Our friend Sue posted this photo and link on Facebook early this morning–it tells the tale. It’s a smoke map and as you can see southeastern Montana is in the red zone. Saturday was miserably hot and so smokey we could see no mountains–it was as if they didn’t exist. Fall can’t come soon enough for this girl!
The Cowboy has been working away in the motorhome with the air conditioner running. Friday we did make a run to Livingston–he had an appointment to have his drivers license renewed. When we drove through Big Timber on the way to Livingston I scored pizza dough from our new boutique grocery store!!!
And Friday was a really good day–I had gotten up that morning telling myself today was the day–I was somehow going to get an appointment scheduled with an orthopedic surgeon. While we were out walking Dr. Fischer’s office called and left a message. The surgeon had reviewed my records and an appointment could be scheduled. Late September was the earliest they could see me but at least there is help on the horizon! We both need help!–if it’s not my knee it’s the Cowboy’s ankle! We take turns walking Emmi.😁😁
Recently I wrote a blog about my love for reading and mentioned what I was currently reading–A Good Neighborhood.” Whew–I did NOT like that book and almost stopped reading it. One of the main characters was so morally flawed, too much bad happened to other characters, there was an undercurrent of sexual abuse and the ending was incredibly sad. A high school classmate Karen recommended The Radium Girls and I was able to obtain the audio book from one of the library systems I use–what an eye opening book!! During the early 1900’s young women, some as young as 13 were hired at good wages to paint clock dials with radium!!! so the dials would glow in the dark. The radium powder made the girls glow in the dark too! As you can imagine, many of those girls lost their lives due to exposure to a substance not yet regulated.
Another high school classmate Myra recommended Hillbilly Elegy, a memoir and another one I’m having trouble leaving on the table while I knit and listen to The Radium Girls. A struggle indeed! I did read and finish another little book recommended by yet another classmate Joe–he had gone to Bible college with the author of 1000 Strangers In My Car. Joe’s classmate was a minister for 30+ years before Parkinson’s disease affected his voice. The author struggled to find employment after leaving the ministry and became an Uber driver. It’s a quick read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
My latest knitting project is progressing–not rapidly but progressing. I’m still cooking. We have a busy week coming up–two trips to Billings for doctors appointments–this getting old isn’t for sissies!
This photo was taken on Friday–Saturday and Sunday we couldn’t see these foothills from our house.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
We’ve been having the smoke, as well. Mountains are disappearing. Sky is white instead of blue. Glad you got an appointment with the Ortho Surgeon!!. I’ve been getting my pizza dough from Trader Joe’s. The pizza has been so good that’s all we have now. Hope your dough is as good.
LikeLike
We weren’t impressed with this pizza dough—on to try something different. No Trader Joe’s in Montana.😩😩
LikeLike
I’ve always found it hard to put down a good book and can get nothing else done while reading It. The smoke is terrible…we even smelled the smoke last week which was a first for us. It’s a sad state of affairs…wish some of the rain from the Gulf could be directed toward California and Colorado. Can’t wait to see your next knitting project…my progress is slow! Gay
LikeLike
We too wish it would rain, as September nears our chances of rain are greater–at least that’s usually the case. The smoke was awful on Monday but we still have no smell. My knitting progress is still slow Gay–but much faster than when I started and not as many mistakes to fix!
LikeLike
Those skies remind me of our late summer trying to escape the smoke through Idaho a couple years ago. Miserable! Our smoke is staying in the surrounding hills so far and fingers crossed it continues to keep its distance. I have an audio book in the Jeep, non-fiction in the living room, and a couple novels in the bedroom – sooo much to read!! Hopefully the surgeon can get you both fixed up quickly and you can move beyond the pain 🙂
LikeLike
Hopefully after tonight our smoke will be gone—rain and much cooler temps, it’s that time of year. Hope your smoke stays away. Reading is the best!
LikeLike
I read Hillbilly Elegy. I can remember sitting in our car somewhere in Mansfield Texas reading the book. I found it engrossing.
LikeLike
It is an engrossing book and disturbing.
LikeLike