A NEW YEAR

Since my last post the holidays have come and gone once again.

Christmas was really wonderful this year and our 4th Christmas in a row that was white, which as a rule is totally unheard of in my part of the world. Attended several Christmas parties and plays. The last of my "little" friends goes into middle school this fall so unless I make some new "little" friends the school plays will be a thing of the past. 5 wonderful years of school plays and other activities.

Last summer and fall were also very enjoyable with 2 of my nieces being home in July and then the other one was also back in September. My life has been being very, very busy. As of this post I have not been on the computer for a full week. Did a fast scan of e-mails earlier to see if there was anything I needed to take care of. I'll get to the others later on.

I have been working on a full house deep cleaning since about the 1st of October I believe and I have made a pretty good head way, but still a number of things have to be done. Most will probably go on the back burner as I will be helping with a large yard sale to benefit a couple that live in Montrose. The wife is terminal, unfortunately they don't have any insurance and the medical bills are out of site and we are all hoping that the proceeds from the yard sale will help them just a little bit. The husband is the son of my very dear friends and they have initated the yard sale.

When I worked I don't know how I found time to do anything as I always have something going on now that I'm retired. Dayna and I had to put our day trips on the back burner because of her out of state company and then me mine. We hope to get back to this come spring as it is so much fun.

All is well all is good. The Lord has truly blessed me.

FALL

Fall is in the air.

When I came home yesterday I noticed that the trees here in town are starting the fall color change. Where oh where has the summer gone too!

This has been a very, very busy summer. Ber and Miss Pickle have been up several times and I have certainly enjoyed their company. On one visit Ber set up my Web Cam for me so that I can visit on line with all of the family members. Stuco and I visited for quite a bit this last Sat. AM. This is so cool to be able to talk and see one another at the same time.

My friend Dayna and I have continued our day trips from Cortez. There is so much to see and do and still be in your own bed that night. Our next scheduled trip is October 5th and we plan on doing quite a few this winter. We will go south to Monument Valley, Halls Crossing and all of those neat places.

I had my physical done yesterday and all of these exercises the doctor has had me doing have really paid off. So with the excellent report that I received yesterday I will continue to do the exercises. I have found that if I do first thing of the morning before the rest of my day starts I will get them done. After the hip replacement I got up at 5:00 AM, did exercises and then did breakfast and got ready for work. Can you believe that has been 10 years ago this coming December that I had that surgery done. So I'm using the same principal now, not getting up at 5:00 but doing the exercises the very first thing and all has worked out real well.

For the past two weeks now the mornings have been being real chilly and then by the end of the day it is usually about 83 degrees. Hope all is well with each and every one of you.

MARCH 2010

70 years ago today I saw the Sleeping Ute Mountain for the very first time, well not really with being a new born. I was born at home in the house that my dad had built out of adobe bricks with the help of his dad when my parents were first married (actually they lived at their respective homes while trying to keep their marriage a secret and getting the house built, granddad knew as he stood up with them in Aztec, NM where they got married). This house is still standing today.

In my part of the country if March comes in calmly the phrase of "March came in like a Lamb" applies, then almost always it will go out "like a lion" so with my birthday being on March 31st my dad always use to call me his "storm child" as the night or morning that I was born, however you want to say it was going out "like a lion".

Strangest thing is, in my mind I am still as young as I was at 20, however my body has a little different story to tell.

My friends started celebrating my birthday this past Monday. My dear friend Dayna took me to Moab, Utah for lunch. We ate at the best Italian place. What a wonderful day we did have. Yesterday was busy, today and tomorrow and then I think my birthday celebrations will be finished for this year.

SPRING IS CLOSE NOW

What a difference we now see since my last post.

Every day last week the daily temperatures were from 52 degrees all the way up to 57 degrees and all of these huge snow banks have started melting like you poured hot water over them as whatever melted on any particular day turns into ice that night. Then the process starts all over again the next day.

Haven't been down to the farm so I don't have any clue as to what is going on down there. I'm sure the snow is melting just as fast as it is here in town. The strangest thing on Tuesday of this last week I believe it was I discovered in one of the flower beds on the west side of the house that is finally thawed out a beautiful little purple pansy just blooming it's little heart out.

My friend Dayna always starts all of her plants from seed so that they have a very good growth on them before she ever sets them out as our growing season is just too short here and she had tomatoes come up along with other types of vegetables as well.

Everyone is really looking forward to spring in our part of the country.

WEEKEND FUN

Will start this blog off with the information that yesterday was 50 degrees here and today we made it up to 51 degrees. Why is this so very important?

Because 1 week ago tomorrow I ran down to the ranch, farm to take care of some things for my sister-in-law and I proceeded to get stuck in the driveway right at the house, not once but twice. The only way I could get unstuck was to start shoveling. Yes, I was using 4-wheel drive, but take a long hard look at your Ma's photos that she will be showing you or that you have already received. That snow was deep. I now know what my driveway would have been like if my neighbor, Joshua had not kept me plowed out this winter.

Here at the house, on the east side the snow still strikes me at just about shoulder height (this is from standing flat on the ground and using body for measuring purposes) and to the north of the house it is still about 2 feet deep. On the south side of the house and to the west where the sunshine does hit some yard is starting to show through. Hope that it continues.

Wonderful weekend, lots of fun, lots of good food.

Hope all is well with everyone

WONDERFUL FRIENDSHIPS

This has truly been a wonderful weekend which actually started Thursday when my friend Jeanne Robinson arrived. She is the lady that use to travel to AZ with me before she sold in Aztec, NM and moved to Queen Creek, AZ. She has her own business there and is doing quite well.

Jeanne had planned and coordinated a 40th anniversary celebration for her parents, Harold and Sis Foster and her 5 brothers helped with the expense. The actual party was held yesterday at the County Annex building. It was very nicely done and Jeanne's two daughters had helped her in preparing all of the food and there were mountains of it and I'm not fibbing. More had RSVP-ed than actually showed for the celebration.

It was so good to get to see the boys. I knew Jeanne's two girls quite well and it was nice to see them and their families. I didn't know the families of the boys all that well especially their children as I didn't see them as often as I did Jeanne's children.

Today I have been trying to get my second wind. I was over tired when I went to bed last night and consequently didn't sleep all that well so have kind of been dragging this AM.

2010 - WHAT KIND OF A YEAR?

Lets see. Since the last post the Wii is successfully set up and now I'm trying to decide what I enjoy the most. I have to agree with Cole, the little Wii Lady can get quite nasty when you are trying your hardest to do the exercises the way she asked. Really reminds me of a real person.

Well we are still experiencing snow and more snow and snow, I don't think that it is ever going to end. I have been getting cabin fever so bad that it has really played heck with my attitude. But then you have the problem of trying to get to and from. Here again 3 weeks ago the only way you could get into southwest Colorado was from the highway down through Kayenta & Flagstaff. Then the City of Cortez is only concerned about Main Street and the 2 routes to the hospital. They stated in the newspaper that they will do the other streets if and when they get to them. I have used 4wheel high more this winter than I really anticipated when I purchased this vehicle, but am so happy that I had the intelligence to get a 4 wheel drive.

Then the ice storm we had played heck with my roof repair job, just one spot, but that is enough. The man that fixed came down, got up on the roof and chipped bricks of ice out of that particular area. He will patch come spring and I had decided about a week ago the next fall I will have him put some sort of heat tape system up there for next winter.

Then last, but not least, little Trixie's age has caught up with her. We finally have her thyroid problem under control and now we are working on her liver condition. So very strange how they can develop the same problems as their human owners. Anyway in around doing the Wii there have been numerous trips to the Vet. I'm now using Dr. Angela Porter and she certainly does not have dollar signs in her eyes. She is more concerned about the health of your animal.

The first of the month after the heating system is not used so much I plan on getting my blinds all cleaned, everything washed that is washable because when good weather gets here I'm going to be outside as much as I possibly can, that is if the 3 feet of snow north of my house ever goes away. Cortez and the lower valley have broken snow totals created in the past for all of the consecutive snow accumulations which there has been very little sunshine.

Well I have griped myself out so guess I will quit for now.

SNOW & MORE SNOW

1967 would be the last winter that I remember anywhere near this amount of snow and before that I would have been in grade school at Lebanon.

Well I have been playing games on the Wii and am finding that I quite enjoy doing this. One of the main reasons that I purchased. Haven't gotten to the Wii Fit Plus, but will get there eventually.

This storm has been being predicted since the last one left the area on Friday so on Monday I went to the bank, gassed vehicle up and then purchased groceries, came home put groceries up, fixed a bite to eat and then I went to Big R to purchase bird seed as I only had enough for one feeding of the birds. I have really had some beautiful birds this winter. I do enjoy them.

Yesterday I had to take Trixie to the Vet to have her retested on her thyroid problem and to see if medicine should be increased or whatever. After that I went to the casino and cashed in my player card points. Reason is quite simple. They are taking away so many perks that I didn't want to loose this as well.

Today is house bound time once again, but I have had plenty going on to keep myself entertained. As all of you know I am a avid reader but this winter I just haven't been able to get really interested in any books.

WHO WOULD HAVE BELIEVED

Wii saga does continue.

Well with the mountain of snow that we now seem to be getting after the continual rain last night, freezing and now snow on top of. Oh well. Back to my story.

I am not technically with the program as your 1st graders are. Never saw a computer until I was in my 40's, I think. Well anyway I get myself all nervous and uptight when it comes to some of this stuff.

But I am proud to say that I have the Wii Console all set up, have my Mii identification all set up and I have decided that is it for one day. Tomorrow, maybe, I will try a game of bowling and then again maybe not. My biggest challenge was the TV part as these new HDL TV's aren't set up quite like the old analog TV's were. Everything is set up in the remote, not the TV set itself. The way they have some of this stuff identified is something else. But low and behold I made it. I think now that I have jumped these hurdles the balance of the set up will be easy.

So how was your day?

21st CENTURY

Well the Wii journey begins.

FedEx finally made delivery of my system at about 1:35 PM today (it is now 4:29PM), I know how did I contain myself. Real easy. I ran out of oxygen so I came in to change bottles and no matter what I did I could not get my regulator to work. With panic about to set in I'm thinking to myself OK you have thought this was coming on for quite awhile so just go up and get a different regulator. I used the regulator from the continuous setup to get me up to the store and back.

Anyway back to the Wii. Just got the boxes opened (Yes, 2) and from what the inside containers say I have in my possession the complete setup as ordered. I am now going to wait until tomorrow to get started as it is suppose to be another very nasty day and I don't have anything else planned. I do much better when I am less stressed out. I think you all understand what I'm saying here.

I thought that this might make for a interesting several days of blogging. We will see if I'm right or not.

Busy, Busy

Well here we are, January 13, 2010. Where have the past 13 days gone to? Who knows. Has anyone else had trouble getting use to writing 2010 or is it just me? First of the month with bills I wrote Jan. 05, 2010 to make sure I was getting it right. This is one that will really play with your mind.

Knock on wood, but so far I have not had any of the flus or colds that are going around in my part of the world. We are still dealing with a lots of slick roads and snow. Sure does make for interesting driving.

As most of you know I was without my computer for about 2 weeks while the hard drive was being replaced with a new one. I'm begining to think now that it was bad from arrival in my home as now things are faster and much less complicated than they were before or maybe the fact that I have also gained more computer knowledge than I have ever had before.

I know I'm still having trouble getting my mind wrapped around the digital camera, but I'll get it in time. Why this comment now, well after playing Wii games on New Years Day I just placed the order for my setup here at the house. Being so naive as to what I should order Miss Ber helped me out and with price comparing she saved me quite a bit of money. System should be here by the 25th of this month.

In addition to making my exercise program less boring it will also give me new games to play in addition to the computer games, reading & house work. As you guys know I still have 2 and possibly even 3 months of snow and freezing temperatures left and when the roads are truly bad I refuse to get out on them. I trust myself, but you can not always trust that other guy out there.

This AM took my friend Sis out for breakfast as today is her 68 birthday. I will only be a year older than her until my 70th birthday on March 31, 2010. I can not believe that I'm going to be that old and that my kid brother will be 67. Once again where does time go to?

Had a wonderful New Years Eve and New Years Day. Hope all of you did as well.

CHRISTMAS TIME ONCE AGAIN

Where oh where does time go to?

Truly seems like just yesterday when the girls and their children where here.

This will be the 3rd year in a row now that we will have a white Christmas. Which rarely happens. We usually have snow in October and around Thanksgiving and then nothing else until January. We had at least 8 inches out of the last storm (around the 7th of the month) and we have another one predicted for tomorrow, tomorrow night and then moving out sometime on Wed. After the last storm had passed my neighbor Joshua Robinson plowed out my pickup and the whole half moon driveway and then right up to the garage door. Wouldn't take anything for it, but I fixed his little red wagon as I bought a nice Christmas gift for him and his family. I also purchased a Christmas gift for my oxygen supply man and wife as he has done several things for me, like he totally cleaned my concentrator on the inside and would not charge me for it. So this is the perfect time of the year to remember these people that do all of the extra special things for you.

A note of interest for everyone I find it quite strange that Stucko lost her hard drive on the laptop, then my sister-in-law and now that is what was wrong with my laptop. Makes you wonder what kind of bugs there are out there and how do we get them. I'm quite happy to say that my laptop is well and fixed at a very reasonable price.

As some of you know I came down hard with diverticulitis at about 1:30 AM Dec. 10th, took myself to the hospital at about 3:30 AM or there abouts, they did blood work up and a CT scan to make their determination, released me at about 7:30 AM and had me call a neighbor to come pick me up because of the heavy pain medication. Was bascially out of it for 4 days and nights so I truly got behind on Christmas cards and other Christmas things. No candies or cookies this year but in the long run that is a good thing, so no harm has really been done.

I think I'm ready for this next storm. I went to the grocery store today, got gas (just in case), and purchased additional bird seed for all of the wonderful birds that I have been feeding this winter. God's creatures are really something to behold and I have had all kinds of beautiful birds this winter to take care of.

To all of you faithful readers A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Winter Arrival

Well I must tell you one and all it has been a very long time since we have had a snow storm this early. We got up to snow this AM and I just checked the weather forecast and it states that we have 80% chance of snow this PM and tonight so who knows what we will get up to in the AM. They have been predicting this storm for several days so I had planned my week accordingly and certainly am glad that I did, therefore the storm is not bothering me one little bit.

Well the month of October has been just as busy if not more so than all prior months. As some of you know and some may not, two of the girls and their children were up the first week of the month and it was very enjoyable having them here.

Some yard work and some housework but mainly helping friends out with various and sundry unexpected things that have recently transpired in their lives. I love being able to help in whatever little way I can because of all of the wonderful kindnesses extended to me in the past. While working I could not do this, but certainly can now that I am retired.

Life is good, life is great.

I just keep plugging along and enjoying anything and everything the Lord sends my way. I know that he has a reason and a purpose and I just hope and pray that I am doing what he wants me to do.

I have another friend that had a heart attack yesterday AM and just found out that he is now in his own room and they will install a pace maker at Mercy Hospital in Durango and he should be released on Saturday to come home. We are so very fortunate that we have all of the specialists that we do in Durango. It is truly a blessing or a quick helicopter ride to St. Marys in Grand Junction. There was a day that your only recourse was Denver and when you are seriously ill that wasn't always a option.

FALL COLORS

When I came back from running errands on Sat. I saw that the top of my Maple tree was this brilliant red and then I got to looking at the Virginia Creeper on the fence and saw all of these wonderful colors which have not been there for the last 3 fall seasons.

So I decided yesterday that I was going up the river to look at colors. (Yes, I know. I wish I really had the hang of this digital camera, I think I know then I go to use and I can't get it to work).

I went up to Lizard Head Pass and then turned around and came back. No one else wanted to go so I went by myself. The colors were absolutely spectacular. The oak bushes are every color under the sun, and the Aspens are magnificent in their own right. So the past two REAL winters have definitely had something to do with the fall colors, even though they say that we did not get the right amount of snow in the mountains this last winter. Wish I knew a little more about this kind of stuff.

Have been busy trying to get ready for winter with outside stuff and then in October I want to do deep cleaning in the house. Sorry that is just how I was raised. We had 2 weeks of really cold weather, have had our first freeze but I didn't loose anything as my sprinkler system came on that night and theres not a doubt in my mind that is what saved my container garden and flower beds.

Life is very busy and people that get bored with retirement must not have much going on in their lives as I manage to stay very, very busy and love every minute of it.

Things Of Interest

For those of you that have known about the leaking problem between my deck roof and house roof, well the fall rains have started in earnest and I sincerely believe that this problem is no more. In the past it has not taken very much rain for the leaking to begin. We have had 3 very healthy storms since last Friday evening and I can not find any place that has leaked. Certainly hope that I have not jinked anything by doing this post.

Have been very busy outside trying to get things in order before the first hard freeze so that things are easier to take care of come next Spring. I really don't know where the Summer has gone too. For one thing we did not have any Spring here this past year. We jumped from winter right into Summer. I kid you not we ran our furnace's up through the 1st part of June and a couple of times after that even.

Last weekend my sister-in-law came down from the mountains as she had to go back to work this last Tue. so she and I went out to lunch at Kuchus on Sunday and got caught up our our visiting.

Got my flu and pneumonia shots this last Tue and have had a slight reaction to the pneumonia shot, have run a fever in the shot area and it also got quite sore. Have been doing the alcohol swapping of it all long today and it is doing much better. I still have some fever in the area but not as much as there was.

Really don't have anything else to post so will talk with everyone later.

CLASS REUNIONS

I know, I know. I have not posted in quite sometime and I have no excuse other than I have been busy. To be honest I really don't know where to begin, so I guess with the week ending August 22nd.

I had friends from high school arriving Wed. of this particular week and spent time with different ones prior to our 50th class reunion. The banquet was held on Sat. Aug. 22, 2009 at the Elks Lodge here in Cortez. I have to be honest when I say that I truly enjoyed myself and reconnecting with old friends. Then our picnic was held on Sunday at the American Legion Campground up the Dolores river. Once again I really enjoyed visiting with my former classmates. I took my Senior annual along and we all had more fun going through our senior pictures and comparing to different individuals and how we all look now. We swapped e-mail addresses, along with phone numbers. Donna Tanner was telling me Sunday that she had counted the number of classmates while the group photo was being taken. She said out of a class of 104 there were 55 present Sat. night and we have lost 20 classmates. Out of the 30 something remaining unaccounted for, some are living in Cortez and have never come to a reunion and on some of the others their whereabouts are unknown to anyone. Needless to say a good time was had by all. A lot of my former classmates traveled great distances to be here for this reunion and I was so grateful to be able to spend time with them. Certainly hard to believe that it has been 50 years since our graduation.

Anna, Jnell and Ines; I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed your company and really wish that you lived closer to Cortez. What a wonderful time we had reconnecting with all of our other classmates.

Monday the 24th, I shamphooed my living room and dining room. Each one of you know that when doing something like this it eats up a whole day. Tue. was spent getting Lab Work done and taking my littlest dog to the Vet for testing as she has developed some sort of problem. All of the tests should be back tomorrow and her treatment can begin. After we got finished at the Vets I had to go pick up my new glasses. Ran into a friend and was visiting with her when my brother came looking for me. I have my annual physical tomorrow with my doctor. Last Wed. was oxygen delivery and then the carpenter and his two helpers showed up to do some repair work on my roof. Thur. I spent painting the underside of the deck roof so that I can tell after the fall rains start if there are any leaks or if I have too call the crew back as they stand behind their work. Friday I spent trying to get the soreness out of my neck and shoulders from the paint job then yesterday I was really paying for doing the paint job as my neck and shoulders were killing me.

This week in around doctor visit and oxygen delivery I want to get lawn mowed and some new grass sown. So another busy week. When it gets a little cooler my friend and I are planning a trip to Moab. We also want to go to Telluride when the fall colors start and do the gondola. We have too do these in around her husbands hunting trip.

My brother and wife are in the mountains now as bow season started yesterday and Norm got drawn for a elk this year. I was going up to hunting camp today to spend some time with my sister-in-law, but then I got sidetracked. Doesn't take much to get me sidetracked anymore.

I will try to do better in posting. After the snow starts I will have plenty of time, but if roads are bad won't be out and about that much so there isn't much to post about.

SUMMER FUN

I must say the last three weeks have been so full of interesting things to do, places to go that I am enjoying this summer to no end.

Back in June I took a friend of mine up to Vallecito Lake for her birthday. We were gone all day and what an adventure we did have. Then the same friend came by on the 9th of July at 6:00 AM to pick me up and we did the Loop Trip. We spent quite a bit of time in Silverton. We had breakfast at a really cool cafe, did some shops and then watched the first train come in. None of the same shops are in town like what were there when Amber, Chris and I made the last trip so it was very, very interesting. Then we traveled on to Ouray where we had ice cream and once again the shop we were all use too is no more. Different shop entirely.

Then another day went to Farmington with another friend and we spent the day. The rest of the month has been busy with lunches, company, birthday parties, weddings.

Oh the fun I have had.

Anyway this week I am playing catch up here at the house. Didn't realize one person could generate so much laundry. Tomorrow I have to get yard mowed and some of that stuff done. Will be a good day for it as the sprinkler system will come on tonight.

To work outside I have been getting up at 5:00 AM to be outside by 7:00 AM and even at that the heat has been driving me in by 11:00 A.M., I know, I know it isn't as hot as AZ weather, but this elevation and 97 degrees with the humidity it just flat does you in.

This weekend is Mancos Days and I may go over there for awhile and see who I might run into that I know.

RETIREMENT, I LOVE IT!!!!!!

TIME

Has anyone other than myself noticed how time does fly?

It seems like just yesterday that I was in AZ attending Pickel's birthday party which was actually a week ago this last Sat.

My dear friend is back from his trip to Europe and it seems like they just left on their vacation. Talked to them this morning and they had a wonderful time. They were gone for a full two weeks. Once again my statement of Oh My time does fly.

This past week was truly very busy has I helped two different friends celebrate their birthdays. My one friend wanted to go to the campground North of Vallecito Lake where Dad and I use to go camping. She was so excited that she wants to talk her husband into their taking a camping adventure there. She wants to go over there instead of the planned camping trip to Ground Hog for as she said they do that every summer and she would like to go some place new.

Then I took the Inspector out to breakfast for his birthday. A good time was had by all.

When I first got up this AM I felt a little under the weather, but by 10:00 I was ready to get the day started with a bang. Have gotten several projects off and running. Always something to keep yourself entertained with when you are a homeowner.

My Patiogarden is really doing quite well. I'm anxiously awaiting for some blooms on the tomato plants for that will mean tomatoes. I'm so jealous that my niece is already harvesting from her garden, but I can not stand the terrible heat that they are experiencing by mid-day.

FRUSTRATION

I want to share my experiences of the past 2 days. 3 of my very dear friends from high school check my blog and I know they will more than understand what my frustration has been.

I need to set the background for you. While I worked (granted I had the 1st company PC stuck in front of me to see if it would work for company operations or not), but that is basically where it ended. A computer person was hired and whenever something went wrong with my computer I was told not to touch it, get hold of the computer person. So this is what I always did. When I retired two years ago and I purchased my computer setup for home through the company the main computer person was to come out and set everything up for me. (He had the computer preloaded with everything under the sun along with Windows Live E-mail. Well originally Qwest set me up with q.com for my e-mail provider.) Well he never came, and never came and so finally I decided how hard can this be. Did I ever learn. I managed to get everything totally setup with the help of Qwest who is my high speed Internet provider and DELL.

Well yesterday I had problems with my Internet and it was on my end. I have figured out on my own that in trying to get around registering with Windows Live for my e-mail, I locked myself out of the Internet connection.

My wonderful sister-in-law gave me the technical support telephone number at Qwest. I called and the nicest lady that could speak perfect ENGLISH bailed me out. The biggest thing with her & Qwest was to make sure that I was who I said I was and not a hacker.

Well I contacted OCM & Ber for 2 e-mails I had sent to them that I did a address book mail asking that they send back to me so I could recreate my contact list, but low and behold this AM I had all of this information on my computer from Windows Live. So to make a long story short I had bothered the girls for nothing.

Now that I'm using Windows Live E-mail I should not have any more e-mail problems (anyway I certainly hope that it stops here).

Then Shawn came yesterday to install the new digital antenna so that I will be able to receive all of the new digital channels off of the antenna. Once again a complete learning process. On the TV with the converter box, two remotes have to be used and even though my large TV had to be replaced now with the antenna (and scanning the antenna) I'm back to two remotes until such time as I ever have to call Dish Network for any repairs and I will have the tech program the Dish remote where I think it will cover both items.

So FRUSTRATION has a whole total new meaning for me at the present time.

So how was your weekend?


Why am I talking about all of this now, well about an hour ago I was going to check e-mails under this crazy new e-mail address and low and behold I could not make my internet connection work. So I was just about ready to disconnect, box up to take to AZ with me this next weekend and let J look at and tell me what all of this strange jibberish is trying to tell me.

SPRING SHOWERS

Well here it is the 26th day of May and what a busy month it has been.

One set of friends went to Phoenix for a week and I took care of their place for them.

Then the following week after that another set of friends went to Grand Junction for the husband to have surgery and there were complications, so they did not return home when everyone thought that they should. What was to have been overnight for them turned into one full week as well. Thank the Lord for cell phones.

So in around all of the above I got 11 flowerbeds cleaned out and new seeds planted. I purchased the seeds when they were first being put out on the shelfs back several months ago. Then the City had several different freebes this month which I took part in. Hauling off of any cuttings: branches, limbs, etc. and then they had City beautification week and if you put it out on your curb they would haul it off. So I got the garage cleaned out and all of the junk hauled to the curb and gladly waved good bye to it. It is unbelievable what we collect and as reported in my last blog I got rid of the tree thru the City and all of the old electronic stuff as well. I just have to remember that if you don't use it in 6 months away it should go.

Two weeks ago the outdoor faucet was finished and then Walt came by and got the swamp cooler going as well as getting the sprinkler system up and running.

Then last Wed. the rains started which all of the weather men are saying shouldn't be happening up until around the 15th of June, but moisture that we so desperately need to prevent fires later on. (And certainly don't need the cooler, Oh Well ).

Haven't been off of the place the past month, except to go to the grocery store. Then over the weekend I went to the casino two different days and managed to break even, but I needed to get away from the place for awhile and my family was busy getting their place ready for the summer.

So all in all things have been being very busy.

This week is the last week of school. Latest I can every remember it being. I have been told it is because they started a week late this last fall.

Well enough for now. Hope to do better this next month. We will see.

SPRING TIME IN THE ROCKIES

Mercy me. April has come and gone.

This week has finally been pretty weather. Sure took it long enough to get here.

As most of you know my frost free faucet saw fit to bite the dust on Christmas Eve. I had my neighbor come over and shut the valve off. Sure glad I had that shut off valve put in the last time the faucet went out. Hopefully this faucet will last longer than some of the others have. It came from Grand Junction Pipe & Supply and they assure me that the repairs can be made from the top in the future. Just pull out the center from the top of the faucet, take to their office in Durango, get the part, bring home and install, put back together and your in business with no more digging. I sure hope and pray that it will work this way.

I'm sure glad I have neighbors that are willing to shut these valves off for me as I just can't ever get that KEY to work right for me and instead of really breaking something quite badly I figure it is better to let someone do it that knows exactly what they are doing.

I hired a 16 year old high school student to do the digging out around the old faucet this last weekend and the tree roots that he ran into. Some were as big as my upper arm. Well to make a long story short he got the faucet dug out finally and my good friend the "INSPECTOR" did the plumbing part yesterday and Shawn will call when school is out this afternoon, I will go pick him up and he will fill the hole back in. Next weekend I will have Walt come turn the sprinkler system on which could not be done for this faucet mess was in the way.

We are suppose to get heavy rain tonight and all day tomorrow and I really hope it does as my lawn really needs a good watering.

Then next is my roof problem. This will be tackled somewhere near the middle of May.

One thing about it when you are a home owner there is always maintenance to be taken care of.

Even though I have more or less been inside this past month things have been very busy. Celebrated my birthday late with a couple of friends. Went out to lunch one day in Durango and that was really nice. I have another friend that retired from the same company that I did on the 27th of March. She and I were visiting Tuesday of this week about retirement and how we love it and that you never seem to have enough time and we were both wondering how we made things work at home and work. Very interesting.

Well believe it or not, nothing all that exciting has happened since I posted last, except for miserable and I do mean miserable weather.

Yesterday AM we got up to four (4") inches of the white stuff. The wind the last two weeks has been utterly unbearable. More of the Kayenta, AZ sand has been in the valley than our own hard clay. When the air gets like that I have a devil of a time breathing so I have more or less been house bound. We have had wind gusts from 45 to 50 mph. The wind gets to whistling so bad on the West side of the house that the large dog goes back to my bedroom and hides out and I do mean she hides. She hates the wind more than I do.

I received a digital camera for my birthday. Once I get it all figured out, (had to go get batteries and a memory card for it), now I'm doing the program learning. After I feel a little more comfortable with what I am doing I hope to be able to start using some pictures in my blogs. We will see. You know the old saying "Best laid plans of men and Mice", well that really seems to be me lately.

When the weather is nasty all I want to do is curl up with a good book and do some reading and I have done quite a bit of that here recently.

Hopefully I'll remind myself to do a blog each week. We will have to see on that as well.

Well March came in roaring like a lion and has been roaring every day. The nights had started to be warmer, but last night was back to winter temperatures. Oh how the wind has been blowing, one of the main reasons I don't like the month of March other than my birthday is on the 31st.

I keep hoping that surely we will have at least one pretty day that is warm and no wind so that I can get out and get my yard picked up after my dogs, was kind of hard to do while the grass was still so soggy. At least with the wind don't have that to worry about, but trying to work in the wind can be totally miserable so I stay in and look out.

The first thing after the 1st of April will be to get my frost free faucet replaced. This is the 3rd one in 15 years and I'm going back to the old fashioned kind this time. Enough is Enough. I have found a 16 year old who is strong and healthy, isn't afraid of work and he will do all of the digging so am looking at a Sat. to have work done, perhaps around April 11th. Not sure yet who will be doing the actual plumbing part.

I think I will dig out my Easter stuff tomorrow and get decorated as Easter will be here before we know it. Ber gets to have her birthday on Easter this year. The last time my birthday fell on Easter I have a friend that did the Easter basket thing for my birthday. It was so much fun.

I'm hoping to get out and start doing some Sunday PM drives after the middle part of the month and see how the surrounding areas survived the winter months.

My 50th class reunion banquet will be held on the 22nd of August. Cole scanned my retirement picture for me and cropped into a 3 X 5, e-mailed to me and I have already submitted to the reunion committee as they plan on doing a CD of pictures and whatever verbiage that we submit to them. Don't know if I'll attend the picnic or not, just depends on how hot it is that time of the year as I can't deal with the heat anymore and it is to be held at the American Legion campground up the Dolores River.

TIME DOES FLY BY

Well I can't really holler at anyone else about not posting on their blogs as I am behind as well.

The past couple of months have just been crazy. When I have gotten up of the morning I have had my day planned and then it has gotten changed by either a phone call or whatever. I have been trying to get some Spring house cleaning done (deep cleaning) so that when our weather turns off nice I can be outside enjoying it. Already have my flower seeds purchased.

One month ago tomorrow I had that horrible intestinal flu and I can honestly say that I have not really felt good up until this past week. I had just about decided that I would never feel good again and then BINGO, this last Monday I got up feeling like a million bucks. (Someone said that is what happens with age my dear!) You know how I feel about that.

Did find out that my new sofa is great for laying on and watching the boob tube when you don't feel well.

Is very cloudy outside today. Haven't seen any weather so don't know what is going on with that.

I think that I'm going to have to purchase a new TV antenna because after the TV District worked on the digital repeaters the past two weeks I'm receiving none of the local channels. Plenty of Utah channels, but I would prefer Grand Junction, Durango or Farmington news as they carry Local (meaning Cortez). So after I get paid next month we will see. For if I do purchase one I will have to start searching for someone to put it up on the roof for me as I will need someone that knows what they are doing and are nice and healthy. I don't want any of my dear friends that have had heart attacks up there.

So what is new in your world?

Well as most of you know my life has been kind of turned upside down this past week.

Death is never easy, but when a Son, Brother, Twin, (Donnie's twin who is identical is really suffering), Uncle, dear friend and neighbor is so needlessly killed (hit-and-run driver) to me it is unthinkable. The Lord and I have had some serious talks this last week and as usual I know that he has a purpose even though I still don't know what it is at this point in time.

Donnie's Memorial Services were this last Sat., he was a tissue donor & organ (though they were to badly damaged to be used.)

Our local police are moving quite rapidly, maybe because they have such a tremendous amount of evidence. The individual that caused this tragedy is still in jail and without a doubt will remain there until trial as no one seems able to raise his bail.

Our family started another new year this way awhile back and this is not the way to start a new year and I certainly would not wish it on anyone, foe or friend.

My street is still a frozen icy mess. From what my friends tell me the trip between Cortez and Durango is truly beautiful now that the highways are clear. The weather individuals were saying that here in Cortez for the month of December we got two feet of snow and then the water content breaks down to quite a bit less, but it is white as far as the eye can see. You drive down south like going to New Mexico and you can see that all of the mountains on the Navajo Indian Reservation have received as much as we have or more.

"WINTER"

Winter and more Winter.

As most of the family members know Stucko and I have had a very interesting Christmas this year with our snow storms, closed roads, and in my case a couple of blizzards. The question was if we would receive our Christmas from our family members in the lower USA. I know, I know, but that is how it has felt. 3 days in a row that streets and roads were not plowed here and then Stucko had the same thing, plus rain that had turned to ice and her state is not equipped at all to handle the ice and then the snow. And in my case to think that January and February are the biggest snow months in my part of the country, I truly shudder at the thought.

Sat., early I put my little pickup into 4 wheel drive and got to the grocery store for milk and bread. It was like, "FREE AT LAST". When you are house bound like this and have no control over any of the conditions outside you truly have Cabin Fever occur.

Friday (I think it was) Telluride and Silverton received 83 inches. Just one storm mind you. One of my neighbors is the head of housekeeping at one of the lodges in Telluride, she commutes from here each day, and she has had several days that she has had to go North to Dove Creek then out through Disappointment and around to Norwood and then on into Telluride as Highway 145 has been closed just outside of Dolores.

Needless to say the people in Silverton have been totally isoloated receiving their medicines and mail via helicopter whenever the weather conditions present themselves. This is not unusual up in January or February for them, but more than a little unusual in December.

All of this weather started back on December 13th. The first week the storms came in 4 different waves. Then the last one came in 3 waves.

I have played a lot of computer games, done a lots of reading and this Friday I will start taking down Christmas decorations. I am so glad that I ran out of time and did not get decorated outside this year. That would be a real bugger to try and get down. You can't move in the snow and everything is so frozen.

SNOW

Please look at the header of my blog which is the Sleeping Ute Mountain. Now, please imagine it covered from the top to the bottom in white. It is beautiful.

SLEIGH BELLS RING -----

A beautiful White Christmas we are going to have in my little part of the world. Got up to at least 9 inches of snow this AM and a neighbor gentleman was shoveling out large paths for me so I can get from point A to point B.

I shoveled out the West side of my house for the doggies as Sassy was dragging her belly in it and on the small black dog if she got out there I wouldn't find her again until Spring. So they have a good exercise area going at this point in time.

Fed the birds. Last night before dark I had 20 Doves feeding. I'm feeding Juncos, House Finches, Gold Finches, and the Doves. The Sparrows are a minority this year and I have not figured that one out for you always have Sparrows.

There is no school today in the Dolores School District nor the Montezuma County School District so the kids are experiencing a snow day, though there were a lots of school plays this evening and those have been canceled as well. The kids are out in my street playing in the snow and having a ball.

DAILY CHANGES

Just wanted to let everyone know how a day can change things.

I had to speak to my Doctor on a prescription and in the course of the conversation I asked how long she wanted me to stay in rehab. that I have been going twice a week since September 4, 2008. She told me that was long enough.

I was so very happy to be able to call and cancel this commitment because with it being scheduled when it was along with my other obligations it was making each week more than a little awkward. Now tomorrow I can do my exercises here at the house and then get my house cleaned and a few other things done.

I am more than thrilled and I did learn things at rehabilitation that I did not know. When I called and canceled I thanked the therapist for the classes and told him there is the possibility that I may return on down the road for you just never really know.

TOMORROW - DEC. 1ST - OH MY GOSH

Yes, Oh My Gosh. Where has the past year and one half gone too??? RETIREMENT!!!!

I can honestly say, I have not been bored.

Why do so many people complain that there is nothing to do. I have had plenty to do and have still let a few projects go. Chokecherries need to be pruned back and I just flat ran out of time while we still had fairly good weather. These definitely need to be pruned after the first very, very hard freeze which happened sometime ago.

This winter I really want to get back to crocheting. Didn't make it last winter because of playing catch up in the house because of all of the working years. Yes, when working you let a ton of things go because you have no other choice as the job is your primary concern.

As all of my family members know I love Christmas as this is when our Savior was born.

I also love the decorating side which I have been doing for the past 3 days. I will finish little touches on the snow village later today. I dug into all of my decorations and there is a small amount of Christmas in every room of the house. I have a dear friend who lives in Chandler, AZ now that used to do this to her house when she lived here and I fell in love with the idea. The most wonderful Christian lady I have ever known, sometimes it would be Feb. or Mar. before she could get everything down and put up with working. She is now managing a huge restaurant in Scottsdale and has just bought a brand new home in Chandler. I would love to see it, maybe I'll get to some day soon.

NOVEMBER IS COMING TO AN END

What a busy month November has been. Finishing up all of the outside stuff that remained to be done. Such as - leaves finally came off of the trees so that they could be cleaned up and 20 sweeper loads later that part was done. Then I'm also still doing Rehab. twice a week along with puppy sitting. Had to do some exterior paint work as my handy man ran out of time.

My sister-in-law was up around the 13th, we did the Christmas open house at a local Nursery. I went back out this last Wed. to see the Raindeer. This is a different pair than in the past and they sure are cute. Then I went to the other nursery and my oh my how they are decorated for Christmas.

Thanksgiving was really, really nice this year. I enjoyed myself tremendously. Now I'm trying to get decorated for Christmas. Decorating makes me feel good in addition to celebrating the birth of Christ.

I have been busy every day of the month and now that I have sat down to post I can't remember what took up all of my time, but I do know that there were days where I didn't get on the computer for 2 to 3 days at a time. Oh Well.

SNOW

I forgot to mention in the blog just posted, but my banner does not do the Old Ute justice today as it is truly beautiful all wrapped up in it's snow blanket.

Also I finally got the more interesting birds at the feeders this AM. Pine Siskins, Junkos, House Finches (haven't had any Gold Finches yet, but they could still be working the sunflowers out around Dove Creek), they will get here eventually though and they are more fun to watch.

FIRST SNOW

I wasn't too surprised when I got up to snow this AM as I had checked the Grand Junction weather last night and they said that is what would happen. By no means the earliest time of the year for snow, I have seen heavy snow here on the 15th of October.

I had been waiting until the middle of the month to get the leaves up and out of the yard. Just hope this moisture doesn't make them all stick to the yard. Come what may I need to get some of them out because if not the yard does not come as nice in the Spring. Don't ask me why, just years of trial and error on my part.

Just very glad that I checked the weather and got my running around done yesterday so that I don't have to get out today for it is cold. Understand there were quite a few semi-tractor-trailer rig accidents. It is suppose to snow more late this PM and Durango, Pagosa Springs areas are to get more snow up through tomorrow PM. Weekend is suppose to be nice though. Anything we get around Thanksgiving will stick and stay (or that has been my experience in the past).

I continue to be as busy as a beaver repairing their dam or lodge. How is everyone else doing out there???

BUSY, BUSY

Well lets see. The past two weeks have been so very, very busy.

As I think most of you know I have been doing plumonary rehab. twice a week since the 4th of September. This is really going quite well and I am learning a few things which is what my Dr. had hoped for. So all total I do exercises of all different sorts five times a week and I have muscle tone that I have not had since my teen years which is in turn helping to pull weight off and let me tell you I haven't been dieting. So there is really something to the exercies thing though that is not the reason the Dr. has me doing. Her objective is to help my physical stature so that I won't take some bad falls, help improve heart rate and then the heart will send more oxygen to my lungs.
Enough of that.

I have found so many things that didn't get done when they really should have been done when I worked. Just never enough time then. This year I was able to cut back all of the prennials in the flowerbeds and mulch. This was quite time consuming in itself. Then it took 3 hard, long days last week to get both sheds scraped, then painted and then the trim work done.

This week is appointment week. I was getting ready to leave house at 8:30 this morning headed to the Dentist when Walter, my handyman, called. He had today off from regular job with it being a holiday and he wanted to do his fall maintenance program today. He worked hard all day long and achieved everything I had on my list and then he had added several things. Tomorrow is the Vet for shots for Ms. Sassy and then Wed. is oxygen day, Thur. is hair appointment and rehab. and then Friday my sister-in-law and I are going out to lunch.

Today had two other appointments pop into being with telephone calls so I left Walter working away happily, took off and got these done as well.

I can be very honest with everyone when I say there aren't enough hours in the day when you are retired.

I don't know how I did what I did and worked too. I am truly amazed now when I look back.

FALL

Fall and all of it's beauty. I do love it.

The Virgina Creeper on my south fence is going to have fabulous color this year. Some is already showing in the brilliant reds and yellows Colorado is so noted for.

As you all know I have always had a dog of some breed or another sharing my life. Well this Summer it has turned into a small side business for me. All of the "PUPPY SITTING" jobs I have had this Summer have come about because the owners have not wanted to take their pets to a kennel as they have had bad experiences in the past. When I said "Yes that I would sit" I was not thinking about payment, but that is how it has turned out and it keeps me in what I call my Casino money.

My most current little guest was a Chihuahua, maybe 3 months old and her name is Izzy. OH the fun we did have as I treated her the way I have treated my own. I currently have a 10 year old female Chichuahua and a 3 year old Shelty/Blue Heeler cross. So before Izzy went home last week, the last 3 days she was here, we worked out in the yard, my two and her. Oh to see things through a puppies eyes. She loves my yard with a passion. I had a lots of laughter taking care of this little puppy. I will be sitting with her again for her owners have already asked and I have said Yes.

What is so amusing about this little side job of mine it has come about because of my love for animals. I had no idea I would even consider something like this, it just happened and I'm so glad that it just happened.

Life is good, life is great.

FALL

Even before August was over you could feel fall in the air. Our nights are getting so chilly that this morning I added a blanket back to the bed. I hate to think about that part. I love the Four seasons with a passion, but there are some things that are a little uncomfortable. I know when it gets here in force you layer your clothing. That is the only way you can survive comfortably.

Well all of my testing that my doctor ordered during my physical are done and the results have come back stating that everything is OK. I did my plumonary consultation this last Tuesday and did my first classes yesterday. I will be doing these twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. I don't mind saying I am excited about this as I can foresee great results as long as I do what I am told.

Unfortunately I was raised during a time when not that much was known about diet and exercise. With all of the specialists that I have been to over the last 3 years I'm finding that exercise is the most important thing a person can do to help themselves even if you do have physical limitations. Exercise doesn't just help the exterior portions of your body but definitely helps your body internally.

The main objective of the plumonary classes is to maximize the muscles of my heart and therefore this will give my lungs more oxygen. I have learned so much about body muscle and exercise over the past two years and I was not taught any of this when I was growing up. Yes, I am on oxygen, but I'm feeling better than I have in a long time and I think that I can contribute this to the exercise program.

My doctor tells me that we are not going to worry about my weight as I'm not medically overweight. But we are going to worry about exercise. Fortunately I have gotten into enough exercise programs, 1st one starting with my hip replacement and then with the shoulder replacement, also my back surgery way back when and I have more or less kept up with these as they do make me feel so much better and there is something to be said for anything that makes you feel better.

In addition to all of the exercise I am trying to get my place ready to put to sleep for the winter. At the rate we are going with it being colder earlier than usual some stuff will have to be done early to eliminate broken pipes. So this next week around classes I will start trying to put things to bed.

Annual Physical

Well it is not enough that I am busy, I had to stop and figure a place for my annual physical and low and be hold the receptionist at the doctors office scheduled me for yesterday.

It was an excellent visit. She added some additional back exercises to my group of exercises I'm already doing and then she also set me up with the pulmonary department over at the hospital for some lung therapy. She says if I just pick up one thing that I haven't been told or figured out on my own it will be worth attending the sessions.

I'm not any better, I'm not any worse off. But my condition is incureable with the multitude of breathing problems that I have therefore the name COPD. I know every time I go to do something my first consideration is how can I do that and be on my oxygen. Certain activities take more oxygen, so you turn the cylinder up and then it empties faster so you need another cylinder.

Last Sunday when we went to Durango I elected to use my backpack setup which takes a "Fatter" cylinder and it worked out fine. I had about a quarter of a tank left in the one when I got home. I had several people ask me where did I get my setup from and how long had I been on the oxygen to be so comfortable and relaxed with it. I'm finding out a lots of people get very nervous when they are around people on oxygen. I have to be honest there are times I forget that I am on it when using the fanny pack and if it is unbuckled I will start to take off until the line reminds me to pick the fanny pack up.

The fact of my life is "I HAVE TO BE ON MY OXYGEN 24/7" and I want a good quality of life therefore it is up to me to make that happen so therefore I'm off to find out what I haven't learned come Tue. 09/02/08.

LAUGHTER

Well last night Poppy loaded up the pickup with Grams, Gramps, Nonnie & Auntie Em and off to the Bar D Wrangler show we did go where we met up with the 3 Tinnins. Oh the fun we did have, good food and lots of laughter when the wranglers did their performance. A very good time was had by all and when Nonnie made the reservations she requested a table close to the front for those of us that are vision impaired and Cy does the table reservations and we got an ideal location for being first served on the food and excellent seating for the show (group of 8).

We thought of all of you that couldn't be here with us for if you had been we could have filled up two tables of family merriment.

What is everyone else up too??

AT LAST

SIGH-H-H-H-H-H.

I knew this was going to be a long week, but I didn't really realize until this AM when I slept in, I mean really slept in how long and busy it was.

Fosters returned last night at about 7 PM, but no Hagers.

Hagers finally returned at noon today. Taking care of two places was really more than I bargained for, (only did Fosters 1 day & that was just the little Dogs), I'm referring to my place and Hagers. Raymond has more stuff planted over there and trying to keep it all watered and producing was a challenge as the temperatures this week have gotten up to 95 degrees and the nights at 45 degrees. Even at that when I took mail over and checked everything was looking quite wilted. When we get heat at this elevation it can be quite damaging at times. I have done very little today.

Ken & Mary Bartee (my Sister-in-laws parents) got in yesterday and my Sister-in-law, Lynn late last night. Max is to be over sometime today so that everyone can get some heavy visiting done and then the plan tomorrow is for all to go back to Durango and go to the Bar D tomorrow night. I'm looking forward to this. I'll go down and ride over with Norm & Lynn.

Norm is planning on getting the trailer up to hunting camp Monday as bow season opens here on Wed.

So we're all happy, busy and enjoying one another.

Where Does Time Go Too!!

Well first of all last week the nights had really turned off cool here (50 degrees) so we thought OK next week we will get back to normal. Well we will see tonight for last night went down to 45 degrees.

Well when temperatures get like this it is your clue to start doing some of the necessary work to make things easier come next spring. Start cutting down the stalks of the flowers that have finished blooming for the year, do serious dead heading on things that you don't want to many of coming up next year, purchase winter fertilizer and well it is just that time of the year.

So I was making out the work schedule for today and it got changed in a hurry. One phone call was from my friends the Hagers asking that I take care of their mail, papers and watering as they were leaving early this AM headed to Northen Calif. because of a family death. Then the phone rings again asking if I would take care of the two little dogs that I did last week on Friday as they have to go back to Grand Junction for doctor appointment and I said Yes.

Well today has been very busy for I decided to get all of my housework done, which as you all know, if you plan on doing right it takes plenty of time, got it done for I had more or less promised Irene that I would take her down to the casino tomorrow for the Seniors Lunch and play for awhile and then as you all know Wed. is devoted to A-Med delivery and by that time where has my week gone too.

I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong. But I use to do this extra stuff while I worked but I am also seeing now that a lots of my own stuff just got left undone because there wasn't enough hours in the day to get everything done.

Last Wed. after oxygen was done, groceries bought and put up, lunch done I settled down thinking OK I'll get changed and start some of this stuff and then I had 3 different sets of company. I wouldn't change the company for nothing. But it is all really interesting as to how I ever did and worked.

LIVE AND LEARN

I have been waiting for something a little more attractive (call me old school) in the (energy saving) light bulbs. I try every time I am at our major super center to check on light bulbs. I'm proud to say I made my first purchase today and after I got them put in and they did give me adequate light (this was also a complaint of mine on the other ones, you know the corkscrews!!) I will start purchasing for the rest of the house out of each paycheck, only getting one paycheck a month it will take a while, but lets face it they are really quite expensive. So -o-o-o-o- now I have my recycled bags for shopping and I have been remembering to take them with me, I'm recycling newspapers and soda cans. Then to eat more healthy than I have been I have been cooking up two HUGE MEALS, divide out, freeze, takeout, pop into microwave and presto. Not only healthier, but also quite a bit cheaper and you can also watch your calorie intake.

Whew, makes me tired just reading the above. Must be time for a nap. Has been a long day so far.

August Showers

I mentioned earlier that it was suppose to rain, well I just had to go outside and we have a real nice rain shower going on at the moment.

Like I said, if it will take the heat down, which it is suppose to, I'm all for it.

July Has Come and Gone

Well lets see what has been going on in my world. I know I have been so busy it has been unreal.

May and June I took a break from the exercise schedule my Doctor and I had settled on for a full body work out. She says an absolute must for Seniors. Mid-July I knew I had to get back on track for I feel so much better when doing the exercises and the biggest benefit is the way I sleep. It is truly wonderful.

For those of you that don't know this last Tue. I spent the day in Durango and I could not believe the traffic going over and coming back home. Gas prices have not stopped the tourists or anyone else for that matter. Hadn't mowed my yard in about 3 weeks because of the PM rains, so yesterday I got up very early to get yard picked up, flowers dead headed so that I could mow for PM showers are suppose to be back tomorrow. I'm not complaining for the temperatures are to go back down as well. Cortez has been hitting 95 each day and with our elevation this is rather uncomfortable and our humidty has also been quite high. So for the afternoons you plan inside things to do, all except for Poppie. You know him he just blows and gos.

GARDENING

Container gardening and what I have learned. My "Better Boy" tomatoe plant is doing absolutely fabulous, have had one tomatoe and several more will be coming on shortly. Now this plant is the second planting after loosing the first one to a hard freeze. My second planting of the peppers are also doing great. I have several peppers that are already the size of my thumb. Yellow squash & green squash. These I am having a problem with. The blossoms aren't going into fruitation. As soon as the bloom they just drop off leaving no squash behind. So I'm thinking that maybe the pots aren't big enough, maybe not enough bees for pollination, though I doubt that as they are as thick as can be working all of my flowers. But you know I'm happy with just the tomatoes and peppers. I use to do a lots better when I had the huge garden right after I moved onto my property, but then I have been away from it for more than a few years.

My new grass that I planted on the east side of the house is really doing great. I fully plan on keeping Sassy fenced out of there until next Spring and I think I will have a much better chance of getting this to work. This is the 3rd time now so it should be charmed, I hope. It is still only sixty degrees outside today because it is overcast, but man oh man is it ever humid.

Between my flowers, house, garden, mowing and sitting on the east deck watching the humming birds, the past two days they have been thicker than thieves and I love to watch them play. It is obvious that they now have their young raised. I saw my first Rufuos today, I forget from year to year how mean they can be.

Haven't picked up a book to read in days as there is to much else going on. Have went down to check on my brother several times and I can not believe everything he has done. He is getting his place ready for retirement for sure.

Friday had some problems with my Swamp Cooler, but our trivia buddy got it all fixed up for me. He is a jewel and another reason why we treat our friends with kindness, love and respect so that they are more than willing to respond when we ask for help. I certainly enjoy he and his wife's friendship which has been a long one, long before either of their kids were born. Man we have been friends awhile, I had never really thought about how many years and here both of their kids are grown and gone from home. Interesting.

Well nothing really exciting has happened since my last post. I get paid Wed. so I need to close here and sit down and pay bills.

Have a good one to each and every one of you.

Vacation Fun

Well as most of you know Mamma's Meandering Mind, Her Man & Pickle Puss have been here in the valley this past week. What fun we have had. I have truly enjoyed their company to no end, along with my brother and wife. First couple of days was just kind of hanging out and then it was on to more fun things.

Today is definitely my day of rest. However I did get up early to spray my trees again. This time I used the soap solution that is so very popular in Arizona. If it can take care of some of those monster bugs that they have down there it certainly can take care of some of these Colorado critters.

Once again I think about, I just can't begin to tell everyone how much I'm enjoying my retirement. It is so nice to just be able to get cleaned up from what ever you were doing and just take off and go do something fun. You don't have this option when you work.

I have mentioned in past blogs that everything is so far behind this year here in Colorado. Another example are my Day Lilies. They usually bloom before the 15th of June and here they are just starting to bloom today. I will also in a day or two have my first tomatoe out of my container garden. Knowing how truly easy this is I may add more containers next year with some lettuce and stuff. I love fresh lettuce out of the garden. Guess I had better get to the Farmer's Market next Sat. Have just been to busy to make it so far.

Almost two weeks ago, I put up a temporary fence on my east side so that I could reseed once again as Sassy thinks you run, jump and slide and had totally uprooted large areas of grass. When I did the seeding I had decided that I'm keeping her fenced out until next Spring to allow the grass to really take hold. Any way what I was leading up to is by waiting until the nights were warmer I had grass coming up on the 8th day. I planted, covered with straw to hold moisture in and now it is as thick as the fur on one of the pups.

I'm anxiously awaiting some of Mamma's Meandering Mind's photos. She took some that should be just spectular. She is So-o-o-o-o-o good with a camera. I do good to just focus, but maybe in the future I might get a digital. Just have some other expensive items to take care of first and money is a consideration when your retired.

Enjoying Life

Since my last posting on June 16th I have been dealing with a gray squirrel that has decided that my yard is the perfect place to live, but with pets I don't care for his little friends that he brought along. By this I mean fleas, ticks, etc. So started the ongoing saga of trying to encourage him that my yard is not the place he wants to live. I put bird feeders up, sunflower seed was the first thing he (prefered to it) got into and next the chicken scratch, so that went up as well. Out came the moth balls, most wild animals can't stand them, didn't work, and now the live animal trap is out, but so far the squirrel seems to be smarter.

Then I discovered aphids in my trees, finally got them with the last spray. I like to keep them under control because if you don't they will go on into your flower beds, gardens and all other trees. So at least one battle won.

Now I have discovered something has dug a hole underneath my concrete ramp going into the lawn mower shed. It is a nice clean hole, kind of like a chipmonks, but a much bigger hole and whenever, what ever it is goes into the hole, it pulls dirt in behind itself. I'm really confused on this one. If it is a bull snake, I'm tempted to run the water hose down in and that would bring him out and he would leave, but I don't know what I'm dealing with for I can't ever see the owner of the hole. (I know I'm the owner but obviously I am sharing my residence right now).

The past two days have been spent putting up temporary fencing on part of the east yard so that I could do some very necessary reseeding. Really pissed my Sheltie/Blue Heeler cross off, but like I told her "you will adapt" and she looks at me like "Yah Right". Anyway I roughed up the soil, put down some mulch material, seeded, more mulch type material and the straw to help keep the moisture in. I have waited as long as I have because I wanted the nights to get warmer so that I would have a faster germination. Even at that long towards morning I have to start looking for a blanket. Haven't decided yet what to do tomorrow, but Friday is devoted to going to the Vet's for Trixie's annual checkup and shots.

There is the possibility that I will be dog sitting the end of the week as well. We'll see. So that pretty much sums up June until now. Has been a very busy month and full of a lots of little adventures here and there. Luncheons and just plain enjoying my friends. I think it was Monday afternoon that I went down to the casino for a while, first time I had been down there in about 3 months. I only play the penny machines and I broke even the other day and by that I mean I didn't make anything and I didn't loose anything.

Once I get things finished around the place I need to start doing the senior Tuesday down at the casino. The lunch alone is worth the money and it doesn't cost me anything. I have really enjoyed the month of June. It has been a good month.

Pickel's Birthday Party - June 14, 2008

As almost everyone knows my brother and I left the old Ute behind on Friday AM heading south to AZ for Pickel's Birthday Party. When we left the valley there was still heavy ice laying on all of the hay fields where the big irrigation systems had been left running the night before. Can you imagine leaving that kind of weather and winding up in 112 degree weather. As usual for this poor Colorado gal I had to start looking for the Gatoraide as soon as we arrived in Chickenburg as my body does not like the heat. The traffic was very light all the way to our destination on Friday and we thought that it must be because of the gasoline prices. Were we ever mistaken. On the return trip yesterday the traffic was very miserable and it is hard to believe how slow some of these large motorhomes are and then some of them, golly gee get out of their way. The drivers had to have been retired truck drivers for they weren't letting anyone stand in their way, much less a little Chevy S-10. I asked my brother if he would like to drive coming and going and he said sure. Sure glad that he was at the wheel. I checked a CD audio book out of the library which we listened to Friday going down and then purchased another one to listen to coming back. That is the way to travel. We both thoroughly enjoyed the books. Made the trip a lots more interesting and by not driving I certainly enjoyed myself, put the seat partially down, listened to the story and just relaxed. Today has been a bugger. Took until NOON to get laundry done, CD back to library and you know how it goes, was out of groceries, lettuce, milk, bread. Tomorrow I have another birthday luncheon to go too. Wed. and Thur. I can work on the place and then have another luncheon on Friday. Hopefully by the weekend I'll be back in full swing. Time will tell.

Rocky Mountains for You

My brother says, "don't you watch the Grand Jct. News at 10 PM" and I'm like "NO, I was in bed before that ever came on". What does all of this mean?? Well as everyone knows I planted a container garden this year. Well the low this morning was 29 degrees. Can you imagine on the 9th day of June. First obvious thing was that my squash was frozen, then my pepper plant, the plant, blossoms and lone pepper that was already a pretty good size and then my beautiful tomatoe plant. Well by 11:00 AM I was off to the nursery for replacement plants. The one thing that made me feel quite a bit better (with my brother being so smug for having covered his plants), I wasn't the only person buying replacement plants at the nursery this AM, (the nursery will be sold out before the day is over, so weather is good for some). You don't dare trust the weather in the Colorado Rockies. The virgina creeeper froze on the north fence, but all flower beds and potted plants are fine. Go Figure.

Month of May

OK, I mentioned in one of my prior blogs that I was concerned about the breathing tests. I had a followup appointment with my good doctor on May 29th and she said that the nurses had goofed when they gave me the test for they should have left me on the oxygen while taking the test and that wasn't done. She said that she had done a base line and compared to 2006 & then 2007 & with this test I was right on target. Nothing has worsened and we finally have my calcium issue straightened out. I'm so blessed to truly have a good and caring doctor. She doesn't rush to get you out so she can go on to another patient and she is the one that found my joint problems which some of the other doctors could not. Plus I am so much more comfortable with a woman doctor.

Well May was truly a very busy month. A normal day starts at either 6:30 or 7:30 really depending upon how I slept the night before (as a rule now that I'm not working I sleep like a log), but if I stay up to late I just don't get up as early. I take care of the dogs, do my breathing treatment, take my meds, eat breakfast and then do the exercise bike and weights. I wasn't doing the weights, but am now for that is one thing that the doctor insisted upon when I saw her on the 29th.

I have discovered that one of the things I let go while I working was my flower beds and if you knew how much I love my flowers you would know how disgusted I am about how they look. One of the first orders of business was to haul all of the dead branches to my brother's burn pile and this turned out not to be just one load, but the last count was 4. I have two huge flower beds out by the carport. This is where I started. What a mess, but finally got them shaped up and some annuals put in (finished using up one of my retirement gift certificates for that). I put in some marigolds, pansies, snapdragons and a flower that is called STOCK (what a beautiful smell it has. It is like a perfume). I also went to the other nursery and finished spending what remained of that gift certificate as well. Per my nieces urging I also started a container garden this year. I planted one beef steak tomatoe, one Orange pepper plant (I love the way these taste) and one yellow straight neck squash. They really seem to be doing quite well. There was about a week and one half that I had to cover them every night to keep them from freezing. Wanted so badly to plant some cucumbers, but they don't like me that well anymore. Then on top of everything else my youngest dog got a real bad case of the scoots and as of this writing I think we finally have a handle on that.

And would you believe as I write this on June 2nd, stuff that should have bloomed in April just started blooming the last week of May and stuff got froze. What a strange Spring this has been in the Rockies. On the 15th I took care of a friend's dog out on County Road "P". I would drive out of the AM and the evening to take care of her. One morning coming back to town I saw a large herd of Does meandering across the road, not having a care in the world. Another morning going out, just as I got up to the intersection of CR P & CR 34 I stopped to watch this Australian Sheep Dog (one of those beautiful black and white ones, long hair) moving a heard of cows all by itself with the Owner driving along slowly behind in his pickup, but the dog was definitely doing all of the work. I really enjoyed watching this. I love doing things like this for my friends and while I worked I couldn't. Hope gas prices are cheaper where you all are at, it is now $4.15 per gallon here in my little part of the world. I really plan on being finished with all of the deep yard work the 1st week of June then when I get back from Arizona I'm doing some reseeding of the yard on the east side of the house, the nights just aren't warm enough now. After that is done I plan on getting back inside and getting the carpet shampooed. Oh and I still don't have the deck cleaned and washed down for the Summer so you can see I have plenty to keep me entertained.

Busy, busy, I wouldn't have it any other way.

MONTH OF APRIL

Weather here in SW Colo for the month of April was very miserable for me as I do not like the wind and it not only blew, but there were times that it was very furious and cold. There was one day that we had wind gusts up to 45 MPH and I'm sorry, but that can get nasty with tree branches coming down around you and driving, forget it. The date of this posting, 5-2-08 the wind is blowing again and is very, very cold. We had a hard freeze last night. My Grandma use to tell us kids when we were growing up here, do not plant anything but root crops until all of the snow is gone off of old man Ute, and guess what, there is still snow up there.

As I am reading the Harry Potter books received from my oldest niece a friend of mine brought by his Trivia cards for Sorcerer's Stone which I have in turn shared with two of my nieces as well as him by typing the questions in on the computer along with the multiple choice answers, they answer, I grade them and we have running scores. Doing the cards really helped pass the time along with reading Harry Potter while the weather was so miserable, though I can't say it is much better now. I'm currently on The Order of the Phoenix. I really enjoy J. K. Rowling as an author and now that I'm reading the Potter books I'm sad to realize that there aren't that many more left, but I will truly enjoy going back and reading again and again. Don't think I will ever be as good at the trivia cards as the girls and my friend are doing.

On the 19th of April Chris & Jake got married so on the 16th I traveled to Az for the wedding and spend quality time with my family. I got to spend time with everyone and loved it dearly. When I went over to Ms. Pickle's she met me at the door and greeted me just like I see her every day instead of so infrequently. All of us that traveled to AZ can actually say that we had a wonderful time, right Captian Deb?? I drove back on the 23rd and about half way home I ran into the wind again. I don't think it is every going to quit this year.

Well everyone I think that pretty much covers the month of April.

Week Ending 04-04-08 - What a Week

Well as you all know Monday was my 68th birthday and what a good one it was. My friend Dayna took me to lunch at the Main Book Co., I went to the Casino played for a bit and made some money plus getting back what I had put into the machine, got my birthday points. My birthday celebration moved on into Tue. being with ones that I couldn't be with Monday. Yesterday was finally the day I have been waiting for all winter long. It was beautifull, got up to 60 degrees, there was a slight wind, just enough to keep you from getting to hot, and I got started on yard work. Today I had lab work done, did some cleaning in my 1 shed, gave some stuff away and have a Drs. appt. at 3 PM. Tomorrow I hope to work in the yard, but we will see. It is suppose to rain today & tomorrow. The Lord has truly given me a wonderful week with wonderful friends. I'm truly blessed and very fortunate. Life is Good, Life is Great and I'm loving every minute of this retirement scene.