Karbon Kounty Moos

I’ve been tagged by the Yolo Cowboy. Since it is almost Christmas, I’d better get moving on this. The month of December has been a technical/mechanical disaster. Every piece of equipment has had issues. The 4455 was worked on, but then had a brake pawl failure. I had a major disconcerting moment while standing on the step with the diesel hose. The parked tractor was rolling forward. I considered tossing the nozzle and jumping, but I rode it out. Then my iMac died. Did you know that Apple has a 90 day guarantee? Neither did I and I bought it in June. The Dell laptop was fine, but then my modem went wacko. I had the feeder truck worked on. It’s like a new old truck now. I came close to driving a front tire off the rim on the 4455. Two new front tires on that baby now. My cows were tested by the state again. Everyone is AOK. I’ve been wrestling with the self waterers. Buckets of hot water and hammers in the morning. The washing machine acts up when it’s cold. It has been frigid. The dryer sounds like it has a bearing out - or maybe it is planning on blowing up. No laundry is getting done here. I probably wouldn’t have the time anyhow.

Oh, before I forget, here goes:

1. Wrapping or gift bags?

Either works.

2. Real or artificial tree?

Real, please. I didn’t have one last year. The year before Jenny brought a neat little artificial tree to the hospital for us. This year it was time again.
3. When do you put up the tree?

Right after cutting it down. No specific day.

4. When do you take the tree down?

Before Valentine’s Day.

5. Do you like eggnog?

I prefer the stuff you put in it. But I do love nutmeg.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

Can’t remember.
7. Do you have a nativity scene?

No.
8. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

A cheese grater and a hand can opener. But they were nicely wrapped.

9. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?

Sorry folks, neither this year - or the last couple of years.

10. Favorite Christmas movie?

Probably A Christmas Story.

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

Ha!

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Food. Okay, shrimp scampi - my tradition.

13. Clear lights or colored on the tree?

Clear, but I’d love to find some of those old fashioned bubble lights.

14. Favorite Christmas song?

Coming on Christmas - by Joni Mitchell

Rules are…:

1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share Christmas facts about yourself.
3. Tag random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Well, I know that it’s late, but I’ll tag:

Aimee
Richmond

This was taken yesterday. Twelve above, still and snowing. Now it’s clear, windy (of course), and trying to get above freezing. One can hope.

I haven’t been keeping up with this place, or my flickr photos. I had a cold that was starting to feel like the plague. But I can’t take a break from the day to day operations of feeding my crew. I carry on. Runny nose, aching back, vertigo, shot shoulders, bum knee and whatever else happens to be going on is ignored for the time being. Once I’m finished outside, I can come in and crash for a while.

Betty Western has tagged me for a meme. And it is a Me Me. I haven’t done one in ages, so I think that it’s time. Please do visit Betty’s place.

Here are the rules. 1. Link to your tagger and post these rules. 2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird. 3. Tag 3 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them). 4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Seven facts about moos, I’m not sure if they’re random or weird or both:

1. I usually have a green thumb outside, but I can’t keep houseplants alive. Maybe it has something to do with the dust bison I raise.

2. I do not consider myself an authority at anything. I know a little bit about a lot of things. I know a lot about a few things. I always want to learn more.

3. I am second generation American. My parents were born in New York, as was I. My paternal grandfather was born in Kalavryta, which makes it extra fortunate that he came to the United States. My paternal grandmother was also an immigrant from Greece. My maternal grandfather was from Galway, Ireland. My maternal grandmother was born in Liverpool, England to Irish parents. Both of my grandfathers died when I was a child, but I do remember them. Both of my grandmothers died long before I was born.

4. I ended up in Williston, North Dakota before I made it to Montana. I like North Dakota. Honestly, I like all of the places that I’ve been. There are four states in the lower 48 that I have never been to. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Kentucky. I hope to see them.

5. My favorite color changes all the time. For the last year or so it has been brown.

6. “Karen, why’d you do that?” My Queens accent comes out when I’m tired or angry. It’s not Fran Drescher, but my vocabulary shamefully will deteriorate to Goodfellas.

7. I love to cook - and eat.

I’m going to tag three bloggers. All are Montana ladies that I have met in real life. I hope that they can find the time for the meme.

Come on, Pandora.

Your turn, Laurie.

Martha - how about a little meme about you you?

Or the most evil meme in the world. I can’t explain it - but here’s where Sam did. Craig snared me into it here. It’s truly bizarre - and here’s my offering. I know that some of these bloggers were tagged already, but they can breathe a sigh of relief - once is more than enough with this one…

“Have you ever had one of those days? You know where you just want to spank a windmill? Sometimes, you just want to grab your dishtowel and just dance?

I had one of those day some time ago. See, I was just talking to Darth Vader on the telly when I got a knock on the door. It turned out to be a Irish Dance Troupe. I really wasn’t in the mood to be bothered. I asked them what they wanted, when they said, “Are you starting with me?”.

I looked at them and said, “How do you like me now?”. Well, you should have seen the look on their face! They got really irritated and tried to grab me by my elbow. The Kid wasn’t havin’ that, though! I grabbed their tonsils, then I proceeded to put my kestrel in their hair!

While I was doing that, Levi showed up and asked was everything ok. I said that I was trying to handle this. Sarpy Sam asked could they join in and I said, “heck yeah!” Soon, they pulled out a spatula and began to frost the bad guy over the head! Then, Troy, Randy and Pandora showed up and they began to serenade the guy! After twenty minutes of that, we got bored with the whole thing and had a nice, tall glass of thunder. You know, when you have bad days, it’s good to know that you have friends who stick by you.”

What I was doing 10 yrs ago:
Managing a household with 3 teenagers and one pre-teen.
5 yrs ago:
Getting poorer with 3 in college; 1 college student and 1 high schooler living at home.
1 yr ago:
1 child launched successfully, and on his own; 1 with a semester left of college; 1 child just changing his major; and youngest child finished his 1st year of college. None living at home, and bored so appointed to city council rather than look for a job to help pay for college.
Yesterday:
Had lunch with a friend which helped cool my anxiety of daughter returning home after a disappointing venture off into the world. Daughter arrives home safely and in good spirits.
5 snacks I enjoy:
Vanilla Soy Milk
Heated frozen berries w/vanilla ice cream
Chocolate
Cake donuts
5 songs I know all the words to:
Star Spangled Banner
Happy Birthday
Jesus Loves Me
5 Things I would do with $100 million:
Pay off childrens’ college debt
Pay taxes on it
See Paris
Save rest and leisurely decide
5 locations I would like to run away to:
Paris
Maine
Vancouver Island
Bozeman (to see my youngest child)
5 bad habits I have:
Popping pimples on members of family (all 5)
5 things I like doing:
Popping pimples on members of family
Attending City Council meetings
Sewing
Learning more about xeriscape gardening
5 things I would never wear:
Anything wool – it itches!
My birthday suit in public
5 TV shows I like:
CSI
Law and Order
Dead Zone
4400
5 Biggest Joys of the Moment:
Daughter being home
Running unopposed for city council
My air conditioning
My flowers blooming
No hornets yet
5 Favorite Toys:
Shredder
Ford Escape
New lawn sprinklers
5 next victims: ?????

What I was doing ten years ago:
Renting a house near a public golf course (and hooting at the bad pants of the patrons of said golf course)
5 years ago:
Working at Luce Press Clippings (now Burrelle’s Luce: have been there since 1990). Also, it was 5 years ago that I bought my car after more than 10 years without one.
1 year ago:Preparing to come up for my 30th Year high school reunion. (West High–had a great time seeing people I hadn’t seen in 10-30 years and, if they’re lucky, will probably never see again.)
Yesterday:
Having a kitchen window repaired (courtesy of The Massive Mangy Mountain of Mutt); to prevent further attempts through that window, I moved the refirgerator in front of it).
Snacks I enjoy:
chocolate bars (Hershey’s or Nestle’s female version–without nuts), Cheese & Breadsticks, potato chips (Pringles No Fat), choclate ice cream, and (Uuuummmm) Donuts!
Songs I know all the words to:
The Star Spangled Banner (but can’t sing it well), O Canada, The Endo of the Innocence, Fields of Gray, and The Way It Is (i’m a Bruce Hornsby fan)
Things I would do with $100 million:
Buy a cabin in the mountains near Flathead Lake, an automoble suitable for the area, then put the rest of the money and live off of the interest.
Locations I would like to run away to:
San Diego, Canada, England, Ireland, Montana (never to return to Arizona)
Bad habits I have:
Eating bad food, drinking too much cola, driving too fast on the freeways (got nailed near Idaho Falls doing 88 mph on the way up a few weeks ago), and digitally excaving my sinuses from time to time.
Things I like doing:
Watching sports on TV and reading.
Things I would never wear:
a necktie (why should I dress up like a typical AZ criminal?) and a dress (cuz it’d be a real drag).
TV shows I like:
Countdown with Keith Obermann (many years ago, when he was a sports anchor at KTLA in Los Angeles, Mr. Obermann was kind enough to critique some of my TV writing and give me some pointers on trying to get into the business), The National (CBC’s nightly news), any hockey telecasts (my most prized posession is a picture of myself with THE Stanley Cup–probably the only time anybody wearing a Coyotes sweater will be seen with Lord Stanley in my lifetime).
Biggest joys of the moment:
Sheba. Period.
Favorite toys:
My computers, my satellite dish, my car.
Next victims:
I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it might incriminate me. (When I was a cashier at Buttrey’s–now Albertsons–store on 13th and Grand, I used to start each new order I rang up with a cheerful, “Next victim!”)

I will answer the questions but I won’t start my own blog. Good grief, girl, I spend enough time at the computer already!
What was I doing 10 years ago:
Playing Nurse Nancy….my husband had recently had a heart valve replaced and we were both learning lots of new stuff.
I was still driving trucks during harvest…hauling corn silage and sugar beets through town from both directions as we had farms on both sides of town.
5 years ago:
I had transformed into SUPER GRANDMA! Also had begun my current career of “driving Miss Daisy.” No longer doing the physical farm work but very involved with grandchildren and helping elderly family members.
1 year ago:
A lot like today…still doing the farm business, cooking, yard work, a little cleaning when I can’t get out of it, running after people and stuff.
Yesterday:
Helped both my 89 year old mother and 85 year old aunt. Bought groceries. Took the boss to get the truck that was supposed to be repaired but wasn’t. Sold straw to the new doctor who is working on his lawn. Furnished snacks and drinks for three grandson types. Helped ferry a pick up to son who was doing some custom baling about half way to Thermopolis. Had a sandwich at Arby’s for supper. Watered the poor flowers. Etc.
5 snacks I enjoy:
chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate.
5 songs I know all the words to:
America the Beautiful, This Land is My Land, Itsy Bitsy Spider, MICKEY MOUSE, Love Letters in the Sand……Now how is that for variety?
5 things I would do with 100 million:
We have always said that if we had a million, we would farm until it was all gone. I don’t think we will live long enough to farm up 100 million so….
1. Take a vacation, if I could get the boss to come along.
2. Have somebody clean house every week.
3. Share with our family and friends. (Probably have lots of friends, huh?)
4. Give the local library an endowment.
5. Rewrite my will.
5 locations I would like to run away to: (Only if I could come back)
1. Hawaii
2. Branson
3. Nashville
5 bad habits I have:
1. Waste too much time on computer
2. Eat too much
3. Keep too much junk
4. Put off doing things that I know I will have to do anyway
5. Complaining…I really have it pretty good
5 things I like doing (Not necessarily in this order)
1. Surfing the net
2. Tending flowers
3. Visiting with friends
4. Reading
5. Spending time with grandchildren
5 things I would never wear:
1. mini skirt
2. bikini
3. leather pants
4. plastic shoes
5. heavy jewelry
5 tv shows I like:
Don’t watch much tv. If the boss goes to bed early I usually turn to HGTV.
6 biggest joys of the moment:
Alfred, Philip, Cassie, Blake, Lily, Jade
5 favorite toys:
Compaq, Equinox, library card,

I inherited this meme from Craig at MT Politics.

What I was doing ten years ago:
1995 was a very good year for me. I married the Sugar Beet Baron in April of that year. I was adjusting to married life; farming; and rural living while still working “in town” (Red Lodge) until October’s beet harvest.
5 years ago:
Probably the same things I’m doing right now, except for internet usage.
1 year ago:
Same things that I’m doing now.
Yesterday:
Same things that I’m doing now. Boring, isn’t it?
5 snacks I enjoy:
Chips & salsa or nachos
Crunchy cheese doodles - serious addiction that I’m working on
Berries - blue, straw & rasp
Cannoli - it’s been a few years, sigh. . .
Wilcoxson’s ice cream bars
5 songs I know all the words to:
Multiply this by several hundred. How about songs that I’ve changed the words to?
5 Things I would do with $100 million:
Rule the world (not really - I like being a hermit too much for that).
Convince the Baron to take a couple of days off. He has never had a vacation in his life. And then the poor man married me.
Help out family & friends
Get my cemeteries documented
$pend $ome - probably at Goodwill and the Rescue Mission
5 locations I would like to run away to (but not for long):
Cape Cod
The parts of Montana that I haven’t seen yet
Alaska
The parts of Wyoming that I haven’t seen yet
Ireland
5 bad habits I have:
Spending too much time on the computer
An aversion to cleaning
eBay, going to yardsales and thrift shops
Spending all the grocery money - on groceries!
Monopolizing conversations - please, just tell me to shut up - I won’t be offended.
5 things I like doing:
Working in the garden
Driving/riding - cars, tractors, horses etc…
Blogging/blogvisiting/commenting
Cooking/eating/visting
Researching/Reading
5 things I would never wear - or wear again:
Miniskirt
Mink stole
Bikini - used to, but those days are long gone
A size 2 - not since my vegan days, sorry
A padded bra
5 TV shows I like - (please note serious lack of cable and/or satellite):
CSI - no, that’s not 3 - I like the original - Las Vegas.
Quincy - I know that it’s been off for years - but are you noticing a theme here?
Rockford Files - I know, I know, but I really like James Garner.
Twin Peaks
24
5 Biggest joys of the moment:
The Baron
Lucky
Ty
Rocky
Okay, Sugar - when she isn’t biting me or the others
5 Favorite toys:
Pentax Optio WP
The Dell
Kawasaki Mule
Green Tractors
The Oreck - HA!
5 (+/- ) Next victims :
I am sending out requests to my victims.

Stay tuned. . .

*****UPDATE 11:52 AM Saturday 09 July 2005*****
Victims Bonnie, Kirk and Linn have memed (is that a verb?) above. Still waiting for the rest!

***UPDATE 6:02 PM Saturday 09 July 2005***
Levi has his answers up at Droch Night Design.