I got into Bozeman by 10:15am the morning of the 6th after getting up at 2:30 MT time, so I fortified myself with a quick nap at my aunt and uncle's. I started rounding people up right away, first off Mr Larry Lee, whom I hadn't seen since January, Jami Lee, and her baby boy, (the Wee Lee) Foster. I poked my head into a ceilidh put on by Tom Robison, where I did some visiting but did not play. I wandered Bozeman the rest of the evening and ran into many Bozeman and Townsend buddies.
My uncle Jim builds his own drift boats, and Sunday happened to be the day for the first launch of his newest. He and I successfully rowed around the Bozeman beach on a lovely afternoon. From there I caught a couple hours of tunes and catching up with long-time sessioneers and friends Dave Zimmerman, Simon Dixon, Mark and Jane Schlentz, and Dick Abrams.
I went home Monday. Stopping in to see my mom as I always do, I met an Australian and his son who live in Peru but were on holiday in Montana. I'd passed through his hometown of Toowoomba once, and we chatted some about our travels.
As was expected, most of the rest of the week was filled by ranch work and Vermeer work of various kinds. I got away enough to see people I wanted to, including Lane Gobbs, Dan Boyce, Tory Gillespie, and most of the Helena session crowd at the amazing Natalie McMaster concert at the Myrna Loy.
The only downer of the week was the trip to the vet with my old dog Walker, where I was told a growth on his ear is lymphoma. Treatment would need to be extensive and is likely not in the cards for 10-year-old Walker. He's as sweet as ever and is actually still quite spry. He shows the usual signs of age, but is actually doing better than he could be after his multiple brushes with death and preference for life on the edge, bless him.
The only downer of the week was the trip to the vet with my old dog Walker, where I was told a growth on his ear is lymphoma. Treatment would need to be extensive and is likely not in the cards for 10-year-old Walker. He's as sweet as ever and is actually still quite spry. He shows the usual signs of age, but is actually doing better than he could be after his multiple brushes with death and preference for life on the edge, bless him.
Branding was Saturday and went very smoothly with a massive crew. I ran the calf table as I've done for several years now. Many thanks to the four Lees for making the trip from Belgrade and Missoula, Stan and Chris Hohn, Kenny Poe, Dick Pale, Lindsay Klouser, her friend Pilar, and of course Chris and Jim for all they do.
I had a quiet last evening in Boze afterward, and was happy to see fellow traveler Tanya Smith again. A relaxing morning and early afternoon topped off the trip before the drive to the airport and uneventful flights back to Iowa.
Before any trip home, I always have grand plans about seeing a million people and doing so many things, then throughout the trip I worry about wasting any time at all, that I should be doing more. I need to grasp the idea that I am seeing enough people and doing enough stuff, and to appreciate everyone's time that they give me while I'm back. I had a grand time this round, and thank any and all for wanting to catch up. Branding isn't even work to me, it's just the best excuse to go home I could come up with.
