Am I the only one?

As I sit here listening to yet another advertisement about how Obama and the Democrats ruined our country, knowing I will hear another advertisement later today bashing Romney and the Republicans, I think back to the days following September 11, 2001 and that brief period when we all seemed to work together, put politics aside and were just Americans. Am I the only one exhausted from all the political bashing going on right now? Sadly, we all want the same things probably - stronger economy, more jobs, less taxes and to trust our country and leaders. It is a shame we have to draw such black and white political lines and turn to personal attacks to accomplish our goals. I wish we could just remember that time when we all came together, unified, put our egos aside and worked together as Americans, rather than Democrats or Republicans. If we just did more of that and less of this, we would be the country we hope to be again much sooner.

Disney cartoon

Thanks to Dale our backyard pond is something out of a Disney cartoon - I half expect these ceramic frogs to start singing any minute. I love it.

It seems like

It is hard to believe that it is almost Labor Day. Time sure flies, huh? It seems like it was Memorial Day yesterday. I think the older I get, the faster time rushes by. I am digging the cooler evenings and crisp mornings as we move into the autumn months. It was a hot, hot, hot summer (still mid 90's yesterday) so I will be glad to have that behind us. Bring on the apple cider donuts!

Square States

I snapped this photo from the plane today. We were over one of the square states - Nebraska or Kansas probably. What I found interesting was how it looked like something you would see in an art gallery. The squares, circles as colors are so interesting.

Fade

Today would have been my Mom's 63rd birthday. I think about her all the time, but even more on days like today. It has been 9 1/2 years since she passed. I was thinking about her today and realized that I cannot remember the sound of her voice. I try to imagine it but it seems to be gone from my memory. Is that normal? It seems like the longer she has been gone, the more the memories like voice fade. It is sad.

There are few things...

There are few things as beautiful as Boston near the harbor during the summer.

Shrimp versus Pie

On Saturday the Couple's Game Night crew gathered at Casa de Gl-ittaker to fight for the honor of taking home Pat the Trophy (who now has wings). We played the Newlywed Game, where each couple was asked the same question to test their compatibility by matching. Our friend Judy played host for us as Bob "Bobbi" Eubanks. It was an absolute blast filled with lots of laughs and The Stubbendick's taking home the trophy. For those wondering how Dale and I did in the game, we were dead last. We only got 40 out of a possible 180 points. We sucked. It was like we had never even met each other. I thought we would win this won, but apparently I forgot Dale loves shrimp more than pie and that I said "I love you" first. Oh well...you can't win them all, right? What matters is we had a great night with friends, had an incredible dinner, did a few shots and enjoyed the beautiful weather under our new patio lights. Good times, great friends.

Pickle shots forever!

Sometimes a night out with friends exceeds expectations - last night was one of those nights!

Dale and I joined our friends on one of those group bike bar things - it seats 16 and you pedal from bar to bar. You drink on the bike, you drink at each bar. You get very happy! We all went into the evening thinking it would be okay, but since it was a Sunday night, we did not expect a whole lot. We were wrong - it was a blast. No, not just blast...it was EPIC. We drank, peddled, laughed, drank more, laughed even more and you get the point. I will not share all the photos but the one on this post really sums up the night for me. And no that photo is not altered. We are a glow for the bike's taillights. Too funny!

It was honestly one of the best nights I can remember in quite a while and looking back today, I know it was not because of the bike, bars or even the booze (although booze helps). No, it was because I have the most amazing friends a guy could ever hope to have in his life. My sincere thanks to Shannon, Tim, Sandy, Steve, Judy and Dale for always being the people I share the best days of my life. You are more than friends - you are my family and I love you all.

Pickle shots forever!

Your agony marks the start of something great

Today is the first day of school for a lot of kids here in Colorado. It makes you wonder - where did summer go? With the extremely hot temperatures and wildfires, it never really felt like much of a summer. We did not enjoy the backyard patio as much as usual or really spend as much time outside as other summers, but now we kick off my favorite time of year - autumn. I love everything about this time of year from the crisp fall air, to apple picking, to leaves changing color, to pumpkins, to sweaters and to even corduroy. So for you kids heading back to school, I am sorry your carefree days are over, but your agony marks the start of something great - autumn.

Good morning sunshine

Zoe loves the morning sun.

Dream and fear

I had a strange dream last night about a tornado hitting our house. Along with Dale, my parents and sister were also here. There was only minor damage to the house but nearby houses were destroyed. The dream and fear involved felt so real.

Casa Bonita

Tonight the gang - me, Dale, Sandy, Steve, Judy, Tim, Shannon, Mallory and Drew went to Casa Bonita for dinner. For those unfamiliar, it is a part Mexican restaurant, part It's a Small Mexican World. It includes an arcade, cliff divers, a puppet show and lots of laughs. It was a great time but every time is great with this group.

Dale's Monkey

Last night Dale put his monkey in my ear.

Yes...you read that right.

While at White Fence Farm restaurant Dale took one of the kid's treasure chest prizes - a monkey. Apparently these toys are reserved for kids under 10 and Dale.

Like a 10 year old kid, Dale spent the car ride home sticking the monkey, that 8 million kids probably touched while digging through a treasure chest, in my ear. I probably am now growing hundreds of unknown diseases in my ear and will be dead in a matter of weeks just like Gwyneth Paltrow in Contagion.

Teen Suicide

Last night while at White Fence Farm I saw this plaque in the corner of the restaurant lobby. I now understand why teen suicide has been on the increase since 2010.

Chicken, Joe Namath and Call Me Maybe

Last night we joined our friend's - Judy, Steve and Sandy for some good old fashioned American cooking at White Fence Farm.

For those unfamiliar with the place think - part petting zoo, part barn dance and part chicken dinner. It is fun, folksy and quaint, with really darn good fried chicken. Plus Dale bought two pies to eat later. Yes - two.

We had a good dinner and afterwards continued the fun at the Hideaway Steakhouse for drinks, dessert and live music. They had a great 70's style singer who did a lot of Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot and James Taylor. He was great and even took requests. He played American Pie for Dale and Time in a Bottle for Sandy. I requested Call Me Maybe (Cookie Monster Version) but apparently that is not in his songbook.

It was a fun night where we learned if our friend Judy asks you to put your hand in a drawer - run and that Dale has no idea when the Olympics started this year. Not to mention that Joe Namath had an album.

Good times! It was the perfect way to end a long week.

We are raising a bully

This is hard to admit.
But our dog Lucy is a bully.
A 15 pound bully.
Every morning she races our other dog Zoe down the stairs.
Well race is the wrong word.
She runs along side Zoe.
And bites Zoe's legs.
I guess attack is the right word then.
Poor Zoe.
She just wants her breakfast.
And to go pee.
But she has to endure ankle bites at 5 AM.
While running down stairs.
By a foot high bully.
Imagine driving to work every morning in your SUV.
And while driving down a hill.
Some jerk in a Mini Cooper tries to race you.
But the whole way keeps ramming his car into you.
Not funny now, huh?
Bless Zoe's kind heart,
She never bites back.
Or gets mad.
But Lucy's bullying does not end there.
And not all of Lucy's bullying is as overt.
Some is much more subtle.
After breakfast the dogs race back upstairs.
Back to bed.
Lucy does not bite at Zoe's ankles here.
No.
This is a real race as Lucy is on a mission.
To always get back upstairs first.
Where does Lucy always go?
Straight to whatever spot Zoe had before breakfast.
Without fail she takes Zoe's spot.
You can almost see Lucy smirking at Zoe.
Yes, sweet little Lucy.
It would be like you go to the bathroom at work.
And you come back.
To find your co-worker took your desk.
Every time.
That is the behavior of a bully.
Or the criminally insane.
I do not think Lucy is insane.
She is clearly a bully.
Lucy is actually the mean girl.
She is one of the Heather's.
We are raising a bully.
In a pink collar.
She was a stray.
I blame her upbringing on the streets of Oklahoma.
I can just sense she was in a dog gang back there.
And was probably the leader.
I also blame Dale.
And since Zoe cannot speak.
(We never talk her that trick.)
I speak for her.
And say stop the bullying now.
Or no treats for Lucy.

I missed

It feels nice to be home from the long weekend in Boston.
I missed the dogs.
I missed our bed.
Yet I find myself missing the Oreo crumble donut from Dunkin' Donuts.
When do I head back to Boston?

Charming

I love the charm of New England - the buildings and homes have so much character, personality and some are so charming. We were walking back from dinner last night and the church steeple against the skyline felt so picturesque - I snapped a photo.

Pawtucket

Last night Dale and I zipped down to Pawtucket, RI to catch our dear friend Jennifer Wheland Wettergren perform with the Tom Lanigan Band. It was great to surprise Jenn and get to see Kate and Tom too. Good times!

PEE-BUH-DEE

One of my favorite things about Massachusetts is hearing Dale pronounce the towns. Having grown up on the East Coast I am used to how these towns are pronounced. I know that Peabody is not PEA-BODY but PEE-BUH-DEE. Bedford is not BED-FORD but BED-FUD. Medford is not MED-FORD but MED-FERD and Stoneham is not STONE-HAM but STONE'M.

I have created the fun game where I see a sign and ask Dale, "What does that say?" and then giggle when Dale pronounces it wrong. When I tell him the correct pronunciation he just thinks I am making it up. I love it.

New England Charm

Last night Dale and I wondered around Boston soaking in the New England charm. With no real destination or plans, we literally just got lost in the city. We ate dinner at Rabia's Seafood and Oyster Bar in the North End. Dale had a lobster served over linguine and I had an incredible lobster ravioli. We wanted over to Quincy Market and people watched. It was Dale's first time in Boston and although he found it a bit crowded, busy and hectic - I think he liked the charm of the city.

The best part

Dale and I are in Boston for a long weekend. The best part of being in a hotel is no dogs to wake me up on a Saturday at 5 AM to eat breakfast. I miss and love those dogs terribly but it is nice to wake up when I wake up. I am sure right about now they are probably staring at our house/dog sitter Katie hoping she wakes up to feed them.

Reason #699 Why I Love Dale

Tonight I got my haircut. I always feel great after I get my haircut. I feel better when my hair is short. A haircut instantly improves my mood...but that is not the reason for this post - Dale is the reason...so I will stop talking about me (for now).

Dale and I (okay I know I said I would stop talking about me; this story really is mostly about Dale) both go to Floyd's Barbershop in Westminster, CO and have for years. We used to both go to the same guy, James but he got promoted and left that store. I now go to Luyen and Dale goes to Jessica. Since we see different stylists we rarely ever go at the same time anymore, so I had never met his stylist Jessica - until tonight.

Dale went in this afternoon and got his haircut. I went in this evening. Jessica knew from Dale I had a 7:00 PM appointment with Luyen, so she stayed past her shift a bit to meet me. It was very sweet and she was incredibly nice.

(I will get to the Dale part - I promise).

However what I appreciated most was how excited Jessica was to talk to me about all the things Dale has shared with her from our trip to Boston this weekend to the fact she was one of the few people who knew about my Disney birthday surprise. You could tell she really likes Dale and loves talking with him. I just love the affect Dale has on people and how even in a 30 minute haircut he creates a bond with someone. He is a special guy.

And it is just one of the many reasons why I love him (it took a bit, but see...I tied it back to Dale finally).