My Birthday and Thanksgiving

Well, we finally got our first decent snow here in Montana.  With that cold air came some beautiful scenery and sunsets.

Sunset at Emigrant and Chico Peaks

Thunder and Storm got to experience their first snow.  That was pretty funny, but I couldn't capture it very well with photos.  The cats would put their paws in the snow, then shake them, and lick their paws.  They tried licking the snow on the ground.  Watching them walk through the snow was amusing; they'd stop often to shake their paws.

My Aunt Anita came over to the house for the week of November 13.  She had come from Deer Lodge to go to a conference in Mammoth regarding outside contracting.  She didn't really know that my birthday was that week, but I didn't get an opportunity to explain to her that I had plans for my birthday.

My birthday was eventful.  I drove to Bozeman to have lunch with my aunts Jean and Zana.  Jean only had one day off that week, so I decided that I would go see her.  We met at Walmart.  Dad, Bonnie, and Wilma happened to be in Walmart at the same time, though Dad and Bonnie had forgotten that I would be in town.  They'd already eaten because they took Steve to the airport that day, so Jean and I walked to Santa Fe Red's.  It's been a long time since I've seen Zana, so I was happy to visit with her.

Zana had to go home because the kids were going to get out of school soon, so Jean and I spent the rest of the afternoon together.  We walked around Gallatin Valley Mall and then had to say our farewells.  I don't get to see Jean often enough.  On our previous schedules we both had quite a bit of time with each other, but lately it's been kind of tight.

We had a quiet but fun Thanksgiving at my house this year.  Jean came over from Bozeman, and Dad and Bonnie came from Livingston.  Dad and Bonnie provided the turkey, stuffing, and gravy.  Jean baked the pumpkin pie, and of course, made her famous dinner rolls.  I made the vegetables: carrots with lemon dill butter, asparagus with Parmesan, and green beans with bacon and onions.  We had riced potatoes and cranberry sauce too.  Scott and Amanda Skyped us that afternoon.  That was Dad's first time using Skype to video chat.  He got to see what Scott's and Amanda's place looked like.  After feasting, Jean and Bonnie helped with cleaning.  I taught Dad how to play Phase 10, another first for him.  That afternoon we watched NCIS and ate pumpkin pie à la mode.  Jean commented that this was the first Thanksgiving that she has had at the house since she graduated from high school.

No, it's not Halloween, and no, Dad and Bonnie don't drink! lol