Accosted

I had something interesting happen tonight and wanted to know if anyone else had something like this happen. A) if I could have handled differently? B) was I wrong?

There was a restaurant opening in Cherry Creek area of Denver. (high end area of Denver). Upscale steak house opening. The open house was 5- 7. Granted, it was crowded. It was loud – but you didn’t have to shout to talk to the person next to you.

Ambrose was AWESOME! He was right at my side. Was in down position – still working on him curling up. 99.9% of the people were great. Thanked me. Complimented him, etc.

It was getting a bit much, even for me. We went and stood near the front door. Off the main entrance, off the bar area. It was NOT crowded where we were.

This man comes up to me and says “How old is he?” I replied, “10 months, he’s in training.” He replied, “My wife is a vet and you are abusing this dog. This noise level is bad for his ears.”

I looked at him in complete shock! I said very nicely, “I appreciate your concern, but he needs to go to a variety of places as he will be assisting someone in all types of different environments.”

He then goes off: you are damaging his ears. AND – keeps going.

He walks off. (Apparently, he goes over to the hostess stand and asks them if they will make me leave since I’m “Abusing” the dog). (I didn’t find this part out until after the next part.)

He comes back.

He walks up and asks what organization in which I’m associated. I told him CCI. He then told me he was taking pictures and recording the noise level in the restaurant and would be calling them to let them know.

I asked him his name. He wouldn’t tell me. He asked me why I needed to know.

I then said, “So, if I were in a wheelchair and this was my service dog, helping me, you are telling me, I shouldn’t be allowed to come?”

He replies with “you are abusing this dog. Just because you want to be here doesn’t mean you have to torture your dog.”

I then say, “So, if I were in a wheelchair and this was my service dog, helping me, you are telling me, I shouldn’t be allowed to come?”  Again, in a normal voice.

I asked his name again. Still wouldn’t tell me.

He then starts taking pictures of us, telling me he’s calling “THIS ORGANIZATION”.

At this point, I reach to grab his phone – in which he tells me, “you can’t touch my phone.” I replied, “And, YOU don’t have my permission to use my picture.”

The hostess see this happen (we are by the front door) and escort him out of the restaurant.

The hostess apologized PROFUSELY!! I was SHAKING. I can’t even imagine if he was truly in service for me and this person had approached me.

Other than that one moment, people have been SOOOOO wonderful and gracious.

Oh and that other moment when Ambrose figured out how to take remote controls from the table……

Happy Independence Day……. My favorite holiday ever…..

Take it from me, pass it by

High roads. Low roads.

We have millions of miles across these great United States. In the last three weeks, I've driven over 3600 miles.

I was able to check off four states - four states, in the "I've never been there before" states.

Absolutely. You - everyone, should go see our wonderful United States of America. All of them.

During Phase I of the road trip, I was in Idaho and Montana. Two states I've never visited.

Phase II: Alabama and Mississippi.

As much as I've been restless in my life. As much as I've been bored. There is something to be said for where I live now.

I arrive back home in Denver, Colorado. Friends were gathering at a backyard cocktail party.

I pulled out of the parking lot at Denver International Airport, and all I could think was:

GOD BLESS AMERICA

This is the BEST city in the WHOLE world. It was 79 degrees, I took the top off the car. I swear to you, I wanted to stand up and sing.

If I EVER complain about this city again, everyone has permission to tell me: SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.

What a beautiful city.

Sometimes, we go searching for things. Sometimes, we shut those things down. Sometimes, we are offered cities to visit and we have to say: No Thanks.

Or we go.

And explore.

Then we come home. To the place where we were supposed to be all along.

Sometimes we say to ourselves: Did you find me, while you were looking for yourself out there?

Not you.

Me.

Sometimes, we catch a glimpse of an alternative universe.

How it would have turned out, if you had made a different choice.

Take it from me, pass it by.

I wish

I've started this story at least 12 times in the last 12 days.

I wish I coulda/woulda

• have known I turned out okay (but I always knew I would)
• believed 
• trained ((for everything - not only running)
• shoulda gone on an on. About all the things I shoulda/woulda/coulda done.

The thing I know most about life looking back?

Don't ever second guess yourself.

In the last 10 days - I drove 1800 miles. More miles than I've probably driven in the last 18 years put together.

Not once, in the last 10 days did I ever second guess this whole story.

I just wish, others. 

No. That's not it's.

This is the ending I can't wrap up.

I keep trying.

I just wish....

Oh, wait,

I wish the ending to the story.....

I wish....

Bad Decisions

Every single day, we make hundreds of decisions.

Split second second decisions. Long term decisions. Decisions we have been thinking about for a while.

We also all make bad decisions.

Should I turn left, instead of right?

You can spend your life second guessing.

I'm not one to keep up with "national news", but there is a story lately that is bothering me. Bothering me, to my core.

I'm not sure, if it bothers me because I'm female.

Or because I have sons.

I can't decide.

It's the story of the Standford guy whom raped a passed out girl.

We know his name. We don't her name - she's the victim.

Do we know his name because he was found guilty? Or did we know it before?

If it's after he was found guilty, I might be more okay with knowing his name.

IN MY OPINION,

We all make bad decisions.

And yes, "SHE, is going to have to live with HIS bad decision for the rest of her life."

HOWEVER, so is he.

What makes her loss any less than his loss of having to live with this bad decision.

She has to live with this everyday.

So does he.

But, to his defense - regardless, right or wrong, they both made bad decisions.

They both drank too much.

I'm going to stop there.

I'm not going to get into the fact of what happened next.

Once again, in my opinion,

He's being held responsible for his actions while under the influence. Is she being held accountable for her actions?

No - No one ever deserves to be raped.

No one ever deserves to be judged for the rest of their life for one bad decision.

Women have wanted equality for years.

Which bad decision should define your life?

My type

A girlfriend of mine was in town last week for work. She has been offered a job here in Denver. Stayed with me for the week while she was working.

She lives in Houston. Her family is there. Her parents are there. Her husbands parents are there too.

The plan is to come to Denver in July. One kid goes to college in August (side note - we are not possibly old enough to have kids going to college!!!!). The other two kids are in middle/high school.

The kids and husband will be here next summer.

We go to dinner. That is, my girlfriend, my dog and I. While she was here.

We were talking about "types". You know, the "what attracts you to someone type."

She declared: "I"m attracted to Tall, Dark and Handsome".

I laughed. She does have her type. Her husband is all of those things.

During dinner, she said, "Did you see the guy at the end of the bar?" I replied, "No". "Now that was my type."

Obviously, he wasn't "my type" or maybe I would have seen him.

My type? We discussed this at length. "I don't have "a type", I proclaimed.

I've loved them old.

young.

dark hair

blonde hair

short

tall

wealthy

poor

I concluded: "I don't really have a type. I've loved them all." I'm a "situational" romance kinda gal. If we like to do the same things, well, then, YOU are my type......

Until she said.......

"What do they all have in common?"  It took us both a couple of days. I awoke in the middle of the night with the answer.

Ah......

They are all perpetual bachelors.

Said, the bachelorette........

What If

I've got it all planned.

Duncan leaves in August to play hockey not officially yet sure where. There are several options. College has been deferred for a year. Even if he plays junior hockey here in Colorado, he will go live with another family.

Brodie/Ambrose leaves in February. Off to his "Olympic training".  His graduation is August 2017

Nolan leaves in August of 2017. To either college or play hockey.

It's all planned.

The basement is rented for the summer. The job is going well. The travels for the summer are booked.

BUT

What IF?

What if something changes? What if Nolan goes away this fall. We have scouts calling.

I warned him, if he goes, the dog goes with him.

What about finishing high school?

There is online school now. There is independent study. Don't let school get in the way of an education.

Others have done this route.

My sister never finished high school. She lived in Germany for a year. Came back and got her GED. (BTW, she now has her PhD and turned out fine).

These days, you don't have to "quit" - you do things "differently" than the "norm"

We've always done things different than the norm.

What if, things don't go according to plan?

What if, this is the last summer of the DNL adventures.

The "planner" (aka Martha Stewart)  in me is going crazy.

The gypsy girl knows this will all be fine.

BUT, what if? I don't have another year?????

What if, I buy that condo in Kona?

So Go

We are going to the Olympics in Rio.

Never in a million years did I think this was something I was going to do. In fact, it had never occurred to me to go to the Olympics. I grew up poor - other people did those things.

Several years ago, (at least 4) some friends from the kids school went to the London Olympics. Heck, all my friends in Salt Lake City ended up there because they volunteered at the Salt Lake City Olympics.

Why has this never occurred to be before?

Why haven't I ever wanted to go?

I didn't know these dreams were possible.

My dreams were to graduate college.

Get married

Have a family.

Live happily ever after.

Those dreams are great. And those dreams were/are possible.

What no one ever told me:

Other dreams, are possible too.

Not greater dreams. Different dreams.

I woulda/coulda/shoulda never believed how my life has turned out.

Never in a million years, could I have hit "fast forward" and come up with this story.

You can continue to let others lead you down the path. The safe easy path.

Or you can take a chance.

'They" tell you there is danger in going.

Of course there is.

So listen.

Or go.