Alison Hodgson

Expert on the etiquette of perilous times.

It’s that time of year

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Today was the day to decorate cookies.  The place was Torey’s.  We had a new member on our team.  You can see her pictured above, she’s the one with her britches hanging over her waist band.  She didn’t get her little mitts on any cookies, but she definitely brought something to the table.   And then there were the usual suspects:

You all know C. Riley H.  

Here we have the lovely and talented Lydia, aka Birdie.

Eden goes by many aliases, don’t be fooled by the sweet and semi toothless smile.
Rendini couldn’t wait to start.

I’ll post more soon.

Not quite the prairie…

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Our friends have friends who own a buffalo ranch in Northern Montana, just east of Glacier National Park.  The weather wasn’t supposed to be that great and so Sherry was concerned about all of us making the several hour drive for “nothing.”  Paul and I knew that we would have a good experience just getting there and that staying at a buffalo ranch would be a thrill, whether or not we made it to Glacier or even if we saw any buffalo.   We headed North after church and then stopped in Missoula for supplies.  By the time we arrived it was after dark.  The drive had been beautiful and the ranch house was wonderful.   Sherry and Andy were feeling especially saintly and split up to each host a Girl and Boy Cabin, respectively.  Andy’s dad, Tom, Paul and I were all in the main house.  

Eden and I are now reading “Little House on the Prairie.”   I didn’t plan to read it the first night at the ranch, but Eden wasn’t sure about sleeping without me and requested it, craving a little of our home ritual.  I was thrilled to see a copy on the dresser in the girls’ cabin.  All the girls, Sherry included, tucked into their sleeping bags and listened quietly while I read.  The next morning the girls were up early and ran out to play before breakfast.  Eden pulled on her shoes, but that was all.
The day was cool and, sometimes, overcast, but that didn’t keep this Carrie/Laura (depending on who was around) from having a wonderful time.
This tee pee is not not just for show.  In the summer children often sleep in it.  Because of the cold, our kids just played in and around it.  I felt so filled up just being under the big sky with the mountains in the distance.  And the green, green of the grass flowed in some sort of I.V. right into my spirit.  Sherry was still clucking about wishing we could see Montana when it’s beautiful, but we just looked and laughed.

The view from here

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The dog was actually happy, but it looks like he’s being strangled with love. In our house we calling that “George-ing someone” ala Bugs Bunny, “And I will love him and hug him and kiss him and he will be mine and I will call him George.”

I had escaped to the gazebo to do a little work. Jack was at my feet happily chewing the settee. The kids all trooped out with a little refreshment tray they had assembled. Lydia carried out the broiler pan with four cups and a 2 liter of ginger ale.

Eden was appalled that Christopher dared to disrespect Jack in this picture.

Here she is relishing her soda.

Jack trying to figure out how he can get back down to the floor and resume chewing on the wicker.