Nascar Truck Race

Here are some photos from the truck race on Saturday. It was really fun and Olivia really like it she wanted a truck for her own as did Donnie, Tony, & Cliff ha. We had a wonderful time and Charlee and Tony's driver took 2nd place so that was fun. It took forever to get out of the parking lot which is so stupid but all in all was a very successful evening. The next day Tony Cliff and I went to Vegas and saw Resident Evil3 in 3D and it rocked the house, usually don't like gore but this series is so good. We spent our week at home working around the house, got the yards done, plants watered, and Cliff got the house all caulked and ready for paint in a couple weeks. Now we just have to decide what color to paint. We really enjoyed being home and seeing everyone and realized that every two weeks we get to come home and have a mini vacation. The one good thing about getting back is I got to shave my legs (ha) I left my razor here and was too cheap to buy a new one. It felt so good!!! My Olivia and her Mimi sharing a piece of twizzler

My baby girl with her Jeff Gordon ear protection on. She is so sweet

The little Mama an Donnie at the race. So sweet, and so cute. I Love you all

Colorado

Well we have been in Colorado for the past couple weeks and Cliff has jumped right into his new job with both feet. He likes it quite well but the hours are horrendous. He gets up in the morning anywhere from 3am on and usually gets home between 6pm and 9pm. To say the hours are long is an understatement. He is enjoying the work and camaraderie of his fellow employees so that makes the hours bearable. He works two weeks on and one week off so that allows us to come home every two weeks. We are in fact home now and go back to Colorado tomorrow so he can be at work on Wednesday morning. We are both NOT looking forward to going back but are THANKFUL we have a good job and are able to pay our bills etc.

The pictures are of a well head with all Calfrac's equipment staged for the guys to fracture for natural gas. They have to haul all this stuff in , set it up, operate it, then tear it down and haul it to the next location. Quite a job and dangerous to boot. I try not to think of that part. It looks like somewhere around of the middle of October Cliff's crew (red crew) will be sent to Minot, North Dakota for a couple weeks then sent into rotation between there and Grand Junction for the rest of the winter. When he is in ND I will go back to Mesquite and wait for him there. So anyway that's the story right now. Sure appreciate my hard working man. Gordy says "Grandpa erking". That's the understatement

"Let's Roll"

9/11/2001 It seems unimaginable that it has been 9 years. I still remember my sense of panic and disbelief. Every year on this date we have to decide how best to remember all the people who defend us, die for us, and protect us every day. I say "Let's Roll" with tolerance, acceptance of religious differences, thankfulness, appreciation for the sacrifice of others, and projecting peacefulness in our every day lives!! God Bless All Who Suffer!

My Hair

Well I had to post a photo of my hair. It is growing in really good and I am so thankful. It is curly as a sheep's ass but that is turning out to be an assert (no pun intended) the longer it gets. It is easy to style with a round brush and a blow dryer and has lots of body. So I can't wait for it to get longer. This is the first time I have had short hair since the 60's and it is a challenge when I look in the mirror to see short hair; however not nearly the challenge of looking in the mirror and seeing NO hair!

Charlee Ann and I are getting ready to go to St George in a few minutes. We have to find Gordy a rolling back pack. It was so funny. She showed up from pre school/day care with this princess rolling backpack with a little dog key chain hooked on it. Charlee thought Leonard bought it and Leonard thought Charlee bought it and it turned out Gabby had just jacked it from another little girl. She had taken the other girls stuff out and put hers in and just rolled it on home. It took a couple weeks for daycare to figure it out. So needless to say we are on a search for a little rolling back pack and a doggie key chain cause when Gabby would roll it along she would say "Walkin the dog, walkin the dog."

I also need to find something comfortable to wear after surgery. Some loose sweats or something I can get on to go to treatment on Tuesday and then wear to drive to Co later in the week. It's always something. I love being home but I am really starting to miss Cliff bad. He is my very best friend and I love his energy. So I will haul my butt to Colorado and see his sweet self soon.

I have been busy getting all the yards mowed and everything watered really good. I love this time of year in Mesquite everything starts to really grow again after the intense heat and gets really green an pretty. My flowers are blooming and I love it. I love our little home it's the shinizzle!!

Surgery Again

Well I will be having surgery on Monday for them to remove my ovaries. They are of no value to me so Dr Haslam said I should get them removed so that is what we are going to do. Dr Ott is going to perform the surgery and I like him a lot. He is Charlee Ann's ob/gyn and she likes him so that's who I decided to go with. They are doing it in out patient surgery at the hospital in St George and then I will go home the same day. More pain, it's a good thing I do pain well or I'd scream. But as it is just another step in the process. Wish Cliff could be here but once again, I have to be a big girl and cowgirl up.

Just sitting here tonight watching the Saints and Vikings game so far the Saints are winning WOOP! We will see how it turns out. It's a close game so could go either way. Hopefully Brees kicks Farve's butt! WHO DAT!

Sunday Morning

Well yesterday was a nice day. Teddi and Donnie came out and brought Olivia. Charlee and Darci came over with Gabbi, Tony and Darci's kids. The kids swam in the kiddie pool and played in the yard while the adults visited. Tony wanted to make a cake so we went to the store and he let Gabbi pick out the cake and frosting and then we came home and baked the cake. Before the cake was done the kids had McDonald's for lunch and were still hungry so I gave them ice cream cones, then they swam for awhile and wanted cake, so we got ready to cut the cake but Olivia wanted it to be a birthday cake so we had to put sprinkles on it and candles. Then we all hadi to sing happy birthday and light the candles. When I carried it over to the bar Gabbi leaned over and blew the candles out. Olivia wasn't too happy cause she wanted it to be her Mom's birthday but it was all OK once we cut the cake and they were shoving it in their faces. Later on they had Twinkies and soda's. At that point I felt like the worlds worst Grannie so I did provide homemade lasagna later on but by then it was too late and I don't think they ate much.

Charlee and Darci took their kids home and Teddi, Donnie, Olivia, and I went down to the "Smoking in Mesquite" barbecue competition at the Casablanca. This is the second year they have held it and filmed the competition for the Food Network. All I can say is what a joke. I guess they can edit it for television to make it interesting and look like it taste good but the food was horrible and horribly expensive. We tried 3 different pulled pork samples at $5.00 for a cup full like you get when you order a side of salad dressing, and it was all dry with no sauce in sight. Then we went outside in the heat and finally found someone with ribs and bought a rack of ribs with no side dishes for $28.00, 3 ears of corn for $4 an ear, and lemonade for $7.00 a glass. I mean I am far from cheap but the corn tasted like old field corn, the lemonade was so watered down it was ridicules, and if the rib guy ever ate at the HB Ranch in Fort Worth he would kill himself. I was really disappointed in the quality of food and it was all very unorganized. No one knew what was going on or where you could go to get a specific food plus you had to buy tokens to exchange for food and no one knew how much the food cost so you had no idea how many tokens to buy. There was three of us so I figured $40.00 should cover it but I went back 3 times for tokens before we were done. I give it about a 3 on the 1-10 scale and that is trying to be generous. The only good thing was they did have a play area inside for the kids but unless you just wanted to sit in the tent and drink $1.00 draft beer all day and listen to them advertise different brands of food and drink while eating the worst barbecue I've ever tasted, I'd say it was pretty much a waste of time.

So Tony came over this morning to mow the lawn but I told him it didn't need it so we went over to his house and I helped him clean his room . Boys are such pigs it's almost funny. But we got it all spiffed up with some help from his mother and now it's nice. I got to kiss my Gabbi (who fell down the porch stairs and got slivers all in her hands while I was there). She looked so darn cute. I was going to go to St George today but Cha talked me into waiting till tomorrow cause she wants to go to a photo shop that is closed today. So Tony and I are sitting here watching the Colts and the Bengels play football waiting for the race to start. It would be a perfect day if Cliff were here but I have to be a big girl even tho I miss him awful.

One Year Ago Today

Well we made it thru the first year!!!It was one year ago today I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Seems like a 100 years ago so much has happened.

Funny thing is I had my appointment with the reconstruction doctor today and so I guess my prize for making it thru the year is a new boob. He can't do the surgery until late October but I am ready, as long as I don't think about how much it is going to hurt and that in the end I will still have weird boobs, I am ready. So I just have to accept that it's part of the process and jump in with both feet. One thing is for sure I don't want to have to wear the boobus the rest of my life, so I guess it's jump in with both boobs!!

I have been back in Mesquite since Wednesday and I sure miss Cliff. It's great to see the kids but I need my sweetheart to snuggle up with. Yes, he has a cold butt, but it's my honey's butt so that's OK. Charlee had been taking care of Digger so he was fine but I had to get up this morning and mow and trim the yards and clean up all the junk that had blown into the yard. Then I trimmed the palm tree and watered all the plants and cleaned up around the patio furniture. Now it looks really nice again. I may go get some flowers tomorrow to plant in some pots. It is only suppose to be in the middle 90's by Monday so they should do OK. I love this time of year in Nevada it starts to cool off and you know you have all that long wonderful fall and then a short spurt of winter then spring. It's weather to die for.

Unfortunately, Colorado won't be so forgiving more like wet and frigid. Not looking forward to that but will deal with it to be with Cliff. He is really the one who has to deal with it, I just have to sit in the house and look out at it. Still I whine, what a brat. So more doctors next week and then I will find out if they will continue my Herceptin or stop it for awhile. My heart out put is down by 15 % and they will test it again on Tuesday and if it has dropped anymore they will discontinue the Herception till it corrects itself. If it ain't one thing it;s another. I admire the doctors for doing all this shuffling around. My doctors have been "just fabulous darling". I love them all and thank God every night for sending me such wonderful assistance in my hour of need/ So here's to all the people who have been there this year with prayers, love, discussion, suggestions, smiles, friendship, etc! I love you all