Party till you Poop ...out

Sneaky Guy and Janet invited me to a birthday party for her mom, Susie, who is 82 today. She didn't tell me that I was in on the honoree list. Hollis joined us but he split before picture time. Susie had been afraid to go to the Casino- old time perceptions of Native Americans. We broke the ice. We had a wonderful lunch-prime rib sandwiches and I got Susie started on the penny machines. She made $12 in about 30 minutes-not a bad wage. (I lost $10 in half that time.) She and Max are not strangers to gambling. He had some great stories about their forays to Las Vegas. The electronic machines are new and somewhat confusing. I had a few gifts for her but waited until we were about to leave so we wouldn't have to haul them around while we gambled. I got my Casino card. Guy, Janet and Hollis are going to see the Clint Black Concert tomorrow. I am about partied out. A very nice afternoon soiree'.

On to the neighbors at 5:00 for a birthday party for the two younger kids. There are four kids. I have been attending these for 15 years and photographing the participants as time marches on. I miss the older girls' party because I am in Florida recently, so I catch the gifts up all around. Everybody brings a covered dish and the grill is fired up. Good to catch up with folks at least annually. Tye, 6, on the left and McAye, 3, were the honorees.

Complete kids party pictures on the web album soon. Pretty people and evidence I do have friends under 65!

Neighbor Kids Birthday

Motorcycle Racing and the ...Part 2

Adam dropped in. He was a lost skateboarder in high school. He reminded me he did community service at the court's direction at the Homeless Shelter I founded and ran until I could hand it off. He is now in charge of Promotions for Red Bull. Massive budgets-millions to provide Red Bull themed/sponsored events in 13 states from Texas to Montana. He was home for the Labor Day weekend. Great wife, great job... they do grow up.

Kinsey and Greg were getting ready to go to Worland, WY so Greg could race his dirt bike. Kinsey makes fab money at Radio Shack in the cell phone department. Drives a Hummer H3. Greg is a welder in Casper, motorcycle racer, father of Delores' 8th grader granddaughter. Don went too. He likes to get out of town and watch his kid race.

Dessie is 88- a grand lady and matriarch of a successful, self-made family. Her son Nick asked her what she wanted for her 88th. She said she would like the big company plane to fly Delores, Dessie, Ruby, Pam, Bess and Lorraine to Branson, MO for a few days of spa, music, dining and drinking. He said, "You've got it-give me dates." Sometime in October.

Our dear friend Ruby- a widow for exactly one year. She manages the local PBS station, is on the Board of Trustees of the University of Wyoming and has recently been elected to the National PBS Board. Four gorgeous kids all doing well.

I forgot to take pictures of James and his robotic prostate surgery scars. Next time, maybe.

I love these people. The gods smiled on me the day I hired Delores to be my secretary 29 years ago.

Motorcycle Racing and the Zen of Wyoming Part 1

Delores gathered a group to celebrate Don's (Judge Hall) 72nd birthday and my 65th. Don will thank me for the fuzzy picture-it takes 20 years off. They spent the whole summer re-painting and new carpeting the house. The old carpet went to the garage and they essentially lived in the garage for a lot of the summer while the work was being done and decided they liked it-particularly for its relaxed, smoker's tolerated, ambience. So we dined in the garage- Ham off the bone, scalloped potatoes, fresh fruit compote, razzle pie with ice cream, and cheesecake, washed down with Corona beer. There were the invitees and the droppees. Regular readers will know I love strange juxtapositions, and observing life in all its messiness. This was a good one. All old Wyoming, comfortable as old shoes and precious little holding back. It is what it is.

Our hostess, Delores, presided over a comfortable time that included observing robotic prostate surgery scars, sex after prostate surgery ( short discussion),out of wedlock grandchildren in our families, widowhood, aging,death and dying, euthanasia, gadgets, Red Bull energy drink, soap box car racing, dirt bike racing, tornadoes, old time characters we know, obesity, shoulder replacement, PBS television, politics, kids and grandkids, Rotary Club Crab Boil, friends whose trolleys have gone off the tracks somehow, old dogs, new dogs, and good places to eat, all the while listening to Wyoming beat Ohio on the football field and predicting post-game Laramie cop abuse of power. Oh and wedding receptions held in the NUCOR Hangar and fun things to look forward to. NOT boring.

The Gold Finch, as advertised

The inflatable pole tent went up in a little more than ten minutes the first time. You can see the rain fly atop the tent. That is what took so long- getting it oriented and attached but that is a one-time deal. It really is as simple as hooking up the compressor to the car battery and turning it on. Lots of stakes to secure the tent but they only keep it from becoming a kite. It is good to go pretty darn fast and it comes down fast too. Getting it back in the bag is always a struggle -no matter the tent. It is very well made and ingeniously designed. Velcro, zippers and straps. Buster was supervising but as soon as he discerned it was something he might have to go into, he disappeared. It will not hold the lounge chair so I will need to figure out some type of lightweight collapsible mattress. Cheesy pool float? The compressor that came with it is no toy-it is over-engineered for the task. Pretty cool. Model: the Gold Finch, size 5'X 8'.

Buster's latest harness came back. Forensic examination indicates that the belly strap was chewed through by an accomplice with strong teeth, probably white, about 40 pounds, with brown eyes, and the ability to look innocent when confronted with evidence. They are thick as thieves. And Honey is a thief. I got their weekly treats -real hambones yesterday. Honey helped herself. Buster got his early too-behind the screen door so each would have one instead of Honey having two. It is a good thing Honey wants to do the right thing most of the time. If there were any malice in her she could be a trial.

It was a beautiful day-sat on the deck and wrote a few notes- almost a lost art for me. If folks aren't online, gathering notecards, functioning pen, stamps and addresses is nigh on to a barrier to communication. But I was feeling well and the mood was right, the timeliness right. Glad I did it.

Dead Batteries

My electrolytes were messed up-water was low too. I felt lousy and the short term memory was nano memory until I got things balanced. Likewise the Ford Van with a battery one year and one month old was a non-starter after a two day sit twice this week. The Motorola Q had a white screen error. The dogs wandered into the house about 4:00 p.m. and I made a break for it. NAPA replaced the van battery for FREE, Radio Shack replaced the cell phone battery for $61.00. The Q is a great device but it is a battery eater. I had other chores on my list and I think I got them all done-my list is on a shelf at Wal-Mart. I have been housebound too much for my own good with the new baby but this is only one summer and I truly have enjoyed being home on the homestead-for the most part.

I checked in on John Prince Park and I am still good. I started in the persona of Hans from Germany but finally told Lisa who I was. She gave me good advice. I can kill a few more days and gain them on the end. My vacation extender arrived today. Not sure how the reservation situation would turn out I planned to dawdle on the way home. Last year I invested in a Van tent but it was not the answer. It resulted in more cursing than shelter. The new solution? An inflatable tent. Supposedly erects in two minutes. We'll see about that tomorrow. I have also been modifying my zero gravity Cabela's lounger that rides between my bike and the van. It needed some padding head and heel, and I figured out a way to attach a bug shield-mosquito netting of sorts. On fair nights it will suffice. Honey already settles under it when I use it. Buster settles to my right. It may fit in the tent, we will see but I have options.

The nervousness of two tropical storms forming in Florida had Lisa on edge. A good reminder that plans can change and more important things than my winter plans are out there. I came in on the tail of massive devastation a few years ago.

and the Winner is....Oak Ridge Boys

The correct answer, as the winner noted, was listed in the labels in the last post-Denis that does not make me a horse's ass. My celebrity picture was of the two on the left above and the two on the right below. The guy on the left above is the Bass, and apparently, judging from his plate, he is a vegetarian. That surprises me but I don't know why it should. When I checked their website (where I snagged these pictures) their long career has held a long series of "good works."The concert at the Wind River Casino was open air and tickets were only $30-40 depending on if you belonged to the casino's player's club. A dirt cheap concert ticket. I would have gone but the clerk at customer service took off never to be seen again. I brought this to their attention and they even brought the top boss out on his day off but I still didn't get my ticket. Clint Black on September 1. Maybe I will make that one. The Casino sits atop a hill and with several teepees to the left, and a vista overlooking the Riverton Valley, it might be a great venue to enjoy some country music.

Monday on the rez was one of those fitful dozing days for your narrator. It is, at least in part, something chemical. I finally took a Sudafed and perked right up. That med is not good for folks with high blood pressure but neither is sleeping your life away. The day brought some greeting cards and other good mail. One held a portrait of Eve's cat Clara done by three year old Audrey. It is a great picture, the ears are right, her shape is right but the patience ran out on the shading. Very Picasso -like and a lovely shade of green. It makes me grin.

A little browsing took me to some websites with Kindle books-one with 20,000 titles all FREE which is a word I like. Mostly classics which is a good thing. Some of my favorites-some racy: from Fanny Hill to the Decameron. The real find was several volumes of the Junior Classics which I had read as a pup and are now only available in facsimile editions at about $1000.00 a pop. They disappeared from the family manse-they were well-used, second hand to me. I had tried to find a set that I could re-read and pass on to Audrey. They were a great way to absorb the cultural underpinnings of both Eastern and Western civilization. My Kindle grows fat.

More parties this week. I am up to four- other birthdays. Apparently everybody has one. I am double booked on one day but I think I can make it work. All these August birthdays makes me wonder if there is something about the Christmas holidays: greed, gratitude, or good-will, that is a precursor to baby-making. Maybe just the usual-drinking and carelessness.

It Pays To Be Kind To The Elderly

CONTEST: Identify these Celebrities (not" A-list" but pretty famous) for a beverage or your choice when we next meet. They were causing a bit of a stir in the Holiday Inn, Riverton. Hint: they are two of four.

With gladness in their hearts, Rich and Val drove up here after church. I suggested the Holiday Inn because they have a very good brunch. We enjoyed the showy "omelets to your specs," mini waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, roast beef, smothered pork chops, fresh fruit, sausage, bacon, vegetables, etc. etc. Good food, and good service, tables with linens, nice ambience. I like this place for special occasions. Like My Birthday..

Then I took them to the Wind River Casino for their first visit. Rich pronounced himself impressed. Rich and Val started cautiously on the penny slot machines. The dharma of their coming to buy me a birthday brunch, took over. Rich made the cost of breakfast and $50. Valerie cashed in for $305. We had a good time. Complimentary soft drinks-help yourself, very clean and sweet smelling place, very nice decor and solicitous helpers at every turn. It seemed pretty busy. I had to laugh-there were a lot of retired school administrators there. The Blackjack and Poker tables were getting a pretty good workout. The place attracts a wide variety of types and people don't seem to mind driving 150 miles from Green River or Casper.

Jason and Lori sent me iphone pictures of their new bird "Sonny Conner," a Sun Conure). Lori decided Bebo, the bird that adopted them was lonesome so they got him a friend. He is reputed to be a sweet bird and somewhat of a character. I'll look forward to meeting them both.

Observing the Natal Day

I arose early to keep an eye on the dogs. They stay on this side of the road if I do. Coffee and Kindle on the deck. I saw the dogs playing in the water/mud and did a few chores. Buster managed to ditch his new harness someplace. He has big shoulders and a small head so I don't think a collar will work but I'll try one.

Son Matt called early as did brother Rich. He and Valerie are going to drive up and take me to lunch tomorrow. I will enjoy the visit but I fear it is because of my comment the other day about another family member, saying I had done a lot for that person and nothing ever comes back so I was finished. Let me explain: I enjoy doing for others and I don't expect a return. But a relationship by definition is two-sided. If you behave as if they are important and they do not regard you highly, there is an unhealthy dynamic at work and it is better to look elsewhere. Balance and proportion. There is a whole section of psychology on Co-Dependence. Charming alcoholic and faithful partner is but one manifestation. It is harmful for the faithful partner to enable the alcoholic. Harmful both to himself and to the alcoholic who will hit rock bottom and take steps to health sooner without somebody shoring him up. That is the classic example but co-dependence can take many forms subtle and grand. It ends when one person sees what is happening and says "enough." "Sink or swim, stand on your own two feet, cowboy up, get it together, call me when you get a life." (Now how in the Hell did I end up here?)

Anyway, I had a great day-did my winterizing chores, downloaded some books, read a little,heard from my kids who were all doing interesting things. Matt is looking at solarizing his home and collecting a tax break. He was emceeing two events today. Jason and Lori were hanging out and are looking at business opportunities while watching a group of Manatees in the canal. So good to talk and listen with them all.

The O.F. set up Blue Cross on the billpay (Isn't that what you are supposed to do on your 65th?) and had a picnic with the fuzzfaces: A nice little pork loin, a sweet potato, baked beans, and in lieu of a cake, Ritz Crackers with peanut butter which were enjoyed all around. A pill found its way into one of Honey's and it disappeared.

Lunch with Rich and Val tomorrow, party at Hall's next weekend, partay on!

Mother Nature blessed me with a beautiful day and nice things to see. Glad to have attained 65 years on the planet and looking forward to more. When I was 17 I played Frank Butler to hefty Annette Bridgman's "Annie" in "Annie Get Your Gun." While I had a hard time keeping a straight face singing "A girl I can carry." Annette sang this one (done here by Barbara Cook)It's a great one. Now that I am 65 I am going to bore the hell out of everybody with my tired old memories. (jokes, no.)

Build a Better Mousetrap

A better shot of one of several hummingbirds who have discovered the nectar. I think this is a female-the more brilliant colored males are very wary.

I must have had a fever in the night-it broke and I awoke feeling pretty spry after getting rid of the soaked shirt. Started the new batch of diuretics and moved a LOT of water. The Olympics aren't the only ones with a Champeein'.

I had to corral Honey because she was just wild-feeling her oats. But then she had a couple of coughing spells. I wonder if she picked up kennel cough at the Vet. I checked her stitches-they look pretty good to my untrained eye. She is still vigilant- sheriff of the upper forty acres, but the all night barking is gone. She comes when called (more often- up from not at all) and enjoys a cuddle without dissolving into a chew dad wrestling match. She looks like she is entirely focussed on the pasture but if I go away, here she comes.

I played with the Kindle and had to call customer service. They are very nice then follow up with an e-mail pointing out exactly what page in the manual your question was discussed. A little humbling but if it weren't for the likes of me, the likes of them wouldn't have jobs. Amazon could learn from Apple iTunes. Very direct, not a six stage process like for Amazon. Then I read. I had good mail. A joint birthday celebration- mine, and Don Hall's next weekend. I will look forward to that. Good emails too.

UPS brought the fancy e-vest as ordered and it is better than I anticipated. It fits pretty well, zips, is long enough to hide the "plumber's butt, " and has pockets to spare. Only thing is, only half loaded it weighs a lot. ( "Great looking vest but how did you get the hunchback?") It is very well made and has some thoughtful details- a built in key chain, a lens cleaner on a clip, cards in every pocket suggesting a good use. Teflon coated. Worth it.

David in Florida say the RV is fine-it has just been rain. Jackie at John Prince Park says there is still room in my desired section-the waiting game continues....

At 9:01 tomorrow morning 65 years ago, I arrived weeks late and weighed in at a little over 9 pounds. The pattern was set in the womb. Must have been all those Martinis. World War II was at full tilt. The folks had 78's with Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller, Jimmy Yancey, Boogie Woogie, and a little ditty that had the lyrics "Cement Mixer, putty, putty,"( click the link to listen) http://jeweledplatypus.org/sound/cementmixer.mp3 that had nothing to do with the building trades. They were 32 years old. My brother Bob was 5. This was our house:

The Rapture

As a frequent flyer at Amazon.com, I have been very aware of their new flagship device, the Kindle. T-o-o-o-o pricey. So I was blown out my shoes when UPS brought a package this morning and a gift from Jason and Lori that was a Kindle. What is a Kindle? It connects to Amazon (there is the catch) and you can download Kindle Books- which are electronic editions priced a good deal lower than print books. You can download from their website or when near a Sprint Network, over the air, in usually less than a minute. You can also subscribe to newspapers, magazines, websites, get email, surf the web in kind of a basic way, and load it with some of your favorite music-about the only thing Amazon doesn't have a lock on. It comes with a handsome cover that looks like a hardbound book. The basic memory holds about 200 books but Amazon keeps your purchases on file so you can make room if you need it. Of course, I slapped a 2 gigabyte card in it right away so thousands are possible. About the size of a large paperback book and similar in weight, it is good for about two weeks of straight reading on a charge and two or three days if you use the built in aircard to connect to the Internet frequently. It really is quite amazing. It held my attention quite intently for hours. I downloaded sixteen volumes for the grand sum of $1.14- just practicing. Most Best-Sellers go for about $10.00. Of course the hackers have devised a way to convert other non-Amazon formats. So I have a challenge. I'm feeling very spoiled.

The invalid is doing quite well. Improving by the hour but she has already become calmer and sweeter. Nicer to me and to Buster. Maybe she still hurts but not much. I gave her one half a Deramaxx which is good until tomorrow or the next day. The Cephalexin is a battle. I have only managed about one half what is prescribed before the pills collapse. When you shove them down her throat you better feel for a sphincter because the girl can summon them right back up. She has seen through every food trick I know. Enjoys the treat and leaves a soggy little pill. But she is obviously doing well. Buster didn't even get an antibiotic for his operation but it was not internal surgery either. Buster's thyroid level is just fine at the two pill a day level. So he is getting too much to eat. He has a bump/sore on his reconstructed foot that the vet would like to laser off.

Modern Steed

I noticed some cattle of a different color in the lower pasture yesterday. Sure enough, the Feglers arrived on 4-wheelers to drive them back to their nemesis, the Collins, place. Collins tend to like the exotic in their cattle. Some white ones were down there. It seems that nearly every year one of the Fegler's cows throws an off-color calf. As there are some claims that humans in the valley "jumped the fence" a couple of times over the past 80 years, I sometimes wonder if a message is being sent. "Catch-colt" is the Indian term for a person (or horse) of unknown paternal heritage.

We three were at G-bar-G Veterinary Services before the office opened this morning. Honey went in for a sedative and her surgery. They took some dewclaws that prove to be problematic for Pyrs, as a bonus. I was to return to fetch her at 3:00 and get some attention for Buster-checkups. I was in the doghouse all damn day. Buster and I no sooner returned and he was wanting to go in the car again. "You forgot somebody!" He lay and watched me all day-eyes never closing, reproaching. The Honey bear is of course still some groggy and sore. I got her meds down her by handfeeding chicken breast. Buster had to be kept even-they ate my dinner. Honey is doing alright but I feel a great deal of sympathy and she knows it. Veterinary surgery has come a long way in the last 15 years. The sutures are on the inside and self dissolving. She does not have to go back unless complications arise.

The mail lady brought me my new shoes-Dr. Scholl's gunboats- 14-D's are hard to find so the web does it. I require Velcro fasteners because the size of my feet is a daily surprise. Two pair for one price on some fetching tenny-runners. I'll bet I could run 50 miles an hour in those. If I wanted to. But I don't.

I made a stop at ACE hardware. The nippy mornings remind me some winterizing on the plumbing is necessary. I ran into a student I had in one of my schools years ago. Shawna is fit- muscular, and told me of her three grandchildren. Grandchildren! I am older than dirt.

Exchanged email with the Florida kids. Their swimming pool is now an infinity pool-8 inches of rain from Tropical Storm Fay has it running over. They have had continuous electricity so are doing fine. I'll call David Alvarez tomorrow and see how the RV is faring.

My friendly little garden snake surpr....., startl.., scared the shit out of me today-he has grown! Still, I like him and as long as he is here that other kind isn't.

More Coyotes

At first light the Honey girl was off the mark and Buster was fretting so, still rubbing the sleepy dust from my eyes, I went to see. The coyotes were singing and Honey was in the corner barking at a Russian Olive copse. The singing was coming from another direction. Eventually I saw this coyote and two pups letting the world know they were in the territory. This is an 18X Olympus shot-from quite a distance. After a lot of verbal back and forth, the morning settled down.

Honey is going in for an operation in the morning. She is definitely in pre-estrus. Moody, bossy, off her chow somewhat, aggressive when she is not completely conked. I know neutering is the right thing to do but it still bothers me. The ASPCA says there is no "ticking clock"-it is all cycling and she won't miss what she doesn't know could be happening. Whether she will mellow out is a toss-up. Goodie did, Buster did, become loving little companions but that is kind of the rub. And I suppose there is some projection-my life might have been smoother sailing without the testicles but I am still glad I have them. A little wildness is a good thing. And it is surgery...stuff can happen.

The rain created great conditions for mosquito breeding. I got several bites yesterday as I was doing outside chores. I fogged around and sprayed too. The irrigation water is down to a garden head and I am spreading it around the place as best I can-soaking where I can reach.

I have been taking care of presents- a birth in the family and an upcoming wedding and doing a little shopping for me too. A pricy vest thingy with 19 pockets on the inside- a gadget lovers dream: even wire holes for the iPod. Its the perfect thing for the man who has everything and won't leave home without it. It will probably just make me look lumpier. Maybe if I pack it right it will fill out the lumps and make me look hunkier. Maybe it won't button...maybe it will go back.

As the Sun Sets On the Old Homestead...

No words necessary...Home on the Range...

Communing With Nature

The best of about twenty tries to take a picture of hummingbirds, and they aren't too shiny, appear below.

These days are so pleasant. Cheyenne set a temperature record low for a high for August: 49 degrees F. It was 40 degrees here at 6:30 a.m. when the dogs went out but it was just pleasantly cool here-warm in the sunshine and it was a perfect day to do something... or nothing. I put some tools and supplies away but mostly napped a little and enjoyed being alive. The land is beautiful this year and I soaked it in. There were few cars on the road and even the critters were content to just be.

Honey is acting a little goofy. I think spaying is in her near future. I always kind of regretted spaying Goody because she was no problem at all. But that was Goody and I pledged at the pound that I would take care of it. I have a feeling that Honey will be boy crazy. It would not hurt her to get settled down a little. She is a risk-taker. Being a dog on the Rez is risk enough without tempting fate. One time the boys and I counted 33 dead dogs on the highway between here and town. August -the dog days- are the worst.

I understand that the Olympics are going on. I don't get NBC out here. I used to enjoy watching them but I think they're kind of silly in some respects. A gold medal for B-B guns at thirty feet? N0w a duel would be interesting. I hope that Phelps boy turns out better than Mark Spitz. Spitz has been living in his own shadow for 30 years or so. Peaking too early is always a little sad to watch but I haven't had to cope with that myself- never peaked.

Saturday in Arapahoe

We were blessed with 2 tenths of an inch of rain. It washed everthing and refreshed the parching prairie and pastures. It is still damp out and very temperate. Delightful weather. If you click on the top picture you can see Sand hill Cranes down by the river. They seem to stage from that area before they fly south every year but I think that date is months away.

You will have to click on the bottom picture to see much too. It touched my heart. When Buster and Honey go a rambling Buster leads at first-his knowledge of paths and places leads the parade. But his 11 screw and plate reconstructed foot eventually pains him. I watched as Honey stopped several times for him to catch up. Any doubts I had about having two dogs costing one dog too much are gone. They compete but are devoted. Case in point: Honey got in a jam with the Pitbull/Mastiff from Arapaho farm this afternoon. She chased him out of the pasture before he decided to come after her. He was a bowling ball rolling up on her. Buster was on the deck with me. His adrenaline kicked in and he again became rocket boy-he is fearless when aroused and his foot pain went away until after the two of them sent that dog packing.

I completed the cheap eats project last night with two slices of pressed ham on a split warmed piece of Foccacia bread: 75 cents. Grapes and chips accompanied. I was glad to have walked that path but even more glad to bring home Chinese takeout tonight after doing some chores in town. For some reason they made me a gift of a generous container of fried rice. Oriental Palace is generous with portions anyway. I am set through Tuesday-damn the cost! This is living!

Interestingly, the cheap eats post brought some emailing from readers. Yes, folks are concerned about the economy and its direction. The dining and coping habits of folks are ingenious and tailored: from supplementing frozen entrees with vegetables, to shopping the health food granaries. Picked up some tips. All are uneasy about the future until we know whether this economic trajectory is going to subside.

Dining in Solidarity

I don't believe there is anybody who isn't concerned with the economy. I am a fan of Barbara Ehrenrich (Nickeled and Dimed and other sociological studies) as well as a child of hard times and college days. In Florida I see old ladies buying their cat food and rice. Eve, my former wife, told me a year ago that her investments and pension would support her until she is 101 and she intended to go for it. Recently she said that with present outflow she was down to age 77 before the money gave out. Dr. Leo Sprinkle years ago taught me how to do constructive worrying so I make my decision trees and rehearse the worst scenario until I say: "I can do this." This week has been "dining like a Wal-Mart worker." It hasn't been bad and I am good at pinching pennies:
Monday: Burger King big kids meal double hamburger $2.89. (fries and fruit punch included) The toy was kind of crappy.
Tuesday: "Ramen spaghetti"- prepare noodles as directed ( leave in hot water a little longer to increase bulk-throw nasty sauce packet away), 1/3rd jar of Ragu Spaghetti sauce, spices on hand. 14 cents for noodles plus about 40 cents worth of sauce. 54 cents per serving.
Wednesday:" Beanie Weenies"- 1 package of 8 Bar S franks ( chicken beaks and all ) $1.00. 1 can Great Value pork and beans 52 cents. $1.52 for the meal but it also made lunch on Thursday so it is 76 cents per serving.
Thursday: Splurge- 1 pound of soon-to-be-tossed lean ground beef, on sale at $3.00. 2 cups of Great Value quick brown rice 50 cents, rest of the Ragu, 80 cents. Spices on hand. $4.30 for the meal but there is plenty of "Italian casserole" left for lunch tomorrow so we'll say $2.15 per meal.

Nutritional analysis: high in fat, very high in sodium. That is why, Phil Gramm, America has fat poor people. Potatoes are $1.18 per single. Five a day? Don't make me laugh. Red grapes are on sale at 98 cents per pound (season low) and they have been the snack food this week.

Evidence of cheating and a tip for good living: If you put a few Hershey kisses in your shirt pocket and grab your Harper's Magazine and head for the lawn chair for your 15 minutes of vitamin D sunshine (still free), eat the kisses right away or when you wake up, your shirt pocket will be a mess

Bless'ed Sleep

After real effort I am getting caught up on sleep and it makes a huge difference in everything- attitude, size of the ankles and feet etc. My kidneys just seem to work better when I am horizontal and for that reason my sleep is interrupted. But after a trip every hour or so it just seems easier to stay up after a few hours. I managed to make it till eight today- the dogs were concerned and working on me but the door was open-they were free to come and go.

This world-wide web thingy is just amazing. After my last post I went looking for some things. I found Voltaire's Candide on the Gutenberg Project downloadable for FREE. I found a place in Norway that offers Classical Music downloads for a pittance-99 cents for Khatchaturian's First Piano Concerto. Reading and listening. Candide is so funny (and dirty) and it is as fresh as when it was written in 1720: surviving in a world that seems crazed with greed, war and despots. Voltaire, and Moliere were playwrights in a time when that was considered profane and they could not receive a Christian (Catholic) burial. So they waited until they were close to the end and re-canted and got absolution. The loophole. And I love St. Augustine's prayer: "Lord make me chaste-just not yet."

Honey is playing in the ditch- she loves the water. It makes her frisky and she is a riot to watch.

Mr. Crankypants

Mr. Crankypants arrived in full yesterday. If I had received a call saying I had won the lottery I would have been looking for the downside. I am usually Dr. Pangloss based on Voltaire's character in the picaresque novel Candide. I took steps later in the day and am much better today. The problem with Crankypants stopping by is he has some valid points. They don't just disappear. Pangloss has to work on dealing, explaining away or ignoring. I'll skip the details but I did take under advisement Crankypants exhortation to start keeping score.

While I was awaiting Crankypants full arrival I worked in the Lindy on my music and iPod. Only spent a little but I had lots of classical music to get on there. I should have known Cranky was on his way when I started on Wednesday to have a hankering for Olivier Messiaen's organ music which I did download. It is big washes of impressionistic sound-very abstract, not particularly tuneful but it puts my mind in a transcendental place.-kind of like whale songs. I can't find Aram Khatchaturian's First Piano Concerto to download. It used to take me down and lead me through the other side.

I got a postcard from France-the senders are back already and evidently there is a place in France where the women wear no pants. The mail lady is going to be so bored when I croak or she has already tipped off Homeland Security. Speaking of croaking I have to get a Facebook page. Every time I turn around I read where some miscreant has left tell-tale clues on their Facebook page or "tributes are being left on Mr. X's Facebook page." Mine will just say "reserved for tributes." Then there will be some "Woof, woof, woof, arf, arf's" and a few "Yipe yipe's,'maybe a grrr or two. Mr. Crankypants will have taken care of the rest.

Another beautiful day here in paradise. It seems early but I seem to feel the season turning a bit- coolness... and the vegetation gets a certain look to it. The geese are on the move. Another squadron came through today. The Sandhill Cranes were squawking to beat the band this morning. A solitary hummingbird came to reproach me on the deck day before yesterday and I put nectar out and no-takers. Did I read that they travel with the geese?

Sign Posts

Sign Posts

This is my Wyoming Blogger buddy's blog. I have linked before and am doing it again. They are just back from Italy and France. They drove from Italy to France in a rented Citroen. Denis has a new Fuji camera and the sights and stories are excellent. Click on the sign posts and enter his world.

Hangin' With My Buds

Sometimes you take home for granted-as a starting out place but because I get to go, home is also a destination. I love this place because it has everything- a hill, a plain, a forest, prairie and desert. I also got curious about zooms on my cameras so I got out the 12X Canon and the SLR Sony and did some comparison shooting. The Canon also has digital zoom that I am snobby about not using but today changed my mind. 48X is a lot of zoom-only problem being is the Canon runs out of pixels and high zoom on any camera amplifies any wiggle at all-hard to get really clear shots without a tripod. The pups were busy bees. Buster rats out Honey when he thinks she is going too far-a real high pitched anxious bark and they kept me hopping up so I just spent the day outside with them. A very nice day.

My tiger lilies are all shaded so August is their time to bloom around here.

Honey was my little shadow all day long.

Buster and I sat on the deck porch-the dogs favored perch and watched Honey try to get the geese gentled down. Maybe our talk did some good because she eventually came back and they were all still in place.

Arapaho ranch turned out some well-fed horses for us to watch. A dark grey appaloosa did not take kindly to Honey's attempts to herd them (they mostly ignore her) and took a half-hearted kick at her. I'm glad she knows that can happen. More pictures of the place at the Web Album. Click the album to go there:

Hangin' Around the Place with my Buds

Fancy a Goose?

The wet pasture makes an inviting spot for the itinerant geese. They were grazing and doing what geese do. They seemed to arrive from the north and flew out south so maybe they are starting south-going to get the prime spots in Goosetown RV park. Clicken to embiggen these pictures.

There were hundreds in two discrete flocks. Below Honey was trying to get her "ducks in a row" being very subtle.

Boo! and they were off. Honey had a good time making them take off. I had a talk with her (waste of breath) telling her we LIKE the geese here and Charlene flaps her apron and makes them fly when the hunters come but otherwise they are welcome.