Cub Cadet

Well, I am finally getting around to posting on my page. After two summers, I finally have a riding mower! It just arrived about 10 days ago. I mowed my front and side yards for the first time this past week and it was awesome! It only took 1hr and 5 min whereas last year it took from 2 to 3 hours with a push mower. It's very cool and even has a beverage holder on the right drivers side. I purchased it through Ace Hardware in Laurel, and by the way, they rock! They matched the same deals as Home Depot PLUS free delivery and pickup for servicing at my house. Oh, and another awesome thing with Ace Hardware, which by the way is where I do most of my hardware/home stuff shopping, they actually have sales associates that stop and ask if you need any help. They also take you to the item instead of pointing down 5 rows and telling you to turn left, then right, then go halfway down etc. They actually have heard of the term "customer service", AND, get this, they have more than one register open. I have been working quite a bit in the yard this past week getting it ready for Spring and all. I hope to have some pictures posted once the bushes and trees foliage. I don't plan to do anything with the back yard this year as I have other items on the agenda. More on that later.

Easter Egg Coloring

Yesterday, Good Friday, my Mom and sister did our annual Easter Egg Coloring. We didn't get too creative, but the colors did come out fairly nice. Just the old fashioned Pas coloring. That is not a very good picture of Suzy and me, but oh well. The first photo is Mom with her decorations
outside of her apartment.

West Rosebud Lake

This past Tuesday, Josh and I headed up to West Rosebud Lake for some fly fishing. He took his pontoon and I took a float tube. Hard to explain a float tube so I will have to show a pic soon. I am basically out in a tube around my waist that I sit and and use flippers to get move around. I was warm enough with clothes but my toes got so cold I couldn't feel them a few times. Still would rather have numb toes than be at work! It was about 50 degrees and very windy. Hard to tell in the pic, but you can see the snow in the background. Actually, the ice melted off about 1 to 2 months early, not a good thing for summer. The fishing was slow for us compared to what it usually is here but I managed to catch a rainbow but had 7 strikes and lost a few. Still beats work!!

1st Day on the Stillwater

On March 12th, I hit the Stillwater River for the first time this year. I took Mom up and she sat in the truck and read, and fell asleep. Hard not to with the sound of the river. It was 76 degrees so instead of fishing under the surface, I decided to throw a dry fly on the water. I had a strike right away and landed the trout, a small 12" rainbow. However, I missed the actually strike, darn!

But a few casts later, I saw the next strike and landed a small brown. Not much action on top but it was of course very early in the season. Overall, a great day. Of course, a slow day on the river sure beats a good day at the office anytime!

Arrival Home Day 1 (February 12th)

Here is Sage in the mudroom when we first arrived home. She wasn't quite sure what to make of things. She really enjoyed sleeping on the kitchen rugs but now I had to take them away today, Monday, the 19th, as she has found them enjoyable to play with. The other pic is her first meal. Yum. She also enjoys my Mich St tennis shoe slippers beside her. But, after spraying some "Yuk" on them and saying "No" and giving her something she is allowed to chew on, she seems content, well, for about 10 min. haha

Sage's First Checkup

Here is Sage and Mom and Myself about a 1/2 hour after I picked her up Monday, the 12th. We went straight to the Vet for her first checkup. She was so good. That night and morning we received about 5 inches of snow and it was very cold. Not a good day to travel but we all managed.

Puppy Shower

Last Friday, 3 of my co-workers planned a puppy shower for me. We ordered pizza and those in the office that day participated. Mom was also invited. Ireceived quite a few puppy gifts of treats and play toys. Sage already has a favorite. I am just getting around to this entry as Sage has kept me busy. I will try to post pics of her arrival home soon.

Introducing Sage!!!

Here she is! Today, I went to pick out Sage. Mom came with me and we had a great time.
The decision process was hard but I went prepared with 6 puppy tests that I gave each of the females. My final two pups were also the final two the breeder had chosen as well. (But I didn't know it ahead of time.) The bottom two pics are Sage sleeping with, or rather on, here brothers and sisters. (She is wearing the dark blue collar.)

Puppies!!!!!!!!

After waiting a little over 2 years, the much anticipated puppies have arrived. (The wait was due to several circumstances beyond my control.) Belle gave birth to pure bred Yellow Labradors, 7 females and 3 males. Delivery started around 3am December 22 (3 hours after Dad's birthday), and continued to around Noon that day. Dad had found a breeder back in the Fall of 2004. This puppy is a gift from Mom and Dad and I have been given first pick of females from the litter. After 3 weeks, Mom and I were able to go visit the puppies this past Sunday and we just fell in love with them! I will be able to choose my puppy in about 2 more weeks and bring here home in about 4 weeks. I have had her name chosen for 5 years, Sage. Her official name for papers has yet to be decided but will be something like Sage Along The Yellowstone. I chose Sage because of my Sage brand of fly rod and that I also love the smell of Sage Brush. Sage Along The Yellowstone will probably fit since I currently live a stones throw from the Yellowstone River. (I hope I don't have to move! haha) Stay tuned for more puppy pics!

Family Photo in Petosky MI

After working Christmas weekend, I was able to be off for 12 days and spent a week in Petosky, MI where I met up with my Mom at my brother's. As a result of having 2 delays in Minneapolis Wednesday Dec 27, not weather related, I missed my connecting flight in Detroit and had to stay the night in a hotel. Of course NWA paid for the room and gave my a very generous $7 food voucher. (You can't even buy a pack of peanuts in the hotel restaurant for that amount!) As hard as it is to believe, NWA also gave no apology. So I flew up to Petosky the next morning. My sister had to leave at Noon so instead of a morning together we had our 2 hour Christmas of exchanging gifts. It was a fun week in any case. The above picture is of my Mom, brother and his wife, my sister, niece and 3 nephews.

Relaxing by the Fireplace

My Mom and sister-in-law Cheryl relaxing by the fireplace.

Golf Ball On A Tee

My brother, Steve, received a golf ball/tee water globe. The oject is to get the ball to sit on the globe. Well, once I got it on there, my brother had to also. That started another brother rivalry for a week. By the time I left, Steve put the ball on the tell 90 times and I got it on 85 times. There were a few nights I would not go to bed until I caught up and tied with him. Current, the game is on hold as I don't have one for myself at home right now.

Making Pigs In A Blanket

Mom and my sister-in-law Cheryl making Pigs In A Blanket. I love those!!!!

Skiing at Nub's Nob in Petosky MI

Skiing at Nub's Nob

I took my niece Madison skiing at Nub's Nob in Petosky. Usually my brother has 2 to 3 feet of snow on the ground at his house but this year there was none. So the snow above was man-made but still fun.

Christmas Eve At Work

My co-worker and friend Dan took this picture with his cell phone. We worked Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eve together. We had a fun time as we tracked Santas journey around the globe and the country using NORAD's tracking system. We also ate very well as Dan brought Red Robin dinners for Saturday and brought in taco fixings for Sunday, and left over hams and side dishes for Christmas dinner.

Dinner w/Josh and Tanya

A week ago, Mom and I went to Josh and Tanya's for a Holiday Dinner. It was a good visit as we don't get the chance to get together as much as we would like. After dinner and a tour of the house, we had a group picture taken on the davenport. (That is a midwest term meaning "couch" for all of you who are saying "What the heck is a davenport?") As you can see, we had about two too many on the couch! We are sqeezed in there and I look 6'0, while Josh looks like a little kid! haha Thanks guys for a fun evening!

Christmas Tree

Here is a photo of my Christmas tree in my living room taken from above in my kitchen. I put 100 white lights and about 300 colored lights on it! Many have requested pictures of my house. With my old computer, downloading my digital cam pictures was a huge process and took forever IF it even worked. Now with my new computer I bought last Christmas, I have found this process very easy.

Kitchen Balcony

Here is another pic...this one of my kitchen area and balcony that overlooks the living room.

My House and Outside Decorations

Here are a few pictures of my house with my decorations. Most of you have not seen my house so these are my first pictures. I had the front and side yard landscaped this past summer and the grass really looks nice. I also had various sizes of cobblestone around the house and you can see my new aspen trees. However, I have a pesky deer that has about killed one of them as he keeps sharpening his antlers on the trunk. I think I may be having deer jerky for Christmas!