Tired but Happy

Worked for the 14th day in a row. Nine hours today. Having a great time but tired. It is exciting. We open the new thrift store tomorrow. Displays had to be finalizes. Bathroom had to be scrubbed, that job went to the man of the house. Bank counted. Backstock ready to go. Visit soon for pictures and opening day stories.

Happy Thanksgiving

His an her turkeys. The Restaurant Slave Driver deep fried his, while the Fairy Princess roasted hers with oranges and rosemary.






Two cousins battling it out. Gracie is bigger but Boss is holds his own.

You had to wade through dogs in the yard and in the kitchen.


It was a great day. Hope you all had a an enjoyable time.

Gas Pump

An old fashioned gas pump. I'll bet gas was not $2.50 a gallon when this was operating. I remember when a fiver would fill my 56 Chevy and and still buy a soda and hamburger. Oh for the good old days.





More Ruby Tuesday here.

New Job

I have a new job. Montana has been good to me. Three jobs in six months. To read about the first job go here. That job slowed down and I got a second job read here about the second job and my adventures.

Which brings me to job number three. I have accepted the position of General Manger at two locale thrift stores. The revenues from these stores support the Help Center; a sexual abuse counseling center, suicide hot line and other help projects.

What a great opportunity, give something back to society and I get to work in a thrift store. I am big on thrift stores. I believe one man's trash is another man's treasure. Going to my own personal treasure chest eveyday, what a joy.

I will miss hearding chickens.

I got a little behind last week. It was my birthday on Monday and I started a third job that day. More on that later lets jump back to last Saturday the 14th.

Football was the name of the game and we were glad we came.
Mother Nature had dumped three feet of snow earlier in the week, but hearty Montanans won't let a little snow stop their fun.
Hundreds of volunteers plowed, shoveled and sweatted; LOL it's below freezing every day; to remove snow from field and stands. The above section got left out.


The Fairy Princess, Crown Prince, his Fair Lady and the Shining Knight are enjoying the game.

Our team Won! Yahoo! It was a fun day for all except the other team.

Happy Birthday To Me

Just had a wonderful evening with the fairy princess and restaurant slave drive. They surprised me with Sushi. It was real fun reminiscing, even though with haven't lived close for twenty years we have a lot of shared memorises. I felt at home tonight even thou I am away from many I love.

Land of Oz

Now I feel like Dorthy. I'm not in Arizona anymore. I walk around in wonder at this new environment. The snow fell all day, some of the drifts were as tall as the children. One of my little marshmallows fell over and was sticking half in and half out of a snow bank, I had to dig her out.

My car had to be dug out of a snow prison last night. The snow plows had blocked me in.


On our walk this morning I was traipsing through snow up to my knees. Boss just gave up and sat down. I had to do a lot of pulling and sweet talk to get him moving again.


This is no place like home.

Nature Notes

Another day in Montana

Next job get snow off truck, so I can get to work.






Boss had to go so off we went into the falling snow. They said the accumalation was 2-4" but Boss was in up to his belly.





The snow was so deep I could not tell where sidewalk ended. Fell twice but the snow is soft.

More Nature Notes here

Ruby Tuesday

This quilt caught my eye because I am always looking for red.




More Ruby Tuesday here

Michelle Going Organic

Michelle Obama has committed an act which has people in an uproar. Did she make a rude remark? No! Did she wear non appropriate clothes? No! Did she snub someone? NO! She simply decided to plant a garden. This decision has agribusiness shouting and thumping their chest. The problem, she is advocating organic practices.

Agribusiness contends that conventional farming produces food that is wholesome, flavorful and more economical. That is true if you like the flavor of hexythiazox. I am not sure what that is but it is one of the ingredients on the chemical fertilizer at the store.

I had to go look at the package because I have been an organic gardener for over thirty years. A friend gave me a copy of organic gardening and I was hooked. To take produce and yard waste and watch it turn into rich brown mulch is fascinating, and guess what? It is free. I never had to spend money on fertilizers.

As to more flavorful, I can't even bring myself to eat a tomato I didn't grow. Why waste the time and money? It taste like cardboard.

The transportation industry says producing local is a charming concept but not practical. What if you want grapes in February. To that I say eat raisins. Our grandparents preserved food for the winter and ate local and seasonal. They were healthy and slimmer than we are today.

So I say to Michelle go for it. It would benefit all if we had a little kitchen garden or even a few plants on a patio.

Nature Notes

Some scenery on our camping trip from Arizona to Montana. These were all taken in June.




More Nature Notes here.

Walking Boss

When we lived in Arizona I had only to stumble to the door and let Boss out. He would spend whatever time he wanted in the backyard then curl up in his favorite chair on the back porch. Many mornings he did not lift his head from the bed until 8:00.

Now I have get out of bed pull on three layers of clothes and be drug through the snow on the end of my leash. You read that right. He is in control. He decides which way to go and when to stop and smell the grass, dog poop, or whatever.

Does he wait to 8:00? NO! He is up this morning at 6:10 demanding a walk. And I do mean demanding, first he grabs and tugs at my foot, then he barks, if I haven't moved he jumps on the bed and sticks his nose right in my face.

It is dark at 6:00 so I am stumbling through the grass hoping I miss the dog poop from the 200 other dogs that live here. Boss he doesn't care he has so much energy. That crazy fellow jumped into a stream this morning chasing ducks. It was 24 degrees out. Who is this guy? He use to not even want to go outside if we had a sprinkle.

One good has come out of this. I am getting more exercise. I just wish it wasn't at 6:00 AM! Don't know who Boss is? Meet him here.

Snarling Beasts

Yesterday I calmed a herd of snarling beasts. The moon is full and I think the gremlins and goblins floating around on Halloween decided to stay and see what mischief they could cause. They took on human host, my children, and arrived at preschool yesterday lusting for trouble.

Such pushing, hitting, poking and hair pulling I have never seen. All accompanied by the inevitable crying. The struggles were everywhere and toys littered the room like the dead leaves on the ground outside. Attention span was about the same as a fly as they buzzed from place to place trying to find an outlet from the beast within.

Missiles began to go off in my head, hands clenched and heart pounded as my own beast raised its ugly head. I knew the explosion had to be controlled, so I took them to pretend land. I waved my magic wand and turned them all into princes and princesses. The castle then fell into rest land as they laid down. I had them do some deep breathing and then very quietly began to tell of floating clouds, shaped like flowers and sweet little kitty cats and rainbows. A calmness came over the room, everyone was still, no small achievement with sixteen two and three year old.

As they sat up and began to dress for outdoors they remained calm and rushed out to play. I sighed with relief. I had tackled the evil demons and banished them from the castle. Hope they aren't back today.

Ruby Tuesday

This sexy lady greeted us at a resort town in New Mexico. She is set for a day on the lake.

More Ruby Tuesday here.