Good Night All

[Judy Harder]

Diane,

Glad your trip is going well. I have sure enjoyed riding? along with you.

My daughter, Robyn lives in Wisconsin and she has picked up the accent of the area.
The heritage up there is more Swedish and German and then you have the different accents of
those areas and it is fun listening to all the tallk.

It is funny how we do pick up the dialect of a region the longer we live there.
My oldest lived in North Carolina and when he married Jenny, she was southern and it didn't take him long to
pick up the accent.

Hope you can avoid the storms the rest of your trip.
We had another storm go through this morning, at least an inch.........and IT IS STILL COMING.

Not wishing it gone, but a few days of drying out would be oh, so nice.

God bless and keep you and Al

[Bonnie M.]

Diane, I'm glad you're moving along safely.  When we accompanied the Elk County Extension group to Mt. Rushmore a few years ago, we went to the places you have mentioned.  I bought a cook book and a poster at the Wall Drug Store, that was an amazing place!  The ice cream was good there, also.   Are you noticing any fewer cars on the Highways?  We're going to be driving to Branson the first week in July, and we received an e-mail from the Branson Chamber of Commerce saying that:  "the Branson Chamber of Commerce is currently issuing Gas Buster Discount Cards to help alleviate the burden of the rising gas prices. Simply save your gas receipts from your drive to Branson. So long as the gas receipts combine for a total of $50 or more, you will be able to go to either of the area's Chamber of Commerce & CVB Welcome Centers and receive a $50 Gas Buster Discount Card. As the name implies, the card will feature $50 dollars in savings for area attractions, dining, retail and more!"  So, that is an incentive for people to drive to Branson for their vacations.

Have fun out there!

[Teresa]

Back to the room and it is a blessing that we have air conditioning . 

Here in Albuquerque it is HOT & DRY and Windy... ..and did I say HOT? ....104 degrees.. 

We have been told that summers are hot and dry, winters are cold and windy. Vegetation is desert scrub, semi-arid grasslands, and some pinyon-juniper woodlands on the mesa tops.

To think that tribes of people ( Anasazi's  ) used to literally survive out in the middle of all of this (and knew that there was nothing else in the world) is amazing.
Tough species back then.

We have had a few days before the real work begins, so we have taken the opportunity to delve into the history and lifestyles of the prehistory peoples of the area. The museums and local places to visit along with the vast country to explore has been a wonderful experience. Things like this fascinates us. We love it.
Tomorrow we are going to what is called "Old Town"..so there is loads of history there too..

Then Wednesday.. it is WORK WORK WORK until Sunday night. 
We will be filming for the TV show Cowboys..and also for Down Range. This is on a 15,000 acre piece of property and there is LOTS going on.. Lots of music, shootin' and fun..( so can't complain too much about a job like that) 

http://sassnet.com/EoT/home.php

Then Saturday is the gala event ( another one of those 1800's balls.) .so I get to wear my new dress and hat that Carol Nigh made me. It is awesome I have to say...and even though it is going to be hot, I'll still put on those elbow length gloves ..that corset and 4 petticoats  dress hat ..etc... and sweat and smile.. 

Goodnight all..........

[flo]

the first time I went to California to visit my mother, in 1956, the highway ( I think it was Route 66) went through "old town" - --was I ever disappointed when I next went through there, in the mid 80's, and one of those durn "by-passes" went all the way around.  Time saver for drivers, but I missed the "local culture" and sights.  I'd much rather go through those towns than around them, but then I don't travel to get from point A to point B the fastest way possible. Enjoy your visit and fill us all in when you get back.

[Jo McDonald]

Diane, I hope you enjoy the Badlands your first time through, as much as I did, back in 1952.  I was 3 months pregnant with Teresa, and it was not as commerical as it is now.  We had no air conditioning in the car, and it was in August, so~needless to say it was hottern' the hubs of Hades..we went across and up through Deadwood - then the Needles highway and headed n/east to Minnesota.  When we had read the signs for miles and miles "Don't miss Wall Drug Store" we were more than ready for some ice water and that good good ice cream.  It is truly a great trip and I am so glad you and Al are still having fun.
Keep us posted!!!

[sixdogsmom]

I guess if you do not get to do something in your life, raise some 'children' who can. I have not gotten to visit Mount Rushmore (yet), so it is nice to know that these flower children have made the excursion in my place. Have a great trip! And keep us all posted!

[sixdogsmom]

I had my own little excursion yesterday. I finally persuaded Ted to drive the 1 1/4 miles off the main highway and let me visit Arnolds' Greenhouse. It is just off of 75 highway almost to Burlington in Coffee county. Wow! Was I impressed! I didn't even make a dent in seeing all the flowering plants before I started to feel guilty about hubby sitting in the hot van waiting for me. I did buy a couple of flowering tropical vines to experiment with. I think the Elk county bus took a trip to Arnolds' this past spring, hope they go again and can attatch a trailer as I plan to go with them this time! 

[Teresa]

It is very late  here.. but we just got back to the room and while Marshal. ( opps... I mean Kjell) is getting tomorrows producing agenda down with the crew.. I am laying out the clothes we have to wear.
We have had a nice relaxing couple of days .. but now everyone is here and the work begins. We were at the range all afternoon and it is so hot and windy and dirty. I mean to tell you all that the dirt here is like flour. It is THAT fine and it blows in and on everything.
So we expect to be dirty and sweaty all day tomorrow. I was in street clothes ( Capri's and a t-shirt) today bit there were lots of women  at the range that was already in their finery. Hats and bustles and parasols and they were beautiful. (and hot) LOL
Since we were not in full work force and just there talking to old friends and scoping out the place..I had time to shop..
What fun. I met up with a gal that is a "partner in crime " every time we get together..and she and I ran around to some of the vender's tents and did we ever find some pretty things. 
Among many things...I bought me some "hair".. Yes you heard me right. A couple weeks ago I had Mark cut off about 7" off my hair. So now I have short hair and back in "the day" women who had short hair were considered " soiled doves ".
Well, The Marshal's wife couldn't be a soiled dove, so I had to have some long curly hair.
Kate is well known in the Cowboy clothing of the 1800's world as having the best wigs and hairpieces around. They feel just like real hair and the colors match perfectly to your own color.. soooooo I got me some "hair".. lol lol

Then I found the perfect white beaded evening bag.. and a a pink skirt with black lace ruffles..and a white skirt with eyelet  lace and red bloomers to wear underneath ( of course).
I tried on a full 4 piece outfit with a "to die for" corset , (to be worn on the outside).. that I just loved and fit me to a tee.. but  even though everyone told me that $175.00 was cheap for it.. it was still a bit too much for me to let go of. (Carol Nigh has spoiled me rotten on sewing for me  )  So I didn't buy it.

So we came back.. had dinner with friends and sat outside on the veranda and had drinks and laughed and talked until now. What a nice way to end the day.

G'night everyone.

[Roma Jean Turner]

I'll just be waitin' to see some video when you guys get home.

[sixdogsmom]

Diane, I knew an elderly lady years ago whose mother had taken in Calamity Janes' illegitimate child; a little girl. She cared for the girl off and on during her growing up years. Mildred (my friend), was very well educated and participated in the womens studies that were done in the 1970s. There is a recording she wrote about Calamity Jane somewhere in the Wichita State University archives. It is very sad, and the recording was done excellently and quite haunting. Jane gave birth to this child of WB Hickock in a cave all alone. Not very glamorous.