Jun 30, 2011 - Bismarck, North Dakota

Although the KOA on-line for Bismarck was showing no availability, I decided to give them a call. Well, he had one site for one night and potentially another site for two nights, but there was a hold on that one. He would wander down to their campsite in a bit and see if they were staying or not and get back to me. We had decided if all we could get was one night, we would stay at the Elks and we'll stay in Bismarck through the holiday weekend. Don't want to be on the road looking for a room at the inn! When we left the 4H campground at the...

Apr 27, 2011 - Want A Job?

What a contrast from listening to the national news and then listening to the local North Dakota News, here the state budget has a surplus, unemployment is under 2%, and housing values are on the rise. I'm sure most of it is a result of energy related projects, ND has 1 hydro electric power plant, 8 coal fired power plants, 1 ethanol production plant, 447 large electric generating windmills and they recently discovered another large new oil field on the North Dakota Montana border.

Apr 26, 2011 - A Rowdy Bunch

This morning Lenny, Patti, Gerry my aunt Ellen, Mary and I all met up at the Homestead cafe out on he bypass for breakfast. I was surprised they didn't ask up to keep it down a bit because we were having quite a time laughing and carrying on. When we got back to Bismarck AJ and Kathie left for Valley City so Mary stayed to take her mom to bingo tonight while I headed for home.

Apr 25, 2011 - A Trip Too Minot

Minot is only 105 miles north of Bismarck, it seems like they have a lot more snow and most of the ponds are still frozen over including Lake Audubon and Lake Sacajawea. After stopping by Gerry's work to let him know we were in town we met my aunt Ellen for lunch at our favorite Chinese buffet the China Star. Then went over for a short visit with our friend Diane before meeting up with my brother Gerry and Ellen again at Manor Care for a visit with Ellen's husband Harris. Even though Harris suffered a stroke a few years back he is still in...

Apr 24, 2011 - Bad Day To Start A Diet

After getting up early and getting our house cleaning chores caught up we left for Ajay's about 11AM. Catie's mom Lori came down from Riverdale to join us for Easter dinner because her husband Bill had to work. For our Easter dinner we had a huge ham that they cooked in the crock pot along with all the fixings plus a sinful amount of deserts. I ate so much I felt really uncomfortable after dinner so much so that it took two good long walks before I felt better.

Apr 23, 2011 - What's A Shrinky Dinky

I drove over to Center to see my cousin Jim & his wife Janet, both of their kids Michael and Holly were home with their families for the Easter holiday. After lunch most everybody was decorating Easter cookies and doing a Shrinky Dink. If you hang out around little kids you'll know what a Shrinky Dink is, if not look it up on the web. I got back into Bismarck in time to go to bingo with Mary and Kathie, no luck.

Apr 22, 2011 - Goofing Off

I stayed home all day today catching up with some computer stuff and a couple of practice sessions with the banjo in other words pretty much just goofing off. Mary was out again this morning to take a shower then heads back to pick up her Mom for afternoon bingo, this evening Kathie and her will go. I stayed home to watch the NASCAR truck race

Apr 21, 2011 - Bingo Buddies

Started out a beautiful clear sunny day but that soon changed into a cold windy rainy day. Ajay and I drove out to Fort Abraham Lincoln State park to see what it looked like, you never know we might want to volunteer there some day. Fort Abraham Lincoln was built in 1873 and its first commander was Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, he should have stayed in North Dakota instead running across the border into Montana chasing Indians. Tonight should be Mary's last night to stay with her Mom, Kathy should be home Friday Afternoon. The little...

Apr 20, 2011 - Trip To Garrison

This morning I rode with Ajay to Garrison about 60 miles north of here to see my brother in law Alvin. While I was at bingo with Mary tonight during the mid session break I called my brother Gerry to let him know we plan on going up to Minot next Monday and Tuesday, he said Minot has already had a record setting 82" of snow this year

Apr 18, 2011 - More Of That White Stuff

Once again we wake up to snow coming down, pretty heavy this time but at least there is no wind to go with it. Mary and I took her mother to bingo this afternoon then this evening six of us went where Kathie won a game for $150 and Mary won a game for $50 so we got $33 each. The weather service has issued a severe winter storm warning in effect until 7AM Wednesday, they are predicting another 6 - 8 inches on top of the 6 - 8 inches we already have

Apr 17, 2011 - Catching Up With The Latest News & Laundry

Mary's sister Kathie is now their mothers caretaker and they have just moved to Bismarck, while waiting for an apartment they are staying with Kathie's son Ajay and his wife Catie. I thought I heard it raining about 2AM but when we got up this morning it was snowing. We spent the better part of the day at Ajays visiting, doing laundry and watching the NASCAR race. This cold weather is really playing havoc on Mary's fibromyalgia.

Apr 16, 2011 - What Time Is It?

Today we have a 370 mile drive to Bismarck ND ahead of us, by the time we had fueled up and dumped our tanks it was 9AM before we left Rapid City. Mary drove the first 185 miles from Rapid City to Pierre SD, when we left it was sunshine and warming but when we got to Pierre it was 32F overcast and windy with a foot of snow on the ground. I had to wear sunglasses while driving, not because of bright sunlight because there wasn't any, but because of the snow on the ground and the white hazy overcast skies it was extremely bright. It was 5PM...