learn to paint a reasonable facsimile of sagebrush.

Wednesday

2011-12-28T12:38:00.001-07:00

I had a real shock when I walked into the art room at Rendezvous Pointe this morning. Kasey was sitting at a table, and Lenore was combing her hair. Then I realized it was Tegan, Lenore's granddaughter. They are both four years old and look so much alike it's scary. Lenore was hoping I would have Kasey with me and they could play.

Kasey was all gussied up last night with blue fingernails, her fancy shirt, and her jewelry and wrist watch.

My stove has quit, kaput, the pilot light is even off. I left a message on Gene Paul's answering machine, but I think they may be out of town for Christmas. I brought an electric heater up here, and it's not too bad. The new slipper sox Paul and Tracy got me for Christmas have come in handy! I dread seeing my electric bill next month.

Someone's fourth birthday? Whose?

Monday

2011-12-26T11:32:00.001-07:00

Kasey loves her "Little Pet Shop" animals Paul and Tracy got her. They are really cute.

I got her a "magic tree house" for her animals. Sorry, Barrie. I had no idea it would be so big and so complicated and it even takes batteries.

And she took all the animals for a ride in the pink pet shop car.

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From Christmas past. We had come back to Wyoming from Colorado for Christmas this year. I think Tracy must have been two. We put her to bed, and got her up later to tell her that Santa had come. She loved the doll and buggy. She started down my mom's hallway (hardwood floor). She was wearing footed pajamas with no skid proof soles, and when she hit the slick floor, her feet went out from under her and she ended up on her back with the doll and buggy on top of her.

Barrie got this big "pillow" leopard for Christmas one year. I thought she would really like it, but I found in on my bed every night after she went to bed. Finally got her to admit that she didn't like it, and that it scared her. She wouldn't sleep with it in the room.

Saturday - Staying Warm

2011-12-24T10:35:00.008-07:00

Gene Paul came yesterday and worked on my upstairs stove. I had taken the glass and grid off and sprayed it with canned air. Boy, did the dust fly out! But then I couldn't get the pilot lit.

I wonder if the fact that I was his first grade (and second grade) teacher had anything to do with the fast service I got? Because he came within a couple hours after I called.

He is ordering a new part for the furnace in the basement, and will clean the gas log fireplace in the living room. He said my switch on this stove might be faulty and he will bring a new one when he comes back.

I hope he didn't charge me by the hour. He looked through my art work, we talked, and he even played with the cat.

Still have to get Kasey's presents wrapped. Barrie's gift won't be here in time for Christmas. When I called to ask about it, the message said they were closed for the holidays. So she will get a picture of her present.

Got a note from a woman who bought one of my pencil drawings. She wants to buy the watercolor of the trout I have hanging in the art room at Rendezvous Pointe. Nice.

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If you have a cat AND an iPad (which I do), you should read this article about how to teach your cat to play games on your iPad.

http://www.wikihow.com/Bring-Out-Your-Cat%27s-Inner-Gamer-on-the-iPad

I think I'll pass.

There really is a link there, just above "I think I'll pass." Blogger won't let me change the color to something you can read. Just click around and you might hit it.

Thursday

2011-12-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Started the day with breakfast at the Wrangler with Barrie and Kasey.

Kasey picked up a copy of the Sublette County Magazine from the rack in front of the Wrangler, and she and Barrie looked at the article and pictures on dogsledding Barrie has in it.

Kasey ordered French Toast and bacon. Barrie and I had eggs, sausage and a bicuit. Wonderful breakfast! I always love breakfast at the Wrangler from way back when - when Ramseys started it on the other side of town. It was next to the trailer house I lived in when I first moved to town. They used to keep a key to my door in their cash register, because I was always locking myself out.

Kerback's trailer court is no longer there, and the Wrangler loaded up the cafe (which was a trailer house with wood siding) on a trailer and moved it across town.

Sugar Shack is in that location now. The Sugar Shack used to be right in front of my house. It was called "King Cone" then, and advertised "Road Kill Burgers". If they made a mistake on an order, Tom would step out his back door and yell to Barrrie to come down and get it. Had some good free meals from that place!

Barrie and Kasey have gone mushing. Kasey is planning on going out by herself with one dog.

Wednesday

2011-12-21T13:53:00.003-07:00

Kasey went to a pajama party yesterday afternoon. On their way home, Barrie picked up my mail, and I had three boxes. Kasey brought them upstairs, and they all were packed with packets of air. Kasey calls them "poppers".

She started stomping on them to make them pop.

When they were all flattened, she took them downstairs to the garbage and put the biggest box in the basement.

Barrie must have gone to the recycling center, as all the boxes from the basement and garage were gone. Yay, Barrie!

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Barrie had to work today, and Julie's Day Care is closed, so Kasey went to art group with me. She painted and drew with markers, and practiced writing her name. Beth gave her a little gift packet stocking stuffer with a pen and little book, some little balls, a piece of candy and some other things.

I stayed and had lunch with Vicky and Dorothy. KC said she didn't want anything to eat, but she ate some of my sweet potato and the jello desert. Then she had a cup of ice cream. We had a fun day.

Monday

2011-12-19T11:32:00.001-07:00

Bright sunny day. Are we ever going to get any more snow? This weather is boring.

Put most of the big pot of chile I made in the freezer this morning in small containers, and washed the chile pot.

I'm going to cook some rice, and a sauce with curry powder and hard boiled eggs to put over it. Ever had curry sauce? It's the only time I ever use curry.

My watercolor antelope is waiting patiently for me to get back to work on him. If I can finish his body today, I am going to take a sheet of watercolor paper and practice painting sagebrush -- over and over again until I get it right. Then I can put some sagebrush in the picture. Antelope have to have sagebrush, don't they?

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I watched the movie "Christene" last night (Stephen King.) I've seen it before, maybe more than once, but it's been a long time.

Saturday

2011-12-17T10:37:00.002-07:00

Barrie and Kasey made sugar cookies yesterday.

Kasey was talking to Doug on the phone when I went in the kitchen.

Then Kasey stirred - - -

While Barrie talked to Doug and looked for spices.

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Barrie bought tape and gift wrap yesterday, so I can wrap gifts. Trouble is, Barrie's present isn't here yet. Paul and Tracy's has been shipped, but it requires a signature. I wasn't thinking, or I would have had it delivered to Paul's office or the Summit County Sheriff's Dept. I tried to change the delivery, just have them hold it for pickup at the UPS place. Frustrating - user name, passwords, account number, etc. I finally gave up and sent Tracy the tracking number. Maybe she can notify them to hold it for pickup.

Friday

2011-12-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

Here is our Christmas tree this year, the philodendron Barrie brought home from Telecontractors. It's as big as a horse. (She brought a horse home a couple years ago too, but it's not in our living room.) The plant makes a good Christmas tree. Barrie put twinkling miniature lights on it. Kasey loves putting decorations on it and rearranging them.

Kasey threw up last night, so stayed home from school today. She hung out with me upstairs while Barrie went to the store. She's a "bed head". She brought a puke bucket up with her, but seemed to feel fine. She played with the iPad a while, then we watched the video on my computer of Toby Keith singing "Red Solo Cup". She knew all the words and sang along. She played with Kat. Yes, they really do play. They chase each other. Kasey giggles and Kat snarls and growls.

A small 4" x 6" painting with the Cotman paints. I couldn't get anything to look right in the foreground, so I got out my Graphitint pencils. They are watersoluble pencils with graphite in them. I need to use them more. They are lovely colors, earth tones, and are fun to work with.

Wednesday

2011-12-14T14:43:00.003-07:00

Now playing on my iPod, Alaska's Hobo Jim, "Iditarod Trail".

Kasey and I had a "picnic" yesterday. When she got home from school, Barrie made Little Smokies wrapped in crescent rolls for a snack. Yum! Kasey brought them upstairs, and sat in my rocker to eat hers. She said we were having a picnic. I had four. KC had two, ate them, and went downstairs for two more. Then she had some Reese's Pieces, which she shared with me.

She watched two TV shows with me, artists demonstrating painting techniques. She enjoyed them, and of course she wanted to paint.

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I started a new watercolor of an antelope in art group today. I have hopes for it. Judith A, an artist friend from Colorado, emailed telling how she mixes colors for sagebrush. Maybe I'll be able to put some sage in this picture.

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When I got home from art group, the resident elf had cleaned my upstairs room, including the cat's litter box! I'm spoiled. Don't elves have pointed ears? I better check Barrie's ears.

Another pair of strange shoes. Do you think people actually wear these?

Tuesday

2011-12-13T11:55:00.003-07:00

Yesterday was filled with piddling busy work. I finished the book "In Cold Blood", cleaned my ink pen, did a load of laundry, pruned my airplane plant, put the little plugs in the bookcase to conceal the screws, watched a watercolor video (Tom Jones), bid on and won a watercolor pallette on EBay, painted over my herford calf's eyes (again), transferred an antelope drawing to watercolor paper, partially painted a 4" x 6" landscape, and recited my times tables.

What? Times tables? Yes, I really did. I was curious how easily I could say them, and it was easy. I have my old fourth grade teacher, Miss Fuller, to thank for that. When my mind is totally gone, I bet I will still remember my times tables.

Miss Fuller was a unique teacher. She lived right behind the school and often went home for lunch. The other teachers watched out for her. If she was late getting back, someone would cover her class and someone would go get her. She liked a good stiff drink with (or in place of) her lunch. I don't remember her teaching us anything else, just the times tables. She made us write them, recite them out loud, and we had races to see who could write them on the chalkboard the fastest.

In later years, I worked part time as a waitress in the Derby Bar and Dining Room in Shoshoni. Miss Fuller would often be there, and without fail, she would get mad at Nick about something, and tell him she was just going to buy the damned place and fire him. Nick would accept the check she wrote him, and tear it up later. No one argued with Miss Fuller.

The last time I saw her was at a funeral in Shoshoni. She was dressed like a bag lady, with several layers of clothing, and shuffled as she walked. She remembered me, but didn't ask me to recite the times tables.

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I'm going to watch this video today. I had a copy I made from a VCR tape years ago, and it won't play. So I ordered a new one. It has the most beautiful footage of large birds I've ever seen.

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Another pair of strange shoes.

Monday

2011-12-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

Roger asked me to post this picture again of the pencil drawing I did of Kasey. Wish I had the skills to do this in watercolor.

I haven't gotten a card from them either.

I went through a knitting phase for a while, and knit socks, a bunch of them. The pair on the left was done with separate colors of yarn and an intricate pattern. The other four pair were knit with a varigated yarn that makes its own stripes and patterns as you knit. Wonderful stuff! A blend of wool and nylon.

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The beans and cornbread I made last night were good. At least I liked it. I'm not sure if Barrie and Kasey ate it. I think the beans will go in a pot of chile.

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"Life's hard. It's even harder when you're stupid." ¯ John Wayne

Sunday

2011-12-11T12:53:00.001-07:00

I worked on this little oil painting a while yesterday. Frustrating. Just can't get their faces to suit me. Next time I paint a cow, I'm going to have her grazing with her head buried in tall grass

I finished filling the bookcase, and guess what? I still have more books to fit somewhere. I put a piece of Indian pottery on the top for decoration.

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I cleaned the last meal I ruined out of the pressure cooker/crockpot this morning, and started some beans. I boiled the beans for about 10 minutes, and will let them sit and soak for a while. Then will pressure them for about 1 hour. They will be delicious. Even I have a hard time ruining pinto beans. Maybe I will make chili or maybe I will just eat beans and cornbread.

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Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.

Mark Twain

Friday

2011-12-09T11:31:00.004-07:00

Now playing on my iPod, Wayne Newton, "Mack the Knife".

Kasey came running upstairs last night, in her pajamas and hair wet from her bath, yelling "Grandma, Grandma, Chloe's here. Come down and see." She was so excited.

She went to the basement to get canned cat food and put some on a plate for Chloe.

Then she had her mom get some water for Chloe, and sat down on the floor beside her to watch her eat. Funny girl. She loves that cat!

The new bookcase is filling up fast. I really need to go through books and get rid of some of them. If only someone would sort through the books in the living room and in Barrie's room.

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Barrie shut the front gate, and there are four deer standing down in the driveway by the gate, looking longingly at the front yard. They want in!

Thursday

2011-12-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The senior center has been decorated beautifully again this year. The Christmas Angel uses the art room to store gifts for the kids, and it all looks so festive.

Didn't do a thing in art group yesterday except look at magazines. It was Vicky's birthday, and Vicky, Conley and I stayed for lunch.

Daughter in law Judy send me some pictures of strange shoes. Here is one.

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Enjoyed the rodeo on tv last night. Clint and Sweetness won first (three way tie) in the calf roping! I'm a big fan. Saw a picture of some girls in the stands holding up a big sign that said "Marry Me, Tuf Cooper!" He's the youngest of the Cooper brothers.

Tuesday

2011-12-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

My e-mail is up and running in good shape, finally. I wasn't going to use my old email program, but changed my mind. I hated Outlook Mail, and Windows Live Mail won't connect with Century Tel. So I downloaded Incredimail again, and it works beautifully.

I used Windows Easy Transfer to copy files from the old computer to the new. It worked really slick, just took a long time (all night and then some), and I guess I got impatient and stopped it before it was finished. I found today that it never got all my picture files moved. So I copied them to a flash card this morning, and moved them to the new computer.

I started to put my new bookcase together this morning and found that I need a screwdriver. Bummer. I didn't even go look for one, because I'm not even sure where my tools are now.

Enjoyed the rodeo again last night. Still waiting for Clint and Sweetness to win a round in the calf roping. Sweetness is owned by a woman who grew up near Shoshoni, right next to my brother and sister-in-law's place. Sweetness has won "Roping Horse of the Year" for two years in a row.

No special reason for the picture today. It is Madge's Cabin, up at the museum. I Photoshopped the sky and background.

No Email

2011-12-04T14:58:00.002-07:00

I think Century Tel has done it to me again. I was very rude to one of their tech people a few years ago, and I swear they've had it in for me ever since.

I'm not able to get email on either my new computer or the old one. And when I log onto Century Tel's web site and checked for email there, it showed I had one. I didn't open it, didn't delete it, or anything. But the next time I looked, it wasn't there.

I can send email, but can't receive it.

***********************

Chloe is in the house, sleeping on the padded footstool I have under my drawing table, up against my feet. Awww.

I've been enjoying the coverage of the NFR this year. They do such a good job. Is it just me, or do a large percentage of bulldoggers ride grey horses?

Saturday

2011-12-03T12:16:00.002-07:00

The new computer is set up, (I think). I'm not sure the email works, though. I finally called Century Tel, and was told "Oh, we changed the server address." Grrr.

Every time I call Century Tel, I end up being angry with them. I am using Outlook for my email, hopefully.

The computer is slick, and fast. No more typing and waiting for the display to catch up with my fingers. It came with Office 2010 installed.

I love this video. Makes me laugh and laugh.

Setting up new computer

2011-12-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

Setting up new computer

Wednesday

2011-11-30T16:00:00.003-07:00

Went to art group today. There were only four of us there, Conley, Vicky, Barbara and me. Vicky brought a pumpkin pie and whipped cream. Yum. It was SO good. Vicky sent two pieces home with me for Barrie and Kasey.

Got the new bookcase out of its box and the pieces hauled upstairs. Whew, that thing is heavy! And you could injure yourself just unpacking it - heavy cardboard and those mean big copper staples.

Desert Dust

I you are old (like me) and have lived in Wyoming a long time, you may remember this horse. His picture used to be on every postcard rack in the state. He was a wild stud, captured down by Wamsutter on the desert. The rancher who caught him decided to keep him. He lived for years, and sired many colts. He was in a pasture down by Glenrock, when someone shot him and several other horses.

Here is a link to the story about him:

http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/field_offices/Rawlins/wh/desertdust.html

The rancher who owned him was named Frank Robbins, and I met him once, under comical circumstances. Some of my friends and I were goofing around in Shoshoni, just driving around. It was time for the little bus to come in from Casper, so we went down to the Shoshoni garage to watch it. (Yeah, that's the kind of thing you do if you grow up in Shoshoni. Once in a while, someone actually got off the bus!)

And this night, someone did get off the bus - a drunk cowboy, no coat in the middle of winter, no shoes, and no wallet. Seems he was drinking with some friends in the Elbow Room in Casper, and when he reached a certain point, they decided to put him on the bus to Shoshoni, as a prank.

He was pretty confused, and looked pretty helpless to us, and cold. So we took him to the Derby Bar and Dining Room, where Nick fixed him a steak. The bartender gave him a pair of shoes, and someone else found him a coat. Nick let him sleep on the mattress in the old gambling room, and staked him to bus fare back to Casper the next day.

And that's how I met the owner of Desert Dust.

Tuesday

2011-11-29T10:22:00.001-07:00

Kasey is listening to "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" on my iPad. She had never heard the story before, and was very worried about the "Whos" and said the Grinch was rude. She loves that word.

Cats from the Past

When I posted pictures of Chloe yesterday, I saw pictures of a couple cats we had years ago.

This is Midnight. He just showed up one day and stayed. He terrorized Barrie. Once he left and was gone quite a while. I looked out my classroom window at school, and he was rubbing on the tires of my jeep. So I took him back home.

This is a kitten I raised on a bottle. Her name was Muffy, and Boomer thought she was his cat. They would play together. When she got run over, Boomed searched the house over looking for her for days.

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The coat hooks and boot rack are here. Now if I can get Barrie away from the TV to put them up . . . .

Monday

2011-11-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my friend Sally today! Have a good one.

Chloe came to visit again last night, and to eat, and rub on everything. Kasey was happy to see her. I had a new book (The Grinch), on the iPad, but KC would rather play with Chloe.

I was trying to think how old Chloe was, and went back through my old pictures and found one of her as a kitten, taken in the fall of 2006.

This is Chloe with her sister, Dan. Dan was supposed to be little tom cat, but presented me with a litter of kittens in the spring. So did Chloe. They each had two litters before I bit the bullet, grabbed my checkbook, and had them spayed.

I don't know where they were born, but their mother had them stashed down by my driveway. Three or four of the kittens had bob tails. Their mother left with the rest of them, but for some reason, Chloe and Dan didn't follow. So I started feeding them. They were pretty wild, because I never handled them.

I'm pretty sure Kat is the great, (or great great?) granddaughter of one of them.

Saturday

2011-11-26T15:46:00.001-07:00

This is a little (4" x 6") watercolor I did this morning. This is the view from Paul and Tracy's deck in Silverthorne.

Chloe's moto is, "if it's there, rub against it."

Barrie and Kasey got home last night. They went to Encampment for Thanksgiving.

Tracy called Friday. She and Paul are at their condo in Florida. They had dinner with Leslie (Snow) and Russell at his parents' house. While she was talking to me, I could hear a noisy bird. She said there is a big bird of some kind that hangs out on the pier in front of their place. Tracy said she's very polite, just sits and watches people, waiting for bite of fish, maybe? Sounded like a heron - Tracy said it's as tall as she is.

Friday

2011-11-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

Now playing on my iPod, Nancy Sinatra, "These Boots are Made for Walkin':

No Black Friday shopping for me. I ordered two new art books online yesterday. Besides, where would I go shopping? Ridleys?

I finished this watercolor of a buffalo yesterday. Maybe he needs more shadow under him. I wanted to paint some sagebrush, but couldn't pull it off.

A couple years ago, Barrie, Kasey and I were in West Yellowstone for a sled dog race. We were in the race headquarters for the drivers' meeting, and there was a mounted buffalo head on the wall. Some woman from Minnesota had Kasey on her lap and was talking to her. She pointed to the buffalo head, and told Kasey, "See the bison? That's a bison."

Kasey looked at her like she was nuts and said "That's a buffalo."

Chloe came to visit yesterday and finished off the dish of cat food. Kat watched her, then reached out with her front paw and swatted Chloe on the head. Chloe laid her ears back, but didn't pay any more attention to her.

Thursday

2011-11-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Tuesday

2011-11-22T12:46:00.003-07:00

Am I off the hook, Roger? Here are some pictures of Kasey.

Kasey is reading "The Pokey Little Puppy" on my iPad.

And now for Grover and "The Monster at the End of This Book. For the fourteenth or fifteenth time. The Grover book is interactive - she can tickle his tummy, or touch the knots he tied so sho couldn't trun the page, and the knots come undone. She loves it, and Grover is very loud, and I needed a break from him.

Looks like I put Barrie in the dryer and shrunk her.

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As soon as I finished the order for a new lapatop and came upstairs, I tried this one again, and it booted right up. And it ran better and faster than it has for a long time. Hmmm, kind of spooky, don't you think? I saw a movie once where a computer had human traits. It's almost like this one was telling me, Okay, I'll be good. I didn't turn it off after that - left it in sleep mode all night.

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Kasey came running upstairs the other night to tell me Chloe was here. She was so excited. Barrie heard a cat in the garage and thought it was probably her, couldn't get her to come out of hiding. She was up in the loft of the garage. So she sent Kasey in the garage, Kasey called her, and Chloe came right to her. We don't know how long she was in there, but she was kind of hungry and thirsty.

Kasey said "Chloe likes me, but Kat doesn't." Don't feel bad, kiddo. Kat doesn't like anybody. Well that's not quite true. She sleeps on my feeet and rubs on my ankles, but she won't let me touch her.

Computer died

2011-11-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

I just finished ordering a new laptop computer. My laptop has died, dead, gone. I'm going with a Dell this time, giving up on HP. I've known for some time it was going down. Wouldn't boot up sometimes, and was so slow, When I was typing, it was always about five or six words behind me.

Haven't decided yet whether to take it to Mike and see if it can be fixed. Our other HP, the one Barrie uses, had a hard drive failure, just a couple of days after the warranty ran out. Mike talked to HP and convinced them to send a new hard drive, free of charge.

I did back up the files not long ago, so won't lose much. But it's a hassle to reinstall programs.

Had a yard full of deer yesterday. The front gate was open, and they came in, six or seven of them. Something under the snow must have been really good.

The other deer left, and this poor little guy couldn't remember where the gate was where he came in. He finally found it.

The magpies are still working on the rib cage of the deer on the ditchbank.

Sunday

2011-11-20T13:48:00.000-07:00

A cold gray day outside. Looks like it wants to snow.
I am reading "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. That guy sure goes into detail. For some reason, I thought that was the only book he wrote, but I checked on Amazon, and he's authored several books. I was surprised to see he wrote "Breakfast at Tiffany's".

I was looking through some National Geographic photos online the other day, and found this picture of a snowy owl. Wow! Breathtaking photo, isn't it?

XM Radio already has a channel for Christmas music. I'm not listening, it's too early. Besides, I have a playlist of my favorite Christmas songs on my iPod. I just don't care much for most of the new music. Give me Bing Crosby any day, singing "White Christmas".

Saturday

2011-11-19T10:00:00.005-07:00

We had some new snow, and Barrie plowed our driveway. She loves plowing snow, says all the other "snow plowers" wave at her. Sounds like a good way to pick up guys, doesn't it?

Did another little 4" x 6" painting in the little Moleskine book. I have only 12 pages left in the book. Don't ask what that is on the right, because I don't have a clue. Maybe a fence?

Poor kid was not "politically correct."

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Had much better luck shopping on the Internet yesterday. Found flannel pajamas at JC Penney for a reasonable price. For some reason, I refuse to spend $70 or $80 for a pair of flannel pajamas.

Found the perfect bookshelf for upstairs. I have books stacked on tables and corners of the room.

Also found a boot rack I like. It's wall mounted, holds four pair of boots upside down. We can put it up right over the heater vent in the dining room.

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I don't want to read any more media coverage about the scandal at Penn State, and no more "Occupy" stories.

Magazine cover

2011-11-18T09:30:00.001-07:00

The Sublette County Magazine and Real Estate Guide has been printed, and one of my paintings is on the front cover. Gives me a good feeling, and maybe a shot in the arm to get busy and keep my brushes wet!

And Barrie has pictures and an article she wrote about dog sledding in the magazine. We will probably have autograph seekers pounding at the front door!

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Tried to do some Internet shopping today. Grrrr! Finally ordered one pair of flannel pajamas. Then I tried to find a coat rack. I looked at hundreds of them, and was getting really frustrated. The only ones I even half-way liked were two or three hundred dollars. (We have some big nails in the basement.)

And then I got a brain fart, and found these neat looking coat hooks. The wall is knotty pine, so they won't be hard to put up. Barrie can do it easily with her handy dandy cordless drill. (Notice I always say "Barrie will do it.") They won't be out in the room like a coat rack would be, and we can put boots and shoes on the floor under the hooks. Still thinking about a boot rack.

Thursday

2011-11-17T10:41:00.001-07:00

This is the watercolor I started at Art Group yesterday. It has possibilities. I do a lot of pencil drawings of animals, but have never been able to paint them. I figure the only way I will learn is to just jump in and do it.

I'm using my Daniel Smith watercolors again. Just can't get used to them.

Les and I were the only ones at art group, then Conley and Dorothy showed up. Conley is working on a paining of a fish, Les was working on his Big Horn Sheep painting, and Dorothy is painting peppers, onions, etc.

Barrie had the bakers rack from the dining room down in the driveway when I got home. Gina wants it and said she would come pick it up today.

My nice neat dining room is already a mess. Don't have a coat rack or boot rack yet, so coats are hung on the backs of chairs, and boots and shoes are just there. And I have a pile of magazines and cookbooks on a chair to go to the recycling center and/or the Food Basket. And a large box was delivered by Big Brown yesterday, still sitting on the floor. Why in the heck do I have so many cookbooks when I can't even cook? And millions of recipes are available on the Internet anyway.

My flannel pajamas have a split on the back and another on a sleeve. Guess I will get on the Internet and find some new flannel pajamas today. Also look for coat racks and boot rack. By the time I'm done with all that shopping, I will probably just have to relax with a good book and watch it snow.

Tuesday

2011-11-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

This will be a quick post. Have nothing to say, and no pictures to post.

Barrie and Kasey got home yesterday, and the boyfriend left with Barrie's bootprint on his rear. Oh well. Barrie is okay, she says she likes her dogs better anyway.

Beautiful sunny day today. Barrie plowed snow all day. She's plowing and shoveling different properties all over town. There are plenty of places to clean, but she would rather plow snow. She's related to her father.

More or less got caught up on the word count for the book today. I'm about half way through, and have run out of story. Time to dig deeper.

I'm so ready to read or watch a movie. I thought about cooking, but maybe tomorrow. I think Barrie will make our "Ridley's Run" tomorrow. I have a list, and big plans.

Monday

2011-11-14T10:28:00.001-07:00

Got to get the furnace fixed! I had to go to the basement yesterday afternoon and start it, and again this morning. Have a gas log fireplace in the living room that needs cleaned or adjusted or something, and same with my gas log stove upstairs. Brrr. My hands are cold. Kat is following the patches of sunshine around on the floor, making sure she sleeps in the sun.

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The interstsate was closed for a while yesterday, and no light trailer traffic allowed. So Barrie and Kasey did not come home yesterday. She called last night. Kasey talked to me and asked if I got anything new for the iPad.

Tracy called yesterday, and wanted suggestions for Kasey for Christmas. I told her KC liked little tiny things. We were both on our computers, and Tracy found this fun stuff on Amazon. She was sort of looking for Polly Pockets.

These are some of The Littlest Pet Shop critters. Tracy got her the 10 piece collectors starter kit.

And I got her a little pink car and a tree house for her critters.

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Don't worry any more about Pinedale power outages, because I have fixed it. I finally remembered to bring my little battery powered lantern upstairs, so if I'm now ready for it, we know the power won't be going off.

Sunday

2011-11-13T12:37:00.002-07:00

Got the dining room uncluttered today. It seems so nice in there now.

If you looked at my blog yesterday, you saw a picture of my dining room table. What a difference! The extensions weren't pulled out right, so the table wasn't very steady. I just pushed both entensions back in and it took care of that problem. We don't need the extensions out anyway. It's not like anyone ever eats at the table, although we might now.

The petunians we planted in the aero-garden are blooming on the shelf under the window behind the table.

The china closet is a little cluttered now. I'll probably rearrange things some later. Lots of good stuff on here, my grandmother's rolling pin and hand mixer (the kind you had to turn the handle). There's a flat iron, a churn, and my grandma's old biscuit cutter.

My grandmother's old poetry books are on here too. I'm not sure what to do with them, the bookshelves are overflowing. But you can't throw away your grandmother's antique poetry books, can you?

And here is the bakers rack, all naked and ready to go to the Food Bank. The things on the bottom shelf are going to the Food Basket too. All the recipe books actually fit on the shelves behind the table. If they hadn't all fit, I was prepared to get rid of some. I still might. Too many books.

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Got a nice snow last night. Must not have been any wind, because all the branches of the trees had snow on them. Snow is still sifting down. It's pretty out.

Saturday - clutter, clutter, clutter

2011-11-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

Brrr - cold in the house this morning. I never leave my heat on upstairs at night, and the furnace had gone out. It was 43 degrees downstairs when I got up. I went down to the basement, took the cover off the furnace and pushed the round black thing to start it.

While the cat's away, the mouse will play. Barrie and Kasey might be a little upset with me when they get home.

This is the dining room table. I am putting it all in a box and it goes in Barrie's room. She has a card table in there. I think the plastic bags have rotton bananas in them. Wonder if they are important?

This is my old antique china cabinet. (The only thing I ever bought at The Barn Door.) The pictues are going in a box in the closet, the sundial pieces are going back outside, and I am cleaning the top off too.

This is the bakers rack. The big electric roaster is going in the basement, and the Wok is going to the Food Basket. The fruit can go on the table, and I think I can find a place for the rest of it on the china closet. If not, I'll get rid of it! The recipe books can go on the white shelves that are under the dining room window. Then the bakers rack can go to the Food Basket, and there will be a place to put the coat rack. I just now noticed a tripod is leaning up in the corner.

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It's starting to look like a blizzard out there. Nice to be inside where it's warm and cozy.

Need to do some writing this afternoon. In order to get 50,000 words written in a month, I need to write 1667 words a day. I'm keeping up, but got behind for a while because I needed to do some reasearch about army life in Iraq.

What's in it for me? Well, I get to print out a certificate that says I'm a NaNoWriMo winner, and I get a free draft copy of the book. That's it.

Friday

2011-11-11T12:02:00.001-07:00

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I watched The Country Music Awards on TV the other night. Interesting, and I couldn't help but compare the stars to singers of long ago. Yeah, I know I'm old as dirt, but I remember seeing Webb Pierce and Marty Robbins (and others I don't remember). Webb Pierce wore a bright red western cut jacket with a big sparkly spider web embroidered across the back. Marty Robbins wore a suit and tie.

Couldn't help but compare them to the male singers today, who wear ratty old jeans, tee shirts (usually black) and a hat that looks like it was run over by cows in the corral. Gotta love their music, though.

Miranda Lambert looked like she was worried about a costume malfunction. She wore a strapless dress and kept tugging it up.

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Just read a news item about a study that has been done in Sweden. The study shows that men who donate to a sperm bank are well adjusted. Whew! I am so glad to hear it. It's been worrying me.

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• You've got to be careful if you don't know where you're going .... because you might not get there."

Yogi Berra

Thursday

2011-11-10T08:54:00.002-07:00

I've been trying for three years to get rid of this tail, and the darned thing is still there.

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Small group in art yesterday. Conley is back. He has had a tough time with his back, and had cataract surgery.

I needed Conley's expertise on this painting I did some time back. I took this to art group and Conley spotted a problem immediately - it was missing a fin (where I drew the circle). Conley was a taxidermist, and knows his stuff.

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I downloaded a couple new apps for the iPad that Kasey will enjoy. I also got the book "The Night Before Christmas, illustrated by Jan Brett. She fills the pages with little delightful things. When Kasey touches Santa's picture, he "Ho Ho Hos", there's a little dog that barks when you touch him, a toy train whistles, and so on.

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Maddy stayed in the yard yesterday. Maybe she's like those dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. She tests the electric fence, and never goes over the same place twice. Maybe she'll figure it out.

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I have tried several times to upload the video, and it wouldn't upload. Yesterday I decided to switch from Internet Explorer to Fire Fox, and it uploaded just fine. Go figure.

Wednesday

2011-11-09T15:23:00.001-07:00

Barrie worked late on an office yesterday afternoon and Kasey hung out with Grandma. I have been thoroughly enlightened.

First, do not cover your cough with your hand. Cough into your elbow. If you cough into your hand, you are getting all these germs on your hand. If you cover your cough with your arm, your hands don't get all germy. (I knew that.)

Next, it is rude to say "shut up". So when the dogs are barking, I am supposed to yell "hush" to them, instead. I don't suppose "Hush #!&#;**" would be acceptable, either.

You must say "excuse me" if you burp.

I know what yellow snow is. Kasey told me.

I listen to too many songs.

Kasey doesn't fart, the cat farted.

Just think, I used to spend all day five days a week with a whole classroom of them. I must have been much younger then.

I also heard of lot of "Mama says ......" Barrie, your day is coming. When Kasey gets in kindergarten you will start hearing "But Mom, my teacher says . . . ." Hehe, been there, done that.

KC spelled words and made music on the iPad for a while.

Then she painted rocks and sticks. She switches between her right and left hands. I think she may be a lefty.

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Maddy went over the fence and out of the yard yesterday. She went over onto the garage roof. I don't see how she didn't get zapped, and maybe she did. She has stayed in the yard today. I went down to the garage yesterday and called her, and put her in a kennel in the basement.

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I cleaned out my spam folder today. Interesting. The majority of my spam used to be how to enlarge my penis. Now most of them are how to get an extension on my incomce tax.

Monday

2011-11-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

Barrie harness broke the puppies yesterday and they got to go out. Barrie said "Instant Sled Dogs, just add water." They are only 4 1/2 months old. Those people who say sled dogs are forced to run don't know sled dogs. They were happy pups.

Karma, first time in harness.

Kori looks happy.

Kudar is ready to run.

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Barrrie put electric fence around the back yard. Maddie went over , but the fence must have "bit" her on her way over, because she's stayed in since then.

Oops! That's gotta smart.

Sunday

2011-11-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

Not the nicest language in this message, but it makes me laugh. No, that isn't my cat. I would never ever be able to get her outside!

The coleus I bought last spring is finally starting to look like something. It's getting more light, I fertilize it once in a while, and I pinch it back constantly. It's still not the gorgeous color it was when I brought it home, but it's looking better

Warning

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Barrie got the back yard fence put back up, She had to take one side down when I had the big tree taken out. Yesterday, she put an electric fence up. Hopefully, this will keep Maddy in. Maddy is not only as big as a moose, but she goes over a fence like a moose too.

Saturday

2011-11-05T10:10:00.000-06:00

The snow the National Weather Service predicted for last Tuesday is finally here today. I doubt if we get very much. The wind is blowing a little here, so I imagine it's really blowing out of town on the flats.

Another picture of the polar bears playing with sled dogs.

Calvin and I agree on how to live well.

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I just read that over 200,000 people took part in the National Novel Writing Month (Nano). Don't know how many there are this year. When I checked the forums this morning, it said 52,399 people were currently on line.

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I was so hungry when I woke up this morning, that I went downstairs and made fried potatoes and eggs. I burned everything, including the toast, and by the time I got my plate upstairs, the eggs were cold. I ate part of it and threw the rest out the window to the dogs.

Friday

2011-11-04T11:15:00.002-06:00

Not sure why I didn't post anything yesterday. The day just seems to go so fast when you don't get up until 10:00. Don't know what happened. I woke up at 7:00, but my bed felt so warm and comfortable. The next thing I knew, I was at a party and visiting with George Strait. Then I woke up and it was 10:00.

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There are a couple of news items I am avoiding at all costs - one is Michael Jackson's doctor, and the other is Cain's political adventures. (Or misadventures.)

Betty thinks I should name my bobble head moose "Bob". Judi thinks I should name him "Marvin" in memory of the controversial cowboy head (with holes in it) sculpture that we had around town for a while. Does anyone have pictures of Marvin?

I guess Marvin is still around somwhere. I think he should be put up over on the west side of town, among all the townhouses. He could give them a little class.

Postcard sized painting of the day. That's supposed to be water, but I think I lost it. Think I lost the trees too.

Wednesday

2011-11-02T13:50:00.001-06:00

Kasey got a little Halloween bag at dance class yesterday. She loved this little thing you blow in and the paper unrolls.

Looks like it hurts, doesn't it?

Meet my new traveling partner. Jeanine gave him to me this morning. He is a bobble head and rides on the dashboard. So cute. He needs a name.

The grass needs more work, but this drawing is pretty much finished. It is pencil and white charcoal on toned paper.

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I formatted the cards in my cameras yesterday. Moved all the pictures to folders on my hard drive. I organize my pictures by the year and month. Not sure that makes it very much easier to find a particular photo, but it's better than nothing. That's for the pictures I took with my digital cameras. I also have a folder for scanned slides, scanned pictures. and some that don't fit anywhere. Organized chaos.

The weather forecast was, as usual, way off. Four to six inches of snow was predicted, and we got nada. Looked at some web cams and saw it was snowing really hard in both Riverton and Lander.

Tuesday

2011-11-01T11:12:00.001-06:00

Absolutely no reason for the two photos I uploaded today, it's just that I don't have any new pictures.

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The NWS is predicting snow today, lots of it. As they are never right, we'll see. It does look like snow, though.

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Have you all heard the song "One Step Forward and Two Steps Back"? That's Barrie.

The charges her ex filed against her were dropped by the court, and he was required to submit a plan for paying off the back child support. Current child support is to be withheld from his paycheck (if he holds onto this job). He is to start paying $50 a month on the back support, which is the minimum amount allowed. At that rate, it will take him almost four years to pay it off. But it's a step forward.

But then, the judge changed the location of the meeting place for visitation pickup and drop off to Daniel. That's only fair, I guess, BUT - it's eleven miles to Daniel, which means Barrie will be driving an extra 22 miles every day he has visitation. With gas at $3.75 per gallon right now, it's going to cost her more than $50 a month just to pick Kasey up.

But Barrie got some good news today. He is required to pay her attorney fees. I wonder if he regrets taking her to court over one missed visitation afternoon?

Monday

2011-10-31T16:07:00.000-06:00

National Novel Writing Month (NANOWRIMO) month begins tomorrow. I thought maybe I would skip it this year, but found myself doing research on mental telepathy this moring (something I planned to include in the story). So maybe I am going to try it again.

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Boy, this a pair of pathetic attempts. Two more postcard size watercolors. Maybe you can recognize the top one as Square Top, or maybe not. The bottom one is supposed to be Red Canyon.

Kat has been jumping up on my art table and fussing at me. I finally figured out her problem. She drinks from my water container, and the water was dirty. Picky thing!

Ahh, supper last night. Chicken breast with onions and mushrooms, rice, and broccoli.

Sunday

2011-10-30T18:05:00.000-06:00

Paul and Tracy went to a Broncos football game today in Denver and left Daisy home . Her first time being left home alone all day. Hope she was good.

My friend Nancy sent me several pictures of polar bears playing with sled dogs in Canada. Wonderful photos! I have seen these pictures around on the Internet for several years. I even contacted the photographer once to inquire about buying a print. Yikes! He wanted $250 for a print.

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Sure haven't done anything today - most of the day spent reading on my Kindle.

Saturday

2011-10-29T10:48:00.001-06:00

Now playing on my iPod, Sawmill Creek, "Cold Wyoming Snow".

You gotta' love that Hobbes.

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Now here's food for thought. This was my horosccope this morning.

"It's time for you to see the world as a big, beautiful ball covered in happy people who want only the best for one another."

I'm not sure I can do that.

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I guess I'll work on my cow and calf painting today. I put fresh paint on the palette yesterday, and better try to use it before it dries up.

Friday

2011-10-28T15:01:00.002-06:00

Today was the last day of the oil painting lessons. Kay says she will continue the lessons in January if we want. I think all of us are planning to take them. Maybe I'll get a painting finished yet!

Stayed for lunch today at the senior center. Very good.

This cow moose and her calf were in my driveway this morning, working on the willows. I took pictures from my bedroom window. I leave the screens off some of my windows so I can open the window and take pictures. I feel like I'm sitting in a blind up in a tree.

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So sorry to hear of Debi Ruland's death in Utah this morning. She and Hank got to enjoy being snow birds for several years in their big fifth wheeler. She was a great lady.

2011-10-26T17:26:00.000-06:00

I've spent more than an hour uploading this video. I cancelled it once and started uploading again. Guess I need to be more patient - upload and then go do something else for about an hour.

Our iPad expert. Think how good she'd be if she could see! A rough day at preschool doesn't do much for a girl's hairdo.

Several years ago, I was involved as the kindergarten teacher in the custody case of one of my students. I went to visit with her attorney, and was asked all kinds of questions. One question I was asked if her hair was combed and did she look neat and well groomed when she got to school. I had to laugh, and I told the attorney "No, she doesn't. She's a little five year old girl, she rides a school bus to school every morning wearing a warm hat. And her hair looks like it."

The attorney laughed and decided a nice hairdo didn't have that much to do with a child being properly cared for.

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Bebee F. posted this on Facebook, and it makes me laugh.

Another dead mouse on the floor this morning. I didn't see this one right away, so Kat moved it to the middle of the bathroom floor.

Tuesday

2011-10-25T14:33:00.001-06:00

I'm trying to decide if I want to get up and take my laundry downsairs and throw it in the washer. But my motto is "Never do today what you can put off untill tomorrow". Works for me.

Kasey came upstairs when she got home last night and got on the iPad. She was tracing letters to spell words. Every time she finished a word, she would run to the top of the stairs and yell down "Hey guys, I just spelled zebra, or whatever word it was. She would tell me the beginning sound, and also signed many of them. My book on sign language is downstairs. I think I better bring it up and refresh myself.

You would think I would work with KC, being a retired teacher, but I don't She is learning so much in pre school I can't believe it.

My bobcat bait from a few years ago has been moved. I don't know what hauled it from along my fence up to a pile of dead willows on the ditchbank.

A deer died up against my fence several years ago. It was winter, I was gone, and never knew it was there until early spring and the snow began to melt off it. I still wouldn't have noticed it, but a bobcat started coming in every day to eat on it. I wanted the bobcat to keep coming, so I didn't have it hauled off. I got some wonderful photos of the bobcat out my upstairs window.

Monday

2011-10-24T12:01:00.001-06:00

Here is the little postcard size painting I did yesterday. Kind of funny looking painting, but at least I got my brush wet.

My quakies are always among the last in town to leaf out in the spring, and also the last to turn golden and drop their leaves. Some years they don't even get a chance to turn, beause we have a hard freeze or two before the leaves turn. Then they are just brown. This year, my treees are gorgeous.

I have lost track of how many mice Kat has caught this fall. She left another one for me on the floor yesterday morning. In the meantime, she loves to attack my foot when I'm walking across the floor. Not good, Kat!

Sunday

2011-10-23T12:44:00.001-06:00

Another beautiful day. Barrie and Doug are elk hunting, Kasey is with her Dad, and I am just hanging out and watching the QVC cooking show on TV.

Here is the little post card sized painting of Pilot Butte. Please don't make fun of my horses! I know they're deformed, but I can't paint a horse, let alone one that's less than a half inch tall!

The last Watercolor Artist magazine had an article in it on using the iPad while plein aire painting. This artist uses it to get a quick value study and composition for a painting. The app costs $4.00. I got it, but I certainly didn't get a result like this! Maybe with more practice.

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Is anyone organizing an "Occupy Pinedale" protest? What would we protest? Ridley's? The three story motels?

Saturday

2011-10-22T12:52:00.000-06:00

An item from the catalog I was looking at yesterday. It's a redneck wine glass. I like it!

National Novel Writing Month is coming up soon, and I'm considering trying it again. If I do, be careful, you might be in it!

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A lazy day. Beautiful and sunny. I have a load of clean clothes on my bed, which I might or might not get folded and put away today. My bed is big, so there is plenty of room for me to sleep with the laundry on one side.

I found the little water color book I misplaced about a week ago. I intended to do a small painting every day in it. I got one finished today of Pilot Butte, and what might be called wild horses. You have to use your imagination on the horses. They are tiny.

2011-10-21T13:33:00.000-06:00

Now playing on XM radio Highway, "I Want you to Love me Like my Dog", Billy Currington.

Here is the small 6" x 8" painting I am attempting to do.

Kay critiqued our paintings in progress in class today. I am so frustrated with it, but she was very encouraging. But darn it, she can see green where I can't see any!

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I got a catalog with some funny tee shirts in it. Some of the sayings are so clever. Here are two of them I liked.

Thursday

2011-10-20T12:02:00.000-06:00

Barrie got my mail for me today, and my iPad cover came. Slick little gadget, but I thought I was never going to get it out the the heavy plastic packing! Why do they package things like that? You need a blowtorch and a hatchet just to get them unpacked. And I absolutely hate things that are "sealed for your protection".

Also got another little Cotman watercolor travel set from EBay. This one is called the "pocket plus". The quarter beside it gives an idea of the size of it when it's open. These are the greatest little things to take with you at all times along with a small book or pad of paper. Several of the artists who paint at Rendezvous Pointe have these now. They sell for about $25 in art supply catalogs. I got this one on EBay for $9.

I also got a bill for $485 from Petersen landscaping for 1500 sq feet of sod. It's address to "Tim" at my box number.

And fun stuff - the new Watercolor Artist magazine and new art supply catalogs!

Wednesday

2011-10-19T14:53:00.001-06:00

This must be "old Barrie pictures" week.

This is a photo of Barrie on Seaweed. Seaweed's nickname was "Charmin" because she was so soft. (Remember "Don't squeeze the Charmin"? She would be lathered up almost as soon as we left camp.

I used to put Barrie in the back seat of our little jeep and go out for a day of photography. I must have really worn her out on this day. She went to sleep standiing up in the back seat with her head on the back of the front seat. Nope, no child restraint seat. The jeep didn't have seat belts.

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Had a nice lunch at Rendezvous Pointe today. Now I feel like a nap.

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I want people to know why I look the way I do. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.

I remember when Facebook meant falling asleep while reading a book.

Tuesday

2011-10-18T11:21:00.000-06:00

No pictures of Kasey today, but I am posting one of Barrie when she was little. She is straightening out Seaweed's forelock. Seaweed was a G&F pack mare, and absolutely kid-proof.

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Barrie came in with a smile on her face after going to court this morning. She should (hopefully) start receiving child support again now and proof of insurance. Maybe something can be done about the visitation schedule later.

Sunday

2011-10-16T13:24:00.001-06:00

Roger says my blog is not complete without pictures of Kasey. So I guess I better get on the ball and post some photos of her.

No fear! I downloaded a couple of apps to my iPad that I thought Kasey might enjoy. She handles the iPad like she has used one for years.

It took over an hour for this video to upload. This is a book I keep upstairs.

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Barrie was cleaning up in the kitchen this morning, and Doug was in the bedroom making a phone call. Kasey came in the kitchen and told her mom she had chained Doug to the bed. Barrie told her she didn't think that was appropriate.

Saturday

2011-10-15T14:02:00.000-06:00

Cooking up a storm. Well, the one on the left cooks. The one on the right supervises, and I hope cleaned up.

This was supper, roast beef, mashed potatoes, and veggies. Yummy!

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Woke up at 4:00 this morning to flashing lights reflecting on my bedroom ceiling. An ambulance was parked in our driveway. Don't have a clue what was going on. Couldn't have been too serious, I could hear people talking and laughing. When the ambulance finally left, two cars and two pickups also left.

friday

2011-10-14T13:20:00.000-06:00

I got a good start on a small oil painting of a cow and calf in Kay's class today, Maybe I can do this. I will work on it some more this afternoon.

Barrie's friend from Encampment is here. Something really yummy smelling was in a crockpot in the kitchen when I got home. He even brought his own crockpot!

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No pictures, so thought I would post this. Definitely my poster!

Thursday

2011-10-13T10:10:00.001-06:00

Enjoyed lunch at Rendezvous Point yesterday with Judi and Clair. Don't see Clair very often. There were several people there I hadn't seen for years.

Didn't even take my watercolors to art group -- took a new pencil drawing instead of a cow and calf.

I am not a big fan of the iPad as yet. It was finally delivered by the wandering UPS man about 9:30 Tuesday night. It was their second delivery attempt. They left a note on the front door Monday saying no one was home to sign for it, and Barrie and I were both there all day Monday. So my iPad and I did not get off to a good start.

I have downloaded a few apps to it, but not much. The stupid keyboard keeps rearranging itself, and sometimes it doesn't even show the "@" key. It's a little hard to enter your email address when that symbol is missing, so I have wasted a lot of time trying to log onto some sites.

I got onto my Amazon account page and tried to watch one of the movies on the iPad. I found I have to have Flash Player to watch my Amazon movies, and Flash Player and the iPad are not compatible. I wrote Amazon and they said, sure enough, their movies would not play on the iPad.

Next, I downloaded a few songs from iTunes, some I had already purchased. The speakers aren't bad, but why would I want to load music on it when I have an iPod sitting across the room from me, already loaded with about a thousand songs, and docked on nice Bose speakers?

Then for the Crackle.com movies - they would play, sort of, but not nearly the quality I see on the laptop.

Now what? Haven't tried any of the games yet, nor the cameras. And I guess I will try some more new apps - there are thousands, most of them free.

Tuesday

2011-10-11T11:59:00.001-06:00

I really hate UPS. I am expecting a package and the tracking page yesterday said it was out on the truck for delivery. No show. This morning, the tracking page tells me it is rescheduled to be delivered today, and is out on the truck for delivery. About half the time, I get email from UPS telling me no one was home to receive the package and they left it at the post office. By then, the post office is closed, and I can't get the package until the next day.

The shipment progress is interesting:

The order was processed in China on Oct. 7. On Oct. 7, it left EPZ China and arrived in Chengdu, China. On the 8th, it departed from Anchorage. Then on the 9th, it again departed Chengdu China and Shanghai, and arrived in Anchorage again. Still on the 9th, it went from Louisville, KY to Salt Lake, and the 10th it went to Rock Springs.

I seriously think something is wrong with the UPS tracking system.

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Calvin's homework assignment

Years ago, Chuck took me arrowhead hunting up Tourist Creek while we were camped at Three Forks Park. Do you think he was trying to get rid of me?

Ron Remick, Gary Neely and I were in camp one day while Chuck and Ralph walked into a lake up above the rocks. Another summer kid was with us, and he was an irritating braggart. He kept talking about how he could ride anything. So Ron, Gary and I put him on one of the pack horses. The horse took about four steps and blew up, and of course the kid bucked off.

Chuck chewed us out because if he'd been hurt, it was a three hour ride out of there. Sure was funny, though.

Monday

2011-10-10T13:24:00.000-06:00

This is a copy of a drawing I did years ago. The first one I did was much better. This guy has a problem. He's not sitting on anything. And his hand is too big. What's that Toby Keith song? "I'm Not as Good as I Once Was"

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Barrie has had company since Thursday. Nice guy, and he cooks too! He left this morning to drive back to Encampment.

Sunday

2011-10-09T10:46:00.000-06:00

Still a few leaves hanging onto the top of this little tree. They look so bright against the dark background.

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Barrie said our furnace was out yesterday. It needs a new part, and "they" were supposed to order it for me last year. It usually works okay, but sometimes you have to open the front and push on this round black thing. I called them twice, and then spring came and of course I forgot it.

Barrie thinks she can order the part from the company and put it on herself. That would be nice.

Kay started a painting last week to demonstrate how she begins a new piece. She makes it look so easy! I know better.

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Joe suddenly realized his wife had fallen off her horse, which was quite a relief to him, as just an hour earlier, he thought he'd gone deaf.

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Friday

2011-10-07T15:15:00.001-06:00

I wasn't going to post any pictures today - I made fun of myself for always running out to take pictures of the first snowfall for about the last forty years. Then these guys wandered into my back yard, and I got the camera out.

This big buck was bored, maybe? There were five deer, two bucks and three does. They all look sleek and fat.

The buck is a five point. Handsome guy, isn't he?

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I didn't expect to be able to upload this video today. I tried all day yesterday.

Shorty was barking, and I yelled out the window for him to be quiet. The pups had evidently not noticed upstairs windows before, and she was very excted to see me at the window. Lunatic!

Pile of pups

2011-10-06T13:44:00.001-06:00

It's hard work to play and dig all day. Time for a nap.

I tried all morning to upload a video. I guess I will just give up on it. At least I can stilll upload a photo. Facebook won't let me upload anything! grrr

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Started a litle 6" x 8" oil painting this morning. Frustrating! I sure don't handle oil paints very well.

Kat is curious about what I am doing, and keeps jumping up on the table. That could be a disaster.

traffic

2011-10-05T13:27:00.001-06:00

I sort of got stuck in traffic today when I came home at noon. Rush hour traffic, Pinedale style. I'm not positive, but I think this was Loziers. They always bring their horses through town. They go from the ranch to the Soda Lake Road, then through town. There were about 40 head, with quite a few mules in the bunch.

I must have been inspired by the fall colors last weekend. I finished this in art group today.

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Found a dead mouse on my floor this morning. Yay, Kat! That goofy cat really is good for something. That is the fourth mouse this fall.

Tuesday

2011-10-04T13:13:00.000-06:00

A short video of Kasey. They are learning about dinosaurs in her preschool, and she made a "Kaseysaurus". She also sang me a song about T Rex. She loves school - Barrie is picking out her kindergarten teacher already!

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Lazy day today. I did a load of laundry and worked on a drawing for a while. Now I think I will read the rest of the day. Life is so hard!

Looks like rain this afternoon. That would be nice.

Monday

2011-10-03T10:35:00.001-06:00

I have a tiny set of travel watercolors with a little 4" x 6" Moleskine pad of watercolor paper. I've been trying to make myself do a little something in it every day. After all, shouldn't take much effort to paint something that small, should it? Here are some of the ones I did last week.

And Kasey painted me a CALIPITTER!

Fischer Price is coming out with a Faith Hill/Tim McGraw Ken and Barbie doll set. Good grief!

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Why do scuba divers fall backwards off the side of the boat into the water?

Because if they fell forward, they'd still be in the boat.