A Year of Change

Headed down the hill today. I had to go yesterday too as a load of wine came in that I needed to pick up. This morning I’m getting my haircut at 10:30 and then have a few stops including Tommy’s who made his annual Christmas cookies for everyone. Lori loves the peanut brittle.

Jag is doing well. So is Ty. Maddie came over yesterday and spent the night. They’re too funny. Lori is in Vail today working with Dr. B. as her two PA’s are trekking in Nepal. Dr. B. leaves tomorrow. Lori has like 200 hours of PTO that doesn’t carry over. No way she can use them all, but she will take some time off.

The weather is cool but no new snow. Think we might get a little Thursday. It’s been great having the heavy snow hold off as late as it has this year.

I think our code from The Rolling Stones Fan Club comes today so we can buy tickets before everyone else. Robi, want to come up? If so, let us know. It’ll probably be the last time they tour.

We went to sleep around 8 last night and finally had a good night’s sleep. We did wake up at 5 but that’s a good 9 hours of shut eye. We both needed it.

That’s it, have a great day, do something nice for some random person today. You’ll be surprised how good it’ll make you feel. It’s even better when you do it anonymously. Take care and God Bless.

Broncos won again, that’s five in a row! The Nuggets also got back on track. It was a fun day for sports. Now we begin a busy last week of November. Lori works today and tomorrow and then Dr. B goes to Nepal Wednesday until the 12th. I’m in Denver tomorrow and then have industry tastings in Vail Wednesday and Aspen Thursday. Then Friday is December 1st! Before we know it, it’ll be 2024. I clearly remember December 31st, 1999, and being on a beach with Lori. Life goes fast, enjoy.

Ty worked and then hung out with us for the remainder of the day. Maddie didn’t make it over as I think her parents didn’t feel like making the drive. Don’t blame them.

Tomorrow I need to try to get a few more Christmas presents. I’ve been shopping online but need to get a few gifts in person. That’s about it, have a great day and week. Until tomorrow, God Bless.

Last week of November starts tomorrow depending on how you look at it. Some say the week starts on Sunday. In any case, December is right around the corner.

Jag and Ava took off yesterday afternoon to beat the traffic and the snow. Ty hung out with Maddie all day and made it home around 10:30 last night. It’s 5:45am now and we’ll leave for his work and the gym in 45 minutes. Lori and I have sort of a busy week. She is in the office Monday and Tuesday while I’m in Denver Tuesday and then have a tasting in Vail Wednesday and one in Aspen on Thursday.

Had some snow on and off yesterday but not a lot of accumulation. Just enough to cover the cars a bit, and mess with the roads a little. Cold temps will hang around for another 24 hours and then it’ll warm up into the 30’s and 40’s for the week. Afterall, it is the end of November.

We were going to go to the Bronco game today but are just too worn out from the weekend. It’ll be much warmer watching it from our living room. Hope we win, need to keep this thing going.

I read that the majority of people in the Country want age and term limits on politicians. What a novel idea! Problem is, the politicians, who would need to vote to change the law, will never vote to kick themselves out. It’s pretty easy to see who they put first. Here’s a hint, that would be themselves! What a mess. Don’t worry though, things have a way of working themselves out. It would just be so much nicer to do things the easy way.

Time to get everyone up. Have a great last Sunday of November and God Bless.

These holiday weekends throw you off. Yesterday it felt like Saturday, maybe even Sunday. Today feels like Sunday for sure. We’re not used to having so many days off in a row.

Yesterday after some football, we headed to Matsu for dinner. Our reservation was at 5 and by 5:30, the place was jam packed. Looked like all out of towners as we didn’t see anyone we knew except for the staff. No shortage of money or visitors up here, at least last night!

Today we might go to Aspen, we’ll see how long those kids sleep. Ty spent the night at Maddie’s parents’ house and will head to work this morning. We had some snow last night, not much, just enough to cover the ground and half the driveway. The drive home was a little sketchy but Lori’s new snow tires worked well.

Time to head out and shovel the little bit of snow on the driveway. Have a great Saturday, God Bless.

Ty works at 7 so we’re up having coffee and will leave in 30 minutes for his work and then hit the gym after we drop him. Yesterday was nice. We hung out, ate some food, and hung out some more. No snow up here, all clear outside. Jag and Ava started some cinnamon rolls yesterday from scratch and their dough is in the fridge rising or doing whatever it does. Tonight we’re all going to Matsuhisa for sushi at 5. Not sure what we’re doing during the day.

Hope everyone had a great turkey day. Used to be that today, Black Friday, was a big shopping day where people would get up early and line up outside of stores, but those days are pretty much gone with the internet. We, along with most people, from what I read, are watching their pennies a bit more this year with the economy the way it is. I’m trying to buy things people will actually use, especially for the boys. Also paying cash for everything, no credit cards.

Might not have said it yesterday, but we’re super thankful for all of you, our family. And we wish you well and will always be there for you, if you need our help. That’s it, time to get going. Have a great day and God Bless.

Even with everything as messed up as it, we have a ton to be thankful for. First up is our health, then having a home of our own and food to put on the table. Everything after that is a luxury, no matter how you look at it. Not everyone feels this way but if you boil it all down, that’s way more than a lot of people and all you need to live a good life. Of course, we all want things, but we really don’t need them, now do we. So, Happy Thanksgiving to you and those you care about.

Early in the day after the gym, Lori and I picked up our six loaves of bread from Hovey, drove to the hospital to get a prescription, then went to get Lori’s flowers and finally picked up the steaks at Cut, our local butcher. On the way home, we stopped at Costco with a few hundred of our closest friends.

Yesterday afternoon I met Mark and Marty for a cigar at James house. He’s in L.A. at his nephew’s house. Meanwhile Jag and Ava, after taking a nap, we’re cooking away and made homemade lobster bisque, tuna poke and a cucumber salad. All were really really good. Jag made the stock for the bisque from scratch by first boiling the lobster tails in water and then using that water as the base for his stock. They’re so cute together and seem like they’ve been a couple for years.

Today we’re having steak, lobster, shrimp, I think some pasta, (Jag and Ava make a killer homemade pesto) and pecan pie. We’re headed to the gym at 7 and then will be around the house all day long. Snow arriving tomorrow, looks like most of the State is getting a pretty good dose of the white stuff. At least it’s holding off until tomorrow.

That’s about it, time to get moving. Have a great day and again, take a moment to think about all you have and be thankful! It’s way more than most people. God Bless.

Last night around 6, Ty called and said he’s coming up tonight. Apparently Maddie and Kylie (her twin sister) were evicted due to their 3rd noise complaint. We weren’t sure what he meant when he said they were evicted. When I picked him up at 10 in Avon, he mentioned, in passing, that Maddie will now be living with her dad. I said, “up here”, as that’s where they live now, and Ty said, “yes”. Next question was, “so she’s living with her dad and you’re living here, and not going to Denver anymore on the weekends”? He said, “yup, we’re both going to work and save money until early next year”. So there you have it, Ty moved home, not that he ever really moved out. Now he’s here full time though. This is actually good as now he and she will save money. He finally seems motivated to save up for a car.

Right now, Jag and Ava are on a plane. They boarded at 4:30am in Portland and land in Denver around 8:30. Then they’ll drive straight up here. It’ll be good to see them. They’ll probably need a nap!

The house is all clean and sparkling and looking great. I have a call at 11 but first will hit the gym and then pick up some flowers my buddy’s shop is making up for Lori, steaks from our other buddy’s meat market, and six loaves of homemade golden raisin and fennel bread from Ty’s work. I’m giving bread away to the neighbors as since Molly agreed to make it for me, I wanted to make it worth her while. That’s why I said I’d take six loaves. Nice weather up here again. Seasonal, but nice.

That’s it, Lori’s thrilled to have both boys home. Me too. Make it a great day, God Bless and Happy early Thanksgiving!

The kids all arrive tomorrow so today we need to get ready. The cleaners come at 9:45, I need to get Ty’s room ready for them, and we’re headed to the gym first. Lori has a meeting at noon but other than that, will be home.

Yesterday the guys from the garage door company came down and fixed the garage door. We need one little piece of trim at the bottom, but the door is fixed and working. Looks like snow in Denver Friday but about 10 degrees warmer up here with a little rain. Overall, it’s been a great Fall. We’re in no hurry for Winter to show up and would be just fine if it waited until closer to Christmas. The shorter the better.

Looks like our loser Govenor has signed a bill to take our annual Tabor tax refunds and spend them anyhow even though the proposed amendment to do so just lost in the recent election. Not sure why we all voted if he can just do what he wants anyhow. He says it’s for equal tax relief for all. So let’s see, they doubled our property taxes from $8000 to $16,000 and are now giving us back $233 in tax relief. Nice. Something is going to change soon as people are fed up. Up here, Aspen and Vail are down an average of 21% in occupancy rates (visitors) and merchants are upset and wondering why. Well, when it’s about $60-$75 for two burgers or sandwiches to go from our local restaurants, and hotel rooms cost between $1000 and $2000, it’s pretty easy to see why people are not coming or going out. Most people haven’t been paying attention, but everything is so expensive now, it’s impossible not to notice. When will people learn and stop voting for Democrats which just tax and tax you into poverty. The govt. has never solved a single issue by spending more money, yet people keep voting to give it to them, and then complain that their taxes and the cost of everything keep going up. Oh well, sometimes you just can’t fix stupid.

Now for the big news of the day, The Rolling Stones are touring this summer! June 20th in Denver! Can’t wait!

Almost 6 and we’re headed to the gym at 7:30, so time to get cleaning.

Here’s a few pics from the other day, God Bless.

Breakfast and coffee made for me by Ty at his work! Impressive!

He’s back! He always shows up right when hunting season is over!

Lori and I working out, bam!

That’s it! Have a great day!

Last night, Lori made our Thanksgiving dinner and it turned out great! Marty, Melanie, Lori and I hung out and had dinner and watched the first half of the Bronco game together. They left at halftime and Lori and I watched the Broncos come from behind and win their 4th game in a row. Super fun.

Today we’re getting our garage door fixed. Sometime between 1 and 4 they’ll show up. Good timing with cold weather coming this weekend. I do need to reorg the garage by moving stuff from one side to the other so they can fix it. Lori’s not ready to go through all her mom’s stuff yet, otherwise I’d be throwing some stuff out.

Jag and Ava are having fun in Portland. I thought they were coming back tomorrow but they come back Wednesday morning. I think they’re the first flight out around 6am, which is good with everyone traveling. Ty is in Denver and comes back Wednesday too.

Time to get moving. Have a great day and week and Happy Thanksgiving. God Bless.

Had a few inches come down last night. Not too bad but enough to cover the truck. Haven’t been on the roads yet so we’ll see. Today we’re cooking a small turkey and Marty and Mel are coming over for dinner. We’ll be doing surf and turf for Thanksgiving because that’s what the Pilgrim’s and Indians ate, bwaaahhh.

Yesterday we were at the food bank by 8:30 and loaded up our boxes and bags of food to deliver and were on the road by 9. Lori recognized two, as she says,” overweight” Sheriff deputies, who pulled her over two years ago saying someone called in a white car on the highway going 100 miles an hour. She told them it wasn’t her and she didn’t get a ticket but they sort of gave her a hard time, according to her. She told James (the Sheriff) the whole story, and he just laughed. We headed out and found our first stops which were two trailers in a make shift trailer park. It was eye opening how poor these people were. I guess 4500 people up here use our food bank every week. Half of them didn’t speak English but all were thankful. We were done with our deliveries pretty quick and then went for breakfast and coffee before hitting Costco.

The rest of the day was spent around the house. Lori brined the turkey overnight so we’ll see how it turns out. I deboned our smoked turkey and it sure is good. Time to get moving as I slept until 6. Ty is getting ready now. Have a good day, big Bronco game tonight. Sure hope we win! God Bless.