A Year of Change

Man am I tired. Minturn is sparkling clean with everything white. Now I need to clean it and then in goes the carpet. Denver was quick. I was in and out by 10:30. Jag was about 2 hours behind me. He went down to get a haircut and then stopped and saw Tommy. Tom sent him home with one of the old red and white Fugate Ranch/No Trespassing signs for me. What a treasure.

Now to a couple of important dates I forgot. The 10th was the 10 year anniversary of Dad passing. Can’t believe I forgot it and I really can’t believe it’s been 10 years. Also yesterday was Lori’s dad, Bob’s birthday. Maybe they’re fishing somewhere together up in the sky.

Today we have more of the same. Work, work and more work. The smoke up here is bad, especially at night. The closest is 4800 acres in Glenwood Canyon. The afternoon winds whip it up every day. It’ll be hot for the next three days with no rain in sight. Then there’s 30,000 acres burning down near Grand Junction. You can’t get to Aspen or Grand Junction or anywhere west of here as the highway has been shut down for a few days now. It’s about a four hour detour to get around it.

On tv the non stop political ads are everywhere. Our former Gov is a crook who said he never would want to be a Senator. Of course he said that while running for President. Now he’s all in. A former bar owner, he’s a liar and tax cheat who was caught. Only in today’s climate can someone like this still run for office. Lots of people are stupid enough to vote for him too I’m sure. His opponent should win in a landslide but people are ignorant and have short memories and sadly believe everything they see on tv. That’s why all the non stop ads.

Time to get moving as our builder is here in 90 minutes to fix some things. Be well and safe and God Bless.

I’m off to Denver in 30 minutes to pick up some wine and have an oil change on the truck. It’s 5:22am now so I have to be on the road by 5:50.

Ty, Preston and Jack are all sleeping. Jag went to Rachel’s and came home after I was asleep. Our painters are painting away in Minturn. They needed to spend the night so we bought them a hotel in Vail and I gave them dinner money. They’re good guys and should be done today. The big victory of the day was I now have everything out of Minturn except for a few things in the garage. The armoire was the big challenge but not as bad as I thought. Carpet should go in this weekend with a little luck.

Lori’s work is going well. It’s been a stressful time with us moving, her new job, school coming up and of course the whole virus thing and what its done to the economy. Hopefully with the move about completed I can chill out a bit. Lori says I’m on edge. I’m sure she’s right. Hope I wasn’t too tough on everyone.

Time to go, be well and safe and God Bless.

Or should I say smoke. There’s a large fire in Glenwood Canyon that started yesterday to go along with the larger fire in Grand Junction that is kicking off a lot of smoke. It’s was so thick you had a hard time seeing a mile in front of you. Hopefully they’ll get a handle on it today.

Jag helped me at the townhome yesterday afternoon before going out to play soccer with some friends. I guess it was the guys against the girls. Not happy about them playing in the smoke from the fires but what are you going to do. 18 year old’s are invincible, right? Ty and Preston will meet me at Minturn at 9 to help get the last few items out. Carpet is ordered and I’m meeting my painters from Denver at 8 am at Home Depot in Avon. In a little over a week we should be like new and on the market.

Our shades were installed yesterday and they look great. They’re battery operated and are so quiet and elegant. I also think we have the toilet fixed so little by little we’re getting things taken care of around here.

The dogs are fine and I think Lori killed all the voles. Time to get moving. I think I need to take a saw and sledge hammer to break apart the armoire and an old dresser to get it out of Minturn.

Hope everyone is well. Be safe and God Bless.

Lots going on this week. Business and personal. Ty will be home this morning. We’ll also find out today what Eagle County Schools plan is for the year. We have window shades being installed this morning. Our toilet is being fixed and we have about ten things to fix around the house to get our final inspection. Lots going on at work too.

Lori put Ty’s bed together yesterday. It’s a piece of junk. You don’t get much for $500 these days. We could sent it back if we could get it in the three cut up boxes and ship it, and pay for shipping, and get charged $127 for returning it meaning we’d get back around $300. Not worth it as it’d take a whole day.

Lori is in Vail today, she thinks. She sets her own schedule so we’ll know more later. I have more to get out of Minturn today. Two dressers, the armoire, two nightstands, about 6 lamps, a table and some chairs and a small desk in the basement with our desk top computer on it. Also need to call ADT, the alarm company.

6:23 now so time for coffee and dogs. Not sure in which order. Depends on if they hear me, ha.

God Bless you all and may he watch over each and every one of you.

I have painters coming up Tuesday so I need to go through the townhome like a tornado today. Most all of the large pieces of furniture are in the middle of rooms so it should be pretty easy. I have one large armoire in the master I might cut into pieces to get out.

Yesterday Lori and I were in Frisco while Jag headed to Boulder. We all met at home around 4. Ty is having a blast and arrives in Denver tonight. Tomorrow he’ll head up with Preston. We also have shades being installed tomorrow and our toilet in the master is being fixed as something is funky with the deodorizer. The dogs are sleeping still and it’s a beautiful morning. Looking outside you’d never know there’s a virus or protests or anything like that.

Time to start the day but before I go here’s some of the World’s top epidemiologists saying how masks don’t help and may even cause harm. Of course all of us have been conditioned by the media so most all of you won’t believe this and will still wear a mask everywhere you go.

Anyhow here you go, https://www.zerohedge.com/political/worlds-top-epidemiologists-masks-dont-work

Hope you all are well, GB.

I made two more trips to Minturn yesterday and am headed down there again at 7 this morning. James is driving up from Denver to pick up a few things and then Lori and I will head to the gym on the way home after picking up another load of mostly clothes. Jag is off to Boulder this morning to pick up his I-pad for school. They’re in short supply too.

It’s a little cooler this morning. We need to get the dogs a dog house but so far they prefer sleeping outside. I’m sure that won’t last as the temperature drops in a few months.

Ty is hopefully having fun. He’ll be home Monday. I need to get going as James should be driving and we need to meet him at 7:30. Hope you all are well. God Bless.

Ty’s on his way boating, Jag’s going camping and I’m cleaning out Minturn. What’s wrong with this picture?

By the end of the weekend I hope to have everything out of the townhome. I need to find a desk today as I have to get my office put together. Not sure where to look as I’ve been to all the used furniture stores around here. I can get a deal in Frisco from a buddy and might go check there.

It’s sunny out this morning. It was hot and dry yesterday with strong winds. Thankfully no fires around here. I was off to Denver but will go on Monday. I need to get moving to meet some guys in Minturn to pick up our old couch. Be well, God Bless.

Good morning. Hope everyone is well. Today I thought I’d take a little survey from you all of what shortages you’re experiencing these days. We all of course have the obvious ones like disinfectant wipes but what else? Anyone been to Home Depot lately? Have you tried buying a chest freezer? None to be found since about March. What about guns and ammo. If you find any ammo, it’s super expensive and guns are virtually impossible to find in the popular configurations and calibers. Even Lori’s makeup is in short supply, oh no! The boys and I went school shopping yesterday and it took me two trips to two different stores to find one of each of her makeup. I tried to buy a few of each but they only had one eye shadow and one foundation. Expect this to only get worse as we get closer to Fall. Just a heads up.

As I said, yesterday we did some school shopping. Jag found a bunch of things while Ty a few. On the way home we stopped at Lucky Noodle on 1200 East Colfax. This had us drive by the homeless camps the police were finally dismantling. They’re not safe for the people that are there and the disease threat alone is reason enough to close them down. It’s scary what they’ve done to downtown. Hard to believe our cities across the Country have been turned into war zones. Don’t believe me, head downtown. I don’t know how the businesses down there are surviving. We were glad to get out of downtown. It’s just not safe.

Ty is headed to Johnson Lake in Nebraska tonight. We’ll drop him in Georgetown where he’ll meet Preston and then they’ll meet up with his parents and caravan to Nebraska. He’ll be home Sunday.

Anyone seen gold and silver? Wow, hold on. Gold has gone up 20-30% to record highs and silver even more. It’s nowhere to be found and if you do, the premium over spot price is almost 30% on silver which is unheard of. The Governor of New York is begging the wealthy to come back to New York. Doesn’t seem to be doing much good. People are leaving the State, and other democratic ones, in droves. People are also leaving major cities across the Country headed for the hills, like our neck of the woods. The Great Exodus has begun.

Now to the virus. Where do we start. Cases are going down but you still need to social distance and wear a mask. The mall was packed. Lots of young people in Neiman Marcus buying $800 tennis shoes. Where do they get the money? Looks like they’re doing fine. Most were young people of color. That politically correct? Hmm.

Time to go. in closing, this shit storm, and I don’t mean the virus, has just begun. The greater threat to us all is the social unrest and supply interruption and lack of production of basic goods. The election is the greatest threat as if the Dems win across the board (could happen) we’re in big trouble. Our Country probably could not come back from that. Seen the price of beef lately? Stock up now for winter. God Bless.

Another great night at the ranch. Lori’s friend and former surgery scheduler Luz came by and will apply this morning at Lori’s work. She’s still with Dr. C. but wants to leave and join Lori. Meanwhile I’m trying to determine what my Company will look like in 2021. Lot’s of decisions.

At 8am an inspector comes by to do a final inspection on the house. Then it’s off to Minturn and then Denver one more time. I think both boys are going with me this time.

Ty has been invited to go with Preston and his family this weekend to go to Lake Conaughy in Nebraska. They just bought some $300K ski boat and are buying a house on the lake. We have to get Minturn 100% empty by the end of the weekend. I’ll put some more stuff out today for the trash.

We have voles outside in the grass and brush, they’re like little hedgehogs. They live outside in the yard under rocks and under the sage brush. I’ll need to make sure they don’t get near the house.

Kristin is with Grandma Dixie for one more day. Nice she could go up and stay. Lori is in Frisco today so we all need to get moving. The dogs just had their morning hike so time for coffee. God Bless.

This morning Ty and I are off to Denver. I have a few stops and he needs some new school clothes. Lori is in Vail today after being in Frisco yesterday. Jag and the Brew Crew hung out and spent the night last night. That’s my new name for Jag, Zach, Ethan and Matt. Jag wanted me to pick up some beer but I made Lori call their parents first. My how times have changed since I was a kid.

I made a couple more trips to Minturn yesterday and am getting down to brass tacks. I have some old paintings from Mom’s that I’m not quite sure what to do with. I guess they’ll come home with us. I did come across the prized Santa Claus mugs from when we were kids and a box that Mom wrote the following on. “These were my children’s books when I was a little girl. Please do not destroy.” So as a good son who obeys his Mom, I’m not throwing them away.

Jag’s roommate is from Rifle which is about an hour west of here. He’s been talking via email and says he seems nice. I think he and whoever moves him in (Lori or I as only one parent can go in) has to have a Covid test. My buddy James had to have one two days ago as he has two weeks of practice in California and was nervous but tested negative. I knew he would be negative.

We had two nightstands delivered about 8:20 last night. They’re nice and match our bed. Lori still doesn’t think she likes our mattress so it might go back. They sent us a mattress pad yesterday which was supposed to make it softer but I think it made it a bit more firm.

Good news is cases of the virus are trending down in Colorado with about a 3% positivity rate which is well below the targeted 5% for the Country. Looks like social distancing does work as everywhere it spikes, it quickly goes down after the party stops. I told everyone on my weekly call that this too will pass. We’ve had things like this before and we will again and we will prevail. Just stop watching the news. They sensationalize and blow up every little thing they can for ratings.

We have a few coyotes and some elk you hear at night and early in the morning. I was on a Houseparty call last night with a guy in New York, one in Chicago and a woman in San Mateo California and they all were envious of our space and room to roam. Our location is hard to beat.

That’s it, time to roust Ty so he can go with me. Have a great day and God Bless you all.