Chances birthday today. I think he’s turning 23. Maybe 24. Must be 23 as Tyler is 28 and Chance was born 5 years after him.

Cindy and I went down to the local cafe last night after church, where they had a Valentines special. Prime Rib. It was good and there were lots of neighbors there. I guess that is about the wildest it gets for us old folks!

Tate came out yesterday so he sat with Gabe. Then he took off for home. It was good for Gabe to get to see his Dad for awhile and Tate needed to get to the country for a bit. Hope he made it home alright, last night.

Just another day. Wind blew a little and it got up in the upper 30’s. Had a couple different neighbors stop in, for one thing or another. My DIL Kass has an aunt who isn’t doing very well, so it sounds like I will go pick up Gabe tomorrow, to come stay with us while she goes and see’s her aunt, clear across the country. Sad for her but kind of special for me and Gramma!

Been misty, drizzly and wet since last night. Foggy this morning. Tate and Kass and our or other two grandsons Gabe and Lige came here from Custer yesterday and spent the afternoon. they took some hamburger home with them. For those who don’t know, They lived with us when Gabe was younger and when Lige was born a year ago last fall.

Gabe went with me up the creek and we took some bean and salt to the cows. They were up in Harry’s, where they weren’t supposed to be, but somebody (probably me!) left a gate open. So today I went up with the pickup, dogs and some wire and fixed on a gate and sicced the dogs on them and brought them back. I stopped on the way home and helped Chance load a little wood he had cut. He and Hope have found a house to rent and it uses mainly wood heat, so he is going to learn all about the joy of cutting and hauling and burning wood. Seems fun until you have to do it! 🙂

After I got home I took the tractor back up west and fed the cows as it is supposed to get windy and this rain turn to snow. Sounds like a humdinger for the next few days. Might be kind of a blizzard, so I fed extra.

Here’s some cute pictures!

Real nice day! Up in the fifties! It’s making all the snowdrifts that turned into ice flows into miniature glaciers and they are melting and digging and gouging along and getting way smaller. Sure is muddy.

Fed some hay this noon and then saddled up Beaver and rode and got in some cows that I was running for the neighbor. We even loped quite a bit. Then Chance helped me this afternoon and we got them in the corral and sorted them from our cows. The neighbors son came just before dark and we loaded them in his trailer and he hauled them home. Now when I feed a bale they will all get to eat more.

Nice weather like this and I need to stay in and enter checks into my Quicken account and work on a saddle. That will learn me to procrastinate!

The gig went well. 10 year olds in bunches of 30 with a few teachers and parents mixed in. I never did play the guitar, just told the history of ranching in this country and then answered questions. Got pretty gory at times. They all wanted to learn about killing cows and how to do so when you put one down to ease it’s suffering and misery. Typical.

The girls all asked about the horses. Had a chance to talk about “mustangs” and how the horses that run wild now are really feral and not mustangs as many imagine.

They all now know that ranchers just use what nature provides for cow feed for the most part where farmers till the soil and harvest with machines.

It really went better than I hoped for. 20 mintues is about right for a set of kids. Some groups were hard to draw into a discussion while others I could hardly answer all the questions. Seems to do a lot with the teachers. Those who had teachers who were animated and involved seemed to be the same way. Those who’s teachers acted like they really didn’t want to be there, acted pretty much the same way. I guess we really are examples, huh?

I then drove all over the city looking for a decent magnifying glass to be able to see the canceled checks, or at least the copies the bank sent me, only on the new account, they sent them even smaller than normal. Me, being right on top of things all the time, I am just now entering those checks from last year in my Quicken account on the computer. So I have a years worth of copies of canceled checks that are way to small to read with the naked eye, and I can’t wear my glasses and use the computer as it gives me a headache. So I drove and looked and drove and looked and finally settled on a small domed on and a small regular one. Hope one works. I hate book work!

I went in and picked up Cindy about noon on Saturday and we went to Rapid to the Stockshow. Wandered around and visited with some friends we don’t see too often. Got sore feet. Hooked up with friends from Iowa who were out here for the week end. We hauled a couple of them to Deadwood and we all went to supper then gambled a bit. Went back to one of their motel rooms and had a good bull session. Cindy drove us back to Sturgis, whining because she had to drive. I’d had a couple drinks so refused to drive. That will learn her to let me imbibe!

We stayed at a motel in Sturgis. The room we had ,had the jets in the tub so I was looking forward to a good soak when we got there. I got the water running and when I got in and turned it on it shot black junk out into the water! We weren’t pleased! Cindy is going to take it up with the manager as she stays there on occasion when she has bad roads to drive on.

I go in tomorrow to speak to school children most of the day in bunches of 50. 10 year olds. Oh joy! Makes you wonder who is in charge if they allow me to talk to kids, don’t it?

History of this country and ranching I guess is what I am supposed to talk about. Not real sure how to run it but I bet I’ll figure something out. Probably take my guitar along and if nothing else just sing some songs and tell them some poems and stories. Maybe ask them what they want to talk about and let them lead the session.

Pray for me!!!!

Pray for the kids!!!!!

Hell, better pray for the Stockshow too!

Got rid of some smaller calves yesterday. A neighbor feller in college is leasing them for roping calves. I will get them back in June.

Got another couple trailer loads of hay in too.

Going to take a couple yearlings to the sale tomorrow and meet up with a friend from Wyoming there who is selling some cows. He’s supposed to bring me some leather.

Saturday I will go pickup Cindy and we will go to the Stockshow and then later meet up with friends from Iowa in Deadwood. Cindy got us a room in Sturgis so we can hang out later and not have to drive home.

See you all later!

30 years ago today, we got married. Man! Does anyone ever realize what an effect that will have on their lives?

She always said she would give me a divorce after the children were raised but when I asked about it she told me I hadn’t suffered enough yet

Too bad she forgot that the suffering goes both ways! 😛

We went to the local village for dinner to celebrate. We had Gus with us as Chance had taken Sam to a doctors appointment and hope was working. good dinner. Now she is talking to Tyler on the phone from Rome. My turn next.

30 years ago right now I was setting in a motel room eating pizza and drinking champagne. Wonder if I will get pizza tonight? I’m sure there will be no champagne.

Man, 30 years! We are sure getting to be geezers! 🙂

My last post on the 21 was on the day of Tyler’s birthday. He called us from Rome where he is studying for a month. My birthday was the 13. Today, the 24 is our youngest grandson Sam’s first birthday. Big party tomorrow when his town relatives can come out to the ranch. The 27 will be Cindy and I’s 30 wedding anniversary. 

January is kind of a momentous month around here!

While cooking some potatoes, bacon and an egg this morning, Tack was setting there all bright eyed, watching me and I imagined this stream of conversation coming from him.

“Wow!

Awesome!

How do you make your front paws break that egg so easy? And that tool you use to flip the egg and bacon and stir the potatoes with, how do you do that?

You are so awesome!

Man!

I sure wish I could learn to do that stuff.

Are like a god, dude?

(I imagine he’s kind of a surfer dude when he talkks cuz he’s kind a laid back like that)

Hey, hey! Drop a little down here, amigo!”

(Did I mention Tack speaks a little Spanish?)

By the way, winter is back. Highs of 9 to 10 the last couple days and going to stay that way a few more days. Brr.

I just saw this and had to share it. I hope it’s all true! Thanks Jill!

 

An ad on Craigslist… 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> To: The Guy Who Mugged Me in Downtown, Savannah, GA
> 
> I was the white guy with the black Burrberry jacket that
> you demanded I hand over shortly after you pulled the knife
> on me and my girlfriend. You also asked for my
> girlfriend’s purse and earrings. I hope you somehow
> come across this message. I’d like to apologize.
> 
> I didn’t expect you to crap your pants when I drew my
> pistol after you took my jacket. Truth is, I was wearing
> the jacket for a reason that evening, and it wasn’t
> that cold outside. You see, my girlfriend had just bought
> me that Kimber 1911 .45 ACP pistol for Christmas, and we
> had just picked up a shoulder holster for it 
> that evening. Beautiful pistol, eh? It’s a very
> intimidating weapon when pointed at your head, isn’t
> it?
> 
> I know it probably wasn’t a great deal of fun walking
> back to wherever you’d come from with that brown sludge
> flopping about in your pants. I’m sure it was even
> worse since you also ended up leaving your shoes,
> cellphone, and wallet with me. I couldn’t have you
> calling up any of your buddies to come help you try to mug
> us again. I took the liberty of calling your mother, or
> “Momma” as you had her listed in your cell, and
> explaining to her your situation. I also bought myself some
> gas on your card. I gave your shoes to one of the homeless
> guys over by Vinnie Van Go Go’s, along with all of the
> cash in your wallet, then I threw the wallet 
> itself in a dumpster.
> 
> I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell.
> They’ll be on your bill in case you’d like to know
> which ones. Alltel recently shut down the line, and
> I’ve only had the phone for a little over a day now, so
> I don’t know what’s going on with that. I hope they
> haven’t permanently cut off your service. I was
> about to make some threatening phone calls to the DA’s
> office with it. Oh well.
> 
> So, about your pants; I know that I was a little rough on
> you when you did this whole attempted mugging thing, so
> I’d like to make it up to you. I’m sure you’ve
> already washed your pants, so I’d like to help you out.
> I’d like to reimburse you for the detergent you used on
> the pants. What brand did you use, and was it liquid
> or powder? I’d also like to apologize for not killing
> you and instead making you walk back home humiliated.
> I’m hoping that you’ll reconsider your choice of
> path in life. Next time you might not be so lucky. If you
> read this message, email me and we’ll do lunch and
> laundry.
> 
>  
> 
> Peace! – Dick