Good-bye 2012

This evening is always a Hi-lite of the Year. Rita and I at the strike of midnight ,having already disrobed, take a few minutes to look each other over and compare the moles and birthmarks from the previous year for changes and possible growth. Can't be too careful with melanoma. then we hold hands and make a wish. Can't tell you what I'm hoping for but let's say "We Are ND" and I don't mean North Dakota! Tom that's how you get up for a game. Went to Havre this morning to visit with my accountant about year end.He was rather upset about the tax changes to be coming this next year, especially the Estate tax changes. Lowering the limit to 7 million ,in his opinion will hurt a lot of farmers. The Taxman will at death sweep in and take 55 percent of the value over this amount. Seems rather UnAmerican I think.  IU had a tough game today, but pulled out a 4 point victory. 1-0 in The Big Ten.  Kind of Gay to do a Year End summary. Will leave you with this.     Saw an advertisement for medication for Diarhea.  "Four out of Five People Suffer with Diarhea" Does that mean that one guy Enjoys it!  HAPPY NEW YEAR we endured another!

Say it ain't so Rita!

  Rita says I'm in Love with Ryan Gosling! We were watching an advertisement for His upcoming movie and I said " I think he's a good actor" and within a few seconds I remembered his name. Ryan Gosling.If you know how poor I am at remembering names you would understand why her response was " Your in Love with Him". I am not!    Oh maybe a little. Visited with a neighbor today who has killed 48 coyotes in our neighborhood in probably the last six weeks , he told me of a pack of 4-wheeler  Hunters who  have been terrorizing the country, bringing mayhem wherever they ride killing coyotes by the dozens. Sounds rather dramatic don't you think. Actually they ask permission, and are granted it by this farmer. Hard to feel pity for the killing machine that was such a powerful Mascot  for my alma mater. For "We are the Chester Coyotes can't You See". "We are out to Challenge You to Victory" and so on and so on. There I've made you Think I'm insane.

Home sweet Home

Returned To the farm this afternoon, not sure if anybody else feels this way  , but there is something about the Prarie views after being in the Mountains for awhile that is comforting. Nothing against our Beautiful Mountains , to be truthful they are what most people cherish about our State. Probably Just me. Missoula has 11 reasons why I love western Montana and will always call Her Home. Have 2 or 3 inches of snow on the ground, fell in the last couple of days, along with sub-zero weather . So cold that it froze my game camera batteries, did have a few pictures of does and a medium Buck, saw 50 plus deer, going up to retrieve the camera. Also a neighbor was running the rock rows looking for coyotes said his brother got one on our place earlier today. Have to ask you Aaron, that Christmas card picture? We're you and your Posse looking at a rerun of Family Guy? Or maybe Jeopardy?Interesting! Better go and watch Oregon State in their Bowl Game , Big Fan as long as they win by 3.

Back Baby!

Hello everyone, missed me? I 'm sure. Well It has come to my attention that you don't think my story's are true. Broken hearted would be an understatement, who do you think I am Clinton, with the Old " I didn't Inhale crap". No my bullshit is real, or is it?   Will share three stories with you  children, two are real one made up . You figure it out. I was sitting on the Hood of our 1958 Chevy grain truck spying on my neighbors who were also harvesting their wheat, waiting for my Father to blow the siren, he had jimmy rigged on the 510 Massey ferguson combine, to let me know when his grain hopper was full. My duty was to bee ready at a moments notice to come when called, and with my dad that was with a sense of urgency. I noticed a trail of smoke in the sky trailing to my North, just out my line of vision, an explosion ,huge ball of fire, nearly knocked me off the truck. I raced up to get Dad and we raced as much as a 1958 truck could race 1 mile north to my uncle Richards farm where we found a crater of unknown depth filled with fire and smoke. For you see what happened was that two Fighter Jets F 15's were playing chicken just to the south of the SweetGrass Hills and clipped wings ,one landing not 1000 feet from Richards house. The other landed some 20 miles away. Real story?    One evening while I was single in 1973 , being the swinging single that I was I went into Joplin  for an evening of embibing with my fellow losers, happened to be January 25 temp minus 45 . Took Dads 1968 Dodge 100 pickup had a flat just out of town, fixed it fine but it took about 20 minutes and it was the right rear tire which happened to be where the exhaust was. After nearly finishing I stood up and proceeded to pass out from the fumes. Thankfully I woke up sometime later with just a  touch of frostbite on my cheeks. Most morons would have gone home with a feeling that they just lucked out , not me. Went directly to the Palace Bar ,  got stupid drunk headed home around midnight only to roll said pick-up end for end 2 miles from home on a gravel road. The top was flattened 18 inches or so, all glass broken out of cab , landed on her wheels . After I blinked a few times I thought as only a Hi-Line drunk would do wonder if she'll run? It started up a nd I drove her home -45 degees, was sober as Judge Thomas when I got to the Farm. I am watched over.  Last  ,Sitting on a 24 passenger Plane on the runway in Spokane ,already nervous , BlackJack is not too crazy about flying especially on these little puddle jumpers. I noticed this nervous acting passenger two rows ahead and across the aisle, using my super human senses, by the time we landed in Great Falls !I had deducted thar this gentleman was the same person that I had seen on the evening news the previous night. He was the suspected serial Arsonist that had Butte Mt in a tizzy, The one thing that had this sleuth somewhat off was that he didn't have a mustache like in the photo. First chance I called the Great Falls Police Department to report this, The perp stayed on the plane , was heading on to Billings Mt.  Later that day I called the department back and low and behold,   Wait for it.    He was arrested when he departed the plane. With a clean shaven upper lip.

Whiskey River Take My Mind

It Did. There was an hour or two yesterday that the Mayan option was attractive. For you see Blackjack dove into a fine bottle of Whiskey and swam around for sometime. Barely surfaced . Yep I was that guy, the one at a Christmas party whom everybody finds obnoxious . Personal Responsibility Sorry Folks . Laying low for awhile. Pray for me. Actually don't use them up on me.

Music for the discerning listener

Lets all gather round chillen and talk about Rock and Roll. These opinions are of the Writer of this blog and therefor always right. ELO is the most under appreciated Group of all time, That's ALLTIME as Warner Wolfe says. From "Do Ya"-  "Strange Magic"-"evil Woman" ". " Telephone Line" will be panned by some of you as dopey but your wrong. The one that seals the deal is "Showdown". Surely you all remember the classic movie "Kingpin", the scene where Big Earn struts into the Bowling Alley ready for his run to stardom in The Las Vegas Open Tourney, only to be challenged mightily by Munson. With this tune playing ,and all those great athletes , As Chris Mathews from MSNBC would say "It sends chills down my Leg" . Listened to some Sirius Radio today they have whole stations for Bruce Springsteen, Grateful Dead,  and the one that really sucks is PearlJam. Try listening to these for 10 minutes each. You can't do it ,  You can't do it !  I've been asked to rail about our Leader Obama, but now isn't the time. You see I've been under the weather and fell and hit my head, concussion they say called the Hillary Syndrome promises to go away whenever I want it to. Just received a phone call from a neighbor who traps some ground to my North. He was checking his traps and came across a gruesome sight ,a herd of deer had been chased thru his traps. One had been caught in a snare which usually is set to break loose but he feels that the Wolves caught the said deer at the time it became entangled. Not much left of the deer, and Two sets of tracks that need to be verified by the Wolf Dude. The neighbor is quite sure that tracks are too big for a coyote. To be continued.
And remember If Your going to go out and "Wang Chung Tonight " Wear Protection!

What do you think Paul?

 Had the pleasure of sharing a cup of coffee with the gentleman who sold us our home in Missoula . He will be 92 in May. A very rare and interesting man to be sure. For example ,He wrote a Book on How to Live in Mexico on 5 dollars a day. He married a woman 34 years younger than he, this dude has it going on. Love to run things by him such as the latest tragedy in Conn, his take is we need more commen sense in everything. He joined the NRA in 1956 , felt that it was a great organization until 15 years ago when it "was taken over " by radicals. This from a man who lived off wildgame when we met, he and his wife would go to the Musselshell river valley and harvest 7 to 10 whitetail does every year. The ranchers would welcome them back because of an over population  problem. Before deer season they would also kill as many antelope as they could draw permits.He was bummed because 10 days before deer season this year he had a fall and ended up in the Hospital for 5 days . So my point is he knows there is a place for guns in our society. He correlated the need for common sense in Gun control , with the same needed in introducing and managing Wolves, and Bears and God knows what else in to society. He then went on to tell me a story of when his Dad and his brother would go down to the Guadalupe River  in Texas after the harvest was in, and fish for big Catfish. Their methods were quite effective, first put Lime in the bottom of a purex jug , the cork the top. Take an ice pick , put small hole in Cork. Tie rope to jug and rock on end of said rope, throw in deeper hole in river. Wait as jug slowly fills with water till thru the magic of Chemistry, BOOM . As JImmy Walker says DYNOMITE!  Catfish by the bucketful. Hope to visit more this winter with him, more stories to come .

blue Jays get their new Dick. Ey

 Taking a break from reality , lets talk baseball ,catchers and pitchers will be reporting in around two months. I'll welcome the distraction. How the Hell much did the Red Sox pay the Blue Jays for our new manager John Ferrill? Those crazy Canadians are trying to buy a pennant AYE. My SOX are going the route of spending big money on small talent, but what the Hell the cheapest seat in Fenway goes for 40 per game and there are 35000 seats and  84 games so you do the math, The owners were overheard saying "It is Good to be King". My sincere hope is when Gay Rod has his hip replaced they put the Damn thing on Backwards. So much Hate in me. IU lost to Butler over the weekend pretty hard for even me to root against a team like Butler, Love the way they play. IU could use some Testosterone Treatments.  Plowed snow today around the neighborhood and elsewhere, "They call me Mr Plow". That was a great Simpson's. There now I feel better.

Don't do it Obama

   I am giving him the benefit of the doubt , in saying that he wants to help . But 50 percent of the country do not like him or necessarily trust him so, his speaking on the tragedy in Connecticut will not help. Sorry to be blunt but there it is. Someone today said as much and I agree. The greatest change on the national social scene has been changes in drunk driving acceptance or better put not accepting it. The majotrity of these changes came not from Washington bt from Grassroots organizations like M.A.D.D,  and the likes ,so any Politician who grandstands now runs the chance of alienating too many people who otherwise might be open to change. And we do need an open and frank discussion about all aspects of this tragedy.

Is it time

  This will seem like a rambling mess, But I need to vent my spleen. Where do you start, maybe. With the old Who? A mentally deranged weak individual, What? A senseless tragedy that should be called a Murder of what seems like people we all know ,even though I couldn't find this city on a map. Where? What from all accounts is a upper middle class neighborhood that most of us would feel safe in living.     Now the four letter word Why?   This is where it gets tough. Ok, I,vs been sitting here for 5 minutes, time to go. Freedom, it is what makes America really Great, Responsibility. I think is what makes America even Greater. We that's right You, are responsible to keep an eye on each other and ourselves, to try and Help when needed, protect when possible, show courage when called upon. we can do this thing. As for me and I stress ME, it is time for a Nation wide discussion on all aspects of what happened. Gun control, violence in the media,mental health, etc. For the love of God we've had enough of these that there must be common denominators that we as a society can start putting the pieces together, I think there have been many that were stopped before they were able to kill, but not enough. We have learned we can't rely on our elected officials to get it right, or get anything done, so please look around pay attention to people around you including those closest, and get involved. I know that Evil is among us and It will be with us always. I got to quit!

Herding up

Took a drive this afternoon, stopped at one of our farmsteads and sighted Ina couple of guns, a 30-30 Winchester lever action peep sights.A very old gun not to sure my grandpa didn't shoot it. Put four shots at 75 yards in a circle I could hide with one hand, not bad. Then shot my 38 special pistol, not near as good with it! Need to practice with it, do have some shells that will fit in either my 38,Or the Highway Patrolman 357 that scares the Hell out of me. These shells are like 410 shotgun shells, would be great in a scuffle with a pothead maniac don't you think? Then the Big dog killer 223 Remington, Three shots at 125 yards inside of a 6 inch circle , as good as I can do.   Some of you are familiar with the recent story about The Fish and Game Commision voting to purchase land on the Milk River North of Hingham Montana.  Well My a opinion is it doesn't pass the smell test. I don't pretend to know all the details, just what I've read in the paper, they say the ranking of priority moved up from 15 to 1 recently that's strange. Also I am a little familiar with the ground and know people who are very, the consensus is this stretch of the Milk River will NEVER be a fishing River in fact I was told it regularly freezes solid in this location. As for hunting I have heard both extremes Great to Terrible, One of the quotes in the paper  I believe was from someone inside the Commision, was " We had to buy it, If we didn't someone else surely would" There have been talk of this ranch being for sale  for at least the last  15 years. When I was young and foolish in the 80's there was some land that came up for sale next to us and damn I wanted it bad, Dad just said ,do you really want it or do you just want to stop someone else from getting it? Wise words, I bought it.paid half again more then we should have, hated those payments for ten years. One thing I do feel is ,don't blame the seller  for taking an offer that was inflated. Also within 4 miles of the Homestead saw 80 whitetail deer Herding up, a few medium bucks and some helmet heads. Happy Hannukha.

it's not easy being Mr. Blog

 Just try and come with something new to write about every day.  Not easy, but all things are possible thru God who strengthens me,right?  Brings up the great song writer Billy Schafer, who once said " If you don't love Jesus,  Go To Hell!"  Sums up Christmas don't you think? I'm not on board with the Mayan Calender, you know the whole end of the world thing. But think there will be a Blog about it before Armegedon strikes.Had a great time yesterday had a coyote on the run with my faithful steed 1978 Wagoneer, was quite an adventure. But to my delight it ended well for me not to well for him . Nothing running around the creek, but my neighbor said that big Buck we had photos of during the season might, have survived he said he has been spotted up creek about 4 miles partying with some Does. Merry Christmas everyone.

Bob Costas is an Idiot

Let this Humble reporter be the first to say to Mr Bob Costas.  Sir it would be safe to say " If there were no cars in the world , that Football player from Dallas would be alive today!" He just couldn't let it go.  For your listening pleasure, I highly recommend the Christmas Cd, "IL DIVO" The CChristmas Collection". Four gay looking dudes who can really sing.  What makes it really good is they  sing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" on a Christmas CD, how cool is that.  I consider myself the worlds greatest authority on the best versions of this classic song. If you need to know my order goes 1.  Harry Nilsson's on the album "A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night"     2. Judy Garlands original Movie version.  3 The CD "IL DIVO" that I'M pimping,  4. The one sung by that fat Hawiaan King or something accompanied by the Ukelelly " sp".   Would consider any of yours. If anyone out there knows of a coulee  18 miles down river from Miles City called, Cohn's Coulee let me know. This came up in a non-fiction book I'm reading about a famous robbery by Big Nose George in 1878. Good shit, don't you wish we could call each other by such colorful names,  Dog Breath? By the way Harry Nilsson had the best voice in the History of Rock and Roll, Your thoughts?

The Camptownlady

Make note of the title of this post....My take is that most of my loyal followers are either Montanan's or want to be. Google this title " Camptown Lady "and you are in for a real treat. Some of Montana's best and brightest people who happen to live in Missoula have started this website to cover the whole state with articles from Chester to Ennis , from Terry to Superior. You will thank me,  please send money. After watching an interview with the two leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy, Johnny Football who has an uncanny resemblance to Mitchell's friend "Barney", and MantiTeo the stud from Notre Dame. I feel better about the future of college football, both great men. Wish I could spend this evening talking with Rita's dad Phil and Uncle Bob, about their rememberances of their time during World War Two.  Just another regret, If you can talk to someone from those times , Do It.

Survived

Yes ! I survived, just woke up actually took a two hour nap could have slept longer but Rita woke me up .Seems I was sobbing and crying out loud " Oh Damn I've been Buggered again!  Truth is it went perfectly , did find a set of keys for a 74 Chevy Monte Carlo and 3 bottle caps, Schlitz of course.  That's how we rolled in the 70's. Just a thought why aren't the Major Leagues full of Pitchers  from the Middle East?  The way those morons throw rocks at protests they all should be Sandy Kofax's, bad choice actually he is a Jew.  That is all for now off to my Support Group

" Oops I crapped my pants"

 Not yet, going thru the prep for a Colonoscopy tomorrow. A scheduled procedure nothing wrong. Had one five years ago in Great Falls,  time for another.  Not in Great Falls this time. As I was coming out of the Anesthesia I witnessed some sort of transaction between Dr Molloy and three rather unsavory gentleman. There seemed to be money changing hands and they were sharing a good laugh...... Sorry I had a shudder. Will fill you in on what they find in there, hoping for an early Christmas gift.  Just finished watching the great speech by Jim Valvano  20 years ago , to Quote  Emmit Smith " Don't Give up,  Don't EVEN Give Up."    What a tool.  got to Go.......

PS.

Forgot a couple ,1974 was the first year the Bar Code was used in supermarkets,   And also the first MRI was used. And all of Cory's buddies had to start wearing pocket protectors for the new invention,    Pocket calculators.

I love my wife!

Our anniversary has come and gone , and I need to say a few things.  November 30,1974 will go  down in infamy, that was the day my life started. Like Rick Majerus once said " Never marry a beautiful woman, because she'll leave you. An ugly one will leave you too, but who cares."  God rest the fat mans soul. I was lucky enough to marry a beautiful woman and if I do say so getting prettier every year. As for 1974 Here are some facts for you.  Hank Aaron broke Ruth's home run record 4-8-1974. Hit his #715, Who did he hit it off Ted?   Oakland A's won the World Series.   Miami Dolphins bested Clara's Minnesota Vikings in the Super Bowl.    Oklahoma Sooners won the College Football Championship.     Headlines from the Year, Global recession deepens,    Kissinger convinces Syria and Isreal to try a ceasefire, Sound familiar?  IRA bomb The London Tower.  India successfully test an Atomic weapon making them the 6 th nation to acquire nuclear capabilities. Doesn't Wyoming have that now?   Nixon and Breshnev meet in Moscow to talk of weapons treaty, and also to see who was the crazier of the two. my money was on Breshnev, best eyebrows EVER.  Then " Sure as Hell" Nixon had to resign, over some silly misunderstanding, it's not like he was getting Hummers in the Oral Office or anything.   some of you might remember this story ,A rich socialite girl from San Francisco was kidnapped by a bunch of whack o's called The Symbionese  Liberation Army. their demands were  " You must give every needy person in California 70 dollars of food" Or else the Dame gets it. As it turned out the little "Rich Bitch" was in on it from the start. That was how we rolled in "The 70's".  Ps.  Gas went for 55 cents a gallon,       Average Home in America went for $34,500,     Avg.  rent &185 per month,   That new Chevy went for &3,750.   Best flicks were The Sting,   Godfather II.   my personal favorite,  was Blazing Saddles.   Boy do I feel old.....