Getting the Motorhome Ready

We are leaving on Tuesday for Glacier National Park and Hungry Horse Reservoir, meeting up with friends Jim and Ellie and Mark and Dortha who were here visiting us in early July. The motorhome is sitting in the driveway tonight with the Explorer in tow. I spent Friday morning and a lot of Saturday cleaning the motorhome--I think I finally have it clean enough to suit me.

When Lonn and LoraLee came for dinner on Thursday night, Lonn told his Dad that he saw a used metal lathe in a shop in Belgrade. Michael has been closely watching CraigsList and other places for a lathe. On Friday afternoon we drove over to Belgrade--about 2 hours from here-- and Michael bought himself a metal lathe. He was amazed at the size of it and the reasonable price. Saturday he got it running and is even more pleased!

Saturday morning I made 3 batches of tomatillo salsa--yum!


We spent today loading the motorhome and getting the car ready to tow. Nat came up for lunch and we had a nice visit with him.

Emmi is nine weeks old and we aren't progressing very rapidly with the potty training. I can't ever catch her going in the house (maybe that means I should be watching closer??).


These two brats were in our front yard Friday morning eating my shrubs. Emmi and I went out and barked at them. Jazz was really good at keeping the deer out of the yard, Emmi needs to work on those skills!

Our weather has been unseasonably cool and rainy for August. Since Thursday, we have had another inch of rain and everything is beautifully green for August.

Emmi and GrandDad

We chose today to go to Billings for groceries. It was to be a hot day so Emmi got to stay with Granddad for the first time. They both survived--Nat loved Jazzy and he seems to think Emmi is OK, too.

Billings was hot and crowded and there is road construction everywhere. Both major west end arteries are partially closed for construction and it is a mess. We made a quick stop at Harbor Freight, then on to Big R, a local western store where Michael found a couple of new shirts (he is worse than a woman about picking out clothes!!). Lunch and then Costco for the big grocery run. We then started out of town with a stop at Wal Mart in Laurel--almost got rear ended getting to Wal Mart, we were stopped to turn left, heard this terrible screeching of brakes, looked in the rear view mirror and a car was sideways behind us trying hard not to hit us, Michael floored our car and managed to scoot out of the way--sure made our hearts beat harder!

We got home with less than 2 hours to spare with Lonn, LoraLee, Katie and her boyfriend Michael coming for dinner. I had cooked my ribs yesterday and only needed to warm them on the grill. We had a great time visiting with them and dinner was very good if I do say so myself. Poor Michael had to unload an Explorer full of stuff while I cooked.

Emmi enjoyed meeting the rest of the Clark family tonight, she if fast asleep in her crate right now.

Is it August in Montana or is it October??? It rained over half an inch during the night and tonight is is downright cool!

First Vet Appointment

Emmi had her first veterinarian appointment today with us. She was the center of attention at the clinic we go to, everybody, vets included wanted to love on her. Emmi was a good girl, I don't think she was too impressed with the thermometer thing!

We picked up a few groceries and headed home. Emmi went straight to bed. Michael started up the motorhome, took it up to our bulk tanks, filled it with diesel and parked it in front of the back door. He wanted to hook up the Explorer lights and make sure everything works. On Monday we are heading to Glacier National Park to visit with friends Jim & Ellie and Mark and Dortha. I've never ridden in the motorhome and neither has Emmi so we are excited to be taking a trip.

Laundry and cooking took up some of my time today. We are going to Billings tomorrow and Lonn and LoraLee are coming for dinner so I cooked my ribs today and all I have to do tomorrow night is throw them on the grill to warm up. Nat has agreed to babysit Emmi--this should be interesting, I will let you know how it goes!

I did work in the quilting studio a little this afternoon trying to get a quilt back square on the machine. Michael worked on reinforcing the hitch that goes on the Explorer and now he is washing it.

When Jazz was a puppy, I had this basket which I purchased from a local craftswoman. The basket held Jazz's toys and one day she decided she liked the basket better than her toys. Well, I put Emmi's toys in the basket, she had taken them all out and decided to get in the basket and finish what Jazz started--puppies!!!

Yesterday was a day of frights--first the snake then a mouse. We were in bed last night reading and I heard something chewing the wood over by the screen door. I got up to investigate and a little mouse ran across the floor in front of me--Jim, I'm surprised you didn't hear that scream in Idaho Falls!! My scream scared Michael right up out of bed and woke the dog.

Much cooler today with a little shower this afternoon.

Flying Geese and Snakes

This is the quilt I have been trying to finish in between puppy sitting. It belongs to my 78 year old Aunt Margaret and it is a beautiful quilt with a flying geese pattern. Aunt Margaret is a prolific quilter probably finishing a quilt a week if not more--my Uncle has Parkinson's disease and is confined to a wheelchair with my aunt providing the majority of his care. I think quilting keeps her sane. Her quilts are always so perfect, same size top, middle and bottom which makes them a pleasure to quilt. I called this quilt the "girly, girl" quilt because it was so feminine.

This is the backside of the quilt.Michael laid lots of rocks on the face of the garage today and in the afternoon he worked on our motorhome installing a water filter and chlorinating the water tank.

We can't quiet figure out what our neighbors are doing. See that big brown spot--this field is across the road and river from us and was newly plowed and planted this spring; it was really starting to look nice and green--now they are plowing the crop under???

An August full moon over Enos Mountain last night.

Fireweed in bloom.

On one of my many trips back into the house after taking Emmi out to potty I stepped onto the deck and startled a little snake--have I mentioned I hate snakes--I screamed so loud Michael heard me over the noise of the running motorhome! I had Emmi in my arms and my scream scared the daylights out of her.

Almost got another quilt loaded onto the machine this afternoon. Emmi has her first vet appointment in the morning.

OK, brother dear, were those photos better?? Love you!

Gutters

Today was gutter install day. The front roof line of Joe and Tammy's house (our former house) never had gutters and all the years of moisture draining onto the deck was taking its toll. So, we installed gutters across the front of the house. It was hot after the sun got to us--Emmi went along and stayed in her crate very nicely.

As we were working we heard an eagle screech--several small birds were tormenting him and he was protesting.


Emmi came alive when we got home and was wild--we played in the grass for a while then came inside and played some more then she headed to her crate for another nap to gain more energy for keeping me up at night, I am sure! We aren't sleeping too well some nights, I think I fed her too late last night so we were up to potty at 2:30am--ugh! We may try the crate again tonight, she is great about going into it during the day to nap.

It is very hazy today, could mean we have a forest fire somewhere or it could just be humidity but I doubt it.

Emmi Has Visitors

Saturday night friends John and Peg joined us here for dinner. In the spring they had to euthanize their schnauzer Bingo. John and Peg are heartbroken as we are since losing Jazz. They have another schnauzer named Banjo and he came along last night--Emmi's first encounter with another dog. She was not impressed--we have heard her growl when playing with toys but not bark. She was quick to let Banjo know he was in her home--barking and growling at him. Peg is trying to talk John into getting one of Emmi's litter mates and hoped that when he saw Emmi he would succumb--the jury is still out on that plan. But, they both enjoyed seeing her and we had a great evening.

Banjo is also ill and his vision is failing but he is a cheerful dog. While we were eating dinner I heard food rattling in Emmi's dish which I knew was sitting on the coffee table way out of her reach. Poor Banjo has been on a diet and is always on the search for food--he found Emmi's dish and helped himself.



Michael worked on our motorhome today and I quilted during puppy naps. Nat came up for lunch and we had hamburgers on the grill and my parmesan potatoes.

Emmi was 8 weeks old yesterday and is growing like a weed.

Harley, do you think you can talk your Mom and Dad and the Petty's into coming to my house for Christmas this year?? I've asked Elizabeth and Leah, now it is your turn, are you behaving yourself this summer?

Strange weather again, it was supposed to be over 90 today, I doubt it even got to 80 degrees.

Happy Birthday Jill

Yesterday I spent the day getting ready for a birthday party. That's not quiet true--I did go to town and attend a fabric painting class out at the fairgrounds--learned a lot and can't wait to try it.

Friday was my friend Jill's birthday--she, her husband Terry and their daughter Kerri joined us for dinner along with friends Nancy and Geoff. We had pork shish k-bobs, wild rice with mushrooms and almonds, tomato and mozzarella salad and a cesar salad. Nancy brought dessert, strawberry margarita mousse--so good! It was a very enjoyable evening as always with this group of friends.

Today we slept in then took a walk with Emmi--we walk, she gets carried more than she walks.

We disturbed this pair of sandhill cranes on our walk and I snapped this photo just as they were landing across the ravine from us.
Yesterday Emmi met Red, the horse.

Yesterday was cool and rainy in the morning but the evening was beautiful. Today it is much warmer and windy--sunny too.