Badgers!
They are the new cool thing.
Julia and I went out to the buffalo jump south of Great Falls a bit, and I walked along the cliff, and saw three badgers and a coyote. They were below me maybe 20 ft on a ledge that was about 20 ft wide; just enjoying themselves immensely. I'm pretty sure they didn't know I was there - the badgers, not the coyote. I don't know if he saw me or not; he got up and left but that could have been because of the badger heading straight for him.
If you ever see one, you will recognize it at once by how it runs - from behind, it looks like a flat, fur rug that undulates along. I thought 'raccoon' first, but the tail isn't striped.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Trains Are Good.
I shall enumerate:
* Cheap. * Comfortable. * Close to the scenery, and slow enough to enjoy it. * Good food. (A bit expensive, not what you'd want to be doing regularly, but not so outrageous that you can't splurge for a meal.) * Interesting people. * Train stations! Have you ever noticed the relative coolness factor between train stations and airports? Trains win hands down. * I will admit that it is hard to sleep in the seats, but there are beds available (ever seen a bunkbed on a plane or in your car?), and even if you stick to the seats, they're easier to sleep in than on the plane, and if you're driving, you'd better not be sleeping!
I took the train out to Washington for my grandmother's funeral, and thoroughly enjoyed the trip, both ways, minus one small portion at about midnight somewhere near Spokane when the Co-Passenger From The Netherworld Region of Your Choice had his light on and was talking on his cell phone MUCH too near me.
I left Shelby Monday evening and got into Seattle Tuesday morning. Scott picked me up, and we raced off to Michael's to pick up supplies for a picture board. In the afternoon, (after a nap...) we put it together. It ended up looking really nice, if I do say so myself. Wednesday was just a nice stay-at-home day with my bro. :) And Thursday morning, we picked up Brandon and headed south to Vancouver. The funeral was Friday afternoon and went quite nicely. My aunt, who is Mormon, wanted to sing one of their songs, so all the family (that is, all the family who felt up to singing) did that right at the beginning. I think it sounded quite nice; and then the whole congregation sang a hymn at the end. Jenith Hamon and Darryl Doland spoke. There was a bit of a glitch at the graveside... my aunt and my great-aunt both ended up being late! Auntie Anna got lost. But all ended well, no one got rained on much, and the lost were found. It was really nice to get to see so many Vancouver folks both at the funeral and the dinner following. I haven't seen them for years and years.
I spent Friday night at Mom and Dad's in Olympia, then had a quick-stop visit with Sara Stickland who's on her way back down to California for preps; and lunch with an old roomie in Seattle - and then Scott and I went to the Boeing Aviation Museum. That was fascinating. I wish we'd had more time. I would have liked to have spent a lot of time in the WWI and WWII exhibits. As it was, we dashed through the WWII one, and barely poked our heads into the WWI one. But I did get to see the original, unrestored, first fighter plane built - in Italy. The cloth of the wings has frayed, and some other things, but it is in remarkable condition. I hear that in Everett is the place where they do the actual restoration (lots of the planes; most of them, really, were either replicas or restored) and that is free. I have it on my list of things I'd like to do if I'm ever in the area. The museum in Seattle costs, but is worth every penny.
Then back on the train to come home (this is the segment with the Evil CellPhone User). I splurged for supper - had salmon and rice and vegies and chocolate HaagenDaz icecream. As a side note, did you know that Haagen Daz has absolutely no meaning at all? It just sounds good. I got in Sunday morning at 11:30 or so, had lunch and a nap, and drove to Great Falls (80 miles south) for gospel mtg at 3:30. Julia was just coming back from Plentywood, so it worked well for her to pick me up in Shelby. I am told that the meeting was very nice, but I haven't much idea what I said. ;) Or what Julia said either, for that matter, but I want it on the record that I did /not/ fall asleep!
THEN we had lunch with Gary Myers and his mom, which was great, even if I was about face-planting in my soup by that time.
I guess that's about it. Fade curtain with me sacked out in bed.
I shall enumerate:
* Cheap. * Comfortable. * Close to the scenery, and slow enough to enjoy it. * Good food. (A bit expensive, not what you'd want to be doing regularly, but not so outrageous that you can't splurge for a meal.) * Interesting people. * Train stations! Have you ever noticed the relative coolness factor between train stations and airports? Trains win hands down. * I will admit that it is hard to sleep in the seats, but there are beds available (ever seen a bunkbed on a plane or in your car?), and even if you stick to the seats, they're easier to sleep in than on the plane, and if you're driving, you'd better not be sleeping!
I took the train out to Washington for my grandmother's funeral, and thoroughly enjoyed the trip, both ways, minus one small portion at about midnight somewhere near Spokane when the Co-Passenger From The Netherworld Region of Your Choice had his light on and was talking on his cell phone MUCH too near me.
I left Shelby Monday evening and got into Seattle Tuesday morning. Scott picked me up, and we raced off to Michael's to pick up supplies for a picture board. In the afternoon, (after a nap...) we put it together. It ended up looking really nice, if I do say so myself. Wednesday was just a nice stay-at-home day with my bro. :) And Thursday morning, we picked up Brandon and headed south to Vancouver. The funeral was Friday afternoon and went quite nicely. My aunt, who is Mormon, wanted to sing one of their songs, so all the family (that is, all the family who felt up to singing) did that right at the beginning. I think it sounded quite nice; and then the whole congregation sang a hymn at the end. Jenith Hamon and Darryl Doland spoke. There was a bit of a glitch at the graveside... my aunt and my great-aunt both ended up being late! Auntie Anna got lost. But all ended well, no one got rained on much, and the lost were found. It was really nice to get to see so many Vancouver folks both at the funeral and the dinner following. I haven't seen them for years and years.
I spent Friday night at Mom and Dad's in Olympia, then had a quick-stop visit with Sara Stickland who's on her way back down to California for preps; and lunch with an old roomie in Seattle - and then Scott and I went to the Boeing Aviation Museum. That was fascinating. I wish we'd had more time. I would have liked to have spent a lot of time in the WWI and WWII exhibits. As it was, we dashed through the WWII one, and barely poked our heads into the WWI one. But I did get to see the original, unrestored, first fighter plane built - in Italy. The cloth of the wings has frayed, and some other things, but it is in remarkable condition. I hear that in Everett is the place where they do the actual restoration (lots of the planes; most of them, really, were either replicas or restored) and that is free. I have it on my list of things I'd like to do if I'm ever in the area. The museum in Seattle costs, but is worth every penny.
Then back on the train to come home (this is the segment with the Evil CellPhone User). I splurged for supper - had salmon and rice and vegies and chocolate HaagenDaz icecream. As a side note, did you know that Haagen Daz has absolutely no meaning at all? It just sounds good. I got in Sunday morning at 11:30 or so, had lunch and a nap, and drove to Great Falls (80 miles south) for gospel mtg at 3:30. Julia was just coming back from Plentywood, so it worked well for her to pick me up in Shelby. I am told that the meeting was very nice, but I haven't much idea what I said. ;) Or what Julia said either, for that matter, but I want it on the record that I did /not/ fall asleep!
THEN we had lunch with Gary Myers and his mom, which was great, even if I was about face-planting in my soup by that time.
I guess that's about it. Fade curtain with me sacked out in bed.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Money
This is very interesting, and somewhat scary, depending on your point of view.
I myself feel rather fatalistic - there's nothing I can do about it anyways, so I won't worry about it. But I do feel a bit better informed now.
This is very interesting, and somewhat scary, depending on your point of view.
I myself feel rather fatalistic - there's nothing I can do about it anyways, so I won't worry about it. But I do feel a bit better informed now.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Beginning
Well, not the /true/ beginning. I suppose the true beginning would have been when I saw a picture of a woven ribbon purse in a magazine and thought, "That's kind of cool, but I don't want a purse..."
But close enough!
ps. This picture doesn't do justice to the colors. I had to use the flash, and it always changes things. For the worse. Take it from me, it's lots prettier in person.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Yes, cough, well. I've been avoiding my blog. Bad Leilani.
But now I have something fun and exciting to share, so I am back!
**I am making a jacket for summer - this is semi-fairly-exciting, because I don't like to sew, and avoid it whenever possible.
**I am making the fabric to make said jacket out of - this is the really-fun-and-exciting part! Aaaaand
**I am making it out of ribbons.
My 'jacket' is currently spread out all over the living room floor. Blessings on people who are kindly and generous with their space. Pictures to follow, when I get some taken.
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