Wyoming Pictures

Wyoming Wind Power galore...

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Wyoming Snow Power... still have snow in late May.

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Thunderheads in Wyoming - some kind of awesome display of lightning with the sun shining in the opposite direction.

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A barn in need of paint but still standing tall, somewhere in Wyoming...

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A butte in central Wyoming - the skies were blue and the cumulus were frequent.

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I stopped into a coffee shop in the middle of Lusk and fell into an early morning Toastmasters meeting - there were a dozen of them I would guess. The center guy is the Toastmaster, I think his name was Loyd. He was proposing a dues increase, it appeared that not everybody was behind it as they were saying "Lord (I think they meant Loyd) we are just fishermen and the fishing sucks." Loyd gave a stupendous speech (3-minutes, although the red light came on at the end) about giving a man a fish and he eats for a day, teaching a man to fish and he eats forever. Only he substituted the words "charge" for "give" and "teach". It was a fantastic use of illiteration and substitution, the likes I have never seen. Before the meeting was over, not only were the Toastmasters donating but the waitresses were too. It was something to behold. Good job Loyd!!

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A Memorial Weekend Family Outing to the Y

Grampa attempting to not look fat by flexing his measly arm muscles and trying to suck in his stomach at the same time. Both girls laughing heartedly at his attempt to look like his former self. He has really gotten fat since he turned 58.

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Grampa attempting to look fat, squinching his face in an attempt to make his cheeks look fat and rollish. Erica congratulating him on how well he was doing.

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Michael is Home!!

Vinny Took Me to the Auction

Carol has a new car - Vinny sold us a nice BMW Station Wagon - I can sleep in it!!

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I flew to KC to pick up the car and Vinny and I spent the morning at the auction. We were checking out some commercial vans that had some great racks.

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We tried to determine what kind of business that was done in these vans... there were drawers labeled, nuts, bolts and...

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...butt plugs - Vinny thinks this van came from San Francisco.

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Last Day of School Dance Party

Amigos Fundraiser - Food, Drinks and Great Country Music

The Four Tooth Apple Eater

Speed Master Tools - Now There is a Wedding Present!

Loyd told me that he knows exactly how old this tool box and set of sockets and wrenches are as he received them from Max on April 14, 1947, his Wedding Day. Max cannot remember where she bought them but sort of remembers paying about $25 for the box and the tools.

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Loyd is not sure which of the tools would have come in the original tool box other than the sockets. There are a few sockets in the box that appear to be strays, otherwise they are the Speed Master brand.

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I went into google and found a site called "Papawswrench.com" and several people also commented on their own old Speed Master tools. Several of the posts believe that this brand of tools was sold either at Wards or Western Auto. In fact, now that I look closer, you can see a M/W between the SPEED and the MASTER. I guess that gives Monkey Wards the edge.

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Finally Home - Went to Chunky Cheese to Celebrate

Finally back home after two weeks away. I had a little chat with the girl's this morning - they told me that they did not have much fun while I was gone. I told them that I would be home for awhile - they both cheered up.

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I told them that I would take them to Chunky Cheese if they would make funny faces with me at the Sketch Machine. Panama agreed, Amaya didn't know what I was talking about - but she kept making confused funny faces so we rushed to Chunky's before she could figure it out.

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We are at Chunky Cheese and all is good in the world...

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Panama sidled up to me and said she was really happy to have me back...

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Carol sidled up to me and said it was really good to have me back...

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Amaya sidled up to me, put her hand in my pocket and took out tokens...

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We all decided to make funny faces at the Sketch Machine. Panama and Amaya were further embelished with two moustaches and one goatee.

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Carol and Amaya did not attempt to make any funny faces on this picture so I drew them on...

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Amaya said this was a really dumb thing to do so she refused to make a funny face. So I attempted to draw a handlebar moustache onto her tiny little profile. I attempted to act grumpy even though I never am. Actually I was grumpy because Amaya would not make a funny face. Panama knew that and told me during this picture that since I was really grumpy, making this face did not really qualify as a funny face. She said that since I was grumpy, a funny face would be the opposite face. Since I am really grumpy, if I smiled that would really be the equivalent of a funny face. I put her in time-out til the pizza came.

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Mitchell, South Dakota Happenings

Guess where in my travels I took this cool picture?

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Pat & Sandy have this in front of the house. Now that their soldier-son is home, they capped the guns with champaigne corks. Here is wishing that all American parents can do the same...

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My teardrop trailer has a new home. I am happy to say that my brother Pat is going to give it a new comfortable home. Here is hoping that Pat & Andrew give it a good tour of God bless America.

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The Max & Loyd deck is done - 2-1/2 coats of redwood paint after a 200 lb water pressure wash. No chipping expected on this deck. Warranted for at least, lets say 5-years.

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I went to my sister's house for Mothers Day - she has a wonderful family and entertains well in her new custom home in Soo Foo. She surprised me late in the day by telling me that I have a "beautiful head of hair." I was shocked. No one has ever complimented my hair. I realized later in the evening, while laying in bed that I do not even compliment my hair. I hardly even think of my hair. I never talk to my hair. I comb it once a day and then totally ignore it. My sister woke me up to the fact that I have probably let my hair down. It lays there at my mercy with nary a potential hope of recognition. I felt guilty. The next morning after getting up, I took a picture of my hair. Here it is... dedicated to my sister. Thank you Steph for making me realize that I need to be more cognizant of my hair.

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Keith and Doug below after several days of work taking the chicken coop down. Barb is trying to get Keith and I to pose. I pose well, Keith wanted to go back to work. (Keith, we are retired we have lots of time for posing now...)

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Miscellaneous Pictures from the BNA to SLC to MHE to KCI to BNA Trip

A look out the rear view mirror at a sunset somewhere along the way.

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A look out the front at a sunrise somewhere in Colorado as I recall.

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A fused plate that I found at Steph's place.

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My hangliding/camping rig at a rest area somewhere in Colorado.

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Our favorite hot water spa in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

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A load of Smart Cars noted at a Colorado rest area.

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Loyd is selling a nice looking Hammond organ. Let him know if you want some music in your house - he will make you a great deal.

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Another rest area, this one just before entering South Dakota via Edgemont from Wyoming. The wind is strong in Wyoming!

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A very old, fantastic garage workshop found on Havens on the same block that LaVonne lives on. We are presuming that the garage was built by the family in Mitchell that did cement work for decades. (I think that their name was Shermbrandt?) This would be a great garage/workshop.

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Vinny & Carolyn put me up for the night on my way back to BNA. We ate a Mexican restaurant and had a couple of margaritas. I also spied a 2000 BMW wagon in his driveway. It is long enough to sleep in...

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