It’s all how you look at it.
So, to review our last couple of years..
In Sept of 2012 I quit my job and moved to Tacoma for the worst job ever, and to be closer to my mother, who was frail and ill. Spent 3 months living at a friend’s house. Sold a house, bought a house, Dave quit his job and we moved completely in Dec 2012. Quit worst job and got much better job in March. Moved to a new office one month later and mother died two weeks after that. Father got new girlfriend one month after Mother’s death, got engaged, and married in November 2013. Dave’s son Seth was declining in health waiting for a lung transplant so we decided to move back to Rochester to be closer, and so Dave could get his job back as he had a terrible job in Tacoma. Our cat Elvin died in January. Dave moved back in March (car broke down but at least we were close) and we sold our house and I went back to the friend’s for 3 months. Trixie died. Bought a new house. I moved in July. Seth died the beginning on November.
So, on the 100 point stress scale we are now at 172.8. We think, but aren’t sure, that maybe things will calm down now. October couldn’t have been worse for weirdness and I thought that nothing else could happen till I went to Tacoma and had to come right back home because of death. This is where the medicinal drinking comes in.
I think you’ll detect a pattern here.
So, I went to Tacoma and stayed with Nina. We had about one day of hello and goodbye before she left, then I found out I was leaving. But I had a little of this--
Right? That picture speaks volumes. I couldn’t even set up a picture like that. It just happened. I can’t even make a comment because there is so much happening I can’t even focus on one element. (Besides the fact that focusing on one element, for me, is completely impossible anyway)
I met up with the sissies for a Nordstrom run in which we bought all the same shirts-again.
I like to think of this as our Charlie’s Angels pose, without the figures or the hair.
A word of warning here--when searching for group pictures of Charlie’s Angels? Watch your descriptors in the search line. Nuff said.
We had dinner with gpa and the gang.
Right? I also like this one, again, it’s all in the background (Carol helping Grampa figure out his camera..I can’t even….)
This was Sunday and I got back home on Tuesday. The boys flew in for the funeral which was Nov 8th.
Blane was a little confused about funeral wear so we had to do a little shopping. (Cody was all over the snappy funereal decorum)
Even though it was a sad event, very sad and very difficult-they did look nice.
I know, right?
We managed to get through that weekend and the next weekend I was off to Vegas for the Rock and Roll half marathon. It wasn’t like I was worn out or anything. Not me.
Here’s our little group with our custom shirts-That would be Cathy, me, her cousin Jenni and our friend Randy. What a group we were.
This is a close up-it was Cathy’s birthday, although the real celebration started the following day. (Don’t worry, I have pictures)
Here’s the rest of our group-that’s Tiff and Ali on the end. You must recognize them from many other races and, of course, Ragnar.
Yep. The giant Rock and Roll guy. I saw him at the half way point in Seattle a couple of times.
Macklemore got us pumped up!
The start line. And oh, by the way, race starts at 4:30, not 4. Thanks to the random person who pointed that out to us when we expressed our confusion over no one at the start line at 3:58 when the race started at 4. Which it didn’t. Which we were told. So I had plenty of time to get a picture at the start line….
My attempt to take a picture at about mile 10 of the strip at night. Not so good. I was in a hurry for some reason.
Did I also mention it was the coldest day of the year in Vegas? Temps in the 70’s till we got there. Then down to the 50’s with a frost warning. Because that’s how we (rock and) roll.
The next day was clear and still a little cool but at least the wind quit howling through our window. (Oh, did I forget to mention the wind-that too)
We stayed at Caesar's and spent some time at the Forum shops where, after the race, we saw a crazy show--
A statue that throws fire. Dang. I couldn’t follow the story but the talking statues and water feature and fire-Well, it was all so Vegas. Oh, and I bet on the Packer game and won 38 dollars. Wheee.
I can’t even begin to describe our Monday in text, but they say pictures are worth a thousand words…..
10 AM
My personal favorite
10 PM
Do you see a progression here. Yeah. That represents about 12 hours on the strip. Twelve. Hours.
Happy Birthday Cathy!!
It was so much fun that I can’t even describe it. Really, it was.
Things we learned in Vegas
You have 20 seconds to replace the booze in the fridge before you are charged 80 dollars for liquor.
It's "Fieri"-not " Ferrari".
You can't get popcorn after 9.
The use of the coffee maker is free but the coffee is not.
The race starts at 4:30.
Don't karaoke after a day of drinking vodka.
And most importantly---
No matter who pays the bill--you will always be considered the Burns party—”Front Desk. Hello Ms Burns. What now?”
That’s really how it all went down. We came home Tuesday via Dallas.
On Saturday, yes the following Saturday, we went to the Season’s Hospice Gala. And what a Gala it was. Three cosmos and a couple of scotch and waters later we were ready to bid.
First we bought a mystery bottle of wine. I picked out what I thought would be a good one-a really good one-and this is what I got--
I don’t even know how that happened. My cousin Janet’s comment was “Personalized, how nice”.
We bid on 4 things, two of which we really wanted. We were down to the wire, it was a nail biter, and we were a little tipsy, but we got what we really wanted--
That is what I am talking about. 4, count em, FOUR tickets to the Packer/Detroit game, club house indoor comfy seats. Funny that there wasn’t a big bidding war on these babies. Then again, we are in Minnesota.
We also got a camping package which had a chair, blanket, and a couple gift certificates-one to the Butcher Shoppe where we bought our Thanksgiving Steaks.
Just because.
Lastly, I have finished all the blocks for the shop quilt. This Thanksgiving I am finishing the whole thing. All 40 billion pieces of it!
There are 7 more blocks done.
And I picked up a couple of yards of monkey fabric. AND there’s more where that came from!!
So, that’s the catch up blog of the month. We hope to slow down, but then of course there’s Christmas, oh and did I mention Blane turned 30 somewhere in there? Yes he did.
Jack, on the other hand, has remain calm, cool, and collected.
Happy Thanksgiving--
(Because 6 AM was not too early)
