All Flushed Out

If this doesn't make you laugh, then well, you have no sense of humor. Read on...

On Saturday, the girls, Ben & I were in Ridgway eating at the famous True Grit Cafe. I was enjoying a BLT on sourdough and great conversation with Ben when our oldest announced that she needed to use the potty and I decided I would follow suit. So, I'm wrapping things up while trying to help Caitlin and turn half way around (so that my eyes are not directly watching the toilet bowl) and then I flush. I turn back around for a second to hear a metalic "thunk" and see a brief spot of green. The light bulb went off in my head, my keys were going down the toilet! Frantic, I stick my hand in the toilet and try to rescue them at no avail. Next, I get out the trusty plunger hoping for a miracle to return the heavy item to the bowl. No luck there either. I was faced with the reality that my keys were being flushed to a treatment facility somewhere. Embarassed as heck, I seek out our waitress to tell her that my keys just might cause them some plumbing problems but not to worry about my keys--they're non-essential. Thankfully, earlier that same day, we had dropped my car off at Big O to have them fix a slow leak in one of my tires. So, my only set of car keys were safe with them. Even so, I felt so dumb. I mean, how do you flush keys? Rings, I can understand, they are small and all but keys?! In my defense, the pockets on the jeans I was wearing are really shallow and things have a tendancy to barely fit. I think that by sitting down and then rising quickly, I caused the keys to shift and fall...simple physics, I suppose.

Okay, go ahead and laugh now! I had Ben, two waitresses and Caitlin laughing at me.

Oh, one more thing. It seems that I got a lemon of a laptop. The second time I tried to boot it up, it won't and the screen gets these pastel stripes all over it. I couldn't hear the hard drive working either. CRUD! I have to send the bloody thing back to Apple, again. This time, I am going to insist on a new laptop...this one seems to be doomed.

First Snow

Montrose just got it's first snowfall of the season. A blizzard was predicted for pretty much the whole state for today and yesterday. We only got a couple of inches here but it blew in so violently. First it was almost totally blue sky, then the wind came up (enough to blow our storm door off of one of it's hinges), the sky turned DARK gray and then the rain started. Soon, rain gave away to sleet and sleet to snow. My eldest daughter, was of course, thrilled 'cause she thought it was Christmas time and wants to go out and make snow angels in the yard. The snow/rain mess snapped a big, huge willow tree nearly in half in my neighbor's backyard and caused my dad's flight to Denver to be cancelled. I guess they cancelled a lot of flights due to the fact that they feared the flight into Denver would be hell. I heard on the news that Denver really didn't get hit that badly but Colorado Springs truly got the blizzard--13 inches in 2 hours. Dang, I'd love that here...enough snow to make snowmen and snow angels. Though, I'm sure it would've delayed my dad's flight even more and he really wants to go to my cousin's wedding so...

Anyway, kinda cool to see the snow, even if it is way early. This has been an odd year for Montrose anyway, lots of rain and gray clouds...you'd think it was Michigan or Seattle.

Thank You Apple!

(I just realized that I had posted on MySpace and not copied them over to this blog)

Well, I just got my laptop back from the nice FedEx guy this morning. I had to send it in about a week ago 'cause it wouldn't boot up for the longest time and then smelled like fried computer parts. So, Apple sent me a box, with explicit instructions of how to package the darn thing and I shipped it off to them. I was kept informed of the entire process and was surprised that I had my laptop back in less than a week. I have to say that I am very impressed with Apple. The associates I spoke to on the phone with polite and knowledgable and now, I have my computer back better than ever with a new touch pad and all. One thing...it is SO worth buying th extended warranty on big purchase items like computers. I don't even want to think how much this would've cost to fix without one (though Apple gives you a limited warranty with every new purchase and the AppleCare that I have goes above and beyond that...but still...). I'm a happy camper.

So, thank you Apple, I am one satisfied customer. You've made a believer out of me! :)

Going to be the death of me!

I am currently seeking employment and came across a very intriguing job in the Montrose paper the other day. It is for a deputy court clerk for the county judicial court. Basically, it sounds like I would be typing up court proceedings. Not very glamorous but, the pay is good and it would be a steady M-F job. So, I hopped onto the website and downloaded the application. Piece of cake, it was, the same old, same old stuff. Well, as I read the job ad, there was a mention of a supplemental form that needs to be filled out in addition to the application for a candidate to be considered for the position. No problem, I thought, how hard could it be, a few more blamks to fill in or boxes to tick. Boy, was I in for a surprise when I downloaded the required form. It consists of 10 very detailed questions. I feel like I'm trying to get clearance to work for the CIA or Secret Service or better yet, going for eassyist of the year. Here's just an sample of the questions I have to answer---
What is your management/adminstrative style? Provide examples of how these philosophies can effect the operation and moral in an organization. Explain and provide examples of how you make decisions.

Holy poop Batman, huh? Sympathy, please. I imagine that their reasoning behind using these questions is to rule out the underqualified but honestly, they just about scared me away and I LIKE to write and have a good vocabulary! Anyway, wish me luck...I have to have this turned in by the 24th of this month.

Thunderous Outing

I totally forgot to post about a trip that the girls and I took with Ben a couple of Saturdays ago down to Ouray, CO. We hopped in the car for a half hour drive south to the Switzerland of America to visit Box Canyon Falls. This is a little city park nesteled above the beautiful town of Ouray. Obviously, there's a waterfall. It's super cool 'cause it thunders thru a steep canyon with a small "box" like beginning and then down a considerable drop. Because of the "box" the water is very noisy and the current quite strong a lot of the year. You can walk thru the canyon and then down to the actual falls where you can see and hear the mighty water as well as dip your toes in. Forget about getting any pictures most days though 'cause the spray from the falls puts water spots all over the lense. Believe me, I tried.

Anyway, we had a wonderful time together. Ben & I had a great, friendly conversation on the way there, even telling jokes and laughing like the good 'ole days. Ben strapped Cara to his chest in her front carrier and spent a good deal of the stroll to the falls staring at his youngest daughter. We had to convince Caitlin to go down to the water, but she was happy that she did as she splashed around in the water and exclaimed at how cool the waterfall was. The only downside was when, on the way down, I backed up into a fence to get a picture and poked my heel on an exposed piece of fencing, thus poking a small hole in my hell as well as a scrape. My on call nurse (read my mom) assured me that I didn't need a Tetnus shot though, thank goodness. All in all, we had a wonderful time! It's these kinds of things that I want the girls to see. Their parents enjoying each other's company--laughing, joking and smiling...

Are they kidding?

My friend Lyla did this and was worried 'cause she looked most like a man. Well, at least she looked most like a WHITE man. I apparently look Oriental. I think I should be very worried! Y-I-K-E-S! I'm going to have to do a Google search to see who this guy is that I supposedly resemble.

To the Zoo We Go!

Caitlin meets the giraffes!
Give me a cracker!--Please!
Daddy & Daughter on a giant mushroom in My Big Backyard
"Guys it's called a hollow!"

Last Saturday, Caitlin, Cara & I met up with Ben in Colorado Springs for the afternoon. We decided to take the girls to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. This zoo is unique because it in set in a mountainous area and you have to walk up some steep inclines to get to the exhibits. I got quite a work out pushing a stroller loaded with a 11+ pound baby, portable cooler and overstuffed diaper bag. We had fun seeing lion, tigers and bears (oh my!) along with monkey and giraffes. The giraffe exhibit was the coolest. They built up decks all around the exhibits so that you were at "head height" with the tall creatures. This way, you could pet them and feed them Wasa crackers. Cait had fun watching one stick out its LONG tongue and try to grab the crackers. Here are a few pictures from our outing. (None of Cara because she slept peacefully through the whole experience)

Got Wireless?

My soon-to-be ex-husband and computer guru was in town yesterday to visit the girls (we had a wonderful time together) and decided to do one of the sweetest things...he set up a wireless network at my parents' house! Now, I can sit in the living room, keep an eye on both girls and blog...what could be sweeter than that? I've been dying to use my laptop, which has been sitting, neglected, in a closet, pretty much since we arrived here. The only time I've been able to use it has been during my rare getaways to the Montrose library where they have WiFi. So, I'm so excited to have my Apple back...PC's just can't compare anymore though, I am finding that there are some things that just aren't totally Apple compatible yet. Ben told me that I could sit outside on the patio and probably get a decent enough signal to be able to surf. Again, SWEEEEET, I say! I love the innovations of the modern world.