Thursday, April 30, 2009

You Might Live In Wyoming If...

You live in Wyoming if...

  • A winter statistic: 98% OF AMERICANS SCREAM BEFORE GOING IN THE DITCH ON A SLIPPERY ROAD. THE OTHER 2% ARE FROM WYOMING AND THEY SAY, 'HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS.'
  • You're from Wyoming if you'll eat ice cream in the winter.
  • When the weather report says it's going to be 65 degrees, you shave your legs and wear a skirt. (Won't share with you how many times I've shaved my leg in five months).
  • It snows 5 inches and you don't expect school to be canceled.
  • You'll wear flip flops every day of the year, regardless of temperature.
  • 'Humid' is over 25%.
  • Your sense of direction is: Toward the mountains and Away from the mountains.
  • You say 'the interstate' and everybody knows which one.
  • You think that May is a totally normal month for a blizzard.
  • You buy your flowers to set out on Mother's day, but try and hold off planting them until just before Father's day.
  • You grew up planning your Halloween costumes around your coat.
  • You know what the Continental Divide is. (We pass over it 3 times when going to visit the kids).
  • You've gone off-roading in a vehicle that was never intended for such activities. (I know this from experience in my Pontiac GS)
  • You always know the elevation of where you are.
  • You wake up to a beautiful, 80 degree day and you wonder if it's going to snow tomorrow.
  • A deer or antelope on your front porch or eating your grass doesn't bother you.
  • When people out East tell you they have mountains in their state too, you just laugh.
  • You go anywhere else on the planet and the air feels 'sticky' and you notice the sky is no longer blue.
  • Accepted transportation is a four-wheeler with a case of beer strapped on the back.
  • It's normal for people to go to Wal-Mart in their PJ's and houseshoes.
  • You leave your truck running to run into the store on cold days.
  • Parking between the yellow lines is optional.

This is all so true. That's what makes it so much fun to live here.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

I went to the church tonight to help some of the Young Women cut out pattern pieces for bonnets and skirts they are making for a pioneer trek this summer. While there some of them came in eating waffle cones from TCBY. I found out they can be purchased for $1.00 every Wednesday night. So guess where I went before I home? You got it!!! I know my favorite new spot on Wednesday evenings if I need a waffle cone.

Also, after leaving the chapel, I passed and yard and there were 6 deer standing in this yard nibbling away at their grass. I guess that's a Wyoming lawmower? I just wonder how long the tulips would last that was also growing there.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Is It Monday Already?!?!?

Here it is another Monday. Where did the weekend go even though it was a three day weekend for me as it is every week? The alarm went off at 4:00 a.m. and I'd like to say I jumped out of bed, but it was more like a slither. There should be a law about people having to get up before 6:00 a.m. However, one of my first thoughts was - "Hey, it's only four more days until Thursday-Friday"! That put a real spring in my step on my way to the shower.

The normal routine for me is a quick shower with all the usual things like teeth brushing, hair brushing and drying and then dressing. Then always on Mondays it's loading up my large totebag with the things I will be dining on for the week. You see, there are no fastfood restaurants ANYWHERE around the oilfield. And, no one would be CRAZY enough to drive all the way out to us to make a delivery. So, you better bring your own vittles or you could starve and it's a VERY LONG day from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. while at the field.

My department eats lunch together everyday at 11:30 and we are always happy to see that time come. From time to time someone will bring extras of a dish they made or was leftover. There usually are carrots and salads, heat em up, eat em up meals and usually NEVER something sweet since everyone is always dieting. (Yeah, right).

I enjoy my job. It's different everyday and I never know what I'll be doing. I certainly can't say I get bored. I'm learning new computer skills...Excel, Microsoft Project, etc. Who knows maybe I'll get smart one of these days.

The nicest part of my work days though is the drive to and from work. It is absolutely great to be chauffeured in a vehicle other than my own. I just ride! And, I only buy gas about every 4-5 weeks. Yes, weeks. I get to see beautiful full moons, extra starry skies, glorious sunrises and fantastic sunsets. I get to see antelope, deer, sheep, all kinds of birds, cows, etc. I've seen snow - blowing, slushy, powdery, glittery. I've seen the worse mud I've ever been in my life. I've been in wind that blew so hard it's almost blown me over and I can't begin to describe the cold!

What a lucky person I am. How blessed am I!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Home For the Next Year

Friday was a great day for Joe and I. Our real estate agent and Leonard Landlord came to our home Friday morning to sign our lease which would end next month. Before traveling to Georgia, we wanted to get our lease renewed and got the chance to sign for 12 months rather than month to month. We felt that was the best way to lock us into a place to live, as well as the guarantee of no rental increase for the next month.

So, we'll still be living in our cute little house in Casper for at least the next year!

Friday Night Dinner Guests - April

Last Friday we had our standing monthly opportunity to feed the sisters and friends again. (Bottom: Sister Bennion from Idaho, Sister Good Bear from Arizona, Bob Bennion. Top: Joe and Bill Shiek) We had french toast, sausage patties and hashbrowns).

Surprise, Surprise!

Last Wednesday was "Professional Administrative Assistant Day" (used to be called "Secretary's Day"). During our 6:30 a.m. meeting, I was presented with potted yellow tulips. What a surprise for me! I was also given two different cards - one of which I really enjoyed. It labeled me as an "office diva", but a good one since it said I was highly efficient, organized, etc., etc.

These are updated pictures of my office after "living" in it for almost five months.



Sunday, April 19, 2009

Another Transition

Friday was another changing day for me. I finally went and got my Wyoming license plate and the car title changed from Georgia to here. I will admit that I teared up a bit when I realized that I am slowly being integrated into my new life. Don't get me wrong - that's not a bad thing. It just makes me realize that my ties to Georgia are becoming fewer and fewer...that the only thing holding me back there now is family and friends. My house is no longer my house. My life as I knew it back there is something that I can no longer return to as it no longer exists. There is nothing that I can have or need in Georgia any longer other than those close relationships.

The next closure for me will be when I turn in my Georgia driver's license and that will happen within the next few weeks. All it will take is $20 to mark the end of my former life.

(BTW...Casper's tag number is #1)

More Lamb Pictures

Steve and his family were taking home some of the lambs. However, they had to be given shots first. One of them was placed on my lap to hold while the shot was given. I don't know how the lamb felt, but I wasn't real crazy about being that close to a shot needle!Joe trying to round up another unsuspecting lamb.
Octavia and I trying to keep a beautiful face with the sun in our eyes.
Trina and her new puppy, Sierra - future sheep herding dog.


Time To Feed The Lambs

















Is This Close or What?

While taking pictures, a horse walked up to me and literally stuck his nose (and his eye )into my business
Me and one of my new buddies (post surgery).

Trina's Petting Zoo

Trina and Brian have several different items roaming around their property. For example, there's Tom the Turkey who is very people friendly and will follow you up and down the fence line acting like he's eavesdropping on your conversations. There are ducks, geese, llamas, chickens, horses, sheep, lambs, etc.

Three black baby lambs were born that morning and this picture is of a momma and her baby born that week.
Is your mama a llama? Look at the wool on that sheep!
They all seem to be asking "Who you lookin' at? Why don't you take a picture then it might last longer?
This chicken was getting a little too close to me while I was taking pictures. Those are my shoes.

Another New Adventure - Banding the Lambs

Last weekend Joe and I went to Kaycee, Wyoming (population 249) where my friend Trina lives. Kaycee is about 70 miles north of Casper and this was the furtherest north I would have traveled on this side of the state. (Trina works in the same department in the oilfield as I do). For some reason, Trina, and her husband Brian, have become parents to several "bum" lambs. These are lambs that have been rejected by their mothers for some unknown reason or are orphans. On this particular day, they were mothering some 20+ lambs.

Trina had been talking about how she lived in the country (imagine that) and all the animals they have on their small ranch. Yes, ranch, not farm. So, since it was supposed to be a nice weekend, we made arrangements for Joe and I to go up around noon on Saturday and help feed the lambs and see her other animals.

Steve (who works in our department also) and his family were also coming up as they were going to take some lambs home with them to their place outside of Casper. So ultimately Trina had a lot of "help" that day when it came time to "band" the lambs going home with Steve and Jill and their two little girls Brianna and Octavia.

Banding is where a rubber band - a tight rubber band - is placed near the top of their tails so that the bottom part will eventually fall off. Also, a rubber band - a tight rubber band - is placed around the male genitalia. In other words, their balls will fall! Never having seen this done before was quite shocking and disturbing to me. Let's just say it was no picnic for the little lambs either.

I have been told though that banding is much more humane than the two other alternatives used - razor blade cutting off or bitting them and then ripping them off!!! No fooling!!!

All I can say is YEE HAW girl - you're in Wyoming now!!!
This is the rubberband going on the tail.
This is the rubberband going on the ball, y'all.
These are poor lambs trying to hide before it's their turn!
This is Steve helping Trina. Notice the bag of rubberbands hanging on the fence.
Run lambs run!
This one didn't run fast enough and look at all the other stupid ones hanging around to watch. Do you think they think she's going to feed them?
You know what they say about curiousity?