Don't you just love those old westerns? To hear my mother-in-law tell it... my husband loved to watch "shoot em up's" as a child. He still must be a child because he still loves to watch them.

We often watch Gunsmoke. We have hours and hours of them on tape as well as waiting in our cable box ready to watch. We watch Gunsmoke every night while we wait for Coronation Street to come on.

I just love the whole gang.... Marshall Matt Dillon, Chester, Doc, then later came Festus. Burt Reynolds was so young and very handsome. We often see Festus portraying someone else before he actually joined the show. But my favorite was Miss Kitty.

Miss Kitty was quite the woman. She owned the Long Branch Saloon. I am certain she was Matt Dillon's girl though I don't think I have ever seen a wink passed between them and for sure never a kiss. I loved her wonderful wardrobe, those dresses were so beautiful I often wonder how they ever washed them.. or if they were. The workmanship that must have gone into making those dresses must of taken weeks.

Then there were Miss Kitty hats.... Now I look like a dweab in hats but that don't stop me from collecting them and looking at them. Miss Kitty had the hats. That must of taken some other sort of craftsman to make all those hats. First off where would they have gotten all of the items that they used to make those masterpieces. The netting and the feathers... can you tell I love hats?

Being the age that I am and all the hot flashing that goes around at this age I wonder what those poor women must of done when they were having a hot flash. Women back then dresses in layers.. and layers.. and more layers. Gunsmoke is set in Kansas.... Kansas is hot and I mean hot in the summer, as well as dry. Even the thought of having a hot flash with all those layers of clothes on in that high, dry heat is enough to make me want to puke.

But then again maybe it is only me that thinks what it would be like to of lived back then. Can you imagine what it must of been like heading west in a covered wagon? We all know that life is uncertain now and many dangers lay ahead for all of us. But somehow I think that the guts and the determination that the folks back in those days was much more than most people want to put out in this day and age

I am glad someone else pioneered this country for me and I am able to watch it and read about it. I am glad that I live NOW and NOT then. Taking to much for granted has never been a good thing.

Hats off to Miss Kitty.... the gal from the ole west that I would of like to of been. I think she really did have it together. She owned a bar, had a great boyfriend, had a wonderful hat collection, and a beautiful wardrobe..as well as the respect of her community, what more could one ask for?