Bloggin' from Vail, CO

I'm sitting in Vail with my fam - 2 of my sisters, my boy Elroy (Jud), and niecelet Jordie Beordie. Plus bro-in-law Jim the attorney. I just made an emergency trip to Wally World in Avon. Hostess Cindo needed toothpicks and Frito Scoops. Wal-Mart in Avon is larger than some Iowa towns.


We had an exciting trip here. Not really. Pablo was worried about the weather - and he had every right to be. Freezing rain was coming, and they weren't sure when. So I hit the Ugly Sweather party at Bobbie's house with my Homies, Monday night. It was fun - I think that's a whole nother blog.


So after the Monday night homie party, I got home and was brainless about packing even though I only drank Squirt at the partay. Duh. Here's what i forgot:

• cord for my laptop. Blue, my new laptop is cordless, and bleeding power as I write.







• face lotion







• iPod and charger







• Vitamins

So nothing I can't live without, but still irritating! We checked into buying a power cord for Blue, and found they're like $100. Guess we won't get that.






The drive wasn't bad - we went the South route through KC in order to avoid the bad weather. We drove out of it at KC and then back into some fog, but no icy roads. We got out whilst the gettin' was good. The south route is a couple hours longer, but we were glad we went that way.






We pulled into Denver around 4 and headed to my Aunt Marty and Uncle Bill's townhouse. Sat and chatted with them for a while before our baby girl showed up to hugs all around. She'd been working at Marczyk's the gourmet market where she puts in some 40 hours per week. Cousin Rich came over for a drink - then the Goldsmiths headed out for supper. It was an early night as we were pooped (Pablo didn't sleep for a couple nights ahead of our trip).





We enjoyed chatting with my relatives that a.m. and headed to Marczyk's to meet Amy's bosses and see the cute place she works. We picked up sandwiches there for the road - I rode with Amy in Dave the Honda Fit and Jud and Paul were in the Subaru. Good time for one-on-one convos.





Arrived in Vail around 1PMish. Sister Cindo was prepping for the big partay - each year she and husband Bolder host a huge Christmas Eve party. Paul, Jud, Amy and I were in on it last year since Amy was living here. Checked into the Riverwalk - the Inn we are staying in - nice rooms, basic continental breakfast all for $200/night. Susi, Jim and Jordan arrived later that afternoon. That night, we experienced Beano's Cabin by sno-cat sleigh ride.





It was snowing up a storm that night - good thing we were decked out in parkas and warm clothes. Some Floridians didn't fare as well in their suede coats and stylish boots. The ride up the mountain in an open-topped sleigh took 15 minutes or so - Amy got some good photos. The atmosphere at Beano's is very cool and the food - I had goose appetizer and lamb for my main course. It was Delicious. Memories were made.

Midnight Mass

I haven't been to Midnight Mass for a few years. Father Kenkel, the pastor in Creston (until he retired 1.5 years ago) for the past 10 years was an old guy, and he moved Midnight Mass up to 10 PM. That was fine with me, because it meant we weren't staying up past our normal bedtime.
But it wasn't official-like, cuz it wasn't really midnight.

In my childhood, Midnight Mass at SS Peter and Paul in Atlantic was a packed house. You had to get there by 11:30 PM, in order to get a seat. Even then, you were taking your chances. One year, we took too long packing all of us - Mom, Dad, Susi, Cindy, Betsy and me into Dad's Buick. We ended up in the very back row, behind a fat guy that had some loud gas issues when transitioning from kneeling to sitting and standing - you know how busy we Catholics are in the pews. Wouldn't you know that got the Bullock girls to giggling - that hilarious contagious laughter. I don't remember a thing the priest said, but I do remember that.

Another time it was so crowded, we ended up sitting back behind the altar where they dress and store the vestments. That took away from some of the pageantry. It was a beautiful Mass. Mrs. McCauley (mother of my boyfriend during some of high school, and player at Paul and my wedding mass) played the violin. Nothing like Greensleeves. The colors in church were so beautiful in the nighttime light - remember this was back before I was a frequenter of Saturday night mass.

One year it was really snowy - like it sounds like it will be this year. Dad drove us, and we for some reason we decided to go up Bullock's Hill. That was the big hill in between our house and Fairlawns - the post WWll housing development by our house. It was a short very steep incline - I should know I crashed into the retaining wall at the bottom after a wild ride down it on my trike (no feet on the pedals). I remember the tires of Dad's car spinning and spinning as we slowly inched up the hill. But we made it.

I always was so intrigued when we got home - to see the gifts under the tree. Sometimes Santa had delivered gifts while we were gone - mostly the years Dad stayed home with Betsy. And the Midnight Mass where I was young enough to be allowed to doze through the lengthy service, was a mere memory as my nerves jangled with the thought that present for me were under the tree! (I know it's an awful run-on sentence. But this is my blog Miss Howarth and I'm writing it that way...). I was wired when it was finally time to get in bed. Sleep was a long time coming.

Betsy and I were great at waking up a daylight. We'd go out and check out all the presents under the tree to see which ones were for us. I've talked in past blogs about the cool toys we had. Christmas was an awesome time at our house. Finally, older sisters Susi and Cindy would finally crawl out of bed (teenagers you know) and we'd get to open the gifts. Little did I know the best gift was the family thing - making memories with my sisters.

Christmas Eve

Our family always did the Midnight Mass thing at Christmas time. When I was little, Dad would stay home with Bitsy Betsy (that's what people called her cuz she was such a cute little thing). I on the other hand, daughter #3, would have a little rest after the Christmas Eve festivities and then would have to go out in the cold to church.

Our evening's festivities went like this. Momo and Bubba (my in town grandparents) would come over late afternoon for a few drinks. Then, after they were properly lubricated we would move from the family room into the formal living room where the Christmas Tree was awaiting. We got to open gifts from each other that night. So exciting! Afterwards we dined on chili and for weird people, clam chowder. Momo made her own peanut butter and would bring sandwiches. (I preferred Skippy then, Jif now). One year, Mom dipped her brand new shell necklace (a gift from Dad) into the clam chowder whilst stirring.

So we'd play with our new stuff throughout the evening, and then take a rest before mass. I distinctly remember one year Betsy went to bed, so I laid on Mom's bed reading a book from our large children's home library. Mom and Dad had a 50's bedroom - twin beds just like Rob and Laura Petrie. But theirs were shoved together, mostly.

Dad made sure the bedroom door was shut. But I could hear it - the sounds of rustling. They didn't want to do the Santa thing after Mass, so they put the presents out before we we left. Good thing I my Santa bubble had burst before that! I think it was the next year that I discovered some of our gifts (not yet wrapped) in the furnace room. Of course I couldn't resist showing Betso the stash. Johnny West for me and Jane West for her - with their own ranch and horses. They were awesome!

Sometimes there were arguments at Christmas. Us kids when we were young. Mom and Dad as we got older. Our Christmases weren't perfect. But it was always an exciting time, and make up some of my best childhood memories.

Anniversary, wrapping

It's the anniversary of my first day of work at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Yikes! I'm so very glad I'm past that "new kid" stage, though I'm still the newest one in our two sections. A couple people may be hired in the next couple months. Or not. We'll see.

I remember that first day of work - I stayed at a motel the night before, and the nice weather turned to snowy ice. I couldn't find my scraper in the a.m. so I had to stop at the gas station for one. Scraping the half inch of ice took a while.

When I got to work, my boss Al wasn't in yet due to the weather. So Bill Blum showed me to my new home away from home - my cubicle. I putzed around getting things set up. I was very tense all day and all those first few weeks - causing my shoulder to have permanent damage. Resulting in my visits to Dr. Wes and now, the much more relaxing masseuse Chris.

So I'm thankful today. For a job I love and the comfort level of having a year under my belt.

Today, after working at home, I wrapped a couple gifts for my beloved Pablo the Poolboy. I am the worst gift wrapper of all time. I believe it's because of that girly gene I'm lacking, the gene that allows one to do hair, curl eyelashes and yes, wrapping gifts.

My sis Cindo loves to wrap (as our mommy did) and creates lovely packages that are works of art too pretty to open. My wrapped gifts are all crooked cutting, bunched corners and just plain ugly. I don't care to put much effort into it - (just like my hair and eyelashes) so that's part of it. I also have some angst about wasting paper on wrapping. But I did the deed by golly, and got Paul's gifts wrapped. (even did bows - went all out).

Clothes

Above - now that was not a good look for me. I look huge! Nice hair too - one of my growing out phases I guess. Note to self - keep hair short. Don't tuck in shirts. No bobbie socks.

I bought an ugly denim shirt at the Urbandale Goodwill yesterday for our ugly sweater party. I know, a shirt isn't a sweater. But it has this 'lil ugly Santa embroidered on the chest. I couldn't resist.


I tried to think back about all the ugly sweaters I've had through the years. Of course I didn't think they were ugly when I bought 'em. I loved them, had to have 'em. In hindsight, those choices weren't so good. I wonder what I'm wearing right now that will cause me to chuckle in a scant 10 years or so. I admit it - I'm not too stylish. I really mostly just wear clothes so I'm not naked or nothing.



Do you remember certain special (or un-special) outfits through your life? Most of the outfits I remember, are because of photos. But there are some I recall just cuz.



In junior high, I had a nifty knit blue and white knicker (yes, they were HUGE in style that year - okay maybe not huge, but kinda big) outfit. I paired it up with my awesome red, white and blue shoes (I was going for the patriotic look) and a suede red, white and blue peace sign purse. I don't know how the boys could avoid the hotness that was me. For one of our muy importante junior high dances, I wore a baby blue corduroy dress - wide knap (is that the right term?).



I remember several high school important occasion outfits. Like the velvet pants I wore with the body suit ('member those - snap crotches, and if your torso was long you could just stretch and pop the snaps...) turtle neck. Big wide bells.

Do you have any clothes that you just can't make yourself give away or sell at a garage sale? (I myself had exactly one garage sale - after many, many hour preparing I made all of $150. People insulted me by asking if I would take a dime for things marked $.25. I wanted to ask them if they thought I should pay them to take my stuff...). I have a wool plaid shirt that I got when I was in college. My Grandma, Momo bought it for me and it was quite pricey - like $40 way back then. I don't wear it, but can't give it up. I also have my original Adidas Superstars. Prolly worth big bucks! My collection also includes a very ugly Hawaiian shirt, and my old Levis - real antiques.

I have had some great laughs in my life, looking back at photos with dated styles. Glasses, clothes, hair. It's funny how you can wear something and then not that long after wonder what you ever saw in that look. I'm glad I work at a place that allows me to go casual if I so desire. Tomorrow I'm wearing another top I picked up at Goodwill - a sweater that was never worn! All for less than $4. I may have to do more shopping at Goodwill! Recycling works.

Butt Cutters

My dad coined many phrases and words in his life. And his goofy words and phrases that live through me! Butt cutters is one of those terms.

I thought of that term while walking at the YMCA tonight. My underpants were, um creeping. I don't know why, I'd worn them all day with no problem. But they evidently didn't get along with the shorts I'd chosen for the jaunt at the indoor track. Those shorts, were no butt cutters but they did bring to mind Dad's term for tight shorts.

When Amy began to play volleyball, of course both Dad and I called her tight volleyball shorts butt cutters from the very start. Those shorts fit similar to undies. Tight. So Amy grew up thinking buttcutters was the proper term for volleyball shorts. I think she surprised some people (her coach) with her use of our family term!

I'll have to be careful in the future to not wear these undies with those shorts, because there are no discrete corners at the busy Waukee Y to remove said panties from said clunkin. What, you ask is a clunkin? That's our old family term for buttocks.

Why do I live in Iowa?

It's days like today when I wonder just why I live here!?! Cold start after freezing mist, bad roads for my commute. I got up at my usual time and started working on my laptop at 6:30 a.m. Yep, I'm lucky I can do that! I had the news on, keeping my eye on road conditions.

It looked to be icy north, and it was supposed to get worse as the temp dropped. So about 7:30 I bolted. I drove across Highway 34 - the long route here, but it was green on the DOT map - not icy like the north route was. The roads looked wet, possibly slick but I didn't feel like I was sliding.

Unfortunately I got behind a nervous nellie driving 40. Doh! He wouldn't move over when we came to a passing zone. I couldn't help myself and did an over the shoulder bird flip when I finally had a chance to pass him! As I drove north on I35, I began to see a few snowflakes and by the time I was just south of the big city, it was snowing, windy and blowing. Okay, I'm officially tired of winter!

I got to work about 9:30 a.m. - just in time as the roads were really starting to get slick. It seemed like a long cold day at work, as the heat wasn't functioning properly. Did a bit of shopping after work and then headed to Joan's where the driveway was treacherous and icy. I had to be very careful unloading my bags. I parked behind Krissy on the right side, leaving room for Joan to get up the driveway and into the garage on the left side. But wasn't sure her 2 wheel drive Jeep would make it.

Went in to unpack and eat, and sure enough, a half hour or so after I got here, I could hear Joanie spinning in the driveway. Then our lil mild manner Joanie came stomping in through the garage dropping F-bombs and kicking off her boots. She was havin' a bad day, and getting stuck in the driveway didn't help. I quickly finished my food, and Krissy and I headed out to help Joan dig out and chop ice.

Did I mention how slick it was? Sure enough, 'ol clumsy managed to do a Charlie Brown falling on my butt and elbow. Lucky I was pretty well padded. Why me lord, why have I turned into the clumsy sister? And now poor Joan is embarrassed she snapped. I told her she's just human - I'm glad to know I'm not the only flawed character around here.