Another Busy Day

It starts to get daylight here in Montana around 5am and Jazz thinks it is time to get up--wrong! She gets very insistent until I give up and get up. She is doing so well, still on antibiotics but running, playing and acting her usual self. After talking to Ellie and to our friend Nancy here in Montana, we are going to treat Jazz as if she has pancreatitis (Schnauzers are prone) and see if we can stop these episodes.

When our friends purchased our 5th wheel, Michael also sold them the hitch and promised to install it in their truck. When we left the party last night, we brought Denny's truck home with us and Michael installed the hitch today.

I sprayed two tanks of weed spray today and made lunch. After lunch we decided to take Denny's truck home and to drop off a book for our friends Peg and John. They had two Schnauzers, black like Jazz, and had to euthanize one last week. They are heartbroken--when I lost a dog several years ago, a friend gave me a book entitled Dog Heaven. It helped us so much we thought it might help John and Peg.

This is a photo of Denny and Ellen's new baby.

After dropping off the book, we drove to Big Timber. Michael's plumbing supply place had delivered some supplies to Nat's and we visited for a while and picked up the pipe and water pump. Ice cream was then on the agenda. Before leaving Big Timber we stopped at the nursing home to visit Jim whose wife Beryl died this winter.

Today was one of those why we live in Montana kind of days, sunny and bright spring green. On the way to Big Timber we saw a baby elk along the side of the road trying to figure out how to get over the fence to his mom.

The Motorhome

It was so good to get home yesterday! Last Wednesday we met the owner of the Beaver Motorhome around 9am and got the grand tour. The motorhome is a 1988 Beaver diesel pusher with 66,000 miles on it. The outside paint is in great shape and the inside is also with the exception of the carpet--no surprise there. When we started looking at the motorhome on eBay, I kept asking myself if I could live with pink/mauve--pink carpet, pink shades, pink valances. Well, it turned out not as obtrusive as I was afraid it was going to be. We plan on ripping out most of the carpet and installing tile or wood floors. The couch, dining banquet and leather chairs are all leaving, too, so the amount of pink will decrease. The motorhome is filthy--again, I just can't understand why people who are trying to sell something don't make an effort to clean the item before trying to sell!! We had the deal completed and were driving out of the sellers driveway around 2pm on Wednesday. Michael drove the motorhome and I drove the Explorer as he wasn't successful in getting it ready to tow.

We drove until about 8pm Wednesday night making it to Hettinger, North Dakota then completed the trip yesterday on Thursday with a stop in Billings for groceries. We arrived home about 4pm, showered and headed back down the driveway to the home of our neighbors, George and Shirley. They were giving themselves a going away party as they will be gone most of the summer. Friends and neighbors made up the guests and we had a delightful evening.

Today I sprayed weeds, two mule (Kawasaki mule) tankfuls and two back pack sprayer tankfuls. Michael took one of the mini-excavators up into the neighbor's hayfield and cleaned our irrigation ditch--there is a crossing culvert that plugs up a few times every year causing the ditch to overflow and he wanted to get that cleaned out so we don't have that problem.

The new motorhome

The living area, I love the wood valances on these windows. All the wood is walnut and is just gorgeous.

The kitchen area, see that pink valance over the entry door??

This afternoon we are going up the Boulder to a party at John and Peg's home for Denny and Ellen who will be leaving the area soon to go back to Seattle and live in our former 5th wheel for the summer. Our social calendar is just way to busy lately!

Long Day of Driving

We left home about 7:45am this morning and drove to Billings where I had a routine dental cleaning appointment then we headed east to South Dakota. Saw a fox and lots and lots of pheasant along the way. This is a great time of year to travel, everything is so green. We had sunshine all the way and at 10pm we have finally stopped for the night in Aberdeen, SD in a Ramada Inn. Jazzy did very well all day. We listened to an excellent book on tape for most of the way, those books sure make the miles go by. Short blog tonight, nothing much but driving today.

Eggs

It rained a lot during the night and we have MUD and more MUD! So our walk consisted of going down the driveway where we disturbed the nesting Sandhill Crane--those birds sure make a lot of noise when agitated! Look at the size of this egg she was sitting on! I know the odds of our seeing the little guy when he comes out of the egg are slim but it sure would be cool!

Michael worked on the Explorer all morning getting it ready to pull behind a motorhome. We are off to South Dakota tomorrow to hopefully pick up a Beaver motorhome--used but looks to be in good shape. As it is 700 miles one way we sure hope we like it!!

I gave the Jazzy girl a bath, I had felt so sorry for her while she was ill but she needed a bath if she was going to ride with us all the way to South Dakota. After she dried I even trimmed her hair a little.

I packed a few things for our trip and then started a new bag project. I had made a quilt top at the quilting retreat for my hairdresser who is having a baby soon. When I was getting my hair cut the other day Becky mentioned that her Mom had made her the cutest quilt--out of Hungry Caterpillar fabric--guess what fabric my quilt was made from--yes, Hungry Caterpillar. So, that quilt will be for someone else and I made Becky a Nappy Bag from an Amy Butler pattern. I used a cheerful, summery print and it turned out great.

This guy flew up into a tree and startled all of us on our walk this morning. We think he is a Spruce Grouse or more commonly known as a Fool's Hen. They are very slow birds.

Depending on our internet options the next couple of days, blog posting may be spotty. We should be back by Thursday evening.

Social Butterflies

Let's see--Friday Mom and I spent the day cooking and cleaning. We had friends Jeane and Steve and Terry and Jill coming for dinner. Pork tenderloin, roasted veggies, the best grilled pineapple, marinated in rum and brown sugar, and homemade sponge cake with strawberries for dessert. It was fun as usual to visit with these friends. When Jeane and Steve arrived they told us we had a nesting Sandhill Crane down our driveway and they had a photo to prove it. Sure enough, there she is in this photo--she blends in so well with her surroundings which I suppose is a good thing!
Michael worked at his son's ranch on Friday and also went up to the Whispering Pines neighborhood to fix a water heater for friends. He took the VW bug, I snapped a photo of him as he came down our hill, he looks cute driving it. The VW still needs some carburetor work.

Saturday Michael went to his son's to help with branding. I stayed home and finished a quilt and cooked a little, making Jazzy some homemade dog food. Mom left early Saturday morning headed to Yellowstone Park for her summer job. She called this afternoon to tell us she thought it would be a great experience.

In the evening on Saturday we joined friends Boo, Terry and Claire for dinner at the Rib and Chop House in Livingston. We hadn't seen Boo and Terry since we all returned from our winter travels. Dinner was delicious and so was the conversation!

Today we traveled in to Nat's to give him his birthday present, a day of yard work. Michael's Dad is 87 years old today and going strong. Lonnie, Michael's son and his wife LoraLee met us there and we all spent the day building fence, weed whacking, and spraying weeds. We cooked hamburgers on the grill for lunch.

So, you see, we have been social butterflies all weekend and we are a little on the exhausted side! Jazzy ate dog food (as opposed to people food) last night for the first time in two weeks. She ate dog food again today. She seems to be feeling better although still not much energy. We too feel better because she feels better!

Working in the Yard

The flower beds and yards look better this evening--I cleaned out all the dead stuff and all the mulching I had used for winter, pulled weeds and fertilized with Mom's help.

Nat came up for lunch and we had a great time visiting and eating, I had a ham in the refrigerator, we baked sweet potatoes and I made a loaf of that great Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Mom baked him some of his favorite cookies, too, so he was happy.

In the afternoon, Mom and I drove into town to get one of her prescriptions filled. The local drugstore is in a dangerous place, located in the same building as the soda fountain that makes the best chocolate shakes--I had one of those and Mom had strawberry ice cream.

Jazz seems better today and the vet burst my bubble when he called saying it was probably the steroids she was taking as of yesterday that are making her feel better, at this point, we will take what we can get.

It was a beautiful "why we live in Montana" kind of day.

Garden and Flower Planting

First thing this morning I called our veterinarian and took Jazzy in. He took some x-rays and did not like the way her lungs and heart area looked--he sent the x-rays to Spokane for a veterinarian radiologist to read. We are so worried about our Jazzy.

Spring is coming, I mowed the grass and did the weed whacking for the first time today, trying not to think about how many more times I will have to do that before fall!

Mom and I planted a little garden this afternoon. Michael had tilled the ground for me yesterday and we planted peas, lettuce and radishes for now. Maybe when it warms up we will plant other things.

While were in town, we stopped by the greenhouse and purchased some flowers for the deck flower boxes, got those in the boxes, too.

Michael went over to his son's today to work taking the mini-excavator--I think he is repairing a spring system.

It was a little cooler here today and windy.

Sunshine and Leaves

Another sunny, warm day and we have leaves, finally!! Mom and I went to Billings today (I had an appointment to get my hair cut) and she remarked that the lilacs were just starting to bloom here when in Arkansas they bloomed long ago and all the blossoms were gone.

Leaves!!!!!

After the haircut, we ate lunch and did a little shopping picking up some half price ribbons for card making, birdseed for the hungry birds and a few groceries.

Jazzy girl started out the day going strong, eating well. Her appetite decreased this afternoon and we are hoping she was just tuckered out from going to town with Dad and visiting Nat.

Weather Yo-Yo

Friday it was 22 degrees when Michael got up, today the temperature got up to above 80 degrees. I guess we skipped spring! I have a tulip! One tulip but two more budding, lets hope it doesn't snow again before the poor things open up!

Mom arrived about 5pm after driving all the way from Arkansas--she said the trip seemed longer this year. Mom is going to work in Yellowstone National Park this summer. I made beef enchiladas for dinner and boy were they good. Kelly inspired me to get out of my cooking rut and try some new things last week.

The Jazzy girl seems to be a tiny bit better today. Everything she has eaten has stayed down and she seems to be more alert. She and Michael have this game they play, she comes and finds him, then rolls over on her back and he tickles her tummy--she even did that today, a first in over a week. Thanks for all the thoughts everybody.

Our first Lazuli Bunting of the season, Michael said he arrived in a snow storm last week. The birds are eating me out of house and home!

It was a beautiful day in MT.

Home

I'm home as of yesterday evening. My plane arrived on time in Billings just after noon and I made a Costco and grocery store run before heading home. It is so good to be here. I've been gone an entire week--I had a wonderful time staying at Kelly's but it was a long week. I think my ability to enjoy myself at Kelly's and the quilting convention was jaded by Jazzy's illness.

Kelly is the most absolute hostess. Where else could you get homemade egg McMuffins or homemade scones for breakfast. And coffee delivered just as I am getting out of the shower. Throughout the week, Kelly cooked ribs, crab cakes, chicken enchiladas, steaks and twice baked potatoes. She loves to cook and it shows. Kelly once said her dream job would be to have a TV cooking show. On Thursday night we went to a restaurant Kelly and Tom enjoy. The food was French and very good but Kelly's ranks right up there! The weather was nice enough to eat outside and I was successful in snaring the check!

Kelly on Mother's Day with the Coconut Cake that was to die for!

The Machine Quilter's Showcase was incredible. The classes I took from instructors such as Jodi Robinson, Myrna Ficken and Linda Taylor were awesome. I learned so much and am anxious to put it all into practice. This is a photograph of one of the quilts entered in the show, a wholecloth quilt, one color of fabric with intense quilting either in a matching thread color or a contrasting color. The photo does not do it justice, it was a beautiful golden green color.
On Wednesday afternoon, the vendor portion of the show opened for the first time. People started lining up an hour before the doors opened. The vendors were very busy those first four hours of selling. I managed to leave a few dollars there, too. Kelly joined me later and looked through all the show quilts. APQS, the manufacturer of my longarm quilting machine, was there and I got to show Kelly what my big Millie looks like!

A photograph of my first class on Monday morning. Longarm quilting machine manufacturers provide machines for many of the hands on classes. It is a huge effort to get 10 of those machines to Kansas City and set up for the classes. The whole event is a huge effort and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

But it is good to be home. Jazzy is very ill, all you furkid parents out there, think about us.

Wholecloth Quilts

While I had time to kill before my next class, I decided to take advantage of the computers in the lobby of the hotel and post the blog--I'm so tired at night I know my blogs haven't been very interesting this week.

Today I took a Whole Cloth Quilt class--you take one color of fabric whatever size you want and chalk designs onto the fabric. The next step is to quilt these designs perhaps using contrasting color thread or some kind of fabric overlay. I chose hearts and ribbons as my design, when finished I wasn't as pleased with it as I expected to be so maybe back to the drawing board.

At 3pm this afternoon, the Quilt Show opens with a display of over 400 quilts entered. What talent!! Also at 3pm, the vendor fair opens for the first time, over 90 vendors with all kinds of quilting tools, books, DVD's, etc.--my credit card can hardly wait!

I'm really getting used to the Taylor Hotel as in the home of my friend Kelly--she got up this morning and made scones for breakfast--doesn't get any better than that, does it.

Jazzy is continuing to improve, she is going on walks with Michael and eating; sure wish we could figure out what causes these episodes.

Just Do It

The name of the class I took this morning was "Just Do It."  Myrna Ficken's philosophy is to just do it, jump right in and try, you don't get to be better at quilting unless you just do it.  I think we could apply that to a lot of life, couldn't we?  

Michael and Jazz are back home in Montana where it is winter again, snow and 32 degrees. Here in Kansas City, it is stormy and raining some.  Kelly is still trying to fatten us up, tonight is was steaks on the grill with twice baked potatoes.  

I couldn't ask for a better friend than my friend Kelly.  She is the most gracious, giving person and I love her for it.  We became friends while we were both employed by the Kimberly-Clark Corp. and while we live half the country apart, it is one of those friendships that we make an effort to cherish and maintain.  And, she is a dang good cook!

This having to get up and be somewhere every morning is exhausting, I am pooped and still have 3 more days to go!  Kelly spread 34 bags of mulch in her flower beds today, she has to be pooped.  Good night!

MQS

The Jazzy dog has turned the corner we think--I was beginning to really despair that she was not going to survive this trip but Michael said she got up this morning "full of herself", ate well and went for a walk with him--I am so glad--I was having a hard time enjoying myself in Kansas City with my little girl being so sick in Montana!

Today was the first day of the Machine Quilters Showcase here in Kansas City.  I had a 4 hour class this morning on how to quilt "feathers" on a quilt.  This afternoon I had a 4 hour class on many technical issues of quilting.  Both instructors were great and I learned a lot.  Quilting machines are provided by several companies and there are usually two people sharing a machine--my partner this afternoon was from New Zealand!!  People come from far and wide for this convention.

Tonight when I got back to Kelly's, she had homemade chicken enchiladas for supper, I'll probably gain weight while I am here, Kelly is a great cook.  After supper, we justified our ice cream because we walked a mile to the ice cream store and a mile back.  

More classes tomorrow.  It was a beautiful day here.

Mothers Day

Last year and the year before, I had my Mom with me in Montana on Mother's Day so I guess it was OK that she was with my sister and my brother this year.  I missed her, she is the best Mom and always has been.  She is a southern lady and loves her family so much.  She will be coming to Montana next Monday, hurrah!

I had a great day here at Kelly's home in Kansas City.  Kelly's Mom and Dad, John and Delores came as well as Kelly's brother John and his wife Beverly.  Wonderful, down home, gracious people.  Kelly  made baby back ribs (her recipe is to die for), coleslaw, roasted new potatoes and corn on the cob.  For dessert we had homemade coconut cake that was also to die for!  It was a wonderful day.

My travel day yesterday went off without a hitch except for the fact I was out of practice and walked off the plane and into the terminal without retrieving my gate checked bag.  A gracious Delta young man went out to the tarmac and retrieved it for me!  

Tomorrow starts the quilt show and all my classes, can't wait so I am off to bed to get some much needed sleep before all the activities start!

Getting Ready

We took another very muddy walk this morning with Jazzy bringing up the rear. Tonight, we think she is feeling better, she ate much better all day and even brought her "red crab" to me for playing. Sure wish she could tell us what hurts!

Saturday I leave for the Machine Quilters Showcase in Kansas City, Kansas. I will be gone for a week returning next Saturday. My days are going to be full of classes and vendor shopping. I am taking some great classes from some very well known quilters and teachers. And if that isn't enough fun, I am staying with my good friend Kelly and her husband Tom--I can't wait to see them. I spent today packing and cooking so Michael won't starve while I am gone. I also managed to get a tote bag finished for carrying all the goodies I find at the Showcase.

Blog posting with be sporadic for the week, I'm not taking a laptop--it would take up too much room in the suitcase that I need for all those quilting goodies!

A Visit to the Veterinarian

We slogged up the hill for our walk this morning, we probably got over one half inch of rain yesterday afternoon and last night. Nothing compared to the 8-10 inches my family in Arkansas has gotten over the last couple of days--water is everywhere there.

On our walk, I took these photos of our neighbor's Moms and Babies. Bet they are wishing it would stop raining and snowing.

This girl thinks we can't see her. She allowed us to get fairly close and never did get up and run away.

Jazzy girl has just not been herself this week. She has the same exact symptoms she had in November 2007 when she became so ill and almost died. We took her to the vet this morning here in Big Timber, ran some blood work, all normal, so Jim started her on the antibiotics that cured her before. Let's hope it helps, the poor girl just does not feel good and she is not eating well.

Our granddaughter Laci and her friend Jake are on leave from the Air Force for 2 weeks and her Mom LoraLee invited us over for dinner tonight. It was so good to see her especially as she is off to Iraq in August. Katie our older granddaughter was also there with her friend Mike. A wonderful family evening. While at their home on the West Boulder, it came a literal blizzard, cold, blowing snow, nasty!

We are all tucked in for the night with a nice fire in the fireplace.

Quilt Shop Hop

It started out to be a beautiful morning as you can see by this photo, sunrise hitting the West Boulder Mountains. By the time I was up and dressed the clouds rolled in, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. We had a heavy rain storm about 5pm making us some nice mud pies.

I left home at 7:30am and headed to town to pick up friends Barb and Jeane. The Quilt Shop Hop is an annual event in Montana, the goal being to visit as many of the participating shops getting a stamp on your "quilt passport" at each stop. If you complete one of the circles, you are entered into a drawing for a Singer Featherweight--a very nice prize! The circles are huge covering many miles, to complete most of them would require an overnight stay. So, we just did a few stores today that we wanted to visit. We first headed to Washoe just outside Red Lodge, MT, a fabulous little quilt store in an old mining assay office. After that stop it was back to Red Lodge for lunch at the Regis Cafe, delicious! After lunch we visited the small Red Lodge quilt store which is going out of business and had a 25% off sale going on. Then it was on to Billings where we stopped at Back Door Quilts and Fiberworks. It was a great, fun, conversation filled day, we had a blast.

This is a photo of my purchases: a long cutting ruler, western fabric for a wallhanging for which I all ready have the pattern, quilt labels, the red fabric is for a skirt, a quilt pattern and the little clear bag in the center is tiny Christmas lights to sew on the fabric Christmas trees I made last year. Didn't spend too much and had a great time getting to know Barb and spending time with Jeane.

Phone Calls and a Massage

We periodically check our cellphone and home phone bills for ways to reduce costs. While in Texas this year, we purchased a Verizon aircard or rather the card was free and we got a two year contract. We knew the aircard would not work here at home, too many mountains between us and a tower. I attempted to put the aircard on vacation as we do our home phone in the winter months but doing that would only extend the 2 year contract for each month the card was vacationed--I could see us paying for an aircard when we are in the nursing home!

Well, here is where Verizon comes in, I got this great customer service rep-Shawn and he came up with a plan! We wanted to discontinue Michael's cellphone, he never uses it--Shawn said, "why don't we convert your aircard plan to a shared minutes phone." I had to ask him just exactly what did he mean several times before I understood. We pay $10 per month for Michael's phone because he shares my minutes. The aircard costs us $60 per month. Shawn was able to convert the aircard contract to a shared minutes plan--bye, bye $60 per month!! I was thrilled. When we travel, we simply call Verizon and convert the plan back to an aircard--Michael loses his phone then but we don't care, as I said, he never uses it. When we are in Montana, we convert the plan back to a phone. I hate calling companies such as Verizon but today it paid off and their customer service was the best!

Our view of the Crazy Mountains

This morning we received an e-mail from our friends Jim & Ellie. They travel full time in a big Tiffin motorhome with 2 Schnauzers. They had written to commiserate with us about not getting the motorhome and said they were parked in Sheridan, AR visiting friends, Karon and Dan. I couldn't believe it, that is where I grew up and my entire family lives there. I phoned and Ellie did some researching with Karon and another friend, Janice. We may figure out we know each other yet!

I fixed big ole salads for lunch then began to get ready to go to town, not that I wanted to get in a vehicle again after the last two days. My massage therapist is extremely busy, I called to schedule an appointment after we got home and the soonest I could get in was May 29!! But, yesterday they called and she had a cancellation, YEA!

My massage was wonderful and I got a couple errands ran. I picked up a brake part for Michael but it is still the wrong one, so no Volkswagen yet.

It was a beautiful day here, sunshine and around 65 degrees with some wind. This evening the wind kicked up and a rain storm blew in.

Wasn't Meant To Be

Michael and I have been married almost 15 years and our entire life together has just been right. Things fall in place and when they don't we start to worry. For instance, we met on August 13, 1994 and got married on October 16, 1994 (that's two months, two months!!) But it was meant to be--I had owned a home in Powell, WY for about a year, was told that I would lose money if I tried to sell--my house never even made a realtor's listing, I sold it myself in one day. The job I had for eleven years working for the Kimberly-Clark Corporation just fell in my lap--it was a perfect nursing job for where I lived in rural Montana. Those are just two examples--we have learned to trust our instincts and this motorhome wasn't to be. It would have been nice if the instincts had kicked in before we drove 1200 miles and spent $140 on a crummy motel room that as I said last night was located on the freeway shoulder!

Over a week ago we started this process, we had looked at the motorhome located at a repair shop in Ellensburg, WA on our way back from delivering the 5th wheel to Seattle. The people owning the motorhome lived in Moses Lake, about 100 miles from Ellensburg. Last Sunday or Monday, I called the owners, offered a price, it was accepted and we arranged to pick up the motorhome today, Monday, at 8am so we could drive all the way back to Montana in one day. This past Friday, almost a week later, I called the owner to confirm that we were still on track for pickup today, Monday. Red Flag Number One---they had not gone to get the motorhome, it was still in Ellensburg but they would go get it Saturday or Sunday. In hindsight we should have said OK, call us when you have it at your house and we will come then. OK, off to Moses Lake, arrived yesterday evening, crummy motel, Jazzy throws up in the motel room and I can't reach the owner by phone---Red Flag Number Two. At 8:30pm last night she finally calls and claims the repair shop would not let them pick up the motorhome on Sunday and that they will go and get it early Monday morning and we can pick it up around 9:30. Now remember, the motorhome was filthy and filled with their things. All this was really the last straw and Red Flag Number Three because I had called the repair shop in Ellensburg and was told that the owners had made arrangements to pick up the motorhome after hours on Sunday. After a sleepless night, we woke this morning with our instincts on red alert, called the owners and said, "sorry, we are out of here."

Anyone know where we can locate a good, used motorhome??

Trip to Moses Lake

As we sit in this icky motel room in Moses Lake, we are totally reminded of why we like to RV. We get to chose where we park, we sleep in our own bed and use our own bathroom. This Best Western motel is lakefront (Moses Lake) and that's about all it has going for it! I think our room is on the shoulder of the freeway but we are lakefront!

It was an uneventful trip with a little rain to start then sunny skies. The drive from Big Timber to here is a beautiful one with four mountain passes to cross and beautiful Lake Cour de alene. We were on a mission today so no stopping for photos!

We pick up the motorhome tomorrow at 8am.

Spring is Gonna Get Here

We have had two days of warmer temps and sunshine. The grass is starting to green up and today on our walk we noticed these little wildflowers mixed in with the grass. Most of the snow around the house and in our pastures is gone but the mountains are still really white.

Yesterday we went into Big Timber to a huge yard sale and Michael didn't find any treasures to bring home--YEA! He ran some other errands while I met my friend Jill at Cinnabar Creek for a cup of coffee.

In the evening we went up the Boulder to the home of friends Peg and John for a quick look at their cabin remodel and a glass of wine. Peg and John had a home in Billings and used the cabin on the Boulder as a weekend retreat. A couple years ago the decision was made to move up here full time. The house is beautiful, Peg has great decorating taste and their architect did a superb job of making use of all the space, giving them lots of windows with which to enjoy the view.

The four of us then headed just up the lane to the home of friends Denny and Ellen, (they bought our 5th wheel and have a place in Seattle also). Steve & Jeane, Mark & Gemma and their new addition, a puppy named Osso were also part of the gathering. The associate pastor of Denny and Ellen's church, Michael and his wife Liz also joined us. Ellen made homemade pasta sauce and it was the best. The bread pudding with whiskey sauce wasn't so bad either!

It was a great evening with good friends.

Today we have puttered. I packed a few things in preparation for our trip to Moses Lake, WA tomorrow to pick up the new to us motorhome. Michael worked out in the garage, puttering and moved some dirt trying to protect the garage from any more catastrophes. I even managed to squeeze in a little quilting this afternoon. We intend to make like vegetables this evening!

Oh, my niece has a blog now, Our Side of The Grass.