Please...let it be time to plant my flowers.

I can hardly wait to plant flowers this year (which is not so different from the past couple of years). I should be thankful that I get to plant them two weeks earlier here, but my patience is wearing thin. Next Wednesday will be the day. I have mostly stuck with easy sun-loving varieties like petunias and geraniums. Last year, my mom and I managed to drown a couple of pots of dahlias. I'll be trying them again, along with some more temperamental impatients, zinnias, and a couple of hydrangea bushes. I am so excited (insert domestic dork comment here). I also want some hybrid lilies that don't smell like shit.

Our Vegas plans are in order. We are leaving June 16th and coming back on the 20th. My mother will also be joining us. I am in preparation for a wild time. The next week we are headed to Great Falls and Bismarck for a week respectively. We also have a day of week-killing planned at our land near Helena. I actually don't think I told anyone about our land. It's 20 acres about 10 miles outside of Helena. It is in the mountains, part near a creek and the other part on a hill with a nice view. We bought it as an investment, but it may become a retirement destination. Pictures are below.


This is the view from the lowest part. On the left where all the trees are is a small stream...



Said stream...


And the view from the hill.

Exciting I know.

Bernie drove halfway to North Dakota this past week to pick up his fishing boat from his parents who had been keeping it for us since the move. He's most excited to get it out on one of lakes. After important household chores like replacing the landscaping trim and finishing out the garage of course.

My last night of class was yesterday, so I am officially finished with this semester. I was much stricter and smarter with time management this time around and as a result managed to get two 100%'s and two 99%'s in my four classes. I always say college is about learning what they want from you and giving it to them. I'm not much of a rebel in this category. I want the grades and I'm willing to work for them, even if it means working to please other people. A 4.0 should be very helpful if and when I want to get my PhD.

Bernie's sister and her family will be here Saturday for a few days. We plan on a brewery tour and Jeremie wants to go skiing. One of the resorts here plans to stay open until June, which is a crazy time to go skiing in my opinion. Jeremie works for Intel as an engineer and he has just finished his sixth or seventh year (not sure). After that amount of time, Intel insists that every employee take a paid six week sabbatical (what a terrible idea...OK, I'm just jealous). They plan on driving from Phoenix to here, then to Minnesota, North Dakota, Yellowstone, Oregon, and down the California coast. With a two year old and a wife who is 6 months pregnant. I'm not sure that the trip sounds like much of a vacation myself.

It's spring, which means...

allergies. I think. I'm not positive, but I am stuffed up and feel just a bit strange. It's about two months earlier than I usually notice them, but maybe things bloom earlier in Colorado. Or maybe it's a cold.

I have been keeping myself busy with schoolwork as always. The end of the semester is only three weeks away. 24 credits down, 9 to go. I keep telling myself it's a downhill slide from here. I am enjoying my time in school, despite the sometimes monotonous paper-writing.

We have been laying fairly low lately. Bernie finished up his dodge ball season and will start softball soon. We went down to Denver last week and watched a Frozen Four game (which North Dakota lost badly) and had a nice dinner downtown. We're going back next week for a Rockies game (and hopefully another nice dinner). I have to say that eating out remains one of my favorite pastimes.

We have plans to go to Vegas in June to see Elton John, which have not come all the way to fruition because my mother has not yet let me know if she is going. She has been freaking out about her taxes and has not known what she will owe. I called her today and she has not returned the message. I get the feeling I am being avoided...Either way, we're going. His contract in Vegas is up this year and I would be very upset to miss him. Furthermore, neither Bernie nor I have ever been to Vegas-which is a sad commentary.

We are also waiting for Bernie's sister, her husband, and their daughter to visit in early May. We haven't seen little Emily since last summer, which is a shame. I'm looking forward to interacting with her and have heard that she maintains a strong personality. The world needs more girls like her!

Oasis correction

They are playing in Toronto in September, and there are rumors of Calgary and Seattle in August/June.

What's new

Not a whole lot really. School seems to be dragging on a bit at this point, but I only have six weeks left until summer vacation. I'm not sure what I will be doing with work, but I assume they will make use of me somehow. I'm also taking one class called Stress Management. It sounds interesting and useful, so I decided to skip the internship I had planned.

Bernie was in Boise last week and I went to Great Falls. I had an OK time, but I was happy to leave again. I forget just how crazy most of the people I know are. My dad had some especially crazy time, with his God talk. When I went home in November, his kitchen faucet was running about half power. I assumed it had just happened and that he would get it fixed. I was incorrect. It was still running last week. My estimation is that it puts out about a gallon a minute, and it happens to be the hot water. I don't know how he showers or washes anything. When I offered to have someone fix it he told me that God turned the water on as some sort of test. If he has enough faith, apparently God will turn it off again. Or you could just replace the washer that's stripped. I didn't know God was so damn bored. What do you do with crazy people?

What else...Bernie's sister and her family are going to visit in May for a couple of days. We are planning a trip to Vegas in June to see Elton John. It's been one of my main goals in life and I'm pretty sure this is his last year there. Oh, and there was an Oasis concert announcement for early September in Calgary. Since their new album is out then also, there should be a concert upcoming. I will not be missing them this time around. Last time, I had to sell the tickets we had for the Vegas concert because we were moving to a new house. Damn adulthood. Plans are for a two week plus trip in June and early July for Great Falls and Bismarck for a couple of weddings.

Today was a beautiful day, I spent some time reading on the front porch. I can't wait to plan my garden and plant my flowers.

Elk at Estes Park

I took the lady I volunteer for to Estes Park today hoping to see some Elk. They are her favorite conversation topic. Here's a picture of the herd we saw...

It's not so cold anymore.

It's been so long since I updated, it's almost spring. We had a seventy degree day this past weekend. We took advantage of it by riding our bikes around the lake near out house and hitting some golf balls on the driving range. I am excited to see grass turning green and soon the leaves will be out.

Bernie's parents were here again this past weekend. They were on their way down to the Phoenix area where they recently bought a vacation house. I would imagine we will see them frequently as they're going back and forth. We mostly shopped and ate out, which are our normal activities.

Bernie will be in Boise while I am on spring break in a couple of weeks. I was going to go with him, since I have never been, but my mom got her new Apple and needs some help learning how to use it. She needs to start from the basics because she never learned how to do things like save a file. She also says we are going to do some "Cooking 101" which should be fun. Hopefully we won't drive each other too crazy.

School is going well, I'm almost halfway through the semester. I got the OK this week to teach next fall for credit. So I will be the instructor for the Gero 205 class, which I am very excited about. I will probably have around 70 students. It will be a good challenge for me.

I have a book recommendation for everyone. It's called "Bodies and Souls: The Century Project" written by Frank Cordelle. It is a collection of photos of nude women from birth to age 100. We looked at it my Sociology of Aging class and it has had quite an effect on me. Each photo is accompanied by an explanation or poem written by the subject. The main idea of the book is to convey women and body image throughout the lifespan. I have cried a number of times while looking at it. I think some of you out there would appreciate it. You can see a sample of the photos at thecenturyproject.com.

It's cold here in Colorady

But not as cold as in Montana. The downside of the weather here is that it is semi-crappy for long periods of time with no Chinook wind relief. Where I go to school in Greeley is always about 10 degrees cooler than our house in Longmont, which makes the shit smell even stronger it seems.

We have had a busy month. I am indeed back in school taking twelve credits again, although the classes seem like a bit less work this time around. I have grant writing, sociology of aging, health aspects of aging, and a class about community resources for the elderly. I just got a call back from the Boulder County Aging Services today and I will start training to be a respite volunteer tomorrow. Respite care in this case is a two hour per week commitment to socialize with an older adult who is mostly home bound. It will be a new look at the population for me, as I am accustomed to very frail and sick residents. I am also excited to make a new friend...okay that sounds a little corny.

The ice rink continues to smell of hockey player sweat and feet, but it is fun to get out of the house and into the public arena. It's nice to make a little bit of money also as we seem to be hemorrhaging it lately. The car needed new tires and brakes in December and is currently getting all new belts (total cost $1700). And then our hot water heater went out two days ago for another $800. Adult life is so exciting sometimes.

We took Bernie's birthday skiing trip over the weekend and had a great time bumming around, eating, drinking, and of course skiing. I only went for one day, but felt like I make improvements since last year. I still have that terrified feeling at times, but I am learning to face it. Bernie's parents were also here for a few days last week to bring and buy Christmas gifts and for a general visit. I always enjoy having them.

The other piece of exciting news is that I plan to try out for the Longmont Symphony this fall. I talked with the lady today and she says "orchestras always need violas," so that's promising. I had better get practicing. When I broke out the viola a few days ago, there were dead spiders in the case. It's been awhile.