The topsoil is blowin’ in the Wind!

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And today, it is actually mild compared to what is to come later this week. Last week we had more than one day when the winds were between 30 and 44 miles per hour. Todays are a breezy 20mph with gusts up to 35mph. Tomorrow is 20-35mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph. Gads! Honestly, I think that I’m going to have to scrape all the soil off the fence and put it back in the yard at this rate. We have places in our backyard where the loose soil is just gone and all you see is the hard stuff with lots of rocks in it. Not good for gardening. sigh…

I think that what I may do is turn the front porch into a greenhouse. Plant a bunch of stuff in pots, get them going on the front porch which is sort of a big cold frame at the moment and go from there. By the time the stuff is too big to be in the pots, I’ll have the back yard ready. I hope.

Meanwhile, I am still camping in the offices of the CSU Extension office. The Chamber is still out of the building and doesn’t look to be going back in any time soon. sigh….. Very frustrating. Oh well.  Plus, I’m putting my name in for other secretarial jobs that pop up. We will see. Still no apologies after all that dreck.

I got my taxes filed and am nearly caught up on other things. So, this afternoon, I am going to work on my writing! Wheeee!! I have two stories in my head that I need to get started on before they go the way of my topsoil!

A cup of Mouse a day

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Yesterday, I went to feed the dogs, and had to reach way down in the bag because we are almost out of food. I thought that there was a chunk of lint in the bag and so dropped the cup and started to tear the bag down a bit so that I could get the lint. I didn’t want it mixing in with the food because Blanca “wolfs” her food and if it fell in the bowl, she’d eat it.

So, I tore the bag, reached in for the cup and tried to scoop out the lint.

It wasn’t lint.

It was a mouse. I came up with a scoop of dog food with a mouse on top. I laughed, the mouse freaked and jumped off the cup. Brandy went for the mouse and Blanca just stared at the whole circus as Brandy chased the mouse. The mouse escaped, and then I fed the dogs.

Dan laughed so hard he almost fell off his chair when I told him what the ruckus was about.

The rest of the day was rather calm. We watched a few movies and then went to bed early. It was a real contrast from the 25th.

We did a wiring job on the 25th. Another contractor did the original job. He messed it up so bad that we had to go in and repair it. It should have taken 4 hours. Instead, it took 8 long hours. I was pissed. Dan was really pissed. This isn’t the first time we’ve had to fix this guys work. grrrrrrr!!!!

We did the shopping in Pueblo today. Very windy. Granted, it has been windy all week! I swear we went sideways a mile for every 5 miles we drove. It took us nearly 7 hours to do the shopping. Brrrrr!!! Dan and I were frozen by the time we got home.

Smokey Solstice and the sewer strikes again.

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Our trip to Pueblo went well. We got all the little bits we needed and headed home. Only one problem. I still had to make lasagna and wrap prezzies.

We worked on the lasagna and the sausage rolls at the same time. Dan cooking the hamburger while I made pastry dough. We finished the sauce, made the lasagna and put it in the fridge for the next day. Total prep time about 90 minutes. Not bad for one regular and one soy version.

Then it was time to wrap prezzie. I did the paperwork, and Dan labeled, bagged and stashed stuff. Stockings were stuffed and set aside. After staying up until nearly 3am wrapping presents, we set the alarm for 6am. (yeah…. really.) The alarm almost died at 6am. Finally dragged arse out of bed by 6:30am. The sunrise waits for no one.

We stuffed the prezzies on the table and then grabbed drums, pots and pans to “drum up the sun”. (yes, wake up the sun after the longest night.) Then we dived into presents, sausage rolls, peanut butter cookies and hot drinks.

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I have to admit that we didn’t decorate this year. Between Logan shredding the house at the best of times, various adults being sick and schedules from hell, I just gave up. It didn’t affect the Yuletide joy however.

We all got some cool prezzies. John got his John Wayne lunchbox, Dan got a telegraph key, the kids got toolboxes and puzzles, Beth and I got baskets and Daniel’s dog got a sweater!

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However, remember that comment about smoke? Well, it was bitterly cold that morning as well as windy. So, when Dan and Daniel went to burn the wrapping paper, there was a little problem. Backdraft! We couldn’t get the chimney warm enough to draw.

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Not too bad, but hazy. Once the prezzie frenzy passed, most of us adults took a well deserved nap! When I got up, I made the pecan pie.

We had lasagna for supper and pecan pie for dessert. We watched the Dark Knight, which was alright, but I didn’t think it was as great as everyone said it was.

In the middle of the night, the wind picked up. Now, you have to understand that the wind blows around here a lot. However, these were 15mph gusts. By the time I headed to work it was 25mph gusts. I was warm inside at the Chamber offices, but…. Dan and Matt were not.

Why? Well… because our sewer had backed up again on Saturday night. Dan borrowed Jimmer’s truck and went to La Veta to rent the sewer snake. He and Matt cleaned the drain this morning. Yuck!!! Poor guys got blown all over the place. However, the drains are clear again for the moment! Now to do all the laundry that piled up. ewwwww!

Is it really Thursday?

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Gads! The last two days have been a blurr. Lots of files and papers dancing in my headspace. It has been an interesting two days at the DA’s office. Wednesday was hectic and yet I did very well. Cleared a huge backlog of files. I thought that it was about a week’s worth only to find that it was nearly three weeks of work! OMG!

The phone still gives me the fits. Not surprised. However, I think I’ll get it. Not only did I clear up all that filing, I diagnosed the computer problem, and ferreted out the computer service company and got the part ordered. Oh, and I almost got blown away in the wind! It was fierce on Wednesday. I had to run over to the Court House twice. Once to be introduced to everyone and once to take files for the assistant DA who grabbed the wrong pile of files! He seems nice, but sort of daft too. We shall see.

Today, I did some more filing, cleaned up the “dead file” where they keep closed files for six months and then move them to storage. I also learned how to make files. Wheee…. There have got to be easier ways to do it. Oh, and I fixed the computer. The part came in and I had it up in a minute. Hardest part was running all of the virus scans and cleaning all of the previous secretary’s junk out of it. OMHG’s!!! Tons of personal stuff. Sorry, but that doesn’t belong on an office computer. She should have cleaned it up before she left, but…. oh well. If I’d been on a service call, that would have been bout $75 to $100 billable.

Tomorrow I will attack the felony file cases. What a mess!!! And, I’ve decided that should they not desire to keep me on, I will put an application in at the Housing Authority which is advertising for help. The apps deadline is June 27th, and I should know by then or just before then if the DA’s office will keep me.

If it’s snowing, it must be Colorado in the Spring!

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Yes, it is snowing. Again! In fact, we have nearly 9 inches of sloppy wet snow. Gads! It started yesterday evening with a bit of sleet. Just enough to dampen the sidewalks and let you know it is cold and wet. It was a big change from the last few days.

Tuesday was warm! High 70’s, and maybe even as high as 80. However, we also had wind gusts of up to 60mph!. Dust and grit crept into everything, and there was no escaping the wind. Our business partner Karen was complaining about the wind and dust. We just laughed and told her to wait a day. I knew what was coming, but was enjoying the warmth in spite of the wind. It was hazy with all the dust in the air. There was also smoke as three seperate fires had broken out across the state. Ordway was the worst hit.

Wednesday, I decided to wear jeans as we had to move scrap metal. Dan and I filled up the truck with all the metal and copper we had in the back yard and headed to Pueblo to sell it. Too many bills and not enough paycheck. sigh… We got about $400 for the whole load. After we did that, we had lunch at the Mongolian Grill and then headed home. Half way home, Dan felt ill. We stopped and he went to the loo while I filled up the truck. Lunch had not agreed with him. I wasn’t feeling as bad, but not good either. Mental note,…. don’t eat there again! We got home, and I stuffed Dan in bed. While he slept, I went to the store and got some gatorade for him. I also took John to the new library site so he could take construction pictures. Progress is so slow, and it is driving him crazy. It started to rain/sleet while I waited for him to finish. Brrr……..

Dan slept for about two hours, and then decided to get up. Good thing, as Little Morgan called to tell us all about her day. They went to Historic Williamsburg. She got to see a court case and a hanging. Really enjoyed herself. She has also developed a severe case of “Ohmygod! little girl chatter accent. LOL! Meanwhile, I grabbed some firewood to bring in because I wasn’t sure how long it would be before it started to snow. With all that wind and dust the day before, I wasn’t surprised at the change in weather. We had dinner and watched a couple of Babylon 5 episodes and then went to bed.

This morning, I woke up at 6am, and looked at the window. There was at least 6 inches of snow! No way I was going to drive. I asked Dan to drive, and he was ok with that. The school called and said that there was a two hour delay, which was fine by us. Dan cleared off the truck, and I crawled back in bed! Not often that I get to sleep late, especially on a week day.

I slept till nearly 9am. Got up, had a bath and was at work by 9:45am, which was just about the time that Dan got back from taking Matt and Nadia to school. As it was still snowing, we didn’t think that our 10am appointment would show up. His name is Philip, but we call him Santa Claus, because he looks like him! White hair and beard with the belly to match. A very sweet, lonely man in his mid 70’s. I think he comes over more for the company than to have his computer fixed. Sort of like another client of ours, Carl. Good thing that Dan is so very gentle with both of them.

The sun has finally come out, but the odd flake is still falling. We got at least 9 inches of wet snow out of this. Tower hill is going to be a mudbath on Saturday. Blehhhh… Oh well. Nothing like a bit of Crudability to make you look like you work for a living. Wheee….

Oh, and it is suppose to be nearly 70 on Saturday!

Windy yet again!

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I know it is suppose to be in like a Lion, out like a Lamb or visa versa for March, but… It was leonine weather at the start of the month and today too! In fact, the wind woke me up at around 4am.

Yesterday was a busy one. Tried to sleep in, but the phone kept ringing! Phonus Interupticus too! sigh…Oh well. 😛 Finally got up, bathed and cooked breakfast. Made cheesy scones. Yummm….

Finally got Dan moving and we headed to Aguilar town hall to finish up the wiring job there. Jimmer was in and we had some fine giggles. Got everything done except the meeting room cable and the final linkage to the T-1. Hopefully, that will be done today or tomorrow.

Dragged home late and cooked up lambchops and ratatoulli. It came out heavenly. While I cooked, Dan worked on the phone system. It is having hickups. sigh.. Even though it was late, we watched Man of the Year. Wonderful movie and it was worth staying up late to watch it. I am just glad that we have Spring Break this week and I didn’t have to get up and take the kids to school. Got to sleep in till 7am! Wheeee….

Today it is a semi-busy day at the office. Dan is working with the software vendor, Karen is repairing Pc’s and I’m answering phones and trying to gird up my courage to tackle makeing work forms. yawn…. I really don’t want to, but the alternative is going home and doing laundry. Hmm…. Maybe forms isn’t so bad….

WINDY!!!!

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    Oh my gods it was windy yesterday. Woke up to hear the howling of the wind trying to push the glass on the windows too hard and all the air coming through any crack it could find. While at 520, Dan and I heard a loud *pop* and when we looked out, there was a huge branch from the dead tree in the front yard laying on the ground. We also got an email from Brian. Part of the Huerfano Journal’s building had fallen victim to the wind. It made the front page of the Pueblo Chieftain! http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1199666657/1

Sitting in my office, I kept hearing things creak and wondered if we would loose bits of the front porch. It really needs work, and has the worst section of roof. We were lucky to only have tree branches down.

We also went to see the Golden Compass last night. Brian gave Dan two free tickets and so all of us went. (Dan, John, Beth, Matt, Morgan and I) The movie was very good. Enough so that I think I will re-read the books in a month or so. I have just a few to read at the moment.

After the movie, I did some laundry (yawn….) and then curled up with my book. I am nearly finished with it, so leapt at the chance to take Beth to La Veta this afternoon. She had to go do something at the art gallery there and I read my book. I think I have about 3 chapters to go. I’ll finish it tonight. Laume and other friends have been keeping lists of books they have read and I think I may do that this year.  I think that there is some sort of widget to put it on here. Must go digging.

Sewage and ice and shopping oh my!

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What a day… (Saturday) The sewer blocked up again. So, Dan and I headed off to La Veta Tru Value to rent the sewage snake yet again. Gaggggggg! I guess I aught to be grateful that Dan knows how to work the damn thing and actually does it. Two hours later, the laundry room was clean and the sewer was draining properly.

Then we had to drive back to La Veta. The wind was blowing the snow all across the highway and it was slick! Everywhere it looked like water on the road was in fact ice! We stopped and got Dan something to eat as he was exhausted from working the snake. It took forever to go and come back.

Once we got back, we took turns showering and then I headed to Pueblo with John and Daniel. It’s our usual payday shopping trip. Granted, it was a little crowded with Daniel in the back. We did part of the shopping and then went to dinner at Taco Bell. After that we did the last of the shopping at Walmart. Daniel got Logan some little slippers and two shirts. They are really cute. We got home around midnight. Unpacked everything and tried to get it all put away. Sort of hard as there were dishes everywhere. They had forgotten to put dish soap on the list, so of course…. no one could do dishes. sigh… I remedied that this morning with a quick trip to Safeway. What a combo. Trashbags, dish soap and cat food. Wheee….

Today, it is still cold here, but compared to the last few days it is a heat wave. A whole 35 degrees! Snow is melting, pipes thawing and lots of drippy mess that will all turn to ice about fifteen minutes after sundown. Ah well…

So far today, I’ve done laundry, gone shopping, “gone to work” at 520, cleaned up a kitchen, done some dishes and edited two articles for the Huerfano Journal. Oh, and proof-read the website for Dan. Now to wrap a few gifts and do up a Yule Letter. Oh, and write Yule cards. Wheee……

Flying lessons

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    Well, nearly. Today we had to go down to the Huerfano Journal and move the banner sign that we mounted to the wall. We were suppose to put it on the north side of the building, but it was way too cold and windy. We parked the bucket truck up against the curb as tight as we could and then we started to try and take the sign down. The wind buffeted Dan all over the place and when he started to hand down the banner, the wind caught it and whipped it all over the place. I caught it and held on for dear life as the wind picked it and me up! I could feel myself sliding back and forth on the ice. I grabbed the corner of the building and held tight.  Dan took out the last screw that was holding the banner and then I worked my way into the building. I felt like I was part of a mime performance! Brian Orr and I rolled up the banner and then I went back out and helped Dan bring down the banner frame. Once we got that in place, we decided that we would wait for a much less windy day to do that part of the job. Have to admit that I didn’t envy the canopy people who had to do their work later in the day. We did drive by and see the finished job. The canopy is beautiful.

After that job, we headed to Aguilar where we shoveled snow out of the NOC building that we will be putting the network services equipment in for Aguilar. There is no glass in the window, so the snow blew in. Then we went to see Carl. He is one of our older customers and although a sweet man, he loves to visit. Granted, when he and Dan get together, they talk for hours. We had a short visit today though as we had to go pick up the kids. With the wind, ice and snow blowing, Dan didn’t want me driving.

We grabbed lunch at A&W and then headed out to pick up the kids. The normal 17 minute trip took 35 minutes. A harried 35 minutes on icey roads with heavy winds. I was very glad that Dan was driving. It took about the same amount of time to drive home.  We took Little Morgan to the Family Dollar so that she could get her Yule gift for her secret pal at school. I got Matt a pair of polar fleece gloves for $2. He’s been borrowing L.Morgan’s extra pair.

Tonight I am reading through Acceptable Use Policies for RBT. Yawn….. Maybe I’ll just give up for the night. The office is a balmy 54 and it’s 9 outside with 20 mph winds. Brrrr!

Windy Saturday!

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    Woke up this morning to the wind blowing so hard that the windows were rattling. It was still o-dark-thirty in the morning, so I tried to rollover and go back to sleep. Nope! It wasn’t going to happen. I swear that ten seconds after I closed my eyes again, the USB starting beeping because we had lost power. It went off about fifteen minutes later when the power came back on and then went off again very quickly. This time it seemed like forever before the power came back on. So, I’ve been awake ever since.

I also realized that I’m not sure where this week went. Yes, I took the kids to school, did laundry, cleaned house, worked at the office, etc,.. but where did the time go? About the only thing I really have to show for progress is that my office is a bit tidier and I finished the latest Laurel K. Hamilton book. Very good and as always, leaves me hungry for the next one. OH well…..

I still have to decide whether to head to Pueblo today to shop. hmmm…..