Jack St. Malo Goes To Sea

Well, the big news around here today—the Jack St. Malo rig went to sea out of Ingleside, TX very early this morning.  This is the rig Michael worked on and the rig which Rollie is still working on.  Chuck, Mom’s husband stuck with it after we left and drove that van around in circles day after day finishing up today.  He and Mom had no trouble selling the travel trailer Gina and I looked and looked for—the first person who came and looked at it bought the trailer.  Mom and Chuck are heading home to Arkansas tomorrow—they are ecstatic!!

Mom got up bright and early, riding the ferry out to the island so she could see the rig come through the ship channel.  She took the following photos.  Rollie is riding the rig out to sea—he should have come out and waved at Mom!!

The rest of our day wasn’t as exciting, just the normal.  The cowboy manufactured  a frame for me to use in rug making—as if I needed another hobby!!!  I finished up another customer quilt and loaded one for Jeane.  Tonight while we were enjoying a glass of wine my dear husband may have earned himself sleeping quarters in the cold, cold motorhome—he beat me THREE times playing cribbage and skunked me twice!! 

We Have Callouses

And not where most people get callouses—these are on our rear ends!!!  Off to Billings again this morning with Nat having to be at the dental office by 9am—that’s early for three retired people!!!  We chose to live in paradise and have to pay the price—yep, there is a dentist in Big Timber but both Nat and myself have had uncomfortable experiences with him and seek our dental care elsewhere.  Nat’s dentures needed some help and if he was to go home with teeth intact we had to spend the entire day waiting for the work to be done.

So, Ms. Emmi got to go along, we all spent some time sitting in the car with her—Michael and I did some shopping and we had lunch.  Poor Nat had to eat soup and ice cream—although if you think about it—that’s not such a bad lunch!

Now we are back home with plans to go no where for a few days! 

On the way into Big Timber in the dark this morning we saw a herd of about 50 elk on one of the ranches—glad their were eating and not darting across the road!

Recycled photos I ran across—taken on the A Bar A Ranch in southern Wyoming in 2008. 

I Was On A Roll

Early this morning I made a list for the day:

1.  Call the animal shelter.

2.  Arrange our appointments

3.  Yoga and the treadmill

4.  Quilt

Before I could even start on my list Michael suggested we split firewood and we spent the morning doing exactly that.  In between walking and splitting firewood I started the washing machine and Gertrude (the Roomba).  I am absolutely in love with Gertrude—she does a fantastic job of keeping our floors clean!!

While making lunch I started in on my list—getting the first two things done.  Why was I calling the animal shelter—we have been over run with mice this year—and thought it might be time to get some cats.  The shelter had three cats they thought might work for us—barn cats, a little on the wild side and supposedly good mousers. 

OK—I am NOT a cat person, never have been—I’m a dog person.  In spite of not liking cats I didn’t want anything to happen to an animal in my care while we are gone in the winter time and we didn’t want to bother someone to feed the cats for us.  So, I talked to our friend Robyn who is a cat person—she recommended we go the poison route instead of cats.  Robyn said the cats probably wouldn’t stay at the shed, they would get eaten by a coyote, cats weren’t great self feeders (we had talked about getting one of those self feeders), etc.  So no cats for now.

Michael changed the oil in the motorhome this afternoon, I did some yoga and ran on the treadmill.  I hate exercising but I also hate not eating even more—so it’s more exercise! 

And I quilted—whew!!—that was quite the list but it’s all done and I may even summon the energy after supper to finish the quilt which is on the frame—I only have less than a hour to go on it. 

Lot’s of sunshine today—our early morning temperature was much warmer than in Arkansas where my family lives.  It was almost 60 degrees this afternoon—but ole man winter is on his way again.

Today Was Monday, Right

At least that’s what I’ve thought all day.  It was another unusual weather day—warm and sunny, 58 degrees in Billings where we spent the day with Lonn and LoraLee.  On the way to town this morning to meet them at Nat’s I bet we saw 250 head of deer in the various hay fields along the Boulder road.  Michael said it was like running a gauntlet when the dang suicidal things jump out in the road!!! 

A slow news day but here is some news I forgot—bad aunt!!  I didn’t really forget her birthday, sent her a gift but I usually mention it on the blog.  November 9th was my sweet niece Niki’s birthday—she’s a special girl to me, always has been. 

Niki on the left in Maui this spring with her girlfriend, Kerri.

And that’s about it for our day—a not very news worthy one. 

Way Out There

While visiting in the quilt shop the other day and talking about longarms the quilt shop ladies told me Janet had purchased a longarm (which I knew) but would really, really like some lessons.  Janet and I spoke on the phone, I cleared it with APQS (the company which made both our longarms) and we set a date.  When Janet began giving me directions (note—tonight’s title) she began saying, “go 7 miles, turn left, go 7 miles, turn right, go ……..”—all but about 8 miles of this traveling is on gravel roads--you get the picture, Janet and her husband Milt live on a gloriously beautiful ranch way out there.  Talk about solitude and peace—it’s there without a doubt—a serene kind of place.

Janet’s studio is any quilter’s dream spot and we quickly got to work—tweaking tension, loading quilts so they start and finish square, machine maintenance, etc.  I really, really enjoyed getting to know Janet and hope this was only the start of many more quilting good times. 

Janet and Milt’s view of the Crazy Mountains—today the peaks looked suspended due to the low hanging clouds and fog.

Back home the newest member of my quilting menagerie was waiting compliments of the UPS man, Bill.

Isn’t she gorgeous!!!  Michael was cruising around on eBay the other night and asked me, “is $ too much for a white Featherweight.”  And I said, “are you crazy, buy it!!!!”  It was one of those “buy it now” type auctions on eBay and we just had to click, “buy.”  The machine needed a new belt, has no instruction book and the case needs a new handle—all things the cowboy can handle with the exception of the manual—I can purchase that from a website which sells all things “Singer Featherweight.”  She will join my other Featherweight which belonged to Michael’s mother.  For those of you not in the know about Featherweights—they are highly prized by quilters for taking to quilting classes and can sell for lots of $$$ if in pristine condition.  The little machines were built from 1924 until about 1970 and this particular one was made in 1964.  The one belonging to Michael’s mother was made in 1952. 

After we played with the new toy for a while, it was time to take a walk—what a beautiful sunset tonight over the Crazy Mountains.

Rick To The Rescue

Mid morning I received a panicked call from my friend Kathy—you might remember a couple weeks ago I wrote about trying to help her with Windows 8 on a new laptop she had purchased.  Well, a couple days ago she installed a HP update and since that time she has had to put it mildly, MAJOR issues.  All her photos and documents disappeared, she uses a program called Storybook to create brochures—everything stored within that program disappeared.  So, Kathy thinks I am Ms. Computer Fix-It.  Well, I could tell right off the bat—way, way over my head!!!

I sent Rick an email about 10am, he responded quickly suggesting Kathy install a program called Teamviewer which would allow Rick to take over her computer remotely.  Once we got the program installed and running I sent Rick the user ID and password.  He began working on Kathy’s computer about 3pm our time and is still working with Kathy as I type this blog at 6pm. 

Rick and I are about as opposite in our political views as any two people can be.  He likes RV parks, we like to boondock.  Rick knows everything there is to know about computers, I know just enough to get myself in trouble!  Rick and I have talked on the phone plus we comment frequently on our respective blogs—but we don’t know each other.  What is it about this blogging world—Rick didn’t have to give up his time to fix a stranger’s computer today but he did and words can’t express how much we appreciate it!!!  THANKS a bunch Rick!!!

In between emails and phone calls I made lunch for Nat and Michael—vegetable beef stew, homemade bread and fruit salad.  Nat and Michael spent lots of time after lunch reminiscing while I headed off to the quilt studio.  I did manage to get a customer quilt about half finished.

A strange weather day—almost 60 degrees at lunch time and no wind—weird!!

A Saturday Party

No new snow this morning just lingering mud! Friday morning when we took our walk the wind was blowing and judging by these photographs, the wind was REALLY blowing up on the mountain tops.

The puffy whiteness on top of some of the peaks is not clouds—it’s blowing snow—BRRR!

I’ve spent the day getting ready for our little dinner party tonight—Sarge and Sarah plus Ken and Lesley will be joining us—Sarge, Michael and Ken attended high school together.  Ken and Lesley have lived here on the East Boulder for a long, long time!

We are having a sirloin roast, smashed potatoes, green beans and a Cesar salad.  For dessert—I hope it tastes as good as it looks, crème brulee—one of my favorites!

Michael spent his day puttering—putting stuff away in the new shed and doing a little bit of “honey do” work.

Life is good.