"A friend can tell you the things you don't want to tell yourself."  ~Frances Ward Weller

Christmas 2010 in Kaycee

We didn't go away for Christmas this year and no one was scheduled to come see us either. It was Nikki's turn to have Christmas with her family. And, the weather was not conducive to anyone traveling to or from Utah. Too much wind and snow.

But, we had a place to go. My friend, Trina and her husband, Brian, had invited us several weeks ago to come have Christmas dinner with them and Trina's mother, Mary. So about noon on Christmas Day, we left for Kaycee. It was a beautiful sunny day and because of the rain we'd had the day before, some of the snow had melted. However, depending upon where you were, snow still remained as seen at the rest area we stopped at.

This is the road going to Trina and Brian's home after you exit the interstate...

And here we are...

...it's Trina, Brian, Joe and Mary after enjoying a wonderful meal. The tradition here in Wyoming is to have prime rib roast for your Christmas meal. What a wonderful idea especially when someone else buys and prepares it for you! We also had mashed potatoes, yams, raspberry pretzel salad (which Joe absolutely loved), a fantastic green bean casserole, fat fluffy yeast rolls and pies.

We played a couple of boxed games, said our goodbyes, visited with another friend in Kaycee, saw the Christmas lights at the Chris LeDoux part and then started back home. By this time it was dark and since we were so far from any civilization we basically had the entire interstate to ourselves. We only passed one car during our 75 mile trip home.

It was a wonderful Christmas Day thanks to friends who welcomed us into their home and shared their time with us.

Field City

After leaving Newcastle, we girls passed through the site of Field City. (Click on picture and read sign). This town was created in 1889 and before the year was over, it had gone bust.

Before the railroad laid its iron rails, a speculator by the name of DeLoss Tubbs from nearby Custer, SD, took a gamble. Tubbs planned to erect a city along what he believed to be the most logical path for the railroad to follow. Called Tubbtown (in reality Field City), the little frontier community provided a great deal of excitement during its short existence. With few laws and many saloons, Tubbtown was located east of Newcastle near the hand-dug oil well site. One of its more famous visitors was Calamity Jane.

Tubbtown lost its entire population when it was bypassed by the railroad. On September 10, 1889, when lots went on sale in Newcastle, Tubbtown moved lock, stock and whiskey barrel to the new town.

Leftovers from the town...

Included in the town is the sight of the world's only hand dug producting well...

South Dakota With The Girls

Back in September, Trina, Jeannette and I left our husbands at home and headed out for a Girl's Day Out - in South Dakota. It was Trina's birthday and after Joe and I celebrated with her and her husband at a ranch in Montana, we had to do something different this year. So, Trina decided that we needed to go to South Dakota to see Bear Country. Trina's hubby was in working in a North Dakota oilfield and Jeannette and I left our hubbies home.

We left Casper about 7:00 a.m. and drove to Trina's home about 1 hour north. Driving along the road, we spied these birds. I don't remember what kind they were, but they were interesting.

I had no idea that the Texas Trail come up so far until we saw this historical marker...(click on the picture and read the interesting facts).

We passed through a small town just before heading into South Dakota called Newcastle and spied this sign and went to check it out.

The museum was named after Anna Cecelia McMoran Miller, the daughter of a pioneer family, and the widow of Sheriff Billy Miller, who was killed in what is known as the last Indian battle in the area. She was Newcastle’s first librarian, a pioneer schoolteacher and school superintendent

The Jenny Stockade Cabin shown below is the oldest existing building of the Black Hills gold rush. It was also a stage station along the Cheyenne Deadwood Trail.

An outhouse...

Typical school in 1890...

The old school bell...

Typical pioneer cabin...

How Many Women Does It Take To Change A TIre?

One Saturday morning Joe and I picked up Jeannette to head to Trina's home north of Casper. Jim wasn't able to go as he wasn't feeling well and was left at home. Jeannette had never been up in the area where Trina lives and we were going check out the Hole-In-The-Wall. (That's where Butch Cassidy used to hid out from the law). So, off we headed with Jeannette and her camera in the front seat.

Some of the spectacular scenery...

We were having a wonderful time laughing and enjoying ourselves when all of the sudden Trina spoke those dreaded words...."I think we have a flat tire" and we did. So, we all jumped out, scrambled to find the instruction manual to locate the spare time and figure out how to change the flat tire. Even Joe helped - him and his oxygen tank - he "supervised".

These pictures show what a desolate location we were in with the flat tire. See all the traffic that was around to help us? This is what it looked north, south, east and west...

By the time the tire was changed, two of us were hot and sweaty and it wasn't the too standing watching Trina.

We never made it to the Hole-In-The-Wall. Too afraid we might have another flat tire and no spare. So, that'll be for another day.

A Remembrance of Georgia

This gardenia bush is what my best friend in Wyoming, Trina, gave me for my birthday present. She knew how much I miss my gardenia bushes.

Cruisin' Around The Field - As A Chauffeur

Recently I had the opportunity to play chauffeur and document information for Trina who was taking soil samples in the oilfield.

This is the drilling rig off in the distance...

Here are a couple of the guys just coming from the rig. Notice the truck. Can you tell we'd had lots of rain recently?


This is some of the trailers near the rig that is used by the crew and also by some of the clients...

Trina heading to the rig...

This is the truck I usually drive in the field...

The blue tarps are used to keep the wind from blowing so hard on the rig crew...

Hello there. I'm Mrs. RMOTC...

Lunch With Trina and Teri

My former boss, Teri is moving to Washington state and before she left, Trina and I had lunch with her. (No one told me we were supposed to wear yellow that day).

We've all decided that we're all going to take a trip to Alaska next August (along with those of us who have spouses). Teri's house will be a great stopover on our trip.

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Trina and I are co-chairs for planning children activities for our upcoming company Safety Day picnic. She came down to my office the other day to go over some of our ideas. I had a pair of "weird eye" glasses laying on my desk, she put them on and this is what happened...

Can you see why we get along so well?