A not-so-new party game is resurrected!

This is the girls . . . We like to get together, chat, drink wine, share embarrassing stories,
you know. . . Girl Stuff.

We also like to play a fun game.

The goal of the game is to put a quarter where Darcy is demonstrating . . .

Develop a technique that works best for your "body type" to move across the room . . .

And walk across the room and drop the quarter in a bowl or cup - slowly adding
more quarters to the "pile."


And then celebrate with your friends when you successfully walk five quarters AND a bottle cap across the room and get them ALL in the little bowl.

DISCLAIMER: NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED, SMALL BUTTED . . . OR SOBER, REALLY.

ANOTHER DISCLAIMER: THIS WAS THE GAME WHEN I BUSTED MY TOE UP REALLY BAD.

Lots to Celebrate!

First, PETER PASSED HIS OUTFITTERS TEST WITH FLYING COLORS! I got a call from him at 11:30 yesterday from Helena and I could literally see his grin through the phone. He was so happy and he sounded like an enormous weight had been lifted! I am married to such a smart, wonderful man!

It was a tough test and many in his testing group didn't even pass. So, it was a big accomplishment for sure and a huge step in Pete's quest to hold the title of "best outfitter in the world." (honor given by me).

I am so proud and happy for Peter-O (for outfitter - that is his new nickname by the way).

Second, Laurie and Mike have some terrific new neighbors - Christopher and Sophie. It was Sophie's birthday yesterday so Laurie hosted a beautiful birthday dinner for her. Two different Thai dishes, salad and ice-cream and strawberries.


The whole evening reminded me of a quaint, sweet evening in Paris ... Great conversation, delicious food, eating slow, lots of wine . . . It also helps that Sophie has the most beautiful French Canadian accent which makes every word so much more fun. She just moved to Montana from Quebec to be with Christopher and will actually be living in both places for a while. She left today to go back to Quebec and spend time with her kids, then be back in June with the boys for the summer.

Great people, great dinner, LOTS to celebrate last night.


A few of the conversation highlights: how each couple met (fun stories), speaking french, working on a line crew, real world ranching vs. diamond stud pants ranchers, conspiracy theories, Mike convinced us all that"we did NOT land on the moon!", we don't like trophy hunters, Laurie looked hot, we hope Christopher baths and mows his grass while Sophie is away, the Cox kids peeing in public, cock strength (that is being stronger than your size), UFO's have been seen by many of us and we have had alien experiences, nice ghosts? are they in Laurie's house? , ouigi boards are freaky, Livingston is Pleasantville (but it really sucks - tell your friends), and how sweet Sophie is.

We will miss you Sophie - Happy Birthday, look forward to seeing you and your boys in June and CONGRATS Peter!

Gossip Girls

While I shamelessly admit that the Gossip Girls show is a bit fascinating in a teeny bop unrealistic way... that is not the gossip girls I am talking about.

So, what do women talk about when they get together and drink bottle(s) of wine?

paint colors, remodeling techniques, working with your spouse during a remodel, i like this wine, cute jeans, new shoes?, I am PMSing too!, how do I get my husband to pick up his stuff?, wow - she has had too much to drink, electrolysis, if i ever end up in a nursing home... turn the hair trimmer to a 3, those potatoes have white heads, my mustache is getting worse, I think I found the bolt, remember when we fell down on the dance floor?, I will never re-finish floors again!, can three year olds go pee by themselves, why were those boys doing sit ups together, finally the MEN are having to diet, i ate way too much tonight, why do you eat more when no one is watching you?, let me TELL you why I didn't sleep well last night! wanna go for a run?, I now need to hold my legs together when I sneeze!, are we at that age already?, wedding plans, vegas strippers, 80's party girls, winter grand canyon trips, 23 days in a boat!, jim, is this a saturday night live skit?, he now knows to keep his oil stained pants away from my work clothes, why do you change your own oil when they will do it for $29.95 w/ a free car wash and vacuum? can you see my tree-trunk whisker?, why pluck it, what else would I play with when I think, she channels spirits, pyramid marketing schemes, and oh so much more!

what the boys talked about while we were "wining": big elk, bows, guns, regular elk, goats, fish, big fish, are you hungry?

Another 49'er Winer

The girls of Livingston get together each month to drink wine and have fun. Each month a new girl "hosts" and this months gathering took place at Shana's house last night. I was thrilled because she is literally 2 blocks from my house which means my walk home AFTER my bottle of wine was much shorter than usual.

Jacqueline and new Livingston-ite Sarah came over to our house for a pre-winer winer... It is always fun to just chat and hang out with your girls. Jacqueline had to leave early b/c her awesome boyfriend bought them dance lessons for Christmas. Isn't that adorable? Soon, they will tearing up the dance floors and trying out for Dancing with the Stars. Sarah and I meandered down the street to see who was out and about this month...

Shana, Christina, and Levia "wining"

Shana is awesome. For those that don't know her, let me give you a run down - she hunts more and better than most dudes, she hunts with a bow, a recurve bow, that she made herself out of wood! The delicious food she cooked last night came from one of the THREE deer she killed herself this season. The cute house that she hosted us in has been gutted and remodeled by her! She is a carpenter and works construction and she just took out her old floors, cut and laid brand new gorgeous hardwood, tore out a wall, DRYWALLED it, painted it and hand crafted a lovely new peninsula. She makes furniture and can do just about anything handy and hard. PLUS - she is just super fun, super beautiful and hilarious.

In a nutshell -- Shana is my hero. Her fiance literally hit the jackpot in finding her. Wanna be my wife, Shana?

Above: As with all gatherings around here - it's also a DOG PARTY!!!!
Below: Shana with her handmade bow (wow!) and Darcy - soon to be famous.

Thought for the Day...

"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink
I feel shame.  Then I look into the glass and think
about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes
and dreams. If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out
of work and their dreams would be shattered."

Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this wine and let
their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver."

~ Jack Handy