Almost all our leaves are gone and the ones left have a brownish rather than gold tint. Our weather this week has been amazing–it was 70 degrees with sunshine today!
The high school in Big Timber offers adult education classes during the school term. We are usually in Arizona by the time the classes start but this year is different. One of the classes offered was a Chinese appetizer cooking class to be held at the private home of a talented local cook. Tom and Lynn’s kitchen is every cook’s dream kitchen–huge industrial stove and hood, stainless steel sink and counter tops–gorgeous! We chopped, stir fried, sipped wine, dipped and sampled. We learned how to make egg rolls and fried wantons–Chinese food is a lot of work! And the egg rolls and wantons are deep fat fried–not exactly healthy–but delicious! There were five “students” and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. We don’t drive much at night any longer–doesn’t that make me sound old!!–and I slowly drove back up the Boulder dodging the deer and elk to find dear husband waiting up for me.
We’ve spent a lot of time at Nat’s the last few days–Nat’s life is ebbing away. Our small family has been gathering at his bedside off and on. Jenn and Barb have been providing such tender, loving care for Nat. It’s a hard time for Nat’s family but he’s lived a good life and is ready to go.
Today we took some time and went to Billings. The Cowboy received his Shingrix vaccine at Costco and we both got the flu vaccine. We had a good lunch at Jake’s, shopped a little and came home. I’ve loaded a quilt on the frame and the Cowboy examined the backs of his eyelids. He’s not having any side effects so far from his Shingrix vaccine other than a sore arm–a good thing!
Grubby hat, grubby coat but still my favorite Cowboy on a chilly fall morning.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
Having been there on the bedside watch not too long ago, I know how awfully difficult it is.It’s normal but it isn’t. It’s sad but there’s no other way to feel. It’s feeling helpless,and yet wondering if there is something to help you both get through. This is the time for reliving events and people together and helping him feel the love all around him. In doing that, you are helping each other. Still, it’s a hard time for all.
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The Cowboy feels his Dad is all ready gone, his body just hasn’t caught up yet and yes, it is still hard.
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In my much younger life I enjoyed cooking with a Wok and doing a lot with wontons skins. Sounds like a fun class. We always laugh when we occasionally find ourselves “outside at night” and comment on what big kids we are :-)) Glad the family is getting to spend some final time with Nat, never something regretted. Love, love the pic of Michael – frameable!
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I don’t think I will be doing much Chinese cooking–it was a fun class but all that deep fried business is not for me–too much mess and not good for us.
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So difficult to watch a life slip away. Even if they are ready we never are.
Glad cowboy hasn’t had much reaction to the shingrix. I didn’t either to the first one last spring but oh boy did I to the 2nd one.
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It is difficult Jeanne–Nat is just a mere skeleton of his self both body and mind.
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So glad you are there so close to spend these days with Nat. Our thoughts are with you, Michael, and the family:)
I have loved joining you for the Chinese cooking class. I LOVE egg rolls and fried wantons! I have a package of wantons in my refrigerator right now. My intention was Wonton Soup. It is just too much work to make wontons. I can only imagine the egg roll work. And who wants to heat up all that oil. But they sure are yummy!
Love your final photo:)
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The class was lots of fun but as I said, I don’t think I will be firing up my wok very often! The eggrolls were to die for–nothing like what you eat in a Chinese restaurant!
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