Life in Wyoming - You Might be a Redneck If…

The words “camouflage” and “tuxedo” are used in the same sentence.

This afternoon I was walking in Old Town Rock Springs, and did a triple-take as I walked past the First Comes Love Bridal Shop. In the window display was a camouflage vest and tie.

As you can tell, I couldn’t get a good picture, so, I went into the shop. They eagerly offered me a catalog with the vest in it!

Personally, I think the guy is far too skinny and clean-shaven to be modeling this... in my, not-so-humble, opinion, he needs to be scruffy, with a beer-belly to pull it off.

The helpful store owner also told me that I’d be “surprised because the camo goes with a lot of things.” Yeah, camouflage goes with things! Things like, shot-gun shells, campfire-smoke, beer-belches, deer-skat, entrails, and the smell of freshly-skinned-meat (no pun intended) not satin and lace and champagne.

I was advised that this camouflage formal wear “is not just in Wyoming”, you can order the camo formal wear anywhere in the US! Whoo-hoo! Just what we need for those shot-gun weddings!

If you are really, truly interested in this "unique" Mossy Oak option among formal wear, then you will need to look for Jim's Formal Wear at a store near you. If you use this, please, send me pictures!

Suzy

Jack’s New Hair

Did you notice how ratty Jack’s hair was looking yesterday? It’s been that way for a while. I finally figured it out, his hair still has it’s “curl”, but, with the tight stocking caps he’s been wearing, it pulls the curl out and makes it all static-ky. So, what to do… must cut, but how?

As I’ve been evaluating his hair, I realized it was nearly long enough to warrant an “all-one-length” cut, basically around his hairline. Also, of course, he could have a “boy cut”.

Today I took Jack for portraits… can’t remember the last ones he had done, last February, I think. Anyway, after the portraits, we walked over for a haircut…

I told her to do a boy cut, but, when she got as far as the “all-one-length”, I stopped her. (Of course, I kick myself, because I could have done this haircut! He enjoyed having a cut at the salon though, versus the Laundromat (which is where I’ve taken to giving the boys their cuts.))

Here he is…


We think it looks great on him!


We’ll see how it holds up to the Tight-Hat Wearing of the Winter. Afterwards, we went back over for more portraits… “Before and After” shots as it were.

Suzy

Happy 3rd Birthday Jack!

We had a busy day with Jack today! Let’s take a look, shall we?

Mixing Batter for his Mickey Mouse Waffles (with butter, Peanut Butter, and syrup!)

Discovering the Present Frank and Mommy Sewed for Jack… a set of pennant flags.

Playing at Gymnastics, with Daddy in attendance for the first time.

At the local Community College’s Dinosaur Exhibit

Did you know that there are only eleven T-Rex’s on display in the world? Six of them are in the US.
We’ve been to two of them (we saw “Sue” in New Mexico, and now this one in Wyoming).
Perhaps we’ll have to make it a point to find and visit the other four... hmmm….

Exploring the vents behind the T-Rex,

and the power outlets in the floor beside the T-Rex.

Time for Cake!

This is the FIRST time I've EVER bought a cake instead of making it for a family birthday party! The boys enjoyed the treat of the store-bought cake.

I feel perhaps I should pause to say that I've been wearing that purple "birthday robe" every year since I was six or seven. (My Mom made me the cape for my Princess Halloween Costume that year. I still have the crown that she made (with lace, beads, and rhinestones) too.) I made all my family members (even my dad- begrudgingly) wear it on their birthday's too... at least while they endured hearing "Happy Birthday" being sung. My hubby rolls his eyes and grumbles about wearing it... quite like my dad use to, but, it's a tradition I created as a kid. I loved it then and I continue to love it. I recently (three years ago) added the crown which I made for Frank for a Mardi-Gras celebration. It's made of a file folder covered with aluminum foil (not exceptionally sturdy) so, again, it only comes out for the Happy Birthday Song. :D

Opening the last of the presents (all day long, I gave them to him presents all throughout the day).

Playing with the BINGO paint daubers from Auntie Lou after tracing a wooden dinosaur onto some new construction paper.

One of the few pictures Jack would pose for… he saw me taking a picture of his opened presents and jumped in front of the camera.

We love you Little Punk! Happy Birthday!!!

Custom Quilts... from CHINA?!?

Or at least I assume that's where they are made...

This morning I'm surfing around for something totally unrelated, and I stumble across... Personalized Heirloom Photo Quilts, FROM WAL-MART! You upload a central picture, plus eight more (which they choose how to arrange), send in $120, and in 7-10 days you have a baby/wall quilt.


Forgive my skeptisicm, but, how good can it really be?!

I'm almost tempted to order one, JUST to check out the quality... almost, but not quite.

First Follow-Up Visit

After Tom’s first follow-up visit (side note: as I write this, I’m having de ja vu) to the Orthopedic Surgeon… I felt nauseous. I’ve never been one that handles damage to bodies well. Don't get me wrong, the functional body is amazing to me, but when it’s injured... I just don’t do well. Yes, I realize that an injured body, in the process of healing, is technically functional. I’ve always acknowledged that there are people out there (Aunt Theresa, Cousin Marie, Father-In-Law Russ, Friend Becky) who are fascinated by and work in the medical field, at I’m grateful to them! I’m just not one of them.

Upon seeing his surgical wound Tom said “it’s healing nicely.” Me? I saw it and hurriedly blocked the view from Frank and then ushered him out of the room. I did take a photo of the 7” incision, bruises, and twelve staples. If you’d like to see it, please contact me and I’ll send it to you… if you are one of those sick people who enjoy looking at such things! BLECH! :P

Gratefully, I’d brought the Leapsters for the boys, so, they were busy with them when the doctor uncovered Tom’s wound. I found Frank an out-of-the-way “fort” to wait in while we finished up with the doctor.

Jack could have cared less. He glanced at his Dad’s leg, then went back to the Clifford program he was working with. This was just what I expected from him and why I left him in the room.

I explained to Frank why I took him out (he’s been worried and having scary dreams), what Dad’s leg looked like, and that he could look if he wanted or avert his eyes, but that I was removing him from the room so he could decide. He choose to avert his eyes.

Now. As for Tom’s prognosis. The doctor wrote him a release for as soon as Tom felt he could be back to work… Monday, 4 February. The release carries these conditions:

1. crutches required
   
2. no weight bearing on right leg
3. no driving

Tom’s boss has told him that Diebold will supplement Worker’s Comp payments so that we receive his regular salary. (YEAH!) They’ve also been working to bring a new-hire from the Salt Lake office to Wyoming (on a short-term basis). The new-hire would chauffeur Tom around while Tom provides on-the-job training. This was the boss’ plan within two hours of Tom’s injury. Now for the technicalities…

1. Although Tom has been on his own here in Rock Springs since September, he's still officially “in training” himself . His hire date was in April, so, I guess he’ll be “trained” on his anniversary, I don’t know. In any case, the company may not be “allowed” to let someone in training train a new-hire.

2. Once Tom goes off of Worker’s Comp and “back-to-work”, if he’s not ready, then it’s very hard to reverse the procedure.

3. Liability. If Tom were to slip on the ice – again, while still recovering from a work-related injury, the company could be in Bucco trouble.

So. What all this is sounding like (to me), is that they WANT Tom at work, even if in a training capacity… but, because of legal liability, they probably WON’T LET him come back until he’s given a full (walk on your own two legs, drive yourself) kind of release. Today the nurse told us "that for someone of his age" healing should take place in 6-8 weeks... healing that no longer requires crutches. Sounds like I'm in for a long-haul does of full-time hubby-around-the-house medicine! Doesn’t he look comfy here at the doctor’s today…

In this picture, you can see how far up his incision goes (what, about 1/3 of his calf?)

You can also see the afore-mentioned blue jeans (which I washed and am putting back into service while his leg's still in a support device). I really am kicking myself about the jeans! I wish I’d ask them to cut the outside… I SO could have repaired the outside seam. Do you think Worker’s Comp will be paying for new jeans and thermals? I wonder…

So. That’s the latest with Tom. Oh yeah, and, the Doctor wants him up and about… on his crutches. Doing things. Not “just lying in bed all day.” Because of this, Tom (with Frank’s help) made dinner tonight… ground beef tacos, rice, and corn. Very tasty and a nice break from the kitchen for me (though I vacuumed and took things down to the van during that time).

Suzy

Life in Wyoming - Winter Weather Patterns

Here's the way I've noticed it goes:

• Several Days of Cold with Slight Breezes, can be blue skys or gray and overcast. In the teens to twenties.
• For one or two days it begins to "feel nice" warming up into the thirties, maybe even low forties.
• Suddenly, the winds start, then, before you know it, the snow is blowing. It will snow for a few hours to several days.
• Big, cold winds continue. Blowing the frozen snow all over the place.
• Then, is settles down and you return to the top of the list.

In case you are wondering, scraping your windshields of blown snow and ice is FAR more difficult than scrapping freshly fallen snow. Also, you get tricked. You look outside and see no new snow, then get out to your vehicle and wind up being late because you've spent 10-20 futile minutes trying to scrape hardened ice off the windshields. Here's an example:

I SERIOUSLY spent 15 minutes scraping my window and THIS was all I could see through!
In the end, I took a longer (safer, ie: less traveled, fewer dangerous turns) route.
When I started going about 40 mph, the wind, and warmer engine blowing
on the window, cleared off the remaining particles...
it took about 10 minutes of driving to get to where I could actually see!

While we're on the subject of winter weather. We've noticed that life is much "slower" here. I think a big part of that is because of the weather. When there are several inches (feet) of snow, everyone and everything slows down. People are late or just don't go / show up places. Lots of things are canceled or postponed. Traffic slows down. And it's okay.

In Arizona, I don't really remember calling and saying "oh, there's a Heat Wave, so, we canceled _____" or "it's hot and humid, so, we won't be going out today". People complain about the heat, but you plan around it, you just don't cancel things (generally) because of it. And perhaps because it's so HOT, you RUSH more to get back to cool waters or, at least, air conditioning.

I've also noticed that people use and observe turn signals. It's a must! Or, you could easily find yourself rear-ended.

Quick starting and stopping? Better leave that for the warmer climates too... or you'll be slipping and sliding all over the place.

One more thing this all brings to mind. As a kid, I never understood why my Utah grandparents would come to visit and my Grandpa would slow down at EVERY Southern California intersection, especially frustrating to my teenage heart was WHY he would slow down for GREEN LIGHTS! Now, I get it. In the cold, icy, snowy weather, you approach most every intersection slowly. You just never know when another car will go careening across your path because they've turned, accelerated, or braked too quickly.

Basically, you go slower and easier, and, like I said, most everyone is okay with that.

Suzy

Attitude Adjustment Necessary

Today, I need an attitude adjustment. I am allowing this thing with Tom to affect me. Of course it affects the way our home runs. I can handle that. I know I can handle it. But, even though I've spent the past two days catching up on sleep (and I know more-or-less feel rested), I continue to have a very short fuse and get cranky at everyone very easily.

Tonight, I will finish watching The Shawshank Redemption (which we started last night) and then go to bed. Tomorrow, I will spend some time sewing something (I don't know what yet). Cloth is calming for me.

I was knitting today. I've been working on a scarf. I've got the knit, increase, and decreases down. It's slow going though. I don't feel like I'm making progress on it. I decide today that I will likely be a utility knitter ... kind of like my crocheting ... I do them because I "need" the finished result, not because I enjoy the process. I do appreciate how portable both are though, for being able to do on the run. I actually only tend to knit when I'm out or when I'm on the phone, so, I am grateful to be getting something done during "dead" time. I enjoy quilting. I also enjoy painting watercolors. I suppose I could try to do that tomorrow, but, I can see it being a big fiasco with the boys wanting to participate and me wanting it to be an "alone, leave me alone, me" project. Better stick with sewing something for tomorrow and boosting my joyous spirits.

Suzy