Vacation Time!

Our vacation is finally here! We loaded most of our stuff in the van last night and got up this morning and loaded the rest. Left town about 7 a.m. We're in Abilene tonight. I hope we don't have any severe weather. At least not like we had at home Tuesday night. It poured down rain and the lightning flashed almost constantly, lighting up the sky like a light show. Parts of town were flooded. Mom had 1 1/2 inches in her rain gauge the next morning. At least we didn't have to water her yard after that rain. But the weeds will grow like crazy. I have a contact to make when we get back with someone about doing Mom's yard on a regular basis. She has someone coming after the 1st to see about doing something with the HUGE cottonwood in her back yard. It's about 50 years old, provides lots of shade, but it's diseased, and the roots are damaging the concrete in the next door neighbor's back yard. Afraid the wind might blow a large limb on top of one of the houses and do some damage. We'll have to see what the tree man says, according to Mom.

Well, I guess I'll let P get on and check his e-mail and such. TTFN

Pleasant Day!

We all got in the car and went up to Santa Fe yesterday for a little shopping at the outlet mall. Had a nice time, got a few things. I found a wallet, smaller than the one I've been using. My checkbook is now separate. Since we do so much online, we don't write a lot of checks. Came home about 1:30 so E could rest and get ready to go to work.

This morning, M and I went down to Mom's, watered the yard, put the trash out for pickup. Then we went to Coronado Mall. She had a coupon for a free round of Glow Golf. Her and E went there a couple of weeks ago when he was off. So her and I played a couple of rounds and won another coupon for a free round. We had some time out together, just the two of us. We don't get to do it very often, but she always enjoys it. We came home and P was fixing sloppy joes, but we weren't hungry because we had eaten when we got to the mall.

We're all looking forward to our trip to Texas. I think P is looking forward to seeing what the golf courses in Texas are like, if the one in Canton is any indication.

We plan on going to play golf tomorrow. P's back tightens up and he felt he needed another day of rest. We went on Saturday to Puerto del Sol. Usually we get a cart, but we just got a push cart for me. I'm not used to that much walking, but it's good exercise.

P is getting a bunch of the software and music CDs organized. He bought one of the big book-like cases that holds I don't know how many. Finding lots of surprising things!

M is back in E's room, watching a movie she bought this morning. We're watching The Phantom of the Opera. After it's over, we'll check out and see if there's anything to watch on the satellite.

Trying to do a load of laundry every day, so we've got plenty of clothes to choose from for our trip.

Oh yes, we cut and ate our canteloupe this morning. It was ripe, but still a little hard. We could have let it ripen a little more, but it was good. Just had a bowl of Raisin Brans and milk for supper. TTFN

Improvement

Started vacuuming in the living room this morning and Mom called. She needed to go to the grocery store. The guy who usually takes her is out of town on vacation. She wanted to get some things to cook in the microwave. Cooking on the stove or in the oven just makes the house too hot. I also picked up a couple of things, including a cantaloupe. I will see if it's ready to be cut and eaten tonight or in the morning.

My golf game is improving. I got two, count them, not one, but two pars. And one was on the hardest hole on the course, according to my hubby. We played at Puerto del Sol, and with a guy who also lives on the West Side. We had a good time. It was hot, but we were having a good time. I had a push cart for my bag, but my legs were giving out on the last three holes (Puerto is only a 9-hole course). I have been a little stiff since we got home and took a shower. I'll probably be tired tomorrow.

E came home from work early, he wasn't feeling well. We think he may have reacted to getting sunburned yesterday when he and M went out and played 18 holes at Ladera. They both came home sunburned, even though they put sunscreen on. E's face and arms got red. M's neck is pretty red, but we put some aloe gel on it last night and she is OK.

Had M clean off our bathroom sink and counter. She got things organized. Put up a little over the faucet shelf to help. Getting little things done here and there. It's nice to be enjoying my vacation this time.

Our trip to Texas is getting closer. Getting anxious to see everybody. It's been a year since we were there. TTFN

Full Day!

Took the van in to have the check engine light checked out. Went down to Mom's with E this morning and watered, front and back and flowerbeds. E put Mom's heater in the shed. E came home so he could get ready for work, so P came and got me.

Got everything the Hyundai and P and I went to play golf at Arroyo del Oso. Played the Dam Nine again. I did a little better this time than last time, but I didn't get any pars. The guy that was playing with us had a complete set of Callaways, with the bag. P says that's about $2,500 worth. When we were done, went over to the office for a little bit. Had to respond to a couple of e-mails. I'll probably go into the office again next Wednesday for a little bit, before we leave for our trip to Texas.

Came home, took a shower, went to Blockbuster and rented some movies. P and E went to pick up the van. So we're going to watch Pink Panther, the new one with Steve Martin. From the previews, it looks funny. TTFN

We Have a New House!

It almost feels like we have a new house since the carpet has been installed. And now we got the new drapes put up. It really is a different look! The carpet looks really nice in the living room and down the hallway. And the drapes have pink and blue flowers on a cream-colored background. Now we can enjoy our living area.

M is back in E's room, watching "Angel" on DVD. P is on his computer, doing I don't know what. I have laundry in the dryer, and I'm getting ready to get out the card table and put together a 1,000-piece Thomas Kinkaide jigsaw puzzle. The picture is titled: "A Peaceful Time."

Oh, yes. Went down to Mom's earlier. Her neighbor called me to talk about the big cottonwood tree in the back yard. Mom is having a tree guy come out after July 1st to look at the tree and see what he suggests to do with it. It's huge, almost 50 years old. It hangs over the house and the next door neighbor's house, too. But the roots are cracking the concrete in their back yard. And they're afraid that it may eventually damage the foundation of their house, or the plumbing. Mom is afraid the tree is diseased. If it is taken out, it will be a major job because that tree is so big and old. But it's getting to where it's a safety concern. So we'll see what happens with that.

This blogging is turning out to be a learning experience for me. I feel like it's an excercise in creative writing. And I've never been very good at that. TTFN

Mission Accomplished!

Well, it took all day, but we finally found some lined drapes to cover the sliding glass door. We looked at Linens and Things, Target, Lowe's, JC Penney, Sears (did I forget anyone?). Oh, yes, I forgot American Furniture. They don't carry drapes. They only do custom designs). There are very few and not in the best selection of colors. We finally found some at the JC Penney Home Store. We went back to Sears to get a traverse rod. Picked up a few other odds and ends on our trek. I got a genuine leather purse at the House of Handbags, next to Mervyn's at Coronado. P got a pair of shorts at Sears. We bought some incidentals at Victoria's Secret, and of course, some nourishment while we were at the mall. Oh yes, we found some of the Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses at Sam's Club, where P got his prescriptions from the dentist filled.

Need to go into the office in the next day or two, just to respond to e-mails. I don't have what I need at home.

Tomorrow, we'll tackle putting up the new traverse rod and hanging the drapes. Watching the movie, "Shrek." TTFN

Happy Father's Day!

We didn't do much of anything special for Father's Day. Talked M into going out to play golf. Went to Ladera and played the Executive course. We had a good time. Came home and started moving stuff out of the living room. P and E moved the couches and chairs out on the patio this morning. The new light blue carpet makes a difference in the living room, and down the hall, too. It really brightens up the living room, which is so dark, with the rock around the fireplace and the dark wood of the bookcases on either side. We're going to have to go buy a new traverse rod and drapes for the sliding glass door.

I finished up the paper today and now I'm free! I go back to work July 10th! P has a dentist appointment tomorrow, but we'll move some more stuff back in the living room and get it put back together.

Planning on playing some golf. M has a coupon for a free game of Glow Golf. She wants me to go with her, may do that. Trying to find time to work on some plastic canvas, too. Maybe read some. I plan on enjoying my vacation.

Looking forward to our trip to Texas, just not the heat and humidity. TTFN

Busy Week!

Well! I never got a chance to blog this week, been busy. Then Thursday night, we went to the Isotopes game. P gets a little impatient with other people, but M and I had fun. We left after the seventh-inning stretch. It was about 9:30, so we came home. I had to go to work the next day. And it was a busy day, at that. Putting together the SBC issue. It went pretty smoothly. Finish it up on Monday, start a three-week vacation on Tuesday.

Went in and worked about an hour and a half this morning to do some things before my vacation. It was either today or stay late on Monday. P took me, sat and read a book while I got things done. Then we left, went and had a light lunch before we played golf. We were going to do 18 holes at Arroyo del Oso, but the 18-hole course was closed until 1 p.m. for a tournament. So we played the Dam 9. We were paired with a couple of guys a little bit younger. They graduated from Del Norte High School in 1978. They have been friends since grade school. It was a nice, enjoyable time, just hitting the ball, getting some exercise, watching all the squirrels, jack rabbits and even a roadrunner! P and I are planning on going out tomorrow to play again. At Arroyo, we picked up a new golf bag for me that's light and has a stand and a backpack carrying strap. And it's PINK!

After we got home, we went over to Walgreens to get some milk and a few other things. Brought that home, got M and went to Applebee's for supper. Just sitting here now, blogging and listening to Elvis on Sirius on the satellite. Unless we can't move in the morning, we'll probably get up and go to church. Then we'll play golf, but it has to be after noon on P's P.M. Pass (he gets to play for $5). I don’t know where we’ll go, one of the four municipal golf courses. I did get sunburned on one leg today. Put sunscreen on before we started, but just my right leg is the only place I’m sunburned. Put some aloe gel on it after my shower. I will wear some khaki pants tomorrow.

Have to start moving things out of the living room. Home Depot is going to install carpet in the living room and down the hall on Monday. E should be able to help P move the big stuff (couches, chairs, etc.) out on the patio.

Looking forward to vacation in Texas, including First Monday and visiting Joe's Crab Shack, if possible. And maybe some more golf! I enjoy getting outdoors and getting some exercise. Even if it is hot.

Blogger is not cooperating, I keep losing the connection, twice now. P just lost his connection, so I’m finishing this in Word.

Got laundry in the dryer. Trying to get caught up with it again. There are some things I want to get washed for our trip. Every time I turn around I’m washing my shorts. I have been wearing them more than the last couple of years. It usually has to be HOT for me to wear shorts. But it has been HOT, and I wear them golfing too. I come home and change out of my hot work clothes to get comfortable.

It’s getting late, almost 9 p.m., need to get some other things done. TTFN

Nice Weekend

Went to Ladera yesterday instead of Puerto del Sol. Had a good time, played with another guy, called "Digger." He moved here from California. He used to drill wells until they put a moratorium on drilling. So he moved out here. I think he still does some of that, but now it's for water.

Came home and relaxed, it was hot, no wind or clouds to cool things down. P and I went out this morning and hit a bucket of balls, went to WalMart for a couple of things, put gas in the car and got it washed. Came home, having lunch, watching an old movie on the satellite.

Changed golf bags so I don't have such a hard time carrying it. Mine doesn't have a stand and our bag carts are not usable. Planning on playing a bit of golf this summer. It's good exercise and I can take out my frustrations on the golf ball.

Need to go put some laundry in the washer. TTFN

Date Night!

Well, hubby and I had a date last night, went out for dinner and a movie. We went to Asado Brazilian Grill for supper. They have a salad bar, with vegetables, salad makings, etc., and they bring 15 different kinds of meats around to your table and choose what kind you want. It was a good meal, I stuffed myself. Then we walked over to the movie theater and ended up seeing "The Breakup" with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn. It was really good. We had seen Vince Vaughn on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and he talked about it and showed a clip. The best part was at the beginning when they were showing pictures of the two of them together, one picture was of the two of them in cow suits! I just started laughing! I'm sure the other people in the theater around us were wondering what was so funny. They just weren't in on the inside joke! But it was a good story, really enjoyed it.

Went down to Mom's this morning with M and watered the front and back yards. She had watered the flower beds yesterday because Bob had planted some flower seeds, so she wanted to keep them moist so the flowers will come up. The back yard is not bad, it's in the shade a lot, with that huge cottonwood in the back yard. The front yard gets most of the sun, and it's pretty brown, with green around the edges. Bob soaked it pretty good while he was here. So we're going to try to keep it watered. She can't do it enough to keep it looking good. If she waters it, it grows, then it needs to be cut, so she doesn't want to water it. Oh, well!

P and I are going out to golf again this afternoon. I think this time we're going out by the airport to Puerto del Sol. I always enjoy getting out and getting some exercise.

This next week is the SBC annual meeting, so Jn is gone. I'll be working on some projects to get caught up when I'm not downloading pictures or something for our SBC edition. Then I start vacation on the 20th for three weeks!

Going to play golf! More later! TTFN

Slow Down!

OK, here we go! This is about one of my pet peeves.

Since school is out, traffic is lighter, and since the Coors & I-40 interchange is done, and since they are working on the Fourth St. and Montano intersection, I've started going to work on the freeway. It only takes me 25-30 minutes, where on Montano, it would take me 40-45 minutes.

What is it that most people don't understand about a speed LIMIT? Emphasis on LIMIT. That doesn't mean you have to go at least that, there is a minimum, I think, of 40 or 45 MPH. The posted speed LIMIT is 65 MPH. I generally drive 5 MPH over the speed LIMIT, but most people drive 10 or 15 MPH OVER the speed LIMIT. And that's not just on the freeway, it's also on city streets!

I was in the fast lane this morning, trying to get around the slowdown that always occurs from cars wanting to take the northbound or southbound I-25. This guy comes up behind me (and I'm doing 70 MPH) and waves at me, thinking, I guess, that I'm going to move out of his way. Well, the way I look at it, I'm in the fast lane, OK, going 70 MPH in a 65 MPH zone. I'm going fast, right?! Why does he think he has to go even faster?! What don't these people understand about the meaning of the word LIMIT!? So, he changes lanes, can't get past me right away, because there is other traffic in that lane. I'm not past the Big-I yet. But, finally, he manages to get past me and speeds on by, at least 75 or 80. Does it not register that 75 or 80 is OVER the LIMIT?! I realize that most people do this, but there is no need to go that fast. SLOW DOWN! My husband tells me that you should go fast enough to keep up with the flow of traffic, the speed they're going. But the police are trying to crack down on speeders, so I also try to do my part.

This is one of the reasons I don't like to drive on the freeway, but it's the best route, especially right now. But the speedsters is one reason I don't like to drive it unless I have to. You that know me know I don't get on my soapbox much, but this is another one of those things that will get me going. And don't call me an old fogie! I'm not that old yet.

Now that I've got that off my chest, I need to get some work done before the boss comes in and finds me blogging. Wouldn't that be a disaster, considering where I work! TTFN

A Day Off!

Took a day of vacation, only the second one this year. I'm going to be off for three weeks starting the 20th.

* The guy from Home Depot came by to measure for our new carpet. Supposed to hear back with 48 hours about the installation.

* Went to vote. Melissa went into the office to talk to one of the secretaries while we were there. She tried to talk M into coming back and finishing. I hope she got through to her.

* Came home and had some lunch, KFC chicken, potato salad, broccoli slaw salad. It's been a while since we had some slaw salad. And M likes it too; so does E.

* P and I went to play nine holes at Ladera. I got a par on hole 16. That's good for me, I don't get a par very often. Some clouds came over and cooled things off, shading the sun and stirring up a little wind.

* Came home, took a shower and went down to Mom's for some cake and ice cream she had gotten for her birthday. Bob went home this afternoon.

* Now we're relaxing, watching the latest Herbie movie. Have to go back to work tomorrow. Jn leaves for the SBC on Saturday. Next week will be a catch-up week.

* Getting some laundry done. Got the car washed and filled with gas. Now to finish the rest of the week! TTFN

Busy Weekend!

I'm sorry the link didn't work. I don't know why. The only way I know is to e-mail it to you, P. I was going to put it on my blog, but I think there are copyright restrictions.

P, M and I loaded about half of what was left of the shed in a U-Haul truck. It wasn't easy, that stuff was heavy! We got the truck unloaded, after going to three different dump sites, came home, cleaned out the truck, filled it up with gas and took it back.

We were going to go stay at a motel and get in the hot tub and swimming pool. They either didn't have adjoining rooms or the rates were too high. So we just came home, took showers and relaxed the rest of the day. We're all feeling some sore muscles today.

Went to WalMart this morning, got a few things; paid a couple of bills online; searched for the story I wanted to post, gave up.

Getting ready to go down to Mom's and take her and Bob out to lunch for Mom's birthday today.

Oh, yeah! The I-40 and Coors interchange is finally done (except for some landscaping) and open. It's really nice and it's easier to get to WalMart now. They have started working on the intersection of Fourth and Montano, so now I'm going to work this summer on the freeway. It only takes me 30 minutes!

Gotta go! TTFN