Black Friday

Black Friday this year was a warm Black Friday. For the first time in a very long time, I stayed curled up in my bed. It was very cold and windy about 3:00 a.m. and I decided there was nothing I needed that badly to make it worth my time to climb out of my very nice warm bed. I had planned intentions to get up, but those got changed.

Because of this, I tried something new this year...on line Black Friday shopping. I was successful with some items I wanted and not with others. Oh well, there's always next year.

Joey's Got A Job...

and he started it today. He was only supposed to go in for his 1-2 hour orientation, but they went ahead and put him on the clock. These pictures show me dropping my sweetie off at work and then I got to go home all by myself!


It's official. Here is his bona fide Walmart sales associate tag...

After Dinner Thanksgiving Sharing

After eating our Thanksgiving dinner, the sister missionaries had prepared an activity for us. They gave each of us a Thanksgiving decorated piece of paper, had us write our name at the top and then pass it to the person on our left. We then wrote something nice about that person, then passed it again to our left, etc., etc., until it came back to us. It was a wonderful activity and nice to read the kind things others wrote about you.

Thanksgiving 2009

This Thanksgiving Day was definitely different than last year's. Joe and I and the furry kids rolled into Casper on Thanksgiving Day and ate our dinner at the local Hometown Buffet about 45 minutes before they closed. Can't say anything nice about that dinner.

This year we didn't go to Utah and dine with the kids as it was the Hatch's time for Thanksgiving. And, we had invited the sister missionaries to eat with us a few weeks ago. Then we started adding people that we knew probably wouldn't have a place to eat a nice Thanksgiving dinner.

There was Bill (l) who has been very kind and shuttled Joe around to appointments while I was at work. Susie (r) is a single mother who came along with her son and one of his friends.

Tiana came with her little baby, Matthew and Joe and Sister Merrill and Sister Lyman.

Our menu consisted of a 22 lb. turkey (cost of $6.88) that was cooked perfectly by Joe, peas, corn, cranberry sauce, little smokies brought by Susie, rolls with homemade apricot jelly and choke cherry jelly made by Trina...

Oyster dressing and some other dish brought by Bill, sweet potato souffle, giblet gravy and I made a homemade cornbread dressing for the first time and LOVED it. For dessert we had pumpkin pie - one baked by Trina and one baked by the sisters, Peanut Pudding Cake and a Pumpkin/Spice Cake Trifle supplied by Jill Shire. Steve showed up that morning unexpectly with the trifle as a gift to us.

Yes, I'm proud of my dressing. I made the cornbread the night before, then crumbled it up and made it based on the recipe of the dressing made at The Wishbone in Tifton. I called them and begged for their recipe. I only was only given the ingredients - not amounts.

So, we had a houseful since our little house isn't so big. Everyone showed up around 2:00 and everyone left around 5:30. Quite a difference from last year.

One Year Anniversary In Wyoming

Today marks our one year anniversary of moving to Wyoming. It hardly seems that it's been that long since Joe and I and the furry kids rolled into Casper amid the wind and the snow. I had no idea what the future would bring for us and only the hope that all would work out for us. We took a big chance moving here, but felt it was what was necessary at the time. So, we left everything behind other than what could fit in a U-Haul, a trailer and the car. It was one of those decisions that you hoped and prayed would work out to your advantage. Here it is one year later. Did we do the right or wrong thing? I fervently believe the right decision was made. The only thing that could make it even better here is having family and friends share our contentment.

A year ago we moved here not knowing a single soul in the entire state. We moved into our small, little rented home and I headed off to a new job in an oilfield in the darkness of the freezing morning. Yes, there were times when Joe and I looked at each other and wondered what had we done?! But, because of our church family, wonderful neighbors and great co-workers for me, the transition took place and all has worked out. Wyoming is truly our home, not because of the license plate on the car or my driver's license, but because this is where we feel at home, at peace and looking forward to many more "Making Memories" days.

"I Done"

Nikki has taught Derek that when he is finished eating he uses sign language to say "I'm done". That is when he moves his hands back and forth and says "I done". It is really quite cute. Watch the video and you can see him do it.

Derek in Chinese Restaurant - Part 2

Derek In Chinese Restaurant

When we went to visit the kids in October, we had lunch at a Chinese restaurant and met up with Rachel Redman who was a former missionary in Tifton.

I tried out my camera and took some video of the world's cutest grandchild.

Another New Sister Missionary - Sister Merrill

Last Saturday we had another new sister missionary to eat dinner with us. We had some of Joe's famous chili with all the trimmings. (Sister Merrill (l) and Sister Lyman (r).

For dessert we had some Hershey's Creme Pie, which was absolutely delicious. While eating that we discovered a new pair of funky $1.00 glasses Joe had purchased and we all tried them on.

My Hardhat

Hey...what do y'all think about my decorating job on my hardhat? I don't think anyone's going to ask to borrow it, do you?

Willie LeClair - Native American

Wednesday afternoon on Veteran's Day, Joe and I went to a presentation by a man who is an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe of Wind River Indian Reservation near here. He makes his home on a small ranch near Riverton, Wyoming where he has raised Texas Longhorn cattle.

The National Historic Interpretive Trails Center here in Casper offered a presentation where Mr. LeClair spoke about some of the traditions of his people and the importance of the warrior in the Shoshone culture. It was all very interesting.

These are some of the props he brought along with him which included a couple of headdresses, a blanket, a buffalo skull, dance stick, Indian flag, drum, etc.


This is the headdress worn by an Indian "pony soldier". Pony soldiers were unarmed and always went in peace to find hunting and campground areas for their tribe.
This is a full war bonnet...

This is a dance stick or also called an eagle stick...

This is an Indian flag...

These men who were attending the presentation today were being honored as war veterans since today was Veteran's Day while the Indian Flag Song was being played.

He then sang us an Indian song that was sung when the warriors left the camp. It was sung until they could no longer be seen and was then sung again when the returning warriors were returning home.

And here we are having our picture taken with Mr LeClaire...

Other facts discussed today:

• It was more of an honor to touch your enemy until the count of two and move on, than it was to kill him;
• Because there are eagle feathers on the headdress and flag stick, Mr. LeClair has to carry a permit with him at all times since it is against the law to kill an eagle;
• The Shoshone Indians got horses around 1700 as a trade from the Comanche Indians. Until that time they had none which made it impossible for them to hunt buffalo and migrate around the country. Because of this reason, they were called "digger" Indians or Sheepeaters.
• The number one is pronounced "Sima" (see-ma), but is spelled "Simuh".

Sunrise In The Oilfield

It may be dark when I arrive at the oilfield, but look what I am rewarded with most every morning...

Dinner At The Shire's

Sunday Joe and I had dinner at the home of Steve and Jill Shire. I have worked with Steve since moving here and he and I ride back and forth to work together. Like all of us from time to time, he was feeling somewhat overwhelmed. Although he is inactive in the Church at this time, he still believes in the power of the priesthood and asked for a blessing. So, we brought along the Elders and Sisters and we all had a wonderful dinner together which was concluded by the Elders and Joe giving Steve a blessing. What a heartwarming moment.

Front row: Octavia, Jill, Breanna, Sister Bennion (her last night in Casper), Joe
Back row: Steve, Elder Young, Flat Riley, Elder Smith, Sister Lyman

Fall Snow in the Bighorn Mountains

To go to Shell, we decided to drive into the Bighorns one more time before the winter snows closed the roads and we were rewarded with lots of beautiful snow and scenery.

You might notice Flat Riley lying down in the snow trying to make a snow angel (it was his first time)...


At least the roads were clear of snow...

This stream was covered in ice and snow next to a toilet facility along the side of the road. For some reason, it seemed to increase my need for a toilet. They were hard to come by as most of the campgrounds were closed in the park for the winter.

Leonard Landlord and the New Gate - Part 2

And the saga of the new gate still continues...At least Leonard finally got the gate up before we left for the kids house the 23rd of October. Since then, he showed up last week and put a lock on it (that anyone can open from the outside) and took away the construction junk. However, as of this date, the pile of dirt and grass continues to lay in our yard since September and the paving stones or concrete is still not replaced. But, as long as the dogs can't get out, that's all that matters to me.

Leaving Shell, Wyoming

Giant rock which has split into half...

The sun getting ready to go down as it reflects off the snow on the Bighorn Mountains...

Don't these rocks look like the back of a turtle?

Here comes the snowstorm in the mountains. That's why we changed our direction home that evening...

This was marking the remains of another old Stage Stop by Gooseberry Creek...

Friday the 13th

Remembering The Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was erected in the night of 13 August 1961, three months after we'd moved to Japan. It was a Sunday and most Berliners slept while the East German government began closing the border between East and West Berlin. The East German troups tore up streets and installed barbed wire and fences through Berlin. Concrete blocks came first and within months a wall of concrete 12 feet high and 103 miles long was finished. For 28 years, East Germans tried to escape to West Berlin. In the summer of 1989, Hungary allowed East Germans to travel through their country on their way to Austria and West Germany. On 9 November 1989 news spread that there would no longer be restrictions on travel in either direction. Citizens on both sides of Germany began to demolish the wall. The government did not interfere. In 1990 East Germany reunited with West Germany as one nation, the Federal Republic of Germany

Though I've done a lot of traveling in my lifetime, I've never made it to Germany so I have no direct connection with anything dealing with The Berlin Wall. I do, however, have memories of it growing up and would just like to share one or two.

I remember the day The Berlin Wall came down. I was at home with my daycare children when the breaking news came on over the television. I remember calling everyone that I could get in touch with and letting them know the news just in case they'd not heard. It was wonderful watching slabs of the wall fall by the wayside and the joy that was in the faces of the people.

On a business trip to Washington, D.C., Tricia Hock, a friend of mine, and I went to visit one of the Smithsonian museums and there in a room was displayed a very large slab of what used to be The Berlin Wall (see picture). I remember being overcome with the feelings of so many people who had died trying to scale The Wall for a taste of freedom and to be with family and friends. Who knows what people may have crossed at that particular section? I remember calling Mom and Dad and trying to share with them what it felt like to be standing in front of this piece of history I'd just touched.

During the Wall's existence there were around 5,000 successful escapes to West Berlin. The number of people who died trying to cross the wall or as a result of the wall's existence has been disputed. The most vocal claims by Alexandra Hildebrandt, Director of the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and widow of the Museum's founder, estimated the death toll to be well above 200, while an ongoing historic research group at the Center for Contemporary Historical Research in Potsdam has confirmed 136 deaths. Prior official figures listed 98 as being killed.

The East German government issued shooting orders to border guards dealing with defectors, though such orders are not the same as shoot to kill orders which GDR officials denied ever issuing. Guards were told by East German authorities in an October 1973 order later discovered by researchers that people attempting to cross the wall were criminals and needed to be shot: "Do not hesitate to use your firearm, not even when the border is breached in the company of women and children, which is a tactic the traitors have often used".

Early successful escapes involved people jumping the initial barbed wire or leaping out of apartment windows along the line but these ended as the wall was fortified. To solve these simple escape attempts, East German authorities no longer permitted apartments near the wall to be occupied and any building near the wall had its windows boarded and later bricked up. On August 15, 1961, Conrad Schumann was the first East German border guard to escape by jumping the barbed wire to West Berlin.

Later successful escape attempts included long tunnels, waiting for favorable winds and taking a hot air balloon, sliding along aerial wires, flying ultralights, and in one instance, simply driving a sports car at full speed through the basic, initial fortifications. When a metal beam was placed at checkpoints to prevent this kind of escape, up to four people (two in the front seats and possibly two in the boot) drove under the bar in a sports car that had been modified to allow the roof and wind screen to come away when it made contact with the beam. They simply lay flat and kept driving forward. This issue was rectified with zig-zagging roads at checkpoints. The sewer system preceded the wall, and some people escaped through the sewers, in a number of cases with assistance from the Girmann student group.

An airborne escape was made by Thomas Krüger, who landed a light aircraft of the Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik, an East German youth military training organization, at RAF Gatow. His aircraft, registration DDR-WOH, was dismantled and returned to the East Germans by road, complete with humorous slogans painted on by RAF airmen such as "Wish you were here" and "Come back soon".

If an escapee was wounded in a crossing attempt and lay on the death strip, no matter how close they were to the Western wall, they could not be rescued for fear of triggering engaging fire from the 'Grepos', the East Berlin border guards. The guards often let fugitives bleed to death in the middle of this ground, as in the most notorious failed attempt, that of Peter Fechter (aged 18). He was shot and bled to death in full view of the Western media, on August 17, 1962. I do remember seeing this on the news and in the newspaper. Fechter's death created negative publicity worldwide that led the leaders of East Berlin to place more restrictions on shooting in public places, and provide medical care for possible “would-be escapers”. The last person to be shot while trying to cross the border was Chris Gueffroy on February 6, 1989.

468 Miles - 11/7/09

We headed off on another adventure this morning with the destination being Shell, Wyoming. This is a place we'd been before (see August 24th blog for reference), but since Flat Riley had arrived, we thought this might be an interesting place to take him and get some fossils for him and his classmates. (That would be #4 on the map).

While driving on the interstate north, I spotted the moon still in the sky and took this pictures which I think look incredible.

These pictures were taken to show the lack of traffic on a "major" interstate which runs from Colorado to Montana through Wyoming.

We arrived in Shell with no problems since I didn't take the "Road From Hell", but stayed on the major highways this time. However, we did have to alter our intended route home as there was a big snowstorm coming up over the Bighorn Mountains.