April Showers Bring......

What a week…

At work we had the Strom Conference, this was my 4th-ish conference. This one was one of the best that I’ve experienced. The speakers were great, the flow was nice, sure there were a few problems but that’s to be expected! Only 360 days until the next one.

The weather has been funny…I think we’ve gotten a bit of everything. Snow, Rain, Sun, Wind….I’m not sure what season we are in anymore. All I know is I haven’t put away my snowblower yet.

Mel’s going away party was this weekend. It was bittersweet. It was great to get out and dance and have some fun but it was also hard to swallow that this is one of the last times it will be like this. She’s leaving on the 29th for Rock Springs, so we plan to spend a bit more time together before she leaves. She has become such a major part of my life!
I’ve been spending some time with a boy recently. He’s taken me out and it’s been fun to start something. We’ll see where this takes me…I’m just a little curious.

“All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.“—Anatole France

Little and Big Changes

It’s been a long short week.....
It all started off on Sunday with Aubrey and I painting....I decided to paint the bathroom and the hallway as I needed a project. So we got a gallon of creamy pebble and a quart of charcoal sketch. I had a little help on Monday, Shantelle came over and helped out but Aubrey was the superstar that finished it off. I can’t believe how good that girl is at trim. I hadn’t realized that there were 4 colors in the bathroom. Dark brown, peachish, white, and light brown....seriously, Amanda, what were you thinking? I also covered up the green in the hallway, another what-were-you-thinking moment.

I got sick this week too...I hate being sick. I took a day and a half off of work to recover...that sucked. I’m still recovering. I think I blow my nose like it’s my job.

I also spent some time in Bismarck with the family....my parents make me laugh. My mother made my favorite potato soup and fry bread and my dad ate a bunch of them.

I heard news today that has upset me....Mel is taking a job in Rocksprings, Wyoming, and is moving there. I hate to see her go. I will miss her terribly and I can’t imagine this house with just me and the cats. The thought of it makes me want to cry. It will be a year in May that we’ve lived together and we’ve made a ton of memories....we had so much fun and talks and tears and I feel like I’m losing one of my best friends.

Also Summer happened on Monday and we are back into winter. We got 2 little hits this week and are expecting another storm this week.

“In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” –Albert Schweitzer

"I hope you don't mind that I put down in words"

Well, I can cross another thing off my list!! I officially saw Elton John in concert. One of my biggest regrets was not seeing him and Billy Joel in Fargo for the Face To Face tour but I made it right this time. Our seats weren’t bad…they weren’t great though! We were in row U, which is the top of the civic center and looked right down on him and the grand piano. Starting the concert with "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" he sang some well-known songs, “Benny and the Jets,” “Rocketman,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Candle in the Wind,” “Crocodile Rock,” “Take Me To The Pilot” but he also sang some of his new ones off of Union. I was able to take my Aunt Grace. We tried to crash the stage but some guy in a yellow shirt and a power trip kicked us back. We did get down there later on…What a great show. He ended it with “Your Song” and it really took me there.

Work has been interesting. Bush has begun to entertain talks about future funding. They are interested in an oil/energy impacting grant. We’ll see where it goes as we only have a verbal confirmation right now but it’s much more hopeful now than it’s ever been. Julie, my secretary, had her last day last Friday. I don’t blame her for looking for a new opportunity as it’s been so hard to wait and be unclear about a future.

I took a quick trip home to celebrate Alaina’s 19th birthday. We went to Buffalo Wild Wings and then did a little shopping. I know her and I are nothing alike and that’s okay…but sometimes it makes me share my head and laugh at just how different we are.

Dating/Boys have been interesting too lately. Mel and I met up with the guys we met a couple weeks ago last Wednesday. I also went out with a guy I’ve known for a while…I’m not getting too serious as I don’t need to be right now. Time will take care of me and the universe will continue to push me into places and I will be where I’m supposed to. OR at least, that’s what I keep telling myself. Ha!

Meanwhile, I can see 95% of my yard and have hopes that the snow may be done for the year. I hope I didn’t jinx it. I’m not putting my snowblower away anytime soon, that’s for sure.

"In this bright future you can't forget your past.”—Bob Marley