5am was too damn early

Posted on by

And I told my body that when I woke up at the crack of dawn. Yawn… 45 minutes later, Misty was up and thumping around the kitchen getting coffee and trying to wake up enough to head out. She had to head home this morning. pout! Ah well, at least we had a really good six day visit. I don’t envy her going back to hot Arlington Texas though. phew!!! And, miracles of miracles, she only left on thing! It was in the freezer, so I’m not too surprised. 🙂

However, since I was up so early, I made a second batch of biscuits in preparation for the La Plaza job. They came out really good this time and I will stick to it. Yum… I’ve got to do dishes again and then make a carob cake for the potluck tonight at David Enke’s. The Old Blind Dogs are playing at the Fox tomorrow night. Dan gets to work the lights and I will be cooking at the La Plaza for the after dinner party. Wheeee…

Life is just about to get really busy! Work starts tomorrow and college classes at Ashford start on Friday.

Almost caught up!

Posted on by

It has been busy around here. After the conference, we spent as much time with Stefan and Anabell as we could. Then on Monday, we took them to the airport. 🙁 Sad Day… 🙁

Tuesday, the washer broke. So, I have been trying to do catch up with the laundry by hand, as I had a load in the washer when it died. Oh, and I told John that I want a divorce. That of course went over like a lead balloon. However, the job I’m applying for needs some honesty. As in I don’t make diddley squat for money and I live separately from John. Told him I was going to tell the interviewer that, and he got upset. During the course of the conversation, I explained that in all honesty, I wanted a divorce. It was like he never expected that.

Um… Hello! I haven’t lived with him for over a year. Plus, some stuff that I’m not mentioning on a blog, but… In all honesty, I had my heart broken 23 years ago, and it never healed. He asked for a divorce then. We tried to work things out, and to be honest, we didn’t do too bad. I made a promise that I would work on the marriage as long as there were minor children. Well, Daniel turned 18 two years ago, and I have to admit that I still felt about the same. I wanted a divorce. Due to a number of things, I moved out of the house at 203 Walsen over a year ago. I am happier, less stressed, more relaxed and have had fewer asthma attacks than I have had in years. I still love him, but I’m not IN love with him. There is a difference.

He says he wants to talk and try to make things better so that we don’t divorce. Sorry, after 20+ years, I don’t think things will change. We’ve both changed, and I just do not see reconciliation being an option. Plus, when are we suppose to find time to talk? He works an average of 50 hours a week, and I have college, a job and other responsibilities. An hour here or there over a week is just not going to cut it or change my mind. Nor will I interrupt his work and send him back to work in a possibly upset state of mind.

And, despite what he might think, I don’t want a divorce just so that I can marry Dan. Nope! Wrong answer. I love Dan, but I won’t marry him. I never want to be married ever again. Nor do I think Dan ever wants to be married again either.

Sigh.

I hope to have pictures of Stefan and Anabell up by Saturday. Dan has to download them and put them on the jump drive for me. My computer is having some issues. argh… video driver issues.

Oh, and our friend is coming up from Texas!!!! Wheeee!!!!!

Of Vail and conferences and rain

Posted on by

Dan and I headed off to Vail for a workforce conference on Wednesday. We headed off at the crack of dawn and actually got there 45 minutes early. Whewwww! First up on the agenda was an opening speech by Governor Ritter. It was short, sweet and to the point. He signed three bills into law that had to do with business.

After that, we got the registration mixup fixed and got all of my conference stuff. 🙂 We got settled in our room which was great. The bed was huge, and there was a fireplace in the room. LOL… granted it was about 85 there. Oh, and the bathroom. A bath and a shower. :):):)

We went to a workshop, and then at dinner we had a speaker who was really good. Sarah Michel. After dinner, we were so tired that we soaked in the tub and then went to bed.

Thursday started WAY TOO EARLY. Up at 6am, breakfast by 7am and in the conference room with 150 other people by 8am. This was the WIB (Workforce Investment Board) workshop. It was for all the workforce regions: their chairmen, members, etc. I got to go because Dan felt I should go and Taryn agreed. The WIB is involved in getting a new Colorado Workforce Council up and running. Lots of politics. Lots of egos, tempers, ideas and worries to work through. Since I was a rather late addition, I got put on the ‘left over’ table. Not a bad thing, and pretty soon, those of us on that table joined in with other tables that were missing people. I jokingly called our table the ‘Group W’ table. For a bunch of misfits, we really worked well together.

We worked for 8 hour on Thursday. It was tough, exciting and exhausting. After we finished, Dan and I went out to dinner at a place called Garfields. It was good food and after dinner we walked around downtown Vail. Then we headed for the hotub! Wheee!!!! a whirlpool no less. We were back in the room by 9 and asleep by 10pm.

Up early again, and in the conference by 7:30am. More hard work, but very worth it by the time we finished. When it was done, we went down and had lunch. The group Chicken Lips was speaking/performing during lunch. They were a motivational comedy group. Hilarious! Had a great time and laughed, oh did we laugh! After lunch, we packed up and headed home. It was just starting to rain as we left Vail. Idaho Springs was a downpour! Rain stood on the highway and some of the puddles were so deep that we had to slow way down to get through them. It cleared up a time or two near Denver, but we had more rain all the way home. We got home around 6pm. Once we unpacked and said our hellos, we headed for bed. It was meant to be a nap, but… We woke up at 10am this morning.

Spent most of the day with Stefan and Anabell. 🙂 They had dinner with my parents, but we are now watching movies and Morgan is painting Anabell’s toenails and fingernails. 🙂 Best part of the day besides spending time with S&A,… I Got A Job!!!! I will be cooking for La Plaza!!! Oh, and Ian got a job too as a waiter. happygotajobdance!!!!!

Tomorrow I’m making runza for dinner. Yum!!!

Okay, Who Took February???

Posted on by

One minute I was watching the groundhog see his shadow, the next it’s Daniel’s birthday. All I could think was who took February???

It really was a busy month. Morgan one a CCIRA award for a short story she wrote. Dan was already going up to Denver to visit with his girlfriend, so we all went. Ian, Morgan, Dan and I headed to Denver. We stopped in Pueblo and got Morgan a dress. It is really pretty. Two different hotels, one with a pool. 🙂 We picked up Ruth and went out for dinner and then played in the pool. 🙂 Everyone had a great time. Next morning, we got up and after getting lost a few times made it to the Award Ceremony. She got her award, and we then changed clothes and headed to the Denver Art Museum. Lots of cool stuff like a bungie cord maze,  red foxes in a dinning room setting and art… A lovely time.

I got home just in time to turn around and head to La Junta for Census Training. I have a job with the Census. Bad part was that it was SNOWING!!!! We were suppose to take Ian back to Alamosa, but the car died. We decided to turn around and poof, the car stated. So, I borrowed Daniel’s car and Dan and I drove to La Junta. We had a lovely soak in the hot tub and a nice swim before we crawled into bed. Training was okay, and we came home Monday night.

That week I was suppose to have a break from school. I did. I just spent most of it in bed sick. akkkkk!!!!

Caron and Ian came down for Valentines day. 🙂 It was a nice treat. What was really nice was to be taken care of for a day while we both were so sick. The next week, we talked with Ian and realized just how unhappy he was at Adam State. So, we went and picked him up. Moved him right in. 🙂 To say he is happy is an understatement.

The next week, I had more Census training. Which brings me back to this week. Our first day of real Census work was Monday. It snowed. I think we got a good 5 inches. I am an assistant crew leader, so I help with handing out census forms as well as do sort of mid level admin work. The next month is going to be very busy as we hand out a form to every person in the county.

Oh!!!! I made my favorite cake with carob tonight for Daniel’s birthday. As far as everyone else was concerned, it tastes better than the chocolate version!!!! I am so glad, because I have missed my cake!!!!

Now that I have finally caught up, it is bed time!!!

Back into the icebox!!!

Posted on by

At least that is where it feels like the world has been for the last few weeks. We get teased by a warm day and frozen the next. Brrrrrr!!! I am so ready for Spring!!!

Over the last few weeks I have… chopped down a tree, gone on a walk with my Dad and Dan and brought home a bag full of fossilized clams, done lots of laundry and school work, had fun at KnitWits and tried not to stress too much. I think I’m making progress on the stress, but some days it is in the wrong direction! Oh well.

I passed my computer class with a perfect score. No surprise there. I’m now in the middle of two business classes. yawn.. big frustration for me is that the classes are aimed at the 19-24 year olds. Sorry, but I already do most of the stuff they are talking about or… see no use for it in this economy. Oh well. 6 papers to go and I age a week off.

Let’s see…. Dan went to Denver this weekend to talk to the Government about this idea he’s had for unemployment. One meeting on Friday and one on Monday. He’s up in a hotel for the weekend. When not up to his eyeballs in papers, he has gone out with our friend Caron a time or two. 🙂 I’m glad she is willing to show him around. Denver can be fun or a nightmare, depending on how well you know it.

Today, I started out the morning slow…. Slept in a bit. Then the phone started. First my parents. Just a hello type call. Then Dan and I chatted for 30 minutes and I got caught up on his day. After that, I got a call from the Census office. An interview via the phone and then 30 minutes later, a job offer!!!! I’m going to be an assistant crew manager. Wheee!!! I could really enjoy a paycheck about now. While the Huerfano Journal has been the cement holding all the bits together most days, it would be nice to have a little more in my pocket. Plus, all the other job offers are still in the wings with no firm offers yet. sigh…. I start training on the 8th of February.

After all the phone calls, it was off to a gardening meeting. The community garden is gearing up. Wheee!!! Funny bit is that I have spinach in my bed from last year!!! Salad in a few days if it doesn’t freeze too hard. 🙂

There are days…

Posted on by

Life flows. You get into habits. Or, you get into bad habits. Comfy habits. Then things change. The job, lifestyle, something.  That Cosmic Clue X 4 swings your way. You try to organize. You try to get life in order so that things just work. Anything to avoid that whiffling noise followed by the resounding crrrrrrack up side the head.

Well, Dan and I have been hearing that whiffle bat headeing our way.  We are both still out of work. Not for lack of trying, but just circumstance. On my part, there must have been a ton of unemployed secretaries  out there because every job I have tried for I have gotten the “nice letter”. sigh. Dan’s computer job in Springs turned out to be a wash. A scam. The company has a habit of courting techs, having them do some “try-out” work and then dumps them under the guise that “things just don’t really work out. The company gets the work done and no one gets paid. Dan was So Very Unhappy about that. At this point, we are probably going for the jobs at Safeway or 7-11, etc. yuck.

Meanwhile, on an upbeat note, we had another meeting with Debora Hood. She is a busiiness solutions consultant that we met at the BBB Power Breakfasts. Very neat lady. She has been helping us figure out how to set up LoboSavvy. (coming soon to your computers…. LoboSavvy.com… The Place to go to for Comouter Tech Support for your business or home.)

So, back to getting organized. All last week, everywhere I turned, I was running into articles about cleaning up, organizing, getting your life in line. You name it, the stuff kept popping up. Even in my fortune cookie!!! So, I took the hint and decided that it was time to get our asses in gear.

Do you know how HARD it is to convince someone who is normally very organized that he needs to get organized? Gads!!! However, I had a captive audience yesterday. In our desire to get home Thursday night, we forgot to pick up dog food. Normally, I would just have grabbed any old dog food. However, we have these two dogs that just don’t do well on the low protein stuff. So, it was off to Pueblo for dog food. While we were driving, I brought the subject up. We got a little bit of extra time to talk about it because the car decided to have a snit fit. So, as we sat on the side of the road waiting for it to cool off, we talked about how we need to get organized. Business wise and personally.I think the personal side will be harder than the business.

This means of course that we are starting today. Yarggggggghhh….. I know that I am just as bad, especially about sleeping in, but oh gods the alarm went off early on a Saturday. Plus, this week will not be a typical week as we have my parents to deal with and construction work on the house. Such fun. Closets and drywall and mud oh my!!!

Cold, quiet and queesy

Posted on by

Today was one of those typical Colorado weather days. Wait five minutes and the weather will change. We’ve had snow, sun and wind in various combinations all day. Oh, and Cold! My fingers nearly froze trying to get my resume ready this morning. I applied for a secretarial job out in La Veta today. Took Pauline with me so that we could catch up on each other’s lives. Turned into a nice girl’s day out.

We went to lunch out at the Rambler, and then went to a couple of shops. One of them being Collection Corners. Lots of antiques. I was so good. Looked and didn’t buy anything! I dropped her off around 5pm and came home. Dan had a meeting to go to and I decided to just curl up with my cup of mint tea and the computer. My lunch didn’t set very well. uggghh….

Sunday Dan and I took Blanca and Brandy to Pueblo and Petsmart. We needed to get her a body harness as Brandy keeps escaping the yard. We figured that fitting one would be better than just guessing. So, off we went. Blanca was very good. In fact, she was better than I thought she’d be. Brandy was good, but she yammered ala coyote at the other dogs and scared some of them. I teased Dan that there was a language barrier. Dog vs Coyote. Maybe I wasn’t so far off.

However, the girls had a good time.

So far, I have three resumes out. One to the local hospital, one to La Veta high school and one out to a gentleman wanting data entry work done. Now for the wait. sigh…..

I think I’ll go to bed.

Hippo Birdies two Ewe!

Posted on by

Today is Little Morgan’s 12th birthday. She took a lovely sticky candy covered cake to school and shared the sugar high with all of her friends. For supper, she had yet another piece of cake and then home made pizza that Beth made. I had a piece of cake sans frosting and candy. Very chocolaty!

I gave her a pentacle necklace with a lapiz lazuli pendant on it, a small medicine bag, a tin with a cat on it and a turquoise/agate necklace and bracelet set. Her dad gave her a box, a deerskin leather bag with hearts, coins and stones in it and lots of love.

She is getting so big! Taller than I am and still growing.

Morgan (l) at her first volleyball game
Morgan (l) at her first volleyball game

She is having so much fun in school this year. Not sure if it is just the age, lack of Matt or what. However, she is so happy.

I had fun at work today too. Got the office tidy, worked on the computer files and have most things running up to speed. Tomorrow I meet the other volunteer. I get to see just how shocked she is at the changes. teeheehee…. Dan and I are headed to Pueblo too, to see Carl. It’s been a while and I feel bad about it, but there wasn’t much else we could do. It has been so busy.

Tomorrow is also the day that Larry Patrick is suppose to talk to me about the website and email. Hopefully, we will get that all fixed. I am going to do my utmost to keep the email out of AOL. (which one of the members thinks is the best way to go)

Well, off to bed!

Screeeeech!

Posted on by

I am putting the brakes on this week! It has gone by way too fast. We got home Monday from camping and the week just ran away from us.

Tuesday was a blurr of homeschooling and laundry. We also set up my mom with a new email address. Oh, we also got a new domain for a website we are building. Wednesday I took John to the VA in Pueblo. He is having a flare up of cellulitus. I ran to Walmart while John was in the drs. Bought Daniel a toaster oven, and power cord. I also picked up tennies for Morgan and dog food for Sasquatch.

Thursday was more homeschooling. Matt is sort of getting the hang of how we want stuff done. Then it was time to head up to Gardner. Morgan had her first volley ball game. She plays on the B team, and is so proud of herself. They won! First time in 7 years against La Veta. She just glowed.

This morning, I got up at the crack of dawn, showered and got ready to take my parents to Colorado Springs. I got to drive my parents ’06 Subaru Legacy. Talk about nerve wracking! This is Dad’s baby! Aieeee~~~ Dad was going to see the oncologist about his bladder cancer. While he was at the doctors, Mom and I went to breakfast. By the time we were done, so was he. We drove home with a brief stop in Pueblo for a bit of lunch, paper and wine for my parents. Then I drove home.

We dropped Dad home while Mom and I went to Safeway. I dropped her home, Dan picked me up and it was back to homeschooling and now blogging. Gads!

Did have some good news though. Mike, the Chamber of Commerce president called to tell me the secretary job was mine if I wanted it!!! Part time, and I’m pretty sure it is minimum wage, but…  it’s a JOB! I start on Monday.

Tomorrow holds no rest either. Shopping in Pueblo.

Passages

Posted on by

Yesterday, we got news that a dear friend of ours had died of a heart attack. Tirion- Sir Starhelm, Michael Boelter.  He was driving his truck when it happened. His wife managed to stop it without further incident, and call 911.

It’s odd when someone dies that you know in common with others. The stories that come out, or the things you remember. I met Tirion online in an email group for pagans. One where you had to be more than just a newbie. We’d all been chatting when one day, he emailed me a joke. it was the beginning of a lovely ongoing chat. What was interesting is that I had known him for some time before the Harpers moved in with us. I didn’t know that they knew him, and visa-versa. It was so funny when I came out one day laughing to share a joke, and Dan or Beth realized I was talking about the dear friend they knew as Starhelm. I have the feeling that Tirion had known for a while and thought it a good joke on us.

Tirion was also some one I could talk to and bare some of my deepest hurts to, knowing that he’d listen, and give me an answer if he could. If nothing else, he’d tell me a joke to lighten my mood or share some article on chain mail or and esoteric theory. He’d be gone for months at a time and then one afternoon, my email or chat client would be bursting at the seams with him. I didn’t realize at first that the absences were due to him going overseas with the military. When he realized I was an ex-military wife, we chatted about the military too.

I will miss my dear friend. Tirion, I hope you find a place amongst the knights that have gone before you. The world is a poorer place without you.

Deep breath….

It has also been a hard week at work. I tried so hard to do all the right things to get the job at the DA’s office. However, I learned this morning that the job is going to someone else. My last day will be sometime before the 15th of July. sigh….

So, I am applying to some other places that want secretaries and hope that I land a job. If not, I’ll call Marge Durham, the Doggy Daycare rescue lady. She needs a home help person and part time dog helper. We will see.