Bumps and Skunks...........

Well --- as to the title......we have had some "bumps in the road". And it's once again past time for an update .......so ---- here goes.... We'll start with the skunks --- that has been rather exciting!!

We knew that we had at least 4 skunks living right close by.....MUCH too close by. So Gary got busy building a live trap. We also talked with a neighbor and he had a trap -- he would dig through the snow to find it for us (and he did just that). For a while we came up with nothing. ??Was it too cold and they were staying inside where it was snug and warm??? Well on Saturday, Feb. 20 this is what I wrote in my "journal"......Had 2 critters in the live traps this morning -- could see that one was forsure a skunk. So we took them to the far, far south end of the pasture. Gar puts the trap so the skunks are down wind and hands me the gun (to hold) and goes and opens the door and runs back to me. I hand him the gun and........nothing -- that rascal doesn't come out. So we throw frozen cow pies at it. Hits it a good pop -- still won't come out!! So Gar goes back! puts the door back on the trap and ties a rope to the trap. So we now have the trap by the fence line and pull on the rope so the trap is up in the air a bit. Finally the thing comes out---SKUNK!! BAM! --- dead. ~~~~So we do the same with the next one. Won't come out.....bounce - bounce - bounce - nothing. Once again Gar goes back (trap door is open) and ties another rope on the handle. Now we have the trap straight up and down -- bounce - bounce - bounce it as hard as we can.....we can see his tail.... it's a skunk! Gar insists that I have to shoot a skunk and I'm afraid that in the excitement I'll miss. FINALLY --out he comes!! Tail up! ---- BAM!! Dead!
So far we have caught 4 skunks --- but we are afraid there are still more!! We have been able to carry the traps around -- getting them to the "release spot" without getting any bad smells released (can't get their tail up - can't spray?!?). However, this morning we had to kick the trap - it was frozen down -- and that one got bad smelly --- he remains where he is for now.

Now for some of the "bumps"......

Our last Release Time with the K-1 group didn't go as planned. One of the boys - who is a rascal---although a cute one!!! --- ran in ahead of us and locked the door and then proceeded to the side door and locked it also. Fortunately for all of us one of the other girls unlocked the door for us. Needless to say he wasn't allowed to come today. I (Barb) had a little talk with him today about bad choices having consequences and he couldn't come today-- but we wanted him to come next time. I told him that he had to think about what he was going to do -- was it a good choice or a bad choice.... He wrote us a letter while his classmates were gone. It said..... I'm sory for loking you oyt. I want to lrn about God. I will be respiktfol. from_____

We have been battling steers for quite some time now....they have learned how to get over the barbed wire fences and even though we try to get the fences tight --- they continue to get out...it all started when the snow banks were too high. The good thing ---- we haven't lost any yet. They come back for feed each morning. Dwight feels like maybe he better take them to his place where he can put them in an electric fence.

We planned on worship service with the Lakeview church at JDC on the 14th. We were down to only 3 people able to go......The guards told us (at the afternoon visiting) that they were going to have "a party" ---- Subway sandwiches, basketball for everyone and treats at 5:00-- but we could come and hang out with the kids and then "do our thing" afterwords. As our Pastor's wife said....who do we think we are trying to follow a party like that-- they will probably be pretty hyped up. So we decided not to go that night.....have it rescheduled for March 7. We also had one Thursday evening that we were told we couldn't have our Bible Study. They had some trouble --- apparently someone had sharpened some toothbrush handles and had cut up a mattress and there had also been some fighting.

The next bump was a little larger..... Gary had a colonoscopy on Monday, the 15th of Feb. They found one small polyp - removed it....and one large polyp -- unable to remove. They took a biopsy of each one. However, the large one will require surgery--no matter what the biopsy results are. We have an appointment with the doctor in Valentine this Thursday and we are working on where to have the surgery done - Rapid City or Sioux Falls. We have had a "report" from the office that "all looks good". But we will rejoice after we talk with the doc. on Thursday. I guess it just seems a little strange to get the results from a nurse who was setting up a schedule with a surgeon. However, we are breathing much easier right now.

I believe that's it for the bumps.....

JDC has been going very good. The kids are very respectful and attentive. We even got them to sing "Only a Boy Named David"....(lesson was on David and Goliath). This Sunday we told one of the boys that we really appreciated their attentiveness and singing and it was fun to come because of that. He said---- it's fun when you come" Wow! that was so neat to hear.

I'm sorry that it has been a while for this update.... I will try to do better. I guess in one way it means that we are busy and that is good. But I must admit --- we've also been enjoying the Winter Olympics most evenings.

We KNOW that you have been praying for the good test results. If there is anything different to report after Thursday -- I will do so. And we will let you know what else we have learned -- as to when the surgery will take place and so on.

Gary and Barb