Back East Was A Blast!

Well hello folks! We had a great time on our trip back East. We Geocached in 20 states and I finally got to fill in my state map on the geo-site! The countryside was a real eye opener. We really enjoyed Maine, Vermont, West Virginia and Connecticut but Illinois and Massachusetts were a pain in the behind. Seems as though no one in the last two states has a bathroom in their stores and gas stations. At least, that is what we were told when we pulled off the freeway to use one. You can't even go into the restraunts or other businesses unless you purchase something first! I had to actually buy something for a dollar to be able to pry the bathroom keys out of the store clerks hand. What a silly way to do business. The Geocaching was really fun. We went all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and dipped our toes in it. We had lobster and cheesecake and actually slept in the van for four of the days. However, after the four days, we decided that we were too old to sleep in the van and spent the rest of the time in moderate hotels. New York was as crazy of a place that I would ever want to be. The traffic was nuts back East. Nothing like Montana. I am not sure what these folks would do if they were on a road that had no cars for a few hundred miles. The one great thing about back East was that we got there just when the trees had started to change color. I wish we could have stayed a little longer as they were really coming alive on the way back. A few more days and they would have been in full glory! All in all, it was a fascinating trip and I would like to go to Maine again and spend more time going down the coast.

After getting back home, we started back to work wishing we were still on the coast. I sold old Red (my van) and got into a smaller car. Funny though, the gas then started to drop so I have to wait to see the advantages of a smaller car. I like my Toyota though. It is stellar on gas mileage. It holds it's own in the snow that we have had for quite some time now. It has been really cold here in Montana. Below zero temps and wind makes for an uncomfortable time.

We were asleep a few weekends ago and about 1am we got woken up by sirens and police cars flying down our neighboring street. After we got back to sleep, my phone rang and a police officer told me to come outside as someone had hit my new car while fleeing from the police. Of course I was pretty ticked off as I have only had it for a month at this point. It wasn't as bad as I thought however. After I picked up all the pieces of car from the street I realized that they weren't from my car but from the one who side swiped me. I still ended up with 800 dollars worth of damage. Seems as though a 14 year old boy, drunk and no license didn't want to get caught by the police so he decided to run. Not a real good driver as he wiped out three cars before side swiping me. I haven't had the greatest of luck with vehicles lately.

Well Christmas is here and to tell you the truth...I am not into it at all this year. I didn't even want to put up a tree this year. Can't tell you the reason but I just don't really care about it this year. A lot of people at my work this year feel the same as I do. Maybe it is the economy or something but I just feel blah! Finally got a tree but only did so because my sweetie wanted one.

Not too much more to say here. Just got back from a Christmas party at the Doctor's house. He is my sweeties boss. Really nice house and great food too. The guy's really into hunting and fishing. There are animal skins around the house as well as fish on the walls. I especially enjoyed eating the antelope. Never actually had that before. Oh well, guess I will update you all later on how my stomach liked it. Cheers for now all! Merry Christmas....I guess.

Billings MT Geo-bash!

Hello all! Out first annual Geo-bash was a huge success. We had about 100 people show up from all over, new friends were made and old friends were enjoyed. We had so many door prizes that we had to have everyone draw numbers twice! We think next year we might combine like prizes into groups. Riverside park was alive with geocachers and many hidden treasures were found. It was a lot of work but all very worth it.

Well, my sweetie and I are ready to take our second rest of the season. We're not sure what we are going to do but we are looking forward to the days off. The house needs work, the apartments need renting and the cabin needs painting. Don't know if that will get done but it will be enjoyable trying. We may go away for a few days on a little jaunt. Maybe do some Geocaching, who knows.

Work has been very intense. It has been most difficult as our building is sitting on one of the worst contaminated areas in Billings. Seems as if some folks next door in the dry cleaners had one of their chemical pipes break. It's been broke for quite a few years and has been dumping PCE into the soil. Anyway, there is a huge contaminated plume of PCE traveling along the underground river here in Billings MT. The EPA started the clean-up about two months ago. We have been listening to a pile driver pound in huge steal posts into the ground to surround the plume. After that was done, the soil is dug out and trucked away. Some is salvaged and cleaned and replaced, the other is taken away and disposed of. They were going to move us to another building but it was impractical for us so we remain here in the thick of it. It is interesting to see fellas in hazmat suites walking all around the area and there we are, sitting in our offices trying to work. But....they tell us that there is no danger to us. Yea, right! I would assume that is why my thyroid gland is all whacked out and I had to suffer a very painful biopsy recently due to a lump that has mysteriously appeared.

Good news! My beautiful daughter will be married in May 2009! We are all excited for her and her new beau. She has had him hooked onto her hip the last 15 months. She only has two more years left to finish college. She is a lovely young lady. I am definitely nervous about calling the new in-laws however. She is a doctor and I don't know what he does. Well, we will all meet soon I imagine. More on that later on in the year.

Well, I must get back to planning our time off. I don't want to miss a minute of it! Cheers all! Freedancer

Just A Little Update

Hello again all! I finally got some spare time to blog a little. I've been working my tail off at the new position. I've all but completely left the Mental Health Center. I'm just a name on the pay check so to speak. They write it and I gladly spend it. I really charish this new position. It has been quite rewarding. Since I have been there, two ladies have retired! Both were very sweet and caring people and I cried both times! We have a gentelman working with us now. I don't know how he does it actually, in a room with 7 other women. Our boss, who is male, was very glad to see the new guy start work. He seems to like all of us and he does a very good job.

My sweetie and I were able to take our first vacation of the Summer. We went down to Utah and did some geocaching. It was a lot of fun and we found about 100 of them. This trip put my sweetie over 1000 and me over 700. I am going to have to work a little harder if I am going to cache up with him! We are working on our first Geo-bash for Billings MT. It will be on 2 August and there is going to be a lot of good food and fun. If any of you out there do this hobby, please join us at Riverside Park in Billings Montana on August 2nd, starting at 8:00 AM. There will be a lot of new caches to find at both parks.

Our next vacation of the Summer will be taking us back East to see the leaves change color. We will also be geocaching throughout the states there as well. We are really looking forward to this trip. After it is over, I will be having some surgery sometime around the first of the year and since the weather will be yucky in the Winter, I will just be recouperating here at home for two weeks or so. The VA hospital will be doing my surgery as they need to correct a few things that they worked on about twenty years ago. We won't go into any of this stuff!

We are pleased to announce that my oldest son is finally ready to move out. He's somewhat disabled and we have been working with him for quite a few years getting him ready to live on his own. He now holds two jobs, has his Section 8 housing and has found a sweet apartment a short ways from our home. He will be able to come to visit once in a while and also help us by house sitting. His little apartment has all utilities paid and is across the street from our local Fire Department so if he has any problems, he can go and get help. He's very excited and we are just waiting for the landlord to finish making repairs and paint. For a kid who is disabled, he works very hard at both his jobs!

Well, I guess that is my update for now. I'll be writing again to tell you all about the Geo-bash! For now, Cheers! Freedancer

I'ts Been A While

Well, it has been a while since I blogged so I thought I better write something so as to not seem like I have disappeared. A great deal has gone on in the last couple of months. The forger and kidnapper of my name was caught, placed into jail, made bond and is now out to probably start her little deeds again. Not only did she take me for over a grand, she also got into my company's private and client funds and took them for over a grand! She now has a public defender and is refusing to give the detectives any insight into the crime except that she was "sold" the information. Yeah right! And I won the lottery just last night and shared it with Hillary Clinton!

I was offered and decided to accept full time at the second job which is working with the Medicaid Waiver program at the county health department. I was actually working there three days a week anyway and two at my other office. It was too hectic changing mindsets back and forth. Now I only have to go to one office. However, I asked for a letter, signed by the boss and HR that if this other job goes south or if they decide they don't need my assistance anymore, that I can have my other job back or I don't go full time. I have 9 years vested in this field and I have quite a bit of vacation and sick leave saved. I don't want to have to start all over. They haven't quite said anything about that yet. We will see I guess.

Life is really quite quirky isn't it? We work and work until we are old and just when we finally retire and think we have time for ourselves, the kids come back or we are too tired to do anything! Oh well, I guess I can only press forward. I hope I have a ring side seat for the forgers trial. I just want to sit and stare at her through the whole thing and not say a word. You know, just give her the look that our mother's gave us when we did stupid stuff like getting the spatula caught in the mixer, or tried to glue a nick knack back together before she came home and found it all glued together into a weird shape that she never would have picked out. Ugh! I hated "the look". My Grandmother had that one down pat. I would do anything for her just to be spared "the look".

Well, enough of all of this. It's time to get to bed as I must wake up tomorrow and do it all over again. Hmmm...maybe my hubby needs a dose of "the look"...nah...don't want to wish that on him. Cheers all! Freedancer

No Justice for the Honest

It's been a while since I posted a blog. You see, late last month my identity was stolen. The perps copied a check of mine at a store either by copy machine or cell phone photo. The worst part of it was they got my drivers license information and the numbers off my checks. Next thing I know is that my account is over 1,000 dollars overdrawn and my name is plastered all around town as a bad check writer. I have been steadily working on this now for over a month with no light at the end of the tunnel. It boggles my mind why someone would put so much energy into this activity instead of channeling that energy into a "real" job. My reputation around here has been good until now. I get letters daily from creditors demanding payment on bad checks now. Of course, I canceled my checking account and got a new license but the damage has already been done. At least the bank gave me back the money that was stolen. Well, I am actually too depressed right now to go on so I will close this blog. Good luck to all of you out there and be careful. Freedancer

A Day Off

I took the day off today. Somewhat because there was 6 inches of snow and somewhat due to the fact that I'm getting a little burnt out from work. You see, I work two jobs and get paid for doing one. I work for a non-profit organization and the County Health Department. I enjoy both jobs but I'm getting a little tired so I decided today was a non-work day for me. Actually...this worked out as my son injured himself at work and I ended up taking this stellar young man to see the Chiro for a treatment. Hopefully he will be back in the saddle very soon!

I've decided that I am losing hope in our President. I am seeing a lot of things that I do not like that he is doing and NOT doing. I feel strongly that he is not dealing with the two border guards that are locked up for doing their job, fairly or compassionately. He is not acting quickly enough on the border fence and won't speak out about it clearly. I truly feel I can no longer support him. This does not, however, mean that I am jumping ship to the other party. In no way do I support ANY of those yahoos! I just don't know who to support at this point. I think there better be a front runner for the Repubs real soon or lets put in an Independent quickly.

Does anyone else feel this way? I mean, Hillary is a train wreck waiting to happen and John McCain is ready to croak. Who's left anyway? Any comments? My day off has actually been pretty OK and I am relaxed. So I guess for now, I will close this and wait...perhaps someone will engage me in a decent, intelligent conversation?