Life on the High Plains

I did it!  Yesterday my advisor confirmed that I am registered for my final two classes.  I was cleared to apply for graduation.  The end is in sight!

I had quite a productive day today.  It started early this morning when I got up early to finish my homework assignment for this week.  I submitted my homework around 7:30 a.m., had a little breakfast, and then thought it would be fun to put up the Christmas trees. But it's just not right to put up your Christmas decorations while the fall decorations are still out.  So first I packed up the fall decorations (which had been out all of five days). While doing that I noticed my closet.  It wouldn't be right to put up Christmas decorations while my summer clothes are still hanging in my main closet.  Okay, time to switch out the summer clothes with the winter clothes.  But it wasn't good enough to just switch them out, I have to go through them and apply the 12 month rule--if you haven't worn it in 12 months, it's highly unlikely you'll ever wear it again so it's time to get rid of it. Two hours later I was done with that chore, then ...

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving today!  I even found the time to decorate our table so that it looked beautiful and festive.  As an added bonus, our nephew, Ryan, who is going to school in Golden was able to come spend the day with us. I'm still in denial that I actually have to work tomorrow.  With the markets closing at noon I'm not sure what we're supposed to do all day.   Keep your fingers crossed that the boss lets us leave early. No Black Friday shopping for me this year and I don't even mind.  I think it's horrible that these big box stores are opening earlier and earlier and now employees have to work on Thanksgiving day rather than having a day with their families. Anyway I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  Tomorrow we'll have to worry about working off those extra calories.

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is the day after tomorrow.  I'm kind of feeling blah about the holidays this year. Maybe it's because the weather is not very Thanksgiving-like.  It's supposed to be 70 degrees on Thanksgiving.  I still haven't switched out my summer clothes with my winter clothes.  It's too warm to even think about wearing a sweater or a wool skirt.  I'm not complaining about it not being cold, I love the blue skies and warmness, but we really need some moisture in the form of snow. Maybe it's because I've been so busy at work lately.  Not a spare moment, ever.  This year for the first time we have to work the day after Thanksgiving.  I'm kind of bummed about that. Maybe it's because my fall decorations are still sitting in a box beside the dining room table.  I had good intentions of decorating the house for fall, but it still hasn't happened.  Maybe at this point I should just forget the fall decorations ...

We had a really great fun-packed weekend.  It started Friday night at the last home game of the season for the Air Force Falcons.  Irv and I decided we would brave the cold and go to the game.  It was about 38 degrees at game time and the temperature continued to drop.  We only made it to half time before we thought going home sounded really good. I have a friend at work whose niece is going to school to become a nail tech.  She is really needing people to practice on so I made an appointment for a mani and pedi on Saturday afternoon.  After 3 hours I was finally ready to leave.  Although it took a long time, I thought she did a really good job.  I especially like the little pearls she put on my ring finger and thumb to jazz it up a little bit.  I'm going back in two weeks to have my Christmas mani. Mr. Beans came to spend Saturday night with us and we took him to a concert that has become a holiday tradition with us.  Tr...

When we got home from Hawaii I was kind of disappointed in the quantity of photos I took while we were there.  My best pictures weren't of people, but of flowers and trees.  I think because we live in such an arid place, I'm always amazed by things that grow in places that actually receive rain. On one of our days in Hawaii Irv, Jillian, and I ventured out to a winery that makes wine with pineapple.  After visiting the winery we stopped at a lavender farm (Irv was thrilled).  I love lavender and I was really excited to see fields and fields of lavender.  Disappointment!  Apparently lavender isn't in season right now.  The disappointment didn't last for long though because the farm had a very nice botanical garden with all kinds of flowers.  My camera and I had a great time.  Here are some of my favorites.    Of all the pictures I took, the one below ...

This has been quite the week.  My jet lag continued through most of the week, but thank goodness, I finally have started sleeping at night again. After getting back from Hawaii, our refrigerator decided to quit.  Since we've had it repaired twice in the last eight years, we decided it was time for a new one.  Irv's negotitating skills came in real handy because he got me a new stainless steel side-by-side refrigerator for only $720.  The only probably now is that the dishwasher and range don't match.  Our dog, Cody, had to be rushed to the ER on Thursday night after a fall that Irv and I thought broke his spine.  Upon running out of our house at full speed in pursuit of a rabbit something caused him to fall and his hindlegs to stop working.  It was very scary.  Although neither of us said anything, we were both thinking we were going to have to put him down that night.  After numerous x-rays, the vet determined nothing was broken...