Life in Mtse

We had a nice Easter just doing nothing.  Ate pot pies for our Easter dinner.  Nice change and very little clean up or preparation.  Betty Potas brought Gma some mint ice cream bars on Saturday, so we had that for dessert.

I've been cleaning my yard for spring.  So far I've raked 4 garbage bags of dead grass and leaves.  Got all the side yard done and pulled some stuff out of the bushes in front.  Raked up part of the back yard.  Did where the bushes are between the house and garage and by the greenhouse. 

George Franzen asked me for some pieces of wood, so I have him three and he is to come Friday or Saturday and hang some big pictures for me in the garage.  Gayle fixed that one of Spain and I've decided to hang it above one of the windows in the garage along with the beer one that was left there.  She washed that one and cleaned it up too.  Looks quite nice.  Then I have a couple of other big ones that I want up high. 

Yesterday and today I moved the wood pile.  Figured if its out of sight it'll be out of mind.  I'm not using it, but I don't want to sell it either.  Not sure what I'll do with it, but for now I'm keeping it.  Will use a couple of them for sitting on by the front steps or the back steps.  Might use some for seating in the greenhouse picnic area.  I'll think of something.  There is a big community yard sale coming up May 1st in conjunction with the fishing derby.  Don't really want to have to explain the wood then.  There were 151 pieces of wood that I moved.  Took the smaller ones in the wagon and the bigger pieces with the dolly.  Worked at it an hour and a half yesterday and another hour today.  There is still one big log between the garage and the fence, but I can't lift it.  Now I can get to that part of my yard and rake dead weeds.  Will make it easier to get back there to spray weeds, too.

Arlene's retirement

Last Sunday we went to Arlene's retirement party at the Senior Center.  She has been delivering mail on our route for 25 1/2 years.  We will miss her as she did extra stuff for us sometimes.  Now we have to train a new person.  The new guy went with her a couple of times and she said he was writing everything down in a notebook, so will see how well he remembers.  I rather suspect I'll have to actually check our mail box from time to time.  Arlene would raise the flag if we had mail.  We don't get much on the route anymore except junk mail.  But now and again we get a card from someone who doesn't have our box. 

It was a nice party.  Gma wasn't going to go, but later decided she would if we went early before the crowd started.  So she went.  Arlene was really happy to see her there.  Joe and Alice were there and Alice really got excited to see her.  Wanted her picture taken with Gracie and also with Dan and Arlene.  She forgot to bring a camera so asked if I'd take them for her.  I did.  One of Arlene's daughters was taking pics of everyone so she got some too.  Won't have to make extras for Arlene.  All of the Griffin kids and most of their kids were there.  Lots of local people came as well as lots of Arlene's relatives. 

Virginia Salzman Foreman and her cousin Fr. Tom Ogg were there from Ten Sleep. They are cousins to Arlene.  I had seen Virginia at the REA meeting and told her to stop by if she ever happened to be over here.  So she took me up on it and Fr. Tom brought her up to the house before the party.  It was good to see her and she and Gma had a nice visit.  Virginia was in my sister's high school class.  Fr. Tom was in Sonny Bain's class. 

After Gma visited and had her picture taken with the Griffins and Kordonoways, she inspected the cake and told Dan to save her a piece.  Then she was ready to go home.  I took her home and then went back and actually visited with Arlene and some of her kids, had my cake and punch.  Dan fixed a piece of cake for Gma and I brought it home.  She thought it was a pretty big piece and we could cut it in two, so I could have some too.  I said I had my cake there.  And she did eat the whole thing with her ice cream.

ElkHorn, Em, Church

Last Thursday was a busy day.  Went to Cody on the Senior bus for our usual shopping trip.  Then that evening I went to the ElkHorn for Joe and Alice's surprise retirement party.  They sold the bar last week which was finalized the 13th..  The party wasn't until the 19th to coincide with the NRA Wall of Guns raffle.  They didn't suspect they're honors.  The raffle cost $10 per ticket and after 100 tickets were sold they drew a name.  Then they started another 100 tickets for the next gun.  Your ticket also included a spaghetti dinner.  I didn't participate in that. I just went to wish the Kordonoways well.  The place was packed, but I managed to get some visiting done.  After one of the raffles, the Visitor Center gal announced the gifts for Joe and Alice.  They were truly surprised. I got a few pics, and then I got my picture taken with both of them.  That took some doing as people were congratulating them and hugging.  But we got it done.  They were presented with a Memory Picture album.  The album was leather bound, done by a local person.  Everyone who wanted was included in sending in pictures or making their own page for the album.  Was a really neat thing. 

I didn't stay long, about an hour and I didn't want a plate full of spaghetti or a gun, so didn't eat.  They were much too busy to get around to tables for drinks, so I didn't have one of those either.  One fellow had gone up to the bar to get drinks, but they were too busy to even notice him, so he didn't get any either.  Think he had some later, though.  I talked to Emily on the way out and she was dog sitting for Scott and Diane, so wanted to come visit Gma.  I thought that was a splendid idea, so she was here the next morning and we had a great visit.  She looks really good.

Today, Sunday we had cake and coffee after Church for Fr. Vaske's birthday.  There were quite a lot of people today and most of them stayed.  Nice time.

There's always something going on in Mtse.

REA Annual Meeting

Saturday I got to go to the Annual REA meeting.  I'm official now as I have a place in town and am connected to their service.  I could have gone last year, but that's when Gma fell down and just got home from the hospital.  I wouldn't go then. 

Anyway this year I got to go.  Rode the Senior bus.  There were 12 of us including the driver.  We left Meeteetse at 8:00am, so had to hustle a bit to get ready in the morning.  Takes about an hour to get to Greybull.  They had registration from 9:30 to 10:30, then the meeting started at 10:30.  They were quite prompt with it.  This year they streamlined the meeting so it didn't go past lunch.  They didn't have all the prize drawings that they have done in the past, but this year everyone who registered got $50 credit on their bill.  There was a grand prize drawing for $500 credit.  Then Tri-State Electric had a drawing for a big TV.  I didn't win either of those.  Oh well!  There's always next year.

The meeting was finished by 11:55.  Lunch was cafeteria style with three tables set up in different parts of the gym.  People could go on either side, so they moved 270 some people through in 15 minutes.  It was an interesting day and I did see my sister's classmate, Alice, again.  Also got a quick visit with another of my sister's classmates, Virginia.  As soon as lunch was over we went home.  Got back here about 2:30 as I had to pick up the mail and check my town house.  Betty Potas had come to fix lunch for Gma and they had a good visit too.

Little Shirley

I went to a funeral in Ten Sleep today.  My friend, Little Shirley, died March 7th.  She had been in ill health for several years, but still it's sad to lose a friend.  At least she is not suffering any more. 

It was a very "up beat" service.  The singer did a beautiful job.  The minister read a poem from the children, and a granddaughter read one from all the grandchildren.  Then people were invited to share little stories for the memories.  There were quite a few.  The Church was packed.  After the service they went across the street to the cemetary for graveside service, then back to the church for a luncheon.

I missed the graveside service as I was visiting with a woman from my childhood.  They lived across the street from us when I was in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades.  She was two years younger and her sister was a year older.  Anyway she now lives in the house that we lived in way back then.  We had quite a chat.  She met her husband in Las Vegas and they came back to Worland to get married.  Usually people go to Vegas to get married not leave.  She thought that was funny. 

When the people came back for the lunch I got in a short visit with Little Shirley's sisters from Nebraska.  I knew two of them from Omaha days.  The older sister I had met a time or two, but didn't know her as well.  It was good to see them and find out about some of the others that we all roomed with from time to time back then.  Also got to visit Big Shirley.  She lived with Little Shirley in Worland when I was in High School and is Little Shirley's husband's sister.  Finally got a chance to visit with Alice, who is my sister's classmate, but she was always my friend too.  

The day was overcast, but warm and nice.  On the way out of Mtse this morning I drove by the Grass Creek turn off and there was a huge bull elk right in the gateway.  Had to turn around and go back to get his picture.  Two Game and Fish trucks were there by then, but he wasn't going away.  It was like he was pacing back and forth to guard the gateway.  Then a big semi came around the corner, so I assume he moved, but I was gone by then and the elk wasn't anywhere around when I came back.

injury report

Things are slowly getting better.  I can move better and faster, just get a bit stiff and sore if I sit too long.  Can't tell if my butt is black and blue because I can't see it, but it sure feels like it might be.  My knee is still sore to touch and is black and blue, but doesn't hurt to move it.  Then I discovered a bruise on my elbow that I didn't know was there until I saw it in the mirror when I combed my hair.  It doesn't hurt, but there is a small bump and a chafe mark. 

Had to sweep snow off the ramps again today.  I managed to get on the ramp without stepping on the ice under the snow.  Found the de-icer stuff and really socked it to that icy spot.  I'm still not stepping on it though. 

Got the front porch all cleaned off for Gma to go to Church tomorrow.  Hope it doesn't snow again tonight.  Sweeping and shoveling don't seem to bother my sore spots, just as long as I don't move too fast.  I don't have to pick up shovelfuls of snow, just scoop it off, then sweep. 

I'll just keep taking it slow and easy for awhile and one of these days I won't even remember I was sore.

injury recovery

Yay!!  Today I was "good to go" on the bus.  Slept on the heat pad last night which helped immensely.  Took tylenol before left home and then another one at noon time.  Worked great.  I walked around just like always.  There were a couple of twinges going up the steps, but not going down.  I bruised my tail bone so I expect it will be kinda sore for a week or so before it's gone completely, but at least I can walk and bend and stoop.    Got along without a super soft pillow on the chairs.  All is good.

I do have a black and blue spot on my knee and can't figure out how I got that.  I fell flat on my back, not my knees.  Might have gotten it when I crawled to the other ramp to get up. That ice was hard for crawling.
Only one knee is bruised, not the other one.  They both had equal crawling time.  It's only sore to touch, not for movement.

I'm just following in my Mother's footsteps.  She used to take tumbles and came out relatively unscathed.