Saturday, April 18, 2009

People...people...people....

I am a believer in cellphones. I like them and use them quite often but even as someone that embraces the technology I still firmly believe there are places that should just be off limits. Number One on this list is the RESTROOM. Sweet mercy you are grown ups and you should not need someone to tell you this. It is starting to happen more and more often. If I didn't have to always be a good corporate citizen I would totally start yelling at the stall they were in-- Something like I have to pee can you be silent for a minute :) ....lucky for them I have to behave. But I will admit to walking into a stall, and just for fun, flushing it while they are talking. I won't even get started on how unhygienic that is because I can't get past the gross.

The snow has finally stopped falling and KK decided she HAD to have burritos for lunch and of course I had nothing to make them with so thus a trip outside to shovel. She wanted to help and that lasted about 15 minutes before admitting she was cold and wanted to go in. I finished and came in. We drove to the store and I'll have to admit that driving home was one of the most fun drives I have had in awhile. We don't normally get to play in massive amounts of water on the road and the 4Runner handled it with a grace I hadn't expected. I felt like a kid again stomping around in puddles. Just a whoot! My neighbor is currently using his snowblower to clear the 1/3 of my driveway that I didn't shovel...bless him.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

I know....I know.....

I missed posting the entire month of March, but in my defense I was like uber busy.

I saw today one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen - a man sitting at a stop sign in his truck with what I am almost 100% certain was a gun in his hand and the barrel of it in his mouth like he was licking the barrel of it.

I meant to be very diligent and file my taxes quite early and that plan failed miserably and I managed to do them only a couple days ago. And for the first time in a couple years I am getting a refund!!!WHOOT!

I am excited as my first shipment from my new wine club goes out next week. http://www.pragerport.com/default.htm. I was going to have them add another bottle of the delicious Aria port but alas they are sold out. I am very excited to see what will be in the shipment.

I'd promise to do better and post more but I know better :)

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Ups and Downs

I was going to talk about my company and the ups and down but upon considering that it seems a bad idea. I am not sure what is public and what is not so I'll just avoid the topic and say there are ups and downs.

Tomorrow night is a formal event that I have been lucky enough to invited to for work. My boss invited me with her one invite so I feel pretty good about that, but also it is always fun to get dressed up and network with some pretty highly placed people - not just in my company but the larger companies in Denver. My boss is convinced that I will meet someone I will be interested in. Have I ever mentioned that she is a hopeless romantic?

My dress is I think probably my favorite of the ones I own. It is one of those little black dresses that just make you feel good about your body. I mean Calvin Klein makes dresses that just fit my body and actually make it look decent. Yes thank you Calvin for understanding I have breasts.....

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Looking forward to March

I have a trip planned to Canada to visit a friend of mine up there. I am going to of course head to the Avalanche match while I am in Canada. That should be fun to do with a two big hockey fans who are on opposite teams. And yes I am totally going to sport my Av's jersey in the great north :)

It will be very nice to get away for awhile. I am lucky enough to be able to spend a week there between classes. It's hard for me to believe I am almost half way done with my masters degree. I still have a couple really big choices to make in so far as do I go Oracle or MSSQL? Then when I am done do I go project or DBA? I like parts of both and dislike parts of both.

I am still missing Thomas quite a bit. It is strange to come home and not be greeted by a howling cat who is certain that he is starving to death.

Oh and I finally got the 4Runner in the shop and fixed. It was a battery and a cable issue.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Busy Weekend


Thursday night was an Av's game. Friday was this picture. We headed up very early in the day and had breakfast before hitting the slopes at A-Basin. We didn't do anything crazy and stuck to the green runs but I had a good time. Saturday was another Av's game. By the time Saturday night rolled around I just wanted some down time instead of the dinner plans I had made.

Today was homework and housework and still feeling under the weather. I am not sure the anti-biotics really killed the strep throat that I have had for far too long now. I scrapped the plans I had today to just try and rest.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Saying Goodbye

Last night I took Thomas to the vet because he wasn't himself. He wasn't eating or talking or even going upstairs. I was thinking maybe he was just a little backed up in his digestion system, and while he was it, wasn't from anything that was easily fixed.

He had a large mass attached to his intestines and probably a few other organs. He warned me right away that given Thomas's age - 16 that he has seen a lot of these cases and that they end up usually right back where I was right then. He wanted to take some x-rays to ensure he could confirm what he was thinking and that it wasn't just an enlarged liver or some kind of thyroid issue. It was what he thought and he told me if Thomas was 8-9 then he'd recommend going through the whole process of blood work, ultrasound and surgery, but given his age there was no guarantee and not a very good outlook for even surviving the surgery - assuming the mass ( of cancer) was even operable. He wasn't optomistic that surgery was even an option.

So I did the only thing that seemed to be humane for him. I scratched and petted him while they put him to sleep. He purred from the second we arrived in the vet's office until he took his last breathe, but I wasn't going to leave him alone and let strangers be there for his last moment.

It's so very sad and I will very much miss him.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Try and Keep it pretty and.....

First my new car is still very much new to me. I park way out in the lot every day when I drive it to work ( When my daughter lets me drive it as she prefers the 'big car'). And there is only one little ding in it and sadly I did that one myself....or at least this was true until last weekend when some idiot backing into a parking spot scratched my car from the back wheel well to the middle of the drivers side door, and didn't even leave a note ( at the mall because the 'big car' wouldn't start). You find out when you have a claim how good your insurance company is....and I have to tell you that mine has been just top notch fantastic. The car heads in Monday for the 1k in repairs and yes I have to pay my deductible.

Tomorrow though I am headed to the Broncos and Raiders game.....that should just be a hoot. Goodness help us if we can't even pull it together enough to beat them. It's a busy sports week this week -- Broncos tomorrow, AV's on Wednesday and AV's on Saturday. And I can't even believe it is almost December - where did 2008 go? I am loving my little 14 game pack to the Avalanche. I am totally going to do it again next year.

I am so happy to finally be on break from school until next year. Work is kicking my butt right now, but I'd rather be busy than not. I hope to get some shopping done tomorrow with an old friend from where I used to work.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Habitat and All That

Wednesday was spent on a build site for Habitat for Humanity. I have to also say that Wednesday was the coldest day of the season so far. The wind was howling and whipping around so much that at times it was unsafe to be up on a ladder. Sounds like the perfect day to be out framing windows right? I now understand how to frame a window and have used a chop saw. I must say that I am pretty good at the whole measure and cut thing. And I got to balance myself with a hammer over my head while balancing myself on 3 inch rail while straddling another woman who was in said corner holding up the molding. That took me back a few years to cheerleading.

Speaking of going back a few years I am headed back to good old South Dakota this weekend. A month ago I got a strange call from my best friend from high school and she's getting married this weekend and I am going to go. It should be interesting to go back to that area and see some of those people that I haven't seen in a goodly time. It will be nice to see my folks again and to go back in time so to speak.

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

San Fran, Sonoma and Napa - the Jackie and Michelle Way!

Michelle is being a dear and helping me compose this entry. We are laying in a relaxed well fed state on a comfy bed in our cottage. Now if we were both into girls this would be fabulous but as we are both straight well it is merely interesting.

So I arrived a few hours after she did in the Oakland airport without of course doing something as silly as looking up WHERE the hotel was. I got a bit spoiled on the Europe trip where there was a car that always knew where to take me. Michelle was a dear and left instructions on my phone that should have gotten the normally -- not directionally challenged to the hotel. I on the other hand ended up being escorted by a local who then asked for a tip. Yes it was worth the $2 to get there.

Friday night we decided on tickets to the Big City Improv. The show was in a cute little theatre and after a slight nudge from Michelle I ended up on stage for a skit in the show in a fill in the blank capacity. I thought I was funny as I was laughing so hard at one point I was crying and even circumcision can be funny, which is good because I meant it to be. The other fill in the blank person from the audience wasn't nearly as cool or good as me :). Michelle says so, it must be true.

Saturday - We had a wonderful breakfast of tiny pancakes and then headed off to the Japanese Tea garden. We took in the De Young museum which was right in the same area and then met up with a friend in San Fran for a tasty Italian meal after strolling through Chinatown and Little Italy.

Sunday- This was the day of the big Castro Street Fair. Michelle was kind enough to keep a lady from hassling me, but this isn't a story I'll publish. See me in person, ask and I'll tell. We had some great food for dinner with a fantastic view of the water and headed up to Ghiradelli for sundaes! There is something more than a little scary about Alcatraz even now and probably more so at night as we did the night tour. Very clear weather and just a powerful night.

Monday - Voyage back to the airport and get a rental car. Take off for wine country and Redwoods. Success on both accounts. I felt sooooooooo tiny next to the trees. This was the night of the posh local restaurant with a great wine list. I added a new place to my list of MUST visit wineries.....this will come back again.

Tuesday - Much wine, much food, much fun. Michelle got insulted by one of the workers at a wine tasting. The lady just kept digging the hole deeper and deeper and deeper. It started with her carding me, and ended......I'll just say badly. We bought no wine from there. Michelle and I both needed to buy extra containers for the wine we had purchased. She wasn't buying ANY and I was only buying what I could pack in my suitcase. This plan failed. It was doomed.

Wednesday- We found the must visit place. I was a little concerned when I noticed no hours posted. I little more concerned when I didn't see a tasting room, and then very concerned when we ended up in a room that said 'Office'. The man that greeted us was very nice despite how VERY obvious there was going to be no tasting of the wine. But he told us all about why winemakers do dessert and sweet wine and that you never make any money off of it. He then toddled off to a backroom telling us to stay put. He came back with a bottle that he gifted us with. He said because he'll never make a penny on it. It was his private label. I will tell you that I am now a huge fan of KENT RASMUSSEN which is also in Denver as Ramsey ( I think). We chatted for quite a bit before Michelle figured out that he was the 'man'. We also found a port of many pleasures. I am now in a wine club again. They had the most amazing white port I have ever tasted. It had a finish that left your mouth full of hazelnut. Then that late afternoon we were in the mud....literally. A spa is a wonderful thing. Now we are relaxed and too jello'y' to want to move....but Miss Michelle has just suggested a dip in the pool.....I can move for that...yes I can!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

San Francisco

I am headed out of town to San Fran this weekend. It should be a fabulous trip with the group from Cali. Then for a couple days there is a wine tasting outing to Sonoma and wrapping up with a day at the spa, complete with a mud bath and a mineral bath.

I can't wait.....now if I didn't have to do work on the trip that would be fantastic.

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Almost 2 months -- Really?

I noticed that it has been almost 2 months since I last posted something. I have a busy life but there probably isn't a very good excuse for that so lets see what is going on....

Toddler potty training - Oh yes so close and yet so far.

Master's Degree - Been off for a few weeks but due to hit the books and start class again this week.

Work - I now have 3 direct reports and at least 2 of them are amazing. IN FACT -- one of them is going to start school and be in my next class with me.

Cars - Finally have 2 that are fully functional. Just got the brand new one all cleaned so expect a spot of rain this week.

House and Yard - Always require so much work....thank goodness I didn't get a bigger one on either account.

WOW - Just had my first ding 70.

Oh and I have a 15 game season ticket package to the AV's which I am super excited about...

Lastly I am in a fantasy football league and that will make me much more into football this year!

Now I am off to look after the daughter and read two chapters about software engineering...

Friday, July 11, 2008

Many Firsts Today

Today is the first day I have ever had a car towed. What happened to the 4Runner you ask? Oh nothing it was the brand spanking 2 week old car that wouldn't start. My old reliable wonderful car purred up when I started it.

Today was first time I have ever had to crawl under a car to get my gas cap back at a gas station.

Today was the first time I have slammed my fingers in a door as an adult.

Today was also the first time I have ever told my boss that I think it is time that both of us move to different positions in the company.

Today was the first time I have ever tried to explain to my daughter that she won't be seeing someone again. It is very hard but exciting. She starts a preschool on Monday which is exciting and she is going to learn so much, but she had a fantastic daycare provider and I will miss her very much. She has been wonderful to my daughter and I will forever be thankful.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Slimy, slimy, slimy

Stevinson's Toyota East is just as slimy as Stevinson's Toyota West. I wasn't sure it was possible but it is in fact. They tried to sell me a car with hail damage without telling me it was there. They tried to double the sales tax for my car. They got to keep their car and I will NEVER set foot on another property owned by those slime balls.

So instead I did buy a new car someplace else last night! Now all I have to do is figure out how to get to work and get my new car home. More to come! The car is still at the dealer getting detailed. And it is oh my goodness pretty!

Saturday, May 31, 2008

9 Dresses

I counted this a few mornings ago when the laundry was all done. KK has 9 dresses hanging in the closet and she can't wait to put them on. She's such a girly girl and I suppose if I asked my mom I was at that age as well. Did I mention those are only the dresses that she keeps here at my place? I am not sure the total at her dad's house.

I have quite a few thoughts floating through my head right now and most of them are not fit for posting. I am right now avoiding my final paper in enterprise architecture because I flat out dislike the teacher and his idea of how much work we should be doing in his class. I am after I finish that paper 25% of the way done with my masters degree. I considered taking the summer off and not signing up for a class but I want to be done and have my life back.