What are you doing?

[Addie]

You sure it was Missoula, Addie? Sounds more like Eastern Montana. Missoula sits in a bowl with all sides formed by a different mountain range: Bitterroot, Mission and Sapphire, 5 rivers flow into the valley.

It was Missoula. It was our first stop for gas and to eat heading East. The diner was outside of town. It was a stand-alone building. Nothing else in sight except for the mountains. There may have been other mountains to my right, but I only looked to my left. They weren't that far off. The flat land didn't look suitable for anything. Not even to feed cattle on. It had a desert look to it. This was back in the early 80's.

I remember thinking as I heard the men talking about their farms and ranches that it seemed like they lived far off. Why would anyone drive such a long distance just to meet up with friends for breakfast. And their plates were piled really high with food. Pancakes, two or three eggs, a couple of different kinds of meat, etc. They sure could eat.

We have driven cross-country three times. And there are certain things that you see and remember. On one of our trips we stop in Bozeman. That too was on the outskirts. There was a bunch of cattle pens filled with bulls. We needed gas and the attendant was an old man. I think he was one of the original settlers of Montana in the 1800's. And the one gas tank was an old rusty red one. He walked so slow and could hardly move. He was surprised that we stopped there for gas. My son got out and helped him. Then he wasn't sure what he should charge us. The meter on the tank didn't work. My son had a general idea of how much gas the tank could hold and what the going cost was at that time, so he gave him the cash. By that time we didn't dare ask him if he took credit cards.

 

[pacanis]

If there's going to be a world wide toilet paper outage I'm ordering myself a bidet

I stopped smoking three or four years ago, maybe even closer to five. It was no big deal so I didn't mark the moment. I did it because the prices were getting outrageous with all the taxing, even buying black market sigs from the nearest Indian Reservation.
To make it easy, every day I would throw a $5 bill in a glass. Surprising how quickly it adds up. Now I don't bother because I don't have the urge.
Maybe someday when I have money to burn (intended ) I'll start back up.

BTW, my mother smoked cigs and my father cigars when I was younger and we had a nice house, furniture, vehicles... I know some people have a problem though. My ex put a nice long burn mark in our new car when one butt didn't make it out the window.

I am sitting here watching the tube... Fever Pitch. How mindless is that?

 

[Andy M.]

Having a late lunch as preparations for dinner guests are winding down.

 

[taxlady]

I was talking to my neighbors last week when a car stopped, a man got out and he went into the job johnny that's been sitting across the street, still somewhat in use by the sewer line crew.
I suppose if it hadn't been there...

Linda, you needed an M1 Garand like Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino. "Get off my lawn."

Nah, I don't really care very much. I was mostly surprised that he was doing it when I was so clearly silhouetted by the lights inside the house. No lights on outside - maybe I should get Stirling to replace the burnt out bulb in the outside light.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

now i'm curious to know--how many of our dcers are currently smokers?

Like Katie, I grew up in a house with smokers. Since my aunt lived with us I had three to deal with. However, I'm not sure if the reason I never smoked was that or because I've always been cheap! Shortly after I had started working a friend-of-a-friend was selling his Guild 12-string guitar. I didn't have cash to buy it, so I asked Mom if I could borrow...$300. She said "you're going to spend HOW much on a guitar?". I told her it would cost as much as she and Dad spent on cigarettes in a year or two (a carton was about $10 back then). She loaned me the money with no further questions. I still have the guitar (but haven't played lately). Unfortunately, I don't have Mom and Dad anymore.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to make myself go out and work in the garden. I also need to get to the grocery store before the ad sale prices end at 9:00PM today. What to do, what to do...

 

[Andy M.]

I quit smoking late in 1977.

 

[Dawgluver]

Both my parents were smokers, as were all their friends, who included doctors, lawyers, other business owners, etc. I remember being so mad at my dad for not letting me open a window in the car on our way to church. Hated the smell. Then my friends and I smoked when we got to Jr. High, as we had easy access to our parents' cigs, and the cemetary was right across the street from the school, so we could smoke there! We also smoked in the school bathroom. At that time cigs were like $.63 a pack. So, yeah, it's a really bad habit. PF, I'm so proud of you for being smoke-free for 2 1/2 years !!! And everyone else who managed to quit. My dad quit in the 70's, and said he still craved a cigarette after 30 years.

I'm planting the toms, peppers, etc. We had to deconstruct one of the planters on the deck, it was totally rotted.

 

[Dawgluver]

Apparently I'm frightening the neighbors. I have Slacker on the iPhone and the earbuds in, and I'm singing along with the oldies R&R as I'm planting stuff. Some great music today! Unfortunately, when I sing, it's just me, even though what I hear through the earbuds has the full band accompaniment and we sound terrific together.

Oh well, c'est la vie.

 

[GotGarlic]

Apparently I'm frightening the neighbors. I have Slacker on the iPhone and the earbuds in, and I'm singing along with the oldies R&R as I'm planting stuff. Some great music today! Unfortunately, when I sing, it's just me, even though what I hear through the earbuds has the full band accompaniment and we sound terrific together.

Oh well, c'est la vie.

hee hee, I do that, too. DH is not impressed with my singing voice But I don't care! Especially when Jeremiah was a bullfrog!

I started smoking when I was 16 and quit in 1990, the year after I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Smoking aggravates it and can bring on a flare, which is much worse than withdrawal. I used to sneak a hit now and then from friends, but none of our friends now smoke, so I haven't had the urge in a long time.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

If there's going to be a world wide toilet paper outage I'm ordering myself a bidet

I stopped smoking three or four years ago, maybe even closer to five. It was no big deal so I didn't mark the moment. I did it because the prices were getting outrageous with all the taxing, even buying black market sigs from the nearest Indian Reservation.
To make it easy, every day I would throw a $5 bill in a glass. Surprising how quickly it adds up. Now I don't bother because I don't have the urge.
Maybe someday when I have money to burn (intended ) I'll start back up.

BTW, my mother smoked cigs and my father cigars when I was younger and we had a nice house, furniture, vehicles... I know some people have a problem though. My ex put a nice long burn mark in our new car when one butt didn't make it out the window.

I am sitting here watching the tube... Fever Pitch. How mindless is that?

I only remember how long on the not smoking because I quit smoking the day before I had my heart attack...won't be forgetting that soon.

Watching the Preakness...

 

[Andy M.]

I only remember how long on the not smoking because I quit smoking the day before I had my heart attack...won't be forgetting that soon.

Watching the Preakness...

Celebrated the 10th anniversary of my HA earlier this month.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Celebrated the 10th anniversary of my HA earlier this month.

Congrats, Andy...I will have a big celebration then, too. Have you had any "fake" HA's since yours? I've had three so far, feels like it but it's not, just anxiety.

 

[pacanis]

I only remember how long on the not smoking because I quit smoking the day before I had my heart attack...won't be forgetting that soon.

Watching the Preakness...

I would remember that, too.
I'll never forget the date I was shot. I stopped smoking for around six months then, more because I had to.

I forgot all about the Preakness.

I got back from the store 30 minutes ago. I bought some corn, some pop and put $10 on tonight's powerball. I almost forgot about that, too.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I would remember that, too.
I'll never forget the date I was shot. I stopped smoking for around six months then, more because I had to.

I forgot all about the Preakness.

I got back from the store 30 minutes ago. I bought some corn, some pop and put $10 on tonight's powerball. I almost forgot about that, too.

Gary Stevens on Oxbow!!!

You got shot???

 

[GotGarlic]

I would remember that, too.
I'll never forget the date I was shot. I stopped smoking for around six months then, more because I had to.

I forgot all about the Preakness.

I got back from the store 30 minutes ago. I bought some corn, some pop and put $10 on tonight's powerball. I almost forgot about that, too.

You were shot? Yikes. What happened?

 

[pacanis]

Oxbow... who won the Derby?

Yes

 

[Dawgluver]

Celebrated the 10th anniversary of my HA earlier this month.

Happy Anniversary, Andy, and hope you have no more HA anniversaries!

Oh shoot, Pac, did not know you were shot! Yikes! Who shot you?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Oxbow... who won the Derby?

Yes

Orb won the Derby. No Triple crown, again.

 

[pacanis]

Hunting accident. The last year PA hunters did not have to wear any orange when small game hunting. So of course no one wore any orange when pheasant hunting.
Three of us were converging where we thought a pheasant took cover. We couldn't get the dog to cross the wet area to hunt it out. I lost interest and moved about 15 yds away from where I was, or my buddy last saw me anyway. A bird flushed inbetween me and him and that's all she wrote. I took the blast OK, nothing got through my duck canvas, though it did knock me flat on my back, but one pellet hit me right above my collarbone, changed course and nicked my lung.
A few days in ICU and then the cardiac ward and I OK enough to go home, but cold air (and smoke) bothered my lung for a while.

 

[pacanis]

Thanks PF. I haven't paid attention to horse racing for a while (obviously).