I Was Stunned and Amazed; My Childhood Memories Slowly Swirled Past

Well, I didn't make it to Ohio. With such short notice, a flight out of Denver on Thanksgiving weekend was a bit hard to come by. I did find single seats available, but I was advised that those single seats didn't actually exist and that if I actually showed up to claim said seat that I would find out that the airline had actually overbooked, leaving me hanging out at the airport for some unknown length of time. Or, even worse, I could have gotten a flight out of Denver but then stuck in who-knows-where trying to get a connection to Ohio. There was no way I was driving. That would be a two-day drive by myself just to get there and then turn around and drive two days back. My parents didn't want me to even attempt a trip by any means of travel. After several conversations going back and forth, we decided that it was best in reality to just stay put in Colorado. Personally, I had no problem trying to get out. I was worried about getting back. Reading in the news today that Denver International Airport saw the highest amount of traffic in its history on Sunday at least lets me think in some way that my final decision to stay was the wise choice. My family understood.

So, I stayed in Colorado and despite the obvious being on my mind, it actually turned out to be a fairly nice Thanksgiving. I had a day off alone with the girls on Wednesday, which was fun, and on Thursday we totally chowed down on some turkey and other traditional dishes. The weather was nice over the whole holiday weekend, so we took a short hike on Friday up to the Fort Collins "A." For those of you unfamiliar with the beautiful city of Fort Collins, there is a giant letter "A" painted on one of the foothills to the west of town. The "A" has been there since Colorado State University was Colorado A&M and stands for "Aggies" as students were previously known prior to becoming Rams. Here is a swell article about the painting of the A. Anyway, we hiked it. Here are some pics:

Approaching the "A." This picture does not do the actual climb justice. Trust me, it is a lot more steep than it looks here...

Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium, as seen from the "A"

On Saturday we decided to relax and take in a movie. However, since there was slim pickings between what we had already seen and what we could realistically take the girls to, we ended up seeing a movie so dreadful that I am embarrassed to even mention the title here. I had low expectations going into it, and even that bar was set too high. A half-hour into it and I was looking at my watch to see how long towards the end. But, the girls seemed entertained by it and hopefully being exposed to it didn’t permanently lower their IQ levels.

Sunday was another down day pretty much spent getting ready for another full week of fun at work and school. Somehow those long weekends never seem long enough. Oh well, only a couple of more weeks until we get days off for xmas and New Year's. At least I've got that going for me. After that, it's the long, hard slog towards Memorial Day...

You Run and You Run to Catch Up with the Sun, But it’s Sinking

My grandfather passed away Monday. My mother called me early yesterday morning to let me know. Although the call was unexpected, the news wasn't. His health had been failing for a while now, and with my grandmother passing almost a year ago, we knew he would be following soon. He began having stomach complications on Friday and my uncle checked him into a hospital. He made it through the surgery, but not the recovery. His heart failed yesterday.

This is all weird to me because I just spoke with him a few weeks ago on his birthday. We talked about my girls and xmas and how he was doing, etc. He seemed very upbeat, though he admitted he was still feeling very lonely at night. Perhaps the holidays and the anniversary of my grandmother's death were just too much for him. I know he was ready to go. He let us know on several occasions. He even had a "do not resuscitate" order, which was violated twice before they finally let him have his peace. He was my last grandparent to go.

Each xmas my family bakes huge batches of sweet rolls. My mom even freezes them and mails them out to us in Colorado. We've been doing this as long as I can remember. I always thought it was because they are super yummy, but later on I found out that there is a history behind this tradition. During the Great Depression, my great-grandfather deserted my grandmother's mother and her five children. The only thing that my great-grandmother knew how to do to support the family was bake. So, she would bake goods and my grandma and her sisters would go door-to-door selling them in baskets. They lost everything, but the family survived. Instead of dwelling on such a dark period in her life, my grandmother instead turned this into a joyful symbol of perseverance. Each holiday season, we eat the rolls to remind us of our blessings. This year I am going to make them with the girls.

My grandfather's family also lost everything in the Great Depression. Being a little bit older than my grandmother, he went to work for the Civilian Conservation Corps, a works progress program initiated by the Roosevelt administration to relieve unemployed laborers. He told my grandmother that he wouldn't marry her until he earned enough money to buy back her family's farm. He eventually did buy back that farm and the two were married. They lived on their own farm in the Ohio valley and raised three children: my aunt, my mother, and my uncle. My grandfather was a rural postal worker who walked his own country route sometimes with miles between mailboxes. My grandmother initially worked for the phone company as a switchboard operator and later in life became very involved in local politics. That amazing lady had a whole list of accomplishments under her belt, with most of them starting out "First Woman to..."

My grandparents witnessed the Great Depression, five wars, the Cold War, various economic and oil crises and unprecedented social change in the world. They survived their respective cancers, strokes and heart attacks. They lost a daughter when my aunt died in a car accident 15 years ago. Life was hard, but they persevered and both lived very long lives.

However, for all of this perseverance, they were both eventually worn down by the mercilessness of time. Is there no bigger enemy than time itself? Regardless of who we are or what we've accomplished, we all must succumb to the inevitability of its passing. I have accomplished a lot in life, but I have a far ways to go before I could even begin to compare myself to either of those two individuals. I have a tradition to maintain, and I don't mean just baking sweet rolls each xmas. I must persevere and, in their honor, continue to live my life to the fullest despite the hardships that life may bring. They came from nothing and gave us everything. I must not squander that opportunity. It is the greatest gift they ever gave me.

So, I may be spending Thanksgiving weekend in Ohio this year, depending on whether or not I can get on a flight last minute on the busiest traveling holiday of the year. As you US readers gather around with your families this Thanksgiving, please take a moment to cut through all of the annoying relatives, badly cooked dishes and the Kansas City Chiefs losing horribly to the Denver Broncos and appreciate the matriarchs and patriarchs of your respective clans. We all have stories of hardship to tell, and I'm sure they'd be happy to know that their own perseverance has not gone unnoticed.

I Myself Have Found a Real Rival in Myself; I am Hoping for a Re-Arrival of My Health

Sorry, no post yesterday. I know, I've been bad lately, but I've been super crazy busy here at work. The Big Boss Lady keeps throwing projects at me but never gives me a chance to finish the first one before she hands me another. Of course, they are all top priority so I'll have to explain why I didn't finish on time when she asks for them. I don't think "because you kept giving me all of this other crap to do" will go over so well.

But work is lame. Let's talk about some other stuff. Hmmmm... what's going on in the life of John... Well, last weekend the Mrs. and I climbed Horsetooth Rock. Horsetooth Rock sits atop Horsetooth Mountain and overlooks the beautiful and lovely City of Fort Collins, Colorado. It is called "Horsetooth" because I guess a long time ago someone thought the peculiar rock formation resembled the lower part of a horse's jaw. The rock is extremely visible from Fort Collins, and many streets and landmarks are named after it, not to mention the absolutely gorgeous Horsetooth Reservoir.

As far as Colorado mountains go, it is just a baby. It is only about half the size of some of the really big peaks that we have around here, but it was still a pretty good hike. It is about 5 miles round-trip and we were up and back down in about 2 ½ hours. The view is magnificent from the top, as you can see the entire layout of the city below to the East, Rocky Mountain National Park to the South, Wyoming to the North and tons more beautiful hills and mountains all to the west.

But forget all of that; let's get to what you really want to see. Here are some pictures:

Here is a picture of Horsetooth Mountain from the road to Horsetooth Reservoir. The jagged formation on top is Horsetooth Rock.

Here is a pic of Horsetooth Reservoir. This shot was taken this past summer. The water is a whole lot lower right now.

Here is the Southwest view from atop of Horsetooth Rock. You can see snow-capped Long's Peak and Rocky Mountain National Park off in the distance.

On top of Horsetooth Rock. It was fairly breezy up there.

I've done the hike several times before, but it had been several years. I love to hike, but with the little ones it is hard to get out sometimes. We took them to RMNP a lot last summer and did a few short trails, but until their legs get a little longer, we won't be doing any extreme treks any time soon. However, my wife has a friend who used to be really into hiking with her husband, but they haven't been out much lately, either. So, we hooked up and did Horsetooth Rock with them and made plans to take on more. As an added bonus, they have a teenage daughter who can watch the girls while we are all out. This is a very cool development, and I am looking very forward to getting out into nature a whole lot more than I am now.

Where the Scream of the Bold Mountain Eagle Responds to the Notes of the Dove...

Is the Purple-Robed West, the Land that is Best, the Pioneer Land that We Love...

Well, mid-term elections were held here in the US yesterday. Now that they're over, we can all optimistically look forward to a nation-wide change towards relative peace and civility. What? No, I wasn't talking about the power of congress changing hands. I meant that all those political attack ads are going to be finally over.

Since the time change a week or two ago, I have had the pleasure of getting to watch the sun rise every morning during my commute to work. As the sun lifts up in the east, the mountains to the west of me begin to reflect a red/purplish glow accented by the whiteness of their snow-capped peaks. As long as I've lived in Colorado, witnessing picturesque moments like these have never ceased to strike awe in me. These truly are Katherine Lee Bates' "purple mountain majesties." Man, I love living here.

It's autumn here in Colorado, which (similar to springtime) means that we get lots of fun fluctuations in weather. For instance, today they are predicting a record high temperature of 80 degrees F. On Friday we will be getting snow. Saturday, sunny and in the 50s. Sunday? More snow. Sure, that is one of the endearing little quirks about living in the paradise of Colorado, but it seriously throws my sinuses out of whack. Not to mention trying to figure out to wear. No joke, the temperature can swing 40 degrees within a few hours. I've determined that the best way to deal with it is to dress in layers. For instance, I am currently wearing a T-shirt and shorts, with dress pants and a button-down shirt over that, then a sweater, and finally a snowmobile suit, a pair of choppers (Minnesotan for mittens over gloves), a wool cap, scarf and fur-lined goulashes. That may be overdoing it, but at least I'm prepared for any type of weather. Well, except for a flood. I better add a life preserver to that list tomorrow.

Speaking of weather, there is a winter weather-related phrase that bugs me. When it is particularly frigid outside, it is not unheard of to hear someone remark, "It's cold as hell out here." I know you've heard it. I've probably even said it myself. However, this doesn't make any sense. Regardless of your religious leanings or personal beliefs, I think we can all agree that the traditional Christian depiction of Hell is one of fire, brimstone and other generally hot things. So, when you say it is "cold as hell," doesn't that actually convey the exact opposite of the message that you are trying to get across? I propose that we alter the phrase so it makes a little bit more sense. Instead of saying "it's cold as hell" we could say "it's cold as Minnesota out here." Sure, I know, that takes a lot of the bite out of it, but I think that we can all agree that it is much colder in Minnesota than in the generally accepted description of the Christian devil's abode. Plus, anyone who has spent considerable time in Minnesota (especially in winter) can vouch that it is a fairly viable substitute for Hell. What do ya think?

And speaking of segues, my sister who lives in Minnesota (as opposed to my other sisters that I don't have) called me last night to let me know that I am going to be an uncle again. A big congratulations goes out to her along with a huge "best of luck" since this is going to be kid number four for her. You see, she already has three boys. I give it up to her because I think that my two kids can be a handful. I couldn't imagine having four. She's pretty excited, though. She really wants it to be a girl. I'm crossing my fingers for you, sis, but I think we all know that it's going to be another boy ;-)

And boy, this post is getting long. I better go ahead and publish it now.

Come Monday It'll Be All Right...

So, I let another week slip by in between posts. I know I've been really bad lately. I was off of work Wednesday thinking I would get my car back that day, but that turned out to not be the case. I was back at work on Thursday, but that turned out to be such a horrible day that I barely had time to access my blog much less post to it. Friday I was off for my final week of Access training, so I didn't post that day, either, and before I knew it, it had been another week.

I took Wednesday off to be home with my oldest daughter, who didn't have school that day. I had planned on dragging her all around town to pick up my car and to return the rental. However, the mechanic called early that afternoon to tell me that one of the parts that they supposedly overnighted didn't come in so they had to hold the vehicle another day. No problem, I'll just keep on paying for that rental car. Take your time... Actually, the mechanic guy wasn't that bad, but I was really hoping to get my car back. I mean, when you own an elite driving machine like the Kia Rio, it is hard to be away from your baby for too long...

I came into work on Thursday (in the rental car) to find that while I was out IT had taken the liberty to upgrade my computer. Ok, I understand that it has to be done, but I REALLY wish someone would talk to me first before they decide to re-image my hard drive. I lost everything. I lost all of my files and all of my programs. Now, that in itself would be annoying enough, but Thursday is the day that I upload the receivables website. With no files and no programs, that ended up being quite a difficult task. Eventually I was able to recover the majority of my files (they backed up to the wrong location, which prevented them from coming back initially) but my programs were lost forever. Some I was able to re-install, but others I'll never see again. On top of that, my computer has been running goofy ever since. Good thing that all of this technology has made our lives easier, or else I would never be able to handle all of the stress caused from dealing with it.

I finally got my car back Thursday night. After several pushbacks and delays, I was finally able to liberate it from the mechanic as he simultaneously liberated a hefty sum out of my bank account. The repair bill coupled with the two-week car rental charge came out to be quite a significant chunk of change. But now I have a new(er) engine, a new clutch, a new fuel line, a new timing belt, and lots of other replaced and/or repaired items. The only downside is that it cost me over half of what I paid for the car brand new to get it all...

Big congratulations to Kat and her BYU Cougars. I won't diminish BYU's deserved win over my alma mater by lamenting Colorado State's embarrassing downward spiral after such a promising start this season. BYU is playing very well this year and looks to take the MWC. Good job. The University of Tennessee, however, dropped a HUGE game with LSU by letting them score with 8 seconds left. Before the game they were looking to take the SEC and were BCS eligible (perhaps even national contenders). Now... maybe the Citrus Bowl. Lame.

On Friday, I had my last MS Access training class at the local community college. I went off-campus for lunch to avoid being labeled geriatric by members of the student body again. While I successfully survived the seminar without anyone offering me a membership to AARP, I did get a reminder of my mortality later in the evening when my 7-year old daughter beat me for the first time on a video game. I knew the day would come when the student became the master, but so soon???

Bonjour a mes lecteur de France. Merci pour lecture mes blog. Ecrire un reflexion, s'il vous plait. Je interesse en ouie de vous. Oui, Je sais me Francais est terrible...

Well, that's the summary for the past week. Hmmm... maybe this one post a week isn't that bad. It keeps the subjects short and gives me plenty to talk about. Then again, I don't want to keep you guys longing for more Inaction for a whole week at a time. I'll try to at least get two posts out this week. Now I have to find something interesting to do to write about...