A Year of Change

I always joke that Father’s Day is like the ugly stepchild to Mother’s Day. Truth is, it’s just what it should be. Being a dad might just be the best thing I’ve done in my life. It’s right there with marrying my better half. I remember when I was a kid, I’d always get my dad a small Buck Knife. Dad loved them and the great thing was he’d lose them every year so it was always a good gift. After Mom passed away, I found a bunch of them so Dad must have just said he lost them so I could feel good about getting him another one. That’s what a good guy he was. I miss him and think about him often. Lori misses her Dad too. Dad’s hold their own place in their kids’ lives. It’s different than a Mom of course, but very important. One of the big issues with society these days is too many kids are growing up without dads. I always say it’s more important to be a dad to your kid than being their friend. What I mean here is sometimes you have to be the bad guy and say no. Anyhow, I’m super blessed as both our boys are really great kids. I try to think back to how we all were when we were 18 and our kids are saints! So, Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there.

Yesterday before probably the best hockey game I’ve ever seen, Lori and I went to see Jurassic World at the theater. She loves movies on the big screen. It was entertaining but not even close to the hockey game. We absolutely crushed them with the best, most complete game probably ever played in a Stanley Cup Final. On to Tamps Bay and Game 3 on Monday. Go Av’s!

This morning we were planning on heading to Aspen for lunch and to see friends but after looking at the weather, we’re staying home. Would have been fun but Ty would have probably been really tired too as he strolled in around 1:30 am. He was the designated driver last night, so he called and said he was waiting on his friends that were drinking. We told him to gather them up and get home or leave them to fend for themselves. Jag and I watched the game and Lori grilled up some steaks for us. We of course hit the gym in the morning for our workout. Think we’ll go now since we’re staying home.

7:30 now so time to go. Have a great day and enjoy. Take a minute to remember your dad, we all have one, ha! God Bless.

We decided to go to Aspen tomorrow instead of today. Ty has tomorrow off so then we can all go. Besides I needed some sleep and want to go to the gym and that wouldn’t have happened if we went today. I haven’t been sleeping well for the past couple nights. Primarily because I had to get up too early the past couple mornings. Of course it’s 5:54 now and I’ve been up for almost a half hour, but I did go to bed around 8 last night. Lori is still sleeping as she needs some rest too.

Ty works at 7:30 today so he went to bed around 10 which is early for him. Glad his job is so close, literally about a mile and a half down the hill. It’s right across from Dixie’s place. Jag came home last night around midnight and said Dixie’s light was on. That’s not good as it usually means she’s awake and wandering which is a big no no. Lori did go see her last night. I had a headache, so I stayed home.

Lori and I went to the farm yesterday morning. We brought back some veggies and fresh strawberries which are so sweet. In about 2 weeks we’ll have lots of food being harvested. By the time we left around 10:30am to come home, it was already 93 degrees down there.

Tonight at 6 hockey is on. Can’t wait, we should win. I’m feeling pretty good about it. Time to get moving, think I’ll take a walk before heading to the gym. Enjoy the day. A bit cloudy here and cooler this morning which is nice. Go Av’s! God Bless.

Lori and I are headed to the farm early this morning. She needs to see just what’s going on so she can help sell the concept. If we get out of here on time, we should be back before noon.

Yesterday everyone worked. More today whether school or at a job. One of Jag’s professors told him not to have a social life, a dog or do anything for the next 2 and 1/2 weeks. That’s how long each class is, and they cram about 2 months’ worth of work in over that time. After all it is a couple college credits. Tomorrow we’re running over to Aspen. Jag is coming with us, but Ty has to work. He does have Sunday off.

Lori and I are both off all sugar. It’s tough. We were talking with Melissa up at H&H which is our local hang yesterday. Seems like just about everyone has some kind of food issue. Melissa is like me. She can sit and eat a whole loaf of freshly baked bread or some pastry where Lori can eat a bag of candy. H&H is primarily a bakery as they bake bread for most of the local restaurants in Vail, but they also bake a wide selection of incredible pastries every single day. The bakers get there at 3am every morning. H&H is one of our customers at the farm.

Lots of stupid shit going on in the World, especially here in our Country thanks to the current administration. No need to explain as I’m sure you are all aware. Time to get moving. Enjoy the day and the upcoming weekend, God Bless.

I’ve always sort of been into hockey but this year, it’s a whole new level. Not sure why but when the playoffs started, I wes all in. Maybe it was because of all the hype around our team or maybe it was because nothing else was on and the Rockies suck. Anyhow, what a great team we have and what fun hockey is. Last night didn’t disappoint. In game one of The Stanley Cup Finals, we won 4 to 3 in overtime. What a game and what a crowd in Denver. My buddy Mark was there texting me pictures and videos during the game. I asked him to get me 3 t-shirts. Not sure if he did as he said the line was around the stadium but knowing Mark, he probably did. Can’t wait for game two on Saturday.

Aspen was nice. I arrived around 10 am and was out of town by 1. I stopped into Kemo Sabe and Ralph Lauren to see some friends who work there and managed to get in early with Christina for my haircut. The town wasn’t as packed as I thought but the jets were landing one right after another. Today the town will swell by the thousands as Food and Wine starts tomorrow. There’s usually a bunch of kick off parties tonight. We’ll probably drive over Saturday for the day to see Billie and Greg and do the town.

Today I’m off to the gym with Lori in about 30 minutes. Ty is up at Sylvan Lake where he and some friends rented a cabin for the night. He works at 3 today. Hope he’s not too tired. Jag is slammed with summer school. He takes on so much sometimes it’s too much.

James’s first show in Copenhagen went great. We were texting around 8pm my time which was 4am in Denmark! He said it was cold and rainy and windy, good kick ass weather. We text a lot as it’s a connection to home for him and I like hearing about what’s going on.

Time to go so I can watch the hockey highlights from last night. Enjoy the day, mid-June, wow. Jag and I were lamenting the fact that in 90 days it’ll be September 15th! God Bless.

I’m off today to Aspen for a haircut and some shopping. Lori is in Frisco and Jag is at work. Ty is off today but back at it tomorrow. He has Tuesday and Wednesday off each week.

Nice up here, right around 80 degrees, perfect. Ty just came home from spending the night at his friends. It’s 6:30 am so he’s up early. His friend has a catering job early today in Vail.

Hockey tonight, can’t wait. Not sure what we’re doing this weekend. Might go back to Aspen for a Aspen Food & Wine party during the day Friday to see a bunch of friends and then have dinner and head home. We’ll see.

Now for the big news of the day, I need glasses! I had an eye exam yesterday and no glaucoma or macular degeneration or anything bad. The only thing is my eyes are not quite as sharp as they were when I was 20 years old. But wait, I am 20 years old! The doctor said I don’t have to have them, but said they’d easily make me see 20/20 again. So, we’ll see. I have a buddy that runs Eye Pieces of Vail which is the high-end eye glass shop up here. They have all the designer frames and sell all the cool brands. I tried some frames on yesterday. It’s funny how some make you look like a college professor and others like a celebrity. One thing they all have in common is they’re all expensive, ha! Lucky I have a guy and can get a deal. I’ll check some more out today after I get back from Aspen.

Time to get moving. Ty’s going with me. Should be back by 2 or 3 at the latest. Have a great day and God Bless.

Nice and cool this morning. It’s a welcome break from the heat. We brought Dixie up for dinner yesterday and she had a nice time. She apologized for being so mean the day before. Not sure she remembers much. Lori must have told her to apologize.

Ty is off today and tomorrow and back at it Thursday. Jag is off on Friday’s. Tomorrow is hockey, whoo hoo. I managed to get a lot done in Denver yesterday and was back by about 2:30. Today I’ll do a bunch of work around here. I have an eye doctor appointment at 2 today as well. Almost 7 and my hand is hurting a bit from arthritis so time to wrap. Enjoy the day, GB.

Ty has work again, so does Jag and so does Lori and so do I. All four of us working away today. Dixie had a rough day, she kept calling saying she was in a strange place and we needed to come get her. I went down and visited for a good 45 minutes. Upon leaving when I told her there’s no place for me to take her, she told me she wouldn’t forget this and that she hated my guts. I laughed it off and told her “no you don’t”, but she was sure she did. Good news is she’ll forget she even said that to me. It’s so sad though as she clearly, in her head, thought she was somewhere she shouldn’t be. I tried to show her things of hers to help ground her but she had a comeback for everything, like, “they have those paintings in every hotel”. Not much we can do except go see her today. Three times yesterday we realized she didn’t have her oxygen on. We pay for them to check this so Lori will call today. That makes a big difference.

It was hot yesterday, in the 90’s. More today before a cool down tomorrow and Wednesday. We’ll take it. Not much else going on, I’m off to Denver in 40 minutes or so, so time to go. Almost halfway through June. In 90 days, it’ll be mid-September, wow. Summer’s go faster than winters these days, ugh. Have a great day, GB.

Yesterday was nice, maybe the warmest day of the year. It went by pretty fast and soon it was 5:30. Jag made it home from the GoPro Games right about then and James and his new friend showed up around 5 minutes later. Ty worked until around 2 and then left for town. He’s up now getting ready for work at 7:30. You can tell when Ty is up as he showers and gets ready with a mini concert in his room every morning.

Dinner was great. Melissa and Anthony are really fun people. James new friend was nice too and it was good to see him having someone he can spend time with. She’s pretty down to earth. Not what you’d expect. Jag had 3 guys over and they had some food and then hung out smoking cigars, drinking whisky and playing poker until around midnight. The guys are all crashed downstairs now. They used grandpa’s old poker chips and had a blast.

Lori and I are off to the gym. I’m in Denver tomorrow for a quick trip to pick up some cash from a shotgun and lever action I sold. Lori’s dinner was really great, as usual. Don’t know how she does it as everything is always prefect.

Time to get moving, make it a great day and God Bless.

Last night Lori and I headed into town for a concert at the Ford Amphitheater. Our friends Anne and Bart called with two extra tickets. The show was Grace Potter, Warren Haynes, of the Allman Brothers and Government Mule. Anne had a great spot set up on the grass with blankets and food waiting for us. It was a fun show as the amphitheater is a great venue. It’s also where graduation was. We didn’t stay for the entire show. That’s one of the great things about this place, easy in, easy out.

The GoPro Games are going on in town. Jag went in with Lexi and was home by 2am and Ty went with friends but was home at 10 as he starts work today at 7:30 this morning. When Ty made it home, he proudly showed off his new tattoo! It’s the tree of life on the inside of his left ankle. His lifelong buddy Sonny bought it for him. He and his friend Ryker each got one. It’s cool and sort of a rite of passage for some kids, good for him. Lori said she’s just thankful he didn’t get something stupid and that it wasn’t on his forearm or somewhere obvious.

Lori brought Dixie up for a while. Sadly, she’s losing it fast, almost daily. Still though, she remembers some long-term things, it’s just 5 minutes ago that messes her up.

Tonight we have friends coming for dinner. Melissa and her husband Anthony and James who is bringing a girl he just started seeing. He just started dating for the first time in 30 years and is leaving tomorrow for Europe but when I texted him yesterday he said he’d get packed during the day so he could come. I know he knows it’ll be a comfortable, safe setting for him to go out with a girl for the first time in a long time. He’s back around July 11th.

‘Great weather up here, around 90 degrees but cool at night. God Bless

The Tree of Life

Yesterday was a long day. With little to no sleep I made my 6am flight. There were so many people in the Phoenix airport you would have thought it was Thanksgiving. After the quick hour and 20 minute flight to Denver I had 2 hours to hang out before my 25 minute flight to Eagle. I walked out of the airport at noon and Ty was waiting to pick me up.

At 4 I was off to Edwards to pick up Schultz who had drove up from Denver to meet me. We headed to James for cigar night. Schultz brought some super special cigars from Las Vegas. They’ll only sell you one a day. It was a good get together. James leaves for Copenhagen Sunday and has shows in Europe for the next month. Think he’s back around July 11th.

Jag is doing well and has school today but no work. Ty starts work tomorrow. I’m off to the gym this morning before doing some stuff around here for the day. Should be nice, mid 80’s.

Dixie came up for a bit and is doing well physically but is lost more and more each day mentally. It’s sad but nothing we can do. Time to get going, 20 minutes to 7 now. Enjoy the day, GB.