Thursday June 25 2009 by Leland.

Hot on the heels of the Fly In we headed out to Western Montana to help mom and Shirley while mom had some surgery. Mom had been having major tiredness and other health problems that the doctors finally nailed down to a “Para-Thyroid” problem.  This is not Thyroid.  The Para-Thyroid has to do with how your body uses calcium.  Mom was having major bone density loss and this was the cause.  They removed the bad one and things are back to normal.  The cut was ugly but mom had no pain, no sickness and with the complete success of the operation it was a great week.  We returned to billings on Friday, called to tell them we made the trip home and had to leave a message - they were gone shopping.  Now that’s quick recovery.

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Sunday June 21 2009 by Leland.

This weekend we moved out of our place in Shepherd and attended the BFM Fly In.  There were about 15 RVs camping at the field.  There were about 75 registered pilots and around 150 airplanes.  Some were very nice big aerobats and a good mix of electrics and helicopters.  It was a fun weekend.  We didn’t attend the Saturday night dinner because we had dinner planned with Bobby and all in town.  I won a few trinkets at the pilots drawings.  I bought one raffle ticket which, as always is merely a dontation.  My luck doesn’t let you even imagine winning a prize.

 Lots of Fun and a Good Getaway.

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Thursday June 18 2009 by Leland.

Cathy’s Brother Bobby and his two boys, Seftin and Jacob came over from Troy for a visit.  Cathy and the guys went out to Pompey’s Pillar for a walk around and it really sparked some interest in history in the boys.  We had a nice dinner out at the Golden Corral while they were here too.  Betty just loved having them visit.  We wish they were closer.

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Tuesday June 16 2009 by Leland.

Each year about this time, Brittany’s Dance Class has their Recital or show or whatever it is.  Brittany has been taking Dance here for several years and has progressed so much.  This year she was in two numbers and was front row center in both of them. 

We had pretty good seats at the Alberta Bair Theater although through the camera the stage seemed pretty darn small.

In this first number I got more blurr and motion but a few turned out.

In the second number more turned up good and then afterwards with her flowers and all the crowd she was the star, basking.  She did SOOO good.  When we got it all over with we went up to Applebees and had a desert.  A great evening.

BUT my camera has a pretty darn good zoom and I got quite a few good isolations. 

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Friday June 12 2009 by Leland.

As almost none of you know I have been looking since last year for a pickup to be able to haul some stuff around out here on the acreage and to have a second vehicle so that one of us isn’t trapped if the other decides to go to town.  Well this week we found the ideal vehicle for us.

This blue monster, dirty and rusty and dented showed up on one of the parking lots along Main Street.  People are always selling vehicles on these lots and we had been watching.  We  pulled in and looked the beast over.  Not bad, fair tires, totally broken tail gate, no glass smashed, banged in passenger side door, and as a bonus, a 4 ton winch on the front.  (What the heck do I need a 4 ton winch for)  But the price was nearly right so we phoned the guy and set up a time to try it out.  Long story short, it did work, we bought it cash and drove it home. 

Now the adventure begins.  When the grandkids were out and saw it, we compared it to their old 80’s Ford that they had for a while to drive to school with.  They called it “Old Blue”.  I told them this was new blue but they decided that as it was so much newer (a 93 vs an 85) that it must be Old Blue’s grandson.  So they named it Baby Blue.  Now you know the rest of that story!

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Sunday June 7 2009 by Leland.

Ok, so after checking his papers half a dozen times, we agreed that Sunday was the real bus time and the alarm went off right at 3:30 a.m.  Michael had made that case that his mom took almost an hour to get there and he sure didn’t want to be late.  I guess he gets that from me as I am almost always early if not the first one on site.  We left and arrived with half an hour to sit in the dark in the parking lot waiting for those who have more confidence to arrive.

Finally the pickup with the Uhaul for luggage showed up and then the bus pulled out from back in the bus yard.  Michael disappeared into the sea of teen age boys and was gone.  As I drove home I marveled at how many business’ werent’ open at this time of day and how many houses were still dark with people still sleeping in on Sunday morning………

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Saturday June 6 2009 by Leland.

On Friday of this week, Michael had to catch a bus in Billings for Helena and his Boys State activity.  More on that later.  Michael and his mom came into town Thursday afternoon, stayed overnight at Stacey’s and were at the bus yard at the appointed 5 a.m.  The only issue here was that instead of Friday 5 a.m. it was supposed to be Sunday 5 a.m.  Michael had read the paper wrong.  After his mom made re-entry into earth’s atmosphere and became coherent again it was decided that Michael could come out and stay with us and we would put him on the bus Sunday.  Cool, we get Michael for two whole days!

Well we had a good day Friday doing some chores, some shopping and all.  Saturday we decided to explore

Pompey’s Pillar National Monument with him.  It was a blast. 

Michael dressed up in the buckskins they have and we got these photos of him.  The first is him hanging out with his buddy Captain Clark.  The second is him admiring little Pomp’s activity with Sacageweah.

Outside Michael and I climbed up the Pillar to where the famous signature is.  Michael and I then climbed on up to the top and enjoyed the view and the imagination of seeing it all 200 years ago.  I could go and do this every week.  and I might.

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Monday June 1 2009 by Leland.

Wow, how can something so mundane as a vehicle wash make a post?  Well, while we have been busy it hasn’t been that exciting.  We are staying off the highway back and forth to town as much as we can but Cathy’s mom wound up in the hospital so she has been everyday anyway.  I have been staying out here recovering from my flu. 

This weekend I washed down the Motor Home.  Boy is that a chore.  Especially out here because you have to do it in sections and dry each chunk as you go.  The well water is heavy in minerals and if you let it dry on a vehicle it spots worse than anything you have ever seen.  I was up washing the roof and realized that the last time I had washed it was in Florida.  I think I washed the sides some where like Livingston Texas.  Now it needs a good wax job but that may wait till another lifetime. 

Gotta run, got Veterans stuff to do today.  Guess what, the lawn has grown too. More mowing in store.  HATE lawn.

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