The Holidays

We had our last cow adventure of the year.  The neighbor's cows finally made their trek home to Harlem.  M hauled a load a couple of weeks ago with a plan for more trucks to come the next day, but the weather didn't cooperate with warming and snow which created ice.  He spun up every hill on the way home so cancelled for the next day and then the holidays came so it was put on hold until yesterday.  M and C each took a load along with a couple of trucks from Harlem.  They are coming back today to take the rest.  The old fencer who was looking after them took on a job helping a friend back in Chinook so we were having to go feed them.  It gets to be a long way around now that we can't go cross country like we usually do.  M said Junior did all the work getting the cows in and only got a little kick in the nose.

R was gone for a week having an early Christmas with his girlfriend's family near Missoula so I had to help with chores.  It was pretty cold during that time so I was very happy to see him come home.  Plus, we had his dog to babysit.  He's no trouble, but he and Junior together can get into some mischief.  One evening I noticed cows along the road north of our house.  I didn't think they could possibly be ours, but I went out to check for sure.  They belonged to the neighbor so I called and told him they were headed south, and he said he'd come and get them.  It was close to dark then so I didn't know if he came for them or not.  The next morning we let the dogs out and when we went out to go do chores couldn't find them.  Then I looked to the west and saw a group of cows and a couple of black specks behind them.  The dogs had the neighbor's cows on the run and had them halfway home by the time we caught up!  Not a good habit for them to get in to, but at least the neighbor's cows went home.

Our holidays were filled with family.  M's sister, her husband, his mother, her two kids and two grandkids were here for a week.  The kids and grandkids have gone home but she and her husband and the mom are still here. Add in our two boys, their significant others and grandkids as well as C and his wife and her three kids and significant others and it gets to be quite a houseful--a noisy houseful!  I don't think everyone was ever there at one time, though. 

Still missing a few, but this is part of our group.  Couldn't resist these shirts.

And throw in two birthdays, my mother-in-law on the 22nd and my nephew on Christmas day.  Of course, our granddaughter was the star of any gathering and got a little spoiled!  I have to say we just can't get enough of her.  Her grandpa thinks she is the most beautiful thing ever and grins from ear to ear when he sees her (I may be guilty of that also).

On the weekend we started a project ripping out carpet and replacing it with wood in the in-law's living room and hallways.  Some of the materials are backordered so we won't be able to finish before they leave so I'm afraid it will be left for us to finish unless they decide to make a trip back here.  We've all got sore knees and have rapidly lost interest in the project.

We've had some more cold weather and now we are getting snow.  The boys both have new snowmobiles so they are happy to get more snow.  Me, not so much.  Maybe that's why I just bought airline tickets to Arizona!