Goodbye 2020

 Well, this past year has definitely been one for the record books! It hasn’t been all bad, but it has been different than anything that I’ve ever seen. We’ve experienced a pandemic that has killed over 1¾ MILLION people globally, and continues to kills thousands every day in this country alone. We’ve seen riots and social unrest. We’ve watched partisanship divide us with rancor and hatred.

Many of us have lost loved ones this year…parents, spouses, grandparents and dear friends. Grieving is hard, and not being able to have our friends and family with us during that time makes it even worse. Even harder still, I believe, is what so many have faced when they lost family to COVID-19. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to be denied the ability to be with your loved one when they need your presence the most. I’m so thankful that Daddy passed at the very beginning of all of this (and not from the virus), before the guidelines became so restricted, and I could be with him.

Since our travel has been so restricted, Dennis has had more time to work on the house, which has been good. He has finished the living room, hall (including 2 closets), and should finish the hall bathroom in January. I love the improvements that he has made! I really think that 2021 will be our last year of remodeling. We still have a good bit to do, but I hope that we can "get 'er done!" I can’t wait to have our “new” house completed!

Even though we stayed home most of the time, we were finally able to go on a long-awaited vacation. Our trip to Yellowstone/Glacier was so very "soul-satisfying". Just getting away for a couple of weeks was beneficial, but added to that, we were able to do some of the best wildlife viewing of our lives! We also enjoyed seeing some of the most gorgeous country that God created. I am so very thankful that we were able to make the trip, and that we were safely guided there and back!

I have been both inspired by and gravely disappointed in our society during the pandemic, social unrest and election. Some people have risen above the chaos and shown extraordinary kindness and generosity during these hard times. Others have allowed their baser nature to emerge. I hope that most of us have tried to show patience and mercy and love throughout the challenges that our nation…and the world…have faced.

So what does 2021 hold for us, I wonder? I am optimistic that with the COVID-19 vaccinations coming out that we will start to see things getting back to normal. I hope that everyone can put the disagreements and hostility of the past year behind them and move forward with grace and hope for better things. I challenge all of us to remember the lessons learned during times of crisis and carry them on even in times of stability. And I hope that we can ALWAYS be grateful for what we have and willing to share with those around us.

Happy New Year and God bless!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

 Well, Thanksgiving this year didn’t turn out quite like we had hoped. The number of COVID-19 cases were peaking and hospitals were filling up and not taking in new cases, so we decided not to get everyone together. Dennis and I went over to Rick and Amber’s on the Saturday we had planned to celebrate, and we had our Thanksgiving feast with just the four of us…plus Copper. We still really enjoyed the day. Of course, we had tons of leftovers, but I took my vacuum sealer with me, and we divvied up the spoils!

Since I last updated, I’ve been to see a new orthopedic surgeon. He has x-rayed both arms, had an MRI done on my right shoulder and a nerve conduction test done on both arms. I go back to talk about the results with him next week. So far we know that I have a significant impingement in my right shoulder that will probably need surgical correction. I also appear to have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands, which is causing a lot of tingling and numbness. Since the number COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are so high in our area, the governor has ordered elective surgeries to be put on hold for now, so I’m not sure when I will actually be allowed to have my surgery (or surgeries). I was really hoping they could get my shoulder done before the end of the year (for insurance purposes), but that’s not going to happen! So I’ll just have to be patient a little longer…

I ended up spending two different days at Diane’s house, working on Christmas cards. We had a really good time! We spent a lot of hours cutting (which Diane did while I wasn’t there), stamping, pasting, and assembling. I haven’t done much card making. In fact, all that I’ve ever done has been at Diane’s house. It is pretty satisfying to see them come together. I hope that the nursing home residents enjoyed getting them as much as we enjoyed making them!

Dennis is still working on the guest bathroom. It has been a real headache! He finally got the tub installed and is finishing up the surround and plumbing. He hopes to get it done this weekend. Then he can finish the walls. This is taking much longer than we had hoped. Once we get the walls completed, things should go much faster. We can hope!

Dennis is going with Stephen and the boys on a hunting trip next week. They are going back to the same lease as before. Dennis won’t be hunting this time…just acting as “guide” for Stephen and babysitter for the boys. They ought to have a lot of fun! The last time Dennis left, I had a lot going on. This time I hope to mostly hibernate! I do have a doctor’s appointment and bloodwork that I have to get done, but I may not leave the house other than that. The weather is supposed to be pretty chilly, so I’ll just enjoy my fireplace!

I’m planning to cook up a batch of jerky tomorrow for the guys to take on their trip. Then Saturday, I’m planning to bake cookies for the boys. I made a new cookie recipe yesterday, intending it for them. However, it isn’t going to work out well for traveling. It was a “Whipped Shortbread” cookie…supposed to melt in your mouth. Well it does! But they are SO tender that they fall apart if you hold them too firmly, much less tryi to send them on a trip. I’m not sure the littles would like them much either. So I’ll just do my regular Snickerdoodles. All of the grandkids love them!

Dennis and I went out driving, looking at the lights, last night. In the 15 years that we’ve lived here, this is the best that I’ve seen. I guess everyone is needing a little more cheer than normal in their lives! I decided to send out cards this year for the first time in a LONG time. I have them all signed and addressed and should get them stamped and mailed tomorrow. I’ve been getting a few already and have them hanging from the mantel. I don’t decorate for the holidays, but I do enjoy displaying the cards that I receive!

Be safe, be kind and enjoy the blessings of the season!

Some More of my Favorite Things...

 

Thanksgiving is a time to focus on the positives in our lives and be grateful for what we have. So I’m wanting to explore some more of my favorite things. In my last post I talked about some of my favorite kitchen tools...pretty mundane, I know! (I just feel like we should rejoice even in the commonplace.) Today, however, I want to focus on things that are more intangible.

I love sunsets! My kitchen window faces west, so I get to see the sun set almost every day. We have been privileged to enjoy innumerable displays of color since we’ve moved to this area of Texas. One of the things I enjoy about them the most is the constantly changing hues as the sun dips beneath the horizon. I never tire of it!

I also love the smell of rain. I recently learned that there is actually a word for this: petrichor. It is caused by water coming in contact with dry rocks or earth. Whatever the science of it, it is so refreshing!

I also love to listen to thunderstorms! There is just something very powerful and moving about them. Listening to the rain coming down in sheets and hearing the rumbling and booming in the distance is very soothing and exciting at the same time.

I love the smell of bread baking, and the subtle scent of pine as you walk through a forest, and the soft scent of a baby after a bath. I love the sound of ocean waves breaking on the shore, and wolves howling in the distance, and the sound of a young child laughing. I love the sight of a rainbow, and snow-topped mountains, and fields of wildflowers. I love the feel of a warm, fuzzy blanket; and the soft, smooth skin of an infant; and the feeling of buoyancy while floating in the sea.

I love the feeling of joy that fills my heart when I’m surrounded by those that I love. I love hearing about the kindness of strangers. I love stories about those who overcome great obstacles. I love watching children as they play. All of these, and too many more to describe, are some of my favorite things.

"My Favorite Things"

 

This is one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite movies! I love the sentiment behind it…focus on and enjoy the little things that bring you joy. So that is what I’m going to do in this post…focusing on kitchen tools.

One of the very first kitchen utensils that I got when Dennis and I got engaged was this paring knife. It was a gift from Elkins Hardware, where I had my gift registry set up. I didn’t grow up using good quality knives, so this Chicago knife was my first…and I was hooked. Forty-three years later, it is still one of my favorites…and my go-to every time I have something to peel. Although I don’t put wooden handles in the dishwasher, it has accidentally happened a few times over the years. So the handle is a little worse for wear, but it still cuts beautifully.

Zoom forward a few decades, and we found a Zwilling butcher knife at an estate sale and bought it for $15. We loved it so much that when Dennis found a similar one on sale online, he bought me another one…plus one for each of our girls. If it is in my knife drawer, it is the one that I grab when I need to do some chopping! Good tools are so important!

When Granny passed away, I was asked what I would like to have of hers to remember her by. Without hesitating, I asked for her Saladmaster pots and pans. When I think of Granny, it is usually of her in the kitchen, cooking. I think my love of cooking and feeding others came from her. I don’t remember when she got that set of pans, but they are probably at least 50 years old. We’ve had to replace a few handles over the years, but the pans are still as good as when they were purchased. I love a good set of stainless cookware!  They were all that I used for decades, other than a non-stick skillet for cooking eggs and some cast iron cookware.

Speaking of cast iron, I have always loved a good cast iron skillet or Dutch oven for frying. The downside is, of course, maintaining their seasoning. So a few years back I decided to splurge and get an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. It is now my favorite pot! I use it for soups/stews, deep frying, and even for baking artisan bread in. It has all of the desirable properties of cast iron, plus is easy to clean! (And I love the red color!)

These are all a few of my favorite things in my kitchen. I’ll explore a few more favorite things later on. What are some of your favorite kitchen things?

Thankful and Blessed!

 

We are doing our Thanksgiving dinner next Saturday. Even with all the hardships and sorrows of 2020, we have much to be thankful for! I’m very thankful that all of our family are planning to be together…and that all have stayed safe and healthy during this crazy time. I’m thankful for Dennis and the guys’ successful hunt last week. They each killed a buck and 2 does, which was the limit for the lease. They all had a wonderful time and can’t wait to return next year, Lord willing! I’m thankful for being able to have visited with some dear friends this past week that I hadn’t seen in many months (as well as 3 of my kiddos). I’m thankful for the progress that Dennis has made on the house this year. With each renovation made, our house gets more and more efficient and comfortable…and hopefully will see us into our “declining years”. I’m thankful for the 43 years (this week) that Dennis and I have shared. God blessed me with a wonderful husband! I’m thankful for all of my kiddos, and that they are happily married and “settled”. I’m thankful for all of my grandkids and the love and laughter that they bring to our lives. And I’m thankful that I have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and have the hope of spending eternity with Him! I am incredibly blessed!

I know that most of you still have another week and a half until you celebrate, but I want to go ahead and wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving! I hope that you are able to spend it with those that you love, and that you all recognize the abundant blessings that are yours to enjoy. Love you all!

Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year?

 The trees are really starting to turn colors right now. There is one tree that we pass by on our way to the church house that is absolutely gorgeous...a brilliant reddish orange sumac. I wish I had asked Dennis to stop this morning so I could take a picture of it. I'll have to make a point to drive by this week and get one. I haven't been out driving lately, but Dennis says the countryside is ablaze with color. I'm hoping to see for myself this week. I don't know if y'all realize it or not, but I LOVE FALL! 😉

Dennis' gums are much better this week. It looks like the infection is going to go ahead and clear up without more antibiotics. That's good! He has had to take so many already over the past month or so. It looks like this specialist may have done a good job of saving those two teeth.

I've heard of several more cases of the virus among my dear friends. I hope and pray that all recover quickly and completely. It is really spreading again right now! Thankfully, it seems like the cases are less severe among most of the ones that I know. I'm hoping that the virus continues to weaken, and treatments continue to improve, so we can put this all behind us!

Dennis has been packing up all afternoon for his yearly hunting trip. He and the guys are leaving first thing in the morning and will be gone until Friday. I always look forward to these weeks that he goes hunting. It is nice to have a little alone time to do things on my schedule. I can set the thermostat where I want it, eat what I want when I want it, and not concern myself with doing things on Dennis' timetable. (He is very much a man of routine!) Diane B. called a couple of days ago and invited me to come spend the night while he is gone. (We usually do a sleepover sometime during the holiday season.) So I plan to meet with Sheila for lunch on Wednesday (always looking for an excuse to spend time with my girl), and then head to Diane's house afterward. I'll be going with her to HC that evening for services, so I'll get to see all of my friends over there...and hear Ricky speak! I'm really looking forward to that! We also plan to make some cards to send to the nursing home that Daddy was in. Diane came up with the idea, and I thought it was great. The nursing home is supposed to be compiling me a list of (first) names, so we can personalize them. I would love to be able to hand them out, but I know that isn't going to happen. I'm hoping to start doing some volunteering there when restrictions ease up some. 

I have been doing my Christmas shopping (online) for the past couple of weeks. I finally got everything ordered, and have been wrapping the gifts as they are delivered. My guest room is filling up! I always like to get mine done early. Since we see Stephen's family at Thanksgiving, but not at Christmas, I try to have theirs ready to give to them at that time to take home. Sometimes they send me videos of the kids opening their presents. I really get a kick out of that! Since I've finished my shopping (and most of my wrapping) so early, I might even get around to sending out cards this year. (I'm usually not very good at that!)

I am ready for Thanksgiving! I'm still hoping that we have our bathroom usable by then, but I'm not sure how likely that is. I have my menu planned (with everyone's contributions) and paper goods ordered. Since we plan to eat outside, we are going with paper plates and plastic cups this year. That will cut down on cleanup and give us more time for visiting (plus we won't have to worry about any breakage!).

Dennis has most of the sheetrock up in the bathroom and has taped and floated a good bit of it. He's going to have to wait to finish until he gets the bathtub in...and he's going to have to have help doing that. I used to would have helped him, but I can't trust my arms to carry that much weight any more, with my shoulders being like they are. He's also having to find a special fitting to correctly line up the drain. I tell you, it is one thing after another when you work on an old house! Things aren't square, a lot of the plumbing and wiring is shoddily done, and other unexpected problems are constantly popping up. I'm thankful that Dennis is so skilled at dealing with all of it, but I sure feel sorry for him at times. He can get quite vexed!

I hope that you are all enjoying the cooler weather and changing leaves. How are all of you doing with your holiday preparations? Stay safe, be kind, and continue to trust God in all things! He's got this!

Getting ready for cold weather and deer season

 We’ve really been enjoying the cooler weather that we’ve been having! Unfortunately our fireplace didn’t get delivered and installed until the cold/wet weather had passed (for now). We’ve been able to use it a little in the late evenings and early mornings, but it has mostly been for pleasure rather than the needed warmth. We do love it though! There is something about sitting, looking into a fire, that is so soothing. Plus I love the instant warmth that comes from sidling up to a fire/heater. I grew up with space heaters, and love them! I love backing up to a gas fire and feeling that warmth, right where you need it. That’s what this fireplace reminds me of…only much prettier…and safer! It warms up the living room very well, without the uncomfortable (for me) hot air blowing on me that comes from central heat. It does have a fan, which we use, but we can adjust the force of the fan the way we like it. I think this is going to be one of my favorite things about our remodel!

Dennis had his second root canal last week, which went well. He still has some tenderness, but this one caused even less pain than the first one did. He thinks that there is still a little infection in the bone. His endodontist didn’t want to keep him on antibiotics any longer, so he just has him rinsing with hot salt water to see if that will take care of it. He has had some sinus issues this week (his tooth infections and sinus infections seemed to go hand in hand), so he’s watching it closely for now. If the tenderness and drainage doesn’t clear up soon, he’ll go to his allergy/sinus doctor.

I got my steroid shot in my right shoulder on Thursday. It has helped, just not as much as I had hoped. I’ll give it another week. Sometimes the full effect takes a while to kick in. My doctor said if I was still having problems after 2 weeks to call and he’d set me up for an MRI, so he could find out exactly what is going on in there.

Dennis has finished most of the wiring now. That’s what he has been working on all week. When he tore into the wiring in the hall bathroom, he found a real rat’s nest of wires that didn’t make any sense. He had a time sorting them all out! He has now replaced all of the aluminum wiring in the house except for 2 circuits (one in our bedroom, and another going to the heater/ac unit). He rerouted the crazy circuits in the bathroom and actually lined them up where they made sense! He also framed up the window in the bathroom. Neither of us ever liked having a window next to the toilet! I had it covered with plastic cling for privacy, but we decided to just wall over it on the inside. We didn’t remove the window, since that would complicate things on the outside wall. He just boarded it up (inside) and will put sheetrock over it. On the outside, I used the frosted cling film so that you couldn’t see the board inside. I think it will work out ok. At first we were going to put the cling film inside the glass, but it started peeling off, and we realized that wasn’t going to work! Once we had it walled in, we’d never be able to replace the film if it came off again. I’m sure I’ll have to eventually replace it on the outside, with it being exposed to the elements, but at least I can get to it there!

Dennis plans to start sheetrocking the bathroom this week. (I think I’ve said that before, but the wiring took a lot longer than I expected!) I am really looking forwarded to getting the hall bathroom back! Once it is serviceable (at least with a sink and toilet), Dennis will focus on his hunting for a while. Remodel will have to wait until January or so!

We also bought us a small chest freezer this week. We have always struggled with freezer space…especially when butchering deer. Now I can neatly organize my upright freezer for everyday use, and then keep the extra meat (or whatever) in the chest freezer. Since gun season starts this next weekend, the time was right to increase our freezer storage space. I’m looking forward to having some fresh meat. I think I am down to just 3 or 4 packages of ground deer from last year. Dennis plans to hunt locally this next weekend, then he and a few guys are heading down to the hill country the next week for a few days. Hopefully we’ll have a full freezer again soon!

Well, that’s what’s going on here. I hope you are all staying safe and warm!

Joys and afflictions

 It has been a busy week! Dennis went for his first of two root canals on Monday. He went to a specialist...an endodontist in FW. The procedure ended up taking over an hour longer than the doctor has thought it would. The infection had invaded the bone. He cleaned everything out really well and put Dennis back on antibiotics for another week. Thankfully, though, Dennis hasn't really had any pain to speak of from the procedure. He has to be careful eating, but has done very well considering. He is scheduled to go back to have the other side done Monday. He's waiting until the last minute to make his final decision to go ahead. Right now he has to eat on one side of his mouth. If the soreness isn't cleared up by Monday, he'll have to postpone or he won't have a good side to eat on. We are hoping that this will save those two teeth. If these root canals fail (they are both the second time around), he'll end up losing those teeth, which we really don't want! Poor guy has suffered with bad teeth his whole life. For some reason they have always been very brittle and easily broken. He has always taken excellent care of his teeth, so I guess it is just a genetic thing.

Dennis' back also started acting up again this week. He rarely knows what sets it off. He's been using his inversion table and back massager. With taking time off from doing construction, it looks like that may have done the trick. He isn't 100% yet, but he is much better. (Getting old is SO much fun!)

Nam came for a two night sleepover this week. It was our first time to see him since before vacation. We were all ready! He is such a pleasure to have around. He's always been a sweet, fun kid; but he has gotten even more so since Sheila and Matt got married. That kid really needed a complete family! Matt is such a good dad, too. His thoughtfulness has really rubbed off on Nam. 

Nam slept GREAT the first night here...not getting up until almost 7. So I decided to stay up until my normal bedtime (around 11:30 or so). I do great with 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Any more than that and I wake up hurting (more than usual). Any less, and I am a zombie. Well, Nam was wide awake at 6 the next morning. I tried to coax him into going back to sleep, to no avail. Finally at 6:10, he was standing up in the middle of my bed saying, "Granny, can we get up now?" (Dennis had long since gone to sleep in another room.) So it was off to the kitchen and a mega-cup of coffee!

We were supposed to have our gas fireplace installed today, but they called and said a part hadn't come in yet. So we'll have to wait until later next week. We were so disappointed. The weather is getting perfect for a fire right now. It was hot and humid yesterday, but we woke up to a cool front this morning. It was thundering and raining...perfect sleeping in weather! I was SO looking forward to snuggling in front of a fire tonight. Oh well...we've gone this long. Another week won't make much difference.

Dennis didn't get any work done this week, other than a little attic work. With his dental work and Nam's visit, he didn't want to get into anything. Since we've had the delay on the fireplace, he is back at it today. He should be able to start putting up sheetrock this weekend in the bathroom. That should go pretty quickly in such a small space. I will be SO excited when we start installing all of the new fixtures. It is going to look REALLY different in there, and I am missing having two working bathrooms!

I go next week for my steroid shot in my right shoulder. I am really looking forward to that. The last one only lasted a week. When the doctor was doing the left shoulder, he found that he had to go extra deep for it to be effective. He didn't do that on my first shot on the right side... but he should have. Hopefully modifying how he gives the next shot will give me more relief. My right arm is pretty useless right now. Thankfully, my left one has done much better since my shots in it. I guess the inflammation just never can get the relief it needs without the steroids...it just keeps getting worse with time. Once that is taken care of, healing can take place. I am really trying to avoid having to have surgery! I've learned that surgery doesn't always eliminate the problem, and the recovery can be worse than the original problem.

Well, that's what's been happening around here. I hope you are enjoying the change in weather and staying healthy!

House Update

 

We have been busy working on the house since we got back from vacation. We have our bathroom vanity, tub and toilet bought and stored in the garage. We’ve purchased our gas fireplace insert and are waiting on it to be delivered and installed next week. Dennis had to “wire” the fireplace before that happens, which turned into about a 2 day job. He ended up drilling through about 15” of ceramic in order to run a wire for the outlet. He also spent about $100 on drill bits and ruined a couple of them. But he finally got through and the fireplace is ready for the insert. We are really excited about getting that! I don’t like wood-burning fireplaces, so we haven’t ever used ours. I look forward to being able to have a nice, warm gas fire when the weather gets cold. We expect to use it to heat the living area of the house most of the time. So it will be both useful and aesthetically pleasing! (Neither of which the old one was!)

ready for insert

picture of insert from brochure

The hall bathroom is completely gutted. Dennis needs to rewire it and then start working on the sheetrock. It shouldn’t take too long, since it is such a small room. After the walls are finished, we’ll lay the floor tile. Then we can install the fixtures. The vanity we bought is from a collection that also includes a wall cabinet and framed mirror that we also plan to purchase. We opted not to make a opening into the hall closet. I should be able to store enough towels in the wall cabinet for company needs and just replenish them as needed. We are hoping to have the bathroom functional by Thanksgiving…at least the sink and toilet! I know that I am spoilt, but I really miss having two working bathrooms. I definitely want to have them both before we have any company!

gutted bathroom

After we get the fireplace installed, the living room will pretty much be finished, other than the carpet (which will be the absolute last thing we do). After the bathroom is completed. Dennis will take some time off for hunting season. He may work on the doors for the a/c unit and water heater. He plans to build them himself. The only ones we could find that are premade have louvers, and I REALLY don’t like louvers. He plans to make them using a similar design to our other inside doors, but cut out the routed area and replace them with metal grillwork for ventilation. After hunting season, he’ll move on to the back room, which I plan to make into the grandkid room. That will just leave the master bedroom/bath! The end is finally in sight. I’m hoping that 2021 will be our final year of renovation!

Well that is all the news on our home improvement project! What’s new with you?

Thoughts from our Vacation

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Montana to see the wonders of God’s creation! But we are very happy to be back home. That’s the thing about vacations: you can’t wait to go, and you can’t wait to come home. It was great to get away from everyday stresses and focus on just enjoying life and the things that God has provided. But after a couple of weeks of travelling and living out of suitcases, it feels wonderful to return to the everyday mundane! However, we brought home some things that will stay with us the rest of our lives.

The thing we love about Yellowstone is being able to see wildlife that we rarely, if ever, get to view in “real life”. Watching wolves and bears and moose as they go about their normal lives is an amazing thing to experience! Seeing elk up close and getting to hear the bulls bugling and see them sparring with one another is every hunter’s dream. Seeing the diversity of the landscapes that make up Yellowstone is awe-inspiring! We’ve been privileged, now, to have seen it in the spring thaw and the fall. Our hope is to some day be able to return in the winter to see a whole different view of its majesty.

This was our first (and probably only) trip to Glacier National Park. It was as beautiful as we had been told, even though we were only able to see the western half. (The services on the eastern side are managed by Native Americans, who have chosen to remain closed due to COVID-19.) The park is primarily designed to be enjoyed by hiking, so we were limited in what we could do. I was able to go on some easy hikes, but most of them required a lot of uphill climbing. I don’t do so well on those! It is humbling and disappointing to realize that I can’t do things that I would like to do and used to be able to do. I gave it my best, but this old body just didn’t have the stamina or joints/tendons that was needed. I felt bad that I kept Dennis from doing as much as he would have liked, but he refused to go off without me. So we just did some simple hikes and drove around seeing what we could from the road.

One of the things I enjoy about travelling is the interaction with strangers that you cross paths with along the way. There is something about viewing natural wonders that brings out the comradery among fellow vacationers. In Yellowstone, people were quick to let you know about spots where there were animal sightings. Thanks to fellow watchers, we discovered the YouTube video of the bear who killed the elk. That added a whole new dimension to our trip! Seeing the bear guarding its kill was special, but then being able to watch him making that kill on video, made it all the more exciting. We met the grandson of an old friend of ours at Yellowstone and discovered that he and I both killed our first deer out of the same deer stand. No matter where we have gone in our travels, we meet up with kindness and friendliness along the way. No state or region holds a monopoly on hospitality!

As we have gotten older and more financially comfortable, we have modified the way we travel. Whereas we used to pull around a pop-up camper or stay in bargain motels, we now opt for more comfortable accommodations. I love staying in cabins! Since we get very tired of takeout food, I enjoy having the resources to prepare our meals. Having access to freezers also helped us greatly reduce our need for buying ice. We filled our empty drink/water bottles (and freezer bags) and froze them, refreezing them along the way. When we are traveling from place to place, I like trying to find us a suite in which to spend the night. We stayed in 3 different ones on this trip, and they are SO much more restful! We try to end our driving by about suppertime, so that leaves us several hours in the evening to rest and “chill”. It is nice to have a sofa and/or easy chair to do so, rather than having to sit on the bed or in a desk chair! It is definitely worth the little bit extra we paid!

One lesson that I learned the hard way on this trip, is that it doesn’t pay to push too hard. We limited ourselves to being on the road no more than 8 or 9 hours a day, and tried to do less than that when we could. But at the end of our trip, we were really ready to get home, so we did a final push of 12 hours in the car. After 9 or 10 hours, I felt my feet and legs beginning to swell. I’ve never experienced this before, and I did NOT like it! After about 24 hours and a couple of “water pills”, they are now back to normal (and I’m about 5 pounds lighter!). I told Dennis that no matter how much we wanted to hurry home from now on, we weren’t going to do any more 12 hour days of driving!

We also discovered that 2 weeks from home is our limit. On our “big trips” over the past 6-7 years, we have allowed about 2 ½ to 3 weeks. We both noticed, on this trip, that we were “done” at the 2 week point. We had had all the fun that we could stand and wanted to return to our normal lives! There is no bed so comfortable, or shower so refreshing, or chair so relaxing, as is in our own home! When we walked into the house Sunday night, I just walked around smiling and telling my home how glad I was to see it again! (Yeah, Dennis thought it was a bit strange, too!)

We are quickly returning to life as usual. Dennis is in the process of demolishing the hall bathroom and hopes to have it rebuilt before Thanksgiving company arrives. He came home rejuvenated from this trip! He was busy all day yesterday mowing the grass and replacing the battery in his truck (which was dead when we got home), and getting the oil changed in the Highlander. I haven’t been quite as energetic, but I’ve gotten all of the unpacking and laundry done and started back into my normal routine. We are both ready to get back into our regular lives until our next grand adventure, hopefully in the fall of 2021!

Yellowstone/Glacier part 2

 We have 2 days left before time to head home. This morning we are taking some time off to do maintenance (laundry, errands, rest...). At the time of my last post, we were moving into our room at the StoneCreek Lodge just outside of Gardiner. It was a beautiful place to stay...large, comfortable room across the road from the Yellowstone River and pastures full of elk! The town of Gardiner is mostly a tourist town, catering to people going to Yellowstone. It is right at the NE entrance of the park...at the Roosevelt Gate. Deer and elk freely roam all over town. You can't go into town without seeing them everywhere! It was so pleasant to sit outside, dining, while watching a cow elk resting next door, or a bull walking around bugling.

Elk beside our lodge in Gardiner

View from our lodge

We ended up seeing all of the animals that we had hoped to see while in Yellowstone. Wolves was the primary animal on our list, and we saw them almost every day...even though it took some strong magnification to be able to see them. That last day was pretty exciting when they had killed something and a bear came down to see if they had left any tidbits lying about. Unfortunately (for him), all that was left was what the ravens were able to pick clean. We did get to watch his trek along the valley, past a big grey wolf heading toward its pack, and getting into a little set-to with some bison.

Saturday, we packed up and left Yellowstone behind, heading north. We spent one night in Missoula. Our room was one of the nicest that we've ever stayed in. I could have stayed there much longer! It had a little kitchenette area, a comfortable couch and easy chair, a dinette table, and a wall full of picture windows to enjoy the view. We were able to take some time to rest up and recuperate before hitting Glacier. Sunday morning, we had a leisurely morning, had our worship service, loaded up and went into town for a little shopping at Cabelas. We found a few things we wanted and then at the checkout, the cashier told us it was the last day of their promotion to sign up new card holders. If Dennis referred me to get a card, he got $25 off his order. If I got approved for a card, I got $25 off of my order. Since we had about $60 worth of merchandise, we ended up only spending about $10, plus I got a free cap (which I have no use for) and a WONDERFUL fluffy blanket (which I have used every day since I got it!). That was a profitable stop! Afterwards we got a scrumptious burger at Montana Jack's and drove to Kalispell. Although our room wasn't as large and luxurious as in Missoula, the hotel was really nice! They served a full breakfast the next morning, and managed to do it in accordance to COVID-19 restrictions. 

Since Kalispell is only about 30-40 miles from Glacier, we had a good start on our day. We got to the park around 10:00 am and took the Road to the Sun, stopping along the way to take pictures at turnouts along the way. It is such a gorgeous drive! For people like me, who are uneasy with heights, it can be a little unnerving, but as long as I didn't look down beside my side of the car, I did ok. We had hoped to stop at Logan Pass, but the parking lot was already filled up. With the eastern part of the park being closed, there is basically only one road that is available to view the park. SO, it is extremely difficult to find parking at the favorite places to stop, unless you get up really early! But we drove all the way to the end of the line and got a lot of gorgeous pictures along the way. Then we headed back down the mountains to our cabin in West Glacier, which is just outside the entrance to the park. We love our little cabin! They are only about a year old and have everything we need (including a laundromat, which we are taking advantage of this morning). 

Lake McDonald

Just a little waterfall coming down the mountain

Mist over Lake McDonald

Wild Goose Island on St. Mary Lake with Little Chief Peak in the background

Kathy C. sent me a text telling me that the Northern Lights might be visible from this area for a couple of nights, so Monday night, we went down to the Apgar Village amphitheater that overlooks the lake. We sat in the dark for a half hour or so staring north. We finally could make out a slight glowing above the mountain range. It would waver ever so slightly. Dennis could see a little bit of a greenish tinge, but it just looked white to me. We finally decided that was probably all we were going to see and turned in, since we had an early morning planned for the next day.

Hiking up the mountain

Sunrise

View on hike

We got up yesterday around 4:45, so we could make it to Logan Pass before the parking lot filled up. It was already about half full when we got there! The wind was fierce and it was in the mid 30's, so we bundled up and headed up the mountain, trying to make it to the Hidden Lake Overlook. It was a good boardwalk trail, but it was uphill all the way. I had to stop regularly to catch my breath. It is a beautiful hike! We had hoped to see some bighorn sheep on our hike, but we missed out. We met up with a couple on their way down the mountain who had seen 2 rams and a grizzly, though! (I'm not really wanting to see a grizzly while I'm on foot...only when I'm in my car!) We got to within about 1/4 mile of the overlook, when the path started getting too icy to proceed for me. We had already had to ease our way through several places where icy snow had covered the trail. But the higher we went, the worse it got. The last thing we needed was for me to fall and break something, so we reluctantly headed back down. Even though it was still very chilly, we were shedding our jackets! We had worked up quite a sweat! Going down was much easier on my lungs, but harder on my knees and Achilles' tendons. (I have had trouble walking down steps since my Achilles' tendon surgery a few years back.) I can't take regular steps going down...I have to always lead with my right leg. Well I tried going down one set of steps normally, and wrenched my knee. I had to spend the rest of the day resting it and taking ibuprofen. (It fells fine this morning, though.)  Since I couldn't get around well, we drove to PoleBridge, which is the northenmost place accessible this side of Canada. They are famous for their huckleberry bearclaws, so we had to try them out. They were pretty tasty! The drive was much different. The road ran alongside the river, with a lot of timber lining the way.

View from Camas Road

Last night we drove into Columbia Falls (which is about 15-20 miles from here) for supper. We were tired of our normal snacking, canned soup and fast food, so we found a good restaurant that served Asian fusion. They were just doing takeout, but they allowed you to use their tables...takeout containers and no service. Since no one else was in the restaurant, we decided to use that option! It was so good! Then we drove back, went to the "beach" to watch the sunset and then did a little shopping in the gift shop.

Sunset on Lake McDonald

This afternoon we plan to go on a hike through the Trail of the Cedars. It is an easy walk through the forest...no climbing involved! That leaves tomorrow for more explorations, then we'll pack up and head south Friday morning. This has been an unbelievable trip! Yellowstone provided some outstanding viewing of wildlife, as well as some beautiful vistas. Glacier has some of the most glorious sights I've ever seen! I am so very thankful that we've been able to experience both of these majestic parks!

Yellowstone 2020, part 1

 

We are winding up day 5 of our great Yellowstone/Glacier adventure, so I thought I’d take a little time to recap.

We left Friday morning and drove to Lamar, CO for the night. It was a long, tiring drive. Not much to see between there and home. The next day was not a lot better. The haze from wildfires had the mountains obscured in the distance on our drive through Colorado. We finally started seeing some terrain by the time we got to Wyoming, where we spent the second night (in Casper). The wind was CRAZY there, so we didn’t get out and do anything. We ordered a nice supper and brought it back to our room and relaxed.

Day 3 was when things really started getting good. We had a short assembly in our hotel room and then headed to Montana. We had a little cabin in Cooke City, which is just outside of the NE entrance to Yellowstone. We had a light supper and settled in for the night. Since we planned to hit the park EARLY Monday morning, we had an early bedtime.

Dennis planned our stay so that we could get to the Lamar Valley at daylight, for the best viewing of wildlife. We had barely entered the park, when we saw the moose: a big bull, his “intended” and her yearling calf, and a young “want-to-be” bull. We spent a good bit of time watching them and taking pictures and then headed to the “wolf hotspot”. The professional photographers and wolf tours were already set up. We broke out our binoculars and started glassing. We could see them, but they were about 800+ yards away, so it was hard to make out much detail. They weren’t really moving much at that time either. So we soon left and drove on to see what we could see. We found some pronghorn that were close enough to photograph, enjoyed the resident herd of elk in Mammoth Springs village, and then walked up and photographed the springs. I struggled a bit with the altitude once we got to climbing those stairs, but I made it to the top. Mammoth Springs is such a unique place! Even though we’d seen it 6 years ago, it was worth the repeat visit!

One of MANY cascades

Mammoth Springs

Coyote pack

Just a small waterfall beside the road

After visiting the springs, we found a picnic area and had lunch. Then it was on to the Lower Yellowstone Falls…gorgeous! We saw a pack of coyotes out hunting and then went to see the most famous resident at Yellowstone, currently. A BIG grizzly bear had killed a bull elk on the 18^th (in the river) and dragged it to the river bank. He had been staying on top of it ever since, eating away on it to put on fat for the winter. We had to park about a mile away and walk back to the area in order to get pictures. It was CRAZY crowded! It was certainly worth it though! He was on the far side of the river about 200 yards away. You could see him with the naked eye, but could see him very well with a decent pair of binoculars. We heard this morning that a pack of wolves showed up to try to take some of the elk away from him. THAT would have been amazing to see!

Tuesday morning, we got another early start and arrived at the moose spot just as it was getting daylight. The moose were more active that morning. The young bull kept trying to join the others, but the big daddy wasn’t having any of that! He kept charging after him and chasing him off. That was fun to watch! Then we stopped back by the wolf area, and we were able to see them up running around…still far off in the distance, though. We saw more pronghorn, mule deer (including fawns), another coyote, and the elk at Mammoth Springs. We also made the rounds looking at waterfalls and taking some “back roads” to see things more closely. We really enjoyed that! The aspens are really starting to turn, so we saw some beautiful colors. The huckleberries are also changing to a brilliant red. While driving down one of the back roads, I noticed a deer off to the side of the road in some trees. We stopped to see if we could photograph her. Dennis had the camera going in one way, and I circled around on the other side of her to try to distract her. She was well hidden in the brush, but we ended up having a staring contest for a good while, so Dennis could have time to get some pictures. I tried moving on past her to force her closer to Dennis, but she spooked and ran off. It was a fun little venture! We visited a few more waterfalls along the way and just enjoyed the magnificent beauty that is Yellowstone! We decided to stay in the park for supper, so we went to a restaurant and ordered a couple of burgers to go. We found a nice shady rock fence to have our supper and were quickly joined by a bunch of ravens. The ravens of Yellowstone are definitely opportunists! Every time we brought out food, they showed up looking for handouts.

Bull Moose rubbing on a tree

Aspen leaves in the sunshine

Wild swan

My stare-down partner

On our way back to our cabin, we rounded a corner and saw a small bunch of cars parked on the side of the road, with people crowding around and taking pictures. We asked what they had found, and it was a young black bear, just down the embankment from the road. We quickly parked and joined the crowd. He was so cute…busy eating and not paying a bit of attention to his admirers. My first thought was “where is his momma?” I was a little nervous until we got back in the car. About the time we were leaving, a ranger was pulling up. They would set up crowd control straight away! They have strict guidelines about how far away you are supposed to stay from animals…especially the dangerous ones. After we went a little ways down the road, we came to a road block…of buffalo. A couple of bulls had decided to have a square-off in the middle of the road, so we were all stuck there for a good while.  We finally made it back to our cabin and relaxed for the evening. I had planned to stay up late, since we were going to sleep in this morning. By 9:50, I had to pack it in. After 12+ hours in the park, I was exhausted!

Grizzly scavenging from wolves

We did sleep in this morning…until almost 7:00! I cooked our last breakfast in the cabin, bacon and pancakes, and we packed and loaded up to move on to our next lodgings in Gardiner, MT. We got into the park around 9:00, instead of our usual 6:30, but it worked to our advantage today. The moose were the closest we had seen them! The cow and yearling were very close to the road, and the big bull was a little further back. (The young bull had obviously given up…he was nowhere to be seen.) Dennis was able to get some great pictures of them! Then we moved on to the wolf area, and they were a little closer. We were able to spot them immediately. After watching them a short while, we were able to determine that they had made a kill overnight. After glassing them for about 15 minutes, I noticed a big black blob emerging from the wood line about 200-300 yards west of them. I turned my binoculars on it, and it was a grizzly! He was quickly moving towards the wolves, and they were taking off in the opposite direction! He made it down where the wolves had been and scavenged around a bit, then headed back to the west. I watched him as he made his progress through the sagebrush. All of a sudden he stopped. It was then that I noticed a big gray wolf heading in the opposite direction. It passed right by him! I was hoping to see a little action, but they respected each other’s space and both continued on their way.

Wolves

We drove a little further down the road, trying to track the bear’s progress. We heard that there was another bear in the area, too. We reached a point where we saw 2 big black blobs running towards each other, so we stopped to glass and see if it was the bear after a buffalo. It was 2 buffalo bulls and a grizzly chasing each other! We couldn’t tell if it was the same bear or a different one. The sparring match didn’t last long, and the bear headed back up the mountain into the trees. How exciting!

We drove on through the park until we came to Gardiner. It was too early to check in, so we stopped for lunch at a Subway located in a gas station. We got our food and went outside to eat. We found a shady spot on a log, overlooking the river, and had lunch. We noticed about 300 yards downriver from us was a herd of elk heading down into the river. We thought they were going to cross it, but they just stood around in the water getting drinks and cooling off (I guess) for a while, then headed back up the same direction they had come from. After eating, we headed out of town towards the inn where we had our reservations for the next 3 nights. The road ran right along side the river the whole way, and there were two large herds of elk resting on the other side of the river. We stopped and glassed and got pictures. The boss bull was HUGE! He had a harem of probably 75 or more. There were several smaller bulls lying out away from the main group. We can actually see the elk from our room! We used the rest of the afternoon doing laundry, getting settled in and relaxing. We drove back into town to get some pizza for supper. Deer and elk were everywhere! We made friends with a momma Muley and her twins in the parking lot while waiting on our pizza. We also heard an elk bugle right in the middle of town. What a place! Tomorrow morning, Lord willing, we’ll head back into Yellowstone for more adventures!

Wading elk

Friendly Muleys

7 Days and Counting!

 

Hope you all enjoyed your Labor Day weekend! Even though we missed our normal gathering in Haslet, we had a fun day with Sheila’s family on Monday. It had been a while since we’d been to their house for a visit. Matt cooked burgers on the patio and we spent several hours catching up with one another. Love our family time!

We have really been enjoying the rain and cooler temps this week! We got about 4” this time around. Everything has really greened up with the recent precipitation. Hopefully it will help the upcoming fall leaves be more vibrant.

Dennis didn’t want to start on a big project before taking off next week, so he’s been working on the cabinet doors for our entertainment center. They are going to make a big difference! After we get back from our trip, I plan to order some clear plastic storage boxes for our DVDs. I’ve had to arrange them 2-deep which will make it hard to find a specific movie. My plan is to group them all into categories (like kid movies, family films, action, chic flics, etc.), so we can easily find the desired box and then select which movie we want. I love organization! (The shelves will all be covered with doors when finished.)

We leave for Yellowstone one week from today! We are SO ready! I’ve been buying up groceries that we’ll need, along with other essentials. I’m getting my CASA visits done this week, so that will be taken care of for the month of Sept. I’ve got my list compiled of everything I plan to take, plus our itinerary planned out in detail. We are starting to see snow on the live cams from Yellowstone, which is exciting! It is going to be hard to wait another week.

Even though the COVID-19 numbers are going down considerably, for which I am very thankful, the number of people that I know and love that have been infected is going up. So far, all of the cases have been relatively mild (no breathing problems or need for medical attention). I pray that will continue, and that none of them have any lasting problems from the virus. I know we are all very tired of the effects that this pandemic has had on our lives! I am SO looking forward to going back to “normal”. That’s one of the things that we are so looking forward to with this upcoming trip. We haven’t been on a “real vacation” in 3 years. Being able to take off and explore is part of the “normal” that we looked forward to when Dennis retired. Even though we haven’t blockaded ourselves in our house since the lockdown started in March, we have restricted our movements quite a bit. So just getting out away from home and seeing new sights will be a treat.

Well, that’s about all for now. Stay safe and be kind!

Family time and the coming of Fall!

 I am running a little slow this morning. We had a wonderful visit from Stephen’s family Thursday and Friday. They stopped by for the night on their way home from Colorado. It was SO good to see them and have some time together! Those kiddos are growing up so much. The boys seem to grow several inches between our visits…especially Shepherd! They are constantly busy, too. They are either playing on the rope swing, or building with Legos, or playing with the homemade spears and knives that Dennis provides, or finding books for us to read to them. Gracie has grown from a baby to a little girl with her own little personality blooming. We had such fun together! She is such a “little momma” with her baby dolls. It’s fun to have a little girl to do things with. The boys all prefer playing with Grandad…boy stuff…but Gracie and I can do our own thing.

We also enjoyed our time with Stephen and Mandy. We usually have to wait until the kids are in bed to be able to get any real talking in. Which usually means we end up staying up too late! But it is worth the lack of sleep. It takes me a day or two to recover though…which is why I’m running slow this morning!

Dennis is out at the shooting range with a couple of guys from HC. They all have a hunt planned together at a lease in the Hill Country that Dennis found. So they are sighting in their rifles and getting plans made this morning. It’s hard to believe that bow season is less than a month away. My freezer tells me that it is true, however. All I have left is hamburger meat from last year’s bounty. I usually have some jerky meat left over that I cook up when the weather starts turning cooler again. Not this year! I need to do some reorganizing and cleaning out of my freezer before Dennis starts bringing in fresh meat! Even though my venison supply has dwindled, my freezer is full. Dennis’s fishing and my stockpile of vacuum sealed meals has made a big difference in my frozen food supply. I’m going to have to figure out how to make it all fit this year! (Isn’t that a wonderful problem to have?!)

In our remodeling project, Dennis finished up all of the touchup painting around the trim work and is working on the cabinet doors for our “entertainment cabinet”. He also got in a new piece of equipment that he had to get set up and familiar with…a planer. It will be very helpful when he starts making furniture. He plans (after finishing the remodel) to build a coffee table and 2 end tables for the living room that will match the mantle. That will be a ways down the road though! He has also planned, for decades, to build coffins. He wants to not only build our own but provide a cheap alternative for others who don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a box that will just be buried in the ground.

We are missing our annual Labor Day gathering this weekend that the Young family has hosted for decades. We’ve been attending for the past 20 years and always look forward to it! As with many other things this year, COVID-19 has interfered. So instead, we plan to spend Monday at Matt and Sheila’s house. Grilled hamburgers are on the menu, as well as enjoying some time together before we head off to the great wild west.

Speaking of which, it is less than two weeks until we leave for vacation! We are really looking forward to getting away for a while. Dennis has been watching the live cams at Yellowstone for weeks, and the crowds have started to thin out considerably since school started. We love planning our vacations in the “off season” to avoid the crowds. Our last trip to Yellowstone was planned so that we’d be there as soon as things started to open up with the spring thaw. This year, we planned it so we’d be there right before things started to close down for the winter. (It’s hard to think that late Sept/early Oct is when roads start to close due to snow!) I’ll be spending what time we have left getting everything in order for being gone almost three weeks.

I hope that everyone has had some relief this week from the hot dry summer! We received about 5” of rain, and the temperatures have moderated quite a bit. Next week’s forecast shows a couple of days with the highs in the 60’s and the lows in the 40’s…quite a change from the triple digits we hit just a week or so ago! I am enjoying the coming of fall weather. I love cool days and cold nights, the changing of the leaves, the appearance of pumpkins and other fall décor taking their places on porches and front doors around town, and others signs of the changing seasons. I love how God designed this world…such variety! I’m so looking forward to enjoying seeing more of it soon!

Be safe and be kind!

Thankful for so many blessings!

 What a wonderful week, so far! We got Nam Sunday afternoon, and he spent two nights with us. It had been a couple of months since we’d seen each other, so all three of us were really excited! (I think Sheila and Matt were happy to have some couple time, too!) Nam doesn’t always like to give hugs and such, but when he got to the house, he kept running over to hug me every few minutes. Of course, I just ate that up! We really loved our couple of days with him.

I’ve actually heard from all of my kiddos over the past few days…including the ones by marriage. That fills this momma’s heart! I got a video from Mandy of her playing a song she has been learning on the piano. When we got our “inheritance” from Daddy, I shared it with my kiddos. Stephen and Mandy used their share to purchase a piano, which I thought was great. They hope to have the kids learn to play, as well as Stephen. Mandy is very musically inclined and has been really enjoying having it to play. It makes my heart glad to think that they have such a special reminder of Daddy.

I’ve also heard from a couple of sweet friends that I hadn’t spoken to in several months. I’ve been trying to keep up with different ones since we aren’t able to get around like we’d like, but there are always some that I miss. I’m thankful when others think of me and reach out! What would we do without our dear friends and family?!

We also found out this week that Ricky has landed a good career job. I am SO happy for him and Amber! He has really been working hard to support their little family and trying to find the right position that will continue to support them throughout the years (and kiddos) to come. This looks like it will fill the bill!

All of this joy has been making my eyes leak a LOT!

In other news, I finally had my follow-up with my cardiologist. He said both my stress test and carotid scans came back good, so I don’t have to see him again for another year. I took my yearly bloodwork results with me, and he told me to try to work on my cholesterol levels. They are borderline high, so he doesn’t want to put me on medication…just lifestyle modifications. We have already been working on that, but there’s always a little room for improvement.

Dennis got all of the new interior doors painted, got the mantel built and hung, and has been doing some repairs and maintenance at the church house. I’ve had my CASA work, as well as my regular stuff around the house. I’m doing much better with my stationary bike. I’ve been getting in 4-6 days/week for the past couple of months. I used to find excuses to not do it. I finally decided to just do it and not worry about getting my 7 miles in on days that I’m busy or don’t feel like it…just do what I can. Once I get going, I usually go ahead and get in at least 6 miles…sometimes as much as 8. I really need to keep moving! If I don’t, I freeze up and hurt when I do move! I’m not really losing much weight, but I’m keeping my blood pumping and (very gradually) shedding a few pounds. I have to admit to envying Dennis and his 30 pounds that he’s lost. I’m struggling to get to my first 10! (I'll lose a couple, gain a pound, lose a pound, gain 2, etc... I've lost about 7-8 pounds, depending on the day.)

We only have 3 weeks and 3 days until time to leave for cold country! We are super excited! We loved our last trip to Yellowstone and have wanted to return ever since we left. We’ve never been to Glacier, so we are really looking forward to going there, too. Just getting away for awhile sounds so good! Travelling was one of the things that we looked forward to when Dennis retired. Life kind of got in the way over the past three years, and we’ve missed it. So thankful that we have this opportunity to go again!

Well, that’s what’s going on here. I hope all of you are having good things come your way, too! Stay safe and reach out to someone!