My Fitness Pal

Tomorrow night will bring about a lot of New Year's resolutions, one of the most popular is to lose weight and get healthier.  I purposely decided not to make a resolution and instead started on a fitness plan about a month ago.  I decided to count calories and to choose high fiber foods.  I also hired a personal trainer to help me be "accountable".  I work out with him twice a week.  These workouts focus on weights and strengthening exercises.  I also do cardio exercise six days a week and take just one day off.


To help track my calories, exercise and amount of water I drink, I've been using a free food tracking application called "My Fitness Pal".  My daughter, Holly told me about it; her mother-in-law is using it and she's had quite a bit of success in losing weight.  It's available as an Android application on my cell phone and online.  (I'm not sure if it's available on the IPhone but I would imagine it is.)  It's a simple way to track what you eat and helps you stay within your calorie range in order to lose weight.  It seems to have quite a large database of foods and if it doesn't have a particular food, you can add it to the database.


I am the world's leading expert on diets and exercise plans as I've tried just about all of them.  I was most successful over the years on Weight Watchers and I am using a lot of the food knowledge that I obtained while on WWs at various times throughout the past 30 years.  But now, I'm focusing more on whole grains and high fiber foods, protein and limiting sweets and cheeses (and wine, too).  I know exercise can't be an every now and then proposition.  No, even my doctor told me I needed to exercise six days a week!


So, I realized that I had no excuse.  I could not continue to complain about my weight and not do what needs to be a part of my daily life.  There is no way around it...exercise must become a part of my daily activity.  It's not easy but it's a must!  I look at it like it's my job.  There were days that I didn't feel like going to work, but I did.  Just as I was a responsible employee, I know I'm responsible for my own health.  There are no quick fixes, no magic pills or supplements.  Once I made up my mind that it takes consistent, hard work to succeed, my whole attitude changed and I've made a permanent lifestyle change--not a January resolution!  


At the bottom of this blog, you can follow my progress with the My Fitness Pal bar graph.  And, if any of you decide to use the My Fitness Pal application yourself, add me as your "friend" and we can help each other as we move on in our health and fitness journey for life!

A Nice Christmas

This past Christmas morning I believe was the first time ever that we've not had someone else in the house!  It felt rather strange (and I must admit, a little sad).  But, that's what happens when you get older and your children have families of their own.  I guess in a way it's another type of "letting go".  But, we were very blessed to have Sara, Zach and Sophia spend the afternoon with us.  We all opened presents and had a nice dinner, too!


As usual, I had my camera out during their visit and got several cute shots of Sophia.  The dress she is wearing in the photos on the right was worn by Sara when she was a baby!  It is still in perfect condition and fits her just right!


So, in just a few days, we'll move into a new year! I'm sure there are more Johnson Family adventures that await us in 2012! 

Christmas is Upon Us

I'm amazed how quickly these past three weeks have flown by!  Can it really be that Christmas is in three days?  Those three weeks have been a whirlwind of music concerts (both participating in and watching), music lessons, hosting a Fort Collins Newcomers Club Wine Tasting event, getting Christmas presents, and, to add to my activities, working with a personal trainer!


I can almost breathe a little easier as our annual Christmas letter is done, just waiting on the printing company to send us the copies.  We hope to get them in the mail within the next couple of days.


We are looking forward to having Sara, Zach and Sophia visit with us on Christmas day and share in our Christmas dinner!  (Wish Holly, Erich, Zoe, and Ezra could be here, too!)  


We have a winter wonderland outside which is just perfect for Christmas!  We still had some snow left on the ground from a snowfall almost a month ago but we added about another 5 inches last night.  Very pretty!


I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!  Happy Hanukkah to my family and friends who are Jewish and Merry Christmas to our Christian family and friends!

It's About Time

Ah yes, it's been a busy month since I last wrote.  The back yard project was completed and I'll share a few "before" and "after" shots.  Then, Holly, Erich, Zoe and Ezra came to visit for Thanksgiving!  It had been 6 months since we saw Holly and the grandkids last and almost 10 months since we last saw Erich!  Erich finally got to meet his niece, Sophia!


We had a very nice Thanksgiving with 14 people:  Holly, Erich, Zoe, and Ezra, Sara, Zach, and Sophia, Ellen and Howard Goldberg (Zach's parents), Doris Goldberg (Zach's Grandma), Matt (Zach's brother) and Chloe (Matt's girlfriend), Mark and me!  (I did miss my East Coast family on that special day as they used to come to our home in Virginia each year for Thanksgiving.)


It was a great visit with our California bunch although several of us managed to get sick for a couple of days after Thanksgiving.  We still were able to do a lot of things with them:  a couple of visits to the Goldbergs in Thornton, the Denver Children's Museum, sledding a few times, ice skating, saw the puppies in the pet store, went to the Parade of Lights Parade preview with the Colorado State University (CSU) marching band, and attended the CSU Holiday Gala, among other things.  Lots of fun all around!


Erich had to leave the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and Holly and the kids left this past Sunday.  Hated seeing them go!  We're hoping to get out to see them and my brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Mona in April!


We continue to stay busy with our music endeavors--we had two New Horizon Band concerts in November and a couple more coming up this month.  Mark and I developed a new band Web site, too and went "active" with the site.  Check it out:  http://nhbnc.zxq.net/  We are finalizing a "Know Your Band Buddies" book for the Band and are getting ready for the band's annual Christmas party.


We are also hosting the Fort Collins Newcomers Club monthly wine tasting group event at our house this Thursday. Busy, busy, to say the least!


Hope all of our friends and family had an enjoyable Thanksgiving!  After I make it through this week, it's time to focus on Christmas and get Christmas presents purchased and our annual letter written!  More on Christmas later...

About to Begin a Big Backyard Project

Tomorrow begins a landscaping project in the backyard which we hope will afford us a little more privacy.  Since our house is located off the 11th tee of the golf course, we have no landscape break.  As a result, all the golfers waiting to tee off have an excellent view right into our kitchen!  Our kitchen table is in full view and we've often had a wave or two from golfers as we are eating our meals.  I sure don't mind their friendliness but it does bother me that we have no privacy.


So, Ryan Liebel of Loveland, Colorado and his landscape company are able to start the project tomorrow morning since the snow has melted in the backyard.  I will post pictures as the work progresses.

Yay! Finally Finished a Web Site for Our Band!

Mark and I have been busy for a few months designing and building a Web site for our band, the New Horizons Band of Northern Colorado.  I'm happy to announce that we FINALLY finished it today!


I researched how I wanted the site to look and developed the content for it.  Mark actually constructed the site and then researched and fixed a few "bugs" associated with going "live".  So, here it is:  http://nhbnc.zxq.net/

Our next challenge is to finish the Web site for my business, Best Life Photography.  It's about 50 percent complete.  I still need to develop some more content and figure out my pricing, too.  I hope to have this site done within the next two months, but it may not happen until after the first of the year due to the holidays.  We'll see!

Happy Halloween!

We saw a few goblins tonight, fewer than last year though.  It's probably because our neighborhood doesn't have many children living in it.  But despite the lack of trick-or-treaters, we still like to get in the Halloween spirit by putting up decorations and we always carve pumpkins every year.  We are still using the carving templates we used years ago when our girls used to go trick-or-treating!  One of my favorite parts is cleaning the pumpkin seeds and cooking them!


When I was a young girl in Hingham, Massachusetts, I remember on Halloween that my brother, Tommy and I would walk through the cemetery to get "spooked".  I also remember carrying UNICEF boxes with us as we went door-to-door trick-or-treating.  Mark and I were trying to remember if we got them through school or church; we think it was through school.


Glad we got to Web cam briefly tonight with Zoe and Ezra to see them in their costumes!  Too bad Ezra is sick though.  (Zoe just got over it.)  They probably won't be out too long.  


Looks like our weather is about to change again.  We still have a little bit of snow left on the ground and it looks like tomorrow night we'll see more of the white stuff...another 40 degree drop in temperature is expected!  And, we may have more snow this coming weekend!

First Snowfall of the Season

We woke up yesterday morning to a beautiful blanket of snow covering the ground!  It was a very wet snow which when coupled with the fact that most of the leaves were still on the trees created an eery symphony of "popping" and "cracking" sounds throughout the neighborhood--breaking branches everywhere!  I was taking a picture out back of the house and right before my camera lens...crack!  Down came a branch!


The temperature reached about 40 degrees today and the sun came out which helped melt some  of the 8 or so inches of snow that we got.  We are supposed to get to 60 degrees by the weekend and may even reach 70 degrees by Monday...wow!  The snow will definitely be gone by then.


I was hoping to post a photo, but this blog says it's unable to load due to an "internal" problem.  Weird!

Back in the Saddle Again

Last week was pretty rough...I managed to get a "bug" or something and was quite sick for a couple of days.  Thank goodness, I'm back to normal!


I watched an interesting documentary the other night called, "Forks Over Knives"...definitely an eye opener!  The premise of the documentary showed two different doctors' works and how eating a plant based diet can actually reverse coronary and blood vessel damage!  


It's basically a vegan diet (no oils, dairy, meat, fish or eggs).  Sugars are pretty much eliminated, too.  This sounds rather extreme but if you are faced with having to take many pills each day or injecting insulin into your body, this is a no-brainer!


Mark and I are eating this way throughout the week. (I hope to be able to get off my cholesterol medicine someday.)  Occasionally, we go out to dinner with friends and try to select food choices as much as we can that are in line with this way of eating.  We do plan on fixing the traditional turkey with all the fixings on Thanksgiving for our family but we will also prepare vegan options.  


This doesn't mean I'll never touch another cookie or cake again, but it will be very limited.  Here is a link to the movie and also the book:  http://www.forksoverknives.com/   (It's also on the instant Netflix.)  You might like to check it out! 

Glad to See Anna Mae and Sue

I enjoyed having my mother-in-law, Anna Mae, and sister-in-law, Sue visit us for a few days!  They drove down from Minnesota on Thursday and left this morning.  It was a short visit but we did get to do a few things.  Went on the Celestial Seasonings tour and then took a drive via highway 7 to Estes Park on Friday.  It was a beautiful drive...gorgeous landscapes, especially the view of Longs Peak, the 14,000+ foot mountain that we can see off of our upper deck!  The weather was perfect, too...sunny and in the 70s!


We all went to Sara and Zach's on Saturday and had dinner with them.  The last time Anna Mae and Sue saw Sophia, she was only about 2 weeks old!  Check out the pictures on the right.


Wanted to do other things (antique shopping, walk around Old Town, etc.) but the time was too short.  Hopefully, we'll fit these things into their next visit!  Glad to know they got home safely just a little while ago!

Summer in October?

We have had some amazingly beautiful weather these past two weeks or so.   We've seen crystal blue, clear skies, abundant sunshine and temperatures in the mid to high 80s!  Is this really October in Colorado?  The forecast is for one more day like this and then a cold front moves in.  Temperatures are predicted to be more seasonal by the end of the week--60s for highs.  


I love the warm temperatures, but I'm also looking forward to donning my sweaters.  It'll feel more like fall, particularly since the leaves are changing to nice golden yellows and reds now.

Closing Out September on a High Note

Yesterday (and today for that matter) turned out to be another fabulous sunny, comfortable day in Colorado!  Mark and I decided to take a drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park, Moraine, Estes Park, and Trail Ridge Road to check out the fall colors and to see the elk in their rutting season.


Drove up to Trail Ridge Road first and stopped at our favorite spot to photograph.  Temperature at almost 12,000 feet was about 54 degrees.  In Fort Collins, the temperature was in the mid-80s.    Photographed some cute yellow fall flowers; I'm always amazed that they can flourish at that altitude!  Stopped at the Alpine Visitor Center for a quick bite before we headed back down to Moraine to check out the elk rutting and to capture pictures of the fall colors throughout the park.


Saw several "harems" of elk with the large bull elk guarding his ladies from younger bull elk.  Saw very interesting behavior with one of the harems once we got down to Estes Park.  We were watching the bull elk keep his girls all together.  All of a sudden, we saw two females cross one of the main roads into Estes Park looking for the pack.  They jumped a fence and casually walked over to the rest of the harem.  Of course the bull elk had to check them out, probably checking for a male scent.


Next thing we know, we spotted a young bull elk slowly making his way over to the fence in search of the females.  He was cautious and took his time.  He was no more than 4 or 5 yards from me; he even looked at me!  But he certainly had other things on his mind and couldn't care less about the humans that were around.


He finally got up the courage, jumped the fence then nonchalantly started walking over to where the females were.  It only took about a minute or so and the large bull elk, got up and deliberately started walking a straight line towards the young bull elk.  He went a few yards, then broke into a gallop!  The young bull elk decided it was a bad decision and quickly high tailed it out of there. 


Such an interesting display of elk rutting!   Everyone should get to see this at least once in their lifetime!  Click on the fall picture on the right and you'll see a lot of the photos we took yesterday.

Sad News...Happy News

It's been a rather hectic couple of weeks and I finally found time to sit down and just reflect on the past events.


First, on a sad note, we finally came to the decision that it was more humane to have our beloved cat of almost 19 years (Buster) put down than to watch him continuing to suffer with cancer.  He was so thin and arthritic and could barely eat 1 TBS of soft food a day!  His once strong meow was barely a whisper...it was time.  I made the phone call and Mark took him to the vet...I was a mess!  He was a great cat all those years!  It's hard to believe that Sara was in 5th grade and Holly was in 8th grade when we got him at the shelter!  He's on the other side of the rainbow now and in a good place.  I miss him a lot!


On a happy note, we just had Sara and Sophia spend a nice weekend with us while Zach (Sara's husband) spent a leadership/team building weekend with his MBA class down by Colorado Springs.  It's amazing to see the changes in Sophia each time we see her!  She is full of smiles and giggles, especially when she wakes up in the morning!  And, she's trying out her voice a lot more, too with lots of baby chatter.  So cute!


In between these two events, we've had quite a busy social calendar with dinners, music shows, a candle party, and planning for the next wine tasting event for the Fort Collins Newcomers Club (we are co-chairman with another couple for this year).  I'm also working on getting out my first semi-annual newsletter for the New Horizons International Music Association!  Lots to do!   I haven't forgotten my photography business...I need to finish the Web site and get my pricing set!


And finally, our music lessons, concert band rehearsals and daily practices are in full swing!  It looks like this year I may get to be the drummer in our Dixieland Band, too! 


Whew...I'm tired just writing all of this!  :)  Actually, I'm quite happy to be busy...I'm NEVER bored!  


Well, that's about it for now.  I'll try to do better and be a little more frequent on my post updates.

I Was Supposed to Be in the Pentagon That Day, 10 Years Ago

Reflecting back on 9/11 ten years ago, I realize I'm a lucky lady!  My co-worker, boss and I were scheduled for a morning meeting in the Pentagon in the area where the plane hit.  If I remember correctly, it was around a 9 a.m. meeting.  For some reason, our boss cancelled the meeting the day before because he was annoyed at the person we were supposed to meet with.  I don't remember what upset him right now, but thank goodness, he was!  (Someone was watching out for us!)


My co-worker, Diana and I were sitting in our office on that unforgettable day and had just switched off the tiny television that we usually turned on for about an hour each morning to catch all the news of the day as we were checking emails.  I got a quick email from Sara who was a sophomore at West Point at the time that said, "a plane just hit the World Trade Center!  Gotta run to class...talk to you later..."


Wow!  We quickly turned on the TV again and actually saw the second plane fly into the second Tower...unbelieveable!  And, shortly after that, the Pentagon got hit!    Our office was on the flight path for Dulles International Airport and we kept looking at the planes coming in and thinking, "Who's going to crash next?"  But, before long...all the planes were gone!  The FAA had instructed them all to land.  Then, we saw the Towers fall.


No one could work that day.  It was difficult taking it all in.  Especially after realizing another plane had crashed in Pennsylvania!  Four planes, the World Trade Center and all those souls gone!


I think it was a few days later, we drove by the Pentagon and I had a sickening feeling in my stomach when I saw the gaping hole and charred remains on the side of the building where the plane had entered.  I think I was angry more than anything that someone so full of hatred against Americans would do this!  


I wished I was on active duty at that moment instead of being retired!  I had already been retired 7 years and was too "old" to be taken back!  :(  

Relaxing Day

Woke up to cool, crisp temperatures, plentiful sunshine, clear blue skies and the site of a hot air balloon floating by our house.  Beautiful!  The balloon launch was part of the 90th Windsor Harvest Festival, just a couple of miles from our house.  So, after breakfast, Mark and I decided to check out the festivities.


We discovered a nice park in Windsor that we didn't know even existed!  This was the main area for their festival.  Lots of booths, music, food and several childrens' bounces and rides.  After walking through this area, we drove about a mile or so to Kodak Park and attended the free antique car show.  Lots of great cars bringing back a lot of childhood memories!  (Click on the car photo on the right to see all the pictures from today.)

Ah, Colorado!

We finally arrived home on Thursday, August 25th after almost a month on the road!  Our travels started earlier than we'd expected due to the passing of my father-in-law, Walter, on July 29th.  Itineraries took us to Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota (in that order).  Lots of driving back and forth but it was well worth it as we got to see our families!  And, I finally got to meet our new nephew, Lucas!  He's 8 months old and what a happy little boy...so cute!


Walter's funeral service in the cemetery chapel was very nice...his brother, John did the eulogy.  The graveside service had to be cut short due to a thunderstorm.  After the service, we all went to John and Marion's house (Mark's uncle and aunt) for a family get-together.  It was nice seeing Mark's side of the family even under the circumstances.


After spending a week in Minnesota, we drove to Pennyslvania and stayed with my Mom and Gene.  The next two weeks were spent with them alternating time with Julie, Ray, and the boys, and Larry, Stephanie, and Lucas.  We racked up a lot of good memories with fun times spent at Ocean City, NJ, Cape May, NJ, Rehoboth Beach, DE, Lewes, DE, and Chesapeake City, MD. 


We also enjoyed watching Alex play clarinet in a summer concert band and Zachary play street hockey with him scoring 2 goals and 2 assists!  And, we've heard so much about "train club" and finally got to experience what Alex and Zachary do there, as the club was part of the annual 4H fair that we also took in.  


We also were lucky enough to celebrate my sister, Julie's 50th birthday, my brother-in-law, Ray's 45th birthday, our nephews' Alex's 11th and Zachary's 9th birthdays!  We had a fantastic dinner at Magianno's at King of Prussia for Julie's birthday and then back to Mom and Gene's for cake and presents...fun time!


We also got a chance to eat real fried clams (not just strips) at a favorite childhood place of Ray's...very good!!!  Larry and Stephanie took us to one of their favorite places, too, and we ate along the water in Chesapeake City, MD,...very nice!


We had a nice photo session with Melanie (Stephanie's sister) and her fiance, Nick in Delaware!  They are a cute couple and we are looking forward to shooting their wedding on January 21st!


We left the East Coast the day the 5.8 earthquake hit Virginia and that was felt throughout the northeast!  Talk about timing!  Made it to Minnesota for one more day (went to the Mall of America) and then departed for home.


The day after we returned, we just had to see our new granddaughter, Sophia, so we went down to Sara and Zach's.  Sophia is so cute and seems to have grown longer; she's interacting even more!  It was great seeing all three of them!  Sara looks great, too!  Looks like she and Zach have settled well into the daycare and work schedules.


Now that we are back home, we are settling back into our routines.  Mark and I are both counting Weight Watchers points again to get the excess weight off that we gained on vacation as well as to try to get a few more pounds off.  I'm trying my best to get at least 30 minutes of exercise in a day, whether it be power walking, spinning, elliptical or bicycling.  If I can keep this up, I'm hoping my body will be kind to me!  :)


I'm back into the swing of practicing drums daily and am busy gearing up for the start of the band season--working on my secretarial duties for the board and newsletter editor for the international band organization (the New Horizons International Music Association).  And, one more new responsibility...I'm working with Mark and another couple, Bob and Karen as chairpersons this year for the Fort Collins Newcomers Club Winetasting Club!


I think I have enough on my plate right now.  It's good to be home and it's refreshing to be in Colorado!  Check out some new photos on the right from our trip!

Vacation is Winding Down

Just two more days left on the East Coast before we head to Champlin, MN for two days and then home by Thursday.  We've had a great time out here with Mom and Gene, Julie, Ray, Alex, and Zachary, Larry, Stephanie, and Lucas.  We were really happy to finally meet Lucas, our newest nephew!  


We are so glad to be able to celebrate Ray's 45th, Julie's 50th, Alex's 11th, and Zachary's 9th birthdays with them this weekend, too!  We had a fun time with everyone!  Went to Rehoboth Beach and Lewes, DE with Larry, Stephanie, and Lucas as well as Chesapeake City, MD.  Julie, Alex and Zachary took us to Ocean City boardwalk, antique shops in Hammonton, and to Cape May.  Ray was able to join us at his favorite childhood clam shack in the Tuckerton, NJ area--very good!  Had lots of fun playing "Apples to Apples" with Julie, Ray and the boys the other night.  And, as always, we enjoyed shopping and visiting with Mom and Gene!


We met with Melanie and Nick and took some very nice engagement pictures.  They certainly make a cute couple!  We are looking forward to shooting their wedding back East in January, too.


I hope everyone will be able to make it out to Colorado next year and stay with us for a while.  I do miss my family back East but do love living in Colorado, too.  Just wish we could transplant everyone to Colorado!


We are looking forward to seeing Sara, Zach, and Sophia when we return!  Sophia looks so much bigger already!  And, of course, it'll be good to see our old cat, Buster!  (I'm afraid he doesn't have much time left.  According to our cat sitter (a veterinary technician), Buster seems to have developed a hard lump under his armpit...*sigh*.)


I hope our trip home is uneventful.  Just want to make it home safe and sound!

On the Road for Awhile

My father-in-law, Walter, died on July 29th around 3:30 p.m.   Mark and I quickly changed our vacation plans and moved everything up a couple of weeks.  We headed out to the Minneapolis area the next morning at 6:00 a.m.


After 15 hours, we rolled into Champlin, MN and a gully washer of rain greeted us.  The next couple of days were busy finalizing details for Walter's funeral.  And, on Monday, August 1st at 1:15 p.m. in the cemetary's chapel, the viewing began.  At 2 p.m., the casket was closed and the service began.  It was a very nice service with about 30 people in attendance.   An Army color guard played taps to begin the service, folded the flag that was draped over the casket and presented it Carol, Mark's younger sister and she accepted on behalf of the siblings.


I held it together until three different times during the service.  First, the closing of the casket in front of everyone was very symbolical to me of the finality of life on this earth as we know it.  Second, was the playing of taps and the rest of the military part of the service.  And, finally, the singing of "The Old Rugged Cross" (one of Walter's favorite hymns).  This hymn was one of my grandmother's favorites, too and was played at her funeral 18 years ago.


After the service, Mark, Joe, and four others were pallbearers, walking the casket to the hearse for the brief ride to the gravesite.  Because it was raining and lightning, there was a very short prayer spoken at the gravesite by the pastor.  We all went back to Mark's Uncle John and Aunt Marion's house after the service for a short get-together with family.


The day after, we went back to the gravesite and Carol, Mark, and Sue decided on what inscription they wanted on Walter's headstone.   


The last 10 years have been particularly challenging for Carol and Sue since they've had to deal directly with Walter's sicknesses, operations, etc. not to mention all the moves from apartments to assisted living to nursing homes.  They can all take a deep breath now.
   
We spent a few days with Mark's family and are now in Pennsylvania with my Mom and stepdad.                               
Larry, Stephanie and my new nephew, Lucas (now 8 months old) came over right after we arrived and stayed for dinner.  It was the first time we met Lucas and boy, what a cute little guy he is!  


Had dinner last night with Julie, Ray and the boys.  Alex and Zachary look so much older and they are really sprouting up in their height, particularly Zachary!


I've been taking lots of pictures but probably won't get to upload them for another week or so.  


So, my updates will be rather sporadic until we get back home in Colorado.  That's it for now.

The Waiting...

My father-in-law has been sick for a while with some sort of terminal cancer.  About a week and a half ago, his sisters thought the end was imminent.  He is receiving hospice care and has been on morphine.  Mark got a text message this morning from Carol (his youngest sister) saying that both she and Sue (the oldest sister) were with their father and it wasn't looking good.  That was about 7 hours ago and we've heard nothing since.


I hate this feeling and I know it's hard on Mark, too, even though he is not there with his sisters.  The unknown...waiting for the inevitable.  I don't like this stage of life at all.  

Chicago Concert at Red Rocks...Fantastic!

Mark and I had such a wonderful time last night...we went to our first concert at Red Rocks and saw Chicago!  First of all, the venue is absolutely magnificient!  As Wikipedia describes it, "Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure in Red Rocks Park near Morrison, Colorado (west of Denver), where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre.  There is a large tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a seating area for up to 9,450 people in between."  It is truly a majestic place!


This was my third time seeing Chicago and Mark's first time and he is now a real fan of theirs!  They are better than ever!  There are four original members still with the group.  Their well known songs sound fantastic in person, better than the recordings!  I think it was 1970 or 1971 when I first saw them and I think it was at the Boston Gardens.  I saw them again at the University of Vermont a couple years later when I was at St. Michael's College.


Check out some of the pictures and short clips on the right.

Sorry for the Ad

Once in a while I'll add a playlist to this blog and have it start automatically when this blog is accessed.  Today, I added one of my playlists and was listening to it as I worked on the computer.  What happened next really bummed me out and annoyed me to no end...a commercial advertisement played after about my 5th song on the playlist!  What!?  


Since when has Playlist added commercials without telling their members?  Please know that I am NOT promoting these advertisements!  I wish they didn't occur in the middle of my playlist but I have no control over it.  For those of you who follow my blog, please let me know if I should take the playlist off or set it up so that it doesn't start automatically.  Thanks.

Too Many Things To Do

Well, I'm a little behind the power curve lately.  I thought I'd have the Best Life Photography Web site and blog up but it's probably going to be a while.  I've been focusing on the local and the national New Horizons Band tasks that I need to do before we head out on vacation, so something has to give.


Mark and I have also been spending one or two days a week with Sara and Sophia which is something we definitely like doing!  Sophia is changing every day and it's nice for Sara to have a change of "company", too.


Our morning bike rides have slowed down since I've been trying to get my seat adjusted; when we do the longer bike rides, my pubic bone kills me!  I had the people from the Pelotin bicycle store (where I bought it) adjust my bike seat twice and it's still not right.  I finally gave up with them and went to Lee's Cyclery in Fort Collins and a female employee adjusted it for me for free!  So, I hope to get out tomorrow morning to see if it's any better.  I sure hope it is!

The Hours...Slip Sliding Away

I can't believe it's been a week since I've made an entry in this blog!  I've been so busy working on various documents and coordinating with our Board and members of our local New Horizons Band.  I'm trying to get a lot of things in place before we leave for our East Coast trip because when we return, I'll be in a crunch mode to get a fall newsletter out for the National band organization. 


I took a lot of pictures again a few days ago of Sophia and with each time I shoot, I get better.  My favorite photo is on the right (the black and white one of Sara and Sophia).  Click on it to see the latest pictures, too.

Nostalgic

Listening to my playlist brings back a lot of summertime memories when I was younger and makes me wish I could have gone to my 40th high school reunion last night!  There was just too much going on this summer to make it out to Massachusetts this month.


I have great memories of going to Nantasket Beach and Hingham Beach many, many times with Ellen and Donna, two of my good friends from school days and listening to several of these songs while soaking in the sun.  And I remember the silly shaving cream fights all of us would have with my brother, Tommy.  


I really do wish there was a time machine that could transport me back to those earlier days, to relive only the happy events once more.  

More Rides & Many "Irons in the Fire"

Since my last post, I've managed to do two more long bike rides with Mark, 20 miles and 29 miles respectively!  I must be in pretty good shape (not literally, though) to be able to do those lengthy rides.  Both of us were running out of steam by mile 22 on yesterday's ride but we pushed on as we had to get home.  I think the bowl of cereal we had that morning had burned up several miles back.  We decided to bring an energy bar with us the next time and eat it at the turnaround point.  I also need to drink more water.


Tomorrow we'll do another ride but I think we'll scale back the miles this time--give my body more time to get used to the distance.  We'll see how I feel during the ride--a game day decision.  :)


I've been busy trying to set up another blog for my photography business and have been working with Mark on the Web site.  It may take another couple of weeks before I get it up and running; just depends on how much time we can spend on it.


I have a lot of "irons in the fire" right now and am trying to prioritize what needs to get done first. As Secretary of the local New Horizons Band, I'm working on several documents, articles, etc. for the board prior to the fall start-up in September.  I was also just notified that I was selected to be the New Horizons International Music Association's Newsletter Editor (our parent organization) and will need to produce a newsletter in September.  That's going to take some time since I'll need to figure out the mechanics of getting the information to input into the issue. Should be interesting!


I'm also writing a couple of articles for our local community magazine.  And, Mark and I just recently agreed to be co-chairs (along with another couple) for the Wine Tasting group which is part of the Fort Collins Newcomers Club.  The position is for one year and requires that we organize monthly events for the club.


I'm still practicing drums daily (a minimum of an hour but more like 2 hours) and take weekly drum lessons.  I stopped my guitar lessons over the summer but really hope to start them up again in by October at the latest.  I also have a goal to start a band comprised of baby boomers that love to play classic rock (the songs of the 60s & 70s along with other great songs of the later decades) but I may have to wait a few more months before I tackle that.


And, on top of all of this, I hope to frequently spend time with Sophia, my 6 1/2 week old granddaughter!  She is so precious and is already charming us with her cute little smile!


A new business venture, music, writing, bicycling, and family.  It's a busy time for this"retired" gal...and I love it!

New Road Bike

My hand, arm and back muscles are pretty weary right now...not sure I can manage this post...just kidding.   A great bike ride today has left me exhausted!  (I'll definitely sleep well tonight!)


I did a 10 mile bike ride yesterday with Mark who was on his road bike while I was on my mountain bike.  It was a great ride but I couldn't keep up with him and he wasn't even going as fast as he could.  I decided right then and there it was time to get a new road bike!


I have an old one; it was purchased 33 years ago in Minot, North Dakota and I'm sure bike technology has changed quite a bit since then.  I brought that old bike to Okinawa and it actually survived Super Typhoon Wynn!  It was time for an upgrade.


I got a "Specialized" Dolce model yesterday and tried it out today.  Mark and I decided to go a little farther and ended up on a 20 mile ride.  The bike is awesome!  I'm getting used to the thinner tires and didn't want to push the speed.  


We're going to try to bike at least 5 times a week (while we have good weather).  It really is a good cardio workout, particularly climbing hills!  

Too Dangerous

Mark and I took a nice drive today up to the Red Feather Lakes area in Larimer County.  We checked out the Dowdy Lake campground and it's one we'd like to camp at for a couple of days.  Lots of pine trees, a beautiful lake and the camping spaces don't seem like they are on top of each other.


We took Hwy 14 up along the Poudre River which is always a gorgeous drive and today was no exception.  The river is exceptionally high and fast right now due to mountain snow melting.  There were a lot of rafting groups on the river and unfortunately for one group, it turned out deadly.  


As we were driving up the highway, I saw a guy giving CPR to a man on the ground.  Apparently according to the news tonight, one of the rafts overturned and one individual received a broken leg while another was swept downstream.  Someone on the bank saw the body come down and got it out of the water, but it was too late.  He couldn't revive him.


The two pictures on the right show how rough the Poudre River is right now.  This particular raft was about a mile upstream from where the other capsized.  Definitely not a good day for rafting!

It's Official!

I made it official today...I now have my own photography business!  It's called "Best Life Photography".  Mark has been working on the Web site today and I hope to have it ready by next week.  I will probably create a blog for the business, too.


I'm meeting with the golf pro at our club tomorrow and hope to do some golf tournament shoots in the future.  I'm planning on photographing Matt's band, Musketeer Gripweed on Saturday at the Fort Collins Brewers Festival while they perform.  I'll be scheduling a couple of children photoshoots within the next couple of weeks, too.


I've always enjoyed photography so thought it was a natural progression to have my own business.  I'll have more details to share soon!

An Empty House Again

Things were a little busy over the past few days as my in-laws were visiting hence my absence of blog entries.  Anna Mae, Sue, and Carol arrived on Friday and left this morning.  We all spent time with Sara, Zach, and Sophia over the weekend (twice at their house and once up here in Fort Collins)!  Also brought them to the French Nest Market on Saturday and then to the Club for dinner where we met up with our friends, Karen and Bob.  Had a fun time and fun visit!


Now that things are quite quiet here, I'll focus on finishing getting our business set up legally this week.  I'm working on the portfolio and I need to figure out which Web site provider I want to use and then start building that, too!  


Lots to do!  And, let's not forget, I have daily drum practice to do, too!


The new picture on the right is Sophia just over 1 month old now!  Click on her photo and you'll see more pictures from our Father's Day get-together with Zach's family at Sara and Zach's house.

Working on the New Business

I am amazed at how many regulations and references I need to review in order to set up a home business.  It's all quite confusing as there are local association, county, and state requirements to sort out.  Lots of research and very time consuming.  I wish I could find one place to go to that would cover all the bases for me all at once.  


Not only am I working on getting it set up legally, I'm trying to build a Web site, portfolio, and make arrangements on the retail side for customer orders.  Whew!  I'll fill everybody in as soon as I get the legal aspects squared away.

Not Today

We took Buster to the vet today and I fully expected to not see him come home with us.  He has a cancer on his head but other than that, he is about the same as he has been this past year.  I could barely talk to the vet between my tears. 


He gave us an option to try a steroid shot which should reduce the swelling of the cancer but doesn't make it go away.  We are to check back with him at the end of the week to see how he is doing.  I've already decided that if Buster gets worse, Mark will need to bring him to the vet because it's just too hard on me.  I'm just a basket case there.

The Executioner

The Executioner...that's what I feel like and I hate it!  I have two reasons for feeling this way...Sandy and Buster.  


First, Sandy.  Two days ago, my neighbor, Jack and his daughter, Joey, were looking for their cat, Sandy because she was going to be put down yesterday (Friday) due to cancer.  Sandy is 16 years old and apparently has cancer in her mouth which created a hole in the roof of her mouth making it very difficult for her to eat.  It was obvious she was getting weaker.  


They searched into the evening hours on Thursday but no Sandy.  Yesterday morning when I came downstairs, there was Sandy sitting by the koi pond relaxing, a recent favorite past time of hers.  I called Jack to let him know where Sandy was and Joey came over and got her.  I felt like I was the Executioner for telling them where she was.  


I talked to Jack this morning and Sandy met her fate yesterday.  Very sad.  She had a good life with Jack and Joey ever since they rescued her years ago as a stray when some college students left her on her own!


Now, our own cat, Buster.  Buster has been with us since Sara was a 5th grader--18 1/2 years old!  Buster is deaf (has been for almost 2 years) and has lost a lot of weight.  His arthritis is really bad yet he still seems to walk around okay; he has difficulty when he goes to sit.  He has been throwing up much more frequently these days and I noticed recently a growth on the top of his head over one eye.  Upon coming downstairs this morning, I was shocked at how quickly it grew since yesterday!  And, there is no fur on the growth.  I would bet this is his cancer.


I tried getting him into the vet today to confirm our fears but they are closed right now.  I left a message to get him in on Monday to see Dr. Arun. 


I left a Skype note for Holly and Sara to let them know that I think Buster's days are numbered.  I have a feeling on Monday he'll be going to kitty heaven, too.  I'll try calling them later.


Even though I know this is probably the humane thing to do at this point in Buster's old life, it just stinks when a decision like this has to be made!  We'll see what the vet says on Monday.  He has definitely been a good cat all these years and I will miss him if it's his time to go!   

So Much Activity, Not Enough Time

When I was younger and worked a full time job and our girls were still in school, playing music and sports, I seemed to be a master at organizing our daily/weekly schedules.  I thought once I'd retired things would slow down a bit but my days are just as busy as the early days of my family life.  And, that's not a bad thing!  There is no way I'm ever going to be bored!


I have so many different things I want to do, the trick is trying to figure out how to fit everything into my schedule.  I need to resurrect my organizational skills again so that I can do more (activities) with less (hours in the day).   


My drum lessons and drum practice are a priority and so is fitting in exercise at least 30 minutes a day (although I know that is no where near enough for weight loss) but it is better than nothing.


The weekly big clean of the house and weeding the garden is the next priority.  I also go down to see Sara and Sophia a couple of times a week which is something I definitely look forward to!  I want to devote time to writing and photography several times a week (ideally daily) and I would really like to finish just one of the hundreds of books I've started over the past few years!  Leisurely reading has definitely taken a back seat to the other activities.


I try to pick up my guitar at least a couple of times a week to reinforce the picking and strum patterns I've recently learned.  And, I need to plan a couple of camping trips and hikes into the Rocky Mountain National Park this summer.  Then there is a lot of work to do for the New Horizons Concert Band which kicks off a new season in September.  I will need to put some time in with the Fort Collins Symphony Guild (not sure when that is going to happen) and I want to learn to swim "laps".  


Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled with having so many interests!  I'm just trying to figure out how to fit everything in.  

When Will California's Housing Market Get Real?

Holly and Erich need to move out of their current house of 5 years because of a big raise in their rent.  So,I've been busily searching for homes in Ventura for Holly and Erich (and they are, too) but geez, when will California home prices get reasonable?  Who, other than actors and lawyers, can afford to buy out there?  I've never seen anything like it!  It's REDICULOUS!!!  It's no wonder people are moving OUT of California in droves!

Tidbits from Today

Before driving to Sara and Zach's, we drove by the River Bluffs Trailhead parking lot where the Cache La Poudre River flows by.  The river has risen a lot and is supposed to continue to rise due to the snow melt in the mountains. Check out the picture on the right.


Mark wanted to help Sara and Zach get started on their garden so we went with Sara to Lowes to pick out plants and supplies while Zach babysat Sophia.  


I did another short photo shoot with Sophia today.  (Mark and I did her first photo shoot yesterday.)  The photos here are yesterday's shoot.


On our way back home to Fort Collins, we experienced a beautiful sunset and took a few pictures, too!

Back to Life as I Know It

May was an amazing month full of joys, concerns, anxiety, anticipation, and love!  So many things happened so quickly that I didn't have time to sit down and think about them much less write about them.  So, let me now recollect the adventures that took place...


Holly, Zoe, and Ezra flew in from California on May 10th and our house filled with laughter, screeches, and sometimes tears for the next 3 weeks!  I'm always amazed how the house blossoms into the brightest most colorful bouquet of emotions and activity when they are here; I LOVE it! 


My first concert band performance was on May 11th and several of our friends as well as Holly and the kids were able to attend!  I didn't have a flawless performance on percussion but no one noticed the "mistakes" but me.  I'm glad to have my first concert behind me now.  Too many jittery nerves on the first one!


Sara's due date came and went on May 10th, too!  By late in the night on the 11th, she went into labor for 12 hours and then it stopped for the next 12 hours or so.  This pattern went on for 4 days!  On Monday, May 16th at 2 p.m., she was given Pitocin to speed up the contractions and by 9:03 p.m., our beautiful granddaughter, Sophia Lena Goldberg was born!  Holly was thrilled to have been able to be a part of the delivery with Sara and Zach! 


There should have been a camera filming Ellen, Howard and I (the anxious and excited grandparents we were) who waited just outside the room door while the miracle of birth took place!  We looked like the Three Stooges with our ears against the door!  Sophia is their first grandchild so you can imagine their excitement level was over the top!  I was also anxious to know if both Mom and baby were doing well!


After a day, it became clear that Sophia needed a few more days in the hospital due to a condition called "tracheal malasia".  Her oxygen level dropped when she would cry; that appears to have resolved itself and she's gone from her birth weight of 6 lbs. 10 oz. to 8 lbs. 5 oz. in two weeks!  Sophia along with her mommy and daddy came home on Saturday, May 21st!


She had her first "outing" to Grandma's and Grandpa's this past Saturday and we invited Howard and Ellen to participate!  We had a little BBQ and ate inside as the weather was rather cold and cloudy.  


Speaking of weather, I couldn't believe how almost every day for three weeks we had cold, cloudy/rainy weather!  I was so upset for Holly and the kids because it limited their outdoor activities!  But, if you check out the pictures on the right, you'll see we fit in just a little fishing, park/playground visits, sculpture park and the Denver Children's Museum!


So, now the house is empty and I'm playing catch-up on my drum practice.  I also will start walking outside a lot more frequently as long as the good weather holds up!  We need to plan a Rocky Mountain National Park hike, dinner events, camping, and practice shooting more photos to prep for an August engagement shoot and wedding in January back East. I also have more work to do as a board member for our band to get us ready for a new season in the fall.  I hope to get a few more people to join so need to push the publicity even harder this year.


I have more than enough to do but despite this activity, I can't help but miss Holly and the kids!  (I miss Erich too...don't get to see much of him at all.)  They are such an important part of our life that it's sad we see them so seldom.


Tomorrow is another day...we'll be heading to Sara and Zach's in the morning.  We'll take Sara and Sophia to Buckley AFB in Aurora to get my prescriptions refilled and to do a little commissary/BX shopping.  Then, back to Sara's to do a baby photo shoot!  

Sophia Lena Goldberg Arrived on May 16th!

She sure took her time making her entrance into this world, but Sophia Lena Goldberg finally arrived on Monday, May 16th at 9:03 p.m.  She was 6 lbs., 10 oz. and 19 1/4 inches long!  She is a beautiful baby who has her Mommy's chin and nose and resembles her Daddy a lot, too!


She finally got to go home yesterday as she had to be watched a bit for her breathing when she cried.  She initially wasn't taking in enough oxygen as she breathed in during her cry; but after a few extra days in the hospital, her trachea seems to have matured enough for her to go home.


I know Sara and Zach are thrilled to be home with her!  Now they get to settle into a routine and figure out how to be Mommy and Daddy to our beautiful new granddaughter.  They will make awesome parents!  I'm looking forward to my next visit with Sophia!

I've Been So Preoccupied!

I've been so preoccupied this past week that I haven't found the time to write in this blog.  My daughter Holly and grandkids from California arrived on May 10th.  My final band concert of the season was on May 11th.  (For my first ever concert, I thought it went very well!)


Sara's due date was May 10th and beginning on May 11th and everyday since, Sara has had 12 hours of labor and 12 hours of no labor each day!  She's had really intense and regular contractions for each of those 12 hours of labor and each time she went into the doctor's or hospital they've sent her home because the contractions all but stopped!


She is scheduled to be induced tomorrow at noon.  I'm not so sure she will make it until then as the contractions and labor pains have recently started up again!  


With lots of other things on my mind, I've neglected this blog for a bit.  Hopefully, things will settle a bit in a few days, enough at least to write about our new grandchild soon!

More Than Ready

Three more days until Sara's due date and she is MORE than ready to have this baby!  She is so uncomfortable right now.  I just hope she can get as much rest as possible over this next week because she won't be getting much sleep once the baby comes. (Neither will Zach.)


It's strange to think that a baby will most likely be here by this time next week!  The doctor will schedule an induction if Sara hasn't had the baby by this Tuesday!  We are so excited about having a third grandchild!!!  I hope and pray that the labor and delivery goes well for Sara.


And speaking of grandchildren, we are really looking forward to seeing Zoe and Ezra (and of course their mommy) on Tuesday!


We finally had beautiful weather today so Mark and I took a 15 mile bike ride on the River Bluffs trail.  I'm a bit sore but plan on doing this a lot more frequently as long as we have good weather.  I feel it right where I need it...thighs and butt!  


And, I finally made it up our hill without stopping!  I was completely exhausted by the time I made it to the top but I kept on peddling.  I kept saying to myself, "Biggest Loser, Biggest Loser, Biggest Loser"!  I figured if they can put up with tough workouts 8 hours a day, I could handle a little pain for a couple of minutes or so.  It worked!

One More Week!

I'm really getting excited now knowing that in just one short week...only 7 days...Sara will have reached her official "due date" AND Holly, Zoe, and Ezra arrive that same day!  Sara sees her doctor next Tuesday so if the baby hasn't arrived by then, they will schedule a date for her to be induced.


Holly and the kids will arrive in the morning on the 10th and I think just Mark will be there at the airport to pick them up so that I can still do the rehearsal for our concert on the 11th!  Wish I could be there, too, but  somehow I think I would be missed greatly if no one was playing the parts I play (i.e., base drum, clave, tambourine, suspended cymbals, crash cymbals, and snare drum).  If they get in on time, Mark will bring them by our rehearsal hall.


Speaking of concert band, one of our members had a mild stroke over the weekend.  My thoughts and prayers go out to Jack and Shirley.  We just had dinner over their house a couple of weeks ago!  I wish Jack a speedy recovery!


I was also elected Secretary today for our concert band for the new year starting in the fall!  Should be fun!

Countdown -- 10 Days!

Mark and I met up with Sara and Zach today at Gordon Biersch's for lunch at the Flatirons Mall.  Yummy hummus and goat cheese salad!  Afterwards, Sara stayed with us as we walked around the Flatirons Mall while Zach got new tires for his car.  Stopped off at HomeGoods and Target on the way back to their house.


Took more pictures of Sara and she is still quite radiant -- a beautiful pregnant lady!  (Check out her week 39 photo on the right!)  Only 10 more days until her due date!

She Marries Her Prince

I must admit, I was excited about the Royal wedding today and set my alarm to get up at 2:30 a.m. MDT.  Amazingly, I had no problem popping out of bed!  I turned on the gas fireplace and settled onto the couch for the next three hours and really enjoyed the pomp and circumstance of it all.


I absolutely loved Kate's dress and veil; beautifully sophisticated and not overdone.  I hope dress designers take note and introduce more lace sleeves and graceful necklines instead of simply strapless wedding gowns.


The British certainly know how to throw a wedding!  It was impressive how civil the crowd was particularly as they moved on the street to Buckingham Palace.  


Prince William and Princess Catherine make a beautiful couple!  They are the epitome of a fairytale dream!  Check out some of my favorite wedding pics on the right.

Pleasant Day

 We enjoyed having Sara and Zach join us for Easter Brunch at the club yesterday!  We sat with our friends, Karen and Bob, their daughter, Lisa, her husband, Tom and their two daughters, Lilah and Rorey.  De-li-cious meal and certainly enjoyed the conversation!


Of course, I had to pull out the camera again and shoot some pictures; our photos were taken at our house. I try to document all the special moments...that's pretty much everything!  


Two weeks to go now until Sara's due date!  Her pregnancy has sped by.  It's hard to believe that in just two weeks or so we'll have a new granddaughter!  This really is exciting!  It's surreal to me to think that MY baby is having a baby of her own!  

Last Swing Band Gig for the Season Tonight

I went to Mark's last New Horizon's Swing Band gig of the season tonight.  They played for a senior center's "prom".  The band did a really good job!  I thought it was their best performance that I've seen!  Mark has really improved his trumpet playing skills these past few months...I'm impressed!


I'm hoping there is an opportunity for me to get in that band in the fall when they start up again.  I'll keep practicing over the summer and maybe my chance will come!  We'll see...