This evening I went out for another bike ride, under US 36 and up Olde Wadsworth, down 92nd and back over US 36 to 104th. The weather was beautiful, sunshine and blue skies, and the trails were smooth (except the spot going up Olde Wads where the construction kind of took over the path). My bike doesn't like the hills (don't laugh) and won't stay in gear on a steeper hill, even with my thumb on the gear shift. Oh well, it works most of the time and I'm getting out - next year I'll get a new bike in the spring once I figure out exactly what I want.
While we were winding along the trail, we rode between two rivers (well irrigation ditches really but still) and then by two ponds. One of the ponds had a bunch of ducks and geese and one lone pelican. We stopped for a few minutes to watch and he (or she) got shy and swam behind the small peninsula in the lake.
I didn't have my camera, but next time I'll get pictures.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Book & Lover's Day
Today was Book & Lover's Day, my annual book buying adventure that I spend with a friend and a stack of books. This year's treasures are to the left. My plan is to read them by this time next year...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Outback adventures
The last few times I've gone out on adventure with Riley, we went exploring in the open space just north of my house. The first couple times, the late afternoon sun sparkled on the irrigation water and a light breeze blew the short and tall grasses. Riley, both on leash and off, was a trooper, following or leading, sniffing and exploring, and having a good time jumping over the waters, getting lost in the high grass, and following the other little dog that joined us.
This weekend, after all the vast quantities of snow and rain, we went snow-shoeing around my front yard and over into the open space. Riley Dog followed the trail we blazed and got soaking wet needing a brisk toweling when we got back in the house. I had so much fun tromping through the heavy wet snow and climbing on the snow banks left by the snow plows. Both me and Riley needed a nap when we got home.
This weekend, after all the vast quantities of snow and rain, we went snow-shoeing around my front yard and over into the open space. Riley Dog followed the trail we blazed and got soaking wet needing a brisk toweling when we got back in the house. I had so much fun tromping through the heavy wet snow and climbing on the snow banks left by the snow plows. Both me and Riley needed a nap when we got home.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
New Addition
Monday night, my cousin brought me her dog, a papillon. I'm going to take care of him for a while until things settle out in her life. After she and the little miss left, Riley relaxed a bit and stayed very close to me. I had to work Tuesday and left Riles with my two cats, one of which had taken a distinct dislike to him.
The other cat, Alec, couldn't care less. I had really worried about his reaction since when I brought Deke home he flipped his lid. Actually, Alec was the calmest of all four of us. When Riley came up to bed, Alec looked at him and then looked at me as if to shrug. Apparently I've lost the ability to surprise him (which is kinda funny since I just changed his food to help him lose weight on Sunday). He's still calm, sitting about 4 feet from the dog right now and not caring a bit (but wanting the rest of his supper).
After a few days, Riley did stand up to Deke and growled at him when Deke batted him from behind the chair. No blood has been shed, only a few feelings hurt, but now everyone piles into the bed (which is way warmer than before - hoping come summer the puppy and/or kitties will want to sleep downstairs where it's cooler - or maybe I will...)
Thursday, we got some snow. I don't know the actual count, but it was several inches, enough to close my office. I got to stay home with the boys and work from the dining room table. It was pretty cool. Friday we had a delayed start and I even strapped on my snow cleats (StabilIcers) and took the dog for a walk, which he enjoyed immensely. He's getting to know the neighborhood, which door is home and where to turn when we get to a certain point in our walks.
I'm still getting used to mornings in my house, walking the dog, feeding all 3 boys & myself, and getting myself clean and presentable for work all in an hour. The new feeding schedule for Alec has also changed how I feed both cats. Deke decided he liked the Rx food, too, so I had to put it up when I leave in the morning. Deke has food available all day on a high up spot where only he can get to, but I'm measuring it now so I know he's eating. Deke has also expressed a lot of interest in Alec's wet food so tomorrow I'm going to go get some small dishes and some cans of wet food for Deke so he gets some, too (even Riley gets wet food).
So although it doesn't seem like a big change, my immediate family has grown by one and I'm learning all sorts of things about him, my own boys (one of which is now a "middle child") and even myself. I like routines, I like my mornings, and yet, I can embrace change. Every day is an adventure.
The other cat, Alec, couldn't care less. I had really worried about his reaction since when I brought Deke home he flipped his lid. Actually, Alec was the calmest of all four of us. When Riley came up to bed, Alec looked at him and then looked at me as if to shrug. Apparently I've lost the ability to surprise him (which is kinda funny since I just changed his food to help him lose weight on Sunday). He's still calm, sitting about 4 feet from the dog right now and not caring a bit (but wanting the rest of his supper).
After a few days, Riley did stand up to Deke and growled at him when Deke batted him from behind the chair. No blood has been shed, only a few feelings hurt, but now everyone piles into the bed (which is way warmer than before - hoping come summer the puppy and/or kitties will want to sleep downstairs where it's cooler - or maybe I will...)
Thursday, we got some snow. I don't know the actual count, but it was several inches, enough to close my office. I got to stay home with the boys and work from the dining room table. It was pretty cool. Friday we had a delayed start and I even strapped on my snow cleats (StabilIcers) and took the dog for a walk, which he enjoyed immensely. He's getting to know the neighborhood, which door is home and where to turn when we get to a certain point in our walks.
I'm still getting used to mornings in my house, walking the dog, feeding all 3 boys & myself, and getting myself clean and presentable for work all in an hour. The new feeding schedule for Alec has also changed how I feed both cats. Deke decided he liked the Rx food, too, so I had to put it up when I leave in the morning. Deke has food available all day on a high up spot where only he can get to, but I'm measuring it now so I know he's eating. Deke has also expressed a lot of interest in Alec's wet food so tomorrow I'm going to go get some small dishes and some cans of wet food for Deke so he gets some, too (even Riley gets wet food).
So although it doesn't seem like a big change, my immediate family has grown by one and I'm learning all sorts of things about him, my own boys (one of which is now a "middle child") and even myself. I like routines, I like my mornings, and yet, I can embrace change. Every day is an adventure.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday Adventures
This morning, I took Deke and Alec to the vet. This was an adventure for all of us. I closed off the upstairs so no one could get under the bed and I crated each of them up (Deke hates the box, that's all I can say). I faced them toward each other in the back seat and drove them over to the animal hospital. After examination, testing and shots, everyone was pronounced healthy (with Alec's teeth and weight being the exceptions to this). I left with two cats, new tags, Rx diet kitty food (dry and wet) and a kitty toothbrush and paste (which I still have to figure out).
Around 12:30, Jeff came over and we took a ride on my bike with its new tubes and liners (which we got at the beginning of the month - before we hiked up to Standley Lake). Jeff packed my bike next to his in the truck and we went to the water treatment plant to start our ride. Back in December, we started there as well and went west, today we rode east.
It was a beautiful day, sunny but cool, and we rode under I-25 and over to EB Rains Jr Memorial Park in Northglenn. By the time we got back, we'd ridden 5 miles and gone about 12 mph at the fastest. It was a lot of fun, different from the tandem riding but really fun. I climbed into the truck a bit sore and we talked about what we could do to fix that (besides buying a new bike). Once we were back at my place, Jeff dismantled the saddle and pushed it back to give me some room and he had the right allen wrench to loosen the handle bars and raise them about half an inch. I used the regular monkey wrench and attached the kick stand I got at the bike shop (when we got the tires fixed).
After a bite to eat and some ice water, I went down in the crawl space to examine the ground. The neighbor to the north had had some issues with broken pipes and I thought I should check though I hadn't had any issues myself. Everything is hunky dory in the crawl space (spiders notwithstanding). Jeff, meanwhile, started hanging the Silk banner he had gotten out of the to be tossed pile at the office. I helped with holding the appropriate colored tacks and making him laugh. Oh and moving the car (it's on the ceiling of the garage - looks awesome!)
Once the banner was up, I asked one last favor. I had taken measurements of my front patio area but something was off and I couldn't make the numbers jibe. Jeff, my trusty Stanley rule, and I remeasured the patio area, found my two mistakes, and gave me a head rush or two. We also walked around the neighborhood to see what other homeowners had done with their patio areas, some have concrete poured, pavers, or decks. I'd like a deck, but I think well laid pavers will be a more economical choice. Jeff graciously agreed to help once everything is approved by the HOA. My buddy Robin at work has already offered to help me with the planning (she loves construction projects).
So, my current indulgence of watching a couple of episodes of Monk before bed is, in my mind, well earned after all my adventures today.
Around 12:30, Jeff came over and we took a ride on my bike with its new tubes and liners (which we got at the beginning of the month - before we hiked up to Standley Lake). Jeff packed my bike next to his in the truck and we went to the water treatment plant to start our ride. Back in December, we started there as well and went west, today we rode east.
It was a beautiful day, sunny but cool, and we rode under I-25 and over to EB Rains Jr Memorial Park in Northglenn. By the time we got back, we'd ridden 5 miles and gone about 12 mph at the fastest. It was a lot of fun, different from the tandem riding but really fun. I climbed into the truck a bit sore and we talked about what we could do to fix that (besides buying a new bike). Once we were back at my place, Jeff dismantled the saddle and pushed it back to give me some room and he had the right allen wrench to loosen the handle bars and raise them about half an inch. I used the regular monkey wrench and attached the kick stand I got at the bike shop (when we got the tires fixed).
After a bite to eat and some ice water, I went down in the crawl space to examine the ground. The neighbor to the north had had some issues with broken pipes and I thought I should check though I hadn't had any issues myself. Everything is hunky dory in the crawl space (spiders notwithstanding). Jeff, meanwhile, started hanging the Silk banner he had gotten out of the to be tossed pile at the office. I helped with holding the appropriate colored tacks and making him laugh. Oh and moving the car (it's on the ceiling of the garage - looks awesome!)
Once the banner was up, I asked one last favor. I had taken measurements of my front patio area but something was off and I couldn't make the numbers jibe. Jeff, my trusty Stanley rule, and I remeasured the patio area, found my two mistakes, and gave me a head rush or two. We also walked around the neighborhood to see what other homeowners had done with their patio areas, some have concrete poured, pavers, or decks. I'd like a deck, but I think well laid pavers will be a more economical choice. Jeff graciously agreed to help once everything is approved by the HOA. My buddy Robin at work has already offered to help me with the planning (she loves construction projects).
So, my current indulgence of watching a couple of episodes of Monk before bed is, in my mind, well earned after all my adventures today.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Beautiful Saturday
Got out of the shower to the doorbell ringing this morning, not unexpectedly, but early. After getting dressed and letting him in, Jeff joined me for a nice long walk through some open space near my house, up Big Dry Creek trail, past the Bald Eagle habitat (we actually saw one flying - amazing), and under 120th at Federal Blvd. On the way back, I got to see two prairie dogs cheer for me; jumping up with their arms out and shouting "Whee" or "Yay" or something equally exuberant. Happy little fellows. Just before we got back to the car, we saw two coyotes that were hunting prairie dogs in the brush. With the recent local news about coyote attacks, I was glad to stay as far away as we started from them, but these looked healthy and relatively well fed (which I took to mean perfectly happy to stay away from me, too). Still, I was very glad to have Jeff along.
After our hiking adventure, we went to Costco for shopping adventure (got some various stuff, including some Forever stamps) then to Lowes to get a replacement doorbell (which was broken much to my bewilderment). Now it's replaced with an identical doorbell (that works), and Jeff can ring it to his heart's content.
On the hike, I wandered down memory lane with my most recent memory of SPAM, mostly due to Jeff's desire to see SPAM at Costco. I regaled him with stories about "the food of never having to eat again" and other various and assundry tales about the old HLII mud I used to play with my friends many MANY moons ago. Ah, those were... interesting... times.
Later I tried out a new pattern I found for crocheting tiny granny squares which turned out very well (my first trys are usually ripped out and started over at least once). I made one solid square and one two color square and I liked how they both turned out. Now I have to get creative and make some (or find some) patterns for them and I'll be set. Oh and I also got a bunch of chennille type yarn for making scarves at BigLots of all places. Fun stitchery times ahead for me!
After our hiking adventure, we went to Costco for shopping adventure (got some various stuff, including some Forever stamps) then to Lowes to get a replacement doorbell (which was broken much to my bewilderment). Now it's replaced with an identical doorbell (that works), and Jeff can ring it to his heart's content.
On the hike, I wandered down memory lane with my most recent memory of SPAM, mostly due to Jeff's desire to see SPAM at Costco. I regaled him with stories about "the food of never having to eat again" and other various and assundry tales about the old HLII mud I used to play with my friends many MANY moons ago. Ah, those were... interesting... times.
Later I tried out a new pattern I found for crocheting tiny granny squares which turned out very well (my first trys are usually ripped out and started over at least once). I made one solid square and one two color square and I liked how they both turned out. Now I have to get creative and make some (or find some) patterns for them and I'll be set. Oh and I also got a bunch of chennille type yarn for making scarves at BigLots of all places. Fun stitchery times ahead for me!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Cold Weather Crocheting
It snowed Friday night, as I was finishing up with a blanket I'm making for my young cousin. Since then, I've been out to the garage more times than I can count, getting more yarn and colors and trying to find a new (relatively easy) blanket pattern to make. I think I found one in a former co-worker's crocheting magazine from the early 90s; though I had to look up how to make a popcorn stitch. That, and I'm modifying it to make it a lap blanket instead of a baby blanket. Not that I'm giving up my waves blankets (which I love making), just wanted to try something different.
I also found the cutest flowers that I decided to make and stitch onto the aforementioned blanket I made for Caity. I've got a skein of yellow left over from that project so I'm making over a dozen little 1 1/2 inch flowers to decorate the pink stripes on the blanket. Oh, and I'm making two 'doll' blankets, and although Caity doesn't really play with dolls, her T-Rex and African Dog will be warm and flowered.
I also found the cutest flowers that I decided to make and stitch onto the aforementioned blanket I made for Caity. I've got a skein of yellow left over from that project so I'm making over a dozen little 1 1/2 inch flowers to decorate the pink stripes on the blanket. Oh, and I'm making two 'doll' blankets, and although Caity doesn't really play with dolls, her T-Rex and African Dog will be warm and flowered.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Motivation
We had our first writing group of the year at my house today (after a mishap on the ice - banged up my knee). We talked about writing, looked at some old journals (some very old) and discussed motivation.
What motivates your characters? Why do they do what they do? Making the writing about the characters makes for more interesting and more unique writing (not just rehashing something that has been written before and probably better). I've been thinking about writing more lately, not to push it (though I want to finish NaNo 2007 to be printed and 2008 cuz it was a cool story). I'm going to work on motivation (both my characters and my own). Inject some fresh perspective.
First I'm going to get a cheeseburger (sorry Smashburger) for lunch and take another handful of ibuprofen. And watch some NetFlix. But never fear, I will get some writing done - even if it's just writing about everyone's motivation.
What motivates your characters? Why do they do what they do? Making the writing about the characters makes for more interesting and more unique writing (not just rehashing something that has been written before and probably better). I've been thinking about writing more lately, not to push it (though I want to finish NaNo 2007 to be printed and 2008 cuz it was a cool story). I'm going to work on motivation (both my characters and my own). Inject some fresh perspective.
First I'm going to get a cheeseburger (sorry Smashburger) for lunch and take another handful of ibuprofen. And watch some NetFlix. But never fear, I will get some writing done - even if it's just writing about everyone's motivation.
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