Weekend Sports Update

Let's see...where to start.

Maybe...HERE.

At the risk of repeating myself..."we don't need no stinking Brett Favre"....

That's 6, baby. Touchdowns. In ONE game. Like Broadway Joe. Lovin' the New Yawk Bretts.

Then, there's this. Here's the QB of the future (oops, I injured my shoulder. Not my hammy, even while going to the fridge for a PBR, as lostinutah predicted, but who's counting)...

I do like Aaron Rodgers. The Packers, however, have screwed the pooch this year and are in over their heads. Thanks, Ted Thompson, you rock.

Lastly, there's this little gem of an inter-Nevada university trophy called the Fremont Cannon. Said cannon is owned by whichever of the universities in Nevada have won last year's game. In case you're counting, there's basically two universities, the northernmost of which is my alma mater. I'm not always passionate about them as my school years there were so-so, but I'm proud of two things. Owning UNLV's booty in football and getting to the sweet 16 in basketball (yeah, whoo).

Most of the time I've been connected to University of Nevada, Reno, the cannnon has resided with MY school. I've never been to a game at UNLV with UNR but I wish I'd been there last night. By the time it was over...pretty much everyone left in the whole place was wearing Silver and Blue. And shrieking. And that, my friends, was great fun to watch. Because, as a good Nevada alumnus, I hate the Rebels. (It's like Idaho vs. Boise State. Trust me.)

Oh, and Jeff got 4th in the NASCAR race (damn The Husband and his Jimmie Johnson who keeps winning) and the Jaguars won too. All in all, a good weekend sports-wise.

Now, on to packing for the move...someone want to come and help? Never mind, I know the answer to that question. (Psst...I'll buy you a beer if you help).

Oh, and I thought Barack held his own. Well, maybe a bit better than that. :)

12 days until the Jazz kick off their season.

Better News

Better news on a couple of fronts....

Dad went to the doctor and they said that as long as Dad smokes "minimally" that it is okay...for now...they will give him something to help when he's a little stronger and can focus on doing some things (working or puttering around) and won't have so much time on his hands (causing stress, causing him to want to smoke). So I won't yell at him. And I'm sorry I was so mad (mostly because he scared me to death). But I will yell at him if he doesn't quit when the time is right!!

We also found a place to rent today. Friend Renee went and vetted it for us during her lunch hour (Renee is AWESOME!)so I faxed the paperwork to the property management firm this afternoon. It's a fairly small duplex on the Boise Bench, but the rent was the right price (since we will still have a house payment, it's got to be low) and it has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a garage.














Baby steps...after next Friday I'll really feel like this is happening.

Have a good weekend!

MY DAD IS SMOKING AGAIN

Feel free, those who know him, to call him and scream your lungs out. I haven't yet...but I'm about to.

He's got a scar around his skull and a feeding tube in his nose. And guess how they got there.

Unfrickingbelievable.

Say a prayer he figures out that he's GOT to deal with this. The next time this reoccurs, he has few, if any options and they're all a lot worse than what he's going through this time.

I Hate The Cowgirls

But...noooooo....the Packers don't need Brett Favre....they have the QB of the future....right...

The Packers offically sucked tonight. Brett may be gone, but Aaron & Co. need to step up.

The defense looked great. But you get damn tired when you're on the field 80% of the time.

Where is Jessica Simpson with her pink jersey when you need her?

Go Pack.

Medical Center

There used to be this show starring Chad Everett (anyone remember Chad Everett?) called Medical Center. I feel like we're starring in it the last week. Except for Dad's doctors aren't anywhere near as cute as Chad.

However, here's the update....

Dad should be getting out tomorrow - he's pretty much been given a green light, they just have to arrange all his follow up stuff and make sure he's swallowing well, but he looked great tonight, is talking well and has his trach tube as well as all other tubes pretty much out.

Yeah!!! What a long week - and I have to say, Pattie is a SAINT.

Now, to focus energies on the move. Part of me is still having a hard time believing it's happening, and dreading something will happen to prevent it all. I need to start focusing on the positives.

What To Do About My Blog Name?

Hm...it looks like I shall have to use a new nom de plume. Or, should I? Can I be "lostinutah" when really "happy in Idaho"?

Thoughts? Nominations for a new name?

I used to have license plates when I lived in Reno that said "SPUDPKR" for obvious reasons (see, T2ed, I do laugh at the jokes) - maybe that would work?

I welcome suggestions - please be nice though! :)

P.S. Going to see Dad tonight, hoping he will be out of the hospital tomorrow. Keep you posted.

It's a Tagamet Day

Back in the day in Nevada, I had a nervous stomach (thanks, Grandma and probably a certain Uncle who has had stomach issues). It would pop up whenever my stress was OVER and the happy thoughts began. Nice stomach cramps...since my stress was gone and couldn't keep them from starting. As directed by a doctor many years ago, I take this wonderful drug, Tagamet, which is now available over the counter. I needed it yesterday. And today.

See, here's the things that caused it, in order:

• Dad's doing great and should be out of the hospital Tuesday. He looks great now and is talking well and is up and around.
• I've got a job that I think I will really like in the town I most like in the world
• We have a plan of attack for how to approach moving and where to live.
• We found a house in the interwebs that's in the perfect neighborhood, good price and great garden/backyard area - if only they will take a contingent sale.
• My pastor and friends at church looked way mournful when I said we were moving. It must be really crappy to have people be sad you will be going away.

This, obviously, must be enough to cause stomach cramps. Reesh.

If you haven't already figured out I'm neurotic, you have now. And no, it's not just the maternal genetics that cause this, because the paternal genetics have big control freak genes. And you all that share these genes know it, whether you admit it or not.

Have a good week.

FOUND IN IDAHO

I. GOT. THE. JOB.

WOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Mini-Updates

• Saw Dad last night - he looks much better than he did Wednesday. He can talk a little, had some lung issues that were unexpected but nothing that wasn't handled easily and he's already sitting up on the side of the bed. Hopefully walking a bit today and every reason to believe he'll be out of the hospital Monday or Tuesday. Big Bit's coming in tonight so it will be good for him to see his Grandpa. I don't think I'm going to let Little Bit in, the tubes etc. would scare him to death. He's already lost one grandparent, I don't want him to worry he might lose another.

• On another note - I have been told to expect a job offer either late this week (I guess that's today, eh?) or early next week. I'm hoping for the late this week - I'd like this to be over and know what we're going to do. Odds are, of course, that I will accept and that we will be preparing to move, but it all comes down to the Benjamins. Let's hope the Benjamins are ready to party with me.

Have a great weekend everyone! Oh, and happy public late birthday to Cousin Steve. I'm a shameful cousin, but it's not because I don't care. :)

A Time To Remember Heroes

I remember 9/11 - as we all do, I suspect, like yesterday. I was one of the horrified mob at the Mother Ship overloading the Internet as we searched in panic for information...worried about people we knew who might be in the building (an ex-assistant of mine was now a broker for Morgan Stanley but thankfully worked elsewhere) or worried about family who were not in the safe confines of Idaho. Big Bit was on the way to Disneyland with his Dad and when they announced it had been shut down I officially went on Mommy freak. Of course, it was fine and he was actually on his way to Palm Springs with his Dad, but I didn't know that until late that night.

Prayers to America and those who still suffer a loss greater than our collective one as a nation.

Live Blog: Notes from the Hospital

Thought I'd blog from time to time in between working to keep me busy while Dad's in surgery.

11:05 - got here about 10:20, Dad was in surgery at 9 so I came up after getting Little Bit off to school. So far the OR has been in touch twice and everything is going well - haven't had an update in over an hour though so we're hoping they pop out soon. It's raining here today - finally in the last week we've had rain after over I'd say 3 months of none. The Huntsman Cancer Center, where he's being treated, is really a world class facility and is up on the hills in SLC. The view from here is quite pretty.

I am down to being one of the two finalists for The Job - hoping, hoping, hoping I will hear something today. Yes, I'd like to get it so we could go home, but I did find out yesterday that a person I have a great deal of respect for has been selected to replace Sibyl, so things are looking up here at any rate.

More later when we get an update.

2:15

Well, after freaking out because we hadn't heard anything forever, we finally got a call from the OR at 12:30. Everything was going quite well (I guess they lost track of time since the time between calls was WAY more than an hour) and they were plugging on. So, Pattie and I went to lunch a little later. Just got back and no calls while at lunch, so I guess they forgot again. He should be done in the next hour or so. Man there's a lot to this surgery, even if it ended up being much less invasive than they originally thought. I hope he bounces back fast.


3:05

Still nothing - should be getting done but man, these chairs are not comfortable. I have gotten some work done today but my booty is starting to get tired of sitting and the laptop does not follow me around magically floating in the air. Where are the doctors and what have they done with my father?

5:05

Home now - they called from the ER shortly after 4 and said they were closing, it would be a couple more hours at most (well, could be a little more). Little Bit has a baseball game tonight, so came home to get him ready for that and then I'll probably head back in. The nurse said he was coming through with flying colors.
Thank goodness, Little Bit actually DID ALL HIS WORK IN CLASS TODAY. No homework. Feels like a Friday from that standpoint!

I'll let you know how it went when I actually see Dad. Thanks for the well wishes and prayers.

Miscellaneous Updates

Let's see. Much to update, and I wish not to ramble.

JETS WON! PACKERS WON! (TAKE THAT VIKINGS!) Jaguars lost...sigh.

Greater Tuna (Tom & Joe for 2 hours) = FUNNY.

1) Little Bit got his Bear badge in Scouts. He is gearing up for Webelos. I found it very interesting for his Scoutmaster to note that he is the Bear with the most arrow points and got his badge first - and - let's get this straight - he's not LDS, his parents aren't doing it for him (and yes, the LDS Scoutmaster who works for me says this is typically how people get their Eagle Scout at age 13 so it happens) and who goes to the den meetings with him? We do. Come on people, get involved with your kids.

Here he's putting a pin on me. Since I am "Akela", his helper - every time he gets a badge, I get a cool pin. TH helps too, of course, but this is interestingly something he and I bond over (I always wanted to be a Cub Scout, and TH was and hated it). We're very proud of him!

2) A couple of interesting things happened last week. I had my interview, which I THINK went well (but who really knows) - I should know what's up this week and Sybil managed to e-mail herself into a corner. Please, people, when you hit reply all, think about what you're sending and who you're sending it too. Without going into gory detail or "dooceing" myself , my ER person tells me I'm in "the catbird seat". Karma, indeed, can be a bitch. At least I'll be left alone until Sybil departs....fittingly...on HALLOWEEN. I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP.


3) Little Bit's playing baseball and really, overall, doing well. It's a laid back program stressing skill building, not competition. However, because his Mom can't read a simple schedule, we missed his game tonight. Argh.


Boys will be boys - please note Little Bit manhandling the kid (last on the right) next to him for this picture. I love the pic for the looks on their faces.



He got to pitch - he really didn't do bad, considering he's never done it before!



4) Dad is having his surgery Wednesday and feeling pretty uppity and ready. Thank God. Please shout out your prayers and well wishes. He would like to feel ready to go fishing with Little Bit during track break in a few weeks. Saw Grandma Sunday - she's looking pretty good too all things considered and I'm hoping after Dad's surgery our family medical drama is done for eons! I'll keep you posted on how he's doing.


5) "Gertrude" had her baby today! Madison was a little over 6 lbs and is apparently pretty and healthy - haven't seen any pics yet. Welcome to the world, Madison! This is going to sound weird, but I hope you look like your grandpa, who is long since gone from this world. He was a very handsome man, and none of his kids or grandkids have really looked like him or had that really quirky, quick and smart sense of humor to the nth degree. That Porteguese look and temper has got to show itself somewhere - I miss him to this day.



Keep those fingers, toes and eyes crossed for the job - I ALMOST smell Idaho, and if not that, at least a boss is on the horizon I will really enjoy working for and with.



Lastly this cat is cute...yet really evil.

Random Thoughts

I am flying to Idaho tomorrow night for a early Friday interview. Keep fingers, toes and eyes crossed and prayers at the ready, please.

My dad's in the hospital here so they can get some things worked out and hopefully be on for surgery Friday. Saw him tonight, he's in pretty good spirits, so all of the above thoughts for him too, please.

In the interests of respecting various members of my family's political viewpoints I will not say anything much about "the" speech tonight. I will note, however, that the fact I am now speechless says a great deal, indeed, if you know me at all you probably just fainted.

Have a good weekend everyone - going to the Final Weekend at Willie's, which I will enjoy thoroughly once I'm at lunch with my friends on Friday and the stress of the interview is behind me.

Fingers Crossed

We really had a good weekend. Got some landscaping and other house related items well started, house cleaned and somewhat organized, I even made it into the pit that is also known as Little Bit's room.

Went for a bbq tonight at Mr. and Mrs. S' house - met some cool people, it was fun. Little Bit didn't want to leave the Wii. Thanks again you guys!

In other news...

I am up for a job at a major employer in the home state (not the Mother Ship)...I think I'll have an interview Friday if all goes well. I'll know more Wednesday.

Please keep your fingers, toes and eyes crossed (that's for Bucky Katt) and prayers abounding, should you offer those up to your higher authority, that whatever's best will happen for us. Obviously I hope that means going home...but not in the wrong way.