Air Time

Well I should have had a clue from that ol buzzard flying over the bunkhouse yesterday... I'm a granny, I should have been able to read the signs:

 

Marymine, Lizzy and I left for Sac at 4AM to make our flights to Denver to watch college volleyball...   I say flights because when Marymine asked me if I wanted to go along she already had their tickets, and that flight was full...so she booked me on another carrier. No problem, as both flights left close together.  
We got there in good time, parked close to the terminal, and went to check in, the girls to Southwest & I across the way to Frontier.

I haven't flown out of this airport since the total remodel was done, so everything was new to me. No problem, as there was an attendant lady to help me operate the check-in kiosk. She grabbed my itinerary and DL, shoved them in some ports... asked me my last name, and proceeded to hand me my boarding pass...while pointing me up the stairs.  
I didn't see the girls in the crush of people across the way, that's ok, I will meet up with them at the airport in Denver. 
OK I can do this, upstairs I went, followed the herd down a hallway, into a shuttle & across to the terminal... I'm not sure I'm supposed to be going this way, but what the heck! Get off the shuttle, stand in line for a while, showing anyone and everyone who wants to see my DL & boarding pass.  
Go thru the Security screening...I think they now have pictures of my back teeth and my new black & white polka dot wonder bra...on file. I put everything back on and in, that I had removed moments before... 
I calmly do a check of my boarding pass to confirm airline and gate...while wandering around trying to look like I've been here a million times. I need to do this for my self esteem as the traveler I should be... 
I'm early, but that's good. I can use the restroom, get a cup of coffee, and get back to the gate in time to read a couple hundred pages on my Kindle. 
I recheck my boarding pass against the monitor, check my gate number, and departure time. All good.

The gate attendants start calling for the people with special needs, extra special tickets, extra special special class tickets, elderly, crying babies, and cranky toddlers to board... I patiently wait to be called with the rest of the seasoned travelers... 
Giving the attendant my DL, boarding pass and a cheerful Good Morning, I prepare to board.  The attendant cheerfully checks my info and asks me my last name, I give it... she looks confused and says..."but you've already boarded, Nancy." 
"Aah Nope, I'm right here, and I'm not Nancy...see on my DL...I'm B...." 
We're both still smiling like idiots...as she asks me to step aside and speak to the other attendant.  He takes one quick look at my boarding pass...turns to me and says... "I don't know how you got this far...but your ticket is for the same flight, day & time in October!" 
 Say what... I still smiling (I'm like that you know) proceed to ask if he might let me on this flight in a jump seat or the overhead bin or with the crew... or something... because I'm going to Denver to watch my granddaughter play college volleyball, and the rest of my crew will be waiting for me there.  
He really tries to find me a seat on another flight, any other flight...full...full...full... 
In the mean time I'm trying to call Marymine, no answer. Ok, text her...when she texts back it's to say, "she's so horrified & sorry, get another flight, or... we are boarding and have to shut off our phones!" 
"Aha ma'am, there is another flight to Denver with seats available leaving...tomorrow late afternoon. But, you must go back down to reservations and you can't stay in this Secure Area." 
Off I go to find my way back to the beginning of this adventure that has not included time in the air... 
Following the specific directions of a few Security men, I found myself outside in the passenger loading zone under the watchful eye of another Security man.  
While setting there sipping coffee, and looking across the way to where I can see Marymine's locked truck... I realize that I have no way back to the bunkhouse.  Shuttles don't go there, it's way too far to walk, or for a cab.  
Didn't my friend L just tell me a while back that she was thinking of starting a shuttle service to the airport from where we live in the back of beyond.  I call her..."L, I really loved your shuttle idea, and I sure want to be your first customer."  She's a sweetie, and after she checked on her dad, fed the horses, and ran her grandkids to school, she drove down and picked me up!  
I got back to the bunkhouse at 11:00, started a load of laundry, and kissed my pillow... 

Summertime

I'm up in the PNW for an extended stay with my Sean & the girls. Sky made the trip with me, and is having a good time. The girls keep him busy fetching tennis balls. Housebreaking him is still a work in progress...

 There has been lots of antique'n/junk'n, drinking of fruit of the vine..., meeting new friends & a revered blogger, driving the Big truck, drinking of wine..., eating of great food, treasure hunting on the beach, and just being...

On the repurpose trail: found a very cool magnet board (made with a piece of old tin put in a picture frame), pieces of drift wood to make sail boats,

and fabric for sofa pillows.
  
Bought an old Singer featherweight sewing machine from a really nice older (scratch that...they are my age) couple.  I've been searching for one of these for a while now...but with the limited budget...it wasn't happening.  I had one when I first started sewing as a child...loved that little machine...even took it up to granny's cabin in the summertime.  So far I've mended Miss J's large stuffed snake...(Hisss, is her name), and made two dresses for same...! Also made two summer dresses for the girls, and will start on a few others, as well as teaching the girls how to sew.

The girls talked their dad into building them a large wooden doll house.  It's going to be wonderful.  They designed it, and are busy making executive decisions on every single thing they are putting in it. Furniture making with clay & cardboard is on going...


We made Flubber one day, and have been flubbering every since.  Everyone who stops by takes a handful to play with (doesn't matter if your a big or little kid)...  It acts as therapy of some sort...


So, Sean's once neat house is now over run with women...treasures from the ocean and sand, wine bottles, scraps of material: wood, cloth & clay, dog foot prints, and Flubber...

flying the Mattea

The home ranch had a far 2,000 acre field called the Mattea, it consisted of a lot of ridges and draws.  It was good feed but a tough gather, as the trap (holding field) in the corner ran opposite all those ridges and draws. And once you were in the holding field you were still a long way from the home corrals.

You had to be saddled and on your way long before daylight, and trail an extra horse as well to cover that country.  When you finally got the cattle trailed back to the home corrals, you had spent more than a few very long days in the saddle. It was hard on cattle, dogs, horses, and cowhands.

Then the light dawned for the Cowman...we can gather it with a helicopter...! He penciled it out every which way, and it did work, at least on paper.  Off to the Captain (his dad) he went, after a protracted discussion, he was given the go ahead.  
Then to find a pilot willing to take on this little job...eventual he did find a pilot that was pretty hard up and had done one small gather...so the sucker, err, pilot signed on.

not my photo...not my burros..

I love to go up in whirly birds, and don't understand what is so upsetting about hanging out with one foot on the skid so I can get the full thrill. But the Cowman was not about to let me go up for this gather.  Truth be told he knew that field like the back of his hand, so it was he who got to direct things from the air. Dang, I love flying in those things.

We rode out early a horseback to meet them at the holding field. By the time we got the gates set they were driving in the cattle.  whomp, whomp, whomp...

Don't you just love the sound of whirly birds?!! 

Everything went well, except the next time we gathered that field with a helicopter, we had to go a might farther afield to find a pilot that was that hard up...I mean that experienced in gathering cattle.

 

Congrats Cody

My oldest grandson has recently received notification of the selection of three of his pictures...  You can see them and read about it here:

http://mausersandmuffins.blogspot.com/

Thanks Brigid for posting this...we all know how photo posting challenged Cody's grandma is!

Congrats Cody...love you beyond words...granny.

One by one

June is One amazing month....

      One came home on leave...

One graduated from high school with honors,

One and two more showed at the fair,

One is my new pup "Sky",

                    One pitched up a storm,

One is a jr lifeguard and on swim team,

One is busy running harvester in the wheat,

One flew to Kansas with her girls for a volleyball camp,

One (on the left) is celebrating his 42nd birthday,

One (me) has been in Reno for the BFI.