Pretty good day at work. At lunch I was getting sleepy so after eating I went for a walk around the building while I talked to Bill on the phone. After work we went out for a cheap dinner then headed home. I grabbed Gypsy and headed up the hill on Black Arroyo. 1.8 mile hike up and down the hill. Pretty chilly but it felt good. Then just crash again. I’m off tomorrow and if the weather is pretty I will hit two wheels.
Jodi headed on to work. Jonathan, Danielle and I went shortly after to her hospital to have breakfast burritos. The kids took me to work, we stopped and I filled his car up with gas then they dropped me at work and headed on. Got a couple reports through the day, they had a great trip and made very good time. Not a bad day at work. We were both exhausted so we just crashed for the evening to recoup.
Slept in a little this morning. Jodi fixed another wonderful breakfast, ham and cheese omelets. Headed to Santo Domingo Pueblo through Kathy’s invitation to watch the Buffalo Dance and eat at her aunt’s. We didn’t get to see a lot of the dance because of timing. But right after the dance Kathy had us meet her at her aunt’s. On the way, while walking down one of the streets a lady we met could tell we were looking for something so she stopped us and asked who we were looking for. She was carrying a dish and said that if we had not already had a place to eat she would have invited us to her house. We graciously thanked her and she pointed the way to Kathy’s. Problem was, she was wrong. But the lady there pointed us to a different house. Again wrong. BUT they knew the right place but tried and tried to get us to stay and eat there. I hated to be rude and not accept but Kathy was waiting on us. This lady had a little girl take us to Kathy’s, correctly this time. We say in the front room for a few minutes talking to Kathy, her mother and others. As soon as food was ready Kathy took us to the table where we had some great chili, bean stew, homemade bread, etc. GREAT food. Shortly after we finished we left per the pueblo etiquette I had read. We wanted to watch more dance but we were supposed to be going downtown to the Chinese New Year Parade Jodi had heard about. So we hammered to that for NOTHING!! No parking close so I dropped the gang and drove a few blocks. By the time I walked to where I had dropped them they were ready to leave. They couldn’t see much at all and all they could see was white dudes dancing. NOT the Chinese parade we had hoped for. So we figured we had time to head to Grand Quivira and actually make it this time. We did. MY GOSH what a long trip. And climbing as much elevation as we did the temp dropped a BUNCH!! We all got out and started digging out jackets, sweaters, gloves and hats. Stopped for a few in the visitor’s center then headed around the trail. Very impressive ruins. Around 200 people had lived there at one time. Stayed until time to close and headed home for Jodi to make the boys’ absolute favorite meal, taco rice. And it was classic! Jonathan and I had procured a couple beers we wanted to try, Wyckwood Brewery’s Scarecrow and Fiddler’s Elbow. Both were good but Fiddler’s was the best beer I had had in a long time!! We drank them pretty quickly on empty stomachs so we got a little buzz. When it wore off we tried Belgium Brewing’s Sunshine wheat. Very good wheat beer. Then crashed and went to bed fairly early because we all had to get up early. Jodi had to go in at 0800 me at 090o and the kids needed to be on the road by then.
Stayed up until after 0530 with Jonathan and Danielle. back up at 0830. Jodi made a fantastic breakfast for us all and we just sat around and talked and had a blast. All tired of course. Mid day we headed to the Rattlesnake Museum and messing around Old Town. The kids liked it all. To lunch at Garcia’s. And that is where it happened. As we were getting out of the car I got a text. Almost passed out when I read it. Showed it to Jonathan and told him we had to find a way to get Jodi to call Hannah. Then I decided to text and ask if I had to keep it a secret from Jodi too. They told me she got the text also, she just hadn’t looked at it yet. SO, I opened the text with the photo and showed it to Jodi. OH, the photo, Nora in a white t-shirt that said “Big Sister Nora.” YEP!!! I’m going to be a grandfather again. Due sometime in October. Stephen did good this time, he waited until I turned 5)!! LOL! Jodi almost passed out. Then we took off south hoping to get to Grand Quviria ruins but it was just too late. Turned out to be a long drive to the Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Area to watch hundreds of sandhill cranes, snow geese and several Northern Harriers. Then back home via a stop to look at the “rattler in the median” to relax and go to bed early.
Had a going away lunch for Scott at work today, he’s heading to Irving. Total of 7 hours O/T for the week, I’m tired. Tomorrow will be my last Saturday off for quite some time. Jonathan and Danielle headed this way at 1400 our time. Hauled recycling after work, found $100+ worth of plastic storage boxes of different types, metal shelves and a wood shelf. Weird that all that crap was in the recycling. We’ll make good use of it though.
The opening ceremonies to the Vancouver, BC Winter Olympics was the single most phenomenal production I have ever seen. Period!! Ok, it’s midnight thirty and the kids will be here by around 0200. I better rest just a little.
Pretty quite day. Laundry, dishes and stuff around the house and that’s about it tonight. Jonathan and Danielle head this way tomorrow.
Well, normal busy day until I got called to HR and found out my schedule was changing and starting next month I will be working EVERY Saturday. Good part is, I have been put on full time starting then as well. Almost got stuck with the 10:30 to 7:00 shift so I’m not complaining. I would rather do Saturdays than every evening. Oh well, I have a full time job and it’s not a bad one.
Busy day at work, another 9.5 hours. That makes 3 of my six O/T hours over with for the week. Straight home from work to just relax tonight.
Good Monday at work, nothing new really. Video chat with Hannah and Nora and work on the garage a little.
Weather nothing like yesterday so far, we shall see. I was hoping for another beautiful day for the day I TURN 50!!!!!! A day I wondered several years ago if I would ever see. Since dad and my half-brother Gary both died in their thirties…… But Mike in a few days will be 52 so we have beaten the odds for sure.
I really thought this one would bother me, but I’m really only a day older than when I was 49, a very few hours ago. I own a house now. Again a day that I didn’t think would ever come. Jodi knows that for ME I didn’t not need or want a house but for US and for her it was the right thing to do. I like the location better than I thought I would. Biking will be great, if I want a butt-kicking work out head south and west for hill-climbing, if I just want to get out and stroll on asphalt and concrete head east and north. The views are fantastic. I’m going to get my grill today, hmmm just thought of something. How will I get it home?? Anyway, so I will really start enjoying my back yard, which I have to clean up this afternoon while it isn’t snow covered. I cannot wait until the evenings are warm enough to sit outside. The night skies here at the house are fantastic!!! Back yard was nasty, these people amaze me!! We could never have left such a mess as they did, not just in the yard, for anyone buying a house from us. No way!! Got the worst cleaned up. Discovered a water system for the flowers in the back and found what looks like a pump and plumbing for a water feature. Will have to check this out on a less rainy day!!
Picked out a grill for sure but didn’t bother bringing it home on the rain, we’ll go one day this week. Great birthday with my dollymoo! How has she put up with me for so many years???