Monday, July 27, 2009

Awesome Sailing and Great Friends

Hello Everyone,
 
The potential buyers for my house pre-qualified for my loan; however, they have a couple of things to take care of first. We will wait before we do a contract just to be on the safe side. I am super excited that this will go through, but in the meantime I am still advertising. Your crossed fingers and prayers must be working, so please continue them for me. Thanks.

Throughout the week, I had several more calls on the house and one showing. I have not heard back from the showing yet.
 
I practiced my motorcycle driving course nearly everyday, I’m coming along quite nicely and will possibly be able to take my test sooner than originally anticipated. I look forward to when I can ride my bike freely and to work in the mornings. I am also looking forward to a couple of road trips. Jimi and I went to Fort Collins Saturday morning to check out the actual driving course. It is a bit larger than what we had drawn out and had been practicing on, which is a good thing. I'll continue to practice and hopefully take my test in mid August.


We were able to take the boat out on the lake one evening. We got some really good practice in, as the winds were strong and steady and we were moving quite fast. We really need more boating time; however, it’s just not something you can plan and do. The sails rely on the wind, and there isn’t as much wind here as there will be on the coast. We do what we can and know that when the opportunity rises, we must be ready to change our plans and head out spontaneously.
 
Jimi is still in search of and trying to figure out exactly what he wants to do about work. He worked for a couple of hours helping a lady in Boulder move one day and continues to work on a freelance job for DIY Nature web page. In addition he is doing senior pictures for my girlfriend's son.
 
We went to Denver Friday evening meeting up with friends Brad and Ellen. We haven’t seen them since New Years, it was a long overdue treat. We listened to the band play, the base guitarist was also a friend. And visited the best we could with the loud music in the background.
 
Sunday we went to my girlfriend Kay’s house for a barbecue. Kay talked to Jimi about doing Tyler’s (her oldest son) senior pictures and Jimi talked to Tyler about attending Front Range Community College. It was a very nice visit.
 
Other things we did this week included playing pool at the Red Zone, working for Cencorp, scrap booking, putting new speakers in the LTD, and hanging with my girlfriends around the fire pit.
 
Reflecting on the prior week can sometimes be difficult. Often our minds forget or put side what is past. For me, it helps me appreciate all Jimi and I do. We try to keep things busy balancing work and play. These days our work consists of working towards our goal of moving next year, which still bothers me that it will come up quickly and we will not be ready. In any case, one day at a time (or one week at a time) and the reflections are the story of our achievements leading us to our dream.
 
Until next week - love everybody,
Lorie & Jimi

Monday, July 20, 2009

The Need for Speed

Hello Everyone,

WOW - another great week.

Jimi is taking advantage of his free time, while also looking at picking up some work, he's busy with yard work, and household/garage projects.. He is pondering whether he should do only freelance work, work a part time job and do freelance, or simply work a full time 9-5 job. I think he will see what comes along and in the meantime continue to stay busy around the house.

I did a lot of work for Cencorp this week, got caught up on my scrap booking and bought a motorcycle. Yes, I bought a 2001 Ninja motorcycle. It is SWEEEET!  I have been wanting to replace my Interceptor since we sold it last fall. This bike is 15 years newer and in much better shape. It will be easier and more comfortable for me to learn on .My permit expires in November, so my goal is to get my license by then. In an unused parking lot and with sidewalk chalk, Jimi and I drew out the exact course of the test. I rode it everyday mostly practicing for the driving test. We also rode to Boulder and back during the weekend. It was incredible.



We spent a lot of time together this week, which always makes me very happy. Did I already mention how happy I am that things are back to normal and he is back home? Well, I really am. We made a list of recreational and entertaining things we can do rest of the summer for minimal cost. After my recent two major purchases, I must buckle down.
Thursday evening we jumped on Jimi's bike and rode down to Denver, where we met up with our friend Juraj. We had a drink with him and then headed out to the Denver Airport. Jimi knows of a spot at the end of one of the run ways that we could lay down and watch the planes take off and land just above us. I was excited when he told me of his plans for us; however, we got there too late and missed the last planes. We decided to camp the night there to catch the early morning planes. We picked handfuls of wheat from a field, laying them on the ground making a "Gilligan's island bed". It was awesome, and then we crashed out for the night or so we thought. About 2am we woke, as Jimi was being eaten alive by very aggressive mosquitoes. They didn't like the smell of me, but their buzzing was driving me nutty. We knew it was too cold to leave, as we did not dress for night riding, but after 25 minutes or so decided we would rather deal with the cold ride home than with the mosquitoes. We packed up and headed out. Jimi, a frozen pop cycle, and I, a half frozen pop cycle, arrived home at 4am. We slept until 9am and then went out for coffee and a croissant. Despite the mosquitoes and cold ride home, it was still an awesome time.

We didn't do much rest of the weekend. We decided to really just take it off for a change. Jimi had to take a state required test in order to have his degrees issued at the college. We rode the motorcycles, played some pool, and putzed around the house.

The couple that looked at my house a month ago are in the process of trying to get qualified to assume the loan. This is really good news for me. Jimi doesn't want me to get my hopes up, but it's really hard not to. I have not had any other hits on it lately. Keep your fingers crossed and your prayers going up.

That's it for now.

Love Everybody,
Lorie & Jimi

Monday, July 13, 2009

A Pistol and a Horse - Sounds like the old west

Hello Everybody,

Here we are again with another update outlining the prior week. It was eventful and fun for all.

Jimi and the Mayo's began their great Adventure heading North, possibly to Yellowstone; however, after going North the first day they changed their direction and went to Moab, Utah instead. They stayed there the entire week floating down the river, enjoying the scenery, and exploring the canyons. Unlike most great adventures, they didn't get much riding in. All is well and they still had a good time.

Jennifer, Daniel, and I also had a great week. Daniel took his other two driving classes, as well as his driving test and passed. Now he too has his driver's license. Congrats to Daniel! He worked hard to get it before he had to fly back to Idaho on Friday. His flight home was long however. The flight leaving Denver had more than a two hour delay and when he finally left he had to stay the night in Salt Lake City, where the airlines put him up in a hotel. He finally arrived home in Boise at 9am Saturday morning. His entire travel to get home was more than 15 hours.

My week went by really fast with all that I had to do. I spent two entire evenings working on the front and back yards. I pulled countless weeds and picked up a lot of stuff laying around the back yard. The yard looks really nice now; however, keeping it that way is more of a challenge. Another evening Daniel and I went pistol shopping. I bought my first very own pistol. It's a 9mm Taurus Millennium. And then on Thursday we took it out to my girlfriend Kay's house and shot it. We also rode the horses for a while. It was fun.

Jimi arrived home from the great adventure on Friday while I was taking Daniel to the airport. I am so happy he was back. Saturday we drove up to the outdoor shooting range in Left Hand Canyon to shoot my pistol. That evening we watched the movie Dances with Wolves. We had a really nice day together - just the two of us.

On Sunday Jennifer, Jimi and I went back out for horseback riding and a barbecue at Kay's house. It was fun.

I believe things are back to normal again: and we were definitely ready for it too. We have some buckling down to do now. I need to concentrate a little more on my Cencorp work, another garage sale and possibly some more eBay sales. Jimi will begin keeping an eye out for a job, as well as collecting items for the garage sale and possibly some eBay sales as well.


Pictures attached of my pistol and I and Jimi riding a horse.

Love Everybody,
Lorie & Jimi

Monday, July 6, 2009

Awesome Independence (Happy 4th)

Hello All,

 This week was awesome, but the weekend had to be the most incredible weekend ever! It began Friday morning and we had a blast.

Daniel had his first of three driving classes (required by the state in order to get his license) last Tuesday. We then met some of my friends at Old Chicago's for dinner and then all ended up back at our house around the fire pit. I retired early, but rest of the gang had a blast hanging out. Fun times!

 Jimi and I took an hour to ourselves Wednesday evening driving the LTD to Boulder and back.

Thursday evening Jimi got a new tattoo. It is a nautical star located on his back between his shoulder blades. I really like it.


 My parents sent me a waterproof housing for my camera (for my birthday) and it arrived in the mail on Thursday. It is super neat and arrived just in time for our white water rafting trip on Friday. 
The rafting trip was really neat. I thought it was going to be scarier than it was. The rapids were up to a level 4+. It was great. By the time we got home, the Mayo family from Texas were there. You can figure that we were up late that night. We sat around the fire pit getting caught up and visiting. The Mayo's passed the guitar around singing to us all. I was really cool.


The Mayo's are a group of guys whom Jimi rides his motorcycle with for one week every year. The trip is called the "great adventure". And really all they do is set a course and ride their motorcycles. The group consists of the father, John Mayo and his sons, Corey, Jake, Johnny, and Billy, as well as Robert, a long time family friend, and Jimi. Jimi and I worked with Corey at Cencorp for about 10 years. This year Jake and Robert were unable to make the trip.


To celebrate the fourth, we barbecued Saturday afternoon and then went to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado for a concert. We saw comedian Louis Black (we were not impressed with him), a blues band called Black Joe Lewis, who was quite enjoyable, and the main event The Blues Travelers who was awesome. The best part was while the Blues Travelers played we could see at least three dozen sets of fireworks going off over Denver behind the stage of the amphitheatre. It was mesmerizing. I will never forget it.


We went to Lucille's for breakfast on Sunday and then the guys left. Jennifer and I spent the entire day cleaning, organizing and cleaning again. Jennifer scrubbed the kitchen for me. You name it, we did it and the house looks like a completely different place. Jennifer and I watched the movie "He's Just Not That in to You". It was good.


The week was good, but the weekend was incredible. This week will be much quieter for a change; however, busy because we have a lot going on. It will go by fast and before I know it Jimi will be back home.


I have attached some pictures for you to enjoy.


HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO EVERYONE!!


Love Everybody,

Lorie & Jimi