We woke up around 6am and showered and dressed for our last morning at the ranch. It was 35 degrees, a nice Wyoming May morning. After breakfast, the boys hooked up with Nancy, a new 64 year old fishing guide from Pennsylvania. They took off in a Ranger (4 wheel drive vehicle) for some pond way up somewhere. Meanwhile the misses and I were going to ride horses but she was a little stiff in the neck from paint ball the day before so I decided to stay with her. Instead we moseyed around taking some pictures and checking out some horses and additional cabins. The boys returned around 11:30 and although it was chilly, Nancy said the oldest caught the biggest fish she’d seen on the ranch, well over 20 inches and 5 pounds. Now this is big for a trout if you don’t know. The youngest caught a 15 incher as well so fishing was a success.
We headed into the lodge for lunch before we packed up and headed back to the Denver. By 1pm we hit the road and 3 1/2 hours later were back in the city. The cotton from or cottonwood tree was falling in full force and it was kind of smelly compared to the sage in the mountains. Uncle T made us a great dinner which was nice as we didn’t have the energy to get anything together. Thanks much. The dogs were fine and nothing else much changed down here.
We were all  sitting around on the couch last night and almost in unison, we all said we want to live at the ranch! Now we know this isn’t practical right now but we have to figure out a way so in a few years we can spend more time up there. We all just seem more relaxed, happy and healthier up there. It’s like we’re supposed to be there. There was no tv, no video games, lots of physical activity and it seems just a better quality of life when you look at everyone who lives up there. It also might sound funny but the people are nicer too. Maybe to start we can figure out a way to start spending some part of the summers up there. This year we have a plan to finish up repairing all the fences, putting up some big gates, (the big log ones you see on ranches with the help of some guys at Brush Creek) getting new signs on the fence lines (the old ones are beat and shot up from years of weather and neglect) and finishing off a road, with the help of Ed and Ned. We should have some new signs pretty quick so those will be the first to go up. All 4 wells and windmills are all running again this year which is good meaning that they wintered just fine. We at least know what we want to do and are beginning to make a plan. I’ll always remember all my dad wanted was a place up there to relax and retire or just spend some time. He never got it done and I feel bad for him as I know that’s where he was the happiest, you could see it in his eyes every time he was there. Even when he had Alzheimer’s, he would take off just walking knowing exactly where he was going. We of course didn’t know, but soon found him. I should have done more to help him realize his dream as he started his life there and I believe would have liked to finish his life there. Remember no one is ever on their death bed saying “I wish I worked more!”.  Someway somehow, we will sooner or later get to the open range. We’ll keep you posted on our progress.
Meanwhile back in the city, we have two and a half days of school left. All the boys will do is play as there’s no real work that’ll get done. The kids are just making up some days lost to snow that the district requires to get full funding. I’m running to Boulder today to help the guys at Brush Creek out with a gun deal for their shooting club. They’d bought 10 new shotguns that were the wrong kind so I agreed to see if I could help them trade them in for what they really wanted in the first place. They’ve been so kind to us, anything I can do to help them, I’m happy to do. We also took some sales packages home with us as we know some people that would for sure be interested in going up for a few days.
The oldest and I saw Grandma briefly last night and she looked good. Uncle T said he made sure to point out that I said she knew all the old country songs because she was old, thanks Uncle T! I made sure she knew what I meant meaning that the songs were just from her generation. The boys are getting sucked right back into tv and ipads and Mom and I are trying to keep them off it. I think swim team starts after school today but am not sure, Mom will have to check it out. She has two doctor appointments today and we think work is going to fire her as soon as the doctors say she can go back as one of the employees told her so. What a crappy thing to do. I don’t think she would have been able to go back to doing the same job anyhow but to fire her after she was hurt on the job just isn’t right.
Oh well, everything happens for a reason so we’ll see what comes next.
Time to run, hope everyone is well. Remember you all need to let us know what you did for the big weekend so we can share with everyone else. Don’t make us chase you down for it, post it now! God Bless
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