Tales of the Ordinary Days

I saw this dress in the window in Katina's after date night last week. A buy. Well, where do I even start to describe my ordinary days of late? I always say the 'unbloggable stories' are the best. But I will let sleeping dogs lie. At least, for now. Today's blog will encompass the simple things in life that bring the real enjoyment we all yearn. Let's start with my new dress. This may seem very 'vanilla' to most, but a good day for me can later be defined to include a particular dress or pair of boots. My guilty indulgence. I just had this conversation over coffee with a couple of co-workers. They had complimented me on my dress of the day and accompanying jewelry. Flattered and happy with their positive comments, I shared with them my love for all things fun and wearable. Together we discussed how we all 'have our thing'. For my husband this is high-tech machines; bikes, technology, and anything mechanical in nature. He also has a close af...

Over dinner last night, Garrett asked why I was tearful at the end of the movie we had just seen. After a slight pause and a little thought, I summed it up simply. "I'm such a sucker for the good guys." Yep, that's me. I love the guys and gals in the white hats. And I find myself a tireless fighter against the bullies of the world. This was once coined to me as my 'sweet and salty' personality. I'm not quite sure if this is the proper description, but I'll take it. Bullies have always caused the hair to stand up on my neck. In fact, as I reflected on the white and the black hats of the world, I thought of an old blog post reiterating stories of my youth and college years when I took on the bad guys (at least those who I thought were the bad guys). One was a college encounter and the other a childhood memory outside of Remsen St. Mary's grade school. http://sandyalanedays.blogspot.com/2013/08/august-25-2013-cletus-story.html And th...

Relaxing over a beer while watching the stunning Coeur d'Alene sunset We are in Boise now. Our fifth city visited and with our fifth hotel check-in last night. From last Sunday, we have covered 856 miles in our rental car. Our start was in Missoula, Montana. Tomorrow our adventure will end with a flight home out of Boise, Idaho. And what a fun adventure it's been. I have been reminded that the best travel companions are those who share common interests while putting up with the other's individual quirkiness. Garrett fulfills both of these requirements. Case in point. We are right now sitting in a laundromat on the 'outskirts' of downtown Boise (i.e. a little suspect). Sipping our Starbucks, with my purse filled with $20 in quarters, we wait for the wash cycle to finish to move on to the dry cycle. I like to go home with clean clothes. My quirk. Garrett has humored me in walking across downtown Boise with a roller bag filled with dirty clothes. I am su...

Today may seem like a normal day to most. For me it carries some special significance. With a little research and reflection, I was reminded of a similar fall day six years ago. The day was a Sunday. It was the eleventh of October. The year was 2009. I was in the middle of a divorce and in Denver to attend a weekend conference. I flew in on Saturday the 10 th , and woke up to what seemed to be a very ordinary Sunday. Getting used to a new ‘aloneness’ with my three young boys now away from me every other weekend, Denver was a welcome reprieve from the quiet of my home. The conference was on healthcare. The Sunday presentation was on healthcare technology. And the speaker was Garrett Brucker. Like today, the Broncos were the featured afternoon NFL game. Introducing myself to the presenter, Garrett and I exchanged pleasantries in the conference hotel bar with the Broncos playing on the background screens. Today I called Garrett from the Omaha airport reminding him of...