Right Now: Winter 2016

I'm Listening:   Not really so much listening  as watching the movie War Horse.   I figured it would be a good movie to watch while I sift through photos from 2016, hoping to get a handle on the annual photo book I create through Shutterfly.  

After the huge task of crafting an album with all of our UK-Ireland pictures this fall, it's taken me awhile to get over my digital scrapbooking burn out.    Now that it's Spring Break and we are almost  a quarter of the way through 2017, I figured I'd best get going.  It's not going to get any easier to do the more time that passes. 

As I work on this project, I've found that last year's monthly blog  recaps are a huge help.   So while I've not really felt the blog-fever of late, I realize now that it does help me remember the stories  and create some order to the chaos of the pictures I take throughout the year.   That little inner voice is saying "Just do it" and I'm finally listening to said inner voice.     

I'm loving:    that when company comes to visit, we get a chance to be tourists in our own back yard. This past week Hubby's friends, J &K W.were in town visiting their daughter who is attending grad school in Denver.

The weather cooperated for 2 days of day-trip fun where we were able to show our friends the beauty that is our state.  

A trip to Loveland Pass, with lunch in Georgetown,

 For our 2nd day trip, we'd head south...

4 Army veterans check out how the Air Force Academy does things...

 *Photo credit goes to Hubby, with the good eye and the good camera!

*and as luck would have it, we visited this historic chapel before it's closed for major renovations, expected to last upwards of 4 years!  

Time to eat! 

 at The Edelweiss restaurant in the Springs...

Good German food with a trip down memory lane for the Ws and Dom

 as not only did these 3 go to college together, but they were all stationed in Germany around the same time!  

Sadly, that was i. the "pre-me" stage...

One last stop at the "Garden"...

 before heading back to the House of Chang...

where J and Dom geeked out ...

and I of course had the camera phone handy to capture the magic!  

 

I'm needing:   to recall what else has happened since I last updated the blog. Oh yes, Mr. EHS was last month.   How could I possibly forget THAT evening?   

What is Mr. EHS you ask?   It is part of the local high school's winter spirit week, this event is  a combination of a beauty/talent/comedy show featuring a few brave young men, willing to put themselves out there for the amusement of their 2500+ classmates.   

And yep, Thing 2 raised his hand and "auditioned".    We're still not sure how he found the courage to do so, but I must admit, there is a certain amount of pride that comes with being a "dance mom".     

 

 Thing 2 had no shortage of "groupies" eager to cheer him on. 

And he even managed to  include his two pals to help him with his talent portion...

 A special thanks to our Ms. Bose who coordinates the entire event ...

I"m feeling:  Better.    

Thanks, Tim L for the photo!

Not only does it feel good to get the blog updated (and the photos sorted), but the days are lighter, the weather a little warmer and Spring is surely on its' way.   

 Since late January, I've been working only part time.   After 7+ years as a full timer, the part time life is proving  to be a pretty good fit.    

Instead of spending the weekends "catching up" with household chores, I spend the time catching up with friends

 Hanging with my husband

 

 and taking our RV out for some fresh mountain air

where we even had some special breakfast visitors

 Happiness is indeed much like the mountain summit, sometimes it may be hidden by the clouds but we know it is still there!

A get away with a purpose

Last Saturday,  my cousin called to update me on my uncle's health.  The news was not good.  On a whim, I checked to see what airfare would be to make an impromptu trip out to AZ.   "Too good to be true", "less than a tank of gas", however you choose to describe it, I took it all as a sign that I should indeed take off for another snow-bird in training adventure.  

It was a  week filled with a variety of views...

From the serious...

To the silly...

And I paused to enjoy the various sunsets...

 From the view from my dad's condo...

To the full moon outside my cousin's neighborhood...

 And of course, the infamous pink-purple magic of a desert sunset...

While the primary purpose was to check in on my uncle, and support my cousin as he transitioned into Hospice care, I took advantage of this trip to spend some time with my dad...who has been a snow birder for the past 18 years (give or take a couple seasons)

My dad's "just right" condo in Sun City...

Be it running into a friend outside his favorite  thrift shop 

or checking his email...

Sipping a cocktail with Man's Best Friend 

(in this case, Jack, my uncle's dog who was lonely for his master)

to taking in a post-dinner snooze...

My dad indeed has perfected the lifestyle of a snowbird...

So while it's a few more years until I can embrace this lifestyle full time

  *the down side of being a late bloomer on the parenting adventure

 I sure did enjoy this snow-bird in training adventure...

Deep in the Heart of Texas Recap

The stars at night, are big and bright....

However, on our first night in TX, we quickly realized that the canyon was  deep, and dark, with no pull through sites and more importantly no cell phone coverage.    While one could argue that the views were worth it,  and part of the concept of camping/glamping is to unplug from the trappings of technology,  I hadn't really thought it through (a common theme on this adventure I fear) and so I felt very guilty that we hadn't checked in with the Things before we descended into the base of Palo Duro Canyon for the night.     Yep, Mama Guilt was alive and well that first night of our trip.

The prairie sky is wide and high...

Not just the sky, but it seems the  entire state is wide, and we'd spend Day 2 on the road...passing Abilene and other lesser known towns, where the final destination was Austin.    We'd be chasing daylight, hoping to reach our destination before we lost daylight (another common theme of this trip).  

The Sage in Bloom, is like perfume...

While the sage didn't seem to be in bloom,there was plenty of  cedar pine pollen that had hubby and I reaching for the Flonase.  

 However, the purpose of this adventure wasn't really to experience the beauty of TX but instead, to reconnect with friends from our past.    And yes, that indeed turned out to be the sweetness of this road trip...

First up, was lunch in Brenham TX where we met my childhood friend, H.   We met way back in the mid '70s,  when my family had moved from GA back "home" to Wisconsin and H. lived in our neighborhood.   

These days, H. and her family call the Houston area home, where her hubby, J, works as a rocket scientist (seriously, he is!). It was good to meet both her boys and spend time catching up.

Next up, was dinner with a classmate from my Nurse Practitioner Days, A.

 In 1990, the Army saw fit to send me to  Fort Ord, CA where I would meet A. during my NP training.  This assignment was a time filled with lots of studying ( we crammed what usually takes 18 months to cover in just 6 short months), a fair amount of uncertainty (for it was just days into our studies when Iraq invaded Kuwait and the Army would start to send friends and colleagues over to the Gulf, there was a constant concern that instruction would be postponed and we too would deploy overseas.), and a forever friendship was formed.

Reminds me of, the one I love...

Our last visit would be with J and L.   J. and I met when she arrived at Ft. Bragg in the summer of 1988.   With us both being single nurses, we formed a fast friendship.   

I introduced J. to my neighbor, L.   Yep, you know where this story is going....After a few years of dating, J and L. got married in 1991.   Score one for Martha as the match maker!

 But that story doesn't end there.  It is now February 1994, and J and L were visiting me in MD, when L. asked if I minded if he invited his friend, Captain Chang over to a party I was having.  

 And well....the rest is history.   

Without a doubt, their friendship, does remind me of the one I love...

The Coyotes wail along the trail...

It wasn't a coyote wailing, but instead, Scarlett started to make an odd thumping sound as we returned from a day of sight-seeing.   With less than a mile to go to reach the safety of the campground, the thumping ceased and the engine seized.   

The cowboys cry Ki-yippee-yii..

Oh sure, there was probably a URAL dealer in TX that could assist with the assessment and repair of the troubled Scarlett.   But, we decided to cut our losses, and head home, having visited some of the friends we had hoped to see, and knowing that the other friends on the itinerary would understand the need to take the motorcycle back to our trusted mechanic at Unique Rides in Ft. Collins.

As the sun set on 2016, we realized that there are many more adventures for us to take in the coming year.  

As for this trip, yes, it was good to get away, and reconnect with some friends.   We took in a little bit of history, visiting both the birthplace of the TX republic and the birthplace of Admiral Nimitz in Fredricksburg, TX.  

 Anytime that Hubby and I have together is time well spent, but we both agreed, that camping/glamping in an urban setting just didn't feel right.

Too much traffic to navigate and we never experienced  that feeling of relaxation that we've enjoyed on our other adventures.

As we crossed over Raton Pass (little wind and dry roads, oh thank-heavens!), we spotted our Colorado Mountains, 

And we realized, East or West, Home is always Best!

Until next time....May you always remember to get out there and EXPLORE....

Right Now: December

 RIGHT NOW

I'm listening to: a CD that was gifted to me with Christmas music all done by Carole King.  My favorite is titled New Year's Day and the lyrics tie in very closely to what I've been pondering for the past month. "Everything is gonna turn out alright, it'll be OK in every way, making it better".   After listening to the sage advice of my loving family, and finally acknowledging and accepting that sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to stop participating in the problem, I resigned from my full time job.   

I'm loving:   that, while at times I've questioned where is the joy of the season, when I pause, I realize it really is all around me.   For I've enjoyed 

• The Christmas lights that others display, even those who go way overboard.   
•  The tasty treats that we seem to save for just this time of year (Hello:   Prime rib, why do you go on sale just at this time of year?  Never mind, we'll just gorge ourselves on it while we can). 
• The laughter of  great neighbors as we gathered for an ugly sweater party and a glass (or two) of holiday cheer. 
  
  
  
  
• The sounds of 100+ tubas belting out the classics on what was to be  the coldest day of the season
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• A candlelight Christmas eve service held early for those of us who prefer to hang close to home on the actual eve of Christmas.  
  

 You have to admit that life is indeed a feast for all the senses this time of year.   And I'm at peace with skipping some of the usual traditions that weight me down.  

I'm needing to:   get started on some domestic chores.   On Monday, hubby and I are headed out with Uma for a little bit of a road trip.    Hopefully, Mother Nature will  hold true to the forecast of mild weather so our departure out of town is uneventful.    Save the "eventful" weather for when we have no where to go and all day to get there.

I"m feeling:  hopeful.  I'm determined not to let a few rough spots at work get in the way of exploring and experiencing all that is good in this world.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year...filled with hope and new adventures!

Right Now: October-November

RIGHT NOW...

Photo credit to Hubby

I'm listening to:    the hum of the furnace keeping us warm this mid-November morning.   

After a really long "Indian summer", the weather took it's usual turn (granted, much later than usual) and we saw our first flurries on Thursday.    And while the long warm fall was a welcome treat, especially with the purchase of our new-to-us RV, I think I'm ready for the change in colder weather....as long as the furnace keeps running.   :) 

I'm loving:   that blasted RV.   

Yep, another borrowed photo from Hubby

 We spent this past weekend trying our hand at "boondocking" or dry-camping.    For non-RV folks, that's when you glamp (glamorous camping) in an area that lacks water-sewer-electrical hook ups.     We picked some national forest land just outside of Jefferson, Colorado.     Given it was well past the typical Colorado camping season, we were able to locate a perfect spot without much effort.   I must say that the best part (so far) is finding the peace and quiet that comes when you unplug and get away from the chaos of regular living.    With the unexpected election results that occurred earlier in the week,  being able to get away from it all was even more meaningful...if just for a few days.

The boondocking experience went really well, save one little miscalculation on our part.   Since I'm hear typing this entry, you know we didn't freeze to death, but we did run out of water sooner than we'd planned.   But, fear not, Hubby has already problem solved that and we are curiously exploring where to take Uma next...

I'm needing to: get back to walking

For more than 2 years, my dear friend and I have been regular walkers.   When school is not in session, we manage 4+ times a week, and even when in session we usually get together at least a couple times after school or on the weekends.   However, we both started new jobs that have indeed derailed us.    I feel sluggish and weary, so yes, I've made a date to get together with her both today and tomorrow and get this routine re-established!

I'm feeling:  ready

Ready to take on the Holidays (yeah, easy for me to say, as I've scored an invite for Thanksgiving, so no cooking for me this year).    But seriously, I'm ready for a little bit of baking, a little bit of crafting, and but of course, I'm ready for the long weekend that comes first with Thanksgiving and is soon followed by the 2 week winter break.

Speaking of Holidays, after many years of doing a November gratitude challenge, I decided to skip it.  I enjoyed doing it, and found that it kept me grounded and aware of what really matters...but I also decided that sharing my daily gratitude in a public forum really was not what I needed to be doing this year.       

As John F. Kennedy is quoted with saying: When expressing our gratitude,  the highest appreciation is not to utter the words  but to indeed live by them....

Until next time....

Taken by Taos

$10 for parking?   Yep, that would be today's moment of impulsive decision making.   Unlike yesterday, today I had done a bit of research and  had picked out a place for lunch, had the directions all set with Waze, even confirmed they were open with  no reported construction projects that  would leave our poor GPS confused.

Sounds like we  were  all set for a meal time win, right?   Yeah, not quite,  as we approached the restaurant (located in the heart of downtown Taos), I called out to Hubby "better turn in there" as I spotted a parking lot.   Oh sure, I had spotted  a very spacious, supervised parking lot, to the tune of $10...only to walk a few blocks and find pretty decent street parking right near the restaurant.  

Thankfully, Hubby gave me only a wee bit of grief, as the place we picked out was a delicious hole-in-the-wall type restaurant with tasty eats and very affordably priced.

I think he was also in a rather forgiving mood, as the road trip to Taos was filled with several unexpected surprises.

First was our visit to the New Mexico Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  Built by a father, using his own money and doing much of the work himself, he set off to find  a way to honor the sacrifice of his son and his 15 teammates who were killed in 1968 in Vietnam.  The memorial is now part of the New Mexico state park system and located just around the bend from our campground.   The memorial park contains not only a well crafted and thoughtfully designed memorial chapel but also a small yet very well done museum.

*photo courtesy of Hubby 

From here, we would  hit the road  referred to as the Enchanted Loop with the objective being to visit Taos, eat lunch and do a bit of sight seeing along the way.    

As we approached Eagle's Nest (the first town you hit on the Enchanted Loop from Angel Fire), I looked up in the sky and sure enough, there was a soaring eagle!   I didn't even try to take a picture, instead just taking in this majestic sight!   

I found today's ride more "enchanting"  than the portion we rode yesterday.   I enjoyed the wider views, the taller pine trees (compared to the Pinyon pines of yesterday) and the rock walls that lined the canyon before heading south into Taos.

After lunch, we walked around the town for a bit.   While I was disappointed in the "tired" look of Taos (I was expecting more), I was pleasantly surprised when a woman called out to me "Martha, is that you?!"   Yep, a former collegue of mine from the high school where I worked for 6 years was also spending Fall Break in this area.   Wow!   Two Raptor sightings in one day!  (the school where I worked, the mascot is the Raptor).

We decided to skip a visit to the Taos Pueblo.   Again, the day was slipping away, and we knew that without the sun guiding our return trip, the ride would get rather chilly...that and the $16/person seemed a bit steep when neither one of us are huge fans of the Native American arts.   

We did make one last pit stop before heading back to our glamping campground:   The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is one of the nation's highest bridges, rising some 650 feet above the Rio Grande River. I'd like to say it was impressive, but honestly, walking across the bridge, was a bit unsettling...the fact that there are phone booths with direct lines to suicide hotlines scattered across the path only add to my sense of feeling unsettled.

And now, here I sit, in the cozy comforts of Uma.    As for a glamping report, the bed sleeps fine, the furnace keeps us toasty warm at night, and overall, Goldilocks continues to find this type of exploring to be "just right".  :)