Montana Thoughts

     It's been a rough week here and that's the reason I haven't posted.      This past Saturday morning Michele and I had to put our beloved Brookie Dog down after 14 1/2 years. The last week was a dramatic down turn in her quality of life. The last 8 months we've had to clean up after her uncontrollable bowel movements. We've had blankets covering the floor to protect the carpet. She's a Rottweiler Malamute X and for a big dogs, 14 years is a long time. She had dramatic  weight loss and her hips were so bad that she could barely pull herself up and stand. When she did she couldn't walk far before falling over.      We were giving her a cortisone shot monthly and daily doses Tramadol  an it helped for a while but over time she just got worse.       She was my boo boo dog and I was really attached to her. and it pained me a lot I will forever love her and remember her as she was, not what she became at the end. T Brookie 1999-2015 We

                                                                                                                                              Jan 17, 2015      Michele and I got up early and headed to Montana City to pick up 2 bountiful Baskets. one for us and one for her daughter Krystle. We decided we needed to do a little shopping and headed to Wal-Mart. We bypassed Wal-Mart to head to Shellie's Country Cafe to get some good breakfast. Michele had the Breakfast Burrito with bacon and I got the Country fried steak. Both were good and filled us up. Off to Wal-Mart we went.       On our way home from Wal-Mart I called our friend Tim, who I was going to help remove and axle we had purchased for out friend Albert. A few months ago Albert was heading in to Helena from his cabin above Marrysville, MT and the rear end went out of his 1989 Chevy 4X4. Tim found a newer 3/4 ton axle for a better price that we could fix the old so Tim, Michele and I all went in on the axle and will spli

                                                                                                                                              Jan 16, 2015        Woke up a little after 4am to the sound of Brooke moving around and the smell of poop. Yep, Brooke pooped and tracked it around the living room. Good thing we have blankets down. 4:30am, started laundry and tried to go back to sleep but just tossed and turned til about 6:30am.        Got up, showered and made some breakfast. Sat on the couch and read through Facebook to what was happening in the "Real" world. Played with Sasha before heading to work.        I was ready for Friday at work.We got some circuit boards moving through production and got orders boxed and ready to ship out on Monday.       Ended the day at home with some grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken tortilla soup and DRV TV.       Goodnight.

                                                                                                                                              Jan 15, 2015       The last couple of days I'm been feeling really bad about not keeping up with my waking and calorie counting. The temps have been in the single digits for the last week and that doesn't make me want to get out there and walk. Also, instead of eating a healthy, balanced breakfast I've opted for the local market on the way to work for greasy fried breakfast.  Today the temp was again single digits. the temp was 7 but I forced myself to get up, shower, throw on some clothes, adding long johns and go for my walk. I walk along side  the Missouri River and the wind there today was brutal but I completed my 2 miles. At the end I sat in my truck with the heater going full blast, warming up before heading to work.      Got to work and bagged up our "Goody Bags", a ziplock  filled with cables and connectors that

                                                                                                                                              Jan 14, 2015      Woke up to 7 degrees and didn't feel like walking, so I didn't. Lounged around the house for an hour before heading to work. I don' lead that interesting of a life.      Work was good. Got a few orders in that I box up and ship out. Got a few that are waiting on parts  to come in. Seems we're always waiting on something.Once we get our new inventory system up and running we're hoping that cures all that. Fingers crossed. I did however get all the batches what were in mid production finished, tested, labeled, bubble wrapped and stocked on the shelves. I am ready for Michele to run more circuit boards through the pick and place Machine so I can inspect, final assembly, test, label, pack and stock. It's a viscous cycle, but most of the time a good one. Glad we have new and existing customers that buy lot

                                                                                                                                              Jan 12, 2015 Here I go again....      Monday was a relaxing boring day in the life. Got up, showered, fed the dogs got dressed, played with Sasha before heading to work.       Work was productive and got some inventory on the shelves. Shipped a few orders. Kinda of a boring day.       Got home, played with Sasha and noticed that Brooke had something seeping from her ear. At first we thought it was blood and that Sasha might had been playing a little too rough with the old dog. we washed Brooke's ear and think an infection in her ear is draining. We decided to check it in the morning  and go from there.        We relaxed after that and watched Mysteries at the Museum that we recorded on the DVR before heading to bed.