"...but you can't take Montana out of the girl!"

First things first--some of you really need to grasp my sense of humor! Described to me today as "dry". That's about right. The disappointment mentioned yesterday was that only two of you commented about the OsShirt being worn in my HNTs this week. Some of you tripped all over yourselves apologizing to me. Trust me--that was never intended! Sorry if I alarmed some of you!

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As mentioned yesterday, I was elated over the prospect of meeting another HNTer. And a little hesitant. Not knowing what she was going to be like. Sort of a blind date, but not really.

Well, I hardly needed to be worried. I met Aisha T. in the middle of Bobcat country (MSU-Bozeman, MT). Something difficult for two Griz (UM-Missoula, MT) to endure. But we made the best of it. Aisha was raised in a small town in eastern Montana, but left for NYC about 9 years ago, and has stayed there ever since. Other than trips back here to see her family. I didn't know how much of MT she had lost over the years, but I quickly found out that she's definitely a Montana girl, at heart. We gossiped about some of you guys, we ate burgers and fries and drank beer, and spent about 2 and a half hours talking about this, that and the other thing. As has been my experience in meeting bloggers, it was like talking to an old friend. She got a picture on her camera that I assume she'll post. This is the one from mine. The damned thing went off before I was ready, but she looks pretty good!

Aisha--thanks for a wonderful time! I do think I made another real blogger friend!

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Before I left town, I stopped off at the Pickle Barrel, and picked up some sandwiches to bring home (1 whole Italian and 1 whole Cheesesteak, along with the 4 pickles--no one but real Montanans know what that's all about!).

I made it home in plenty of time to sit down, let the beers from lunch do their thing, and get ready to go to dinner with Moose, Rachel and some friends at the York Bar. This place has the best hamburgers known to man, though I thought they were a little "off" tonight. Lots of laughing, drinking, eating and other good times. Here's the gang--Todd, Heather (Moose's best friend), Rachel, Moose and me.


I got home, made some phone calls, did some chatting, and answered a couple of emails. Today was a good day. I haven't had a good, satisfying day in a long time. Thanks to everyone who made it that way!

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This may not mean much to some of you, but I bought my first $3/gallon gas today ($3.059/gal., to be exact). We've had it pretty lucky up here, but I think the "old days" are long gone...