From Carnivore-land to Herbivore-ville

I'm going to Californ-i-a Sunday night to help bring spinach back to the masses. Yes my friends and strangers, I am a bonafide microbiologist and ONLY I contain the needed skills to make sure the spinach is clean. Well, I suppose there are others who could handle it, but I'm the one who gets to go, so pbblt?

My boss has been out there for a week already and has built a mobile lab. That's right, it moves. We were on the phone and he had to pull over to transfer samples. How insane is that?!? So I'm pretty stoked to check out the setup and to NOT be working around meat. Boss-man says it smells, but of salad, not rendering blood, fat, dead cows, or other things associated with a slaughter house. :)

I'll probably drop a line or two while I'm out there to let you, my captive audience, know how things are going. So in the meantime, eat arugula, redleaf and romaine. And have hope, spinach will be back soon. (Sorry kids.)

Ah, the home buying experience. Could it be any worse? I'm sure it could, but seriously! Oy.

I've been going back and forth wanting to buy, but I didn't think finances would allow for a home. But now...with my WWF neighbors who have installed a bowling alley (I'm just guessing), I think it's time.

So now I have to decide house or townhome or condo? New, semi-used, or rundown? HOAs or fix my own roof? Dog or cat? Well, that one's easy. Dog. One question down, dozens to go!

Finances is a whole other issue! If I don't have a downpayment, do I get an additional loan that increases the mortgage or go with the mortgage insurance option which also ups my mortgage payment? Should I marry the bum on my corner, make him get a job, and have a second income contributing to the mortgage? Or just get a roomate? Ay de mi.

So if you'd like to contribute to the "Colleen Wants a Home Fund" leave a comment, give a call. I'll let you know where to send the cash, money-order, bonds...

Have faith my rent-compelled friends. Happy Trails my homeowner friends.

;)

OK Go

I love this video. Don't know much about the band yet, but this video is pretty awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5zWaTEVkI&eurl=

Strike up the Band!

The Loveland Community Band had their first concert of the season last night. It was my first concert in THREE years!

Due to my hiatus of playing the clarinet, I'm hurting. I've been playing intermittently, but not enough to keep me in shape for two to three hour rehearsals and then what felt like a marathon of a concert. All the aches and pains were worth it though! It feels great to be back in a band:)

Normally, our concerts would be on Sundays, but this was a memorial concert for 9/11 Five Years Later. We played some great pieces and there was a slide show along with the music. Very moving.

God Bless America

mmm...Colorado...

This happy, Labor Day weekend is the "Taste of Colorado" located in Denver. Different restaurants from the area set up booths and "sell" either tastes or whole pieces of their specialties. Good food, crazy crowd! So MANY people. I wasn't expecting that:) I met up with some friends while down there and had a great afternoon.

I had Grilled Mahi with Shrimp and then a Berry Kabob for dessert. Yum! The strawberries of the kabob were amazing! I couldn't stop smiling. The skewers from the kabobs also came in handy as Hans started a sword fight with me. Finally! I was able to use my fencing skills:)

The Rapids are Calling to Me

My sis and I hit the mighty white-water rapids of the Arkansas River last weekend! It was the most super-fantatastic time I've ever had rafting. It had stormed the night before which meant that the river was running higher and faster than it usually would for that time of year. But I still couldn't believe our luck when we got to the rafting place (American Adventure) and the guides were going crazy! Apparently, it had rained so much that the river was running like it does in the early Spring with the snow melt! 24 hours before we got on the river it was running at 785 cfs. It was running at 2100 when we set off.

There were four people plus a guide on our raft. The guides were so concerned about getting flipped that they tossed an EXTRA guide onto our raft. It was insane!! I almost got tossed a few times and I think we almost lost my sister! We did this move called "surfing" a few times on the bottom half of some rapids. It was awesome. It's this move where we fill the front part of the raft and the back half raises out of the water. Then we did it again filling the side of the raft. Both the front and side that were filled were my side! It felt like I was being sucked in to the water. I was freaking, but I loved it:)

This particualr section of the river usually takes 2 1/2 hours to run at this time of year. It took us just over an hour with some play time. That's how fast the river was running. We worked practically the whole time:)

So the river was beautiful, the landscape was beautiful (Colorado has been very green this year), and going under the Royal Gorge Bridge was great. Now I've been on it and I've been under it.

Live it and Love it!

An Impromptu Expedition

I decided to go camping about 10:30 yesterday morning. So I threw some things into a backpack, threw my kayak onto the car, and hit the road. Carter Lake in Loveland was the destination, but would there be open campsites? YES! Plenty of open sites. I only had one set of neighbors and I was close to the lake.

I pitched my tent and hit the lake. I was a bit nervous seeing as how I'm used to the ponds in Greeley, but it was a beautiful day and there weren't many people on the lake. It was overcast majority of the time and when I got back to camp and wind storm kicked in. I was literally chasing my tent around the site, trying to secure it down. I ended up putting rocks in the tent to keep it down! I was worried during the night that the wind would hit the tent just right and the rocks would be thrown at my head, but the wind did no such thing.

Next morning I woke up and hit the lake again. It was wonderful. Besides a fisherman, I was the only one on the water. It was still windy and it even started to rain.

Great "weekend", very peaceful.

FINALLY!!

The BHAGs have finally done it! We clinched first place today. I've been with this team for a year and we've always juuust missed 1st. No More! We did it. Alright, I'm done. I'll find somewhere else to gloat:)

From Estes to Pikes Peak

Greetings!

This past weekend was FANTASTIC! Family from NY came out to visit my family in the Springs, so I joined the festivities. Our first stop was Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park. We drove Trail Ridge road and saw some amazing elk. The view from the top was outstanding. I can't believe I haven't been up there before! Everything was so green, the sky was so blue, and the clouds were perfect. We couldn't have asked for anything better. This picture with my cousin Mark was taken at the highest point in the park. Picturesqe. Beautiful. Perfect.

Sunday we took the cog rail up to Pikes Peak. Thankfully we took the first car first thing in the morning. It was a toasty day! On the ride up we saw elk, marmots, deer, and lots of sleepy people:) Again, a beautiful ride. It was a whopping 48 degrees at the top! Chilly, but nice. Great doughnuts too! I guess the view was good as well. The scenery pic is from the top of the peak. Pretty decent:)

That night we visited the Flying W Wrangler's Ranch. Great, sentimental place. The cowboys have changed, but the entertainment and food are still enjoyable.

This weekend definitely explained what a Rocky Mountain high is:)

They Came to Boston

Disclaimer: I wrote this at a BK in the Cleveland airport and I’m very, very tired. ☺

FOR BOSTON, FOR BOSTON!

There sure was a lot of rain for it being summer time in Boston. Apparently, within the last two weeks Boston received 18 inches of rain. That’s 50% of the ANNUAL precipitation! Or so my row mate on my flight there told me. I was excited all the same. I knew it would clear up eventually. And if not...a little (or lot) of rain wasn’t going to stop me!

This would be an incredibly long blog if I relayed what exactly went on, so I’ll just give the highlights (like sports on TV!).

Thursday night, I was welcomed into Boston. I flew in late, but no biggy. I was still the first girl in. Chris came in next; her flight had been delayed as well. Rachel and Angie came in about 11:30, 12:00. Rachel had worked over night and still managed to function. It was cute, we stayed up till almost 4am chitchatting and catching up with everybody’s lives. It was fantastic! We were loud and giggly.

Friday morning we were introduced to the T (the subway system). We had things pretty well planned out with directions and the like, so we weren’t worried about getting lost. Well, at least I wasn’t! Not necessarily sure if the other girls were as confident about my map reading abilities, but initially, Chris and I were tag-teaming getting around. Rachel and Angie were comfortable with everything very quickly as well. We started our tour out with the Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail goes all over downtown Boston stopping at all the “important” places of history. This would include: Paul Revere’s house, the Old State House, the State House, the North Church, the Old Meeting Place, and a few others that I can’t think of right now. We didn’t do all these on Friday. We spread it out.

The State House is the current State Capital building. The governor wasn’t in (was he out campaigning for Presidency?) and we were given a private tour of the building. It was really nice. Our guide was a super sweet lady and she helped us out by giving the tour without the massive mob of school kids. I thought it was cool how she kept enforcing the fact that we were seeing and learning about Massachusetts history, not the US’s history. Even though they are practically one and the same, it’s MA’s history first, then the US’s. We heard that at a few different places as well.

And I’m breaking my word about being long winded! So…we saw lots of cool old places, you could feel the greatness of the past citizens resonating through the streets (or it was the subway), and we went to a Red Sox game!

The Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers and we didn’t get rained on because we were sitting under a balcony! So yea for us. The fans were great. The field was beautiful. We sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “Sweet Caroline”. I think “Sweet Caroline” was definitely a high point for me. That was so cool! EVERYBODY was singing! They cut the music out at the “ba ba bas” and everybody fills it in by singing/shouting the part. Super great time. The subway ride home was fun too. Everybody was happy and wet.

Saturday greeted us with a big, wet kiss. It rained literally all day till about 7pm. Saturday took us back to the Freedom Trail to pick up where we had left off the day before. But since it was raining, we were slowed down a bit. And we had to get to the hotel to change for the evening activity, so we didn’t have that much time. All worth it. We went to the Old State House and saw the balcony where the Constitution was read to the people for the first time. We walked through the rooms that John Hancock and Sam Adams worked in. We could see through the windows to the exact spot where the Boston Massacre occurred. My imagination was going crazy seeing all the men there. Fanueil Hall and Quincy Market were also visited that day. Neat places. Basically just large markets. Had the feel of a Farmer’s Market about it, but without the vegetables.

But, like I wrote above, we had to haul it to get back to the hotel and get changed. We had to be at the Mystery Café by 7 or they’d give our seats away. Or so I was told. I got a bit upset because we were running behind schedule, which meant we were still standing in the subway, waiting for a train, after 7 o’clock. Honestly, I was a bit crazed. We got there and our salads were waiting for us. We were good. Obviously, I apologized. I think most of the people reading this know how I get about being on time and doing what I’m told☺. I think we all had a fun night. It was a casual dinner theatre place. There was no stage and the actors walked through the aisles of tables and interacted with the audience. It was more along the lines of loose-improv. They had a script, but deviated at will. I thought they were very funny. Definitely recommend it to people heading out that way. (mysterycafe.com)

Sunday was definitely an easier day. Again, headed to the Freedom Trail to finish that up. Learned some things about Paul Revere’s ride that I’d never heard before. For instance, I was told that the ride was to warn of the British coming (true), but what I didn’t know was that it wasn’t to warn of an attack. It was to warn of the British coming to arrest Hancock and Adams for treason. The ride was successful. The men weren’t arrested. But, Revere and the gentleman who hung the lamp were. They were later released for lack of evidence.

The Museum of Fine Arts was also one of our stops. Nice, but a teensy-bit disappointing. I was just expecting more, better. I think that the museum in Chicago is my favorite so far.

The best part of Sunday was walking across the harbor and seeing the USS Constitution, aka “Old Ironsides”. It’s just incredible that it’s undefeated and that it is still an active vessel in the Navy. This hundreds of years old ship can still go into battle! I think that’s very cool. I’ve seen movies with ships similar to this one, but it was great going onto one. Seeing how cramped the quarters really are and disbelieving that people lived that way for months at a time. Unbelievable.

While in Charlestown we saw part of a parade celebrating Bunker Hill Day; and back walking in Boston we came across a processional for St. Anthony in Little Italy. I really liked Little Italy. It felt like the real Boston. At least more real than what we had been experiencing. We met up with Chris at the Long Wharf (we had separated earlier, on purpose☺) and decided to head into Cambridge and check out Harvard. It was nothing special. They had laundry rooms just like any other dorm. I don’t know if we saw all of campus, but it seemed small. Sadly, the library was closed. It looked huge though.

For dinner we went back to the wharf. Rachel and I each had a 1 lb. lobster. Chris and Angie lived life on the wild side and went with steak and chicken (respectively). Kidding. You don’t like seafood? You don’t like seafood. It was great though trying to eat that crustacean. Rachel and I definitely made the majority of the entertainment that evening. I danced my “staring” lobster over at Angie and Rachel had to break the antennas off of hers. We ate the legs first (I did very well getting the meat out in single pieces) then went to the tail. That’s where the fun really started! I pulled my tail off first and saw it. Green poop. I just started laughing and then Rachel opened hers. I thought she was going to die! She couldn’t believe that there was poop inside her lobster! We were all laughing so hard over her reaction I’m surprised we didn’t pass out or get thrown out. She DID it though! I’m very proud of her. The lobster impressed neither of us and Rachel says she’s sticking with crab legs. It was a priceless experience all the same. Okay, not really. The lobster had a price tag, but her face? Priceless. Loved it. Chris and Angie enjoyed their meals as well.

We couldn’t find a place open that late on a Sunday night for dessert so we headed back to the hotel and called it an early night. Rachel and Angie were passed out by 11. Chris and I had been laughing over the weekend that Rachel and Angie were always the first asleep and the last to wake up. Sleepy girls.

Chris left first. I left about 2. The SD girls left about 6. The three of us headed back toward the Boston Commons for the morning and I was able to make it to the Boston Athenaeum. It’s just the oldest independent library in the nation. My main reason for liking it (besides the library part) was that it was built for everybody. They said that reading was for the masses, not just the rich. Oddly enough, only members are allowed past the first floor. Whatever. It was kinda neat going in there.

And that’s the story. I hopped my plane and headed home. It was a beautiful weekend. Only one question though. Where to next?

Team Prairie Dust

Had my first Ultimate Frisbee game today! It's a summer league that's fun, yet hardcore. My team won both of our games tonight. Everybody was really nice and helpful when they found out I'd never played organized before. I think I picked it up pretty quick though. I definitely need to wear my cleats next time though. Every time I needed to do a quick turn or I was trying to make a quick run for a toss, I would slide or fall.

Had a blast:)

I leave for Boston tomorrow morning!!!! So check back in a few days for some Boston words:)

The Pink Ladies

A few of the ladies from my outdoor team decided to get together to play at the SI KickIt 3v3 tourney this weekend. None of us had ever played a real 3v3 game, so we were definitely excited! We didn't do to bad. We finally got the hang of things by our final game on Sunday. So while we didn't play great, we didn't do to bad. We got 4th! We also decided to try and play in a few more tournaments this summer.

I scored two goals which were not allowed since I was on the wrong half of the field. You can only score on the offensive side and I was standing out our goal. I almost had an assist, but my girl hit the ball too hard and missed. It would've been a beautiful play if she had made the goal.

I was trying to avoid a collision b/t my teammate and the other team's girl when the other girl (already on the ground) reached out and grabbed my ankle, pulling me down. I called her a pansy. :) She apologized after the game. She admitted that it was childish.

All in all, it was a great weekend. Got to watch some other teams play and it was new soccer experience! Oooo, plus, I got a Tshirt!! Always a good thing.

I went for a swim today.

I went kayaking early this afternoon at a pond in Greeley. The pond is along one of my favorite parts of the Poudre River Trail. Not many people are usually there during the week. A few bikers, walkers, and maybe some fishers. But, I tend to have the place to myself. THANK GOODNESS!!! I would've been insanely embarrassed if I had known that somebody saw me. And here's why.

The pond is small. It's a pond. So I usually just paddle around it a few times. I'll pick up trash in the water, watch for fish and turtles. I'll sometimes even see a heron in the cat tails. Today was no different. I picked up few bits of trash, scared a turtle, and was startled myself by some unknown creature (I actually yelped). I thought I saw a snake or other creature skirting across the water going after bugs, but when I came up closer it was a caught fish being reeled in. I thought the thing had jumped out of the water of its own accord! Needless to say, I was feeling a bit skiddish.

On my final pass round the pond, as I was pulling up to the area where I like to get out, I was on a head-on collision course with a BEHEMOTH of a dragonfly. The thing was so huge that it was carrying something. (The something looked like a small mouse.) It continued on its path towards me and I was still gliding in the water. We did the "which way are you going" dance and still, we were headed right for each other. I dodged left, I dodged right, and as I dodged left again I started to roll. I wasn't able to counteract the roll left so I pitched over. I was in the water. My kayak was upside down. The stupid dragonfly was nowhere to be seen. As I got myself together (treading water), I took inventory. The trash was still strapped to my kayak, my paddle was floating, my favorite water bottle was inside the kayak. Excellent. I was unable to roll the kayak back over so I started pulling it and my paddle towards shore. I then realized that I was missing my hat. I looked back and there it was, floating. So I continued to shore, dropped things off and swam back for my hat.

The water felt awesome. It's not very clean, but it was nice. I sat on the shore drenched, laughing. I couldn't belive this happened to me! All because of a blasted dragonfly!! I thought about bringing my camera with me today. Thank goodness I didn't! I couldn't imagine explaning this one to the insurance company. And yes, I did have a lifevest. I wasn't wearing it, but it was in the craft with me. City law requires I have one, but how am I suppossed to get a nice tan wearing it?!?

Moral of the story: Take swimming lessons, they may come in handy.

<>< :)

Cub Lake-Rocky Mountain Ntl. Park

Shawn's been crying about a new post...so here it is!

Today, I went hiking with two of my friends to Cub Lake in RMNP in Estes Park. It was a great day for it. Neither Julie or Mike had ever been there before. But, if a pregnant woman and a two year old could do the hike, I was sure these two could handle it!

Nothing exciting or out of the ordinary. We did see a yellow-bellied marmot and a blue grouse though. Elk were out, but they were way out yonder. Ducks and chipmunks were climbing our rock at the lake to eat our food. The chipmunk stole my banana peel.

Beautiful Day.

The Unexplainables of Life

What is the point of a sauna? I used the one at the gym today. It was hot and stuffy. That's it. I didn't find it all that relaxing, there's nothing to do (I didn't know to bring reading material), and it sorta smells bad.

The sauna at the gym doesn't have separate ones for men and women so when I came in there was a gentleman in there reading the paper. And boy was he sweating up a storm! Fine, no big deal. But then another gentleman came in (who also had reading material) and took a seat. It's at this point that I started becoming a smidge uncomforable. It's a small room. I stayed a while longer trying to figure out what the draw of this place was. I got nothin' then and I got nothin' now.

So if anybody knows the point, please let me know!

Tomorrow...the Steam Room!

Joga Bonita

My outdoor soccer team was expected to place first this year. So far we're 0-3. They've been great games though. Not easy wins for the other teams.

The first game of the season I received two massive bruises above my shinguard (glad I was wearing them?). The second game I got an elbow to the ribs. This third game (today) I got a nice finger-jab to the eye. No worries, he didn't get too far with the ball. A gal on my team, Nicola, received a black eye last year. She's predicting that I get it this year:)

At 1:00 when I was driving to the game it was 71. At 3:30 it was 81. IT'S EARLY APRIL!!!! It is funny though that both teams were wishing for some wind. It's funny because during the last two games we had massive wind storms and still played our games. I think it's going to be a rough summer.

We lost, I bruise like we a peach, we had fun. It was a beautiful day:)

Never take friendship personal

The weather here has been fantastic...for the most part. At soccer on Sunday, the wind was blowing so strongly that it would stop you as you were running! we lost :( Hopefully we'll play better when the wind stops!

Went hiking near Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins on Monday with my friend Mikey and his dog Mina. It wa a very nice, easy walk. The only bad thing is that we got fined $20 for not paying the $6 State Park fee. bummer.

Tuesday brought me down to Denver for the Tooth and Nail Tour. I had a great time. Some really good bands are on the way out! If you haven't already, you need to check out Emery. They're rock/alternative with screamo mixed in. Couldn't hear much of the lyrics, but the sound was great. Another band to keep an eye out for is Far-Less. They'll have their album out in May I think. I got back sorta late, so it was great getting up this morning for work:) Well worth it.

Peace out and keep rockin'!

The Rite of Spring

Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let's go fly a kite
And send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite
Let's go fly a kite!

24+1=old?

I'm 25.

I am 25.

I am not young anymore. Or am I? Isn't youth a state of mind? True, my body is getting older and wearing down, but I still do and enjoy things that I did and enjoyed as a youngster. I offer the picture of forking as evidence of that. (Don't worry, the fella who lives there deserved it:) ) Obviously the people you hang out with also help in that arena. When you are around happy people you are happy. Around sad people, you are sad. So if you hang out with people that act young and fun, then by default you are young and fun loving!

I think my quarter-life crisis is just about over though. I don't know if I'll be alone for the rest of my life or if I'll have someone to share things with. I don't know if I'll be a peon in my careers or if I'll end up a CEO. What I DO know is that God has a plan for me. I do know that'll I'll always have an adventurous spirit. I do know that I'll find happiness on whatever path I end up on. I know that there are people that love me, cheer for me, and encourage me. I know that my life is pretty good.

I am 25. My car insurance rates are going down! I'm a quarter of a century old! I can rent a car, I can mentor kids, I can go on vacations without having to check in with anybody, I can do anything. I am 25!

What did I do on my b-day? I went geocaching in the morning and had some great history lessons. I joined a new gym where the $100 enrollment fee was waived. Some friends took me out to dinner where I had to stand on a chair and be sung to. I saw a funny movie and had great conversations. I forked a friend's yard. I talked to lots of friends and family on the phone. I had a great day.

Happy Trails.
CF

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