Crater Lake

Written on 8-15-25.

       As we were driving to Crater Lake yesterday, we learned that Danielle had failed her test, so she was “let go/fired.”  Or, she could take Academy all over again and go on probation for another year.  Basically, two more years of her life with lower pay and humiliation.  My goodness!  It sent a dark pall and chill over our vacation, and our rented Chevy Trax was filled with silence for most of the trip after we received the news.  We tried to call her, but she didn’t answer.  We called Amanda instead, and she was as mad and shocked as we were.  We could only conjecture at what had happened, and the ‘not knowing’ was increasingly frustrating.

Finally, after our boat tour today, we were able to connect with her.  She talked, and we listened.  We were thankful that Kyle was the first one to see her after he came home from Becca’s house where he is currently working remotely.  Dani-girl needed her family, and soon she was surrounded by them.  Great job, Albuquerque crew!  

She took the test that involved hoses again, but the evaluator gave her...

Redwoods and Pacific Coast Highway

Written on 8-13-25.

    I am sitting on the deck attached to our VRBO chalet near Crescent City, CA.  I see Jamie, our host, watering the lawn and spraying off the shed below me.  She has been a wonderful host, and we have enjoyed our stay here.  The location has been super, and we’ve visited Redwoods National Park and the ocean yesterday and today.  Yesterday, we drove to

(and then hiked) Stout Grove and Grove of Titans.  Both were...

A Necessary Facelift and Our Grandote Experience

Written on 8-3-25.

    Shane and crew just left after doing the final part of this very long house project.  The last piece ended up being the hole where our vent used to be in our master bedroom, the one for the old swamp cooler.  Now, I am sitting under our mini-split AC, and I am enjoying the view of a filled in, orange peel-textured, white ceiling.  This room is the only room with that kind of texture, and it’s only on the ceiling, but we just kept it that way after the bathroom remodel.  Maybe five years from now, we will have it retextured to match the rest of the house, but until then we will be the only ones who will know or notice.  I know we would like to have the garage retextured eventually, too, but let’s enjoy a break for now.

It was a long journey, but it was worth it.  All of the doors are sanded, lacquered, smooth, and shiny.  We have new white trim throughout the house.  All of the house now has the Santa Fe/skip trowel texture (except for the master bedroom’s ceiling), and they look exceptional.  We have new paint with a semi-gloss look for a bit of extra brightness, and the best part of it all is the...

Looking Forward to Blue Lake and Grandote

Written on 7-21-25.

        I played with Herman (not his real name) on Thursday last week, and I didn’t play so well.  I shot a 44, 47 for a 91.  I hoped to break 90, but the last hole ended those hopes.

I did have two spectacular pars on holes 6 and 12.  On #6, I hit the green with a beautiful tee shot with my 5-iron/wood.  On #12, I missed way left.  The pin was on the back, and I was in the grass bunker even with the hole.  I made a brilliant pitch to about five feet, and made the heavily breaking putt for that par.  

I did feel like I had more energy toward the end of the round, but I still made short game errors on those last couple of holes to miss my goal.  In other words, more energy still resulted in making unforced errors.  

I am still always trying to get my golf ball on the green in regulation (or one over regulation) and then one- or two-putting after that.  Most of the time, it works out for either a par or a bogey, but it didn’t on those two holes.

A week from today, A, B, Eric, and I are going to camp at Blue Lake outside of La Veta.  Eric and I will play golf on Tuesday at the Grandote Golf Course there.  I am very much looking forward to that.

Okay, I am going to go.  Shane and crew are back after lunch, and I don’t want to be in the house.  They are nearly done, but they have more cleaning to do and a few touch-ups.  I am so ready for this project to be done.  Amanda and Belinda are nearly home after their weekend in Albuquerque, too.

Until next time…