I'm through with the watercolor cowboy. This is the first watercolor portrait I've ever been able to paint. I think it's because I always tried to make a painting look like someone I know. This is from a photo I took years ago of a stranger at the Winter Carnival. That's sure a motley looking beard.

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For some reason, Blogger won't let me put text above a picture any more.

My novel is over 50,00 words now, so the pressure is off. But my hero is in prison in Texas, and I don't have a clue what prison life is like. I've got to get him through ten years of prison life before he can become successful in life and go out and find a girlfriend (or maybe get a dog.)

Maybe I should shorten his sentence?

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Now playing on my iPod, Glenn Campbell, "Rhinestone Cowboy".

Gina, when Michael was in first grade, he used to bring his Glenn Campbell record to school and we would play "Rhinestone Cowboy". Wonder if he remembers that?

KC is a musher!

A musher is born! She is standing on the runners behind the sled.

Barrie put Kasey on the sled today with Scortch (I think), and poor Scortch was terrified, but Kasy was delighted. She says she wants to do it again, again, and again.I think we have another musher in the family!

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Didn't finish the painting yesterday like I said I would. Maybe today.

I am SO close to the goal of 50,000 words to finish the novel. I'm at 47,000 words now. Not that the novel will be finished, but it means I can have a free "proof" copy of what I've written. I'm kind of at a standstill right now. My hero is about to hit and kill a pedestrian and is going to spend about ten years in a prison in Texas. And I know nothing about prison life. So need to do some research.

Saturday

Tracy called yesterday. They went to their condo in Florida for Thanksgiving. She said they were going to watch the lighting of the St. Petersburg Christmas tree. She sent me this picture. It was 75 degrees there. She wore shorts.

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Culinary experience extraordinaire this morning! I had Barrie get me some bologna at the store yesterday. I've been having a craving for it.

Barrie and KC had sausage and hot cakes for breakfast. I had a bologna sandwich on Wonder Bread.

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Kat just came upstairs with half a plastic Easter egg, a bright orange one. Wonder where she keeps finding this stuff?

Today - write 2,000 words and finish the cowboy painting. I swear I will get it done.

I wonder if Rollie ever played on this course?

Friday

Once again, I am offering my services to help you put up your Christmas lights. I posted this picture last year with my offer. I can't understand why no one called!

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Barrie, Kasey and I ate Thanksgiving Dinner at the Stockmen's last night. No cooking and no cleanup! Connie was our waitress, what a nice treat to see her. I taught her in first grade, and then taught all three of her kids. Hmmm, she looks about 16 now.!Terry was also working, and got a nice hug from her too.

No wind to speak of today. Nice.

I started the painting of a cowboy in a hat yesterday, and am going to work on it again today. Also need to write some words.

Damned Wind

Happy Thanksgiving, Everybody!

This is a great Calvin cartoon.

Interesting picture I found on the Internet.

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The wind is so nasty. I can't get warm this morning. Love winter, like the snow, hate the wind.

I lived in Casper once. Maybe it was worse there, but it sure seems like the wind blows a lot here. My friend Lenore showed us how to identify someone who lived in Casper. They walk leaning into the wind. Whether it's blowing or not, they lean.

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Now playing on XM Radio, Dierks Bentley "What Was I Thinking."

I love that song. I think I knew that guy back in my younger days.

Wednesday

This buck is looking a little tired. He has been chasing does up and down the ditchbank behind my house. Don't know where his girls were when he showed up yesterday. He walked up into the trees and started thrashing his antlers around, breaking off small branches. Then he wandered off.


KC hung out with me yesterday afternoon while Barrie finished a house she was cleaning. She brought her snacks and water up. She entertained me with her "Scarlett O'hara" persona, rolling her eyes, tilting her head, and flipping her hand, telling me someone was just "soooo stupid". I won't say who.

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Ahh, self discipline. Of course I can do it. I have been kind of wanting a new camera. The new DSLR cameras will take videos. I really want one. So here is the deal I am making with myself. If I can sell two cameras and some accessories on EBay, I can have the new one.

I think Kat has forgiven me for taking away her new climbing "tree". It gives her a perfect view of the bird feeder, which has been busy lately.

And Kasey is enjoying the little table and chairs downstairs. I didn't get a picture of her "working", but she's been busy.

Kasey, on her way out to feed dogs this morning. She has a new stuffed dog, not new, I guess, but Barrie just got it out. It has a harness. I think it's snarling at me.

I notice Kasey isn't wearing any pants. Hmmm. I presume they were in the pickup.

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Just made a decision this morning that has made me calm and relaxed. I asked Barrie if she wanted to go out to eat dinner Thursday, and she does. There will be just the two of us. I called the Stockmens. They are open until noon, then again from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Perfect!

Now playing on XM Radio, Montgomery Gentry,"Back When I Knew it All."

Monday

I need to be careful when I mention I want to move a table. Before I could give it a second thought, Barrie had this table upstairs and had taken the little table and chairs set down to the living room. As you can see, I don't have the clutter cleaned up where I want to put it - under the windows. Have to finish sorting magazines and do something with the books.


But now I can't put the table down. The cat thinks it's a tree, and that we brought it upstairs just for her.

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A friend sent me this photo - thought I would share it.

As usual, the NWS (National Weather), was far off in their predictions. They forecast 12 to 15 inches of snow in the valleys. I think we might have an inch or two.

Sunday

Now playing on my iPod, Buffy Sainte Marie, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee".

I just moved my braided rug upstairs today. It's been in the living room downstairs and I never spend any time there. My Mom gave me this rug for Christmas about ten years ago, I think. I love braided rugs, so this one is now up here where I can enjoy it.

I've got a long, antique table downstairs I think I will move up here too. It used to be under the window up here, and I'm not sure why I moved it downstaris.

I have a small child's table and chairs up here. If I move them downstairs, Kasey would get more use out of them, and I could have my old table.

I have debated about the downstairs desktop computer. I've already had it repaired once. By the time I pay for a second repair job, I will have spent as much as if I had bought a new one. The only reason I am ordering a Dell is because I have the monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers to go with it.

Friday

Now playing on XM Radio "The Jack Benny Show".

I found this in my basement the other day. It's done on a piece of mat board with a ball point pen. I did it in 1972 and it is signed "Duene LeClair".

I have a copy of "Song of Hiawatha" and most of the the margins on the pages have small pen and ink drawings by Frederick Remington. They're wonderful. I used one as reference for this pen and ink "pointillism". I've never read the whole poem- just can't quite get through it, and the drawings are too distracting.