You Should Go Too

No, we didn't find the girl we sent off to the Broncos game.

Although I could. I am a headhunter - I know enough information about her. I could track her down. We decided that might be a little "stalkerish". As much as I would love to know the ending of that story - we know our ending. Maybe one day, we will know hers.

What I did decide though?

I'm not good at "repeating". I said this year was going to be repeat of things. And it is. Several things I've done before, I going to do again. But, it won't be the same. I'm different now. The places are different too.

Yes. There will still be lots of planes. Trains. Automobiles. Bikes. Olympic Stadiums. Running Shoes. Sleepless nights. Hellos and Good-byes. Old things and new.

But the theme?

You Should Go

This year is a fleeting moment. My sons have gained their wings and will be flying on to the next stage of their lives.  (And should go on). Our puppy is learning to grow his wings. When we wrap up the year, his wings should be pretty well developed.

SO. This YEAR? We are going to go. I am going to go. They are going to go. We aren't going to "get ready to go". We are just going.

You should go too.......

You Should Go

As much as I watch hockey - and go to plenty of hockey games. I do, truly, love football. Now I don't love all football games or all football teams, but I do live in a town where football is a passion.

Not to mention, I did spend my childhood in Dallas, TX. I did attend and graduate from Texas A&M. Both communities where football is a passion.

Last year, in national sports news, it was mentioned that the Denver Broncos had replaced the Dallas Cowboys as "America's team". Truly, it has been incredible living here during the "Elway/Manning era." And we can't forget, this was also part of the "Tebow era".

Hall of Fame records.
Embarrassing SuperBowl loss (as in, let's pretend this didn't happen).
Remarkable moments - both on the field, in the stands, in Denver with the players or with the fans.

It's been a fairy tale for us football lovers.

On Sunday, I'm at the Cricket with my pilot friend. The Cricket is the last "hold out" in Cherry Creek. Cherry Creek is the high end "shopping district" in Denver. Hermes, Nordstrom, Vutton - just to name a few stores. High end restaurants and million dollar condos.

Then there is the Cricket. A burger dive bar. Their tag line is now "The Black Sheep of Cherry Creek.". When restaurants still allowed smoking, I swear this bar piped the smoke in. It still smells of stale beer and cigarette smoke.

We are sitting at the bar, watching the other NFL play-off game. There is a girl sitting on the other side of the pilot. Mid twenties. Having a beer and had just finished lunch. She was alone.

She tells us a bit about herself. She was in Denver for the weekend. She was supposed to be going to dinner with some guy later tonight, but he was up skiing. She never really told us why she was here for the weekend. Or as I wondered, why she wasn't up with him skiing. Or just in the mountains.

She then told us she was thinking of going to the game. She had looked online and she could get a ticket for $100. We talked about the weather. We told her it was a nice day, and she was dressed fine.

We then told her - you should really go to the game.

She says, "Maybe if I have a couple more beers, I'll get the courage to go."

I say, "Have you ever been to a playoff game? Have you ever been to a Broncos game?"

The answer to both those questions was no.

She had her phone out - we were looking at the seating chart. The pilot says, "As long as you are on the East side of the stadium, you will be fine. It's facing West. You will be in the sun."

We all chat a bit longer.

I finally say, "You need to go and go to this game.The pre-game is fantastic. The para-jumpers. The American Flag, The military flyover." "For no other reason than to say "I went". Plus, it will probably be one of Peyton Manning's last few games." The end of an era.

She paid her bill.

The pilot ordered her an Uber. We sent her on her way to the game.

Our only regret? We wish we had gotten her number - so she could tell us if she enjoyed the game.

That's okay, maybe one day, I'll hear the story again from someone who "met this girl at a Bronco game because the couple at the bar told her she should go."

A different kind of cute

Today, we went and met Fargo.

Fargo is a CCI puppy. He's blonde. Half lab. Half golden. The same as Brodie - only he's blonde not black.

He's the new CCI puppy of my friend whom got me into this cult.

He's cute. He's fluffy. Fargo will be with my friend for the next 18 months. Turning in after us.

The boys went over too. They went to meet Scooter. The "COC" (Change of Career) CCI puppy. CCI calls the dogs who don't make it "Change of Career". They don't fail, they are just picking a new career.

Fargo is cute.

He's fluffy.

He has a black spot on his back paw. He loved playing with Ambrose/Brodie.

He's really cute.

Not near as cute as our puppy though......

The Pilot came to town

Talk about Deja-Vu.

My 2015 ended almost exactly like 2014 ended.

In an erie kind of way.

I wrapped up 2014 with hecticness. Then a slow start to the year.

This year, a week later than last year, I get a text from 'my pilot friend'. It's a Sunday night. I'm out with girlfriends to watch the Broncos game. This year though we thought we'd try a different bar. We weren't at the Cricket.

The Cricket is a very special bar to me. It's a complete dive bar in the middle of one of the "Ritzie" part of town. It's authentic. (On a side note, I hate when people are not authentic. People whom tell you they are real. People whom tell you what is important in their lives, then act completely different.) I've discovered in life, most people are not authentic. They do what society and/or other people tell them how to behave.

But the authentic people I've met? They are and always will be the best. The funny thing is, I've met a good group of people in my life at the Cricket.

Sorry for the side tangent.

I pulled up in front of the Cricket. Thinking we should really go there. Long story short, the pilot whom I met last year the Cricket, texted me saying he was at the Cricket. I told him we were a few blocks away.

He's in town until the end of January this time.

I had friends in town for 10 days - last year, we went to those friends house for 10 days. We are having the same break, just different.

My clothes don't fit.

It's cold.

I'm dreaming of a beach far away.

Before it can be your favorite place, it was a place you had never been before.

Big goals this year.

Big dreams.

Rio here we come.......

Upgrading

At the start of 2015, I opened a brand new spiral notebook.

Red.

College Lined

Blank

On the top of the first page in PENCIL, I wrote

Upgrading. 2015

(If I don't type straight into the computer, I write in pencil. I don't like pens. I'm not sure if it's my commitment issues or if it's a sensory thing. I don't like mechanical pencils. I like good old fashioned Number 2 pencils. I still own an electric pencil sharpener.)

Then underneath the title, I wrote down everything I was going to accomplish this year:

• Pay off last years taxes
• Pay this years taxes in advance
• Put money away for retirement
• Put money away for boys college
• Put some money away for 2016 - as it's going to take a couple of years of savings for 2016
• Take a trip
• Paint office

Really, that was it. I wanted to upgrade my life. It was going to be all about work. Getting ahead instead of just maintaining.

Looking back, the real theme was Upgrading. 

AND - I did it.

I checked off the list.

I lived in Hawaii for 5 weeks, by myself. (Trying to transition into my next stage of life)

I had things fixed around the house. A new roof. Some repairs. I would say an upgraded stereo system, but I didn't have one before - now I have a super one.

Ghetto cable was replaced by Internet TV (and it's actually cheaper than the old)

As always, I think of New Years Eve as a wrap up of the previous year. Not a start. 

Tomorrow is the start.

My list has been checked off.

I'm working on next years goals. I have some good ideas. I think we are going to repeat around here. Repeats are sometimes the best shows to watch. This one is going to involve some planes and trains and bikes and automobiles and running shoes and goggles and Olympic stadiums. And maybe, just maybe, some skis.........

Happy New Year

PS - the office never got painted. I think I'm okay with that. Maybe next year......

 

Hold Outs

Being fairly self sufficient has it's advantages.

I'm single. I support myself. I travel. I can fix certain things. Think: replace a light switch in the house. Change the light bulbs. Own an electric screwdriver. Snow shovel. Lawn mower.

The list could go on and on.

If I want something, I save my money and I go buy it. I don't get money from anyone else. I'm not very materialistic, but I do like nice things.

There are two things though, I just won't do.

a) Change a flat tire on my bike (or car for that matter)

b) Buy myself a pair of diamond earrings.

Yes, I know. I should learn how to change a flat tire on my bike. I carry an extra one with me. I just can't bring myself to learn how to change it. Yes, I know, I could it.

BUT I DO EVERYTHING.

Can't there be something where I get to be the "Damsel in Distress"? Just one thing? Okay, make it two.

Because as much as I could just go buy a pair of diamond earrings. I'm not doing that either. Someone, one day, will give them to me.

I'm holding out.

The Death of the Snow Day

Snow Day!

No matter where you grew up in the United States, everyone always wanted a snow day. You know, a day of school that was cancelled due to the amount of snow/ice/sleet that would let you get out of the house.

The only people I know whom have never experienced a snow day are people from Southern California. Although, I would have to guess the kids in Hawaii haven't experienced a snow day either.

Snow days were the great days of school and work being cancelled. You would stay in your jammies all day. Or maybe bundle up at some point in the day, to go sledding. Bake cookies. Watch movies all day

As you got older, you would meet your friends to sled. Snowball fights. Earn some cash by offering to shovel walks/driveways for neighbors.

With the boys growing up in Denver, we've had a few snow days. Once even, the three days before Christmas Break started - having the break last three weeks.

Denver Public Schools don't close the schools very often. In fact, the last snow day I remember was at least three years ago. We live in the city. Over half the kids in the district are on free or reduced lunches. A snow day on a Monday or Friday? It better be a blizzard like we have never seen before.

With the boys older - they are used to driving on the snow now. Even though school is cancelled, some how, you are still able to get to the rec center to play basketball with friends. Or drive to meet others on the sledding hill. (At least that is what they tell me they are doing). Either way. They aren't home for a snow day.

Also, I work from home. At last - something negative about working from home and being able to work from any home.

It's just another day. A little colder. A little prettier.