Can you say Whewwww?

Well it's official, I'm one tired dudette! I worked 10 hours today, and still had time to get my hair cut! I am soooo close to being ready to go to Colorado! My "to do" list is getting smaller and smaller! Today I put the finishing touches on the conservation district newsletter; though I brought it home to check for errors tonight and found a couple I will have to fix tomorrow. After that I will burn a copy off on cd and send it off to the printer! I am really excited because we've gone with a whole new look and format and I can't wait to see it in print (crossing fingers). Thank god my brother edits the articles for me; he actually makes me sound smart!

In other news, I am still VERY excited about the trip to Colorado! S.O. will be one happy camper when he sees the car drive off into the sunset, my exhuberance (is that a word) is making him crazy! Oh well, he will have 9 days to get over it. I am also still loving my XM radio! I grin from ear to ear every time I set foot in the car. No more C & W or Oldie Moldie music for me! Today I was jammin' to Dire Straits and Joan Jett, life IS good!

Anyway, enough blathering! Today's photo is of my dad's Chesapeake, Lucky. I never met a nicer dog. She gave us 16 years of joy, may she rest in peace.

XM Radio, the only way to go!

I LOVE XM Radio, it is amazing! When you live in a rural area, you are at the mercy of your local radio stations. In my neck of the woods you have two choices; country and western music or oldie moldie soft rock on an AM station. If you know me at all, you know my dilema. I am not a soft rock person, nor am I a C & W fan. More often than not I had a CD in or the radio off all together. Not now!! Not at all!!! Now I can cruise through town with the windows down and the radio ON! Life is SUHWEEEEEEEET!

In other breaking news, only 105.45 hours left until I leave on my trip! Look out Colorado (and Colorado drivers) here I come!

The picture, by the way, was taken last spring above Absarokee. Can you say God's country?

I am SOOOO very excited!

YAY! My XM Satellite radio came today! Life is suhweet! This makes me even more excited about going to Colorado (if that is possible). I think S.O. will be glad to see me go; I'm even more "up" than usual in the days before I go on a road trip. I guess I should try to mellow out around him so I don't annoy him as much....but NAH! I am HAPPY and I shall let the entire world know it.
Speaking of happy, here are a couple of pictures of Shasta (the disasta) on a trip we took last June. She had sooo much fun playing in the water on Butcher Creek. When we got in the truck to continue our adventure, she chose that moment to ""SHAKE"" and water went everywhere!

And one more thing, if any of you out there are as dense as I am about how computers actually work; here is a website that will make it all crystal clear .

Buck Creek

Probably my favorite place to go walking is near my family home in Absarokee. Nearly every time I go up to visit; my dad, brother and Shasta hop in the car and drive to Buck Creek. My brother grabs his binoculars, I get the camera and off we go. We usually walk for a couple of miles and then turn around and come back to the car. You can see from Shasta's reaction that she likes walks too!

Hi hoe, hi hoe, it's off to Colorado I go!

I am so excited. In 8 days I will be leaving for Colorado to attend a seminar on Coal Bed Methane produced water! The added bonus here is that I also get to see my son! I have not seen him since February, so I am extremely excited for this opportunity. I will leave on Sunday morning the 2nd of April and return on the 10th.
I took the skyscraper picture when I was in Denver in October of last year for the Western Wetlands Symposium. I absolutely love my job! It allows me to travel and learn, two things I truly love doing.
The mountain picture was taken in Estes Park. My son's friend Dave took us up there and I had the time of my life with those two boys. We took a whirlwind tour of Boulder, where my son now works, and Estes Park.
We walked all over Boulder and went into a lot of those really nifty shops there. One of the most interesting places was the hammock shop in the Pearl Street Mall. The hammocks there are completely amazing. It was sad to see that the shop was closing but their stuff can be found online. It really was an enjoyable day in every way.
We also went to see the Stanley Hotel, which was the inspiration for the hotel in the Shining. I took a lot of pictures there, but the ones on their site are much nicer. The second picture from the top was taken from the parking lot of the Stanley.
I really loved the Colorado mountains, but to be honest, I think the mountains are prettier where I was born (see third picture from the top).
I was kind of surprised to discover how much I liked downtown Denver. I couldn't stop gawking (like a tourist) at the tall buildings and I really enjoyed the museums that we toured. My son seemed to enjoy squiring me around, and we both had a wonderful time during my time spent there. I will say, however, if I ever moved to Denver, I would require a chauffer. My son says you get used to the traffic, but I seriously doubt I ever would, and I'm pretty certain that Denver is a safer place because I choose not to drive there.

Shasta, the disasta!

This is my brother's dog. Her name is Shasta. She is the queen of her domain. My brother is the only 53 year old man I know whose life is ruled by a fuzzy little mutt (a fact he freely admits). She is a wonderful friend and companion to both my brother and my dad. She is shown here "redecorating" the couch.

This place is going to the dogs!

What BIG eyes you have!

One of my best friends in the universe is babysitting these dogs for his daughter.
Aren't they beautiful?

"Cat" mandu

I wonder what Bob was smoking when he wrote this?

Katmandu, by Bob Seger

I think I'm going to Katmandu
That's really, really where I'm going to
If I ever get out of here
That's what I'm gonna do
K K K K K Katmandu
I think that's where I'm going to
If I ever get out of here
I'm going to Katmandu

I got no kick against the west coast
Warner Brothers are such good hosts
I raise my whiskey glass and give them a toast
I'm sure they know it's true
I got no rap against the southern states
Every time I've been there it's been great.
But now I'm leaving and I can't be late
And to myself be true

That's why I'm going to Katmandu
Up to the mountains where I'm going to
And if I ever get out of here
that's what I'm gonna do
K K K K K Katmandu
That's really, really where I'm going to
Oh, if I ever get out of here
I'm going to Katmandu

I got no quarrel with the midwest
The folks out there have given me their best
I lived there all my life,
I've been their guestI sure have loved it, too
I'm tired of looking at the TV news
I'm tired of driving hard and paying dues
I figure, baby, I've got nothing to lose
I'm tired of being blue
That's why I'm going to Katmandu

Up to the mountains where I'm going to
If I ever get out of here that's what I'm gonna do
K K K K K Katmandu
Take me, baby, 'cause I'm going with you
If I ever get out of here
I'm going to Katmandu

I ain't got nothing 'gainst the east coast
You want some people where they got the most
And New York City's like a friendly ghost
You seem to pass right through
I know I'm gonna miss the USA
I guess I'll miss it every single day
But no one loves me here anyway
I know my plane is due

The one that's going to Katmandu
Up to the mountains where I'm going to
If I ever get out of here
That's what I'm gonna do

K K K K K Katmandu
Really, really going to
If I ever get out of here
If I ever get out of here
If I ever get out of here
I'm going to Katmandu

Sunday: a day of rest

I spent most of my time this afternoon throwing toys for the "kids", then they all took a well deserved nap. The picture is of Goober (black with eyes open--how dare I intrude upon his naptime) and "W" Kitty on the chaise. Aren't they just the cutest things?

Doesn't anyone pet these cats while I'm away?

I returned from my trip to discover that all of my cats were in dire need of my love and affection. Apparently S.O. didn't spend his every waking moment doting on them! What was he thinking? Anyway, this is a picture of "M" kitty and Mini. "M" is saying "I'm ready for my close-up Mr. Demill" and Mini is in the background.

Should you really eat buffalo in Buffalo?

Hello from bea--utiful Buffalo, Wyoming. The city isn't very large but the downtown is truly historic and the Winchester Restaurant on Highway 16 E. is a wonderful place to eat (no, I didn't have Buffalo). The picture isn't of Buffalo though, it is of Beaver Creek, near Absarokee MT where I was born and raised. I just thought it was pretty and wanted to share.

It's a busy life

I LOVE my job! Ask anyone, it's just a fact. But honestly, when I first started in this "biz" I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. The job I held for the previous 11 years required 12 hour shifts, so I thought 8 to 5, with an occassional night meeting--piece of cake! And it is, really, a piece of cake...but not a plain piece of vanilla cake with boring white frosting, it's a piece of homemade carrot cake like my dearly departed mother used to make. Moist and delicious with an incredible icing that literally melted in your mouth. It took her all day long to put just the right ingredients together and it tasted INCREDIBLE! Never the same twice, but always exactly right. That is my job. Every day is different and every day is exactly right.

Why do I say that I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started this job? To be totally honest, I really had no idea that it would take over my life, my heart and my soul. I had no idea that 1 year and 9 months after taking it I would realize that I had never, not ever, taken a sick or vacation day! That is not to say I hadn't been out of the office, I am gone so much for work that my S. O. (significant other) carries a copy of my work calendar in his wallet. But I have not had to take any "real" time off because when I do need or want to be out of the office, I use some of the many, many comp hours I have on the books. I often work 10 hour days, 6 days a week and I love every minute of it. So enough, for today, about work! Suffice it to say that I love what I do, it has purpose and meaning and it makes me very happy to do it.