Goodbye, 2011: A Year In Review

I'll miss 2011.  It was a good year for me.  I made changes at the start of the year and stuck with them throughout.  I'm most proud of taking better care of myself and being persistent in small changes to my physical activity and eating habits. 

I started by walking.  I moved onto jogging.  And now I'm running.  I failed at a short hike.  And slowly and surely kept at it.  I hiked farther and higher.  I climbed to the top of Greyrock and Horsetooth Rock.  I started out as a white belt in jujitsu, breathing heavily and falling clumsily.  I tumbled and rolled.  I went home bruised and sore.  But eventually I earned my yellow belt.  

My successes haven't been achieved without frustrations.  I had a really weird back spasm problem back in April.  I've felt a weird pinch every now and then but for the most part that problem got better.  I had the dislocated toe.  And of course, the rib problem that continues to pester.  I'm very ready for that one to go away.  VERY.

I'm also very proud of eliminating my latte addiction.  I definitely view lattes as a treat now and consider it a special occasion when I have one.  I have also managed to almost completely pay off my 2nd mortgage.  I put my mind to it and will feel the sweet success of paying it off in a few months.  This was a debt over 23k at the start of the year and I am astonished that it's almost gone.  It is amazing what can be done once I set my mind to it!!

It was definitely a good year!!  (I'm going to erase the last two weeks of December from my memory).

This year included...
A LOT of hiking with Brent and Brink - Greyrock twice, Horsetooth Rock, Horsetooth Falls, Kruger Rock
Dinner theatre with Brent and his parents
Walking the Fast and Furriest 5k with Brink and Mom
A trip to Seattle and Vancouver (Canada, baby!)
A trip to San Francisco
Camping and fishing!!
Lots and lots of Moxon fun on my Moxon Mondays
A road trip to Chicago and through Ohio
An Alan Jackson concert with my mom
Walking on the treadmill to running six miles!!
Running the Race for the Cure 5k with Bryn
Hunting with the family!
Three Christmases!

It's amazing just how much can be done in one year given that most of it is spent working.  I put together a very hodge podge video for my own entertainment more than anything.  I had way too many photos to narrow down so it's much longer than I initially thought it would be!!  And it kind of peters out at the end but oh well.  Here's my 2011 in 11 minutes or less!!

Happy New Year, everyone!!

Neighbors

I've seen a lot of neighbors come and go while living in my condo.  A lot.  Some I've been more than happy to see go.  I'll never forget Schmuck Boy and his noisy girlfriend and boxer pup.  I was never as happy as I was the day he moved out.  I'll ignore the fact that he's been replaced by a girl who is as stuck up as he was and she has a boyfriend who is as equally as loud and obnoxious as Schmuck Boy's girlfriend.

We had the Wyoming couple for a while.  They were ... interesting.  All we ever saw was him hauling camping/climbing gear to and from his mini-van.  Never any groceries.  Always gear of some kind.  He was granola-ey.  And was hairy like a caveman until the day he shaved everything off.  He never asked my opinion but I would have told him he look ten times better clean shaven.  They only lived in the complex for about six months and then they disappeared.

There was also the Indian family above us for a while.  The two kids were super nice.  And knocked on my door a couple of times after getting locked out of their house.  Apparently I was the only one that looked approachable.  I let them use my phone to call their mom.  And one Black Friday morning I helped them and their mom haul a HUGE screen television up the stairs.  I'm not sure where they moved to but I'm pretty sure it was a house.  The nerdy little kids had grown into tall, awkward, and lanky teenagers and I'm sure their condo was bursting at the seems.

There was also the couple that lived across the sidewalk.  Up on the top floor.  He drove a Toyota truck.  I don't remember much about his wife.  She wasn't as friendly as he was.  They eventually got a white shitzu like dog.  Her name was Charlie.  About a year later, they moved out.  To a house.  I found out this summer that they recently had twins.  I didn't know the guy's name but it made me happy to think they had moved upwards and onward and found their white picket fence life with their dog Charlie and their twins - a boy and a girl!  I can't make this stuff up, folks.

So, this morning, I took Brinkley out for his morning constitutional and his neighbor girlfriend, Mason was out on the sidewalk waiting for him.  She heard our door open and refused to move any further down the sidewalk until she got to say hi to Brinkley.  She's a blue healer.  Her parents moved in a few years after I did.  And got married a few months after that.  Whomever decorated his truck with "Just Married" did a good job!  Anywho, I digress.  Mason, the blue healer, arrived about a year ago.  Her and Brinkley became instant buddies.  Her dad would take her for a walk about the same time I took Brink for his.  They would give licks and tail wags to each other every morning.  This morning was their last ... the blue truck guy, his wife, and their dog moved today.  To a house in another town.  I didn't ask if it had a white picket fence.

Needless to say, Brink and I are sad.  But for two entirely different reasons.  At least, I think.  He may be sad it's not his turn too.

The aftermath

Brinkley and I went to bed about ten.  I was in and out of sleep most the night, having strange dreams where absolutely nothing went my way.  I wish I were kidding.

I just woke up and am sitting here drinking coffee.  I'm tired, which is frustrating considering I was in bed for ten hours.  I'm sore and achy from mixture of things - the legs from running, the head from congestion, the chest from coughing, the back from being in bed for that long.

Brinkley is moving slow too.  I beat him out of bed, which is a rarity.  He waited about five minutes before he joined me in the living.  I guess he was double checking that I wasn't going to come back to bed for more restless sleep.

I'm going to convince myself to get moving - laundry, more paper sorting, etc.  The New Year is coming and I don't want to start by digging myself out of a hole.

A very productive day!

Brinkley and I accomplished something the two of us have never done!  We ran six miles together!!  This was a major accomplishment for the day.  I didn't want to go running at all today.  I was making progress cleaning and organizing and I didn't really want to disrupt my forward momentum.  But we went.

The training calendar said six miles.  I got myself out the door by telling myself I would got three miles and call it good.  We went on the bike trail further than normal (it had been plowed!) and looped back through the neighborhood.  Six miles is a long run!  Overall, I felt pretty good.  I didn't really feel tired.  My knees felt tired and sore about mile two onward.  Brinkley didn't ever reach the long tongue stage which means it was a slow run.

It was slow and steady.  By the time I reached four miles, I knew I could make six if I just keep going.  The wet sidewalks and slushy street crossings left Brinkley insanely filthy by the time we got home.  His belly and legs are covered in black slush.

He's getting a bath before bedtime.  He got to enjoy some yogurt as a post-run treat.  As did I.  I made it to Target to print photos for an upcoming scrapbooking weekend!!  And I grabbed dinner while I was there - turkey patties, carrots, and hummus.

I munched on carrots dipped in hummus while grilling up a turkey burger (protein, baby!) for both Brinkley and myself.  A burger with spices and cheese for me; a plain burger diced up for Brink.  He earned it!  And loved it!

I'm going to keep plugging away on cleaning and organizing for a few more hours before heading to bed early!  Another work week begins tomorrow and I want to be sure I'm ready for this one.  I need luck to start swinging back my direction!

Improvement

Today was the first day in about six that I didn't have something really discouraging happen. I'll not let it get to my head and still proceed cautiously. Afterall, my non-discouraging day still included Milo peeing on the carpet. My cat hates me. But he got his point across and got new litter and attention.
I started cleaning and packing up the Christmas stuff. I'm ready for a new start around here. Tomorrow I will finish packing the Christmas stuff and hopefully go running. Those are my only two objectives for the day. I'm sleeping until Brinkley wakes me up, which could be pretty late!

Hunger Games

The other night while playing with my Nook, I downloaded the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  This is a book I've heard a lot about.  My friend Bryn recommended as well.  So I thought it would be a good book to make my first Nook purchase!!

And the verdict so far is that I love it!  LOVE it!  I'm about half way through and fully enthralled with this book.  I have a feeling I'm going to get sucked into a late night trying to finish it.  It's been a while since I've read a book that has kept me up late.  (Heidi, it's a Lend Me book!)

I thought it would be weird adjusting to the Nook and not having a physical book in my hands.  It's amazing how fast I seem to be reading and I hardly ever notice that I'm reading a screen.  I can change the settings depending on the lighting so at night in bed I'm not blinded by a bright screen.  It's pretty darn cool!

So, anywho, I'm off to get ready for bed...so that I can go read.  Whoop, whoop!

Christmas lights

I'm not seeing very many good Christmas lights on display this year.  This is one of few gems that I've found.

Devil in disguise

Every time it snows, I swear, it's on this end of the week.  The end of the week that I have to work.  It's like the weather gods hate me or something.  It's ridiculous.

Yesterday sucked.  Today is not going to be much better.  Snow and work just don't mix.  It makes for an incredibly long day of driving at a snail's pace to accidents with whiny people who are shocked their four wheel drive vehicle slid on the roads and crashed into something or someone.  And the worst part is they almost ALWAYS have the nerve to argue their Driving Too Fast For Conditions ticket that I give them as their consolation prize.

CLEARLY, a person is driving too fast if they manage to slide all over the road.  Even if they were going ten below the speed limit.  Or 15.  Or 20.  I have no sympathy for people who whine about their own stupidity.  Not on days like this.

A no good day.

The early morning wake-up call and drive to the airport were the highlights of my day. My work day began with a broken down patrol car, which was followed by a broken work laptop. Computers and asphalt don't get along in case you were curious. The tow truck took my car and I was stranded for a few hours. During that time I learned Comcast believes one of my computers has a malicious bot set on destroying the world. Awesome. Did I mention this kind of crap always happens when Brent leaves? Always.

Christmas Take Two

Yesterday we celebrated Christmas with Brent's parents.  We had the traditional turkey dinner, complete with bread pudding!  Everything was super delicious.  I wanted to eat a whole second round of everything but didn't want to make myself miserable.

We exchanged gifts - Brent and I got a county parks pass and a gift certificate to the local dinner theatre!!  Avenue Q starts up in the beginning of January and I can't wait for Brent to see it!  I laughed so hard I had tears when I went with my friend Bryn years ago.  The parks pass will be great too - we can take Brink into county parks so we'll get a lot of use out of it!!

We got Brent's mom a National Parks Memory Game.  It was a big hit.  And we had a lot of fun playing it.  I won!!  That was surprising because I'm usually horrible at memory games. I really liked that there were other elements to the game beyond just the memory part.  There is strategy involved.  

Each player is a given a profession.  I was the Historian.  (History geek squee!)  So I got extra points for getting the matches to the historical sites like Gettysburg, Antietam, and Vicksburg.  The zoologist got extra points for matching the animals cards like Elk for Rocky Mountain National Park and the Moose from Denali NP.

There are also direction signs that look like camping signs.  These let you flip over extra cards, lose turns, steal matches from other players, or peak at cards.  Needless to say, I was a fan of the game and hope to play it again someday.

Christmas Take Two was a success.  My stomach has a few days to recover before Round Three occurs.  But I'm ready!!

Another hitch

First off...how cool is this plane??!!  I want to fly on a Disney plane.  Second off... why does this plane go to Alaska and not Orlando?? 

I just got back from dropping off Brent at the airport.  Boo.  We left before the crack of dawn.  In just a few hitches we have a routine.  He gets up and gets ready to go and wakes me up just before it's time to leave.  I put coffee in a to-go cup and put my shoes on.  Previously I'd get dressed but I've learned my lesson.  This trip was simply sweatpants and hoodie - semi-presentable pajamas in case of an emergency.

I doze while he drives to the airport.  About the time we hit the tollway, I start trying to keep my eyes open and drinking my coffee so that I'll be awake when it's my turn to drive.  We stop on the departure level and I take over after we say goodbye.  It's a weird drive home.  Morning radio is kind of obnoxious.

Brinkley is always relieved to see me walk back in the door but he's got on his, "Ah, crap. Not again" face.  He sighs heavily and flops down on his bed loudly.  It's his way of protesting being stuck with me for two weeks.  I know it's only temporary.  Come bed time when he gets half of the bed to himself, he'll forget all about this morning.  

Hot cocoa!

I'm drinking hot cocoa and watching The Defender on my Nook. I have to watch my entertainment on my Nook because our cable isn't working. I swear I paid my bill!!

Today wasn't at all productive. There is always tomorrow right?

Christmas Take One

We celebrated Christmas yesterday. Kind of. Brent leaves this week to go back to arctic north so we had to get our holly jollying in early. The two of us did our Christmas yesterday morning! It was nice not to have to sit in anticipation for another week.

 Brent got lots of goodies. Brinkley gave him a heavy duty backseat cover for his car! He also got a wind meter (I'm not even going to try to spell what its really called.) He got a Harley oil pan, a camping chair thing, and some moonshine. I think he was most excited about the moonshine!

 I got a single serve coffee brewer for camping!! And a beautiful handmade checkbook cover (pictures to come). And I got a Nook Tablet which I'm playing with at this very moment!! Internet in the palm of my hands and bigger than a deck of cards!! Woohoo!! 

We also had a mini Christmas at my parents house. Brent got to open his presents! Sons of Anarchy on DVD, an Alcatraz motorcycle club shirt, and some long underwear for those cold Alaska days and nights! And we both got some snowshoeing/hiking poles!!!!

 Today we get to open more presents and clean up the wrapping paper and boxes strewn about. I would like to do some baking but we'll see how the plays out.

Merry Christmas to me!

I made my first extravagant purchase of the year!  And it will probably be last since there are only 14 days left in the year.  I say extravagant because it's something that's not necessary and it cost more than $50.  I'm a tightwad these days so over $50 and there is some hard thinking involved.

I bought a new to me Garmin Forerunner 205.  It's a GPS enabled watch that can track a ton of different things while running.  Or moving in general.  It can beep at me if I'm running to slow or to fast based on the pace I tell it to monitor.  It keeps track of time, distance, calories burned.  And I can plug it into the computer and will show me where I ran on a fancy map.  I got it at the bargain price of $80 from a coworker who had used it a handful of times.  Not bad considering they run between $120-$300 online.

When I brought it home at lunch time yesterday I started thinking about things that I've purchased this year.  I really couldn't think of anything expensive.  Seriously.  That doesn't mean I didn't shop some - I did travel and buy touristy stuff and I bought the normal household goods and random hobby items (Cricut cartridge, camera card, etc.).  But this year, I haven't purchased any big ticket items like last year... couch, end table, coffee table, tv stand, BIG tv, recumbant bike, carpet cleaner.  SOoooo, where am I going with this??!!

For once in my life, I can actually say I succeeded at a New Years Resolution.  I placed my focus on not spending frivolously so that I could put my money towards paying off my second mortgage.  And it worked!!  I'm so close to having it paid off that I can taste it!

So needless to say, even though it is right before Christmas, I don't feel even slightly guilty about buying my new to me Garmin!  We'll spend lots of quality time together as I continue to build up miles.

In other random news.  Yesterday I was sent to assist a tow company in identifying a vehicle it had towed from a private parking lot.  Long story short, I now know how to find the VIN plate on a 1966 Volvo.  And pop the hood, which was something a tow driver and a group of mechanics couldn't figure out.  Thank you, Google.

I thought the car had character.  And I thought it looked like the girl car from the movie Cars.  The interior was trashed and I took a deep breath bracing myself for a dead body when I opened the trunk.  No dead body.  Exhale.  Clearly, I watch too many crime dramas.

The Wreath

It was around this time last year that I mentioned I was going to make a wreath.  A homemade wreath with meaning.  I said I would take a picture when the project was complete but, of course, I didn't.  I'm very good at making promises and not following through.

Anywho, here is the wreath in all its glory.  I started with blank wreath from Hobby Lobby and added the berries, bow, and welcome sign.  The small ornaments with our names on them were gifts from Brent's parents each of the last three years.  I've already been told that we'll be getting a fourth this year!

I was going to add pinecones but decided not to.  I like the color coordination and that there is room to add more ornaments.  I think it's a great looking wreath and I look forward to bringing it out every year!

The pictures our kind of dark because it's in the entryway.  Someday it will be in a much brighter place!!

A few more days closer...

...to Christmas!  I got a few more presents wrapped tonight.  Only a few more to go!!  And the Christmas cards are sent!  Ho ho ho.

I rode the bicycle to nowhere this morning.  One hour of peddling while reading Real Simple.  I didn't quite make it through the entire thing.  It's the New Year issue so it points out the obvious flaws that most people find in themselves...the perfect thing to read while trying to peddle off the fat.

Work was just as busy as yesterday.  And here I was thinking it would slow down once the college kids left town for winter break.  I haven't had any slow time to drive around and look at Christmas lights in neighborhoods!!  Drat!

I'm off to bed.  I need my beauty sleep!

Another work week starts.

The week has started off busy.  This is good for one reason.  It makes the work week go by very fast.  And when my work week is over I get to annoy Brent until he says I can open my Christmas presents on Sunday.  We're doing Christmas: Part One this Sunday because Brent leaves next week to go back to Alaska.  Yah for an early Christmas.  Boo for going back to work and being gone on Christmas Day.

I ran two miles on the treadmill this morning.  It was uneventful.  Besides the exercise part, there is nothing rewarding about running on a treadmill.  It's kind of depressing.  I get the nasty looks from Brink before I go and when I come back.  I almost think I should freeze my tail off just so I get him out and moving too.  He's been Mr. Attitude for a few days and I think he's got the winter blues.

I started wrapping presents last night.  I had to stop when I ran out of the correct sized boxes.  I hate it when that happens.  I get bored very easily when wrapping presents.  It took be about three hours to wrap eight presents.  I wander.  I web search.  I munch.  And then I wrap.  Lather, rinse, repeat.

Christmas cards are addressed and ready to go out tomorrow.  Yah for progress!!  Now if I could get the kitchen counters and bar cleaned off I may get around to baking something.  Peppermint bark, candied pecans, and more!!  Hmmm, I'm thinking I better run in the morning.  I have a lot of sweets in my future that I better start making up for!!

I'm off to hydrate and rest.  Goodnight!

Christmas countdown

Brent is home so the countdown to Christmas is on.  We will have lots of holly jolly time before he leaves in a few weeks.  Our Christmas shopping is not yet done but we are getting very, very close to being done!  Brent and I spent yesterday being lazy and then heading up to Estes Park in the afternoon to take a drive through the park, take pictures for our Christmas card, and do a little shopping.

We also picked out an ornament from a Christmas shop.  And picked up some fudge!!  Great fudge.  Fudge is one thing I can't make very well.  Maybe I just need to practice, practice, practice.

For now, I'm off to wrap Brent's presents while he sleeps off some Nyquil. 

Warm winter run

Nemesis.




Conquered!

Is it over yet?

This work week is dragging.  And I've been doing my best to stay busy to help the day along a little faster too!  Blah.  Only half way through.  I think I can, I think I can.

My sleep schedule is all wonky so I'm exhausted for no reason.  Insomnia, I guess.  I hate it when I stay up too late and then go to bed and can't get to sleep making the whole problem worse.  I think I've average 4  hours of sleep a night this week.  I don't function well on that.

I was supposed to run 2 or 3 miles this morning.  I even set my alarm early so I could get up and to PD to run on the treadmill.  I battled the snooze button and eventually said the heck with it and reset the alarm for 9 and went back to sleep.  I was soooooo tired.

I must go to bed tonight at a normal hour.  I wish it were my Saturday.  Zzzzzzz.

Wake Up

Read my mind, I have to pee.  Wake up!

This is the how I woke up.  Brinkley doesn't nudge, bark, or whine when he wants me to get up.  He hovers directly over my head and stares down at me.  It's kind of freaky how stealth like he can be.

It's my Monday.  So I've got the Monday morning blues.  I don't want to go to work.  I want to stay home with my stealth dog and wrap presents.  I brought in the wrapping paper this morning and that has somehow sparked a bit of festivity in me.

Ho Ho Ho, hum.

My productivity has lagged today.  Ironically, it was because I decided to create a my own planner/organization binder for next year.  I'm determined to not let so many things fall through the cracks next year!!  Once I get the product finished, I'll snap some pics or take some screen shots and show you my work!

I toted in Christmas decorations this morning.  I'm still slowly decorating.  It's hard to decorate this small place with very few places to set things.  I have a coffee table, end table, and part of a bar.  That's it.  I have to choose which Christmas decorations I want to use wisely.  Only a few decorations see the twinkle of Christmas lights each year.  One day, some day, everything can be unpacked at the same time!

I'm going to assemble the tree before I go to bed.  Or part of the tree, at least.  The tippy top is still out in the garage.  I can also hang the stockings.  The outdoor lights are staying packed this year.  It's too dang cold and miserable out to holly jolly the neighbor.  I need a Clark Griswald who wants to do the work for me.  Kind of depressing to always be the one decorating and un-decorating.  Decorating and un-decorating.  Blah.

And for the record, I hit my head three times on the bicycle hanging from the rafters.  And I whacked my shin into my motorcycle twice.  Oh, and I smashed finger moving a box.  That time I cursed.

I didn't get my bills paid this weekend.  I didn't bake anything yummy.  I would kill for a brownie right now.  I didn't get Milo's litter box changed.  But I did buy bread, milk, yogurt, and cheese.  It's the first one that's most important, trust me.  Just trust me.

Brent comes home on Friday, which means I have a few more days to get my darn messes cleaned up.  I'm still tackling that massive pile of dirty dishes.  The last load is finally running in the dishwasher.  And I just started (STARTED!) my laundry for the weekend.  Four hours left in the weekend means there is still time to get my act in order for the work week.  Right?

See why a magical, get me organized, and keep me on track binder sounded like a great idea?!

I'm off to continue ho-ho-ho-ing.

Peeper Check

Better or worse? One or Two? Let's see just how blind I really am, shall we?

Dog love is...

... finding that your dog stole your pillow and spot in bed. AND not caring that he drooled while dog dreaming.

Tragedy is...

... spilled trail mix. :-(

Ready for Rudolph

I didn't get as much done as I hoped to but I think I earned my name for the day.  I got lots of piles picked up.  I hauled out trash and recycling.  I packed up my scrapbook stuff and moved it.  I sorted through lots of mail.  And started to clean off my desk.  And there was that whole four mile run thing!

There is room for the tree now.  And that's about all.  I need an elf to show up and magically add an extra room or two onto this place.  Do you hear that Santa?  Send him down any time.

Tomorrow I have a special project planned.  I'd love to share the details but it involves making gifts.  And if I show pictures or give details, then the recipients will know what they are getting.  We can't have that now can we?  After my gift making, I'm bringing in the Christmas decor, box by box.  I'll keep track of how many times I hit my leg on a motorcycle or hit my head on a bicycle.

I'm looking forward to bringing out Rudolph!!

Take Two

I reached four miles for the second time this year!!  I wish Brinkley could have been on the treadmill next to me.  He's mad at me.  He's giving me the evil eye for running without him.  I tried to convince him that it's too cold for girl and beast to be outside running.  He doesn't believe me.

I don't like the little gym in our condo complex.  It's cold, small, and dingy.  Running on the treadmill seems to take forever to reach a mile.  And for the life of me I can't figure out how to get the closed captioning to work on the darn television.

So I decided I would hit up the gym at work to tackle my four miles.  It has really nice equipment and an entire wall of windows to look out while running.  And it had the added bonus of the closed-captioning already set when I turned on the television!!

I was a little nervous about running four miles.  First, it's FOUR miles.  I haven't been terribly consistent the last few months.  And I'd only reached four miles one other time this year and that was months ago.  Second, it's the treadmill.  Treadmills and I don't usually get along.  I always feel like I'm going slow and going nowhere.  I hate looking down every one-hundredth of a mile and cursing the machine.  And I'm a klutz.  I always seem to get tangled up in my headphone cord.  One of these day I'm going to fly off of the machine from tripping.

 The run wasn't so bad.  After I started running and getting warm, I told myself to run to two miles and I would take a short break to take off my long sleeve shirt, turn on the fan, and drink some water.  I made it two miles and hit pause.  And then stop as I was climbing off!  (See, I told you I was a klutz)  I was bummed - I wanted to take a picture of my four mile stats at the end.

I turned on the fan, took my shirt off, and gulped.  I had to reset the treadmill back to my speed, which sounds simple but it asks you about twenty questions before the belt starts moving.  Weight?  Height?  Time?  Favorite Sandwich?  Huh?  Once I started running again I realized the fan was really annoying. It was about 4' round and position directly in front of my treadmill.  I felt like I was running uphill in hurricane winds.  Lesson learned.

I ran the next two miles watching/reading Ari and Gibbs face off on NCIS.  I can't even remember any of the songs that played on my iPod.  My thoughts were random enough and NCIS was distracting enough to keep from glancing at the treadmill too often.

I survived 4.2 miles!! My time was around 50 minutes, which is incredibly slow.  But long runs are supposed to be long, slow runs anyway so I'm not going to beat myself up over it.  I did it!  Another step (or four miles worth of steps) in the right direction!!

I did it!!

And "Christmas Shoes" just came on the radio.  AAAHH!! Make it stop!! Perfect time to take Brinkley Miles outside!!

Dog Ears

Found this stash while cleaning Brinkley's cupboard.



We're pros when it comes to cleaning dog ears. And we know what works and what doesn't. The little bottle - worst stuff ever! It makes me want to hide under the bed it smells so bad!

Ms. Productive

Ms. Productive.  That's my name today.  Well, not yet.  But just you wait.

I slept until 11.  And then talked to Brent for an hour.  He has his first weather day because of the wind.  It's showing 2 degrees in Deadhorse with winds at 37mph.  It feels like -25.  Brrrr.  And here I'm complaining 23 degrees.  Which is cold.  It may as well be -23.

I'm playing on the computer while my breakfast of champs (oatmeal) settles.  Oatmeal?!  I'm quite fond of the fibrous food lately.  It keeps me full longer and the texture has grown on me.  I'll be in search of homemade oatmeal recipes once my Quaker instant packets have been used up.

Anywho, I'm putting all my fall decor away and cleaning so I can bring in my Christmas decorations sometime this weekend.  I'll be heading off to the gym for a break.  My training schedule has me running 4 miles today.  I haven't ran 4 miles since that one awesome run this summer.  I'm crossing my fingers it goes well!

For now, I'm off to dance around to Christmas music while cleaning up this mess.  And by mess, I mean it.  I really need to learn to put things away after I use them.

A Dog's Christmas List

I've asked Brinkley what he wants for Christmas but his paw prints on paper are a bit hard to decipher.  Last year, he got this Omega dog treat ball...

Source

It's a hollow ball that you fill with treats.  Brinkley loves this thing!  It is his all-time favorite toy.  He swats it around and plays soccer in the living room until he gets all the treats out.  I can tell him to go find his orange ball while I'm getting ready for work and he tracks it down so I can fill it up for him.  I give it to him when I leave for work so he can have a nice distraction from the fact I just deserted him.

I found one that actually looks like a soccer ball!  It's made by the same company so that gives me hope I might be able to find it locally.  He might not find it as humorous as I do.  He really would look like he's playing soccer.  Oh, and if you've got a girl dog, there is the "Glamour Treat Ball" in hot pink.  Awesome!  I think his cousin, Dixie needs one.

Source

I've been spending time online looking for Brinkley's perfect Christmas gift for this year.  He takes Christmas seriously.  He loves to unwrap presents, even if they are not his.  Proof from my birthday a few years ago...

So, anywho, Brinkley's Christmas List would probably look something like this...

- A treat wobbler - maybe it's more challenging given the size of the treat hole.  

- Some linkables - something tells me this would take more work to get out all of the treats 

- For his paws, which always drive him nuts in the winter because of the salted sidewalks.

- A toy box!!  Room to grow, preferably.  Brinkley loves going to his plastic bin and picking out the toy of the moment.  Maybe he needs a bigger box for his toys.  I've seen some cute ones online and have been inspired.  I just might make him one!!  

Christmas would not be Christmas if Brinkley didn't get spoiled on Christmas morning!!

Tomorrow

I wish today were tomorrow.  If today were tomorrow I wouldn't have to bundle up and go to work.  I could stay in my pajamas most of the day.  I could sleep in.  I'd really want to sleep in the most!  If today were tomorrow, I wouldn't have to clean snow off of my car.  I could watch movies, bake cookies, scrapbook, and nap.

I'd have to clean some because this place is a crazy mess.  I have boxes piled high from the UPS guy visiting often.  I haven't even opened any of them.  If today were tomorrow, I could open them all and pretend it's Christmas.  Ooo.  Aahhh!

More Snow

The skies have opened once again and big flakes are falling. At least my day is over. I'm going straight to bed. I had an early morning dentist appointment so my system is throwing in the white flag. Sleep rules tonight.

Top Ten Christmas Songs

There is a radio station in town that is playing Christmas music 24/7 and I've been enjoying every minute of it.  I think there are only a dozen Christmas songs ever written but about a thousand different ways to sing them.  At least it seems like it.

My Top 10 Christmas Songs ... in random order

1. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
2. Carol of the Bells (from Home Alone)
3. Let It Snow by Frank Sinatra
4. Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
5. Christmas Vacation (From the Lampoon's movie)
6. Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms
7. Rocking Around The Christmas Tree
8.  Have Yourself A Merry Christmas by Frank Sinatra
9.  Run Run Rudolph by Chuck Berry
10.  I'm Dreaming of White Christmas by The Drifters

And just because I like making lists, Top 5 Christmas Songs that I hate with a passion and will lead me to turn the radio off every single time!

1.  Christmas Shoes (Any version!)
2.  Santa Baby by Madonna (Sadly, the station in town seems to like this one.)
3.  12 Days of Christmas  (I'd much rather listen to It's A Small World)
4.  I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (The Jackson Five version)
5.  Last Christmas by Taylor Swift (Nails on a chalkboard.  NAILS!! Make it stop!)

This makes me curious as to why Christmas is the only holiday with special music that takes over the air waves.  Halloween and Thanksgiving have been celebrated for hundreds of years yet we don't hear anything about ghosts, goblins, and giblets on the radio.  Or maybe there is and I'm not just looking in the right places.  Hmmm.

It's probably for the best, I guess.  So, what are your favorite Christmas songs?  Or most hated?

The start of a really long day...

The start of a really long day looks like this.  Snow.  I'd say we've received about four inches so far with more falling.  Brinkley loves the snow and is currently staring out the patio at the flakes falling.  I know he would love nothing more than to go play in the snow for an hour or so.   But his mom is a wimp.  We went for a short walk and he hopped around and ate snow and did his business.  

Now I'm trying to convince myself work won't be so bad today.  I'm not very convincing.   The local newspaper has a photo of an accident on the main page and a police officer standing out in this mess.  That's never, ever a good sign.  Yup, it's going to be a long, cold day.

December Eve

It's December!!!  Well, almost.  The temperatures are plummeting.  And the snow should soon be falling.  I'm not too thrilled about the temps dropping.  Or the snow really.  My work week just started so having the crummy weather start now kind of sucks.  I'll be doubling up on the long underwear for the rest of the week.

December means I have one more month to make good on my New Years Resolutions from this year.  I'd say I've done pretty good this year.  The garage problem is probably the biggest mess that went unaddressed.  It's better than it was but no where near organized.  I think the only day it will be clean is the day we move out.

For the rest of the month I'm going to focus on eating healthy and limiting my sweets intake.  And by limiting, I don't mean avoid.  Moderation is key.  No binge eating.  And if I keep on my training schedule, I should be up to running six miles by the end of the year!!  Six!!  Yes, that is a big deal to me!!

Crayon Cars

Moxon and I finally got around to making crayon cars yesterday!!  I pulled out the massive bag of crayons that Brent and I peeled months ago and Mox and I started sorting them into colors and breaking them.  He enjoyed the breaking part more than the sorting.  He was karate chopping crayons and showing his awesome strength by busting up more than one at a time.

Once we sorted and chopped we filled up our various chosen cars with our favorite color combinations.  We popped the tray into the oven at 200 degrees and waited.  And watched.  And waited.  And added more crayons to fill up the cars as the wax melted.  We ran out of crayons.  I think we had ten 24ct boxes worth. 

It took longer for the crayons to melt than I thought.  It was probably an hour or so before the lumps were all smooth and I took them out to cool.  I think Moxon will be happy with his cars.  He got picked up before they were cooled all the way so Auntie Worm will have to give them to him the next we hang out.

Odd observation - crayon boxes favor darker colors, which is sad because I thought the brighter colors made for cooler looking crayon cars.  The all green car was Moxon's favorite to create.  Here's the final product!!

Peddling to nowhere

Eating popcorn and twizzlers for lunch left me feeling sluggish the rest of the day.  I had white chicken chili for dinner but that settle heavy for me as well.  I decided I needed to get moving before I called it a night and rode 45 minutes on the recumbent bike.

Peddling to nowhere is kind of relaxing.  I don't have to look out for traffic or be prepared for inclement weather.  I position myself so I have the best view of the television.  I use a bar stool to hold my water and the remote.  And Brinkley Miles finds entertainment in walking circles around while I peddle.

Right now I don't have batteries in the bike because they died.  They don't last long.  I was going to go to Sears and buy the AC adapter thing for it but Brent said he has one that will fit it.  He just needs to unbury it from wherever it is hiding.  So for now I just peddle.  I don't know how far I've gone or how fast but I do know I did more than I was doing this time last year.  I'll take progress in any form.

I'm scheduled for a three mile run tomorrow.  I'm thinking I'll head out as soon as I get back from the dentist's office as that may be the warmest part of the day.

Good night, all!

Moxon Monday

My scrapbooking day went really well.  Not only did I make progress on my Washington D.C. photos but I got to watch almost an entire season of The West Wing.  And day is a good day when I get to watch that much The West Wing.  

Brinkley and I took a break half way through the scrap day and went for a run.  We did three miles.  It was a good run - the weather was nice and the trail was mostly deserted.  I think my iMapMyRun app goofed a little bit somehow.  It showed that I ran 3.5 miles in 36 minutes.  I ran the same loop last week and it was 3.12 miles in 36 minutes.  I have no idea how it measured 3.5 miles.  I wish it were true and I ran a 10:30 minute/mile.  Someday.

Today has started out successful as well.  I made a dentist appointment and eye doctor appointment.  The dentist appointment isn't a cleaning but to check on a brown spot and some soreness.  The last time I had my teeth cleaned it didn't sound promising for a few teeth on my bottom right side.  I'm cursed with bad teeth no matter how much I brush or floss.  It's frustrating.

I have chicken in the crock pot.  This will provide dinner through the week.  I'm not sure yet how I'm going to use the chicken but at least it will be cooked and ready.

Moxon and I are headed to see the Muppets movie pretty soon.  He thinks it's hilarious that we get to have popcorn for lunch.  And if he doesn't fall asleep on the way home, we may even make crayon cars...finally!

Thoughts at bedtime

I have a purring cat on my left and a snoring dog on my right. Friends is playing on my bedroom television and the wind chimes on my patio are playing a breezy tune.

I'm exhausted but find myself fighting off sleep. I have no idea why. The first few nights after Brent leaves are always like this.

Gosh, the wind is strong and those wind chimes are LOUD. I'm sure my neighbors live them. Ah, who cares what my neighbors think.

It's cold in here but I don't want to unbury myself from the sheets and the animals to turn up the heat. I also forgot to turn of the work radio so calls are still echoing through the condo.

One more day until Scrapbook Sunday! I need to keep working on my Washington D.C. scrapbook.

Black Friday

When the alarm went off at 5:20 this morning, I doubted my own sanity.  I was warm and cozy in bed with a warm and soft dog snuggled up next to me.  I turned off my alarm and flopped back down in bed.  I probably would have dozed off but my phone started buzzing.  It was my mom calling.

5:20 would have been sleeping in her for her.  She had already hit a couple of stores and stood in line at JcPenny's for an hour to checkout.  I assured her I was up and was going to head off to Home Depot.  My plan was simple...Home Depot for batteries, Walgreen's for sparkling grape juice, JoAnn's for yarn, and Petsmart for dog food, treats, and toys.

Home Depot went smoothly.  I parked right up front, walked in and grabbed some batteries, paid, and was back in my car within five minutes.  As I pulled out of the lot I was telling myself I could be back in bed my 7:15 at this rate.

I pulled into the parking lot of Walgreens and the store was dark.  They don't do Black Friday hours I learned.  I just assumed they would be open like every other crazy store.  This was a minor wrinkle in my plan.  I headed off to JoAnn's.  The doorbuster sales started at 6 and it was 6:05.  I pulled in the parking lot of yet another dark store!!!  I was mad.  It turned out our local JoAnn's is liquidating before moving locations so they were not doing Black Friday.

I decided to check out Michaels in order to kill some time before Petsmart opened.  As I started looking at stuff, I realized I would need the magical 25% off entire purchase coupon to make anything really worthy of great deal status.  My mom came to the rescue.  She was off at another store but being the boy scout shopper, she was prepared with all of the ads in her car.  She delivered the coupon and got some scrapbooking goodies and some yarn (not as good of a deal as JoAnn's but I needed it for a Christmas craft).

I stopped at Walgreens following Michaels.  They were finally open.  They didn't have any of my sparkling grape juice that I wanted but I did grab a few other things and used the in-store Register Rewards to my benefit.  For $14 I got 2 toothpastes, 2 18pks of black Goodie hair bands, 2 deodorants, a Thermacare pain heat patch, 2 coffee creamers, 3 rolls of paper towels, AND a personal humidifier.  I kicked butt at Walgreen's.

Petsmart was the last stop and it turned out great too.  I got two big bags of Brinkley food, six bags of dog treats, and four cans of dog food for $55... which is less than I would have paid for 2 bags of food any other time of the year.  Brinkley definitely scored big on Black Friday.  We will be set for a while in the dog department.  Maybe I can finally make some headway on preparing homemade food for him...something I haven't given up on!

And now, I'm off to bed.  It was a crazy hectic day at work.  I'm glad I only have to work one more day this week.

Thanksgiving 2011

I am thankful for...

... jujistu.  I was overweight, shy, and lacking self defense skills when I walked in the door back in January.  I’m not as overweight now and feel empowered by what skills I have learned.  I’ll ignore the current rib problem and say I look forward to the long process of earning my black belt.

... good pilots.  Brent takes six flights and travels at least 3200 miles to get to and from work every two weeks.  I traveled multiple times this year, as did some of my friends and family.  We all made it safely.  I think that deserves a special shoutout on a day of thanks!

... Greyrock.  I cursed the trail as I gasped for breath and struggled to keep my feet beneath me.  It broke me to my core and made me so angry with myself that I did something about it.  Seven months later and twenty pounds lighter, I kicked ass hiking to the top!  CONQUERED IT!  I will never forget that.  I will always be thankful for that brutal dose of reality!

... the ability to run.  I may not be fast and I may not run twenty miles at a time but I can run.  And I do my best each time.  It helps me get my thoughts in order or to clear my mind completely.  And it gives me quality time with Mr. Miles.  Get it? Miles.  Yup, that’s how he got his middle name.  I’m glad we’re finally living up to it.

... blogging.  And blogs.  Who needs newspapers when blogs are way more entertaining.  And inspiring.  

... Moxon and Moxon days. Movie dates, pool fun, donut runs, playing guys, spending Auntie Worm’s money at Build-A-Bear, and lunches with Grandma... I’ve enjoyed every second with you, kid.  Please stop growing up.

... our zipline guides at Tree Frog Canopy Tours.  I appreciate your knowledge and for not letting me or Brent plummet to the earth while zipping through your lovely course.

... Heidi and Bryn.  Scrabble, starbucks, scrapbooking ... I’m grateful everyday to have the two of you as my friends.  You are my sisters plain and simple.  I love you both and am so excited for what the future holds for all of us!

... The West Wing.  As I’m enjoying my annual viewing of the Thanksgiving episode, Shibboleth, I’m reminded just how amazing this show was and how much it feels like I’m spending time with family each time I watch it.  Everyone needs a timeless show, The West Wing is mine.

... FCPD.  I continue to be impressed on a daily basis by the men and women that I work with.  Their dedication and compassion are inspiring.  I'm thankful for being able to work for such an exceptional organization and grateful for the security and benefits the job has provided me.

... Daniel Allen.  He’s a long lost relative who was killed much too young in the fields of France in 1918.  His story is buried in newspapers and archives and my search to uncover it has been a humbling endeavor.  It reminds me of how much I love history, archives, research, and writing.

... My mom, dad, brothers, and sister-in-law.  Simple put - they are everything a family should be and more!!  For reals.  Your family would be jealous of mine, trust me. 

... Brent.  I’m going to repeat myself but only because it still applies ... I don't give a flying goose fart on a muggy day, he's still the one that makes me forget how to climb a fence. (Two romantic comedy references at once - score! The fact that he'll get it - double score!)  

... Milo the Cat and Brinkley Miles.  I spend more time with you two than anyone else.  Your company warms my heart and I love you endlessly.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!  

Website frustrations

Why is it so dang hard to use my domain on blogger?? Pain in the ass!!

Sooo very frustrated!

A Good, Fast Run

My run in a nutshell. I'm not fast, never have been. But this was my fastest 5k run ever! This even includes a potty break for Mr. Miles. That would put me at about 34 minutes!!!

The 5k race times I've had are in the 38's so this makes me happy!!

I'd spent most of the day checking the weather waiting for the temps to reach the 50s. My patience paid off - it was a good run! I needed a good run!!

Guess What I Did

So last week about this time I decided it would be a good idea to sign up for a half marathon.  It’s the first Sunday in May.  I’ve got plenty of time to get to where I need to be - if I can survive some Winter running.

I’ve already drawn up a training schedule to get me that far, slowly and safely.  No stress fractures this go around!  I’m excited but terribly nervous too.  I should be okay though - I’ve got 6 hours to finish the race.  My first half marathon I did in 2 hours and 40 minutes so even if this one includes some walking I will still finish in time!!

The race goes down the Poudre Canyon, a route a know very well.  It goes right by my childhood neighborhood, elementary school, and junior high school.  It will finish in downtown Ft. Fun! 

I’m very much looking forward to it!  I’m also looking forward to losing some weight while training.

On a different note...I get my braces off on Monday.  Hallelujah!  And I’m seriously considering going to the doctor on Monday or Tuesday to have my chest looked at.  I’ve had a sharp, shooting pain in my right upper chest for the past eight months or so.  It comes and goes but it is getting so bad that most of my day is uncomfortable and painful.  I’m pretty sure it came from a certain fall in jujitsu that I remember very vividly.  We shall see - it’s definitely not getting better.  Cross your fingers for me!

Controlled Chaos

The last week has flown by.  It seems like it’s been controlled chaos.  At least I hope it’s been controlled chaos.  Running has been sporadic.  I’ve hit the gym a few times and ran on the treadmill.  I have a plan in place to help me get to running more miles, which means more fitness!! Yah!  I still am aiming to fit back into some jeans packed away in the garage.  I will get there!  One mile at a time.

My brother was in town for the last few weeks.  We had lots of fun hunting!!  I shot a nice buck and got a lot of meat for my freezer!!  Brinkley will appreciate my effort too - he’s getting some deer meat dog treats for Christmas!!  All of my running and hiking this summer paid off - the hike up the mountain in my awesome hiking boots was the easiest hike during deer season that I’ve ever had.  

We’ll see how all of my work helps me snowshoeing skills next weekend.  Brent and I are planning on going to Rocky Mountain National Park next Monday or Tuesday for some snowshoeing.  And some ornament shopping - we’ve have to get our yearly ornament before Christmas arrives!

We celebrated Thanksgiving last Sunday.  One of many.  We’ll eat more turkey on Sunday with Brent’s family.  Brent will leave right before turkey day so he will have had his proper home Thanksgiving.  It’s all about compromising.  Or doubling up.  It’s crazy to think that next time he’s home it will be Christmas time!!

Well, I’m off to get ready for bed.  I have a two mile run waiting for me in the morning.  And then it’s back to work.  

Tuesday Tidbits

•   Christmas is just around the corner.  I’ve already linked to a few items that caught my eye.  Lense shotglasses??  How cool are those!!  Anywho, more random goodness for you, Mom.  :-)  And if you’re not my mom, check out this awesome stuff and feel free to send them my way if you’re feeling generous.  I promise I’ve been good this year.

1. This, please.  Castle and the gang year round.  Yes, please!
2. These, pretty please.  It’s close to snowshoeing time and I’m getting excited!!!!

•   Brinkley and I are ready for Brent to come home.  Sort of.  I have a few more piles of stuff to clean up.  That was the deal - I clean up my messes before he comes home.  He cleans up his messes before he leaves home.  I need to learn not to makes such big messes - it would save me some cleaning. 

•   In relation to the above, I need more closet space.  It’s overflowing.  And it now being Winter does not help.  Laundry is the task I despise the most so I have a HUGE pile of unfolded clean clothes at the bottom of my closet.  It’s ridiculous.

•   It’s official - my work schedule will not change for the next year!  Woohoo!  I love the schedule I have now and hope that does not change for many years.  I love being able to putz around in the morning and start the day at my own speed.  I think Brinkley likes that too!

•   I’m taking this Saturday off of work.  Four day weekend!!  I’m not sure what we’ll do but I’m excited for some days of nothingness ... because I’m so overworked.  HA!

•   I went to jujitsu on Tuesday.  And as usual, it’s the second day that hurts the most.  I can barely move today.  Oh, the soreness.  I’ve decided at the rate I go to class, I should be an orange belt by this time next year.  Oy! 

Bits and More Bits

•  Brinkley and I are not getting along lately.  He’s been acting out for attention like a deprived teenager.  I took him out for a quick potty break, no leash, and he started running around ignoring me.  Again.  That’s twice in a week.  No more freedom for him.  He’s also been chewing on his feet too.  He’s going stir crazy while we’re stuck inside with no running.  He’s been eating like a pig lately too.  Maybe he is stocking up for a long, cold winter?

• The Castle episode on Monday was amazing!  I can’t get over how good it was.  I’ve watched it online once and on OnDemand twice.  I wish I had someone who watched it and obsessed over it like I do.  It’s The West Wing and Gilmore Girls all over again.  Great television must be shared, darn it!

• Brent’s hitch in Alaska this time has sucked.  Not for him, for me.  We’ve talked maybe twice for all of two minutes.  I did get an awesome package from him, which was a pleasant surprise in the middle of the week.  Brent sent Brink and Me some Anchorage Harley goodies!!  

• Brinkley is laying next to me at the desk.  His ears smell.  So, all of the eating and laziness as caused his ear funkiness to flare up.  Awesome.  I guess I’ll be cleaning ears tonight.

•   My toe is feeling a little better.  I can walk okay but sometimes if I bend it just right or hit something, it hurts a lot!  The bruising has almost gone away, which is good.  It was ugly!!

•   I rode the recumbent bike this morning for 50 minutes while watching Body of Proof.  It was nice to be moving but it definitely wasn’t the same workout as running.  I miss running.  It’s pathetic how much.  I’ll never take it for granted again.  Sniff, sniff.

•   I still have a huge bag of apples to use up.  I may make some more apple butter as it turned out great and it used up about 25 apples.  Mmm, apple butter.  I think I need to grab me a snack.

•   My desk is still a disaster.  I should put caution tape around it and set up camp elsewhere.  I’m not sure what my problem is when it comes to keeping it clean.  It’s the impossible.  Although, I can sit here and not have to move because I little bit of everything in reach.  Dog toy, check.  Hat, check.  DVDs, check.  Batteries, check.  Dryer lint sheet, check.  Socks, check.