Sunday, October 31, 2010

This weekend Kathy's Brother Tom and his wife Paula are in town and staying with us. We are enjoying having them here. Yesterday Tom, Paula and I went to the Air Force Academy for the AFA-Utah football game while Kathy stayed in Littleton to help Keri with the twins. It's about an hour's drive from our house to the parking lot at the academy. We were early enough that we wandered around the outside of the stadium where there were several vendors but also some freebies. I got free chicken wings from Coors and tons of M&Ms from AT&T (I had a sugar high by game time), a finger (not that finger, a foam AFA finger) from an insurance company, a golf towel and other stuff. The game started at 5:30 and the night got colder as it got later and the wind came up. I enjoyed watching the cadet march in by squadron, the parachutists, the live falcon mascot do his/her thing, and the jet fly-by (although I was disappointed in halftime since we couldn't hear). We left in the fourth quarter when Utah was up by 18 points. By the time we reached our car, Air Force was down just 5 points.
We were gone about six hours total but the time I enjoyed most was the two hours we were in the car and revived the "lost art of conversation." It was great having three adults talk-relatives, life, death, sports, politics (be careful), and just things in general. I enjoy conversation as much as ball games and probably remember more about topics than scores.
MEMO TO SELF-Stop interrupting other people when they are speaking-you might learn something.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Last night was the coldest night of the fall in the Denver Metro area-down in the 20's with freeze warnings. At 1:30 this afternoon I was mowing the lawn in a T-shirt with no jacket with the temp near 70. Strange weather.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

While watching GLEE last night, I filled out my mail-in ballot. I mailed it this morning. One of the many things that concern me about the results of this year's election is the chance that a certain element (from both parties) would be elected and as a way of reducing spending for education would eliminate monies for subject area as music, vocational programs and physical education. Although a parent of a math teacher, I don't believe educations begins and ends with Math, English, Science and Social Studies although these for the focal areas of testing (which in itself is a waste of money).

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Thoughts about the recession:
I went to a business to see about getting some body work done on one of our cars due to a hit and run accident. Place #1 yesterday told me that the first time they could get me in for an estimate (an estimate!) would be Thursday. I went ahead and made the appointment. I went to Place #2 this morning for the same reason. This business had been recommended as strongly as Place #1. I was told that it would be at least an hour for an estimate. I decided to wait. Fortunately there was an appointment cancellation and I only waited about 20 minutes. It took around 30 minutes to get everything done. They said they could get me in fairly quickly since it didn't appear to be that much work. I contacted my insurance agent and we did the paperwork and I accepted the estimate of Place #2. I figured if it took Place #1 three days just to do an estimate, it could take quite a while to get the repair work scheduled. I called #1 and cancelled my appointment. Both places had been recommended by my agent.
What bothers me is why are so many businesses understaffed with essential employees who actually work with potential customers? My bank is a prime example. There are never enough tellers and long lines every time I go there whether it is in Littleton or Casper but every time they see someone with with a few thousand in the checking account, they try to hook the customer with a financial advisor and there always appears to be a financial advisor available immediately. I wish they would hire more tellers. I think businesses are not hiring people who actually serve people but have cut back on that staffing when those are the folks who are needed. I know a lot of engineers and factory workers have been cut, but the service industries have cut back too far. Those jobs can't be outsourced.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

I was reading one of the Sunday magazines which are included in today's newspapers. One page listed celebrity birthdays this week. Of all the names listed I recognized may one in four and the youngest was 43. Getting old I tell you.

Saw this bumper sticker on a car this week. It's an old one but I still like it:
"It will be a great day when schools get all the money they need and the Air Force has to hold bake sales to buy a new bomber."

Saturday, October 23, 2010

I really don't care whether Nebraska has a loss to Texas. Nebraska will always be #1 to me-as the worst drivers in the US. One of their favorite tricks is to drive in the left lane at the speed limit or less and won't get into the right lane. I laughed when this was happening last week when a guy in a big black pick-up with a crash bar on the front pulled up a yard behind the front car and honked his horn. The first guy couldn't get into the right lane fast enough almost swerving into a truck.

Congrats to Iowa State for beating Texas.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Yesterday I saw my first coyote on the walking path between our two cul de sacs. He saw me and headed out to the field. Our subdivision newsletter warns of coyotes being a danger to small animals. We have a small yelping dog next door. "Here, Webster. There's a guy at the end of the street I'd like you to meet."

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Day 5 Monday (Final Day)

I drove west from Kearney to Colorado via Cheyenne, Wyoming. I'm tired of radio so I see if there are any CD's in sound system. There are two-Jersey Boys and Selected Marches. Jersey Boys is not one of my favorite CD's for technical reasons. After one round through the marches I go back to radio. The early sports talk shows deal with Texas defeat of Nebraska. Get over it, folks-you lost. At 10:00 MDT the conservative talk shows begin. I listened to Rush Limbaugh for a while. His format is a combination of Adult Fairy Tales (designed to scare adults) and rumor mongering. After 30 minutes I turned that off and enjoy the quiet.
Just after 11:00 MDT I pulled into Sidney, Nebraska. Sidney is the home office and mother store for Cabela's, which is Mecca to "Fishermen, Hunters, and Outdoorsmen." I started in Central time so 11:00 is noon to my stomach. I stop-guess where-at a Runza outlet for lunch. It's early. There are two couples and me and we all got senior citizen discounts. The Runzas are just out of the oven and it just doesn't get better than that. I have a second one. As I pass Cabela's their camp ground and parking lot are both full and this is before noon. In Minnesota the second most visited site after the Mall of America is the Cabela's south of the Twin Cities on I-35.
I hit Cheyenne in a rain storm. It's the only bad weather of the whole trip. I visited my mother who lives in a retirement home there for an hour and then headed south for Denver. There isn't much traffic so I made good time. After leaving I-70 and entering C470, anther multi-lane highway, I encountered the only accident of my entire trip. Two cars collided and one went over an embankment and killed two people. One car is still on the side of the road. This is within 15 miles of my house.
After driving 876.6 miles from Jackson, Minnesota, to Littleton, Colorado, I pulled into my garage. It was a wonder trip. I saw so many people and things went smoothly although I'm really don't want to go anywhere for a while. Let people come to me.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Day 4 Sunday

Today tops off a great trip. Son David and D-I-L Kelsey drove to Jackson from Minneapolis and arrived around 9:30 am. They do the aunt and uncle thing with the boys. The boys cooperate with no urping on their aunt and uncle. They also visit Esther in her apartment. Photos naturally. We have lunch. D & K leave for the cities. We leave for the Sioux Falls airport around 2. Rumor has it that the Sioux Falls security is overly tough but Keri, Kathy and the boys get through with with few problems although they hold up the line a bit.
I can't do more so I get in the car and head for Nebraska. Eric is flying to San Francisco so I'm traveling solo this round. I DON'T take Nebraska 77 this time. There's little traffic in Omaha as Nebraska fans are probably in hiding and denial due to the Nebraska loss to Texas. I stop in York, Nebraska and consume one of the elusive Runzas. From York I contact the Holiday Inn Express in Kearney. The "best price" starts lower so we only negotiate $10 off tonight. I pull into Kearney around 10:00 after driving 443.3 miles from Jackson.

Day 5 tomorrow

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Day 3 Saturday

This was just a neat day and what the trip was all about.
Marita, Kathy's sister, picked up her daughter Julie, a sophomore at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, and two of Julie's college friends, both of whom are from the Boston area to spend a short fall break on a true Iowa farm. They came to Jackson Friday night. The girls stayed in a motel while Marita stayed at the Pines, a nursing home where Esther lives. The Pines rents out 2 apartments to guests of residents. We rented both rooms for two nights. This means we don't have to take the boys outside to see their great grandmother. Saturday morning Julie and her friends met us at Esther's apartment. It was like a photo shoot with several cameras going at the same time. Of course, we had to get the four generation picture with Esther, Kathy, Keri, and Aiden and Reid. The boys now are so accustomed to pictures they just perk up and almost pose. The boys were passed around from great grandmother to aunt to the St. Olaf girls. The boys are already smart enough to know that you don't urp on cute coeds. They are well behaved. We take a break for feeding and nap. Marita and the girls go to the farm where brother Kent and wife Debi now live and farm. I heard that one of the girls got to make a round in the combine. Then they head to Iowa for a few days.
Kathy, Keri, the boys and I went out to the farm in late afternoon. Our nephew Mark and his wife Jenn are in Jackson this weekend with Mark helping with the combining and Debi and Jenn making apple pies. Naturally we have apple pie and ice cream. We turned on the football games and see that Texas is whupping Nebraska-all right! We also go out to some sites on the farm where they are installing wind generators. They are huge when you get right up next to them.
After supper we return to visit great grandma Esther. Later we go back to the rented apartment to feed and put the boys down for the night. I turn on the TV and find Wisconsin beating Ohio State. I'm not real happy about this although I'm not a real Big 10 fan although I did attend the U of Minnesota one summer. They fired their coach Saturday.
The weather was great; we saw lots of relatives, and there was little driving. What a day!
Day 4 tomorrow.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Remember these words of wise old philosophers
"No good deed shall go unpunished"
&
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"

Background: Kathy met a lady from Sioux City, Iowa, who claimed that the best way to get to Sioux City when coming across Nebraska is to take Nebraska State Highway 77 at Lincoln. She passed this information to Kathy with the best of intentions thus the above words.
For all the Lit majors: Years ago William Least Heat-Moon wrote a book called "Blue Highways: A Journey into America." I read it about 40 years ago I think. The 'blue' roads are the rural state highways. Some critics contend this book surpasses "Travels with Charley" but I'm a Steinbeck fan and think they are comparable but it doesn't outdo "....Charley."
Day 2-Friday:
With "Blue Highways.." in mind I ask Eric if we should try Nebraska 77 which goes north out of Lincoln to Sioux City. We figure we have plenty of time to get to the Sioux Falls airport so we decide what the heck. My son David calls to say he is coming to Jackson Sunday morning. He asks if we are in Minnesota yet. I reply that I am sitting at the only traffic light in Wahoo, Nebraska (pop. 3,942). He laughs. Early in the drive a white pick-up passes me. On the dashboard he does NOT have a bobble-head hula dancer, nor a stature of Jesus nor any other bobble head. On his dashboard he has a statue of a bull elk. This guy has his stuff together.
We continue north. We see several combines out in the fields husking (?) corn. Highway 77 is also the main road for farm vehicles such as tractors, wagons, and other farm implements so speed is limited at times. At one farm site I see a Corvette parked by the side of the road with a For Sale sign on the windshield. I'm not sure if this is any reflection on the price of corn which is at an all time high. It does, however, trigger a memory of a TV show (you have to be my age to remember) called "Route 66", which was about two guys traveling in a Corvette along Highway 66 which starts someplace in the Midwest and goes through the Southwest to California-I think. We have a '95 Subaru and an 08 minivan. The show was popular on Friday nights in the early 60's when I was in college (one usually did not waste a Friday night to party but the show was popular with college kids so we just moved the partying back a half hour.
The traffic is just heavy enough that passing takes a somewhat macho attitude. One guy in a black super cab pick-up with a dog the size of a lion in the back seat passes me. There are three cars close together ahead of him and he decides to pass all three at one time. He chickens out when he meets a tractor and only passes two-one of whom is Eric. I have a semi tailgate me for about 30 miles and he won't pass when I slow down and there is no oncoming traffic. There is road construction with sections of one-lane roads so we wait for the pilot car to return to lead us through the construction area.
Part of 77 goes through the Winnebago Indian Reservation. I tell you our poor oppressed Native American brethren on the this reservation are not hurting for anything. The town of Winnebago may be the smallest town in America (unless it's Avon, Colorado) to have a traffic rotary. It also had a hospital that probably ranks second to only the U of Nebraska Medical Center. It also has a huge brand new school with a field ball stadium with artificial turf, a rubberized track around it and seating for about 500 tops.
When we finally reach Sioux City and stop at the Golden Arches, I ask Eric what he thought of Highway 77 and then we both laugh.
The other drawback is there were no RUNZA fast foods. Runzas are hamburger with cabbage and several spices baked in a bread roll. They are found only in Nebraska and I try to have one every time I go across the state. No Runzas on this leg of the trip.
We meet Keri, Kathy, and the boys at the Sioux Falls airport and begin the 90 mile trek to Jackson, Minnesota. Eric, Keri and the boys take the van while Kathy and I take our last ride in the "getter." In Jackson Keri finally gets to introduce her husband of four years to her grandmother. She's been wanting to show him off to grandma for quite a while. Grandma meets the boys but they are hungry and tired so that visit is very short. Eric is flying out of Minneapolis in the morning so he heads to the Twin Cities.
Day 3 tomorrow.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

I need to give some background info to set this up. About a month ago Keri, Kathy, and I were sitting around discussing what would be the least painful way to get the grandtwins to Jackson, Minnesota, to visit Keri's grandmother, the boys' great grandmother. Esther turns ninety-nine in January so we thought we ought to get this done pretty quickly. We just couldn't see subjecting the boys to a 12-15 hour trip strapped into car seat as the law now dictates. We hit on the idea that Keri, Kathy and the boys would fly to Sioux Falls, SD, on a Friday afternoon (Keri had an in-service that day) and I would pack all the leftover necessary items (playpens, extra diapers, clothes, etc.) in the van and drive to Sioux Falls, meet them and drive them to Jackson which is about a 90 minutes drive. We bought the tickets, prayed for good weather and put the plan in play.
In the meantime, son-in-law Eric, a Delta pilot, was transferred from Detroit to Minneapolis. In addition Keri and Eric bought a new minivan making the "grocery getter" (definition according to son David-a small station wagon usually driven by a mother for all sorts of reasons including buying groceries) available for Eric to drive it to Minneapolis as an "airport car". As long as I was driving to Minnesota, Eric thought it would be nice if we caravan as least as far as Jackson (that's Minnesota not Wyoming). This should get the readers started.
John Steinbeck had his "Travels with Charlie" about driving around the US in a pick-up with his dog for a companion. I guess I could call this much shorter adventure, as least for the first couple of days, Traveling with Eric. Charlie was a canine, however, I assure you Eric is human.
DAY 1 Thursday:
We leave Littleton about four o'clock in the afternoon just in time to catch rush hour traffic. We drive as far as Sterling, Colorado (pop. 11,360) and plan to eat supper and and gas up. Sterling is the only town of its size that does not have a food food outlet right off the interstate. We have to drive a couple of miles into town. I call and make a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express in Kearney, Nebraska for later. We always have to negotiate a rate so by the time we start with the "lowest rate" and finish I've saved 15 dollars.
Driving across Nebraska my allergies kick in after I shut off the air conditioner. There is also this aroma of recently shorn fields and feed lots. Listening to the radio, with the opening of bird season on Saturday, the majority of commercials deal with hunting supplies and particularly quality ammo-a listener doesn't hear many commercials in Denver for quality ammo. We finally arrive in Kearney around 11:30 and call it a night.
Day 2 tomorrow.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Today I was driving on a 4-lane highway (two in each direction) with a 55 mph speed limit. There was an old car in the right lane doing about 40mph. This is a fairly busy highway. Cars kept pulling out and passing. Finally I managed to get around the car. It was being driven by a women who was reading a letter (I drive a van so I could see into her car). That's almost as dangerous as driving and texting.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Received my mail-in ballot for Colorado in the mail today. After several forms and calls, I exist on the voter registration. I read that over half the voters in Colorado will do so using mail-in ballots.
I keep getting phone surveys asking how likely I am to vote. I tell them definitely and now I can back that up-provided I don't lose it.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Watching too much sports lately, I notice so many athletes point fingers or make some other gesture to the sky as if there was some extra heavenly force at work to insure their accomplishments.
This made wonder what would have if the same persons pointed the fingers or made other gestures toward the ground or what may lie deep below it. Would an athlete sell his/her soul to the devil for mortal achievement or reward? I remember the play "Damn Yankees" in which an extreme Washington Senators fan (remember this is an old play) sells his soul just to help defeat the NY Yankees. Remember the song "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets"?
I do wonder if people would sell out for temporary satisfaction?

Monday, October 11, 2010

More rain last night-not Seattle or Portland type rain but a steady off and on-which I think takes care of the fire danger.
I had to go to the mall yesterday. I was reminded of why I dislike going to malls on weekends-everyone-especially teens-is talking on his/her cell phone. Oh, well.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Fire update: Good news-it rained last night-not a lot but enough that it put out some of the hot spots and cleaned the smoke out of the air. What we have left now is black scorched earth where the backfires were set. I think we got lucky on wind direction and much cooler temps. I turned on the heat for the first time this fall. I just hope it doesn't flare up again.

One my son-in-law Eric's (the Delta pilot) stops this weekend was a layover in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. There isn't a prettier place to be at this time of year. They were probably hauling in elk hunters and had an arsenal in the baggage area.

Bumper sticker seen on the back of a grocery getter (mom's mini station wagon) in a grocery parking lot:
"Ginger Roger did everything Fred Astaire did except she did it backward in high heels"

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Friday afternoon a fire broke out in the foothills a couple of miles south of our house. At first we just saw smoke; later we could see flames after the fire jumped the ridge. By evening we could see quite a line of flames and smoke making it look like a big city light show. The TV kept reporting that fire fighters had it under control. Apparently they set a back burn because when I went outside around 7:00 am, there was a large black burned spot of a few acres. At the time I could see flames in a limited area. When I checked earlier at 5:00 am, the fire had been quite a bit larger. At 7:30 this morning I didn't see any flames but the the smell of smoke was quite strong. Morning TV reported that the fire consumed around 15 acres.
With all the fires we've had in this area lately everyone gets a little nervous. We still haven't had any significant moisture in almost two months. Hope that's the end of this one.

Saturday evening-Fire update:
The wind is from the northwest or away from our houses so they are setting backfires again. I watched them shoot flairs on to hillside.
We are getting a lot of lookers coming up our cul de sacs ranging from just lookers to news cameras. Both our streets have views of the fire at each end. When the fire truck pulled up front of Keri and Eric's, I thought that was a little ominous but then I thought if there was a fire approaching, where would a person rather see a fire truck than right in front of one's house. According to TV the fire fighters have everything under control.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Continuation from yesterday:

GOOD: while spending three and a half hours in the dentist's chair Wednesday, I had brought a trashy detective novel to read. With moldings and his working with other patients, I got a fair amount of reading done. I guess you call that multitasking. I slept with an ice pack again last night and that makes things much better.

BEYOND UGLY: the Twins lost to the Yankees again yesterday. I'm in a baseball funk. I'm glad we moved because I would probably be getting a "sweep" broom from Neighbor Brad. Oh, the shame of it all.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

The GOOD, the BAD, the UGLY

Wednesday was not exactly one of my favorite days.

BAD: I spent 3 and 1/2 hours in a dentist's chair yesterday getting an old bridge removed and molds made for a new one. It was supposed to be a two hour appointment but the dentist ran into some problems and had to work with other patients while taking care of me. Some of the Novocain began to wear off making the last part interesting. Fortunately most of the drilling had been done.
GOOD: I slept with an ice pack and it quit hurting.
GOOD: I had to get a $199.99 prescription. My insurance paid all but $10.00 (so far).
BAD: I have to go back in two weeks and get the permanent bridge put in.
UGLY: I had to pay half of the bill. The last half in two weeks.
GOOD: It rained a little last night.
EXTREMELY UGLY: The Twins lost to the Yankees.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

I am tempting the gods. This morning I have a company blow out my sprinkler system and aerate my lawn for winter. With temps in the 80's so far in October, I may be moving hoses again. I'd rather do that than have the sprinkler pipes freeze. This is a new thing for me as I haven't had a sprinkler system before. I also haven't had so little lawn to mow. Life is good.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Something on the football side which almost defied all odds occurred this past weekend:
1.U. of Colorado defeated the U. of Georgia
2. U. of Wyoming defeated Toledo U at Toledo
3. Iowa State beat Texas Tech
4. The Broncos defeated the Titans on Sunday.

I need to contact a climatologist to check if there was an unexpected deep freeze in Hades or the Iowa relatives to see if part of their swine herd had grown wings.

Monday, October 4, 2010

For the last 10 weeks I have been trying to get registered to vote in Colorado. I mailed the last form Saturday as today is the last day to get it done. They wouldn't let us vote in the primary as we were about a week too late to register.
Up in Wyoming a person could register to vote and vote on election day. Here they must afraid of the riffraff that might wander in.
I finally found out the name of our Congressman. Now I need to find out something about him.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Also among the college clothiers to the twins is a group I almost omitted-the St. Olaf bunch. The grandtwins have a grandmother, an uncle, an aunt, and a second cousin who are all Oles. In fact we have to keep a close eye on Grandma or their first words will be um yah yah, not mama or dada.

Yesterday afternoon we (Kathy, Keri, the twins, and I) took Keri's new ride to mountains above Golden and Boulder to see the changing colors of the leaves. It's been such a dry, warm summer and fall that the colors aren't that spectacular yet. We also checked out a ski area we were considering skiing this winter but distance is too far and the roads aren't that good. It was the first trip to the mountains for the twins who slept through much of the experience.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

GAME DAY
When the grandtwins were born, they received several Iowa State (Keri's, along with a slew of relatives, alma mater) outfits. Husband Eric is from Ohio and a huge The Ohio State fan. Well things are evened up-the boys now have Ohio State T-shirts along with a gray Jim Tressel, the OSU coach, vest sweater.
These days it's easier being an Buckeye fan than it is being a Cyclone fan.

Friday, October 1, 2010

I've decided the "N word" to the grandtwins is nap.