Halloween

Lori sent pictures of David and Jacqui's Halloween party in Boca Raton. Lori is Cleopatra, I think-pretty whoever she is.

Jason went as Doc Brown from "Back to the Future," the Christopher Lloyd character. That apple didn't fall far from the tree.

David had his costume embroidered. Below a group photo-I know all but one of them-Looks like a great time. Forty nine pictures in all a pretty big party.

At home, pretty much a quiet day. I had a little reaction to the flu shot, swollen arm, itchy, hurty at the site and tired since Tuesday. Rich said that is typical-he was supposed to massage the spot but it wasn't going away. Val told him to take the band-aid off. I hope today was my last long nap.

I woke late from my nap and decided I wasn't up for cooking so we went to town for a pizza. I called Dominos. As I was pulling out here, Dayne and Kristy stopped and I admired the four kid's costumes. They were on their way to trick or treat and the kids were turned out Kristy-style- perfect. Cute as buttons: a cheerleader, a lady devil , an afro guy and a cowboy. In town Riverton had done its thing and six blocks of downtown were cordoned off and the merchants were handing out candy right and left. It was like an ant-hill. Amazing and fun. The merchants are no dummies-the Christmas stock is out and this thing gets the fannies through the doors and creates good will. Firetrucks, firemen, police and wagon rides, and hooplah. Great holiday. I fought traffic all the way there and all the way home. Rez kids hit the town for intense trick or treating. Dominos managed to screw up my order. I was so disappointed. Ate only two pieces. Pizzas are shrinking. Bad idea for dinner but I was glad I took the trip.

Errand Day

Aside from the wind which sometimes matched the temperature it was a good day to do chores. I was turned away at the Post office, Dianne, my friend there is the one that does the premium forwarding but she was in Kemmerer for a funeral. (Don't you love small towns?) Try again Monday. I shopped around for my Tetracycline prescription. Walgreen's wanted $12.38- very convenient locations in Florida. Wal-Mart won-$10 for a ninety day supply and transfer is easy-take the bottle in. I will not bother with Humana. In fact, after researching, I could get all my present prescriptions for the same price. Humana total price -the premium-$35.80 per month. Retail at Wally World $60.00 per month so no big whoop.

After not retrieving my 2008 EKG, the nurse called and said the Dr. thought I should have a copy of it to show baseline in the event of trouble on the road. So I fetched that. Now I am trying to figure out where to keep it and not forget it.

Did a grocery shop bearing in mind that running out at this time is desirable. I may be pregnant- I am insatiable in the area of pickles-garlic dills and bread and butter.

It dawned on me that I had mailed my prescriptions to RightSource with no stamp! Jackie must have stamped it for me because it hasn't come back. Put a thank you and a buck in the mailbox. (small town once again)

The Wind Rivers are stunning with their blanket of snow. I soak in the sight. It will have to last me but I am ready to escape the cold. Email from Andre the retired cop. They got into John Prince-January 20. More good news. Fresh fish fries!

I have been obsessing about a new cell phone-the Droid. I am way overdue on an upgrade but I couldn't find one I liked better than the ones I have. Out on November 6th.

Hibernating

We have not had much snow but cold and windy keeps me indoors. Honey is unfazed but she has been in the street too-she got zapped yesterday. The time inside has been productive. Laundry is caught up. Tomorrow is my last trash collection until May 2010 so the dumpster got some real action. I think they are going to leave it but not collect the trash. Lists have been made. Tomorrow I will go the U.S. Post Office and arrange my mail forwarding. It could be done by web last year but there must have been problems. Driver's license and presence now required.

The doggies have gotten over their "touch kills" phase. They are happily snuggling these days which warms the cockles of my heart. Matt called to check on me after seeing the weather reports. A calico kitty has adopted Audrey and Dmitri. No dog/cat hassles from the git-go.

After I booted up the computer there was a Skype notification that Rich Boomgarden was calling from brother Rich's number. He was using his work computer that was previously operated by Boomgarden. (That's his story-maybe Boomgarden is his chat room name!) I plugged in the headphones and we had a video conference call. It was pretty cool.

It is warming up and I will venture out tomorrow. The storm was hyped for this area but other parts of the state really got it.

Adventures With Suspenders

It is almost a year since I started wearing suspenders. I was at the vet's holding down Buster with both hands when I felt my britches edging south. Gunda was running back and forth so often I wondered if she were admiring Dr. Hart's stitchery on my tailbone or my comely ass. After it was over I apologized for any offense and she mentioned suspenders. I told her I was just not ready. The outside world might see me as ready for the Wilford Brimley look but my inner world was not ready to concede to the Grandpa Grunt image. But, when one is shaped like a sweet potato one walks around cinched like a sausage, or with one hand on one's pants, wishing for a dedicated third arm for that purpose, or the dreaded suspenders. I had a long time prejudice against supenders based on those cute little shorts w/suspenders my mother favored when I was three. The first time the strap ended up in the toilet was the last time that getup passed muster with me.

So last year before heading south I purchased a pair of suspenders determined to wear them "under" -my little secret. Aside from some minor, semi-erotic chafing in the nipple areas, this seemed a good plan. The pants were hovering above cleavage level unless the pants pockets were really, really loaded down. The suspenders were usually under some real tension. To drop the suspenders off the shoulders the shirt must come off. Thus, I found myself in a Flying- J bathroom stall in Nebraska stark naked save for a puddle of pants around my ankles. That's when the panic set in-what if the stroke or heart attack hits now? "What exactly were you doing in there, sir?" "Beached whale in the men's room," over the public address system.

Since that time I have adjusted and developed a system to unclip the four clips, drop trou and take care of business. Age onset urgency is no picnic with four clasps. Nor is the suspending process which also could use extra arms: hoist trou, lift the shirt up to allow access to clips while clipping X 4 trying all the while not to clip flesh in the process. Adjust tension fore and aft.

It is wise to try to include a bit of underpants elastic under the clips at least on the back side. With no belt, unless the undies are relatively new or clipped, they tend to migrate south. The younger generation talks about "going commando" i.e., no underwear. Seniors citizens are prone to going "half-commando." This is not a comfortable situation. None of the erotic thrill of going about with no undies-more like an unwelcome surprise awaiting discreet adjustment.

Until they develop velcro implants or a better system, I am stuck with suspenders. If you wonder why old men look grumpy sometimes, now you know. It doesn't get easier.

D-Day

D-Day as in Doctor Day. As in declining or maintaining. The doc was angry about my cholesterol-angry it wasn't hers! I lost a good hunk of weight since last year. Any numbers out of range were barely out of range. Metformin can interfere with absorption of B-12 vitiamins so I have to add that to my regimen to combat mild anemia. BP was a little over ideal but the new prescription (all tier 1 drugs, heh, heh) should fix that. The soup regimen seems to be working- she said I must be limiting red meat. I misread my LDL cholesterol and the olive oil had made a big difference. Got a seasonal flu shot so I am ready to fly-south. Fit as a fiddle- well maybe that old Bass fiddle in the back of the bandroom.

A big old storm is moving in-it is snowing right now. It could dump pretty well. It should be warmer by Friday. I have stuff to do here and in town.

Honey was ugleee to the UPS guy. This should be my last order for the season. Some things I need to take to Florida for the awning.

I read several on-line newspapers regularly. This link takes you to a site that has a series of photoshopped "balloon boy" pictures. Some are hilarious.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/your-kids/kdvr-wheres-balloon-boy-pg,0,3237053.photogallery

Passed the Test

Tomorrow I will take my blood test results to the Doc. After the results came I spent some time on the internet as suggested by a line in the report. I had a few more out of range results this time but none too serious. There is a combination of them that suggest anemia but the doc will know better. My meds could be at fault, too. Blood sugar is pretty good, bad cholesterol is low, but so is the good cholesterol. My olive oil efforts pooped out after I left Florida. My bad. All this in aid of renewing my prescriptions. I could probably get away with just an office visit but I believe in evidence based medicine and it is interesting to see the trends.

Little Lori called from Florida and we had a good ol gab. She was nice to welcome me and I caught up on a lot of their busyness. They make me feel like I add something to their life which is a very nice feeling to have. Of course I enjoy them immensely. Jason was off getting the poop tank enptied on David's boat. The house renovations sound interesting but of course they are going at a South Florida pace.

With Richard complaining of my not answering my phone, I decided to copy Hollis and Guy and put a horse neighing for my ringtone. The dogs go nuts. I can't miss it.

I tend to believe that a person should pay attention to cravings. For instance when the choco- monster rears its head, magnesium is needed by me. For some reason I picked up a package of liver which was a once weekly preventative for anemia in the olden days. Seemed like the day to cook it. I like it but thought to look at web-based recipes. One for the "Best Ever Liver" called for soaking it in milk for a couple of hours. Then I dredged it in the usual seasoned flour and cooked it hot, turning it once as suggested but not too long. I share this because the name is right. The milk takes away the liverishness. It really was great. And of course I was a hero to the critters.

Uniquely Wyoming

"Collage of Crap" or "Found Art:" The gentleman pictured with his collage works for the Gillette Solid Waste station. He has plucked western and specifically Wyoming "stuff" before it hits the crusher and has artfully wired it to the wall of Building A. It works. You can never tell where a poet or artist's soul is hiding.

Also uniquely Wyoming was Cliff Hansen for whom a memorial was held in Cheyenne today. He was a gem. My political education began at my uncle Hial and my father's knee. Uncle Hi was a mover and shaker in political circles and my dad was the main lobbyist for the oil industry for many years. Factor in the True family in our little triad and I had dined with the Who's Who of a generation of Wyoming politicians by the time I was nineteen. The Petroleum Club, when it was in the basement of the Townsend Hotel, was the scene of many dinners with Keith and Thyra Thomsen, Cliff and Martha Hansen, Teno Roncalio, Stan Hathaway, P.J. Quealy, and J.J. Hickey. It was a different political world in those days because regardless of party, there was discussion of issues and problems and while there were party differences, talking, horse trading, mitigation and enthusiasm getting things done depended on whoever was in office. It was cordial and even convivial-after the political battles, a drink and dinner were still in order. Friendships trumped politics. Of course as kids we were set decorations but we still took the measure of the people. Cliff was kind, himself, honorable, straight as an arrow, and kind to kids. Martha was quiet, decorative, supportive and smart enough to avoid the traps. He really did honor the state and cover himself with glory by being a good man. He outlived all of the movers and shakers of that era.

Link:
http://www.billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_b2c7efd4-c110-11de-8baa-001cc4c03286.html

Windy and threatening here today. The Feglers worked cattle and I kept track of Honey until we took a trip to town. Bottled water was the driver there. Somehow steaks found their way into the cart. Yesterday's chili can mellow for another day. It was a crap football day. Denver had a bye and the KC/Chargers game was boring. Spontaneous nap time.

Back in the Saddle

I'm back in the saddle after having been unceremoniously dumped by Google. I was raving about Gustavo Dudamel, a Venezuelan who has become principal conductor of the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra. His inaugural concert received raves a couple of weeks ago and as if by magic it was on PBS. He conducted Mahler's 1st Symphony from memory! The lost post even had links to his music but you can find them at pbs.org if you are inclined.

I had a date with Guy, Janet, and Hollis for dinner at the Casino but Guy was off on the prairie with the cows and Hollis really needed to be on the tractor so I was able to keep Janet from fixing Friday dinner AND offload the digital frame and photos I had been working on. The pictures are still not right but I figured it will be nice going forward and if it doesn't work I don't want to hear about it. Talk about frustrated ambitions for a project!

Mr. and Mrs Ellis really raised a remarkable daughter. I enjoyed hearing of the gathering of the cows over by Lysite-Janet trying to flush some cows from a willow copse and flushing cow moose instead. She is as thrilled as I am by the Sandhill cranes and I guess they are gathering on their place. I haven't seen many of them, or geese, since the cows came home. Her old friend Norma (and my new friend) was at the casino for a birthday party. That place just makes me smile. It is a great success and success begets success and most of the employees are Native Americans and do a great job. The dining room clientele was colorful. The masses playing games run the gamut.

I started the day by going to Lander for my jab and blood tests. Wasn't I a good boy? Then I ended my fast with an orange juice and sausage McMuffin with egg which "gummed up the works" for the rest of the day. I was under high pressure for my dinner engagement. Always something. I made it through without any explosions but I was amused to watch a lobster eating lady lift a haunch.

Seattle Sooz shared her honor in being selected "Intern of the Year" for the Snohomish Master Gardeners. Her enthusiasm was apparent all year long. That outfit helps with a lot of community gardens which feed a lot of people fresh veggies. Pretty worthwhile thing to do.

Google has a brain cramp

It dumped my post-which they regret.

Plodding Along

I ran into neighbors Harlan and Peggy at the 789 Casino where we had shown up for our free lunch and free gambling money. I was down and up but left with $5.08. Harlan was planting ideas-that I might decide to stay in Florida. Wishful thinking on his part and not a chance on mine. Awhile ago Thayne was making noises about how much better his life would be if he lived here to check on the cows. Ain't going to happen.

Rich called last night for a long chat-Val was in Sinclair helping her dad build a porch-that woman can do it all. We had a good gab. Just about family and stuff.

This day started cold and wet but allowed some outdoor time. I did a lot of phone time-I called Humana to make sure I was clear on what they covered and didn't. I was right but had to listen to how lucky I was for not paying retail. Still an increase of $1000.00 is not welcome. Next step was getting into the doc which will happen next Tuesday at 1:30. I checked with Lander Regional Hospital about the Health Fair Blood Panel. I was seriously considering giving it a pass this year but I guess I can get it together, fast for 12 hours, and haul myself over there. I will also compute Buster's med needs and get those when he goes in for his shots due in November.

Leaves had fallen into the air intake (ventilation) on the Dodge Van. So using a stick and needle nose pliers I cleaned that out-tedious, and blocked it off with mesh and a plastic bag. The RV and Ranger were already covered.

Felt better today but played out and took a nap. Cooked a crappy dinner-forgot to salt the burger for the Spanish Rice (aunt Helen's version). And life goes on.

Up Early

Up early today-the Honey girl wanted out urgently about 6:00 a.m. I trust her so up we got. Buster is still in bed. Honey is back in-no protest about that. So we await sunlight. I was not up to snuff yesterday-tired, achey, spacy, runny nose, eyes, night sweats. If I do have the flu it is one of the mildest cases I have had. If it is an allergy episode from the winds and rain of dried leaves, it is one of the worst I have had. The leaves are really coming down and piling up. Scuffling through the leaves is a part of autumn I enjoy.

The Broncos won- now 6 and 0. I guess it was time for Shanahan to go though I liked him.

The inconsequential aspects of the eastward migration are being handled. I ordered hats from Berkeley Hat Co. From a picture, I discerned how my current fave is sad and off center. Of course now a new hat will highlight how shabby I look in comparison-always a risky thing to get new apparel. I also called Mike at Coastal RV in FL to see if an extend a stay device would work on my RV. It allows you to hook up 20 pound bottles of propane. My propane is gone and the sole RV propane outlet down there gives me the willies logistically. He is familiar with it and says it would work.

It appears the weather forecasted for Wednesday is upon us. It is precipitating. I may need to make a supply run after the school traffic subsides.

1001

Yesterday's post to this pathetic Blog was number 1000. I looked in on Google Analytics: 11,611 hits, every state except Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia hit the site. Many foreign countries From Russia to Japan to Malaysia to India to Africa. It would appear I have followers in Ireland, Great Britain, and Brazil who repeat fairly frequently. Most of the traffic is from the U.S. West except I have 200 hits from New York state. Most days it gets between 15 and 30 hits-some days as few as five. Kind of interesting. If I worked it and put in key words I could probably generate more hits through search engines. Maybe I will try that though that is not really the point of the exercise. Mr Cranky Pants generated some email: one saying it was time for an intervention and two supportive ones and one rave on Facebook.



This was a nice Fall day. I layered up and had coffee on the deck entertained by hundreds if not thousands of blackbirds. As the deck is elevated I can often hear the beat of birds wings as they fly. I got in some quality time with Honey playing and Buster joined in although with him it always ends up with humping.



Jason called and we had a good chat. They are in the midst of doing some remodeling and reconfiguring their home. I think they are a little concerned about company and getting their remodeling done. I arrive on the 16th, Rich, Val and Justin will arrive for Thanksgiving, Eve will come for Jason's birthday and Matt wants to come too. I told them not to worry especially about me. I had a fantasy of my kids standing in my house and I wave my hands expansively and say "Someday this will all be yours!" and watching their faces.



A couple of good games on the tube today. Denver will play tomorrow and that will be on ESPN which I don't get. I may be able to get the play by play on the satellite radio. The uniforms will be to my liking that way. The "theater of the mind" like in the golden days of radio. I loved that era. I had a few disappointments like seeing Paul Harvey was a scrawny little guy. When I worked for KVOC in Casper he sent the station an autographed picture. The voice and the picture did not jibe. Not like Pig-boy Limbaugh whose truculent voice and fat behind match the idea of a greedy capitalist almost as if Thomas Nast drew a caricature.

Last Minute Gouges

Humana, my prescription Drug, Part D provider has been hounding me to re-up my prescriptions for another year. Their plan and formulary arrived. It all came clear: The monthly premium increased modestly by $3.70. No problem there. BUT, they manipulated the co-pay and the tier level of my main Blood Pressure med and dropped Tetracycline from their online pharmacy entirely. I had been getting my meds for just the cost of the premium. 2010 would increase my out of pocket expenses by $700.00. Looking at the formulary there are two tier one drugs that could replace the combination drug I presently take. If the doc says OK, I will go that route and be where I am now. I will probably have to go to Walgreens for my Tetracycline-it is so cheap that there is no money in it for them. So boys and girls there is more than one way to fleece a senior citizen. I hope I can outsmart them.

Wells-Fargo sent me a love note increasing my credit card interest rate to 14%. This in advance of the new law that will only let them increase the interest on purchases after the change date-not the whole she-bang. It irritated me more than a little. They sold me a CD earlier this year that yields 2% over nine months and acted like they were giving me a gift. Then you look at the headlines about the billions in bonuses the bankers are in line to get and it makes you want to punch a banker for Christ! I got irritated with my other credit card folks and paid them off some time ago and have been sending nuisance payments which they refund with no interest.

They were eager to sell my ex, Eve, an adjustable rate mortgage. Her house payment was around $700 a month then. (Interest only loan-give me strength!) Now the payment is over $1200.00 per month and rising.

Stopped by to see Delores and Don yesterday. Son Greg was there. His girlfriend Kinsey has the flu. I have a swollen lymph gland today. ( I said, lymph-don't get excited) Coincidence perhaps-a hope. Anyway they were in fine form. Caught up on many of our mutual acquaintances. Cousin Jayne in West Virginia is getting her house insulated with stimulus money. She said they did a pressure test to define the leaks and her curtains stood straight out. She is a treat. But not feeling well.

Buster's coughing is less with less medicine-I just hope it is enough. Perfect illustration of end of life choices-quality for shorter time or misery for longer. Hopefully we will hit the happy medium and get both quality and length. He has been taking leisurely walkabouts in the pasture. Honey was after something this morning. When I called her she was mud to her shoulders and eyes. She looked so funny. She is such a kid.

Since the Bush bust began I have lost thousands in interest. Other have lost more but they had more and I was in a risk free money market.

Feeling assaulted and poor with all the financial shenanigans I bought an economy package of chicken breasts, froze half of them and fixed fried chicken and fried potatoes for dinner and the soup is ready for Sunday.

Curmudgeon Time

Mr. Cranky Pants is back. Richard, bless him, tried to call me yesterday to schedule a local lunch but I had inadvertently dialed my "forward to the van number." Not content to wait for my messages to catch up with me he violated my space and my boundaries by showing up. He didn't get in the door. I am not ashamed of my lifestyle but I know it is incomprehensible to the anal retentives of the world who then have to chatter and gossip as is their wont. And I won't spend a minute trying to explain what is inexplicable to them. ( Quite simply it is my life and I get to spend it how I want to.) It is none of their business and if they would simply honor my privacy, neither of us would have a moment's discomfort. Stay the fuck away from my refuge is the plain and simple rule.

As I told him, I am aware that I could tip over someday and after 66 years, most of them alone, I am prepared for that. Not his business. Honor the living-the dead are dead. He left after making enquiries about some of my vehicles. He's not getting them until I get the books mother left me.

Next topic: I am loving that Rush Limbaugh turned out to be the skunk at the garden party as far as the NFL is concerned. Intemperate remarks and racism are evidently anathema in the billionaire crowd, too.

Next topic: So typically, the Utah Highway Patrol is setting up roadblocks near Wendover to stop "Drunken Deer Widows." http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13569142
No concern whatsoever about what the men are doing in the woods and on the highways-just "keep them wild wimmen under control. Gotta proteck them from theirselves-poor weak creatures."

On a happier note, I have posted pictures of the Oregon trip which can be found by clicking on something:

Oregon Trip October 2009

Climbing temps

I am seeing an end to this cold spell. Cabin fever was setting in so I loaded the dogs-they were ready for a break in routine too, and we headed to town. It was a full ten degrees higher in town and the trip was salutary. Warm felt good.

Poor Honey's playmate has been a stick in the house for the past few days so I tried to oblige her by playing today. She was ready. I fell flat on my face. Falling is not the joke it used to be. I have a couple of lumps but haven't started to get stiff so I may have been lucky.

Tomorrow is going to be even better. I am making lists.

Hope at 30 degrees

The thermometer is creeping up ever so slowly. The snow is getting flatter, mud is appearing in the pasture. The skies are less gray. But I am still mostly indoors. I am looking forward to getting out. Meanwhile, I broke out the beautiful new laptop-bought in Florida and virtually unused and put some graphics software on it. That was the plan all along. Better get it done before I haul it back to FL.

The Kellerman book was pretty good but he has taken to constructing epilogues-this one in the form of a confession, that seems to me be just a kind of weak way to end the book. This is the second time he has done this (that I know about).

I see the roots of the annual February depression in this taste of real winter. I am so lucky to be able to go south but it is still hot and muggy down there-they are all complaining. I will probably do the same. It might well be that if I had things I enjoyed doing in cold weather, I might enjoy winter. When I skied my feet froze, now my hands freeze.

I had to laugh-my cuz Ed evidently has the same opinion of the Bronco away game uniforms as I do. I thought I had tuned in for the Pumpkins versus the Patriots. I was embarrassed for them.

Hunkered Down

Reluctantly I swept four inches of snow off the van, chipped the ice off the windows and froze my hands yesterday to make a trip for supplies. I had purposely run down things before the Oregon trip. When we pulled into Wal-Mart I noticed a couple of cop cars and an ambulance. Just inside the entrance there was a snow suited woman face down having a big boo-hoo while the EMT's tried to strap her to a gurney and the policemen looked useless. "Weather related breakdown," I thought. I understand completely.

The Lost Symbol is finished-some very interesting ideas in that book-I recommend it. I included another book in my provisions. A Kellerman: True Detectives. I planned to get through Tuesday when there promises to be a break in the freezing temperatures and snow.

Today I made a pot of Sinaloan Wedding Soup which is indistinguishable from Chili. I had a book and I was hoping that one of the two working TV channels would carry the Broncos/New England game. Yay Broncos! 5 and 0. Very Enjoyable. Chili, grilled cheese sandwich, football, and a good book. Life is good-within four walls. I can hold out until Tuesday. I miss being outdoors.

Cold and Snowy

I can't really assess the storm damage because some branches are hanging low from snow and more snow. Honey loves the stuff. Buster likes it in short stints. I am not fond of it all except as it manifests itself through a window or camera lens. I spend the day layering up and layering down. The electro-thermal storage furnace the RVEA sold me years ago is controlled by them. It is designed to store heat in ceramic bricks during off-peak hours and release it gradually when the rates are high. Unfortunately the off-peak hours have been getting shorter and shorter over the years so I have toasty times and cool times. It is 16 degrees out there right now. I am typing with my hat on but the recharge just began so it will come off soon.

Made a pot of Eritrean Wedding soup today. I thought I was doing so well before I went to Oregon but I puffed up and looked pasty as hell when I got there. Soup helps me maintain. And weight loss is relative-I know I have lost some but I started with lots! Buster's coughing was bad in Oregon. I hit the Web to look at side-effects of his meds. His main one can cause involuntary contractions of the diaphragm. I have adjusted doses downward. He seems to be doing better. My heart aches for him-it is no fun for him and I can sometimes interrupt it by tickling his tummy or patting his back but I am beginning to wonder if I have created a monster because he seems to cough for attention sometimes too.

Fortunately, The Lost Symbol is proving to be a gripping read. I have to agree that Brown is not the best writer but his research and plotting is very interesting. Not up to DaVinci Code standards but close. Tom Hanks, Linda Hunt, and Andy McDowell will star (prediction). Nothing quite like an interesting book on a snowy day.

Thayne called to tell me the cows are coming home tomorrow from the high country. Phillip Cross says it is going to be an old-fashioned winter and he wants them out of there. Honey will be ecstatic. I will enjoy them for the next few weeks.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety, Jig

The allure of becoming a "Desert Rat," Boondocker, eco-hermit, gets stronger with each pass through the Sheldon Reserve and the Oregon/Nevada back country. The sights are amazing, the vistas healing, the solitariness so complete, the mysteries intriguing. We made good time from Medford, stopping at the Happy Horse deli in Lakeview and finding Summer and Bill's son is now a Brand Inspector in Riverton! He was featured in People or US Weekly as a "beautiful person." I bought enough provisions to get us home: good clean food. We had plenty of daylight left at Winnemucca, turned down a hichiker at the Flying J-he looked too spiffy-"jail release clothes," says I, so I called the Motel 6 in Elko thinking to gain a couple of hours on today. They had no room so I tried for Wells, Nevada and we pulled in there a little before 10p, or was it 9-the time zone is different and I never change my watch. So we were only 180 miles from Salt Lake and got a 9-ish start and made it home in the daylight-first time. I paused on South Pass to snap the snow scenes.

We had some loss of foliage but first glance says no more than one wrist sized branch and quite a few thumb sized ones were casualties of the big storm. I'll know more tomorrow.

The backcountry is teeming with hunters. They amuse and scare me a little. I played leapfrog yesterday with a convoy of hunters with big Dodge Ram trucks and trailers packed with equipment and 4-wheelers. They were feeding off each other's testosterone and vastly, dangerously, exceeding the speed limit. But I passed them three times and saw they finally had blown up a truck that sat pitifully blinking its lights-abandoned 130 miles from a garage. Could hear the strains of "Dueling Banjoes" faintly in the background because Bly Mountain is filled with West Virginia transplants. Meanwhile, West Wendover is scheduling "Deer Widow "Casino Events with 'All Male Revues." I wonder how many marriages end over hunting season.

Time for bed-I have the new Dan Brown book in hand and it is going to be a two dog night on the bed. Chilly in and out. Thirty three days before a departure to Florida.

All Flowers

A rose from Eve's bush. After being royally entertained, it was my turn to entertain. We went to McGrath's, a fish house of some renown and were served well and had delicious treats from the ocean. We had an early supper because it was Open House at Audrey's school.-Pre school at the YMCA. Cheryl showed me the reports and parts of the curriculum and I have to say I was impressed. Of course Grampie's little moppet was the best!

I had a big day. I was up early and at Lockwood's Auto Repair where Todd whisked me in, serviced the transmission and gave the van a thorough inspection, pronouncing it roadworthy. He is excellent and absolutely trustworthy- I like to schedule my repairs for here. He answers my dumb questions too.

Tuesday is Eve's half day with Audrey. We met at Eve's at noon. Audrey had lunch and we convoyed to Ashland to Lithia Park. It is a great park, the deer graze among the many people who use it.(consequently the dogs had to stay in the van). It is a treasure of a park. There was a monster growling down below the slide who got Audrey pretty excited.

I hauled along the iPod and Audrey did a little Hannah Montana in the bandshell. The four year old has the moves! We went downtown and had organic ice cream in an ice cream parlor. Audrey got a little antsy and was going under the table so Grampy taught her to observe undertable gum and boogers. It is my duty to educate her. Ashland is a good place to people watch. Saw a dude with a "Join the Lovelution" t-shirt and leather chaps making time with a girl with a little padlock piercing her nose septum. Seemed like a match made in heaven to me. Keep them from ruining two other families.

Because the storm I saw forecast moved through more rapidly (dumping 14 inches of snow in Lander-I wonder if I have a single branch left on my trees), I entertained the idea of extending my visit by a couple of days but decided to head home tomorrow as planned. As the day wore on this excellent visit started to fray around the edges a little. The rule is 3 days and it is a good rule. Everybody is wanting their life and routine back. Me too. That said, I treasured the time and the visit. These are all good people who I would spend time with even if they weren't family. They try hard and prosper. I am proud of them all.

Where the Caged Pumpkin Grows

Matt's garden grew. His original garden plot was fairly productive, employing the raised bed, French intensive method- no rows, but companion plantiing. He planted tomatoes and corn but a volunteer pumpkin vine from last year kind of took over this year. Never mind, Harry and David's had a big sale of pear sorting bins for $2.00 each so he bought a few, bought a truckload of topsoil and expanded his square footage. The Medford area is great for growing things so perennial artichokes went in, squash, carrots, potatoes, beans, peppers of several varieties, beets, strawberries, tomatoes, cantaloupes etc. etc., grew in his beds. They got a lot out of the garden. It is tapering off now but they sometimes don't get a hard freeze until February.

As compact as it is, the garden can be hand watered from two vantage points. The apparatus in the back is used for growing a little girl who likes her fresh vegetables. The pumpkin had to be caged because Dmitri in his youthful exuberance likes to dig. The Concord grape vine that runs most of the length of their fence is loaded this year.

Dogs and dads had separate play dates today. Matt remembered I had an interest in a 4 wheel drive van and there was an older one that we went to look at. It has possibilities but I am leaning toward "no." We went to a gun shop and had a Carl's Jr. sandwich for lunch, farted a lot and were manly together. Then he took Audrey to a chiropractic appointment and I got slimed by Dmitri who will retrieve a saliva soaked ball as long as anyone will throw, kick, or roll it. His limits have never been reached. Honey played too-running pass interference.

Dinner was at Eve's- spaghetti, hot sourdough bread, salad and a nice wine. Eve's neighbor Happi who is recovering from a breast cancer operation joined us. She is a nice lady. A good egg. She says she is on the mend. Matt and I played with Audrey while the ladies visited. We pushed Audrey on the swing in tho apple tree and she got beaned by a falling apple. She started to cloud up until she got how funny it was.

Playing in Oregon

Cheryl performed a brunch at a high level today. Scrambled eggs, homemade zucchini muffins, bacon, O.J., coffee. Audrey and Eve sat together and we all enjoyed the event. The ladies all picked orange to wear today. Cheryl and Audrey went to a birthday party. Matt and I visited for awhile as we watched football. After dozing off a couple of times, I decided I might be better off horizontal if I was going to sleep so we went to the motel. Later Matt said he tipped over after I left and didn't move until Cheryl and Audrey got back. I am dealing with travel lag, he worked all night. Naps are good things.

We met at Eve's for supper-stuffed peppers from the garden, baked sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, and apple crisp. Dmitri and Honey get along great and wore each other out. Dmitri is a genius with a ball-He would make an excellent soccer goalie. He knows where the ball is going to go and will check it with his teeth or body. He chases the ball, Honey chases him. Buster has been coughing a lot. I gave him a Benadryl tonight-we will see what that does for him-so far, so good.

The visit has been very pleasant. Nice visits in groups and one on ones. Very sweet people. Rich called this evening-the Thanksgiving Florida reservations are made and he found out from Jason I was in Oregon. He sounded a little miffed. His phone calls are always by him, about him, so the occasion never arose. I have blogged about the Oregon trip for some time. It was not like it was a secret.

To Oregon!

I try to stop at a few familiar spots to exercise the dogs so they kind of know what is going on. They do an awful lot on trust. The above picture turned out great for a dusk picture at the Wendover end of Great Salt Lake. The picture below I call "Fat Ass Korean ruins a Great Salt Lake picture."

The doggies were on to the game at the Motel 6 in Winnemucca. They did a lot of exploring at midnight when we arrived there. The trip was weird. Waved to Janet and her mom who were going on an excursion the other direction to gala Veteran, Wyoming. I sniffed a bit of humanitarian mission there. Grandma and auntie going to visit a fairly newlywed mom. The Flying J stop at Lake Point, Utah was bad. Flying J declared bankruptcy and was picked up by Pilot I think. Meanwhile it has sunk from above average to dismal. Very few customers. The buffet was inedible. I felt guilty taking a couple of pieces of chicken for the dogs- guilty for feeding it to the dogs. There was a lady there, living in her car. She admired my big white dog and I admired her big black pussy. She reminded me of my neighbor lady Charlene, very thin, and little girl voice, black hair. The cat is living well however. Then , the lady who took my reservation in Winnemucca called me back while I was trying to negotiate the weird re-entry ramp and I ended up driving back as far as Saltair before I could head back toward Wendover.

A fairly early start today in Winnemucca. I filled up at the Flying J there and bought a 20 ounce coffee to continue the 40 ounce caffeine buzz I started the day before. I didn't sleep all that much in Winnemucca and needed to continue the abuse. The willd burros never fail to entertain in the Sheldon N.W. R. The snow and blizzards from Denio to Adel did not amuse although it was weirdly beautiful. Coming off a several mile downhill curvy 8 percent grade in a blizzard inside a cloud was strange and beautiful. My favorite Christian/deli/antique store in Lakeview was closed on Saturday, to my regret. I stopped for a BLT on toast to go in depressed Bly, Oregon. Nice little cafe. Everywhere I went I saw federal stimulus money at work on roads and in some cases putting sidewalks where there never had been sidewalks.

They screwed up my reservation here at the Cedar Lodge. It is starting to get a little "flophouse(-y). I made them get me a refrigerator, the air conditioner is broken, I had no pillows, and only a washcloth and a bathmat. Big party next door tonight. Perhaps my last stay here. I will shop around this visit and see if I can do better.

Lest you think me merely cranky, my number one son fixed a pork roast with new potatoes, carrots, onions and salad, much of it from his garden. It was delish. Audrey wanted me to sit next to her, and she was a perfect child who eats a good dinner, can converse and has a big heart. She is gorgeous! Matt had to go out and bust miscreants this evening but we all four had a nice visit. I played dolls with Audrey later and distributed a few gifts-warm snuggies. Honey and Dmitri and Buster had a ball playing in the back yard. It was nigh on to perfect.

Always a Mad Rush

No matter how prepared you think you are there is always a last minute mad rush before the rubber hits the road. But I think it is manageable and I will have to plan carefully not to tip my hand to Buster so I can get him to eat and get his meds down him. Bought $130.00 of those today. My vet is making me feel bad. Buster is usually quick to complain if he is in pain and even squeaks if he thinks he is going to be hurt. She insists that he is in pain from his leg. I am sure it pains him sometimes-I can see when it does, but I tend to see it like me- some days I hurt, somedays I don't-and we carry on. If I thought for a minute he was in constant pain he would be on something. I will admit that I feel with 8 pills a.m. and 8 pills p.m. that he is managing about what he can tolerate.

I am hoping for an early start and smooth sailing tomorrow. We had a hard freeze last night and a dusting of snow. I am glad for the freeze because the leaves need to come off the trees before a heavy snowfall comes. And I can quit worrying about the neighbor's beans. If your beans haven't made by October 1, they probably aren't going to make at all. I hope they are harvested. We had serious winds today and but theyhave diminished and it is 40 degrees at 9:30 p.m. The seasons are longer in Oregon. I am looking forward to putting a little stretch on Fall.