A Year of Change

Well our oven is broke and I don’t mean out of cash. I’m not even sure if saying the “oven is broke” is proper grammar, probably not, just doesn’t sound right. (Lori’s still sleeping so I can’t ask her) Anyhow there goes another wad of cash. It’ll be a few weeks or more until we can afford to fix it.

The monsoon rains pretty much missed our neighborhood but other areas of the city are flooding big time. It’s supposed to wind down around noon they say. Not sure if we’ll have our baseball game tonight or not.

My people from our Company start arriving today with Jody and his family landing from Florida around noon. Each year at our Company meeting we have a tradition of going around the room after our big dinner, and we each toast a person within the Company who  has affected them or means a lot to them. Anyhow this year, Jody, who is our up and coming national chain rock star, chose me. We talk every day (as I’m his boss) but usually the employees pick another employee that’s one of their co-workers. He took me aside later and was all emotional and told me how much he learns from me daily, even though I might not know it, and how much I remind him of his dad, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this year. It was quite a compliment as he’s probably the most important guy we have outside of us three owners and he and I are close, kind of like family. He told me I’m the only one in the Company that he can talk to without a filter meaning he can say whatever he wants without having to hold anything back. I was surprised but happy to hear how much I’ve helped him grow plus glad to know he feels this way as we almost lost him to another company a year ago when Bob left. You see Bob, who left,  tried to steal him by offering him more money, but he told me he stayed because of me. Who knew? Anyhow his wife and 2 kids, ages 10 and 12, are here and going to Aspen with us and then here for another week as he needed to get out of his house for 3 weeks as they found mold. I’m sure our kids will have a good time as they’re all excited to have other kids to play with.

Lori’s head seems to be all better, so she says. We’ll knock on wood that it stays this way. I’m watching the news and there’s a lot of water out there. Parts of the city really got hammered.

I read a story yesterday about a family who had their kids taken away as they let their 11 year old play basketball in their own backyard for 90 minutes alone when they weren’t home. The neighbor called the cops and the parents were arrested, strip searched and both kids were taken away and put in foster care for 2 months until finally the 11 year old talked with the judge privately and he returned them to their parents. Now the parents have to go to parenting classes and the kids have to go to a certain type of state camp each day all summer long to be supposedly watched. This is just one more example of an overreaching meddling govt. We were shocked to read that this can happen today but really nothing much surprises us anymore. I could go on and on citing examples of unbelievable stories but I’ll let it go. It’s just so sad  what our society is becoming these days.

Guess I’ll stop and head to the gym. Hope everyone is well, take care and God Bless.

Looks like we have about 36 hours of bad weather coming our way. I guess it’s supposed to start around noon and then stay around until tomorrow night. Then a few days of on and off storms before the 90’s arrive around next Wednesday.

Lori’s plane was late so we made it home a bit after 8pm. Everyone was glad she was home. Today I have some more work to do to prepare for next week. I’m not sure what Lori’s doing, probably stopping some crisis at the office.

Guess I’ll go, hope all’s well, take care, God Bless

So far this summer, either I’ve been gone or Mom has been gone. We’re all glad she’s coming home tonight as it seems like she’s been gone a month! We didn’t get much cleaning done that you can see but I did make some progress on a bunch of little things like clothes on top of the dryer and some stuff in the basement or wine cellar.

I think today the rain comes back with it kicking up tomorrow. Next week though it’ll be in the 90’s which will be perfect weather for our mini trip to Aspen for work. Today we’re supposed to have baseball practice but it might get rained out as the storms are suppose to start around 2pm.

Time to run now so I can make it to the gym before I need to take Ty to track practice and then he has a haircut at 9:30. Hope all’s well, God Bless.

Yesterday it was a nice day but today it’ll be down right hot. They say 88 degrees meaning we’ll need to start up the air conditioner. Last night Jag and I headed to baseball while Ty went to Vinny’s earlier in the day to go swimming and then hang out at his house.

It was a good game with Jag going 2 for 3 with 2 doubles, 4 runs batted in and 4 strikeouts in 2 innings pitched. I think he gave up one run if any. We won 12 to 6 and will play the same team again this Friday. The other team was talking smack and at one point distracted Jagger when he was on the mound and the umpire called a balk which gives anyone on base a free base. Jag knew he shouldn’t have let them get to him and it was a good lesson as I doubt it’ll ever happen again. He came off the field and said he shouldn’t have listened to them razzing him. I reminded him to let his game do the talking no matter what anyone ever says to him. We also had a few bad calls against us or it would have been more lopsided. Oh well, a win is a win.

This morning I need to return a few things to a few stores and then pick up some wine at the warehouse. Aspen will be here before you know it. I arranged for a driver to drive Alberto and Kristin from Denver to Aspen next week after they land which will run $600!

Meanwhile Lori is still in California (which I’m sure you all know) and Kristin came up to be with her and Dixie too. It’ll be good to have Lori home. Life is funny in that when you’re gone, you’re gone. The point is no matter who passes, life goes on, it doesn’t stop or take a time out now, does it. So, once again, live your life, cherish each moment and as they say, don’t sweat the small stuff. Here’s a couple of comments,

1. Blondie says:

   June 8, 2015 at 3:54 am (Edit)

   Our thoughts and prayers to you all! We enjoyed knowing Don and had some nice visits with he and Dixie through the years❤️❤️❤️

   Reply
2. Eleanor tafoya says:

   June 8, 2015 at 11:40 pm (Edit)

   So sorry to hear about Don, he gave Dixie a good life. They had fun and traveled, sometimes life was meant to be for Don and Dixie in their later life. But what I have to say is that I will always have Bob in my heart always, but life does go on and over 60 years ago their was a handsome young man that loved me but instead I married Louie and broke his heart,well Gordon my new old bow is back in my life again he lost his wife of 55 years I get a phone call in March of this year from Gordon he must have found out about Bobs demise. We have been having a good time traveling. He’s taking good care of me he has been taking my mind off Bob. He is a very wealthy man trying to win me over ha ha, he is doing a good job of it, you ought to see gifts he has bought me. He is my age, a little fatter but he is still romantic. Bob told me when he was in last week of his life, he took my hand and said to me go and have a good life ,it tears me up every time I remember what he said,sometimes love comes around again for sometimes for the better. Love you all—

   Glad to hear you have a new friend in your life! Life’s too short as it is and we’re happy you have someone to share it with. Thanks for staying in touch!

   God Bless.

Yesterday Lori made it to California and we to our two games. We have another game tonight at 7pm and then one more on Friday up in Evergreen. After that there’s a few more but I think we’ll miss them all as we’re in Aspen.

Lori says Dixie is doing as well as expected. Don was a good man, always kind, never raised his voice and was a good husband to Dixie as well as father to his kids and grandfather to all the grandchildren. He will surely be missed but always with us, much like my dad.

I have many memories of Don and admired his attention to detail yet there will still be things to go through and figure out as there always is. One day when my time comes (hopefully not for many many years), I will make sure I have shared everything with my wife and kids so they don’t have to go through the exercise of trying to figure out things like a will or finances. It’s a sad advantage, but with Lori going through this with Grandpa Bob, she knows just what to do. Just not very fun to learn or go through what you need to do to get good at this.

Back to baseball, the boys played well considering they played two teams that are a level above them. We should have one the first game as we led 6 to 3 going into the bottom of the 9th but lost 7  to 6. We changed pitchers and it just got away from us. In the second game we were flat out crushed but the boys did some good things. Jagger made a few great plays at short stop. More to come tonight.

Time to run, hope all’s well, God Bless.

Last night at 9:40 pm, Pa Don passed away. This all happened so fast that no one has really processed it yet. Ty is probably the most upset right now. Anyhow our World is now really a complete mess.

We just found out we have two baseball games in Broomfield (which is like 20 miles away) starting at 9am and Lori needs to catch an 11:18 flight to California to be with her Mom. She’ll be gone until Wednesday as of right now. I won’t go into all the issues we’ll have around here as that’s not really important right now. Unfortunately death is just a part of life and you do what you have to do.

In short, yesterday afternoon he said to call 911 as we think he knew. He just couldn’t get a breath. Larry, his son, is on the way to Japan and I think Kristin is in a conference but might come up from L.A. in the next day or two. Lori has to rent car when she arrives. So I have to run as I need to wake the boys, tell them the sad news and be out the door within an hour. First though I need to make Lori a few reservations, air and car.

May God Bless his soul and embrace him and give him peace and comfort. He’s already looking down on us all and I can almost hear him now telling everyone not to fuss. I’m sure he’s in a good place. Now is the time to take care of Dixie, so please say a prayer not only for him, but her.

God Bless

I woke up at 3am and was on the plane in seat 3F for a 5:25 wheels up. 2 1/2 hours later we landed in Denver which was a little before 9am for those of you that are not really good at math. (there’s an hour time difference!) Thank God I have enough seniority to get 1st Class.

Lori and Jagger met me at the curb and we headed home. Ty had Ben spend the night so they waited at home. Both baseball games were cancelled as the fields were a mess. We’re waiting to find out if we play tomorrow. If we do, it’ll probably be 3 games! That’s like 6 hours of baseball.

When we made it home, Lori threw her back out when she took one odd step. She managed to make it to the couch and then I had to force her to just sit. I ran to the bank, the grocery store and Edwards, our local meat market. Laundry is going and the boys are playing away upstairs. (Ty now has Jack over)

The rain and hail has been horrible. I can see from the debris that it came down pretty hard. There’s some thunder in the distance right now so we hope it misses us, and the baseball fields, today.

That’s about it, hope you all are well, God Bless.

Yesterday was fun out on the island. The little shack was built in 1936 and needed some work but was charming and right on the beach. By the time we arrived the tide was coming in though so no walking on the beach.

We made it back by about 9pm and that was it for the day. Today we have work from about 10 until 2 or 3 and then a bbq at the big house (we rent two houses) and that’ll be it. There are two of us flying out around 5:30am and two around 7am. The others all leave later in the day. I should be home by 9am tomorrow morning. It’s been a good meeting, maybe the best we’ve had. That’s about it, it’ll be good to be home as I have a lot to do. Hope all’s well, God Bless.

Today the sun arrives in Seattle. To break up the endless work, we’re taking the afternoon off, putting everyone on a ferry, and going to one of my partners little beach house over on a nearby island for some fun and a cookout. Last night we all went to a restaurant that we go to every year for dinner. It’s one of our accounts and they close it down to the public just for us. Then, as usual, the younger people stay up drinking until 1 or later. That’s one advantage of getting older, you finally learn not to do that.

Last night at home Jagger had a baseball game in what I guess was pretty nasty weather. Coach Cliff emailed me saying Jagger had a great game, was back to his old respectful self and really helped out the team. Now to be clear, he was never disrespectful, that was just the Coach’s perception when Jagger asked a question he didn’t like. After the game I guess Michael, his teammate, spent the night.

So 48 hours from now I’ll be halfway home. It’s now 6:15 here and I’ve been up an hour which is basically sleeping in according to Denver time. I and Lori might (we’re not sure) fly into Sacramento next week to meet with the owner of Raley’s, Nob Hill and Bel Air Markets (all the same guy) who we’re sending to the Bocelli concert, for a cocktail. We probably won’t go as I got the word yesterday that they just agreed to take in our wines, but there’s a small chance. If the buyer didn’t get the deal done yesterday, I would have flown in for sure to spend some time with the owner and his wife who are big Bocelli fans.

Time to run so I can get moving and wake all the night owls up. Hope all’s well, take care and God Bless.

Wow, Lori sure wrote a lot yesterday! It was nice to read a post from her. I’m up here in Seattle in the fog and rain although it’s supposed to clear out this afternoon and start getting sunny for the rest of the week. The meeting is going well, we have a good group of kids. I call them kids as most of them are in their 30’s. Some are in their 40’s and 50’s but most seem younger.

Our home phones are turned off so if you need to reach Lori you have to call her cell. One of the phones is off the hook and no one can find it.

Not much else going on up here that you’d be interested in, I have 3 more days until I’m home. Jagger and Ty are doing well and getting along. Lori says there’s tornado’s and hail coming today, super. Jagger has a baseball game at 5pm so Lori will be home by 3.

And last, Happy Anniversary to my Mom! I remembered!

Hope all’s well, take care and God Bless.