Stock Show Time Again!

Bob's new look for Stock Show.

This year Bob had decided he was not going to go to Stock Show again.  We get the free badges and other stuff every year but haven't used them or have given them to Danny to use the last few years.  So when we were leaving to go to Casper for the month we didn't take all that stuff with us.  No sooner had we gotten there than Danny was on the phone wanting to know if we wanted to go with them.  They had a bull they wanted to look at and maybe buy one.  Bob said no he didn't want to go and walk around all day and freeze down in the yards.  Also we had left all the badges at the cabin.  Danny said OK and that was that.

I still love the gentle Hereford bulls.

About a week later Danny called again to say they were getting a room and were we sure we didn't want to come.  I put Bob on the line and Danny talked him into going!  We did a little shopping before going and Bob got himself a new cowboy hat and a walking cane.  We were all set.

Kathi and I visited the horse show ring.  8 to 10 year old kids were showing horses riding English saddles and wearing the appropriate attire!

Children can sit on the Clydesdale and Long Horn so their parents can take pictures.  I guess no kids were there this time.

We drove down to the farm in Nebraska on Sunday and left the next morning for Denver.  It was raining in Lyman but by the time we got to the Coliseum it was 58 degrees out with a slight breeze.  We didn't think about it but Monday was Martin Luther King Day and there were tons of school kids with their parents there to attend the rodeo and see the animals.  We had to buy tickets to get on the grounds and had to stand in line a long time!  It was so warm that day that I did not take my coat out of the pickup and realized too late that I had left my camera in the pocket of my coat.


  Oh well, I'd get some pics the next day.  Bob and I strolled (well, more accurately, elbowed our way through the throngs)around the perimeter of the Coliseum and quickly decided we needed to go over to the grounds side because it was about 1/2 hour before the rodeo and everyone was coming in early to get to their seats!  We were not going to the rodeo and just wanted to see the sights.

We got over to the other side of the interstate and headed for the old arena.  We watched them showing some Angus Bulls and when that was over we strolled around looking at the vendor's wares.  I got my hand washed with mink oil and tasted some nuts.  Then we went up into the Hall of Education and looked around a little before we met Danny and Kathi for lunch.  So far Bob was doing fine with his cane.  After lunch Kathi and I wandered through the aisles of the trade show.  Kathi had her camera so took pictures of some of the weirder or more interesting sights we saw.  She will have them on her blog sight (Country Chicken Girl) sometime soon. 

Where we started out to eat.  We'll have to try it next year!

We had to meet one of Danny's beef customers at our motel at 4 PM, so we left pretty early so we could check in.  That evening we had a hard time deciding where to eat but finally went over to Northfield Mall thinking we would eat at an Asian restaurant over there.

  As we were walking to the restaurant (Ling and Louie's) we noticed Toby Keith's restaurant, I Love This Bar and Grill, across the street.  It had just recently opened and looked like it was doing a good business.  We ate there and took pictures as well!  Food was good and we enjoyed ourselves.

A new place we had to try.

A huge bar dominates the restaurant.

Toby Keith's jacket he wore to Afghanistan for a USO concert.

Jack Daniels in front of the guitar!

One of several little nooks along the sides of the restaurant.

Next day we needed to be at the bull sale at 1 PM.  Danny had us down in the yards by 9 AM and there wasn't much to see!  Only the Lowlines were left.  All the other pens were empty!  Kathi and I checked out the boot store and embroidery places in the exchange building and then were done!  We told Bob and Danny we would meet them back at the sale ring at 1PM and headed up on the hill.  We went to the Western Art Gallery, looked at the chickens, bought a new leather purse and saw booths displaying all types of clothing, food, gadgets, horse trailers, corral systems, etc.   I had my camera this time and only took pictures of Roy Rogers Nudie Car! Here they are!

Check out the following pictures!  For a better look click on the picture and hit the back browser to get back.

Entire interior is hand tooled leather!  Silver saddle console!

Are those silver dollars?

We went to the Lowline sale but did not buy the bull--he went too high for Danny's pocketbook.  We came home just in time to beat the snowstorm that hit that night!

Danny and Kathi check out the catalog at the sale.

Danny and Bob wait for the next heifer to come into the ring.

Selling heifers, a young one but so small!

A little girl showing her little Lowline!

Making Carla's Jacket

Carla and her dad at the Thai restaurant.  Carla is wearing her new jacket and doesn't Bob look dapper?

About 3 or 4 years ago Carla finally told me what she wanted for her jacket.  I have to go back a little farther to say that several years before, I made myself a teal colored wool jacket embroidered with colorful Jacobean flowers.

My jacket is made from 100% wool I had for my tailoring class in college!  I kept it all those years!

The back and sleeves of my wool jacket.

Then I made Marianne a fleece lined denim jacket with snowflakes on it.  After that Carla and I bought the material for her jacket and decided to think about what to put on it and the style.

The first jacket I made for Marianne using a sweatshirt for fleece lining and denim.

I used snowflake patterns and made up the border.

 Next Marianne called to see if I could make her another quick fleece lined denim jacket with lots of glitz, flowers and fringe, so I did.  Also during the last 5 or 6 years I embroidered pants for Kim and JJ plus a lot of gifts and stuff for my business.

Lots of fringe and crystals on this quilted jacket.

Marianne models the front of her glitzy jacket.

Finally about 2 years ago Carla decided she wanted me to Sashiko the jacket and have cherry blossoms on it.  We got a kind of fitted pattern which I had to adjust to fit her.  I made a muslin jacket and we fitted it to work for her.  I had to make a lot of changes in the pattern in order to Sashiko each piece with the lining, embroider the blossoms, and then sew it together and try to make it so the seams didn't show.

A closer look at the Sashiko pattern on the back.

A closer look at the Sashiko Quilting and the buttons.  Also a look at the cherry blossoms.

It took a lot of doing but I finally got the basic bodice and back parts together and about a year ago she finally got to try it on.  It was a total disaster!  Way too big and very funky looking through the front bodice part.

I decided I had to tear it all apart, and recut the embroidered pieces.  I did get it torn apart but then I was so discouraged and needed to "think about it" for awhile, that I put it away and didn't look at it.  Last summer I finally got it out and just decided to cut out the pattern exactly like the company made it and let the chips fall where they would!  I got it cut out and then my machine broke down and all fall I had problems with it so didn't do any more on it.

This winter when we had to leave the cabin I insisted on bringing my machine with me so I would have something to do while in Casper.  I finally got out the jacket and went to work sewing it back together.  Holding our breaths, Carla tried on the bodice part again.  It fit almost perfectly!!!  At that time we also decided it needed more cherry blossoms so I spent a couple days adding more and then the final fitting test came.

  I had to recut the sleeves, put on all the flounces, bind the front edges, and finally add the sleeves.  Oh, and refinish every seam on the jacket so it wouldn't show!  Carla tried it on and voila!  It fit with just one minor adjustment!  Now to make buttonholes sew on the buttons and figure out how to finish the armseyes (sleeve hole seams).  I think Carla may have a spring jacket very soon!

The back of Carla's jacket shows off  two types of Sashiko.

The front of the jacket.

 A few hours later and the jacket is done!  Carla is planning to wear it out to dinner tonight so I will take pictures.

Carla shows off her new jacket for us.

Lookin' good, Carla.

Some thoughts on recent movies and Pug's "non-chili chili"

The last couple of days I have been getting my "Lord of the Rings" fix!  About once every year or two I have to borrow the set from Thomas or back awhile ago from Brendin and Darcy to see it again!  I read the book before the series came out and have to admit that I cried at the end--in front of students!  Here's what went down.  Our school had a policy of every Wednesday in every class we spent the first 15 minutes reading.  I was strict about it and for several years I devoted my reading time to the whole Lord of The Rings!  After several years I came to the end.  It was sad but also I cried because it did end!  Some of the kids noticed so I had to explain.  I loved the movies (which doesn't happen a lot after I have read the book).  The scenery is absolutely outrageous and I have a goal to go to New Zealand to visit the areas where they filmed these movies!   I am jealous of Paul who did just that a year or so ago!

 Since we have been up in Casper I have seen some more recent movies.  Here are my thoughts on them.  The new True Grit :  I liked it and would watch it again.  I tried not to make comparisons to the old one with John Wayne.  The photography is great.  I especially liked the starry night scenes toward the end as Rooster was taking the girl for help after the snake bite.  I liked the stilted way Rooster and some others spoke like it was real "old timey".  By the way, I heard some young men discussing the movie as we were leaving the theater.   One said the snake scene wasn't as good as the old one; but I must say the snakes were much scarier!

Inception:  We watched this one on a DVD that Carla had.  It is a mind blowing, must see movie!  You have to stay with it the whole way.  No talking, leaving for a break or anything like that!  Very riveting. The ending will be a topic for discussion for years to come! I'm guessing there will be some Academy Award nominations on this one--especially for the screen play!

 

Gulliver's Travels in 3-D: This was the first recent 3-D movie I have seen.  The movie features Jack Black as Gulliver.  It is a fun movie but does not follow the book!  It is updated to make it identifiable with the younger group of viewers, and only covers the Lilliput part of the book although there is a very short part with the giant people.  Some good laughs and lots of fun!  I have to say the 3-D did not come out and grab me.  It would have been just as good without it, but I did like this movie.

Looking out the front door on a -17 degree day.  I just stuck my camera out so I didn't get as cold!

It has been very cold here lately.   Below zero and not getting any warmer even in the sun!  We have had Carla's chili which is delicious and I may have to give you that recipe another day because today I need to do the following recipe!  This is Pug's recipe that we grew up on.  I never experienced true chili until I went off to college!  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE spicy chili but that was never an option in our house!  Dad had ulcers when he was quite young and Mom was a dietitian and took her job seriously.  By the time we all came along Dad was healed but Mom continued to cook with no spices including pepper!  This is her version of chili as we knew it.  My sister still makes it and sent me this "heritage" recipe.

Pug's Chili 

Here's Pug's chili. You can do it with dried kidney beans, but for  quickness, and her method was always canned. Also, she just put everything in the pot and cooked it. No browning of onions and celery with the meat (which I usually do), but it tastes about the same. So here goes.  Lynn

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
2 or 3 cans of kidney beans (never had any proportions, so just use more of what you like)
1 #10 (I think she means #2 1/2 can--#10 is like a gallon!) can of tomatoes
3-5 stalks of celery - chopped
1 large onion - chopped
salt to taste (remember, she Never used pepper.)

Pug's Method

Cook the beef in a little oil in the bottom of a pot large enough to accommodate all the ingredients. Dump everything else in on top. Stir. Bring to boil on high, stirring occasionally. Turn down heat and simmer till it's the right consistency.

You should just try it once as is. It should tickle your memory buds. Of course we all add favorite ingredients, but that's the real recipe. 

I never made it this way--too bland-- but maybe it is good for a change or when you can't eat spicy foods!  Lynn used to serve it to guests when she lived in New York City!

Izzy's squirrel tree in the back yard.  It was -17 degrees when I took this!

An "Old School" Recipe

Carla gives me advice

An "Old School" dinner with a twist.

I just felt like I had to add a recipe today and asked Carla which one she remembered most.  She said she supposed I'd already put on Porcupine Meatballs.  Oh my gosh, no I haven't!  This brings back a lot of memories.  It is the first recipe Mom (Pug) had us make and so I followed her example and taught my children to make them, too.  I guess JJ followed my example and had Micah making them when he was young.  Now he has to call me to get the recipe every so often!

Here's my story of the first meal I ever cooked.  Mom had a meeting that was going to be late so she decided I finally was old enough to cook a whole dinner for the family.  I guess I must have been around 9 or 10 but I really don't remember.  She suggested the menu and told me how to do everything so I was psyched to be the cook!  I was making porcupine meatballs and baked potatoes.  Everything went according to Pug's plan.  The potatoes went in the 400 degree oven 1 hour before we were to eat and I got the meatballs on the stove to cook at the proper time.  I set the table and all was ready.  Pug came home and I proudly opened the oven door to get out the potatoes and I discovered a disaster!  The potatoes had exploded all over the oven!  I guess I had forgotten one of the cardinal rules of potato baking.  You must poke them with a fork so they can let the steam out and won't blow up.  I then had another lesson in how to clean the oven.  Never again did I forget this rule!  The meatballs turned out perfect so they became a standby for me.  Here is the recipe:

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Ingredients:

An easy inexpensive menu idea.

1 egg beaten

1 10 3/4 oz. can condensed tomato soup*

1/4 Cup long grain rice--I use Uncle Ben's

1/4 tsp. onion powder--I use about 1/4 C.finely chopped onions

3/4 tsp. pepper

1 pound hamburger

Directions:

Combine egg, 1/4 C. of soup, uncooked rice, onion, and pepper.  Add hamburger and mix well. 

Adding all the ingredients except the sauce.

Shape into about 20 meatballs.  Put into a large pot or skillet* . 

I don't need this big of a pan!

Mix the rest of the soup with 1/2 C. water or enough to cover meat balls and pour over them.  Bring to boiling, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.

Ready to cover and cook.  I added the Argyle sauce to the tomato soup to give it a "twist".

I cooked it 25 minutes instead of the 20 set on the timer for Casper.

  Cook for about 20 minutes or until all pink is gone from meat and rice is tender.  (takes longer up in North Park!).   Skim off any fat and serve.

*Hints:  I use a pressure cooker up at the cabin and cook for about 12 minutes.  You can use tomato sauce instead of soup, add some Italian spices to your sauce before cooking and serve with Parmesan cheese.  You could also add a teaspoon or so of Worchestershire sauce instead of Italian seasoning for a little zip or maybe some chili powder or cumin.  Now that I am thinking about it, I think I will use some of my Argyle Sauce**   instead of the soup!!  That sounds yummy!

** See my blog for recipe: 9/29/10

All set for a nice dinner when we get home from the matinee at the movies.

Pictures that go with the New Years Letter from Yesterday

Photo album personalized with Smilebox Actually there are more pictures on this  Smilebox than were on my page.  I might even make another one before I am satisfied.

My New Years Letter

Another big snow picture.

Hi All!  Happy New Year!

As usual I am sending out my Christmas cards as New Years cards, again.  I am also posting this letter on my blog so I can use whichever computer I happen to be near to get it done!  In case you want to check out my blog to get all the details of our life in 2010, here is the sight (apologies to those who are reading this at meemointhemountains):  meemointhemountains.blogspot.com

Here is a summary of our year, the good, the bad and the ugly!  We started out in January at the cabin.  It was a bit snowy but nothing we couldn't handle with the Argo.  In fact we could use the road that Hughie had plowed open for Christmas to take the Argo back and forth.  We could not drive on the road with the pickup, however.  We left the cabin in late January headed for the south and warmer weather!

We spent February with Micah and Kim and the great grand children in San Antonio.  We had great fun and many adventures with them.  Then it was on to Florida to visit my sister, Lynn and her husband Bill. We spent a couple days driving down and spent a fun two days in Biloxi, Mississippi visiting its casinos and the beach.

In Florida, we had a a nice time with Lynn and Bill watching classic films and just enjoying the semi-warm weather.  Oldtimers said it was the coldest winter they ever had!  It was warmer than our cabin winters so we were fine!  I got to visit my friend, Laura, in Vero Beach.  We had a great get together with our Struble cousins who live or spend time near by in Lehigh Acres.  We hadn't seen any of them in over 20 years!  Bob and I even drove over to see where they lived after we dropped Lynn and Bill off to head back to France!  

We left Florida in early April to head back to San Antonio where we had a date to watch Micah's 3 little girls while he and Kim went on a cruise with Kim's family.  Erin came down with her friend Eric from Dallas and JJ flew in from Elko.  We had a great time spoiling the girls and starting new Easter traditions!

We arrived back home in mid May just in time for Bob's Dr. appointment for a check up with the Urologist and Nephrologist..  Good news on the kidney, bad news on his prostate (which had been removed 11 years before).  It seems a cancer cell or two  had remained and now was growing exponentially.  After consultation with the tumor board, the Drs. at the Urology Center decided he should have radiation therapy.  We visited with the Radiologist and he also recommended hormone therapy to enhance the radiation.  On May 15  Bob's journey into cancer treatment began with the hormone shot!  The radiation treatments would begin in late July but there were a lot of preliminary things to be done.

In June we attended Thomas's graduation from High School in Casper.  The rest of June and most of July we spent at the cabin or going to Denver for prep work for the cancer treatments.  Finally the last week of July we moved down to Denver and Bob began his radiation.  We spent 7 weeks five days a week in Denver and the weekend at the cabin.  We stayed at the VQ hotel next to Invesco field and less than a block away from the Urology Center where Bob had the treatments.  The radiology team was wonderful!  They all were upbeat, lots of fun and very caring.  Bob had some side effects but was mostly tired.  He did not lose his hair or have nausea and was able to have physical therapy, attend 4 baseball games, go to the Zoo with JJ, her friends, and I, attend a preseason football game and drive back and forth to Walden during this time.  I spent a lot of time at the pool, reading, going to the 16th St. mall, and picking crabapples which I made into jelly when I got back home on weekends!  The seven weeks went by (I won't say quickly) and soon we were back at the cabin.

  In October I did the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Denver and we did go to CSU Homecoming activities in Ft. Collins. We spent Thanksgiving with Marianne's family after a trip that never ended to get there (see my blog).  We had a great time picking holly, shopping, doing volunteer work for the Christmas fund, attending Big, the Musical and a Christmas party for Marianne's womens church group, making Santa hats for the Christmas tree farm, and eating! 

In mid-December Bob had his 3 month checkup for his cancer treatment.  He is doing well, although he still has some side effects of the hormone and radiation therapy.  The Dr. is optimistic but cannot say whether the radiation was completely successful for maybe 6 more months.  He did say, “Well, at least you are still here!”   I’m taking that as a good sign!

The whole family except Marianne's family and Micah's family were at the cabin for Christmas.  Kathi's son Chris also missed the fun because he was watching the farm and had to get back to work.  We had lots of fun sledding, doing How Do We Look for Christmas Eve, How to Host a Murder, Pass the White Elephant Gifts and eating, of course.

The kids decided Bob and I could not stay at the cabin due to big snow so we all left  on December 29 and here we are in Casper for the next month.  Then on to Elko to stay with JJ for a month and finally on to San Antonio for awhile.  I have a hope to go to Florida but that might not happen and we do plan to visit Danny at the farm while we are staying here with Carla.

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and prosperous New Year!  Keep us posted on what's going on with you!

Penny and Bob

Carla and Erin get the hot tub ready to drain in preparation for our closing down the cabin.

Paul is trying to set up a siphon to empty the hot tub.  It only worked halfway.  JJ and Ozzie had to bail out the other half!