Here’s my picture Linda. Now what?

Chance and Hope went to town the other day and found a runner sled, so they bought it for me. (I still had to pay for it, but they did me the favor of saving me a trip to, go get it myself!)

So yesterday evening after Gramma got home from work, we went out and give the sled a test run. The old drifts are almost pure ice so it really whizzes down the slope. We had fun! I have a video Hope took, but I can’t seem to get it to load on here. Must be because I have a Mac computer. (insert smiley emoticon with tongue sticking out, here)

Sometime when you have time to kill, Google snow sleds and check out all the cool sleds they make. Wish I had more money!

I caught the team and hooked them to the regular wagon, loaded some extruded soybean and salt and a short handled shovel and drove up west. I mixed the bean and salt for the cattle and then walked and drove the team, so I’d get some exercise. It wasn’t that cold, about 30 or so but the wind was blowing some. I didn’t wear my insulated pants so the exercise helped warm me up. I took a different route home and checked out how much grass there is left. The cows were just sure I was going to give them some hay evidently as they followed me all the way back to the house. Sure fooled them!

I fixed up a couple of neck yokes and took a set of eveners and a neck yoke out to the bobsled which was across the road. Later in the afternoon I went and got the team and hooked them up to the bale wagon and moved it out of the way, then drove them across the road and hooked up to the bobsled and pulled it back to the shed so I could do some work on it. I unhooked and drove the team out of the way and tied them up and went back to work on the sled. Chance came out and gave me a hand. When we got it fixed we pushed it back from the door of the shed to where I had room to hook the team on. I got them, hooked up and drove over by a flatbed and we put it on the sled and then went for a little drive. There is snow and also small spots where there isn’t any snow, so they had to pull the sled on bare ground a little bit. It made for a good steady pull which is good for a team and especially these that are young and still learning, so they learn what a pull is. My grandfather would always hook a young horse he was starting to train, with an older broke horse and hook them to a mowing machine and cut hay, Dad said, as it gave them a good, steady pull to teach the youngster what to expect. A bobsled on dry ground does about the same and there is just enough snow to give them a little rest every little bit as they walk along.

The NFR started on Thursday night and we have a DVR now so I set it to record and went to bed. When I got up yesterday I checked and sure enough it had recorded the rodeo. I sat and watched the broncs and fast forwarded thru’ all the commercials and every thing else. It was great!

Hooked up the team and went up west and rolled out a bale for the cows, who were over a hill grazing so they didn’t even see me. But when the wind picked up this afternoon, even worse, I am sure they drifted to where I left the hay. Pretty brisk out there. About 20 degrees and 15 to 20 mph breeze when I went out. Not too bad if your dressed for it.

I ran into the Hills today to get some pellets for the stove, a tank heater and some other stuff we might need, seeing as it’s going to get colder for a spell. It took off snowing this afternoon and we might have an inch out there now, but I doubt it. Supposed to get some more thru’ the night and the wind is blowing and will continue to do so for the next whle. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted. Glad I got hay for the cows and calves. Need to hook up the team tomorrow and get some out for them I suppose.

Supposed to go ship some cattle out of the breaks on Monday. Hope the weather gets nice so we can. Already had to cancel this deal, once. This is the same place we had to quit branding at this spring and go back and finish up later. Weather just ain’t worked for them too well this year.

By the way, I tried to find a runner sled for the grandkids today. Never found a one! Anywhere! Also looked for a new computer desk and couldn’t find anything like I wanted, at any price. Guess we will just have to build one.

Got this from Curmudgeon’s site. 100 questions I have to answer.
1. Started your own blog
Obviously!

2. Slept under the stars
Yup. Lot’s of times.

3. Played in a band
Yup. Sagebrush

4. Visited Hawai’i.
Nope and don’t want to.

5. Watched a meteor shower
Yup. Loved them.

6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
Sure, doesn’t everyone?
7. Been to Disneyland
Nope and don’t want to.

8. Climbed a mountain
I guess. What’s a mountain?

9. Held a praying mantis
Nope and don’t want to.

10. Sang a solo
Lots.

11. Bungee jumped
Nope, maybe someday.

12. Visited Paris
Not that I am aware of, but seeing as how I was born in Switzerland and came over here when I was 11 months old, I may have and just don’t remember it!

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
Never been to sea. Damn sure had a hard time sleeping thru’ one while in a range teepee tho’!

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
Several. Many? Living is an art.

15. Adopted a child
Not yet. Helped raise a nephew.

16. Had food poisoning
I imagine.

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
Nope and don’t want to. It would require going to NY City. No freekin’ way!

18. Grown your own vegetables
Sure. But several of the kids turned out alright.

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
Nope. See number twelve

20. Slept on an overnight train
Nope, but I want to.

21. Had a pillow fight
Not for a week or so.-

22. Hitchhiked
Nope.

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
That would be impossible in my job.

24. Built a snow fort
Lots of times.

25. Held a lamb
While he/she was docked, no less.

26. Gone skinny dipping
Not for about two months now.

27. Run a marathon
That would be stupid! God gave me two legs to straddle a horse and a horse 4 legs to pack me around!

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
Nope and again see 12.

29. Seen a total eclipse
I think so. Maybe several.

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
Pert near everyday.

31. Hit a home run
Lot’s when I was dreaming!

32. Been on a cruise
Not yet.

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
Yup. Real wet there!

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
Not yet.

35. Seen an Amish community
Maybe. Why?

36. Taught yourself a new language
Just computerese!

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
Lots of times but I am easily satisfied.

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
See 12

39. Gone rock climbing
Sure.

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
In pictures. Agaion, see 12.

41. Sung karaoke
Sung, but not to a silly machine like that.

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
Quite a few times.

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
No. Dammit!

44. Visited Africa
Nope and don’t want to since I found out Tarzan was not a real person. Really pissed me off too!

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
If you count the edge of a country waterhole.

46. Been transported in an ambulance
Not that I am aware of. Don’t plan to either

47. Had your portrait painted
Kind of. Modeled for lots of artists at the Artist Ride. Got several drawings and painting of myself.

48. Gone deep sea fishing
Not yet.

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
Nope.

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

12

51. Gone SCUBA diving or snorkeling
little as a child.

52. Kissed in the rain
Ad a hell of a lot more too!

53. Played in the mud
Still do on occasion.

54. Gone to a drive-in theater
Not for years.

55. Been in a movie
Yup. And several times on TV.

56. Visited the Great Wall of China.

Hopefully someday when I go see my friends from Mongolia.

57. Started a business
Well duh!

58. Taken a martial arts class
Martial and arts should not be used in the same sentence. I can, however, use a 357 at a farther distance than you can say Judo, tho’.

59. Visited Russia
Maybe someday.

60. Served at a soup kitchen
No! Dammit!

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
As if!

62. Gone whale watching
Not on purpose but saw some real large things at the water a time or two.

63. Got flowers for no reason
Nope. I am not gay.

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
Not for awhile. The ladies who run it pissed me off. Damn liberals!

65. Gone sky diving
Love to.

66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
12

67. Bounced a check
Once! Stupid banker sent one back that he knew he was going to cover. I never did like that son of a bitch!

68. Flown in a helicopter
Oh man! I want to sooooo bad!

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
Lots.

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
Nope. Like too.

71. Eaten caviar
As if!

72. Pieced a quilt
Not yet.

73. Stood in Times Square
Hello! NY City! Not going there!

74. Toured the Everglades
Love to.

75. Been fired from a job
Nope.

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
Not yet.

77. Broken a bone
Way too many! 7 or 8 at least.

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
When I was young ands stupid!

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
Once. Still in awe. Want to go back and soak it in again.

80. Published a book
Yup.

81. Visited the Vatican
Someday I hope.

82. Bought a brand new car
How about two new pickups.

83. Walked in Jerusalem
Not yet.

84. Had your picture in the newspaper
Sure. Probably on a post office wall or two, also!

85. Read the entire Bible
Almost.

86. Visited the White House
No! Don’t want to either.

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Lots.

88. Had chickenpox.

Evidently.

89. Saved someone’s life
Seems like it.  Yeah, a guy who was choking. Gave him the heimlich. Pissed him off cuz i hurt his ribs. didn’t even say Thanks!

90. Sat on a jury
Not yet. Want to tho’.

91. Met someone famous
Quite a few. They all put their pants on one leg at a time

Hell, I’M famous!

92. Joined a book club.
Nope.

93. Lost a loved one
Yes!

94. Had a baby
Just helped on the fun part!

95. Seen the Alamo in person
Not yet.

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
No, but that’s okay. Sounds over rated.

97. Been involved in a law suit
Soon…soon. 😉

98. Owned a cell phone
Nope. Just carry one my wife owns.

99. Been stung by a bee
Too many times.

100. Read an entire book in one day
Lots of times. Sure hard to get up and going the next day when you lay awake all night reading.

Okay people, your turns now!

This is something I wanted to say but could not sum it up . When I read this, it said it all.

White guilt? Done; over; history

Tom Adkins

is the publisher of CommonConservative.com

There go my fellow conservatives, glumly shuffling along, depressed by the election aftermath. Not me. I’m virtually euphoric. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not thrilled with America’s flirtation with neosocialism. But there’s a massive silver lining in the magical clouds that lofted Barack Obama to the presidency. For today, without a shred of intellectually legitimate opposition, I can loudly proclaim to America:

The Era of White Guilt is over.

This seemingly impossible event occurred because the vast majority of white Americans didn’t give a fluff about skin color and enthusiastically pulled the voting lever for a black man. Not just any black man. A very liberal black man who spent his early career race-hustling banks, praying in a racist church for 20 years, and actively working with America-hating domestic terrorists. Yet white Americans made Barack Obama their leader. Therefore, as of Nov. 4, 2008, white guilt is dead.

So today, I’m feeling a little “uppity,” if you will. For more than a century, the millstone of white guilt hung around our necks, retribution for slave-owning predecessors. In the 1960s, American liberals began yanking that millstone while sticking a fork in the eye of black Americans, exacerbating the racial divide to extort a socialist solution to the country’s problems. But if a black man can become president, exactly what significant barrier is left? The election of Barack Obama destroys the validation of liberal white guilt. The dragon is hereby slain.

So today, I’m feeling a little “uppity,” if you will. From this day forward, my tolerance level for having my skin color hustled is exactly ZERO. No more Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s “God Damn America,” Al Sharpton’s Church of Perpetual Victimization, or Jesse Jackson’s rainbow racism. Cornel West? You’re a fraud. All those “black studies” programs must now teach kids to thank Whitey. And I want that on the final.

Congressional Black Caucus? Irrelevant. U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.)? Shut up. ACORN? Outlawed. Black Panthers? Go home and pet your kitty. Black separatists? Find another nation that offers better dreams. To those Eurosnots who forged careers hating America? I’m still waiting for the first black French president.

No more quotas. No more handouts. No more complaining that “the man” is keeping you down. “The man” is now black.

It’s time to toss that massive, obsolete race-hustle machine upon the heap of the other stupid ’60s ideas. Drag it over there, right between free love and cop-killing. Careful, don’t trip on streaking. Just dump it. And then wash your hands. It’s filthy.

Obama’s ascension also creates another gargantuan irony. How can liberals sell American racism, class envy and unfairness when our new black president and his wife went to Ivy League schools, got high-paying jobs, became millionaires, bought a mansion, and are now moving to the White House? How unfair is that? Now, like a delicious O. Henry tale, Obama’s spread-the-wealth campaign rendered itself moot by its own victory! America is officially a meritocracy. Obama’s election has validated American conservatism.

So … Wham!!!

That’s the sound of my foot kicking the door shut on the era of white guilt. The rites have been muttered, the carcass lowered, dirt shoveled, and tombstone erected. Dead and buried.

They were wrestling over a little squeeky toy. Gus would put it in his mouth and try to hang on to it when Tack grabbed it. I never did get the shot I wanted but these were the best I could do.

Got the heifers shipped out this morning. Delbert rode over and helped. Chance helped also. Afterwards we drank some hot drinks and visited for a bit.
This afternoon I took the tractor and my bale hauling wagon and went up west and hauled some bales to a better site, just in case we get another big snow and blow. The cows are in that pasture and they didn’t help one bit!

Tyler is home and he and I will go in and pick up Cindy tomorrow after she gets off work, then we will head to Custer to spend the rest of the day with Tate and Kass and the boys. Chance and Hope and boys will meet us there from being at Hopes Uncle and Aunt.

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for.