Getting ready

Lots of stuff to do to get ready for the Brwonbag which is only 3 days away at this point in time. We have done lots to get ready but still have several things to do. We have enough time to get the final prep done but we need to be busy most of our free time. On Sunday, I placed the challenge and got it all ready to go. So when it is time for the challenge, I will hand each person, team or family a sheet with their 8 coordinates printed out. Each group will start at a different point and go in a different order so there will be no following another group around. The object is to go to the first point on your list, write down the word that you find on a magnetic strip located there. Then go to the next point on your list until you have found all 8 words. Then compile those words into a phrase and let us know what you came up with. If you are one of the top 5 ones to get the phrase correct, you will be placed in a drawing for the challenge prize.
We are making the green chili tonight but went and got all the ingredients last night so all we have to do is prepare it and let it simmer for a few hours and it will be ready to go. We will take it in an electric roaster to the park so we can keep it hot. We also bought all the pop and water for the event last night since we were at the grocery store. After a few last minute preparations, the 3rd Annual Rawlins Brownbag will be ready to take place. Now all we have to do is to make arrangements with the powers to be to have nice weather for the event, that seems to be the hard part sometimes, especially this time of year. Right now the forecast is for sunny and warm with highs in the mid to upper 70's which would work perfectly but after all this is Wyoming and that could change in a heartbeat.
I rode my motorcycle to work, mostly because my pickup is in the body shop getting fixed from the accident we had in April but also because the sun was shining and it wasn't too bad out except for the cold temp (36 degrees). A few minutes ago, it was an absolute blizzard outside where you could barely see across the street. A couple minutes ago, the sun was out by now it is overcast again. Stay tuned....

Brownbag preparations

The time is getting closer for the Brownbag (a week and two days by today's count) and we are not nearly ready yet. I have 5 caches to place and make arrangements to have them approved the day of the event (one of them a night cache). We have to order the cake, buy the pop and water and make the chili. I have to create and place the challenge stations and move all the tables into the pavilion. I think I will get a tarp and tie it along the south and west walls of the pavillion in case the weather is bad which will give us a wind break. Most of the things will get done this weekend and then in the evenings next week, we will make the chili and sloppy joes and order the cake and buy the pop so it will be ready. I have Friday off as a vacation day so I can take care of any last minute things so hopefully we will be ready on Saturday morning. It will be OK if we aren't but hopefully we will be ready and everybody has a great time.

Weekend survival

We survived the moving weekend but just barely. We forgot how difficult it is to move and we have definitely gotten a couple years older. There were 5 adults and a child, 3 pickups and one SUV involved and we worked from Friday night through Monday night with only a few rest periods and meal breaks. By the time Monday evening rolled around, Peggy and I could barley put one foot in front of the other, our backs were killing us and we were completely wore out! The worse thing was, we didn't get our son completely moved! This week, he and his girlfriend had to move a couch, a computer desk, a few small items from the apartment, clean, move two non-running vehicles and turn in the keys but they will be done with those tasks today. It was definitely a tiring weekend but he is now living in his new house although they will be weeks if not months getting all the boxes unpacked, put away and organized but that they can spread out and not work themselves to death. They will both be very happy when all they have to do is enjoy their new house. For the first time in his life, Kelly has a yard to water and mow and fertilize and spray for weeds along with all the other maintenance issues but he seems anxious for that part of it all. They have a huge mortgage but it is a home they can grow into since it has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, plus a huge utility room and family room. Now it is our turn to play so we have plans for this weekend that will be relaxing and fun. Tomorrow, we are going on a caching trip to Lander and the region to pick up a few caches, check the coordinates on our newest cache and hopefully grab 3 new grids in the DeLorme challenge. Then on Sunday we are going for a ride on the motorcycle to Elk Mountain for breakfast at the hotel and then home to do yard work. Sunday will be work but fun just the same.

Mo ving weekend

Well, we are now in Casper helping our son and his girlfriend move into the house he just purchased. It has been very stressful and very, very tiring and we are not anywhere close to being done but we keep chugging along. Kelly closed on Thursday afternoon with the impression the previous owners would be vacated by that evening as he had carpet installation scheduled the next day. At the closing, he was told that they would not be out until 6:00 the next day as they had some 'light cleaning' to do. He didn't think that would be a problem for the installers so we proceeded. We arrived Thursday night, went to eat and drove by the house to check it out. It was obvious that they had barely even started moving yet! The next morning, we went to the house to check on the carpet layers about 9:30 as they were supposed to get started at 9:00. No carpet people but the previous owners were feverishly trying to move but still had a household full of furniture. In visiting with them, they told us that it was in the contract that they would not relinquish the house until 6:00 that night! I called Kelly and he was not at all aware of that so called his realtor who told that yes it was in the contract. So it was obvious the realtor had dropped the ball by not informing Kelly of this very important fact. So the carpet layers had to work around the people moving which did not work at all well. At precisely 6:00 we showed up at the house with 3 pickups and an SUV filled with stuff to move in but they were still trying to move out. Our son was absolutley livid and it was all we could do to keep him relaxed. Finally, about 7:00 we started moving stuff in even though they were still in and out. They ended up leaving a broken desk and lots of other miscellaneous 'stuff' and did absolutely no cleaning which was very maddening but they were ready to move on. Yesterday, we spent the entire day moving by making 3 different trips back and forth. His new house is completely across town from where he lives now so each trip takes about 20 minutes, driving slowly. As it all turned out, all the carpet people got accomplished is removal of the old carpet and installation of the tack strip and pad. Yesterday, the warehouse was closed and the layers did not have a key so they could not get the carpet. Needless to say, last night we were all tired, sore and just a little grumpy but we managed to get through it. We are now sitting here trying to strategize what we do next. The sleeping situation is really tight because we need to move the only bed and the hide-a-bed couch where we have been sleeping today and there is no place to put them once we get them to the new house so we might all be sleeping on the floor. Our daughter and granddaughter have been sleeping on an air mattress on the floor for two nights now. So goes the saga of the move! We are all so tired (especially the old folks) but we are muddling through somehow. Wish us luck!

Fun, busy Saturday

Yesterday was just a wonderful day, weather-wise in Rawlins so we took full advantage. We got up in the morning and rode the motorcycle to have breakfast at the golf course. When we got back, we started working on the yard. We unloaded some stuff out of the storage shed which we placed in their proper places in the back yard (umbrella table, 4 chairs, 2 deck chairs). Peggy was busy raking and sweeping while I mowed the yard as it was just full of dandelions. When I got done with that, I got the power washer out and power washed about half of the house as it had accumulated lots of dirt and grime over the winter. I also power washed off the deck and it looks a lot better. I went down into the cellar and got all the outside water turned back on, including the sprinkler system. I also cleaned out the furnace filter and repaired an air intake for the furnace that had fallen down. By that time, Peggy and I were both sick (and tired) of working so we jumped on the motorcycle and took a ride to Elk Mountain, which is about 45 miles away. I wanted to place a cache there and we wanted to try eating at the hotel there which is supposed to have very good food. When we got home last night, we were very tired but our grand-daughter wanted to spend the night so she and her Mom came over and we visited for quite a while. We finally headed to bed about midnight, together working on a crossword puzzle before going to sleep. It was a great day because we got some work done around the house, got to ride the bike, placed a cache, had a good meal and even enjoyed the company of Kayla.

The Weekend Is Near!

Here it is Friday morning and I am very excited about the upcoming weekend for several reasons. First off is that I will be riding my Harley tomorrow (big surprise to anybody who has been looking at this website at all), next is the weather is supposed to be very nice here (lower 60's tomorrow, upper 60's Sunday) and last but no least is I don't have to work for a couple days, can sleep in two days in a row and we can do a few things around the yard (when we aren't on the motorcycle). I have next Friday off and am hoping to ride the Harley to get new pipes installed, then on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, we will help our son move into the house he just recently bought. It will be a lot of work but he is so excited and it will be so much fun to see he and his girlfriend getting things put away and prepared for living in. It will be a good weekend to have over because it will be so much work but it is a big step for him and we are as thrilled for him as he is for himself. He is an accountant in Casper and has lived there for almost 9 years. He loves Casper and has lots of friends and lots of activities. From now on, he will be building equity rather than lining the pockets of a landlord. He found a terrific home in a great neighborhood with lots of room to expand and relax in.

Worland Mob Event

We are making our plans for the Worland event this weekend and hoping that the weather doesn't affect this one like it has on at least 3 this winter and spring. From what we are told right now, there is a chance of rain on Saturday but Sunday should be much better here but haven't checked for Worland yet. Rain we can handle, snow is something we have to take under consideration. We made reservations at a Worland motel so we can spend the night and continue caching in Worland and Thermopolis on Sunday before heading home. We are looking forward to getting together with a few old friends and making some new friend as well. We hope everybody who can make it does and this is a very successful event. Hope to see you there!