Ahhh...The Internet

I love staying in hotels for a number of reasons, but since I unplugged from the Internet one of the main reasons is I get to spend time on the Internet. So, if you have noticed, I have updated the font and design of my blog because...yes...I am staying at a hotel.

Last weekend in Denver I told Meg, "OK, I really should get the Internet." And she looked at me in that way someone does when they want to say, Duh!, and she said, "Yeah, it would be nice to be able to email each other more."

Email, such an antiquated aspect of having Internet, and poor Meg is missing even that from me.

I have been resistant because where I live in Montrose people have told me the only thing available is dial up or satellite, both of which are very slow. And I don't do well with slow Internet...it is either high speed or nothing for me. The other day, however, I got a little advertisement in the mail that said, "HughesNet now has high speed Internet in your area!" So, I suppose I owe it to Meg to at least research that as well as Internet through my satellite TV provider.

I am at a hotel this weekend because I decided to take a little trip to Crested Butte. I LOVE this mountain town in the summer. The town is one of the most charming mountain towns ever, and the drive is so stunning with the ranches at the base of Mount Crested Butte. Yesterday I went to the Gunnison car and craft show on my way up to CB. I will post pictures at a later date as there were some wonderful classic cars on display. When I got to CB I wandered around downtown for quite some time. This morning I plan on a nice walk and then the farmers' market starts at 10am.

I feel that I owe it to myself to enjoy the various beautiful parts of Western Colorado since I live out here, so while the weather is gorgeous I plan to be out and about!

Reminiscing...a few old posts back in the day...

Last night I had a dream that included Chester and Stan. It felt like a positive dream as I awoke feeling pretty good. It prompted me to look at posts from my other blog about the boys from the past...

"Over the weekend Mike and I primed the basement floor...we are finally finishing that project. We forgot to put the baby gate up and upon waking from a lovely, long and luxerious nap we found painted paw prints all over the house. Yikes! You guessed it...our sweet and innocent Stan went down the basement, directly to his food bin (it was obvious the path he took) and upon discovering it was locked he came upstairs. Lovely. Lucky for us the paint came right up, especially off the hardwoods AND newly laid kitchen tile. Stan...gotta love him."

"My baby Chester is feeling okay. The vet said that he had an obstruction of sorts, and before she took him into surgery he went outside and pooped out the obstructor. A peach pit. Where the h%^* did he get a peach pit? She said he is feeling better, but we have to watch him the next 24 hours. His rapid weight loss concerned her so if he is still sick we will need to take him back in. Poor guy...I hate it when my guys (all 3 of them) aren't feeling well. Glad to know Ches is on the up and up."

"Last night, I got super irritated with Stanley and Chester (Stan especially). I was making dinner and they rudely forced themselves in between me and the counter. They were both licking the air, hoping to catch miscellaneous pieces of food that may fall from the heavens. I finally pushed them out of the kitchen. Then, as we sat down to eat (in front of the TV) Stan kept hovering over the food, thinking that one of these steaming plates of steak were his. I got mad again, telling him to lay down. Mike came to Stan's defense. I felt guilty (still do). So, guys, this one's for you. You know that I love you three with all my heart. You are my guys."

And this one...my all time favorite!

"Mosquito bites lurking in random places. Still groggy. Dirt in my nails, still, after showering. These are all signs that I went camping this past weekend. Mike and I took the boys for their first camping trip. How cute, you must think. How peaceful. How serene. Well, I hate to say it, but none of these things actually describe our experience! But, no matter how tired I was the next day, no matter how cranky I got, or how much mosquitoes enjoy my sweet blood, I want to go again and again. We drove up Friday afternoon to Homestake Creek, which is outside of Minturn going toward Leadville. We had discovered that spot a few years back, and thought it would be great for our first family camping trip. We got there around 5:30pm and there were hardly any places left to make camp. We found a spot that was not ideal, with a huge family camping behind the trees in front of us and a lone man with a tricked out jeep to the side of us. We decided it would be fine, since it was so late in the afternoon trying to find another place to camp would be hard. We set up camp and went for a walk. We took the boys off leash and they went romping through trees, over rocks, and in the creek. This was one highlight of the night. We got back to camp and started to make dinner. The lone man came over and started talking to us-he was meeting a bunch of friends to go 4X4-ing over the Holy Cross City jeep trail. We made dinner-soup, bread and cheese (it sounded good when we planned it...)-and then had a hot chocolate before going to bed (another highlight of the evening). Now, let me put this in context. We had Chester and Stanley attached to 20 feet of thin rope that was secured to the truck bed. They got all tangled, inside and out so the night consisted of constantly untangling them. Earlier in the evening we had them tied to a stake in the ground, but when the family camping across from us and their dog walked by, that stake was history. We also took too much stuff. I felt like I was constantly digging through our plastic bin for cups, food, spoons, etc. When we did sit down to eat, I felt like the only words coming out of my mouth were, "Sit, no, stay" because the dogs really wanted to eat our dinner. And the dinner...it sounded good when I packed it, but that night it was pretty anticlimactic. Canned soup, bread, and cheese...people in jail eat better than that. Our hot chocolate was weak, we split a packet between ourselves and it wasn't very good. So, I was actually looking forward to going to bed. That was when it all took a turn for the worse. The buddies of the guy next to us finally showed up, it was about 10pm. They had a huge bonfire that we could see through our tent walls. Someone slept with his engine on all night. We were right off the road, so car headlights kept shining through our tent. The boys were still a little damp from their romp in the water earlier, and Stanley was a dirty mess. The night got cold, and the boys were both freezing. Chester was shivering so badly that at one point Mike had Chester's head in the sleeping bag. I remember at one point waking up (I woke up almost every hour) and thinking it was almost time to get up. I looked at my watch and said, "It's only 3:30!" Mike responded, "better than it only being midnight." So true. Around that time, the boys kept wanting to leave tent, so at one point I was laying there clutching onto Stan's leash so he couldn't. 5am rolled around and we got up. We made coffee from these coffee singles that were years old and tasted that old. Although we did bring ingredients to make pancakes, we decided to pack it all up and head to Vail, where McDonald's was calling our names for a hot breakfast and good cup of coffee. I think we left the campsite at 6:30am. We were all exhausted after our long night, but spent the morning in Vail and Leadville. When we got home, we crashed for about 2 hours. Why would I want to subject myself to that again? In all the frustration, it was good to get away. I think the next time we will find a place that is more secluded. The next time I think we will pack it all in backpacks. We will get the boys their own sleeping bags. I don't want to give up. Did I mention we have a 5 day camping trip planned for July? That ought to be interesting!"

Ahh...I miss my guys, all 3 of them.

Happy Birthday

I decided to come to Denver for Dad's birthday. I missed Mom's birthday so I thought I owed a trip for a birthday celebration. Saturday morning, Dad made his famous "Royal Queen Belgian Waffles" complete with whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and Palisade peaches.

In the afternoon we ventured to the new Union Station. Kudos to Denver for getting the renovation project right! I was thinking that Frank and Mary Margaret from McMinnville would love staying at the Crawford Hotel-right inside Union Station and right smack dab in the middle of all the action. (Hey guys, let me know if you ever do stay there...I will book a room, too!)

Later in the night I met some very good girlfriends for connection and friendship. Meg, Katie, Jess and I sat at Citron Bistro for almost 3 hours engaged in very good conversation. Love you ladies!

Today Mom and I meandered around Pearl Street for the farmer's market. It is amazing to see how much the market has grown as well as all the changes to my favorite little shopping and dining street. Tonight is time with the old neighbors and then tomorrow I head back after paying Liz a visit at her new home in the Solterra development. I may be a tad jealous after that.

But truly, the highlight of the weekend was time spent with the family, and time celebrating Dad's perpetual 59th birthday.

Rest in Peace, McClanahan's Chester (April 26, 2002-July 29, 2014)

Dearest Chester,

Losing you is most certainly like closing the book after reading the final chapter. That book spanned the story of a brown Labrador Retriever who saw and experienced a lot over 12 years.

The memory I tell of you most often is when Papas and I first identified that we were going to get a Lab. We were getting emails from the breeder with pictures of the litter of brown chocolate muffins, one of whom would be ours. I pointed you out immediately. “The one with the red collar-he is always standing alone, with a forlorn look on his face. He is always standing away from the others. I bet that one is ours.” When we went to pick you up, my Mamas intuition was correct. Your brother, the spunky one in the orange collar, had already been chosen and you, sad and crying by the fence in the red collar, was ours. “This one is special. He needs a little extra TLC,” the breeder said about you as she held you in her arms. You clung to me in the backseat of the car that day, and when you were greeted by your new neighbors you threw up on the grass.  In those early days, the evenings were filled with a sad song, “Woo woo woo “ as Papas and I resisted getting up and carrying you into bed to comfort you. Yes, you were special and I hope we gave you the TLC you needed.

Such was how the story of Chester began. You grew into a clumsy teenager with long ears and paws the size of baseball mitts. You were feisty and easily excited, but you also had that vulnerable side which never went away as you grew older and more mature. You would sleep with me, Papas and Stan sometimes and we would revel in how the four of us could fit on a queen-sized bed. You loved Chatfield especially, but you also loved walks in the neighborhood when you would see the neighbors who loved you so-TJ with his big hello and belly rub, Susan with the treats she carried in her pocket. You loved treats. And rawhide. And people food.

After Papas died I know I struggled with taking care of you and Stanley while going through my grief. But then you two became my special buddies and we did a lot together, most notably selling the only house you ever knew and moving 5 hours away from all you loved and that was familiar. You handled it all like a trooper, and I don’t know exactly how I will fill my days if it isn’t including taking care of you.

You chased balls, you swam, you hiked, you foraged through a family’s campsite, you crashed a backyard BBQ and ate pizza, you came with us to parties and maybe had a beer or two (by accident), you greeted everyone who came to the door like they were the only people on earth, you snuggled up in bed when I needed a friend and were always there for me when I cried. I will miss that gray muzzle inquiring into my face about my mood and whether you would be given a treat or a chew. I will miss buying dog food for you, figuring out which rawhide treats you would enjoy, and taking you for walks, no matter how short they recently became.

Chester, you were truly one of a kind, almost like a little person. I swear you understood English.

I hope our last few minutes together soothed your soul and I know, just know deep down in my heart, that you are romping with Stanley by a rainbow and that you and Papas will be strolling through green meadows and up mountains together very soon. 

I will miss you, Ches.

Love, Mamas

Day off

I have been on-call since Wednesday. If you haven't talked to me much about my job, the one thing that I really don't like is being on-call. The biggest reason is that social workers are on-call for an entire week. A whole week! Every 6 weeks at that. So, there goes any self-care like heading out of town for the weekend or even enjoying a glass of wine with a friend. The one wonderful thing about my new schedule is that, since I have Monday's off, I have an entire day of not working-no call and no regular schedule. So, today, I got out of dodge a bit. I went to Ridgway State Park-I recently bought a State Park's pass, and this park is so beautiful and so close. I walked the nature trail which I hadn't done before...

Then I drove partially on County Road 10 which leads to Owl Creek Pass outside of Ridgway. I didn't do the whole drive to Silver Jack Reservoir which is past the pass because it was 26 miles going 30 miles an hour and I didn't make that much time for myself. But the drive on County Road 10 is full of beautiful ranches and views of the Cimarron and San Juan Mountain Ranges.

I stopped at the Memorial Park where I stacked up some prayer stones for Stan a week ago Monday. They were still there, and still sitting solo on their own small boulder.

 I was going to treat myself to lunch at The Adobe Inn which was a Mexican Restaurant at one point in Ridgway that John Fielder wrote about in a book I own. But I got there and it was deserted, so I opted for Fiesta Guadalajara in Montrose. I realized there are about 7 Mexican restaurants in town and I had only been to two, so I thought I would add a 3rd to the list. Now I am blogging while sitting at Target and plan to head home for a little nap with Chester.

Speaking of Chester, he has been doing okay. I could tell he was down the first few days after Stan died but now he and I try to get out to the park or for a walk every morning. He has discovered some new chews that he is quite passionate about, and I am going broke for. He does have some breathing difficulties but not as bad, yet, as Stan's were. We head to the Vet tomorrow morning for his vaccines so I am going to have them check him out.

Speaking of Stan, I had two curious incidents. One night last week when I got home from work I discovered two of my outdoor plants were tipped over, the front porch bench was tipped back and both out door rugs were out of sort. It wasn't windy at all that afternoon, so perhaps Stan's energy came through to tell me is doing great in his new, strong body where he doesn't have to take medications to feel better anymore. Last night as I was sitting on the couch a lovely rainbow appeared right out the picture window. Stan was there, too, showing me that life on the other side of the rainbow isn't that bad. I still miss his smile with the one missing tooth, but I can picture him with all his new friends running and playing on soft green grass.

Rest in Peace, Stanley "Stan the Man" McClanahan (March 31st 2002-July 20th 2014)

You came into our lives, unexpectedly.

A picture was worth a thousand words,

And in reality, worth a thousand more.

You had your problems, yes...

But the love that filled you outweighed it all.

Your protective ways have kept us feeling safe

And your sweet demeanor has allowed children to play with you and neighbors to love you.

“We have a dog named Chester, and Chester has a dog named Stanley,” we would say.

Your unwavering loyalty to your brother has taught us what that word really means,

And your unconditional love, despite a rough start in life, proves that love conquers all.

You have been my friend and companion for many years, through the good times and the rough times.

You walked with me side by side, or behind sometimes when you were tired, and now you will reside always in my heart.

I will miss you, Stanley.

Love, Mamas

What a weekend!

I love the summer because it means that I have a lot of guests! My friends Kristin and Greg came for the 4th of July weekend. They came in late on Thursday night and we stayed up until midnight just chatting away. On Friday, we went to Paonia with my friend Maggie for the Cherry Days festival. Funny thing is there were no cherries there! There was a beer garden, which was where we spent a lot of the day sitting...

We did get cherries and other sundries at a little orchard store just outside of Paonia called Delicious Orchards. It is a cute little place with a little restaurant, a tasting area for their hard cider, and a lot of other little goodies. We were hoping to go to dinner at the Horsefly Brewpub but they were closed for the 4th, so we ate a really hearty dinner at the Stonehouse. We then went back to my place and found the perfect spot to watch fireworks over Montrose.

Saturday Maggie joined us and we went to Telluride and Ouray. They did the Bridal Veil Falls hike and I shopped in town. We went to Ouray and hiked to Cascade falls. We then did some shopping and sat at an outdoor restaurant before heading back to Montrose. We got our Horsefly Brewpub fix for dinner that night.

Yesterday, we got up and went to the Red Barn for breakfast. I took Kristin and Greg to The Black Canyon and we wandered around the various stops. We were all pretty tired, since every night we got to bed late and our days were filled with lots of stuff to do. They headed home and I headed to bed...for a nap!