Time to relax

We left the house at 7:45 AM and headed over to pick up Clark's friend Zachary.   Got on the highway and headed up to DIA.   Traffic was light this morning, which was nice.  The last couple of days it has taken me 2 hours plus to get up to or back from Denver.   We arrived at DIA about 10:30 AM and began working our way through the maze of people, United Airlines screwed up check-in process and the joy of our government s attempt to make you feel safe, by having you go through silly procedures.

Our flight left on time and a couple of hours later we were on the beach in Puerto Vallarta!   Traveling through a Mexican airport is fun, as you arrive and get through customs, they are ready to start selling you time shares, etc.  We made our way through the fast pitched sales efforts and found our driver to take us to the hotel.

We are staying at the RUI Palace Pacifico and so far so good.   We checked out the pool and took a stroll up the beach.   Tonight we ate at the buffet and it was very tasty and lots of items to choose from.   It is all inclusive so I am sure that this is going to kill my diet.  It’s hot though, so maybe I will lose as much as I gain.  We lost Clark and Zachary after dinner, I am sure they are finding plenty of things to keep them occupied.  They have a room to themselves and the mini-bar is free.  On the wall above the fridge is four bottles of liquor for mixed drinks and the fridge is stocked with beer.  Free room service, oh man we are set.   Free Internet is included so I got everyone hooked up this evening.  If you need to reach me text or email me.

More Snakes

Been busy with work this week and have failed to get an entry in.  Worked in Denver on Monday and Tuesday.   Was back home today so I walked to work and back.   It was hot out this afternoon and I was pretty sweat soaked when I got home.

This morning I came across another bull snake in BCP.   This one was  a little smaller than the one I saw last week.    I  got behind him and snagged this picture with my phone.

Then when I get home tonight I let the dogs out and Roxie found a garter snake in the yard.  I have seen more snakes this year already than in previous.

So this is the way that things work sometimes.   We are leaving on a trip soon and the dryer blew craps last Sunday.  Repair guy will be here on Monday.  So I worked up a couple of clothes lines in the backyard, I am sure the neighbors are happy, but I don't really care.

Still Smoking

As of tonight the West Fork fire rages on.  We still have smoke, but it isn't as bad has it been the last couple of days.   Evacuations are in effect for the town of South Fork.   From what Candy told me this was the town that they shot the camping scene in the movie Vacation.

The week is over and it's Friday!   We just kicked back at the house this evening.  Candy made up some crackers with cheese and grapes.   I cooked up a couple of beer brats on the grill.  Made for a nice littler dinner.

While we were sitting out back this evening a Monarch Butterfly came to visit us.   Held still just long enough to let me get a couple of pictures with the phone.

The Smoke Rolls In!

I went to the shop after work and slapped some mud up on north wall.  Will try to get back over tomorrow night and get another layer on.   Once again this evening the smoke came rolling in.   As I was driving home this evening I pulled over in BCP and snapped this picture.   There are more mountains behind the ones you can see in this picture.   The smoke is blowing up from the fire burning in the south.   I checked the weather and we don't have any rain in our future.  I also found a map with all the current fires that are burning in the state

More Smoke

Being that it is Wednesday night we had dinner at the Village Inn with Marv and Bell.   When we came out of the restaurant the sky was thick with smoke.   I would say visibility was two miles at best.  Quick check on the news and we have fires to the north and south of us.  The thick smoke was coming up from the fire outside of Walsonburg, CO.  Walsonburg is about a 100 miles south of us.

With all the fire activity we have had and one so close to home last week, you get a little freaked out.  The smoke tonight was so thick and the odor so strong you start thinking the fire is close.  Most of Colorado Springs must have thought the same thing as they were broadcasting on the local channels to stop calling 911, unless you see flames or billowing smoke.

Snake

Even after going to bed at 2 AM this morning, I still got up early enough to walk to work.   I even took the long way!   As I was strolling down the trail, listing to to my tunes I happened to see something move out of the corner of my eye.   I looked over and found this 4 ft. long bull snake sunning him or herself.    I stood their and took a few pictures and looked up and down the trail to see if anyone was coming so I could point it out to them, but no one was around.

Hillary Clinton Faints, Suffers Concussion

Work, Work, Work

It is now 11:05 PM and I am just getting time to put something down in blog.   Full day at the office and just spent 2/hours answering emails and prepping for a call.  I did take a break from 5 PM to 8 PM.  Took the wife and the youngest out to dinner and then a stop by the home depot.   Once home I headed back out and went over the shop to work.    Managed to get everything moved away from the north wall so now I can start to tape and mud.

I didn't walk today, I meant to but it just didn't happen.   You know what, I have been pissed at myself all day for not doing so. 

Prop Hanging

Manged to get my lazy ass up in time to walk to work today.  Felt good and I was surprised by the number of people that I came across on the trail this morning.  I bailed on the walk home, Candy was out and about and picked me up at the office this evening.

After dinner I drove over to the shop.   Cleaned up my mess from yesterday, put the tools away and swept up.   I was going to put some tape and mud up on the wall, but the mud I had was dried out and lumpy.   I need to get a few item for patching, so maybe I can make that happen this week.

I had hung my air-boat propeller but after getting it up, the air-boat propeller that is, I didn't like the way it looked.  I had wrapped the chain around each end of the blade ends.   So tonight I took it down and re-hung it with the chain going through the center.   I like the way this looks better than the other. Hanging this wasn't an easy task, 12 ft up in the air and that prop is heavy!

I was headed home at 7:45 and as I was coming down 21st street, I see a woman walking up the hill, I look again and it was Candy.   I stopped and picked her up, she was on her way to the shop to surprise me!

Recommended Reading

Happy Fathers Day!

Wow, another week has come and gone.   We have had several major fires, one on the North East side of Colorado Springs in Black Forest and another down outside of Canyon City by the Royal Gorge.  Both fires did major damage.  I believe the fire we had in Black Forest, is the most destructive fire in our states history.  The Black Forest Fire has burned 14,198 Acre's and destroyed 483 homes and as of this evening ti is 65% contained.  By comparison, the Waldo Canyon Fire we had last year destroyed 346 homes.  It's hard to believe that we had the Waldo Canyon Fire, about a year ago and now another major fire causing so much destruction.   Our prayers go out to all the families that have been impacted and lost so much.

The fire at the Royal Gorge has pretty much put them out of business for the year.   The fire burned down all but 2 of the 50 buildings located at the park.   We have been pretty lucky the last couple of days.  It has cooled off and we have actually gotten a little rain, not much but enough to help to extinguish the fires and wet the ground.

We have been so busy at work this last week and I don't see things slowing down.   I worked in Denver on Monday and Tuesday and spent the rest of the week working out of the Colorado Springs office.   I only walked one day last week.

Being that today is Fathers Day, here is wishing all you dads a Happy Fathers Day!  I spent pretty

much all weekend working around the house and shop, and that was exactly what I wanted for Fathers Day.   Saturday morning we drove to the Home Depot and picked up a few supplies.  I got what I needed to finish out the last wall in the shop and put in new edging around the front yard flower garden.  Between those two projects and the mowing, weed eating and watering I did, it kept me pretty busy.

I am done hanging drywall!   I finished up the last remaining wall

today and it looks great.  Marv came over and helped me and together we made pretty quick work of it.   Now I can move to tape and  mud and soon we will be ready for paint.

In the front garden we had some decorative metal edging that we used.   It works well, but the grass grows in to it and it makes it hard to weed eat and you end up using line and still cant get the grass out.   I solved that problem by using some 3 x 3 pressure treated post.   Once I dug out the dirt and got the post settled I replaced all

the dirt and raked it out.   Then I drilled holes in the post and inserted the decorative metal edging.   Came out looking pretty good.   I have done something similar on the side of the house.   I have another garden in the back yard that I still need to do.

Candy and I went out for breakfast this morning.   I shuffled the cars and got the corvette out and we drove it.   We went to a little place a couple of miles from the house.  It was decent, I didn't have to cook it so it was great!   I have cooked everyday for the last three days.   Friday night I made a pepperoni pizza and a sausage jalapeno pizza.  Both of the boys had friends over so it went quick.   Saturday I made up a batch of green chili.  We had pork burrito's, with all the fixings and guacamole and chips.  The boys were both home and they ate it up.   It was sooooo good!   Tonight I fired up the grill an cooked up a couple of steaks.   We had a baked potato with a salad and garlic bread.   Oh man it was good.  I am done cooking for a while.

Happy Hiking!

Happy Birthday to Eric

Eric is celebrating his 22nd Birthday tomorrow.   Candy's sister has been in town for the last couple of days visiting.   Tonight we all went to the Melting Pot for dinner.   Eric and Clark both brought their girl friends and Candy's sister joined us.   Had a great time!

I worked over at the shop today and got a little more clean up done.   I am ready to hang sheet rock on the last wall.  Can hardly wait!

On the lake

Last week while in Austin I had the opportunity to go fishing.   A friend of mine took me out on his bass boat to the lake.   I didn't catch a damn thing.   I did snag these pretty cool pictures though!

What a long trip it's been!

I left Colorado Springs on May 29^th and returned on June 7^th.   Spent most of the time in airports and the rest working in our office in Austin, made a jaunt over to St. Louis for a meeting and then returned home.  This was a long one.   The diet and my working out pretty much went to shit day 1.   I have been afraid to step on the scale as I am sure I put most of the weight I lost, back on.

I didn’t get home until 11:30 PM and decided to sleep in this morning. Woke up around 8:30 AM, poured a cup of coffee and headed out back.   It was already pretty warm so I dug the hose out and watered the plants.   Marv called and said he was working today.  I shuffled around the vehicles and got the corvette out, drove over to see Marv at Pike Peak Auto, spent about an hour bullshitting and then headed back home.

I put the corvette away and then drove over to the shop.   Watered the trees and the new shrubs we had planted a couple of weeks back.   I opened up the big door and did a little house keeping.   A couple months ago I ordered a few parts for the Model A.   They had been sitting in the back of the truck for at least a month.  I replaced the exhaust manifold and gaskets, got the carburetor back on and replaced the push rods for the throttle.   She started right up!  Adjusted the idle and let it run for a few minutes.  I didn’t take it out yet, but I think we are good.

I had seen some pictures, where they had taken old crystal vases and bowls and made mushrooms for the garden.   I went to the Goodwill and spent $13.00 and bought up a few bowls and vases.   Here are a few pictures of the ones I made for our garden.  Filled the vases with glass marbles and then hot glued the bowls on the top.