Odds and Ends

I seem to have overlooked a few things from previous posts, starting with my nephew Greg Smith's 54th birthday on June 15th.


Greg and his Family

Son Isaac, Step-son Beau-holding Daisy, Wife Kerri, GREG, and son Rainer-holding George 



Cousin - Robin Cadby Sorenson -holding Kate

Nancy Day, Sam Studiner, ME, Karen Melius, Mary Jo MacIntyre

 These women have been my friends since the late 50's, early 60's, when we were all having our babies.  There are two missing - Jeannie Michael and Connie Studer who both passed in the last two years.

 Cabin (with deer in the yard) that was built by my father and grandfather in 1960.  It is now owned by my nieces and nephews.  It is 3 cabins down river from the one owned by my son Mike, where I am currently living.

 View of Mike's cabin from the backside. 

You just have to love this!!!!

Football field for the Absarokee Huskies High School Team.

PLEASE notice the cattle behind the stands.

Another very old, and very dear friend

Al  Littler







Here is My Current Neighborhood

Thought you might enjoy a quick look around - starting with my home town of Billings, Montana.  (As I've already said, the biggest city in Montana with a population of 150,000.)

Driving from Billings to the cabin takes me through the little towns of Laurel (Pop.6,814), Park City (Pop. 870), Columbus (Pop. 1,896), and Absarokee (Pop. 1,200).   

Montana's Big Sky through my windshield

Sites around the cabin:

Beehive Community Center

Local Resort

Friendliest of all Neighbors

Neighboring Community:

Nye Post Office that has VERY irregular hours.

It's a short 33 miles to the town or Red Lodge, Montana (Pop. 2,114), local ski resort and gateway to the Cooke City Highway which takes you to Silver Gate, Montana, one of the entrances to Yellowstone Park.  The scenery between Absarokee and Red Lodge is some of the most beautiful I've seen.

Red Lodge, Montana

Heading back to Billings from Red Lodge are a couple more small towns:  Roberts (Pop. 1,176) and Joliet (Pop. 593).  The Billings to cabin (about 60 miles) to Red Lodge (33 miles)  to Billings (about 60 miles) Triangle is pretty much my area of activity.  And a most enjoyable one at that.

Working on this blog in the Nye Bar - adjacent to the Nye Post Office.

Only place I have found that has WiFi with a place to actually sit down and plug in.

Two Meetings and a Funeral

Meeting Number One - with very old (since my high school days), very dear friends  Before we moved away from Billings Nancy and I were at the least on the phone every day, and we saw each other as couples almost every weekend.

Nancy and Ruben Day

Meeting Number Two - I attended a meeting of the Golden (over 55 years of age) K Kiwanis Cub as a guest of my sister.  Now this is my kind of meeting.  It opened with a rousing version of the song Montana  --

Montana, Montana glory of the west

Of all the states from coast to coast you're easily the best

Montana, Montana where skies are always blue

M - O - N - T - A - N - A, Montana I love you

followed by the pledge of allegiance, then a short prayer, then singing of God Bless America, then introductions of guests (That would be ME), then announcements, then safe driving tips, at the conclusion of which they all said in unison, "Safety on the highway depends on you and me.  Drive Defensively," then a guest speaker and all done!!!!

 

My 93-year-old uncle, Ralph Shirley, who I introduced you to in my blog of February 27th, died on

 June 4th. His funeral was yesterday, which means I have more relatives for you to meet.

Uncle Ning

 

His two Children (My Cousins) Suzie and Jack

Jack's children (Rose and Forrest) and grandchildren live in Hawaii and were unable to attend.

Suzie's Family

(Front) Suzie Zimmerman, Granddaughters Payton and Marin, Daughter Angie

Son-in-Law, Daughter Shawna, Husband Bill, Son-in-Law

(Sorry I don't know the names of the In-Laws.  I'll work on that one.)

Cousin Gary Dahl's Family

Son John, Gary, Wife Bonnie, Daughter Cheryl

He has another son and daughter who were not able to attend.

Welcome to MONTANA

Meet my Chauffer -

Kerri Smith (wife of my nephew Greg)

Kerri flew to Arizona to help me drive to Montana - except she ended up doing 90% of the driving.  It was certainly wonderful for me and great to have the company.  We drove from Arizona through Nevada, Utah, and Idaho ending in Montana.  (Again covering 5 states but this time it took 21 hours - as compared to the 5 states in the east that took only 2.5 hours.)

Montana's beautiful mountains to greet me!

Between Butte and Bozeman, Montana

Montana Family that I will be visiting while here

My sister Dione, her daughter Holli,  Holli's daughter Kira and her fiancee Luke.

 Back row is Holli's son Jeremy, son Cameron, and husband Frank.

Nephew Greg's sons - Rainer and Isaac (Parents not available at time of this picture.)

Yellowstone River, between Billings and Columbus, Montana

My son Mike's cabin - where I will be for the next 6 weeks.

 The cabin is about 15 miles from Absarokee, a town of about 1,200 people (and another 60 miles from Billings which is the biggest city in Montana - population 150,000)  In Absarokee there are no stop lights, one grocery store, one motel, one cafe, two churches and two bars.  At the cabin there is no television, no internet, and no cell phone reception, but there is a land line - 406-328-4969.
But this is my favoritist part of all - The Stillwater River that runs just feet from the back of the cabin: