Changes

I started writing this entry with the newer info that will follow but decided that it had been too long since I'd posted any older stories. So I talked to Dad and got a little bit of history to add today.

It seems that he was born in a house outside of town that is now the club-house for the local golf course. But before that it was his family's home. Then when his Grandfather got older he traded with his son for a house in Lovell - which is the house we visited Grandma Asay at as kids. He says they always kept about 4 cows and their calves. He learned to milk a cow at the age of 5 because he liked his milk warm and his brother refused to go get him fresh milk for his lunch. On one occasion they had a cow who had just had a calf but did not like being milked. She got so difficult that they drilled holes in the side of the barn, ran baling wire through the holes and around the cow to hold her still. After 2 or three times with that treatment she finally stood still on her own.

The original hospital in Lovell was a small two story building with rickety stairs. Out near the sugar factory there was a larger one story structure which was used to house seasonal factory workers. Then the local doctors purchased it and moved the whole building to the location of the existing hospital. It became the town hospital and was the building in which Gail and I were born. It later became the Beverly Motel. Mother remembers having to walk to the hospital when she was in labor. She wasn't sure which time but since Dad was there when Gail was born and not when I was I think it was probably me she was laboring with when she had to walk there. Of course there is also the fact that she hemorrhaged pretty badly when Gail was born and we're not sure why. It really scared Dad who was watching the delivery through a window when they sort of tossed the baby onto a nearby table (something that's never set right with Gail) to cluster around Mother who was bleeding very badly. He says when he left the hospital he had to sit with his head between his knees for about 1/2 hour before he could drive home.

Dad started making changes around here this week to make it easier for Mother to get in and out of the house. We now have a rail along the sidewalk from the driveway to the front steps. Then on the top of the steps he built a small ramp with a slight incline up to the edge of the door sill. Although Mother has accepted the necessity of using a wheelchair when they go out to the temple she isn't ready to do so at home. Right now she can walk on her own if she has something to hold onto, but the distance from the top of the step up into the house was getting to be to0 much for her since there isn't really anything at that point to hold on to to get up. When it all painted and done I'll get a picture of it to post for everyone to see.

I want to thank all of my family for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers lately - it's paid off. I finally have a full time job again. I work for Chickasaw Nation Industries. It is a company that works under the auspices of the Chickasaw Indian Nation with corporate offices in Oklahoma and Albuquerque. This company does contract work all over the country for different agencies. Here in Billings it is working with the BIA in this area. So far it is interesting work. There is only one other regular worker on the project I'm on so we have a good size office all to ourselves. Our office is in the Federal Building on 3rd North. The building is just across the street from the spot where the bus from the heights parks. I had a small dilemma to start out with because while the bus got me downtown on time for a work schedule of 7:30 to 4:00, (there are actually two I can catch to get downtown from here) the evening bus leaves at 3:55 or 5:10. So I just missed one when I got off and had to wait another hour for the next one. I was fortunate that my manager (who is in Albuquerque) okayed it for me to work 7:15 to 3:45 which works on both ends for the bus. The starting wage on this job is very good for Billings ($11.50 per hour + benefits). The benefits will kick in just in time. I still have some of my prescriptions that I filled with a 3 month supply before my benefits ran out from my other job and I'll be qualified to start using my new insurance within a month.