December 27, 2010

I was writing "Life on the Ranch" last night when the whole house went dark. We found our battery operated lamps and went on with life. Poor Jake did not like the darkness. He was always with us and it was the first time in a very long time that he slept in our bedroom. We looked out the windows and could see the beautiful stars and a glow to the south. Chip said that the glow was from Gillette! I was so thankful to see lights from somewhere lighting up the sky and making my life a little brighter. Nice to have it come from the new hometown of my niece and her husband.


It has been almost a week since I came home for Christmas vacation. A lot has happened in that time.

We spent Wednesday and Thursday running to Ekalaka and Belle Fourche. Chip's birthday/Christmas present for the next five years is a 3/4 ton, two door, four-wheel drive, standard transmission, Silverado with 36,000 miles on it. Since it was the last year that the stick shift was made and when we inquired about a 3/4 ton, it had just been traded in, we saw God's perfect timing once again. I did tell Chip that it will probably be the last stick shift we will be able to buy, so in about ten years we should think about retirement. We did need a "new" 3/4 ton so we can get the livestock to town. New Blue, which is 11 years old now is getting very old with over 300,000 miles on it.

I convinced Chip that my Christmas present was the Tempur Pedic bed we bought back in May. It is a wonderful mattress to sleep on for a person with back problems.

We spent Christmas Day with my brother's family. So much fun to visit, eat and laugh. We had a great time. They always allow us to bring Jake. Jake loves playing with Scout and Jabez. Chip did mention that there is a little tension between Jake and Jabez. So when Jake yipped and barked angrily at Jabez, Chip put Jake in "time out!" I laughed and said, "You what!" "I made Jake come sit beside me for awhile."

We spent Sunday in Belle Fourche going to church and then making a quick stop at Pamida for after Christmas sales. Plan was to be home by 1:30---until Chip met some friends that had moved up north. They talked for over an hour. I finally came along and opened a can of popcorn--thought we should make it into a party.

We have had some beautiful frosty days--so frosty that the power lines were stretched to their limit and we were without power for several hours last night. They came on a couple of times---just enough to let me know that the S.E. Electric line men were trying to do their jobs.

Time to wish you all a Happy New Year!