One Week Into 2024 - Back in Montana - Week 2

 Winter in Montana is always beautiful, but sometimes cold.  VERY cold.  This is my morning hello.  Now, in all fairness, it is much better than it has been --- check out the previous post - Brrrrr.

Mister had four days off this week and has spent them ALL in the house.  He has a BAD case of cabin fever and so ---- off we go to Kalispell for a bit.  It's not much, but it'll keep him from losing it.

We've decided to stop for breakfast and people always talk about Sykes so we might as well give it a try.  The place is pretty busy, but there are seats at the bar, so why not?  It's like Dallas Diner in our minds.  Traditional breakfast is on the plate BUT the size of Mister's biscuit is simply crazy.  I'm pretty sure that would be ALL I could eat, but he'll give it a gallant effort.  Everything is good and the coffee just keeps flowing.  All in all, we'd go back again.  Not our most favorite spot, but not bad.  Now that the tummies are happy, where should we go next?

Mom gave us gift cards for Penney's so that it our stop.  I'm on the hunt for some nice things to wear on the cruise and Mister is after some shoes and/or a watch.  I do find some tops (this green one just shimmers) but will have to order some pants online.  I'm looking for palazzo pants as I think they would be dressy fun.  A quick stop for a bit of refreshment before going back to the house.

The sky is clear and we can even see the mountains on the drive home.

Crossing the bridge in Bigfork - a winter wonderland out there, but the sun is giving it a good try.

We make a pit stop down at the bay before going to the house.  

Shortly after returning to the house, Jill and her family arrive.  This gives uncle some time with littles.

It's always fun to watch them as they learn and grow.

Avrielle is sooooo close to walking.  She just kept standing there and waving to Gammy.

The best way to calm down a three year old.  We are so excited for these guys to come and visit us in March.  Look out Dallas --- tour times again.  The visit is short, but sweet and we are soon on our own again - dinner and bed.  Such a life we lead.

16th - Each day is a bit warmer.  That's a good thing, right?

A bit of a chance to get out and about this afternoon --- Our great-neice, Scarlet, has her first basketball game.  This seems like fun -- off we go.  I took quite a few pictures to share with her mom and dad.  Psst - she's number 22.

17th - It's a SNOW DAY!  Can you say dumping?  Mister was so hoping that his new show pusher would get here before the snow, but apparently, he's just not that lucky.

It's also my grandson's birthday, so Grandpa and I get a chance to visit with him.  He's off at college for the first year and enjoying his day - took himself out for a crab dinner.

OH --- guess what?  Right after he did the first shoveling for the day (it's still snowing), his pusher arrived via FEDEX (they delivered to the wrong house AGAIN).  It's together and he's ready to give it a try.

Away he goes. You can see how much more it has snowed since the last round a few hours ago.

Mom is making a coffee cake today and I spotted her original recipe on the counter.  This is pretty cool to me, even though my own original copy looks pretty similar.  Yes, we are handwritten recipe people.

It really is pretty out.

The marshmallow garden is doing very well also.

This guy is watching me and not at all frightened.  I think he was hoping I had food.  Being a deer right now has got to be challenging.

By the time the snow stops.

Take a peek at the size of this storm.  Yep, my quilting ruler is being put to use.

So, I'd read this funny story a few years ago and ran across it again today.  Seems apt to share it here.  Enjoy the giggle, I sure did - BUT - well, there is some truth to it as well.

December 8 - 6:00 PM

It started to snow.  The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven.  It looked like a Grandma Moses print.  So romantic we felt like newlyweds again.  I love snow!

December 9

We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape.  What a fantastic sight!  Can there be a lovelier place in the whole world?  Moving here was the best idea I've ever had!  Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again.  I did both our driveway and the sidewalks.  This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again.  What a perfect life!

December 12

The sun has melted all our lovely snow.  Such a disappointment!  My neighbor tells me not to worry- we'll definitely have a white Christmas.  No snow on Christmas would be awful!  John says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again.  I don't think that's possible.  John is such a nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14

Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night.  The temperature dropped to -20.  The cold makes everything sparkle so.  The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks.  This is the life!  The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again.  I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way.  I wish l wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15

20 inches forecast.  Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer.  Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels.  Stocked the freezer.  The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out.  I think that's silly.  We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16

Ice storm this morning.  Fell on my ass on the ice in the driveway putting down salt.  Hurt like hell.  The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.  

December 17

Still way below freezing.  Roads are too icy to go anywhere.  Electricity was off for 5 hours.  I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm.  Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her.  Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her.  God I hate it when she's right.  I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20

Electricity's back on, but had another 14 inches of the damn stuff last night.  More shoveling!  Took all day.  The damn snowplow came by twice.  Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey.  I think they're lying.  Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they're out.  Might have another shipment in March.  I think they're lying.  John says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me.  I think he's lying.

December 22

John was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white sh-t fell today, and it's so cold, it probably won't melt till August.  Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to go pee.  By the time I got undressed, went to the bathroom and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel.  Tried to hire John who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter, but he says he's too busy. I think the a--hole is lying.  

December 23

Only 2 inches of snow today.  And it warmed up to 0.  The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning.  What is she, nuts?!!  Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago?  She says she did but I think she's lying.

December 24

6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplow, l broke the shovel.  Thought I was having a heart attack.  If I ever catch the son of a b-tch who drives that snow plow, I'll drag him through the snow and beat him to death with my broken shovel.  I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been!  Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy watching for the damn snowplow.

December 25

Merry freaking Christmas!  20 more inches of the damn slop tonight -Snowed in.  The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil.  God, I hate the snow!  Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel.  The wife says I have a bad attitude.  I think she's an idiot.  If I have to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to stuff her into the microwave.

December 26

Still snowed in.  Why the hell did I ever move here?  It was all HER idea.  She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27

Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze; plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him, he only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.  

December 28

Warmed up to above -20.  Still snowed in.  My wife is driving me crazy!!!

December 29

10 more inches.  John says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in.  That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30

Roof caved in.  I beat up the snow plow driver, and now he is suing me for a million dollars.  The wife went home to her mother.  Nine more inches predicted.

December 31

I set fire to what's left of the house.  No more shoveling.

January 8

Feel so good.  I just love those little white pills they keep giving me.  Why am I tied to the bed?

 18th - Another day - same view.  It just keeps coming down.

Just keeping the back porch and the driveway cleared becomes a full-time job.

This is total of the marshmallows - keeping in mind that there has been some compacting going on too.

However, the beauty cannot be denied.

A few hours later, I was sewing and Mom said to come and see the sky.  It is the most incredible blue.  She wasn't wrong.  How amazing is this?  Yes, still the same day as above.

19th - The realization that I have a cruise coming up shortly after I get home, makes me remember that I need a pedicure - so Mom and I make appointments and brave the roads into Bigfork.

When we came out, the strangest snow is on the car.  They're not really flakes, more like lines.  So odd.

 The odd continues as we stop at the store.  I notice that the Santa above the produce case has no head.  I'm shaking mine.

Family down for dinner tonight --- Jill's group and Sis and Joe.  My turn for pics - 

Avrielle is standing all by herself - she just doesn't realize it yet.

A rare photo of Joe --- he somehow manages to escape most of them.

The three of us - 

Once everyone is gone, Mister is done in.  I finish up the packing and we are ready to go in the wee hours.

Farewell pictures are always hard, but I love them so much.

20th - An uneventful trip to the airport at 3 in the morning has us in Salt Lake as the sunrise is happening.  I spot these clouds and race for a window to get pictures.  These are so cool.

Wider angles show all the color.  Isn't this gorgeous?

Onto Dallas and the first thing we run into is a pipe problem.  Yay!  Mister sets to work and after a shopping trip that included 5 stores, he gets us back up and running again.

Meanwhile, Jen, Louis, Josh, and Max stop by for a visit so we follow up Mister's hard work with dinner out.  Pho for the win.  Nice to spend time with them and the perfect end to a very long day.  What's next?  Keep watching.