A Year of Change

Ok, it’s still summer and the heat will be back but the last two days have almost felt like fall. We’ve had intermittent rain showers and cool mornings that remind me of hunting season, my favorite time of the year. Tomorrow Ty comes home, yea! We’re all excited to have him back with the family.

Lori and I just returned from the gym where we had a good hour long morning workout. Her surgeon leaves around 2 or 3 today to fly to California for a big concert with a bunch of old bands from our era, should be fun.

Jag was working on some AP History yesterday which is good. Amazingly the house is still pretty clean. Throw in the dozen cases of wine I took out of the garage yesterday and I’m even making progress out there.

It’s 7 now and I have calls starting at 8 so I’d better get moving. I think I’ll fast today as I had some bad fish a few days ago or maybe it’s the half a jar of peanut butter I’ve been eating almost every day. I might have a peanut allergy. Funny I never had any allergies until I met Lori, at least that’s what I tell her. Have a good day! GB

In about 48 hours we’ll be in the car heading out to pick up Ty at camp. We’re supposed to get him around 9:30 this Saturday morning and he’s about 2 hours away. Once we arrive, parents and siblings can kayak and go stand up paddle boarding in the lake if we like but we’ll see what Ty wants to do. If we just head home, we’ll arrive around noon. We’re excited to see him as it seems like he’s been gone for 6 months! We’re counting the hours until we pick him up.

I made it to Steamboat yesterday a bit before 9 am. 30 minutes later I was headed back to Vail and arrived about 11. Steamboat is nice, a real mountain town that still embraces it’s western or ranching roots and has none of the glitz that Aspen has. There’s no Ralph Lauren or Gucci shops there. We could live there but right now there’s no job for Lori.

This morning I should be in Denver by about 9 am and then back up the hill soon after. It’s Thursday meaning my Mom is getting her hair done so I’ll miss her today. Hope she’s doing well. I guess G’ma Dixie is doing well. Apparently she’s moved into her niece’s guest house and is doing well. Good to hear.

Lori has clinic today so that means a busy, late day. I have a call with New York at 6 am which is in about 10 minutes so I guess I’ll run. Take care, hope all’s well and God Bless.

This morning I’m off to Steamboat Springs for a quick meeting. I should be back by 10:30 if all goes as planned. Then it’s a bunch of work around here. Lori had a 12 hour day yesterday as did I. I made it home by about 7 which was 15 minutes after Lori. It looked like rain at Ty’s camp, hope he’s still having fun. 2 weeks is a long time to be gone.

Lori and I both have a ton going on at work. Jag’s been hanging out since he made it home. Time for him to get busy doing something. He has some summer reading to do for school and another college test to take college classes this coming year. I hear Dix is doing well and enjoying herself, that’s great news. Time to run as I need to leave by 7:30. Take care and God Bless you all.

It’s a lucky day according to the date. Even if you reverse the numbers, they still come out to 7/11/17. Not sure what all that means but it must mean something.

Today Lori has a meeting at 7 am and I need to be in Denver for a couple appointments and meeting from about 1 pm until 4:30 pm. Then it’ll be the drive back up the hill. We had a little rain last night and expect a little more today. The upside to rain is it helps with the wildfires but the downside is that the lightening that comes with it can cause more fires.

Ty is doing fine at camp, Jag is resting up from his trip, I made it to the dump and dealt with a bunch of legal business yesterday and Lori worked until 7 pm. The house is still miraculously clean with only our room awaiting its makeover. Not sure when we’ll find the time to get to that.

Here’s a few more pics of the youngest, have a lucky day! God Bless

KODAK Digital Still Camera

KODAK Digital Still Camera

After a weeks worth of work, our home is as clean as it’s ever been. Everything is spotless except our room, ha. We finished just in time as Jag made it home by a little after 7 pm. We had dinner ready and fed his buddy Zach and his dad as his mom and little brother are in New York. It was great to see Jag and hear about the trip. Both boys look like they grew a few inches in a week! Jag was glad to be home. I’m sure he’ll sleep until at least noon as he was sleeping on bean bag chairs all week.

We also received a link with about 100 pictures from Ty’s 5 day backpacking trip. Here’s a few, he sure looks grown up. We can’t wait for next Saturday for him to come home too. We have a big week as usual but at least the house is clean and Jag is home. It was hot last night and we have the doors and windows open now to cool things down. That’s it, time to run, take care of yourself and God Bless.

KODAK Digital Still Camera

KODAK Digital Still Camera

KODAK Digital Still Camera

KODAK Digital Still Camera

Today Jag will fly home from Washington D.C. He’s only been gone a week but it seems like much longer. Lori and I have a lot to do today to finish things up around here. Yesterday we put together Ty’s room which meant cleaning his closet which was probably the worst one in the house. In the afternoon we made another trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond and then stopped at the grocery store as Jag wants some ribs for dinner when he gets home.

Ty arrived back at camp as far as we know, from his 5 days in the wilderness. I’m sure he was thrilled to get his box of goodies. 6 more days until we see him.

Lori took a hike yesterday morning for a few hours with a girl from work. She said it was beautiful, almost magical, the wildflowers up at the top of the mountain. Glad she made it out for a few hours of exercise.

Today we need to get some things from the hardware store and  probably take another trip to the dump. All in all, these are just little things, how clean the house is, what we do today, etc. The important thing is family and spending time together. It’ll be great to have Jag home and then next Saturday, Ty too. In the meantime, we’ll keep on keeping on, God Bless.

This morning we’re starting on Ty’s closet. I put together Jag’s room yesterday and am almost done. Early in the morning I took off for the two hour drive to Ty’s camp which is west of Bailey to drop his care package. Today he gets back from his 5 day expedition and I’m sure will be happy to get a box of goodies. He and his group have been backpacking and sleeping outdoors for 5 days! That may not seem like much but just think of 5 days without a bathroom, shower, kitchen, bed and all the other things we take for granted, plus the only clothes you have are what you’ve carried on your back. Lori says she couldn’t do the no bathroom thing for 5 days.

In his care package is a pillow (he forgot his), 12 mini Gatorades, 15 candy bars which is enough to share with his group, a bag of Kettle Corn, a bag of Cheetos’s, some Goldfish, beef jerky, some Sour Patch Kids (candy he likes) a mini bottle of mouthwash, some breath mints and a few other things, plus a letter from his Mom and I. It’s the same principal as when in the 1940’s, people back home here would send care packages to our troops in World War II. It’s the first time in his life, and ours, that he’s had no contact with us for 2 weeks straight. No phone calls, no emails, no text, nothing. We pick him up a week from today so he still has a lot of camp left. We miss both boys a lot.

Meanwhile Jag is having fun on the east coast. His friends Mom rented a house on Virginia Beach where they’ve been for the past few days. He lands in Denver tomorrow night around 6 pm and should be home by 8 or so. I took the boys to the airport last week so Zach’s dad is picking them up.

Lori is going on a hike with a girlfriend from work this morning while I go to the gym. She’s upstairs now working on Ty’s dresser.

Last but certainly not least, Happy Birthday to Ali! It was yesterday and we tried to call her on her cell but there was no answer. We have a present for you and will get it to you next week. She sure has a lot of friends as she had tons of birthday wishes on Facebook. I’m not a Facebook guy but had to sign up for a big Bocelli promo we’re doing. It’s an alternative reality, to say the least.

Have a great day and great weekend. Take care and God Bless.

Boy this week sure went fast. Today I’ll put Jag’s room back together as he gets home Sunday night. We have another week to finish up Ty’s room. Saturday we’re driving a care package down to camp as he returns from his expedition on Saturday night or Sunday morning.

This morning I have a dentist appointment at 9:20 and then will get to work around here. I have some computer work and housework to do plus a few errands. It’s been in the mid 80’s up here but nice and cool in the mornings. It’s been really hot in Denver all week.

Jag and his buddies are at a house on Virginia Beach having a blast. He’s having fun but says he misses us which is nice to hear.

No need to go to the gym this morning as Lori and I went last night when she came home from work. It’s almost 6 am so I guess I’ll run. Hope everyone is well. Take care and God Bless.

Yesterday afternoon I was getting groceries in Frisco and when I looked up, I saw a small stream of smoke. Instantly I knew it was a fire. By the time I was out of the grocery store, it had blown up big time. Smoke Jumpers were dropped in by parachute and planes were dropping water and fire retardant. It’s only like 100 acres but in fire terms, that’s big. The main worry is it could get much larger really quickly.

The kids are fine and I had the carpets cleaned in both boys rooms yesterday afternoon. Lots to do today though so time to run. Hope everyone is well, GB.

We headed out around 10 am for Aspen yesterday morning. By about 11:30 we were on some friends deck overlooking the parade. After an hour, we went for some lunch before walking around and seeing some other friends. Afterwards we went to Arron and Barbara’s house. They are the aunt and uncle of our friend who we’ve known for a number of years. Their house is over the top and you might remember years ago the kids would swim in their private lake. Barbara was a guest director at the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra as they donate a ton of money to it each year. Next up was some drinks (ice tea for us) with some other friends before heading out around 4 in the afternoon. 30 minutes later we were at Bed Bath and Beyond in Glenwood getting new bedding for the kids rooms. By 6:10 we were home. It was a fun day and not to much traffic.

Today we’re both back at it. Ty is on his 5 day expedition and Jag is having a blast. I guess G’ma Dix is having a great time too. Hard to believe it’s already July 5th. Here’s some pictures for the day, GB

KODAK Digital Still Camera