Last Minute Travel Plans

We had planned to drive to Vancouver, British Columbia, leaving tonight, but... they are predicting SNOW, and lots of it! So I've scrambled to find flights, extra nights at hotels, and car rentals because nothing is going to stop us from seeing the Rolling Stones tomorrow night.

It's costing a lot more to fly, but two days in Vancouver, British Columbia, with no snow driving worries will be fun! Looks like we might have snow here on Monday when we get back.

Start Me Up!

Oh my gosh! The legendary Rolling Stones were just up the road from my home Tuesday night! They were here for what people are saying was an AWESOME show. Those that are Stones fans and who went to this concert are said to not be able to wipe the smiles off their faces.

Now, I do not own any albums or cd's of the Stones, though I do have a dvd of their last concert, 40 Licks... but, I would have done just about anything to see these guys live!

Tickets sold out in 45 minutes when they were first released this summer.

All day Tuesday, I tried to win tickets on the radio while at work. I even recruited friends who worked across town to listen to radio stations offering contests to win two tickets. One gal at my work lives just down the street from where the Stones were set to play. She offered to stop by the Idaho Center on her way home and register me for two free tickets from the radio station booth, setup in front of the venue.

And sad to admit, I even called the radio station during a non-contest song and spoke with the DJ. I told him that I had actually bought tickets to two previous Stones concerts over the years, and for whatever reason, either they cancelled the show or I had to cancel, so I had never been able to see them. The DJ asked my name and then told me he had to work a break and for me to call him back. Well, I thought that he was joking, and never called him back.

I stayed at work, being very productive, until nearly 7:30pm so that I wouldn't be home alone, feeling sorry for myself for not being able to go to the show. They announced the winners of the drawing for front row seat tickets. I listened with all my fingers and toes crossed, in hopes of winning. After my name wasn't drawn, I finally went home.

Well... the Stones are going to be making up some of their previously cancelled shows. One show just happens to be in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the BC Place Stadium. And, MY GUY bought two tickets for their Saturday, November 25th show there! Oh my gosh! I cannot believe it! We're going to see the STONES after all! I'm so excited, I can barely stand it! Road trip! Happy, happy, happy!

First Snow

We received our first snow in the mountains around the Treasure Valley earlier this week. I'm hoping our winter will be mild, down here in the valley. I do not mind snow as long as it's up in the mountains. We'll see.

From the photo snap of The Weather Channel's US Satellite, looks like we're in for a storm tonight here in the Boise area, through tomorrow. The winds are already picking up, no rain yet. That yellow/orange blob is heading straight for us!

We've had a quiet weekend. Yesterday, we watched our Boise State boys beat the San Jose State boys at San Jose on our local t.v. channel. It was a great game, tied for 20 at the end of the fourth quarter, and in the last 4 seconds, BSU kicks a field goal for the win! 23 -20 BSU! What a game!

What a Week

I came down with what I thought was food poisoning, very early Monday morning and have missed half the week at work. This being our month end close at work, was not the best week to be out ill. I dragged into work somewhere around 11 a.m. Wednesday, and by Friday, was feeling better, missing our close deadline by only 20 minutes, but it was done. I'll only have the reports to run when I get back tomorrow.

Turns out, our valley has an outbreak of the Norwalk virus. I'm still sticking to my food poisoning story, but there is a possibility that I picked up this virus. I did visit with Gramma last Saturday for almost an hour. Either way, I was violently ill Monday and Tuesday. I'll spare you the details, just know, I was the sickest I've been in a long, long time.

Friday night, my guy got in from his run and took me to dinner. The first real food I'd had all week. I decided to just eat what I wanted and not worry too much about my tummy. We ended up splitting a plate of baby back ribs and salad. We each had a loaded baked potato. The whole meal tasted so good!

It was at dinner that I told my guy about my daughter's Christmas plans. He didn't say much. I knew he was worried, as was I, about how this might all turn out. Of course, we both are hoping for the best, and like I said earlier, there's plenty of time to work out our own internal issues so that we can make the best of the holidays. We would love nothing more than to have a good visit with family at the holidays this year.

Well, it's a gray sky and drizzley day here today. Starting to look a lot like winter. Lots of trees have lost all their leaves, some trees are still holding tight to theirs. A good wind storm, and all leaves will be gone. We've got showers, off and on, and about 52 degrees. Earlier this week, we only got up to the mid 30's. Time to get some laundry and housework done, maybe start a nice warm crock of something for dinner. Gotta go... NASCAR is starting!

More Surprises

Last night, I called my daughter after I got off work. She'd been on my mind. It had been a few days since I heard from her and I wanted to see how she was doing. I knew she started a new job last week, working at a record label in Los Angeles. I was excited to hear how that was going. And Friday, she visited her doctor to remove more stitches. So, I was wondering about her.

The first thing she tells me is she's made flight arrangements for Christmas! I wasn't quite sure what she meant. Last conversation she and I had about Christmas, she was going to my brother's home in California.

So, I asked her where she was going.

Boise!

Oh, you're coming home for Christmas.

Yeah! I'll send you my flight itinerary.

Okay.

You're gonna be there, aren't you?

Yes, I plan to be home for Christmas.

Our conversation went on about her Halloween events, photos she took of herself dressed in costume, how her job was going, etc... But, I really was surprised that she was coming home for Christmas, and worried about how I really felt about this. I should be ecstatic with excitement. I'm not. At least, I'm not yet.

Last year, my guy and I went on a cruise to Mexico for Christmas. Just the two of us. We had a wonderful time.

The year before, my guy and I had both taken the whole week of Christmas off work to be with our kids and families. My family fell apart, had a huge fight with us. There wasn't any Christmas with my kids or parents that year.

This year, I will be home for Christmas. I have not asked for any time off work. Though, Christmas falls on a Monday this year. My office is closed that Monday and Tuesday. So I will have a nice, long, four-day-weekend for Christmas.

My parents had initially made plans to spend the holidays in California with my brother this year. So, I wasn't worried about the holiday tug of war between families and all those uncomfortable feelings. But, with my mom's recent knee replacement surgery and follow-up appointments with her breast cancer docs, my parents have decided to stay put for the winter. I'm sure this is the reason my daughter has had a change in her plans. That's okay, no problem.

I'd like to think I'm able to move on. I'd like to believe my family can move on. It's like no one seems to understand... for family sake, forgive and move on!

It was 4 a.m. We were up, wrapping gifts, waiting for my guy to arrive home from his Seattle run. My guy said something that upset my daughter when he walked in the door. She had flown in from Seattle earlier that night. Everyone went to bed.

While at a restaurant for dinner the next day, my kids attacked me verbally in a very disrespectful manner. My daughter was angry but I wasn't exactly sure why, and she was dragging my son in along with her. I tried to defuse the situation there, at the time. It went from bad to worse.

When we got home, I followed my two kids into their room and asked them what the heck was going on! My guy stayed in the livingroom until he heard my kids screaming at me. He only came to my defense to ask what was going on and to let the two of them know it was not alright to speak to their mom the way they were speaking to me.

The next thing I knew, my son is climbing out his bedroom window, calling my father to come get them. My daughter was gathering all her belongings and storming out the front door. That was the last time I saw either of them until we all met with a mediator at the church a couple of days later.

Our family Christmas celebration was cancelled by my father after that meeting. I saw my son for an hour Christmas day before he flew to his dad's for his week with his dad.

So, I didn't want to be here last Christmas. I didn't want to be involved in the drama. I just couldn't handle it. And this year, my parents were going to be gone, my daughter was going to go to my brothers with them. I was just going to work and have a little something here at the house for us. I didn't plan on having to deal with family emotions.

At least it's just the beginning of November, so there's plenty of time to warm up to the idea of my family all being here for Christmas. Forgive and move on... I do keep looking at December 22nd or 23rd cruise departures! Just kidding.

Harley

Harley

Sept 10, 2001 ~ Nov 1, 2004

Our Harley does live on with us, in the lives of Molly, Rodney, Ozzy and Peanut... Molly and Ozzy have his coloring. Rodney and Peanut have his "gold." To me, Molly and Peanut, characteristically look like Harley. But, none of his offspring are as sharp and in tune with us as Harley was. He really was something else.