Snow bound

Well I did say I wanted snow.........we've now had around 3ft (I am so Americanised) in 24hrs. This has meant many things. Firstly an entertaining journey up from Ranch Central to K & Bs and yes, at least some digging out of vehicles. Spot the man........we ended up turning around and having to go via a different route. After a little more off roading and some outstanding driving from B we did get to our destination. At least we were on the Ranch!

Of course now we can't get back down the road to Ranch Central because Eddie hasn't been able to plow the road because you can't actually see the road or where you have plowed!
Staff at Ranch Central have called to say the yellow house is now avalanche central as the snow falls off the roof creating a lovely wall of snow around the whole house - I think I will have to dig my way back in.
The dogs are happier now that B has successfully been able to get the heaters working in the kennels (they live challenging and difficult lives). From left is Duke (Dukie), Khan (Khanie) and Luckie (sometimes called stupid or Lucky Luck depending on his behaviour!). Most nights (when it isn't snowing) we take them for a walk and, when K & B were in NY, I played Nanny. They each come with there own personality but are lovely characters. There are a couple of other dogs on the Ranch too so when it comes to the dog quota this is my form of paradise.
On the celebration front I had a very lovely birthday made up of good food and wine and generally having a very nice time with K & B. Lots of nice email messages too - thanks, all made me feel very special. Turning 40 appears not to be the crisis it could have been as, well, it feels not unlike being 39.......only living on the otherside of the world.
Xmas was a lovely day. Started the night before with bubbles and caviar - which is a ritual K&B have. Rolled into the next day to start with pancakes and then, later in the day, a very lovely Xmas dinner cooked by B, followed by a movie with cheese board. Random point of interest - this is actually my 3rd Xmas with K & B in the US. Holiday season is proving to be very pleasant indeed. Couple of the staff gave me presents too, which was a lovely unexpected surprise.
New Year is likely to be a quiet affair (you know food, wine, movies, dog walking in the snow). Can't say life is tough. I am making the most of it in advance of actually becoming a tax paying alien!
Happy New Year all.

Merry Xmas New Zealand

Here's a little Xmas cheer (thanks effe.........).
Been off to the movies and saw The Good Sheperd which is the story of how the CIA was created. Actually it's not really quite as dry as that sounds. It's really the personal story of one guy (Matt Damon) and his family (Angelina Jolie) and is directed by Robert De Niro. It's well over two hours long and intense so don't go if you're looking for a Xmas chuckle. Went and saw Cassino Royale as well - that's really good (does help if you are a fan of 007).
Had my first solo drive (shuffling cars to the airport for K&B returning from NY). Which was a little nerve wracking but no car or body parts were lost in the making of the story - there are some crazy drivers in this town and nobody but nobody lets you into any lane anywhere. B assures me that's not the case in NY and just seems to be how they do things around here.
Watched Eddie (resident cowboy), Renee (his wife and "house manager" for the main house - she calls herself housemaid but I don't think that quite captures it) and their daughter give injections to their calves. Bein' a city girl it was, well, quite a startling process (Greytown gals already laughing - I can hear you). They drive the calves down a channel, caputure them one at a time at the end by dropping one gate and closing the calves heads in another - all very quick and aggressive. Ears then get tattooed, shots given (vets did that) and then calves released to go to mama. Despite Eddies generous offer I declined to be part of the "herding the cattle" to the far end of the Ranch...........pointing out to him (as he well knows), putting me on a horse to take anything anywhere would most likely take a week and I couldn't guarantee we would have half the number of cattle we started with.
We are having Xmas dinner on the ranch - it will be a food extravaganza (my role is cheese board so I'm not feeling overly pressured). Then we are going to watch a DVD on the big screen. Simple and nice.
Snow is melting away but still plenty for the dogs to play in and enough to give the illusion of a white Xmas. For New Year we are thinking about having fireworks down at the rifle range and inviting staff and family - going to check out the local fireworks factory outlet (yep right here in Moriarty.....).
Oh not sure that I have explained but Stanley itself actually only consists of a post office. Before I leave I am going to take a photo as a reminder.
Random disturbing fact of the week - while shop lifting continues to be a problem for all retailers bookstores report that the single most stolen book is the bible!
Religious or not that whole idea kinda does your head in.

Birthday photos

Nope not of me but all that snow.....oh and it's taken me a few days 'cos I'm so busy and stressed (yeah right) that I forgot how to log into flickr (arrrrrrrrrgh). Anyway click on the flickr icon to see the snow.

Happy birthday to me

Today I turned 40 and the only thing I really really wanted was snow……and so it is. I love the messages I got and the presents – so don’t think the people (and the conversations) don’t matter. But last night I got to crunch though the snow. It was simple and lovely and quiet and just, well, really really lovely.
Oh and screw the date time group on the blog - in New Mexico it is 12.01 on the 20th of December...........and I have already enjoyed 24hrs of birthday in New Zealand.

Santa is coming

Wow time is flying by. It's been a busy few weeks. Thanks Giving is over and I managed to get two Thanks Giving Dinners. Shared a lunch with the staff and them, very kindly, Renee and Eddie (who live and work here) invited me to their Thanks Giving dinner. They live in the house across from me. It was fab with them, their kids, Renee's dad and brother, their friend and his son. Food was as you would expect - lots of it! Had traditional "bean casserole" - sounds awful (actually it doesn't look fab either) but tastes very fine.........no idea why bean casserole is a traditional Thanks Giving dish.
We've also had K's birthday which rolled into a two day affair with staff morning tea, evening nibbles and bubbles one day and then off to Santa Fa for dinner the following night. Cocktails in a trendy, very modern looking bar then off to a lovely little restaurant in a traditional adobe. There are many bonuses in staying with "ex chefs" who appreciate good food and wine!
B and I got the Xmas tree and K and I decorated it. I also spent a day or two helping put up Xmas lights around Ranch Central. Makes the place very festive at night and all the staff decorate their own homes as well.
Spent an interesting few hours with a job search agency who (for a price) put together a marketing plan to get you a job (career planning). Gave me some really good ideas but at the end of the day "the price wasn't right" and it seemed to me that it wasn't all it appeared to be........good process though.
Got my first birthday card to be informed I was now a B.I.T.C.H (Babe In Total Control of Herself) - made me chuckle alot (thanks - you know who you are!).
K&B are in New York celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary - personally I've decided to credit my relationship longevity using hours as a measure...............it's all in the spin.
Peter and I are now painting rooms in the bunkhouse (no no bunks...............).
Have started the process for getting myself to San Fran so, on balance, I'm certainly not bored.