Last Ski

We celebrated spring and Easter by cross country skiing with friends today. It seemed strange to load the car with skis and poles decked out in snow pants, mittens and coats while the sun was shining and kids down the street were looking for Easter eggs in their yard. But the mountain got four inches of snow yesterday and unless the weather predictions are wrong and it really doesn't get as warm as they say it will, this was probably our last ski of the season.

The first thing Dean did was to try and practice telemarking. He fell on the first attempt at a turn but after that he seemed to actually remember how to do it and almost looked like he knew what he was doing. I tried once, fell and gave up. I was never any good at it anyway and crashing and burning muliple times today was not part of my plan. I made it the whole season without falling until today. The sad thing is I also fell at the very end of the day. I was daydreaming or staring off the trail or who knows what and next thing you know I'd screwed up and pointed my skis off the trail into a pile of snow and went down. Our friend's fiance has only skiied twice before today and he managed to get through to the end staying upright. I was frantically trying to get myself up before he got down the hill but I couldn't manage it. I think the smile on his face when he saw me on the ground had very little to do with how much he was enjoying his time on the trail. The hot cocoa and raspberry scone in the lodge was a perfect ending to an awesome day.

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Last Ski

More Quilting

I began a "baby" quilt for Myra last summer. My plan was to make the blocks during the heat of the summer since sitting on a couch sweating as I quilted Abby's big, heavy quilt didn't appeal to me. Plus I didn't think Abby would appreciate rings of salt on her new quilt. My new baby quilt will be built of nursery rhyme blocks. Myra and I have three nursery rhymes we like to say together: Pat-A-Cake, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and This Little Piggy Went to Market. And we always say them in that order. One day when we were "Skyping" with Leslie and the girls I started saying the Pat-A-Cake rhyme with Myra. Then we moved to Itsy Bitsy Spider. After we'd finished that one Leslie started laughing because Myra had her foot mashed up on the laptop screen waiting for me to grab her toes. She didn't seem to mind that it was virtual toe wriggling.



I almost managed to complete the Pat-A-Cake block and had patterns and plans for many others when we heard the call of the deck, and the dirt work and the window well big enough to live in and, and, and ... Next thing you know it's winter and time to get back to Abby's quilt.

During the time I was finishing Abby's quilt, Leslie suggested that I might want to make Myra a dolly quilt before I made her baby quilt since she kept taking Emerson's from her. So, I've pieced a small dolly quilt for Myra. All that's left now is to quilt it and then it'll be back to the nursery rhyme quilt.


In the meantime I'm mentally planning a baby quilt for Pierce....some day Pierce....some day.....◦

More Quilting

A Weekend of Firsts

1. First time I got to see two presidential candidates speak
***Obama's doors were to open at 12:30 and he was scheduled to speak at
2:00 p.m. I got there at 12:45, the doors were open and I got in
and got a seat. Dean met me there at 1:15 p.m. At 2:00 p.m. Obama walked
out onto the stage.

***Clinton's doors were to open at 4:30 p.m. and she was scheduled to speak
at 6:30 p.m. We got in line at 4:45 p.m. and the doors did not open until
almost 5:30 p.m. She did not speak until 7:30 p.m. Everybody had to stand.
I hate it when people are late.

2. First time I participated in a caucus. Close to 1,000 democrats attended
the Natrona County caucus. It was record-breaking participation all over the
state.
***Doors opened at 7:30 a.m. We got there about 7:45 a.m. because I hoped
we'd get to wait inside unlike the night before when we waited outside for
an hour for Clinton. We thought the line was fairly short until we realized
that it not only went way down a long hall, but then went into the pool area
(we were at the Holiday Inn), went all around the pool and then snaked back
down the long hall to the registration room. It took an hour to get through
the line and get our name checked off. Finally around 11:00 a.m. we were
allowed to mark our ballots. We didn't stay for the platform part of it or
delegate selection. I was a little disappointed Wyoming didn't do it like
Iowa. I kinda hoped I'd hear "Obama people on this side of the room",
"Clinton people on the other side". A ballot wasn't quite as exciting.

3. First time I've felt my vote actually counted.

4. First time I've ever contributed to a political candidate's campaign.

5. Fist time I've ever put a political candidate's bumper sticker on my car.

6. First time I've ever been the least bit excited about anybody's
political campaign and felt like volunteering.

7. First time I knew there were more democrats in my office than just Dean
and I. There are at least NINE!(out of 100).

8. First time I've almost become a CNN junkie.

So............after only 1 1/2 days of our "political particiption" we were wiped out. I can't imagine how those candidates continue on day after day after day. They must have a secret source of energy somewhere.◦

A Weekend of Firsts

Wyoming counts

Sometimes living in a state with an overwhelming majority of conservative Republicans can be wearing. Working all day surrounded by conservative Republicans, many of whom are not shy about expressing their conservative opinions, is often wearing. Always watching what you say because you don't want to see the "what do you expect, she's a liberal" look can be wearing.

I sometimes wonder if Dean and I are the only two Democrats in the whole city of Casper. Tomorrow I hope to find out we are not. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are both scheduled to speak here. That's right, here in the great city of Casper. Who woulda thought? Wyoming is finally on the map and my vote may finally mean something. We will go hear Obama speak in the afternoon and then may even take in Clinton's speech in the evening. After all, how many times will we get this chance? Saturday we will participate in our very first caucus. I'm looking forward to spending some time bonding with those of my own kind. It will be a welcome change.◦

Wyoming counts

Recycling Beer Cans

We have left the winter months behind and entered the first month of spring. I'm sure many people will soon see tulips and daffodils blooming, trees leafing out and grass turning green. I always hope for that in March but what we usually get is whoppin' spring snowstorms. Every year, even though I know better, I hope this will be the year spring comes early and the last snowstorm we've had really IS the last snowstorm we'll get. And every year just about this time I say to myself, "wow, we really ARE going to have spring come early and stay this year" we get that whoppin' spring snowstorm so the tulips are hanging their heads and the leafed out branches of the trees bend and break. It's 54 degrees today and even though I know better and I know those howling winds out there are bringing the cold and possible snow predicted for tomorrow I'm hoping for an early spring.

We have made up for not skiing at all last year by making it up the mountain six times so far this season. We went up and did a couple of loops after work last night and were the only two people on the trails. Even though the snow was a bit crusty and the wind was blowing it was great to be out.

Dean decided to submit a "postcard of the west" for the local art museum's fund-raising auction in April. He used beer cans cut into small squares. What's more representative of the west than beer? All entries must be no larger than 5 x 7". I'm still waiting for him to say to me, "now aren't you glad I didn't get rid of those beer cans?" because my mantra to him is "why do you need to keep that?". I wonder how many other wives have to hide what they throw away so their husbands don't pull it out and save it for an "art project". Here's a photo of his final product.

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Recycling Beer Cans

A weekend in Delta

We spent President's weekend in Delta visiting the grandkids and Lesie and Ryan. It was a rather eventful trip down. The roads weren't looking very good so we decided to take the Denver route vs. the Baggs/Craig route. I hate driving in Denver. I hate even being a passenger in Denver. There's way too much traffic and they drive way too fast. So whenever we have to drive to or through Denver, I begin driving in Casper and turn over the wheel to Dean in Cheyenne. That routine didn't work out this time.

We began with a stop at Starbucks in Casper and hit the road. As I'm turning the keys over to Dean at the gas station in Cheyenne he tells me he doesn't feel well and I'll need to drive a bit more. Turns out a bit more was all the way to Delta. Holy Cow! I'd have to drive through Denver!! I sucked it up and took the keys back, climbed in the car, took a few deep breaths and continued on. I figured I could stay in one lane and just keep going until I had to merge onto the next interstate. He didn't tell me I was going to have to exit just past Loveland for some kind of stomach medicine and then merge back on. And exit again near Golden for sustenance and a "stomach break" and then merge back on.

By the time we reached Delta, Dean had determined that drinking coffee on an empty stomach didn't agree with him because he's had this "stomach thing" before and once he thought about it, realized it'd always happened after coffee on an empty or near-empty stomach. I must have an iron stomach. I can drink coffee on an empty stomach til the cows come home. Heck, I drink 2 or 3 cups of high test coffee on Saturday morning on an empty stomach before I go to yoga to stretch out and "relax" from the week's stress.

However, during his pre-ephiphany time, I am driving through the city I hate most, through traffic, exiting, merging, exiting, merging, through slush and nasty roads over the Vail pass while Dean is writhing on the seat next to me, shirt pulled up, belly to the sky, twisting into various contortions, moaning intermittently, refusing to wear his seatbelt and making some rather disturbing noises. I've had better trips to Delta.

Thankfully we arrived in one piece, by Saturday morning Dean was feeling fine and we could do what we came for....play with grandkids. We had a great time. Dean and Ryan spent some time drywalling one of their bedrooms, I shared my limited knitting knowledge with Leslie, and the girls and I played monster, tea party and read books.

The next trip we take to Delta will be when the roads are clear and dry and I will be the only visiting Starbucks before we start out.

A weekend in Delta

Quilt

I began a quilt for Abby when she moved to Lincoln to begin her Masters program. Last night, at approximately 8:30 p.m. after only 3 1/2 years, give or take, I took the last stitch in the quilt. During the time I was piecing and quilting Abby not only completed her Masters degree but also one year toward her PhD program and Leslie had not one, but two babies. That's the way it goes when you haven't joined the modern world of sewing machines and rotary cutters and still piece and quilt by hand.

I am behind by two "baby" quilts and a dolly quilt now and I'm excited to get going on those. Who knows, in another two or three years I might be posting new quilt photos.

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Quilt

Take Care of Yourself

Remember when I said ugly tile isn't even a blip on the radar of things that can happen in your life? I thought I had a blip in my life recently. Like a good little girl I went in for my yearly checkup (only 3 months late) which included going in for a mammogram on a Wednesday. The following Monday (last Monday) the nurse from the doctor's office called to tell me I needed to go back for another one. Apparently my girls make up for their small size by being made up of dense tissue and sometimes it makes it hard to read the x-ray. So...back I went the next day for a "left special view mammogram" and didn't really think much more about it until two days later when I brought in the mail after work and had a postal slip telling me I had a certified letter from outpatient radiology I'd need to pick up the next day from the post office. Dean said, "it's all the privacy stuff now. They just had to send the results that way." But I knew there was no way a certified letter from radiology could be good news. And I had to wait until the next day to even read it.

Even though the nurse had told me the first mammogram just needed to be repeated to get a better view (I had no lumps, no family history and no reason to suspect any problems) it was amazing to me how quickly just the remote possibility that there could be a problem scared the bejeezus out of me. My brain tried to tell me everything would be fine but I couldn't get my brain to override the fear I was feeling. I'm telling myself it's nothing, don't worry til I have something to worry about, but my hands are shaking, my stomach clenches and my arms and hands feel like ice. My thoughts were all over the place. Here's a small sample:

Dang! This'll give me some blog fodder.
Hey, what about that on-line health test I took? I'm supposed to live to be 102!
I need to see Emerson get married.
I'll have them cut it off. It's small. I won't miss it.
"Lost" is starting and has 3 years left. I need to see it all.
What about the last Diana Gabaldon book? How will I know what happens to Jamie & Claire?
Man, I better show Dean where everything in the filing cabinet is and tell him how to clean the cat litter box.
I'll be in the same group with Elizabeth Edwards, Sheryl Crow and Olivia Newton John.
This is ridiculous.
Not fair.
I'm healthy. I'm not overweight. I don't smoke. I exercise.
I'm being stupid.
Quit worrying.

You get the idea. Finally Friday morning Dean picked up the certified letter for me and I was so freaked out by then I couldn't read it closely. When I called the radiology dept. they explained to me that the letter said basically what the nurse had told me. I needed to come back for a special view mammogram which I'd already done and my doctor should have the results already. I then called the doctor to get my test results but nobody called me back. I called again Tuesday and nobody called me back. I finally heard this yesterday morning that everything is fine. Phew!

Yes, I am the queen of worry and maybe I over-reacted but all the worry convinced me I was being completely stupid by not doing my own monthly breast exam. So I've turned over a new leaf and will now make that part of my life as well as eating more fruits and vegetables. I found a good site with a diagram of breast self-exam and I'm adding the link here. To all my women friends and family----if you've been like me and figured once/year at the doctor was good enough please read the info. and make a monthly self breast exam part of your life. Any guys who may read this---ask your wives and girlfriends to do the same.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_How_to_perform_a_breast_self_exam_5.asp◦

Take Care of Yourself

Colder Than A Well Digger's Boots

I began my Martin Luther King holiday by having to set my alarm so I could be at the dentist by 8:00 a.m. this morning. Our dentist likes us to make our appts. one year in advance. I don't think in one-year-ahead terms and last year I just took my little reminder slip and left. It wasn't until last week I realized what I'd done and I can guarantee you I did not do it again this morning. When I made next year's appt. I made sure it was not on the third Monday in January.

It's bad enough to spend one hour of your day off in a dentist chair but it also happened to be the coldest day of the year--so far. It was minus 8 when I left the house and I could hear the snow crunching under the tires as I drove down the street. It's now 3:00 p.m. and it's still minus 2. I don't think we're going to reach our predicted high of four degrees.

The dental exam and cleaning went well and I even found out that the aching in my jaw, which began sometime in the late fall, is probably caused by me grinding my teeth or clenching my jaw while I sleep. I can't imagine what kind of stress would have caused me to do that... I asked Dean if he'd ever heard me grinding during the night because the dental assistant told me her husband tells her when she's been grinding her teeth, but he said no. I guess he couldn't hear me over his snoring.

I could have had some nifty kind of mouth thingy made to wear while I sleep. Apparently it would let my teeth slide right off each other while I grind them instead of catching on the molar bumps, but I'm kinda hopin' it'll just quit on its own now that all stress in my life has been alleviated by the completion of the kitchen. Until Dean decides to paint, glaze or etch the tiles anyway...

We used part of our 3-day weekend to complete one more step in the kitchen remodeling by finally oiling the soapstone. I loved it before it was oiled and I love it even more now. It's awesome. I highly recommend soapstone counters to anybody who intends to torture themselves with a kitchen remodeling. They are easy to care for, impervious to stains, you can put hot things on them and they are beautiful.

Otherwise I've spent the weekend baking scottish morning rolls, bran muffins and orange rolls and quilting my little heart out. Dean has spent this weekend plus dozens and dozens of other hours sorting through a huge box of thousands of stamps that he and Leslie found at a garage sale two years ago. They just know there is one stamp in that box that will make them both rich. All they have to do is find it. I find it interesting that if I spend an inordinately large amount of time on anything I am "obsessed", but Dean is "just trying to get this done."

Here's a look a the newly oiled counters. Click on the slide show title to bring up the larger slide show and pay attention to the tile as you view. Feel free to offer any additional thoughts, revise your opinion, or offer any new suggestions. Okay....maybe I am a little obsessive....

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Colder Than A Well Digger's Boots

Cast Your Vote

Two more votes to leave the tile as it is. Please cast your vote either on the blog or via e-mail to me. And be honest.

Maybe Dean and I are just too dang picky. At this point we are taking a step back to think long and hard about it. I think we should paint the walls, stain the woodwork and then look again. All opinions expressed are appreciated.◦

Cast Your Vote