When Montana says Goodbye to Elissa

When the mountains begin to look like stars do, on a very, very dark and clear night, with edges so sharp and vivid that you feel you could reach up and pluck them out of the sky, or perhaps when there's such a glorious full, full moon that you can't breath looking at the vastness of it, you know you're in Montana. It shouts rugged grandeur from every pine covered steep crag, and the air is so dry and populace so sparse you can breath in a whole lung full of air without sharing a molecule of it with anything but the white tail deer. I love Montana.

Missoula, Montana sits in a valley ringed by mountains such as these. A true old brick college town that hums with youthful and mostly liberal, earthy energy. The cars are dirty, the streets are wide, the houses cozy, and historic Old West buildings and churches populate the old downtown next to the Clark Fork River.

Such is the place, at the University of Montana at Missoula where Elissa has spent the last four years, with the exception of this year's Austria adventure Jan. thru May, and such is the place where last weekend(May 10th) she graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration wearing a silver tassel for graduating "with honors" and gold cord for graduating "with high honors" a maroon cord for graduating as a University Scholar with the Davidson Honor's College, and, last but not least a HUGE presidential medal for being selected as an outstanding senior for her work at the University Center..which included not one, but two campus wide swing dances (including marketing) AND she and her group won $1000.00 for their 3rd place undergraduate placing for their "Fitted4" business plan (thanks to Aunt Ginger for the prototype camo pants) in which they also won the best "elevator pitch" award and made it into the top 15 business plans for the WHOLE COMPETITION. Gayland and I and Ray and Maxine watched the final four presentations, and personally, we think she should'a been in the final four!!! No bias here!




We stayed in a great house about 10 miles up I-93 at the edge of an Indian Reservation. Horrible red carpets, but comfortable just the same, with a view of those glorious mountains and edged by a huge pasture full of pregnant and newly delivered mares(mule babies) (I liked this part, don't know about the others). Friday morning we attended the awards ceremony for the Outstandin senior recognition awards, which was followed by a reception at the Davidson Honors College, where the Dean said to Gayland, "you know some kids earn this title and some don't, but yours does". Saturday, we slogged through the long graduation ceremony (times two..geez! the torture, the aching buns!) followed by a barbeque at the ranch attended by Lissa's friend Kelly (fellow graduate) and her family. Sunday, Lissa & I cleaned and packed her apartment, and Gayland and fam. arrived at 1:30 to pack it up into the cars. Wagon's Ho! We were off like a herd of hungry Oregonian's to Mackensie River Pizza., and barreled home, Gayland style, first thing Monday morning. Whew!

By the way, should you ever visit the Cougar Ranch..owed by a wonderful French woman named Helene, you will enjoy the world's BEST french cooking for breakfast!

Camelia's....

Camelias bloom and fade early in spring bringing glossy green leaves and intricate pink blossoms in abundance, then drop to the ground and quickly fade to brown. Next year's contribution to next year's blooms.


Meanwhile, being a clever girl with a socket set and a $12.50 new rototiller belt, I fixed (within 3 different tries at the belt configuration as I can't download the manual & can't find the original)the rototiller is FIXED and the garden is tilled! with only a slight sunburn to show for it.

Meanwhile out on the track..and down in Stayton

Colin has had a very successful track season so far, and last Saturday (while the sun was remarkably OUT and burned my arms!) He had a PR of 170"5". GO COLIN

Later that day...ran down to Stayton in the new ride and celebrated many birthdays with Rob & Karen(BIG news due in 9 months!), Alex, Ginger and David and Mom and Dad (50 years May 24th 2008!) We had a great if not overly boistrous dinner. Mom gave me a bracelet that reads," Isn't it great what clever girls can do...P.Pan) Love it!

What a great weekend! (except for the rototiller breaking)

Spring in Heather's Yard

My back,, shoulders and feet planted all the flow

ers and trees in my yard. This makes Springtime extra special,

because I see the reward of all those hours (and dollars). I gave up on the garden rototilling yesterday..when the drive train belt broke (what a PAIN!) and took flower pictures instead!

Ty and Kara Come to Visit with their Great Nana

Ty and Kara arrived on Thursday with Mikayla and Lucas. All the way from Texas. Mom came up (with dinner!) since I had to work. I arrived home right before Lucas' bedtime, but we had time for a few cuddles with the kids. They're amazing! Mikayla didn't know what to do calling two diffent people Nana! She kept flitting between the two of us. Her speech is rapidly improving and she's very polite and sweet to everybody with big hugs and kisses all around. Lucas is a cuddle bug, loves his Uncle Colin and is just a happy happy guy!

When I got home from work on the next day, I found a few new pictures on the camera. Ty and Mikaya had gone outside to meet Prima. I had taken her out the night before to feed Prima and Mikayla was brave enough to touch her. She flew back in the house to tell her Daddy, "I touched her! I will see them again next Wednesday before they leave for Texas. Can't wait.

Pet Peeves

OK this is where I might offend some.........sorry. I work in medicine..at a hospital..so keep that in mind..my paradigm you know.

• If you are going to a medical appt. where you are going to be examined..let's say X-rayed for instance..try to wear easy to remove clothing and DON'T WEAR ten tons of jewelry that you can't remove for whatever reason! Honestly, you wonder why you have to wait so long to get in? This is ONE of MANY reasons!
• Why is it that you are upset that you had to wait so long when you take 8000 years to walk to the room, another 8000 years to change and another 8000 years to tell me all your problems....so did the last guy..or gal!
  
• HELLO!!! Your back, your knees and your hips are going to HURT and WEAR OUT if you are overweight. You are going to be diabetic, you'll snore, won't be able to lie flat on your back and you'll be sick a lot. Your gall bladder will also need removing and if you fall, just your weight will cause you to break something. Oh, and one other thing..I CAN'T hold you up.
• Nope, can't diagnose you. Not allowed, not trained.
• Rude people and whiners.
• Why is it that the people who want their pictures and their results NOW are the ones that won't cooperate so that you can get their exam done?
• An ER is an EMERGENCY room. For EMERGENCIES. It may surprise you to know that we have to treat the people that are imminently going to DIE as a first priority, which is why your sprained ankle or your knee that's been sore for 3 weeks, might not make it to the top 10 patient list. People who are trying to die, take up a lot of resources; when you are that person, you'll be glad they put you first in line.
  
• If I ask you not to move...DON'T!
• If I come to get you for an exam and you wave me off because you're on your cell phone..then I'll see you WAY later.

OK..enough venting for tonight.

Without Bones

Without Bones, Prima is lonely. More lonely then I would have thought given her normal standoffish mare-ish behavior. She cried a high pitched "something's missing whinny all the rest of the day on the Monday Bones was put down even though she'd been give a sedative..both so that she could have her teeth done and deal with Bones absence. I was surprised. Horses miss their herds.

My wonderful neighbors noticed that Bones was gone, especially the lady with the toddler down the street, who always stops, rolls down her window so he can wave at the horsies. She left a nice card and bouquet of flowers on my porch. Personally, I cried a lot; off & and on all day, even though I was ready for it. Very difficult to watch something die. I don't know how hunters do it.

In some ways it was a relief. A task that had been weighing on my mind now complete.

In many ways it frees me up. Chores take half the time and half the money. I can rope small areas off for Prima to graze that Bones couldn't see, and I have small obstacles and jumps set up in the arena gain. This may not thrill the girl, but I like it! I don't have to worry about Bones panicking and hurting himself if Prima's gone. This weekend I am going to clean out the horse trailer and prep it for some trail rides later on in the year.

Many of you called or stopped by to make sure I was OK. I really appreciate that. I have the best friends and the best family around. Lucky me.