2012: Back to Basics - Vegan 101

My unplanned week...

So - I had a week to kill, and no one seemed to be around so, after four years, I finally painted my headboard, footboard and rails.  Four years.  Craziness.  Kenzie was 8 when I bought this bed frame.  I got a steal of a deal on it but it was cream, and if you know me, you know my preference is black, black, black.  Onyx black to be exact.  Can't get much blacker than that.  I love the look of black furniture.  So, when I bought it, Frank commented, "so let me get this straight.  You bought a brand new bed, but we can't use it until you paint it?"  Correct.  I just didn't think four years would slip by before it came to fruition. 

I was supposed to spend my week out back working on the yard with Frank (he took this week off as well), but in the end, he asked me to do just one thing - paint the bed.  So, that is what I did, and it's gorgeous.  I love it every bit as much as the day I bought it, which is a good thing.  I'm glad my style has stayed french country over the years.  I still love our house and the way it's decorated.  Which is good - I have other places for my money to go then into redoing the house. 

So, here's a peak -- before and after...

Voila.  Can't wait to get it in the house and set it up!  More Pictures to follow.

Been a while...

Since I've had time to update the blog.  Man - where does time go?  I was so busy at work last week it wasn't even funny.  Just when I'm changing jobs I get slammed with a zillion court filings.  A skill I won't so much need in my next job.  Everyday was a marathon, but in truth, I prefer it that way.  It's not often since I've been here that my weeks have been like that.  So I might have been stressed here and there, but I enjoyed watching the week pass by so quickly. 

Just one more day here at Wheeler Trigg.  I've said my goodbyes to most of the folks I'm going to miss.  I have lunch today with Janean.  She's a great lady and I took to her right away.  She taught me to play bridge and we've enjoyed each other's company.  Tomorrow is lunch with Mary.  Then it's over.  I'm still a bit in denial.  I've really enjoyed my time here.  Such a great place to work.  Such a nice company to be a part of.  It's the first time I've left somewhere where I didn't feel "done". 

Frank and I spent a nice weekend over the 27th together.  We were supposed to go to Breckenridge but the weather up there was terrible so we stayed home, ran errands, saw a movie.  We planned some of our landscape adventures for this year.  I'll have a week before the new job starts it looks like so Frank is trying to take next week as well so we can hit the ground running and get a good jump start on prepping the soil.  It'll be nice to work out in the yard.  We went to Tagawa Gardens in Parker over that weekend.  That place is amazing.  Every flower you can imagine and the most helpful people. 

Kenzie has a voice/guitar concert this weekend.  I'm excited for that.  She's worked really hard this year.  It'll be one of her first times preforming in front of a bunch of people.  I'm excited for her.  And proud of her for overcoming her nerves to do it. 

Warm Fuzzies...

Wow.  That's about all I can say.  Word of my leaving spread like wild fire around the office yesterday.  The comments I've gotten from people have just been well, amazing.  One of the attorneys who I adore even called me directly to congratulate me and to tell me I'll be sorely missed all at the same time.

It's been really humbling the things people have said to me.  Most of the secretaries were initially shocked and concerned for themselves.  I'm their floater, their substitute...after they calmed down and realized they will have another someone in my place soon enough, then they were sweet in telling me how much they'd miss me personally.

The two hardest people to tell were my boss and my friend, Diane.  Diane and I work together in the CRC (when I'm not at a desk that's where I hang out in the Resource Center).  Diane and I are a lot alike and we get a long great.  We banter back and forth when I'm in the CRC and laugh.  We laugh a lot.  She's had a rough year this year.  Lot's of things going on and we've chatted our way through most of it.  She actually shed a tear when I told her.  That really touched me. 

I guess you never really know what people think of you until something happens to prompt them to tell you.  It's been a really nice, emotional and exhausting, but a nice 24 hours.  Like I said earlier.  I'm going to miss this place, and most of all the people I've come to know.

The wait is over...

Shew - that was a lesson in patience for sure.  In January I got a call from an attorney I used to know over at Holland & Hart, she learned of a job opening (corporate) in the DTC and wanted to pitch it to me.  So I listened.  What harm could it do?  Turns out, it was interesting.  When I came back from Phoenix I met with the gal who had the position and that went great.  Then nothing.  We kept in touch but they were doing some major rearranging of their corporate infastructure and so the position was put on hold.  Until yesterday.  Yesterday I got the call that all things are a go. 

So, as much as I love the firm here in Denver that I work for, this new opportunity is a better fit.  It will use more of my skill set and keep me busy (really really busy).  It's a 1/2 hour from my house, the pay is better and the hours rock.  I can't believe this just fell in my lap. 

I gave my notice this morning.  That was a tough thing to do.  I really like my boss.  She's a great lady.  She was bummed but very gracious.  She told me the door is always open.  That made me feel better.  No hard feelings.  I'll miss working at Wheeler Trigg.  It's like a Stepford firm.  Everyone is happy and no one ever leaves.  Except me, I guess.  More to come as the transition happens.  For now I'm excited at the new opportunity ahead.

Best Book...

I love to read.  I go through phases where I voraciously read anything I can get my hands on, good or not so good.  Then I go through a little dry spell, then it picks up again.  It isn't very often that I end a book and think to myself, "I can't imagine reading another book so soon after reading one of the best books I've ever read."

Melanie has a book club with gals mostly in her ward.  It started off big, everyone having great intentions, but had wittled down to like 9 core girls, which is just about right.  Last month we read "One Amazing Thing..." which I enjoyed, up until the sucky ending.  So no, I'm not recommending that book here.  The book for this coming month's club however, The Book Thief, is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.  It's set in Hitler's Germany and focuses on a German girl who loves to read -- which in itself probably doesn't sound amazing but the way it's told, the rythm of the book, the characters...the NARRATOR.  It was just one of the best reads I've had in a while.  I was sad when it ended.  I didn't want to lose the characters.  I didn't want it to end.  I could have lived in the world post-war with Liesel (the girl) for the rest of her life. 

It's supposedly a YA book.  Along the lines of Hunger Games readers, but really, there was history in there that kids aren't going to totally get.  It didn't feel like I was reading a book meant for young readers.  And that was a treat.  I could picture all the things going on at the time.  The houses, the streets, the war.

Anyway - short and long of it - if you're looking for a good book...this one has my stamp of approval. 

Me and my shadow...

For the last week, every morning when I get on the train, in my favorite seat, a woman comes a long and sits with me.  Now, I don't think I have a right to the seat myself.  I'm of course going to have company as we go along.  But this woman, who I'm sure is a perfectly wonderful person, is well, let's say curv-y.  So am I.  Right.  We probably shouldn't be sitting together.   I know when I spot out a seat on the train at night, I look for an unoccupied one or one that a not-so-curv-y gal is already in.  It's just more comfortable that way.

But, alas, she is my new-found shadow.  She finds me every morning and plops down beside me, pulls out her book, extends her arms, and then, begins a raging coughing fit.  Seriously. 

So today, I switched seats, thinking, maybe she just likes the 2nd row up from the door.  I picked the first row.  She actually moved past me for a second, then back-tracked and sat with me.  Like she was looking for me.  Nothing I can do.  I'm between her and the window.  Egats.  I'll be happy when public trans is behind me...which might be sooner than later. 

Until then -- looks like I'll have to pick a new train car altogether if I want to go shadowless for a day.

...on what he forgot to mention...

so Jake saw the doc yesterday -- perhaps he forgot to mention that on that bench press he did like 12 sets of 10 reps cold - having never lifted before.  The doctor looked and checked and pressed and decided it was in deed muscular, not related to the convex-ness of his chest.  And suddenly, after Jake came home, other things were hurting, his shoulders for one.  So he walked out of the doctors office with a suggestion of ibuprofen and a "get out of gym for a day" pass and encouragement to ease in to weight lifting.  Kids...some days!

Convex concerns

A few years ago we noticed Jacob's chest was growing, well, outwards.  It's called a convex chest.  His sternum is raised and to the left.  We had it checked out by his doctor about 2 years ago.  They xrayed it and said it was just the way he grew and no worries.  It didn't cause him discomfort or anything - maybe just a little discomfort in how his chest looked, but no pain.  Until last night.

Yesterday Jake lifted weights and did bench press at school in gym class.  Last night he was in pain.  In the bone, sharp pain.  He couldn't bend over becasue the pressure got to him.  So, Frank is taking him back in today.  I'm wondering if the muscles that attach to the rib walls aren't pulling on his sternum and causing him pain from the lifting.  If it's something that will happen everytime he lifts that will be a problem for sure.  He's such a skinny thing, he was hoping to start lifting a lot over the summer with his friends to try to beef up a bit.  I really hope that isn't off the table.

I'll report back when we know something.

Suprise...

Gotta love facebook.  I get on this morning to an announcement that Lexy is preggers.  Denise's daughter.  Our "second" daughter.  She was 14 just two minutes ago and now she's all grown up, married, and on the road to becoming a mom.  I'm so excited for her and her hubby, Chad.  It's such an adventure this parenting thing.  Boy, time moves quickly, doesn't it?

Back in the saddle...so to speak

Well, I'm back at work today after a week off.  I'm feeling so so, better than I was for sure but I still have no voice and no great supply of oxygen.  I'm trying to keep the coughing in check right now.  I could use a nap.  That's not going to happen today.  That's for sure.  I am glad to be out of the house though.  One more day of daytime TV and I think I would have surely lost my mind.  My boss was super nice and seemed super understanding.  That's the nice part.  I work for a nice company that is flexible and understands when things like this happen.

Jake is back to school after his one week break and Kenzie is in full swing of week two of her break.  I'm sure she's getting a little bored herself these days. 

I did manage to get out of the house a little on Saturday morning.  I made it over to Kwal to pick colors for the house.  Frank mailed off our application to the HOA today, so hopefully they'll like what we've picked.  We shall see.