Fun weekend.

The pictures speak for themselves. GREAT weekend.

Home Sweet Home

There really is no place like home. Dan & I have crossed off one of the Things To Do while he's "retired". We went fishing on Beaver Lake this morning.

I was so excited to be home that I woke up and got up at 3:30 am thinking I would start my day then. Well that was WISHFUL thinking. I went back to bed & Dan woke me up at 7:30 to see if I wanted to go fishing. OF COURSE!!! We have a lot of things to accomplish yet this summer including taking Connor fishing for the first time (maybe this weekend) & going to my parent's house in Adair , Iowa for the fourth.

There's more cool things on that To Do list but I refuse to think too far ahead... that is the ultimate luxury of summer vacation don't you think!!!!

FLASHG!!!!!!

Reflecting on what I learned in Mile High A.P.

I have a layover here in Denver. Free wireless.. woohoo!!!

A short list of what I learned in the last week:

1) Lisa gets VERY loopy when low on O2.

2) Lisa has next to no short- term memory.

3) I am much much more tolerant of Lisa repeating herself than I am of Dan or anyone else.

4) I would NEVER EVER include any kind of cockroache in ANY sort of insect collection.... EVAR.

5) Love runs deep.

6) My definition of" blended " family has drastically & forever been changed.

7) I have very rarely been mistakenly called Donna (my older sister's name) throughout my entire 52 years of life and I've discovered that I HATE it!!!!!! No.I LOATH it!!!!

8) Colorado has a LOT of cowboy apparel for sale & the kid's stuff is really darling.

9) I can go an entire week and not take one normal, healthy shit and live.

10) You really do get a bit more light- headed (or drunk.. your choice) while drinking at higher altitudes.

Well, from Denver, signing off with initial reflections from an entire week of
" Cuckoo in Colorado ".

Mary...... I really don't feel like FlashG just yet. I need just a little recuperation time. Thanks.

Summer Fun!!

Lisa looking good!!

A great day for Lisa on Friday. She wore ME out!!

Fight the Good Fight

Fight the Good Fight is a great song by Triumph. A lot of history behind that group.


"Keep fighting for freedom and justice... but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cat, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was."

Molly Ivins

Anybody else remember her? A lot of history MAKING from Molly.


Both song & quote somehow represent my sister's life & experience right now.

Maybe when I look back someday, Lisa's wrestling match with life will have taught me something.

For now, Molly & Triumph will suffice.

M

Crazy in Colorado

Cuckoo in Colorado. Count your blessings. I am in crazyville with my terminally ill sister. Every time I come here I become more & more thankful for things. This time I am thankful for:
1) Sanity

2) Safety

3) Freedom

4) Living somewhere where I don't need a loaded pistol under my bed.

Post 'em up.

Pick the bag you are most attracted to & why. For example:

This is the handbag, clutch,tote I pick because.... it matches my spring coat & I can easily stash it in my desk drawer.

The site you should use is:

http://www.ebags.com/

Please post the picture and url of the bag you select.

I am searching right now. May take awhile. I haven't bought a "clutch" EVAR.

Just hit play :)

Funky Tonight - John Butler

Ran out of gas. O. M. G.

I've mapped out this great little ride between our house to Eden Valley and back. It has some nice sweeping curves on it, the roads themselves are in great shape & it takes me through Marty & St. Nicholas.

Heading home today (I turn around in Eden Valley) & as I was passing a corn field with two gentlemen hoeing in it, I suddenly lost all power. Did I mention I was on my motorcycle? I was on my motorcycle.

I downshifted, turned the throttle & there was nothing. I was thinking... WTF ? This is the first time I feel as if I really am justified in using wtf btw.

As i pulled onto the shoulder I realized the bike was turned OFF. As in NOT running!! So I got off, stood to the side of my motorcycle and looked at it in bewilderment. What is WRONG with you I thought?

Then I suddenly realize #1 I don't have any cash with me #2 I don't have my cell phone and #3 I know NOTHING about fixing a motorcycle!

I got back on my motorcycle, checked to make sure that I didn't accidently hit the kill switch (i hadn't) and tried to start it up. It turns over but doesn't start. I put the choke on, tried again, it not only won't start but the battery is now struggling.

This is going to take a little more time than I thought. I dismounted again, took a furtive glance at the fellows in the field to see if they notice me and they seem to be oblivious. Whew!! I have time to check things out and not be watched & if I really have to ask for help, I can.

Now I take my helmet off & put it on the ground & I kneel by it looking at my motorcycle engine like it is some sort of alien or something. I'd never really looked at it before. Did you know that there are a LOT of springs and cables , wires and textured pieces of metal on an engine? I didn't.

But I DO know that there is a reserve setting on what is called a "petcock" and that the "petcock" has something to do with gasoline getting to the engine. I looked on the right side of the bike, then the left, the right again, and the left a little closer. There it is. The petcock. There is an "on" an "off" a "prime" and a "reserve" setting. Great. Could it really be the gas?

I got back on my motorcycle and swished the tank around. I HEAR gas! I opened up the tank, peered in and swished it around. I even SEE gas! How could I have run out of gas???

Since I really seriously know nothing else to try, I put the petcock on reserve hopped on , checked all the controls, turned the key, hit the start button & it started right up. Still not being completely confident that it will be this easy, I quickly remind myself to not only put my helmet back on but to STRAP it on, I get set , look back and take off for home.... slowly.

I suppose all of that took no more than five minutes , probably less, but it seemed longer. To get an idea of how nice this route is, not ONE car passed me from either direction throughout this whole process.

I will carry cash from now on and my cell phone.

Gotta go. Dan's home from fishing & I can't wait to tell him of my adventure.

I am anticipating that he will make a comment about having put the gas can next to my motorcycle last night.

Mary

I felt guilty for a split second.

When I read Holly's and Andrea's posts about having to attend summer school. Then it vanished. Want to know what I learned today?

1) I can sleep until 9:30 if Dan keeps Buster the barking idiot from coming into my bedroom.

2) Jessica has a crazy schedule of working, shadowing PTs and playing softball. Today I learned that since I am treating schedules like poison, I can just greet her when I see her and say "Be careful" when she walks back out the door & she will be fine. She IS 22 years old for God's sake!!

That's IT!!! That is all that I have learned from 9:30 am until 1:25 pm. I don't plan on learning any more today. I'm tired.

Mary

Summer Plans

1) Visit my very ill sister in an insane, almost unbelievable and crazy disfunctional living situation . And look forward to it ... Yeah that is nuts.

2) Visit my Mom who is relatively healthy and my step dad who is beginning to show signs of dementia. Again... I'm looking forward to it. I love them. They are the pillars of strength I lean against and can't imagine life without them but know I will deal.

3) Spend time with Jamie, Ryan & kids.

And, drum roll please, the number one , top of the list summer plan(s)

4) Get to know Dan again. Spend time with Dan doing the things we should have/ could have done in our 20's. Like go camping, ride his new four wheeler 2 up, go to state parks, Iron world, The Hockey Hall of Fame, go fishing early in the morning and again in the evening.

Drink an ice cold beer not because he or I need to de toxify from a stressful day, but just because.

Decide for the heck of it to go eat at the little cafe across from the Fishing Museum in Little Falls because when we ate there a few years ago we talked about how exceptionally clean it was & that it's funny that it's hours are from 5 am to 2 pm.

Summer 2009. Welcome.

I had something to post but I forgot.

It was something that I was going to divide into two separate blogs.

Oops. I'm very brain tired. :(