A Year of Change

Fun day! We started out hitting the hotel gym. Hotel gyms are never good, but you go anyhow. Then we hooked up with the kids and walked around town. Jag needed an overcoat, so we went into this 5-story mall and ended up in Bloomingdales. After a scene too long to go into, Jag ended up with a cashmere camel hair overcoat from London and a navy-blue sport coat. With the big sale going on, and a little luck, both coats cost a bit under $600! They normally would have been 2 to 3 times that much, so it was a score.

We then grabbed a light lunch at the hotel before taking an Uber over to their neighborhood. We walked around there for a couple hours and then headed back to get ready for dinner. The kids met us at 4:50 and I had the hotel driver take us to Maple and Ash, one of the top steakhouses in town. The place went all out for us as I set up a little celebration. Check out the picture below, they made these up for all four of us. The lighting was all candlelight, so the pic is not that great, but it was so much fun, and again the food was great. Jag really enjoyed it and said it was epic! Afterwards we walked back to the hotel, which was only a couple of blocks, but the wind coming off Lake Michigan, is really cold.

This morning, continuing our foodie tour, we have brunch at this cool place owned by the kid of the owner of Le Boucheron! They have things like foie gras and blueberry pancakes as well as other great sounding things. It’ll be even colder today they say, we’ll see. More to come, we’re up early tomorrow and on the way to the airport around 6:30am.

That’s it, we’ll definitely be back here soon! God Bless.

We were up early and headed to the airport, ten minutes from the house, by 6:15am. No one was in line at security and yet, the thing dinged and I was randomly selected for a secondary screening! I walked through after the guy told me and the nice elderly TSA lady, looked at me and said, “ah, you’re good, go ahead” Gotta love our small airport.

The flight was easy and about 2 hours all in. Our driver met us at the curb and off to the hotel we went. The greeted us like we were someone special and walked us up to our room to show us how everything works. Our room is gorgeous and we’re on the 15th floor above the bustling city and tons of great shopping on the streets below. The city was alive, and makes Denver look like the cow town it is.

Around 2:30 Ava came and met us and we walked around checking things out. Jag showed up from work at 4:15 and we grabbed our Black Uber and headed out to Mon Ami Gabi, a French restaurant I found. 2 hours or so later, we were done with one of the most fantastic meals we’ve had in a long long time. Everything, and I mean everything, was really good. After dinner we walked back to the kids place and then took an Uber back to our hotel. One of the concierge here is from Edwards Colorado! His dad, who now lives in the Philippines, owned Boulangerie Bakery where we’d always go ten years ago or so. Their old bread cutting machine is now in Hovey where Ty works! Small World.

It was 65 degrees in Chicago! People were running on the shore of the lake, playing tennis, walking their dogs and more. It’s like the sun brought everyone out of hibernation. Today it’ll be a little different as it’s going to be 35 or 40 at most. Tomorrow, even a little cooler. Tuesday is an ice and rainstorm! Glad we’ll be home by then.

The kids are doing great and so together. It’s like they grew up ten years in the past month. They’re both crushing it. We need to find them a place so we’re reaching out to everyone we know.

More tomorrow, take care and God Bless.

p.s. we have a great dinner tonight at Maple and Ash, one of the best restaurants in town which is saying something as there’s hundreds of great places! This is a real foody town.

We’re off to the Windy City. We should land at noon and be at the hotel by 1 or so. We have an early dinner at Mon Ami Gabi, a great French restaurant. Lori, Ava and I will meet Jagger there who will be coming straight from work. We have a great room overlooking Lake Michigan and the city. I already checked in digitally and don’t even need to go to the front desk, pretty slick.

Ty’s working today and holding down the fort at home with Harley. He has Saturday and Sunday off so Harley will be happy. We’ll be home around 11:30am Monday morning.

Yesterday I ran around getting tons of food for the human eating machine known as Ty. He has steaks, chicken and hamburger, along with rice, broccoli, asparagus and other assorted high calorie foods so he can get his 2600 calories a day. It’s hard to eat that much unless you eat bad food like cookies and cake. Those are full of useless calories and other bad stuff though.

Can’t wait to see Jagger and Ava. Should be a fun weekend. Have a great day and we’ll try to post some pics, God Bless.

Robert’s birthday today! His present from us was supposed to arrive yesterday but of course, it’s a day late and arriving today. I think Robi and Bobby are going to a baseball game today. Have fun!

Continuing the trend of things being late, I have a garment bag for our trip that’s supposed to arrive today, and of course, just received an email saying it’s late and will arrive tomorrow, which does me no good.

Let’s see, what else. Oh, the first half of property taxes are due today, and I have to go renew my license plates which expire Saturday. We also need to get some food for Ty for while we’re gone.

The news keeps saying they’re tracking the snow up here but there’s nothing and it’s pretty warm. Should be close to 60 here today. Not sure what they’re talking about.

We fly out at 8am tomorrow landing in Chicago at noon due to the time difference. Looks like the mid 50’s there but then cooler over the weekend. It’s almost 7am now and Ty doesn’t work until 10. We’re headed to the gym.

Have a great day, take care and God Bless.

No matter which side of the political spectrum you’re on, it was a great speech last night. With the US Hockey Team and countless war hero’s, you couldn’t help but feel some sense of pride in the Country. The Dems were worse than last year with a bunch of no shows, repeated jeering and even one delegate wearing a button that said Fuck Ice! Classy. At one point the President asked for everyone to stand if you believe the governments job is to take care of its citizens, American citizens, over illegal aliens. Few if any of the Dems stood up! This right there should tell you all you need to know about the Democratic party. Few minds were probably changed as those that hate Trump and our Country still hate both. Those that love our Country, still do, probably with even a greater resolve to do so. So, not a lot of change in the big scheme of things but it was a good night and a good speech.

Ty works again today but Lori is home as Dr. B is off to Scottsdale for a conference. I have another call at 9 as one of my guys missed it yesterday. Looks like we had a little rain last night.

48 hours from now we’ll be headed to the airport for our trip to see the kids in Chicago. I’m looking forward to staying at the Waldorf and we have two nice dinner reservations over the weekend. Looks like it’ll be warm Friday and then cooler Saturday and Sunday. Then it’ll be March!

Not much else happening here at home. Lots happening at work though. I’m basically overhauling more than half the team. It won’t be easy, but it has to be done. Have a great day, be well and God Bless.

Looks like it’ll be in the 50’s today which is warm for the end of February in the mountains. The last storm helped a lot with our snowpack. I’m sure we’ll get another one before Spring.

6:20am now. We slept in. I have a call with France at 9 and Ty should be headed out the door in ten minutes or so. Yesterday, Jeff, our electrician came by and fixed a few things around the house. I’m getting stuff done! When I’m back from Chicago, next on the list is the garage. A lot of crap is going to the dump.

You don’t want to be in Mexico right now. One of the doctors is stuck in Punta Mita. He even tried to have his private jet come down and get him but the airspace is closed. Shows how quick things can turn, especially in a foreign country.

Ty works at 7 and his alarm didn’t go off, so he’s in a hurry. He’s working out every day still. He looks a lot stronger and bigger, especially in his shoulders and arms. Super happy he flicked the switch!

Time to go so I can get to the gym. Have a great day, God Bless, and don’t go to Mexico! At least right now.

It was worth getting up for but could have easily gone the other way. Team Canada was so dejected after the loss but not many noticed as Team USA was in full celebration mode. A bunch of no names, unless you’re a big-time hockey fan, beat the favored Canadians. I didn’t really know any of our guys but knew a bunch of the guys from Canada. A lot of Colorado Avalanche players were on Team Canada. In the end, we won, that’s all that counts.

Lori made meatloaf for lunch that was great. Marty came over and we watched the Nuggets game. I’m off to Denver this morning to pick up some clothes that I had altered. Marty’s sister, who runs the second largest credit union in Texas, called and offered Jagger a job at $110K a year, but found out she was two weeks late!

Ty made it home around 10 and went straight to bed as he only had two hours sleep last night. Lori’s at work today, and so is Ty. I hope to be back home around noon, if I’m lucky. Time to get moving, have a great day and God Bless.

The gold medal game just started here at 6:10am. The US is playing the heavily favored Canadians and with 7 minutes gone in Period 1, the US just took the lead! This is a big deal as we haven’t won the gold medal since the infamous 1980 game, 46 years ago today, when Team USA upset the Russians. That was known as the Miracle on Ice. If the US wins today, this would undoubtedly be known as Miracle on Ice II! You never know!

Yesterday we had the bathroom baseboards caulked and painted and in two weeks, we should be finished with it. Next Saturday we’re in Chicago so that’s why it’ll take two more weeks. Salvatore can only work on Saturdays, as he has another job during the week. It’s looking real good!

Marty came over after dropping Melanie at the Eagle Airport, and we sat in the sun smoking our pipes hanging out. It was still cool outside but really nice and sunny. Lori went and had her nails done. I went up to Davy’s three times to let the dogs out.

The sun came out in the morning and melted most all the snow on the roads. Looks like it’ll be 70 in Denver this week! It was cold and snowing in Chicago yesterday, so it looks like we picked the right weekend not to go, ha.

Davy said Abbey has three big duffle bags of Team USA gear from helmets to coats, scarfs, gloves, everything, as they loaded her up with gear. Excited to see all the stuff. They’ll all be home today as yesterday Abbey and the kids headed out in the morning from Denver for Steamboat for a hockey tournament yesterday and today. Back to the game, 4 minutes left in Period 1 and so far, Team USA is hanging in there playing good defense and pressuring Team Canada. Again, it’ll be a huge upset if we win!

Have a great day, God Bless. USA, USA, USA!

It’s been a month of change, for Jagger for sure, same with Ty, for me and work, and even lovely Lori. It’s amazing how in just one month so many things one’s life can be turned upside down. Crazy thing is this is only the beginning.

At work, I’m having mandatory AI classes that start next week. Any company executive that is not integrating AI, will soon be left behind. Talk about change, AI is the biggest thing, probably bigger, to come along since Al Gore invented the internet! That’s a joke in case you don’t recall good old Al claiming he invented the internet!

It’s 5:25am now and we’re off to the gym soon as Salvatore, our handyman, shows up at 8:30 to finish some caulking and painting around the house. I think Ty is headed down the hill to Denver as he has the next two days off. He’s been working super hard, at work, and more importantly, on himself. He told me he won’t be drinking with the guys as he doesn’t want to lose any of the gains he’s been making in the gym. Good for him.

That’s it, time to get moving. Have a great day, be well, stay safe and God Bless.

We’re getting some snow, not a lot so far, but some much needed snow. It’s a light snow, but it all helps.

Ty’s back working today. He played golf yesterday at a place with a simulator here in Eagle. I made it to Denver by 8:30 and was out around of town by 11:30. Then after I made it home, I headed west to Glenwood for my hearing aid checkup appointment. On the way home I stopped at Costco so by 6pm I was home.

I have a call with France at 8 this morning and Lori has PT at the same time.

Davy and Abbey sent a bunch of pictures and videos from the Olympics. One video of the women’s hockey team winning the gold and a bunch of pictures with Mikela in the tent with her new Gold Medal! Yea for our local hometown girl. She’s one of the good ones. I think they’re flying home today, maybe tomorrow.

A week from today we’re off to Chicago to see the kids. We’re staying at the Waldorf Astoria which is a fantastic, iconic hotel. Our room has a balcony and a fireplace. When Lori asked me if I made reservations and I told her we’re flying non-stop, first class from Eagle and staying at the Waldorf, she looked at me and said, and I quote, “I love that about you”! Funny.

Time to get moving, have a great Friday, take care and God Bless.