Weekend Before Christmas

Friday, December 16, 2011

Had another very busy day at the office, Sharon worked late so I made a bean dip for Jason's graduation party.  While at Wal Mart I noticed the guacamole dip had about 50 ingredients, none of which were avacados.  Even thought the avacados at Wal Mart weren't the ripest, I decided it would be better to have real guacamole in the bean dip even if it meant a bit more work.


Saturday, December 17, 2011

Today was Jason's graduation from UNL.  Sharon had to work at Habitat so I went solo, bean dip in hand.  It was a nice gathering of Jason's family and friends, as well as Annie, Hannah and Derek.  After spending an hour or so at the party, I decided to run out to see Sharon at the Habitat store.  Just so happened she was about to take lunch so we went for a walk around the shopping center.  We stopped at the chocolate store and also went to the steak & seafood store.  While at the meat store, we were given a sample of smoked shrimp, which was very good.  I stopped by Trader Joe's on the way home for a few bottles of 2-buck Chuck and made a couple of pizza's when I got home.

When Sharon got home we were visiting in the office having a glass of wine when out of the blue she became very sick to her stomach.  She spent much of the night and all of Sunday very sick and sore.  We think maybe the little shrimp sample she had was the culprit.


Sunday, December 18, 2011

With Sharon being sick all day, I spent the day nursing her, attending the Kettenburg Christmas celebration and also golfing 5 holes! It was around 54 degrees and sunny.  Hannah, Annie, Derek, Jason and Johnny all went to play frisbee golf down at Plum Creek Park.  By evening Sharon felt good enough to sleep upstairs again and I slept on the couch so as not to disturb her rest.

My Gourmet Wife!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Sharon worked at Habitat today, a gourmet cooking and gift store she got hired at last month. She really enjoys the atmosphere and the people there. I like that she gets good discounts on cooking gadgets & stuff.  Wednesday evening she came home in a mood to cook - I love it!  She scored some little cooking pans that are made for baking little appetizers of all kinds.  She decided to make shrimp scampi with two kinds of cheeses on them and I grilled some asparagus. YUM!  After a quiet meal with Christmas music playing in the background we settled in to watch TV and of course I fell asleep in the chair....again.  It was an enjoyable way to spend a dark, long, cold winter evening.

Yet Another Recap

December 6, 7 & 8, 2011

The week was busy at work and also at home.  Had a two-hour city council meeting on the 6th which included extensive discussion about the possibility of a new economic development director.  Wednesday evening I assembled a Barbie Princess Castle for our friends, John and Tina Maroquin.  They are both real busy and wanted to keep the Christmas present a secret from little Mollie.  Tina offered me cash which I of course refused, and John did bring me a nice bottle of Australian Merlot for my labor!


Friday December 9, 2011

Sharon worked in Lincoln until 5:00 so I caught a ride to Lincoln with my boss and met Sharon for dinner at the Oven.  After a nice feast of chicken korma, we headed over to the Lied Center to watch Annie and her boyfriend Jason perform in the UNL marching band's year-end performance.  They had an awesome performance before a packed house. I was reminded once again of the excellent acoustics in the Lied.


Saturday December 10, 2011

After an early, chilly walk outside, Saturday was spent working on various projects around the house and making another batch of grilled pizza crusts.  With the weather moderating a bit I was also able to scrape most all of the snow off the walks and driveway.  Annie & Jason came to do laundry and Jason hung out with us while Annie worked.  Sharon, Jason and I watched the move "The Help" and I fell asleep before it ended as usual.


Sunday December 11, 2011

Sunday was a welcome day off for Sharon.  We enjoyed a long but intense walk outside to start things off.  I made omlouettes and Sharon made rasberry scones for breakfast - yum!  The day was filled with getting lots of projects done and also paying a visit to the Christmas tree farm.  We almost bought a small one but didn't quite feel we could justify $60 for such a small tree that would only be up for a couple of weeks. Next year we hope to be better organized earlier in the season.  Sharon got the office totally cleaned and organized to we can start the process of messing it up all over again.

Nifty Fifty

Friday, December 2, 2011

Woke up Friday morning achieving some sort of milestone from what they tell me - 50 times riding this beautiful blue ball around the sun!

Sharon was so thoughtful about this year's birthday.  Knowing I have a desire to get back into drawing and painting, she was able to find one of the paintings I did for someone in 1980!  Apparently I was commissioned to do this acrylic painting for the Hick's back in the day.

Sharon also made arrangements to try to find me a studio space to rent but after I looked at it, decided it would be way too much work.  Awesome presents!

Friday also happened to be the LWS Christmas party.  The company put us all up at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln for the night, with dinner at Wilderness Ridge Lodge - very nice!  I happen to know the sales manager at the Lincoln Embassy Suites and asked him if he could pull some strings for an upgraded room.  He was able to bump us up to the Presidential Suite!!! Thanks John K!

I took the afternoon off so Sharon and I went to Lincoln early.  After checking into our amazing suite at the hotel, we got some coffee and the paid a surprise visit to Ben at Bailey Lauerman.  Ben was thrilled and we had a great time touring the agency and meeting his creative team, including a brief visit with Jim Lauerman himself.  I told Jim that back in the early 80's I painted some of the billboards for his campaign for Lincoln Airport Authority while employed at Imperial Outdoor Advertising.

After seeing Ben we decided to take in a movie.  We watched the new George Clooney flick, The Descendants, very good.  After the movie we went back to the hotel and had a drink with Leanne & the gals, and also the LWS group.  Had a very good meal at Wilderness Ridge then it was back downtown to Brewsky's for Leanne & my joint birthday party.  Ben and Hannah met us there and we had a lot of fun.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Awoke in our huge suite to a drab, rainy morning.  Managed to walk down to Starbuck's for latte's, then back to the hotel for breakfast.  Then the snow came... and came... and came.  Sharon was scheduled to work at Habitat so I caught a ride home with a coworker.

I spent the day scooping and cooking pizza crusts.  Sharon had a precarious drive home in the snow but made it safe and sound - thank God. We watched "Return to Me" and had a nice evening.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Sunday was "Let's Get the House Decorated for Christmas NOW" day.  We de-junked, cleaned & rearranged the house, and changed out all the fall decor for winter.  It was a huge amount of work but we knew with Sharon's work schedule we had to do it or it simply wouldn't get done.

Celebrated our accomplishments with a glass of wine and a mushroom and onion pizza.

New Pole

Monday, November 28, 2011

Seward County Public Power installed a new laminated wood pole on Highway 34 today.  The work is being done by a contractor from Grand Island and the project will connect the Ash Street substation to the Bee substation. There will be a total of 9 laminated wood poles on the new line. I went out after lunch and took some photos of the installation and will also be taking photos the next couple of days.

In the evening I attended the country club board meeting. We had sent out a letter asking the members to attend and the house was packed! Good meeting overall with some very positive feedback. It was a later night than I wanted because I had to discuss some city council stuff with Charlie Schumacher as well.

Busy Extended Weekend

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

I took today off to get as much prep work done for the big feast tomorrow. Sharon had to work so I had the house to myself (Johnny was in his cave) for most of the day. My prep work consisted of shopping early at Wal-Mart to fetch supplies, making the brine for the turkey, whipping up 6lbs of mashed potatoes, baking stuffing, prepping asparagus and chopping vegetables for relish trays. Of course there was LOTS of dishes and cleanup done throughout the day as well.

Annie was a blessing when she showed up and did an awesome job of cleaning the house from top to bottom!  Hannah also showed up in the evening and she and Annie baked pumpkin and pecan pies...yum!

Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011

Sharon woke up around 4:00AM to make her awesome homemade dinner rolls before she and the girls went to Jazzercize at 8:00AM.  While they were gone I baked them off for her and they turned out very good.  I took the turkey out of the brine and had it in the oven by 9:30, right on schedule.

Annie's boyfriend, Jason, showed up around 11:00.  Hannah's boyfriend, Derek, stopped by on his way to Columbus where he was celebrating Thanksgiving with his family.  Ben and his girlfriend, Jennifer, arrived around 2:00.  The weather was very nice, 65 degrees, but quite windy.  We went to the courthouse and another area downtown to take our traditional holiday family photo.

When we were done with the photo we finally ate around 3:00.  Thanksgiving dinner consisted of: Apple brined roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, grilled asparagus, cranberry salad and dinner rolls. Everyone was very satisfied and full.  After dinner we went on our traditional walk over to Greenwood Cemetery to pay a visit to "Kamprath Row".

After cleaning everything up, Hannah stayed and watched a movie with us that we rented on demand, Water for Elephants.  It was another very fulfilling, blessed day with the family.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Friday was spent heading in early to Lincoln to paint trim in the house that Derek just bought.  Hannah had been painting there since Monday but needed help to get as much done as possible before moving in over the weekend. I painted the trim in the master bedroom while listening to the Huskers beat the Hawkeyes.  Friday evening Sharon and I fell asleep before 9PM watching TV. What a wild Friday night!


Saturday & Sunday

We used a twisted plastic sheet as a rope.

The weekend was spent helping Derek and Hannah move the last few items from their apartment into the new house. I helped Derek with stuff and painted while Sharon and Hannah cleaned and organized. It was a fun but tiring weekend.

Hannah painting the bathroom.

Living room painting done!

Golfing, Cooking & A Road Trip

My par putt on number 1.

Annie in the sidelines.

Lake Albert Lea already starting to freeze

An E-LAM pole at the plant.

Johnny's birthday cake.

Friday, November 18, 2011

The weather was amazing today. Since I will be leaving for Minnesota on Sunday afternoon, I took off early and headed to the golf course.  I played 5 holes and it was very enjoyable, scoring a bogie, par, par, double bogie, par. Not bad for not having swung a club since October.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Saturday was project day. The weather was kind of cold so I focused on replacing the trim around the garage door and also adjusting it so it closes more smooth.  I also did a little more repair to the west door post of the garage door that got damaged by the Toyota a few months ago.

The Huskers played against Michigan at Ann Arbor, a game which Annie got to travel to with the band and color guard. Even though the stadium holds over 110,000 people, there were no seats for the band and they had to stand on the sidelines for the entire game.  The Omaha World Herald pointed out this fact by printing a full spread photo from the game, in which Annie can be seen on the sideline.

I also made pizza crusts and boiled fresh brussel sprouts cut off the spear from Trader Joe's.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

After packing and exercising in the morning, I left for Albert Lea, MN around noon, arriving in Albert Lea at 5:00...a new record!  The drive was uneventful and boring which this time of year is a good thing. Met Bart from the laminating plant and Dan our sales rep for dinner at the Green Mill restaurant then off to bed.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Johnny turned 17 today!!! I can't believe our youngest is 17.... that's how old I was when I met Sharon (yikes).

The day started with a nice walk / jog on a trail that runs along Lake Albert Lea. Met John from Alamco and Dan for breakfast then it was over to the laminating plant to accompany customers from Iowa on a plant tour. Three customers from the Iowa Municipal Utility Association came up for the tour.

Finished up the tour around 12:00 and was on the road south. I stopped in Des Moines to grab a bite to eat at the Cheesecake Factory.  While I was there I picked up a 7" Godiva dark chocolate cheesecake for Johnny's birthday.

Got home about 6:00 and cleaned up the kitchen before Sharon got home around 7:00.  Visited with Annie a bit after she got off work as well.

15th & 16th

The last couple of days have been pretty low-key which is good. Tuesday evening was city council meeting where we gained more insight into the TIF (tax increment financing) program we are implementing in town. Watched Saving Private Ryan when I got home.

Wednesday we upgraded our cable service to HD - very cool! Sharon had an interview at Habitat, a cooking store in Lincoln. I bopped out to the country club to empty out my locker which I don't use anymore.

Cat Rescue Service

Monday, November 14, 2011

A typical day at the office - Sharon made an awesome Reuben sandwich for lunch.  After work I split some wood and we enjoyed a nice fire on a beautiful November evening.  The new kitty sat on my lap.

Sharon grilled some hot dogs for Johnny and his friend Garett then we grilled some awesome steaks from Ideal.  As we were grilling Sharon could hear the little kitty meowing really loud.  Charlie had chased Lucy up into the neighbor's oak tree - about 20ft up.

After dinner I got out the ladder and coaxed the cat down far enough for me to grab it by the scruff of it's neck. Once again I demonstrate my love for Sharon and Annie by risking my life for a cat.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Morning walk on the golf course.

Started the day with a nice walk at sunrise on the golf course.  Sharon didn't have to leave for work until 10:30 so we were able to enjoy a relaxed morning drinking coffee outside.  I made a bacon cheddar breakfast pizza that Sharon, Annie and I enjoyed.  I spent the day non-stop working on a bunch of projects around the house - got a lot done.

Bacon Cheddar Pizza

Made some kicked-up mac and cheese for Johnny and finally was able to sit down around 8:00.  I skipped Life Group (bad boy) so I could keep rolling on my work and Sharon got home around 8:30 then we watched PanAm.  I fell asleep before it was over.

Annie & Lucy playing

November Weekend

Friday, November 11, 2011

Had lunch today with Jessica from Production Creek to discuss moving forward with the BlackSkirts clothing project.  She left me a catalog from which I will select some items to get printed. Next step is to get some models together for a photo shoot.

Johnny went to Omaha for some sort of computer networking marathon with a few of his buddies. I lit candles and put on some music while waiting for Sharon to get home from buying a steak to cook for dinner. Once she got home we enjoyed the evening colors on the front porch with a glass of wine and nice visit.

We grilled a steak and then settled in for an early, peaceful evening at home. I think we both dozed off on the couch by 9:00.


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Sharon was supposed to work on Saturday but her schedule was changed to Sunday.  We went to Lincoln to see Derek's new house and talk to Hannah about decorating and painting colors etc.

The realtor couldn't meet until 11:00 (kickoff time, no watching the Pen State game on TV today).  Derek's Mom, Deb, and his Sister, Macaylla, were there along with Annie and Jason.  We spent about an hour looking at the house before spending much of the rest of the day shopping around town.

Once home we enjoyed a glass of wine by the fire and I made a rueben pizza for dinner.  Annie worked and also spent the night because she works on Sunday as well.

I tried to stay up long enough to watch SNL but was asleep by 11:00.

32 Years And Counting

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

It was on a fall Friday evening, 32 years ago today, that I first kissed my future bride. I remember the night like it was yesterday. I had my eye on Sharon from the beginning of the school year in '79 when I first saw her in the school lobby with all the other new sophomore girls. My friend, John Stryson and I would put on dances at the National Guard Armory in '79. It was at one of these dances that I noticed Sharon when she arrived at the dance with another guy.

It was always a challenge to get the kids out on the floor and that evening Sharon was the first on the floor, dancing with Paul Mueller. I used this as a very selfish, conceited way to get Sharon's attention. After their first dance, I approached her and said, "you get a prize for being the first one on the dance floor!" She said, "What is the prize?" to which I replied, "ME!!!" I can't believe she fell for it.

I then asked her if she wanted to sit with me behind the control board and she did. It didn't take long until we were dancing to a slow dance and that was when I made my move and kissed her for the first time!  The rest is history!

Sharon worked today so I cooked mashed potatoes for Johnny and shrimp scampi for me and Sharon.  I watched the CMA awards and went to bed by around 9:30.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Today was an average day with Sharon getting a haircut and color in Lincoln.  When she got home we went downtown to see some of the retail open houses that were going on.  One in particular that we visited was at Merle's Flower Shop. It was decorated really cool and gave you the feeling of being in a magical winter wonderland.

Stopped and got some DQ on the way home and settled in for another quiet evening.

Braces

Monday, November 7, 2011

Today Johnny got braces in Lincoln. It went well but he is having to make some serious adjustments to what he eats and how he eats. One year and $4,200 later he will have an awesome smile!

The weather today was really dark, drab and rainy with a slight chance of snow but that never happened.

Other than that it was a pretty routine day and quiet evening at home with Annie stopping in to fold her laundry after working at the cafe'.


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Sharon went to Jazzercise this morning and I opted to finish painting the front door rather than exercising. Finally can cross that project off the list!

Went to the Chamber of Commerce luncheon today at the civic center.  Heard a nice presentation from the First Impressions committee about their ongoing efforts to beautify the four entrances into town.

Also had a nice visit with Max Wake regarding the future development of the north end of town where they own much of the land. He and his father are willing to donate some land for the north part of the hiking/biking trail!

Sharon made a WalMart run and scored some awesome asparagus and I couldn't resist roasting it up for supper! (Smelly pee)

Nice Weekend, Bad Game

Friday, November 4, 2011

Worked out at Snap in the morning doing some lifting. After a normal day at work Sharon and I went out to the Country Club for some drinks, backgammon and an appetizer.  There was a wedding reception there and a decent crowd in the restaurant.  We sat in the lounge and visited a bit with Rick & Patty Roth while we played our game.  Shared an order of onion rings and had a couple glasses of wine. Went home and had an early night.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Started the morning with an early walk, it was chilly. Decided to fry up some bacon and make a breakfast pizza before our big day at the game.  We left early for the game so we could watch Annie at band practice in the stadium - traffic was not an issue since we were so early.  Although it was windy, it was a very pleasant fall day in the 50's with lots of sunshine.  After morning practice we went with Annie to Panera for some salads and a sandwich.

After walking Annie back to campus Sharon and I went to the Running Company where Sharon tried on running shoes.  I sat outside on a bench watching all the Husker fans walk by. We then went to the Sheldon Art Gallery and looked at the permanent collection. Sharon also bought a little purse of sorts.

We watched the band warm up for a little while in front of Kimball Hall and then headed over to the stadium. Had a Runza once we got to our seats, just like I used to do when Dick Dennis would take me to Husker games as a kid. It was awesome to be there even though the team played like crap and eventually lost 25-28 to Northwestern.

We left at the beginning of the 4th quarter to beat the traffic.  Once we got to town we ate at Runza (again) and then rented the movie "Aviator."  An academy award winning movie starring Leo Decaprio about the life of Howard Hughes.


Sunday, November 6, 2011

Daylight savings time ended so the sun was rising while we were out on our walk.  Another nice crisp morning. Sharon worked in Lincoln from 1:00-6:30 so I spent the day on projects which included cleaning the gutters, raking & mowing the lawn, painting the front door, cleaning and draining down the pool, putting pool stuff in storage and cooking pizza & orzo pasta. Once Sharon got home we relaxed and watched TV.

Fun Fall Thursday

Thursday, November 3

I will never understand how some people in this world can go to sleep at night after treating their fellow man with such demeaning disrespect and rudeness. Just like everyone's body has an *sshole, every company has one as well. I will take the higher road.

Other than that small episode at work, Thursday was a fun day.  My good boss, Doug, gave me his tickets to Saturday's football game in Lincoln! It will be good to see Annie perform on the field!  Sharon was able to switch her hours with someone so she can go to the game.

Sharon met a new friend today who is the wife of the new doctor in town, Katie. She spent some time at her house talking to her about possibly helping her organize since they just moved in.

In the evening we went to JD's Coffeeshop to listen to Pete Prochnow play keyboard and play backgammon. Of course we spent more time visiting with people that came in than we did backgammon. Chatted with our neighbor, Rob Holland, and also Buzz and his wife.

After spending an hour at the coffee shop we grabbed a bit to eat at home then went to the new Puss-N-Boots 3D movie. It was a funny movie but we both fell asleep toward the end. Overall another good day.