Why Does Winter Contain the Word "Win"?

Dear Mother Nature…WHY must you hate me with such ferocity? WHY must you continue to suck and send droves of snow? Why do you tease with the option of melting and sunshine only to change your mind and dump a TON of snow on to the freshly melted ground. I couldn’t snow blow very well because the snow would fall back into the path I had just made, it felt like I was not making progress. It’s going to be a long winter.

This week was birthday weeks for special people in my life. Mel joined me at age 27 and Sheri just stayed old. We didn’t do anything special but will be post-partying to prolong the celebration.

I also spent some time at home with mom who recovered from a proactive surgery. I tried to take as good of care of her as she gave me when I was little and even though I threatened to slam her head in the car door, I refrained from such actions. We did learn something valuable; I suck at building a fire.

On Friday, I was picked up and carted back to Minot. Scott, an old friend (we’ve known each other for a long time and he’s older than me!) decided we should spend time together so I stayed until Sunday. We will be spending more time in the future together, he decided and I agreed! He took me to the wine bar, which didn’t exist when I was in Minot. It was a nice little place, very low key. We also made a stop at the “O” where I once dealt blackjack-it hasn’t changed much.

This week, I’m playing catch-up but my morning started out nice because of the flowers that are sitting on my desk. It’s a gentle reminder that winter cannot last forever. Right?

"If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"-Percy Bysshe Shelley

Shoveling Snow, Fabulous Friends, Crazy Cat

I think snow and I are moving into a different phase of our relationship, moving beyond where I hate snow to where both we hate each other. Shoveling is not fun, snow blowing lost its novelty a long time ago, yet I continue to practice not detesting it. I think this week I was out there almost everyday. I’m beginning to wonder where I’m suppose to go with the next covering.

I attended a fundraiser training this week and that was amazing but the highlight of my week was hanging out with good friends. On Friday night, Aubrey and I went out for some early martinis and then went to a bar called the Rock for Trivia, which I will admit was WAY better than I planned it to be. On Saturday night, Mel, her boyfriend, and I headed out to Army’s for the band Two Days Notice. They were a great band but it was a weird night, there were more creepy guys than normal, but there were guys that also knew how to fast dance. I guess it’s like ying-yang, you need both?

The big issue of the week was not creepy, inappropriate men…it was TonyDanza. Him and I were hanging out watching a movie and all of the sudden I realized that he was badly drooling, all over himself and me! I ended up taking him to the vet. She thought he ate a plant or bit an extension cord but I think he might have tried to lick a glass that he had knocked off the counter and broke. The drooling is now back to an acceptable rate, good! Silly cats!

"A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water." -Carl Reiner

Winter Blues Be Gone.

I feel like I’m living a 2AM song…”For as long, long as she can remember, it’s been December. This weather is ridiculous. I’m tired of cold, snow, and today, now, rain. Boo to shoveling and boo to compacted snow and boo to ice.

This week, I had a treat at the end of the week. Mom, Dad, and Alaina came out to Dickinson with a herd of bulls for their third annual Bull Days. The event has been going on for 12 years and Mom and Dad have been coming out since I’ve been in Dickinson. It was nice to visit a bit over a bowl of chili!

I also worked on a few project at work including the NDYP website, an adult leadership class (Leadership 20/20), a high school leadership class (Leadership Dickinson), and took a few YP meetings. These included an exec meeting, a power lunch about finances, and a wisdom team meeting.

Besides seeing my family, the other highlight was going out for drinks with a group of friends. We went out Friday night to celebrate drinks and friendship. It was nice to have great conversation with a diverse group of people.

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right”—Oprah Winfrey

2011: A fresh start....covered in snow.

First blog of the New Year….2011 smells of promise and newness. I have big hopes.

A few things have already happened in the start of the year. I took a quick trip home to help shave bulls for Mom and Dad’s upcoming Bull Days. They’ll bring a bunch out to Dickinson and then they’ll have a day the following weekend in Bismarck. I also worked on their poster for this year.

We’ve had a ton of snow already this year, in fact, I’m wondering where the snow is going to go if we get more! I have the winter blues. I need some sunshine and warmth. I woke up to a driveway and sidewalk missing because it was covered. Boo. Makes me superglad about the snowblower everytime though!

Alaina and Mom also went down to Denver to represent ND in the National Hippology Contest, which is not the study of hippos! They took in the Denver Stock show. They did some touring but Alaina got a view of the big city and what an airport is like. I’m glad for her, gives her a little taste of the world outside of ND.

One thing I’m starting this year is to highlight my posts with quotes:
“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”—Bill Vaughan