Betty's special day / Father's Day Visit

Betty had a special day this past week. 

It was so nice to see Andrea and her family when they came to visit.

Luke is getting as tall as I am and his voice is deepening.  I cherish every moment that we have to spend with him before he grows too "mature" for his grandparents.

I enjoy being with my daughter.  The white hair you see on me was earned by the two of us, that is the hair that I didn't pull out worrying about her.  She's my sweetheart.

In an effort to keep from boring the kids to death at our house watching old movies, we took the kids to Bear Creek park for a stroll in nature.

Ashleigh and Betty were catching up on their girl talk while the rest of us were stepping it out and setting a bit faster pace.  They didn't even notice that they were getting left behind.

I got to try out my camera on some of the wild flowers in the park.  They were beautiful, but this is one time that I was glad that I didn't get the point.

No treck on the west side would be complete without a stop at Old Colorado City Creamery Ice Cream Parlor.

You would never know it by looking at this innocent looking face, but Andrea enjoyed her ice cream too.

Luke is a man of a few words, but me thinks he is savoring the last bite of ambrosia.

Betty is already anticipating their next visit and the treats afterwards.

A new trail buddy

 Twelve years ago, Betty and I bought a Sheltie puppy at a pet store.  Many told us that it was a horrible mistake, but we named him Brewster Dogburn and showered our love on him.  Once we took him though obedience training and got him the medical attention he needed, he was a wonderful pet.  For over ten years, he was a member of our family and we loved him.  When he died, he left a hole in our hearts and we swore that one day we would replace him.

The opportunity finally came.  We got news that this cute little guy was available from an animal rescue.  We picked him up Monday, and the adventure begins.

Since he's not a puppy, he comes with some challenges, and we have some serious training to do.  He knows his name, but he doesn't always respond as I would like.  This little guy eats like a horse and his manners are almost absent.  He barks at every dog or person that  he sees.  He is persistent with his need to play and isn't as affectionate as we would hope. We just might find that Caesar Milan's programs just might prove useful after all.

Today was our third day.  He has been walking with me at least once a day.  He keeps me moving.  He's good for my heart in more ways than I anticipated.

July is going to be a busy month for us.  We need to get this little fellow ready to meet our family.  He's sweet, but rebellious; playful but determined.  

He comes pre-named and he knows his name well, so that's the name we will use with him as well.  His name is Corin.  We were told that is the name of one of the characters from Tales of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. 

Week two of retirement

Today was the end of week two and I thought I would be able to sit back and chill out.  That hasn't been the case.  I've been busy with yard work, medical appointments, insurance appointments, and the honey-do list.  I find that at the end of each day, I have items on my daily to-do list that I haven't gotten accomplished. 

The lawn is mowed, the flower beds have been weeded and I have spread fertilizer.  There is still a long list of tasks that need to be done in the yard and in the house. 

I have enjoyed spending time with Betty.  I've also enjoyed the looser schedule.  I have enjoyed taking longer for lunches. long walks and an occasional phone conversation with a more relaxed tone.

I have rededicated myself to my weight loss program, and it is already showing up at the scale. 

I think that the thing that I enjoy most is being able to work and live by my own schedule.  I enjoy sleeping late and I enjoy staying up late if I want to watch an old movie.

Exercising in a chair.

For several years now, Betty has been taking classes from Silver Sneakers.  It just didn't make sense to me because I just couldn't imagine getting good exercise in a chair.  Lucky for me, I thought, the classes were offered during the day and my work schedule did not allow attending with her.  Well, I am now retired and have run out of excuses.  Today was the first class, and I found that I enjoyed myself.   We will be attending regularly, and I believe I am looking forward to it.