Spring Fever

I have got a bad case of spring fever right now. I can't stop thinking about all the things that I want to do this spring and summer. There is a fly fishing class in April, golf lessons in June, Monday nights outdoors with my hubby, and my hunter's safety class in August so I can go hunting with Michell in September. I am sooo excited about it all!!! This weekend I am planning on doing some "snow removal." That is, I am going to move snow from the shaded parts of our yard where the snow drifts are, out into the sun, so it will stinking melt. I am also planning on making Jon go roller blading with me tomorrow. It's the first time it is warm enough to actually go outdoors and do something where the wind might be blowing in your face, yet you are not miserably cold. It is supposed to get cold again next week, so I feel like we really need to take advantage of it while we can. That is pretty much what the summers are like here...ridiculously busy because it is just too nice to stay home on a weekend...plus the warm weather is only around for a short time, so you have to take advantage of it. So, I am off to enjoy the beautiful weather!!!

My wonderfully, relaxing Saturday.

On Saturday, Jon and I went to Cheyenne. We had a nail in our tire that needed to get fixed, but we had to take it to Sears because that is where we got our tires. They are supposed to fix them for free, but then proceeded to tell us that we needed a new tire and that they couldn't fix it. Then they told us that we would have to by two at least two new tires, because our other one was "too old," even though it only had 30,000 miles on it. So we left in a whirl of frustration...all I wanted to do in Cheyenne was get our tire fixed and then hang out at Barnes and Noble until dinner. Well that went out the window because we were left to find a place in town, that we aren't terribly familiar with, that would sell tires at a decent price, that is not Sears. Fortunately, we got a recommendation from an auto parts store to go to Sam's. We like Sam's so we thought we would go for it. So we got two new tires for the price that we would have paid at Sam's and we are both pretty sure that they are actually better quality tires.
By that point it was dinner time...we hadn't been to the Olive Garden in forever, so we decided to go there. It just opened about a month ago, so it was pretty packed. At 4:30pm there was a 55 minute wait...Jon and I with nothing better to do decided that we could wait that long. Then, by a stroke of shear genius, Jon went to the bar area and found a table. There is open seating in that area, so we were really pumped. Turns out that we ended up being finished with our dinner about the same time that we would have been seated. Super!!!
And finally it was time to go to Barnes & Noble. That was the one thing I had been looking forward to all day long. I love books...I love bookstores...I love being surrounded by them. As I was perusing the isles, I was reminded of home much I MISS going to B&N on a regular basis. It was fantastic. I usually do the bulk of my book shopping at Amazon.com now since I don't have a B&N or Mardel to frequent. I did find at least 5-6 books that are going on my list of "to-be-reads." I just looked through them and thoroughly enjoyed them. I had brought Pride and Prejudice with me to read. I was 20 pages from the end and dying to finish it, even though I've read it several times before and seen the movie. So I finished my book while Jon finished some homework, and then we went back to Laramie. I couldn't have asked for a better end to the day!!!

Pickles

I crave the weirdest foods sometimes, for what seems like no apparent reason. Of coarse there is the inevitable food cravings that most women have a certain time of the month...and then there are just plain weird ones. One time, around Christmas, I wanted Outback. Everywhere I went I could smell it. Every town we drove through (we were driving to LA) the first thing I spotted was Outback. I have to say too, when I am craving something it is incredibly difficult to ignore. The craving went on for the entire two weeks that we were gone. Fortunately, at the very end of our trip we go to stop and eat there. It was pure heaven I have to say.
Due to this intense craving mechanism inside me, I am very aware of the "flavor of the day, week, or month." This week, it has been pickles. I can't explain it. I was going to the restroom at work one day earlier this week, and found that the stairwell that I use had an overwhelming smell of pickles. Now I don't know that anyone else noticed it, but I did. Jon says that's where it all begins...the smells. Honestly though, I am not even a pickle eater really. Maybe I will have one every so often when they come with a sandwich or something, but that's it. I don't even like them on a hamburger or anything. So this craving of pickles has just dumbfounded me!! All week long, I was thinking about how I should pack a pickle in my lunch. Jon actually packs the lunches, so I mentioned that I wanted one. He kept forgetting, since that is not one of my normal requests...that is until today. Today was "P-day." And can I just say that when I ate the pickle, it was truly amazing. Best pickle I've had in years...so good in fact that since Jon packed one for himself, but did not eat it, I think I will eat his as well. Although I cannot explain it, it is one of those little things in life that brings me joy. And so we will just have to wait and see if the pickle saga lives on or if today's indulgence will suffice.

Summertime Fun

As I have said before, I am ready from spring. One of the wonderful things about spring is that camping season is just around the corner too!! I am really pumped because Jon's mom just sent us our reservations for our trip to Chama, New Mexico. We are all going down for a cousin's 50th birthday...it isn't until the end of August, but I am really excited because it will be our first real camping trip in our pop-up. We have gone out for lots of weekend trips, but we haven't gotten to actually camp for an extended amount of time. That is what I am excited about. Of coarse, Mike and Cindy will be "roughing it" enough in their cabin, but Jon and I are going to have a lot more fun!! Camping...camp fires...the river just a few steps away...sounds like heaven to me at this point!! Plus we will get to hang out with the cousins (they are our age) for a few days too. I am pumped!! I think this summer is going to be great, as the weeks are already starting to fill up. Woo-hoo for summer!!

Spring is in the Air??

So I am just dying for spring to get here. It is starting to warm up some (30s and maybe 40 today), but I am ready for things to start blooming!! There are some of the most beautiful lilac bushes here...they are everywhere and are so beautiful when they are blooming. They have just a fantastic smell and they bloom in two of my favorite colors...pink and purple...and everywhere in between that. I am so ready to get to go to the Farmers Market and to be able to go for bike rides and walks around the golf course. I am getting a little antsy (sp?) for spring and always do. I LOVE spring. I love flowers and "perfect days" and feeling the sun warm your face. I love the winter and snow, it's just that by this time of the year it has been winter for 5-6 months. Everything is brown and dead. I am ready to have green grass to walk barefooted in and for my husband to play soccer in. Bring on the Spring please!!!

I love to write. I had forgotten how much I love to write, until I started reading my friends' blogs. I don't know if I have much to say that others would be interested in hearing, but then again, I don't write for other people. I write for myself to release my mind and as a form of creativity. When I have something on my mind, it is best for me to write it out because it is better than talking to myself, which I am prone to. So, I am writing. That's my plan for this blog. A place to talk about things on my mind, and maybe to allow my family and friends to keep up on what's going on day-to-day. The internet is an amazing thing that allows people to stay connected. That's what I want to do...so happy reading to you and happy writing to me. :)