Thank You!

Today is Veteran's Day. I am married to a vet so, naturally, this is a special day for us. We don't take it lightly. This day is not about sales, a day off from work or just another day. This day means something to us, as it should to everyone. This is the day we honor and thank those men and women who have served, and are currently serving, our country in the military. Any branch, be it Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard. It makes no difference. And this is the day we honor those individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice. And this is the day we thank those families who have also sacrificed a loved one, or who are currently supporting a loved one as he or she serves. This is the day. Go hug a vet or a vet's family. Or put a flower on a memorial to a vet. I will. Thanks, Sweetie! And welcome home!

Closed for the Season

Laid off. That is my new status as of November 1. Say it all together now, awwwww, poor baby. snort! I love it. Last day of work was on Saturday and, by Sunday, my WIP's list tripled, no quadrupled, in size. However, as tickled pink as I am, I do feel a need to sum up the last seven months. Grab a cuppa and have a sit down.

Best job I have ever had. Plain and simple. Where else could I have worked and met people from every state and 40 foreign countries? Where else would I have been called upon to ramp up my knowledge of the French language and get day-to-day lessons? Where else could I have worked and received lesson upon lesson in history, geography, geology, topography, and so many other "ologies" I can't even name them all? I worked with wonderful people, too. Made a lot of friends I'll miss. But, that's ok. I'll see them around town, and we will all come back together in the Spring for another round of "let's take care of the tourists." I met the Queen of Norway, Robert Duvall, and all sorts of other interesting, fascinating people. Will I do it, again? In a heartbeat.

But, now it's time to get back to knitting and blogging and destashing and Ravelry and reconnecting with all my wonderful web pals. I missed you all so much, even though I tried to keep up with everyone's blogs and posts. And, thank you all for putting up with my whiny previous post about losing my knitting mojo. I actually got some very, very good advice. First of all, there is comfort in knowing that this happens to every knitter at some point in his/her knitting life. Comfort in numbers. Secondly, everyone told me to just slow down. Pick up small projects that turn into instant gratification. And, that is exactly what I did. I returned to my 2004 knitting roots, with novelty yarn, fat yarn and big needles. Scarves and socks. And, it's working. I have the ol' mojo back. Pretty soon I'll be ready to tackle the lace projects I so want to knit. In the meantime, here's a scarf I just finished:



It's a simple diagonal scarf knit with Prism Light Stuff in Harvest. As I have said in the project notes on Ravelry, out here women wear a lot of bling, I mean a lot. And, being the lover of all things blingy that I have always been, this was a no brainer. And, there will be more like this.

So, I thought I would show you my knitting table. You remember my table, don't you? It's the one that sits smack dab in the living room so I can knit and watch TV? Yeah, that one. Here we go:







Projects lined up from left to right. Two pair of socks and 5 scarves. That should last me awhile. And, don't forget the ever-present coffee cup. Yum!

And waiting in the wings are these beauties:



These are the two lace projects that await my full concentration. Autumn Arbor Stole by Anne Hanson and On the Vine by Susan Lawrence. I'll get there before I know it.

So, here is where I will spend the next 5 months, give or take.



It's good to be back.

Help!

I need help. I've lost my knitting mojo. I've started two projects in the last two weeks, screwed them up and frogged them both. Herbivore went down the tubes. Then the Autumn Arbor Stole by Anne Hanson bit the dust this afternoon. I don't know what's happening. I can't seem to concentrate. And I thought I was in such a groove with Anne's pattern. Somebody help me, please. Has this happened to you? How did you solve the problem? How did you return to normal? This is driving me crazy with frustration. This is not like me, and it doesn't feel very good. Am I just having more senior moments than normal? Geez! I want this to end. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

On the home and work front, I can safely say that the tourist season is over. We have had three snow storms this week, and the East Gate to Yellowstone is closed due to really crappy conditions at Sylvan Pass. There have been some hunters into the store this week, but the buses have stopped. I think I am done the end of this month. Meh!

The Deputy is waxing up his skis and snowboard in anticipation of a nice long season of winter activities. He cannot wait to get onto the slopes. I envy him his flexibility, youth and solid bones. DH and I are battening down the hatches for what appears to be a bugger of a winter. The last two have been pretty mild. However, predictions say this one will make up for the last two.

So you see my problem? I have all this lovely knitting time ahead, and I can't seem to click with a pattern I like. Ugh! Help!

Rav Meet Up

So I'm in the store yesterday, as usual, and a very, very nice lady walks by the registers to the jewelry. She pauses to look at a case of rings, and I notice that she is wearing a hand knit sweater. Wait a minute, I say to myself. I know that pattern. That's the February Lady Sweater. I have a knitter in the store!

So, ignoring the rest of the customers, I accost the dear woman and remark about her sweater. She tells me the pattern is on Ravelry. Of course, it is! The next thing we know, she takes off the sweater, and we inspect her handiwork from top to bottom. Twenty minutes later I decide I had better get back to work. I had the pleasure of meeting Marcella, a wonderful knitter from Maryland who is a member of the South River Knitting Guild. We exchange Rav noms de plume, I have a new Rav friend, and so does she.

It was such a joy to talk to someone who actually shares the same passion I do; someone who speaks the language of knitting and whose eyes don't glaze over at the very mention of our craft. We had our very own mini Rav meet up. Wonderful!

Same Time, Same Station

Yup, still here. It's been a month since we were together, but, frankly, nothing new to blog about. It's still hot here in Wyoming, and the winds have kicked up some wildfires. Not here. Mostly in Montana. It's amazing to think that we are finally getting the summer weather we should have had in July and August.

Remember my last post? When I said that the tourism season was almost over? Well, forget it. I couldn't have been more wrong. All I was seeing was a bit of a lull before the storm. An interlude, if you will, to recharge our batteries, restock the store, and prepare for the September onslaught of retirees and bus tours. Holy Cow! Eleven buses are due today (I won't be there-snicker) and ten on Wednesday (I will be there-gasp). We'll even get a few school groups. I am into my 6th month of employment at Chez Buffalo Bill, and each day it gets harder to drag my arse in there. But, I shall persevere.

How am I doing on counting countries, you ask? Forty, as of the end of last week:

36. Poland
37. Latvia
38. Uruguay
39. Wales
40. Mexico

It's still wonderful to meet all these people and hear all these languages and have the French, who are still arriving in droves, laugh at my accent. They just don't expect an American to speak their language. Surprises the heck out of them. I am still having a great time, but the wearies have set in. I need a break. We all need a break. It will come, soon enough. I will be working through the end of October. After that? Who knows?

On the knitting front: I have had precious little time to knit but did manage to start Herbivore, by Stephen West, yesterday. A lovely little shawl with a very unique pattern. I'm using String Theory Caper Sock which is soft and yummy. Also, still plugging away on a scarf and the second Koigu sock. I don't think I have ever had a year where I have cranked out so few FO's. Somewhat depressing.

DH, The Deputy and Mr. Milo are all fine. Poor Milo did have a bout with allergies this summer. Worse than in the past due to all the unexpected growth of weeds and grasses. But, he is fine now.

We're all fine now. We take each day as it comes, thank the Lord that we have another day, and get on with life. But, oh boy, do I miss those days when I spent every afternoon knitting. sigh

Adieu!

And So It Goes

Ahhhhhh! Here that? That's the sound of relief/sadness coming at you from the Rocky Mountains near Cody. The frenzy that is our tourism industry/season has started to abate. Sturgis is over, and our biker friends have gone home. The tour buses have stalled at one or two a day, tops. Families ares starting to think of back-to-school, or how to get in that last minute vacation. The only people who are still arriving in large numbers are our European friends. France, Italy, Spain are still sending us their tourists because the month of August in Europe is the traditional time to "go on holiday." I like that term. Isn't a vacation a holiday, after all? Is to me, anyway.

We finally have some gorgeous summer weather, too. This has been the coolest, wettest summer on record 'round these parts. Day after day of afternoon storms with lots of thunder and lightening. Puts poor Milo in a state of unabashed panic. And now, because of the unusual growth of grasses and weeds, he is suffering from allergies like he has never suffered before, poor baby. The good news? So far, not one single fire in the entire state of Wyoming. Sshhh! I probably just jinxed the whole thing by putting it in print.

I am starting to get into Fall knitting mode. I've been reading about all the new Fall yarns and itching to try new patterns. Two books I have ordered are Berroco's Norah Gaughin #5 and Jared Flood's Made in Brooklyn, from Classic Elite. I really can't wait to get my hands on this one. Have you seen the pattern previews on his blog? Oh, to die for! I am determined to knit an actual garment this year. But, the lace and hat patterns he has in the book may just sidetrack me big time.

Have you noticed all the lovely tweedy yarns coming out this Fall? That's where I am going to firmly plant my feet, yarnwise that is. I just love tweed yarn. And the other thing that has me excited are all the lovely circular shawls that are starting to pop up on Ravelry, especially from Wendy. And, of course, sock patterns are calling to me from all directions. Geez, I'm starting to babble. This happens to me every August. I get so excited about all the wonderful knitting related things coming out for Fall, and I end up not knowing which direction is up. My CC's take a big hit this time of year, too. I'm doing some more destashing on Ravelry, too, to make room for all the purchases I have planned. I feel like I am getting back to normal. Feels good.

I do wonder if, perhaps, I am the only person on the planet who isn't in Portland this weekend for Sock Summit. I'm sure all the knitters, planners and teachers there are having a great time. However, there are plenty of us who had to stay away for one reason or another. I feel like I'm in a pit, hollering "I'm still here. Don't forget about me."

Enough. I'm going to knit this afternoon, and plan and read patterns and find more yarn to destash. I love it!

Added to list:

32. Saudi Arabia
33. Norway
34. South Korea
35. Portugal

Adding to the List

I hit the jackpot at work today. A group of international teachers came in as part of a bus group. They were from all over the world. I was able to add five more countries to my list:

27. Paraguay
28. Kazakhstan
29. Indonesia
30. Bahrain
31. Ukraine

Awesome!

Whew!

Thank you all so much for not giving up on me. I know it has been way too long since my last post. However, between work and visiting relatives I just put blogging on the sidelines for awhile. Thanks for being so patient with me.

Everything is just fine at Chez Cody Country Knitter. DH is still crossing his fingers that no wildfires break out this summer. July 26, 2008, was the big day last summer. A lightening strike started the Gun Barrel Fire in the wilderness area of the Shoshone National Forest. It burned for 6 weeks and cleaned out a huge area of Pine Bark Beetle killed trees. Who knows what Mother Nature wants to clean up this year.

The Deputy is fine, too, despite an incident 10 days ago that would have sent me to the funny farm. He was working second shift and decided to check all the cells in his wing of the jail before going off duty. He came upon a woman who had hung herself with two blankets and a pair of pants. She was, for all intents and purposes, dead. However, he cut her down, called for backup and started CPR. He was able to revive her, but here's the kicker. She was livid with him. Furious. Enraged. I know he is going to encounter this kind of stuff in his career. But, from a mother's perspective, I felt, at once, so proud of him and so sorry he had to see something so sad and horrific.

Me? I'm doing fine. Still loving my job at the Museum, talking to all our visitors and helping anyone who parlez's a bit of French. I miss my knitting terribly. I'm just about to graft the toe of a sock I finally finished in Koigu. Still have to knit the mate, but I really like knitting with KPPPM. I've joined the Loopy Ewe Girasole KAL, but have yet to cast on. Sigh I'm hoping that now that the visiting relatives have left, I'll find a little more time to knit. The good news is that the number of visitors to Yellowstone is up from last year. The bad news is that they are camping instead of staying in hotels, cooking their own food instead of eating in restaurants, and generally keeping their wallets closed. Can't blame them, really. I am glad to report the attendance at the Museum is up and so are receipts.

Milo is handsome as ever. This was his spa weekend. We gave him a luxury oatmeal bath, trimmed his nails, cleaned his ears and generally spiffed him up. He looks fantastic. Please don't think we haven't done all these things before. We just decided to get them all done in one weekend. He loves to be pampered.

I hope it won't be so long before I post, again. I miss you all. Big, Big Hugs!

It's Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature

But, what about when she fools us?!?! This is what we woke up to this morning:





Yup, that would be snow. It was 28 degrees when we awoke to this winter wonderland. The only hitch is IT'S JUNE, for Pete's sake. June! Just when we were lulled into complacency with warm temps during the day and cool breezes at night, MN tosses us a curve ball. I believe it's a subtle reminder of who's in charge here. And it isn't we humans. Not by a long chalk. Milo thinks it's time to go back into hibernation mode. We've had a week with rain and chilly temps with another week to go. You know what they say? If you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes until it changes.

Adding to list:

23. China
24. Brazil
25. Argentina
26. Croatia

And the beat goes on! Hope you are having a lovely weekend.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Greetings, my dear blog friends. I apologize for the lack of a post, again, but, sacre bleu, have I been busy. Not just busy in a calm, mature sort of way. I mean crazy, insane busy at work, with three months ahead of us that would normally make me panic. I have never worked in the tourism industry before, and watching tour buses unload at the front door of the museum can put one into a state of "Oh, Heaven help us, here we go, again." Monday, we will await the arrival of eight different tour groups, every hour on the hour. Oy! Eight tour groups would normally spell a robust economy, yes? Well, not exactly, because several of them contain our European friends, especially from France and Germany. I'll get a workout, greeting them in French as they pass through into the museum. Bienvenue a la Cody, etc. The really good news is that my hours have changed to morning and early afternoon, so we can get back to a semblance of normalcy regarding meals. DH did a wonderful job of picking up the cooking slack.

Knitting? What's that you say? In fact, what's that? I only have three WIP's. That's unheard of for me, and I don't like it. Not one bit. But, I can only dream of life after September 15. I shall return to my beloved passion soon.

On the wrist front, I am happy to report that the corticosteroid shot I had directly into my wrist has worked, 100%. No more pain, total flexibility and range of motion. I can knit, write, wash my back and experience absolutely no pain. Yeah! I am so relieved and grateful. And, I can have one of these shots every four months, if I need it. That translates into no surgery. None, nada, zip. Whew! Dodged that bullet. I have come to the conclusion that aging is not for the faint of heart.

Fire season is upon us here in the Rockies. That means that with every thunderstorm comes the fear of a lightening strike that will ignite the tinder box that is the Shoshone National Forest. The Pine Bark Beetle has killed so many trees in the wilderness area that one spark could ignite another fire like the one we had last year. Aptly named The Gun Barrel Fire, it started on July 26, 2008, and burned until well into September. The good news is no one was hurt, only one unoccupied building was destroyed, and Mother Nature took care of clearing out all that dead wood in a very short period of time. As with Yellowstone and the '88 fire, renewal comes immediately after a fire. Where there was a barren part of the forest, there is now new growth and fresh new tidbits, both to renew the forest and feed the animals. The ecosystem that is Yellowstone in just amazing.

I have done some stash enhancement, already. I know I vowed I would wait until September, but you know me. Tilli Thomas, Prism Yarns and sock yarn called me to the point where I couldn't stand it anymore. Sigh


Milo is fine. His allergies are bugging him a bit. He sneezes a lot, and his eyes water once in awhile. Other than that, he is doing great. He, too, will appreciate my new schedule.

That's it from the zoo. Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. On a side note, blog buddy Chan is missing her dear, sweet Gretchen, the Jack Russell Terrier, who ran off in search of adventure and has not returned home. Pop on over and give her a big hug. We are praying for Gretchen's safe return. A bientot, mes amis.

I almost forgot: Add three more countries to the list.

20. Morocco
21. Japan
22. Russia

ETA: Gretchen returned home this morning, damp but no worse for her adventure. She is resting warmly and snuggly next to her family.

A Friend in Need

Please go here and give Monika and her family all the hugs and support you can muster. She has lost her dear, sweet, beautiful white German Shepherd, Sam. Hers was one of the first blogs I started reading lo these many years ago. Sam and Biko, together, were her constant companions. My heart just aches for everyone involved. We all know how much this can hurt.

Shetland Triangle Shawl

I finally have an FO to show you. This is a knitting blog, after all.





This the Shetland Triangle Shawl by Evelyn Clark, from Wrap Style. This was a wonderful knit. The pattern was easy to memorize, just flying off the needles. Well, flying off for me, anyway. The rest of you could probably finish it in half the time. I used 2 skeins of Knit Picks Gloss fingering yarn in the Woodland Sage color. Very soft yarn with a lovely sheen. I spit spliced the two skeins with no trouble at all. I always use that method of joining. When not possible, the Russian join is my next fave. I added two extra pattern repeats to the body of the shawl. The finished size is 57" x 33". Just as long as I offset the point in the back. Sure, let's put up a big sign that says "Take a look at her bum."

Once again, I am just amazed at the power of blocking. The unblocked blob went into a Euclan bath for 15 minutes, and, by the time I was done pinning, it doubled in size. And look how the pattern opened up. I still look at it and can't believe I knit the shawl. Me! I did that! This is why I love to knit lace. Such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment when it is all over. Finishing one lace piece always spurs me on to start 6 more.

Add another country to the list:

19. Namibia

Catching Up

Eleven days since my last post! Tsk, Tsk. Just awful. Forgive me, please. May I claim work as my excuse? Lack of knitting? Housework? Anything other than just plain lazy? Anyway, I'm here now, and it's time to catch up.

Milo: He is doing just great. The gum is healing nicely, and he has no pain. He's eating well, sleeping well, chasing bunnies and generally back to normal. One thing I forgot to tell you was that he had lost 8 pounds prior to his surgery. I thought he was beginning to look thinner, but I chalked it up to exercise. Wish I had picked up on that clue sooner. Oh well, it's all behind us now, and he is enjoying basking in the sun on our deck, chasing birds from our pine trees, and watching for those wascally wabbits.

Wrist: I had the corticosteroid shot directly into my right wrist one week ago today. Nothing else was helping, so the ortho doc decided the shot was the next step. It didn't hurt much, but sure turned my wrist black and blue. It has definitely helped. I can write, again, with no pain. And, I have regained some flexibility. But, the pain is not gone entirely, especially when I knit or keyboard. He said we will give it about two weeks before making a decision on surgery. At this point, I just want the pain to be gone. If surgery is the answer, then so be it.

Work: Things are definitely picking up at the Museum. We are on our summer schedule now, so I don't get home from work until 6:30 pm or later. I sure don't like the late hours, and it is creating no end of problems with meals and DH's blood sugar. The upside is that I am still meeting people from different countries. Here are the latest additions:

12. Australia
13. Slovenia
14. Germany
15. Italy
16. Luxembourg
17. Czech Republic
18. Belgium

I have been using Babelfish to really improve my French, and it seems to be paying off. I'm fine as long as the people I speak to don't answer back. Then I get this stupid look on my face, and it becomes quite clear that the conversation is one-sided. It's still fun.

I have finished the Shetland Triangle Shawl and will block it this week. So, I should have an actual FO to show you soon. Imagine that. A post with actual pictures.

Adieu, dear friends. A bientot. See? Those are French words. Aren't you impressed?

Happy to Report

Wow! Thank you all so much for your kind wishes, words and prayers for Milo. I am very happy to report that as I write this, he is sleeping comfortably on the couch. The surgery went very well with no complications. The infected tooth came out quickly because it was cracked down the middle. It's that triple molar that dogs have on both sides of their mouths. Milo is now without either one of the bottom molars. My poor baby. It breaks my heart to think what might have happened to him before coming to us that has caused him so much trouble with his teeth. He will be on antibiotics for 10 days, and we also have some pain pills if he needs them. You see, that's the thing with Milo. He never lets us know when he is in pain. I mean, never. He keeps it to himself. That tooth could have been hurting him for a long time, but he never let on. You see, he was conditioned early on to keep everything inside.

Dear Lord, before I die, could I please have 5 minutes alone with the SOB that mistreated Milo so when he was young? Please? Just 5 short minutes to wring that ba#$%^&*'s neck? I promise it won't take long. Rant over.

Thanks, again, to everyone who sent us such wonderful wishes. I love you all, and so does Milo. Thank God he is with us now in his forever home, where he is loved, honored, and accorded the dignity and respect he so richly deserves. tears

btw: add Australia to the list of countries I have encountered at work. G'day Mate!

Dogs on Thursday

Just a very short post to let you know that Milo has to have another tooth extracted today. This is the second one in a year. Yesterday, I noticed he was drooling blood. So, I looked in his mouth and, sure enough, the infected tooth was plain as day. DH took him to the vet in the afternoon, and the tooth has to come out. The vet started him on antibiotics right away, and we take him in this morning. He will be first on the surgery schedule. We begged her to do the surgery, but she insisted her husband can do the job just fine. Husband and wife team at this vet clinic.

We lost our dear Wolfgang to this same surgery two years ago, May 10, 2007. I had raised him from a six week old puppy, and he meant the world to us. He developed bloat while under the anesthetic and was dead in about 14 hours from his return home. No one, including us, recognized what was going on. We have lived with the guilt ever since. What has us really scared is the same vet (husband) is performing Milo's surgery today. We have always felt that he was left under the anesthetic too long, and wasn't monitored properly. The vet, of course, accepts no blame for what happened, and just said, "Things like that happen sometimes." Yeah, right!

Top that off with the fact that I have to work while all this is going on, and we have the recipe for a very anxious, nervous day until I know Milo is ok. I'm not sure we can go through this, again. DH made sure everyone was aware of our concerns at the vet's yesterday. One of the Vet Techs is a sweetheart. I know she will take good care of Milo.

Say a prayer.

Roll Call

Because I don't have much knitting about which to blog, I decided to start a list of all the countries whose citizens I have been fortunate enough to meet at work. At least, that will keep things interesting until I have an FO to show you. I am almost done with the Shetland Triangle Shawl. However, when and if I get it blocked and photographed is anyone's guess.

I have been at BBHC now for a month, working away in the Museum Store, aka the gift shop. Most everyone who visits the 5 museums at BBHC ends up in the Museum Store at some point. So, I do get to talk to a lot of people. Never the shy, retiring type, I try to chat up everyone I can to learn where they are from. Here's the list so far:

1. Spain
2. Sweden
3. France
4. Ireland
5. Scotland
6. The UK
7. New Zealand
8. The Netherlands
9. Canada
10. Austria
11. Switzerland

Not bad for the slow season, eh? Everyone I have met so far has been interesting and eager to chat, except for the family from France. They were pleased that I could speak to them in their native tongue, but that's about as far as it went. Very reserved.

The most fun I have had so far has been with the Swedes. They were with a tour group and stayed for an hour, chatting, shopping and, of all things, taking pictures with me in them. How cool is that!!! We laughed and laughed, and they vowed they would return some day.

I guess my point is this: Who would have thought that this meager job would allow me to meet so many interesting people from so many countries? And right here in Cody, no less? What this tells me is that the BBHC is no backwater, hole in the wall, pseudo museum. This is the real thing, and has a reputation that has spread around the world. As an affiliate of the Smithsonian, it houses the best of Western art, literature, culture, natural history and Native American artifacts and culture.

I do have one knitting story to relate. Because the BBHC is also a research facility, people come on sabaticals and grants to research all manner of topics pertinent to the West and the settling of the Big Horn Basin. Yellowstone is also a huge topic of research. One lady I met last week was a researcher from a University in Texas, here for a year of study and research. She was shopping, and, of course, we started to chat. She was paying for her purchase when she said, "Well, I guess this could have been worse. I could have spent all this money on yarn." Ding, ding, ding!!! The bells went off in my head, and I immediately asked her what she meant. Guess what? She's a knitter!! Immediate connection. Thirty minutes later we are still talking when I discovered she knew nothing about Ravelry. Heh, heh, heh. Yup. I gave her the URL and told her to wait just a day or two for her invitation to the site. She promised she would report back after joining and perusing all the patterns, groups, etc. I told her the knitting time would increase and the research time would, well, that's up to her. I am such an enabler!!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. This is my last two day off weekend until September. I'll keep you posted as I add countries.

Coming Up For Air

Please, please, please forgive my lack of posting/blogging. I still haven't found that perfect balance between work, home, hobby, family, etc. However, I am working on it. I think it's a long process, perhaps a continuing work in progress. Time for an update.

No knitting to show because not much knitting has occurred. I manage about 15 minutes a day before getting ready for work.

Work. Work is getting busier by the day. I am still enjoying the interaction with all sorts of interesting people. So far, I have met people from Spain, Sweden, France, Austria, Canada, New Zealand and Scotland. The East Gate to Yellowstone opens up next week, so things will really get busy when the tourists can access The Park from Cody. They tell me, "You ain't seen nothin' yet!"

Wrist. Still hurts. No progress or recovery. The PT didn't work well at all. I return to the Ortho doc the first of May, so I am hoping for the corticosteroid shot right in the wrist. I just want the pain to stop because now I am having trouble writing and doing other day to day tasks. And, the left wrist is starting to hurt because I am using it so much. I really think keyboarding is doing the ugly deed.

The Deputy returns today from his Advanced Course at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy. We have missed him, so today will be a happy day for us. He still feels he is receiving the best training for his profession right here in Wyoming.

DH is still very busy at work and helping me handle things at home. He makes a mean kettle of chili, which we all really love. He'll have one ready tonight for The Deputy's return.

Milo has adjusted very well to our goofy new schedule. I still miss him terribly during the day. However, we have loads of quality time at night. Belly rubs abound.

That's it. I miss you all. I try to keep up with everyone's blogs as best I can. Don't think I'm not reading if I don't comment. I'm there. Talk to you later.

Goldens 2.0

Remember my wonderful neighbors who care for aging Golden Retrievers? Time for an update.

Sadly, they lost Chief on News Years Eve to a myriad of health problems. They had to make that difficult decision all pet owners must make at some point. It would have been cruel to have prolonged his suffering. Chief was 12.

Molly, Chief's lifelong companion, is now 13 and suffers from arthritis. However, her spirits are good, she loves to play and has no intentions of giving up. What a trooper! She is light in color and the sweetest thing. I just love her.

Here's the big news. Last night while eating supper, I saw some activity in their back yard. I looked over to see three Goldens in the back yard, Molly and two deep auburn beauties. I must have been staring, because the wife waved at me and motioned me over. I asked the boys to clear the table, and off I went. Sure enough, when I got to their backyard, there were the two new boys in the family, Frankie and Freddie, 8 and 11 years old, respectively. The couple had just picked them up in Casper, WY, after the pups' journey from the Denver rescue group. They have been together for eight years, a true bonded pair. Their owner, sadly, committed suicide 6 weeks ago. They are in excellent health, other than a little extra weight on one and not enough on the other. My neighbors were utterly overcome with joy. Molly was making sure everyone knew she was head honcho in the pecking order. I played with the doggies, hugged the couple and found out it was the husband's birthday yesterday. With tears in his eyes, he told me he couldn't have asked for a better birthday.

I floated home a few feet off the ground, happy in the knowledge that, once again, these marvelous people have secured their place in Heaven. I can't wait to watch things progress as the new family members settle in. With all the craziness occurring in our world today, my faith in mankind is rekindled every time I encounter something as wonderful as an adoption of two pups in need of a forever home, after a very traumatic time in their lives. There is goodness in this world, after all. Happy Easter!

Good News/Bad News

Good News: I am still employed. Haven't messed up to the point of getting canned.
Bad News: I am utterly exhausted. Standing on my feet for 5-6 hours at a time with no break is not something I am used to. But, I am getting there. I drag myself home at the end of the day, wondering what in the world have I done?

Good News: I am learning so much about the Museum and all the history it contains. I feel like I have gone back to school for a degree in Western History/Culture. It is just fascinating, and makes me feel like I can't get enough.
Bad News: There is so much I don't know. Questions I can't answer for customers. Very frustrating.

Good News: I have already met such wonderful people. People from Sweden, Spain, Canada, and several states in the US. And this is the slow season. Can't imagine what it will be like when tour bus after tour bus comes through every day.
Bad News: Can't imagine what it will be like when tour bus after tour bus comes through every day.

Good News: The men folk are doing well for themselves, pitching in when I really need help which is every single day. DH cooked a delicious dinner last night, and The Deputy is taking care of Milo.
Bad News: Milo and I miss each other terribly. Sometimes to the point of tears when I leave. Mine.

Good News: This job is keeping me very busy. Making me focus and concentrate on organizational skills I haven't used in a long time.
Bad News: I haven't knit a stitch in 10 days.

Good News: I am reveling in the very presence of other people. I feel such joy in the daily contact of the terrific people I encounter.
Bad News: None

Did You See This?

I know, I know. I should be saving this for Dogs on Thursday. But, I can't. I can't wait that long. This is so terrific I have to share it now.

Did you see CBS Sunday Morning today? Ben Stein did his commentary, again, this morning, and I love him for it. He is so right. So very, very right. This is just divine.