Fuzzy

We celebrated our family Christmas on Saturday.  We stayed at the Wesley Woods center down by Indianola.  It was a great spot and a fun time.  It's always one of our most favorite nights of the year.

Peace-
Matt

Chain

I'm really starting to understand why people go south for the winter.  It sucks more every year I get older.  It's the cold and the short days.  The snow doesn't really bother me too much, unless we get a lot.  The winter light is fantastic.  I love how the sun stays low most of the day.  I don't like that it's dark early and that it's so fricking cold.  It's hard on people and animals and cars and streets and hvac systems. 

Winter is also fattening.  It's not just the food centered gatherings and treats in the breakroom.  The dog and I go for a walk on the trail almost every day.  When the time changed, so did our walking schedule.  If I don't rush home from work and take him out right away, we just don't go. We went from walking 7 days a week to 3 days.  There's something about winter that makes me want to sleep more too.  I could take a nap nearly every day. I hardly every feel like that in the summer. 

Enough bitching.  Christmas is coming. 15 days.

Peace-
Matt

Short and Sweet

Why is Saturday always the shortest day of the week?

Peace-
Matt

Change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The getaway was good.  The fish were biting so well that I had to pull my lines out so I could sit and relax.  The colors were peaking.  The weather was good.  It was much needed and much appreciated.  We didn't get a group photo again this time because there were just five of us on this trip.  John couldn't make it.  I've been having a feeling that when I forgot to get the group photo on last spring's trip, that it was my last chance to do it, that our group will be down to five soon.  I hope I'm wrong about that.

The leaves have fallen and it's time to rake.  Winter is on the way.  No stopping it.

Alex wants me to finish a room in the basement.  The room she's in now is way too small.  I've got a few months to get it done, but it will be a lot of work and a lot of moolah.  The work I look forward to, the expense is another story. 

Life is a lot like the weather in Iowa.  Don't get too used to it, because it will change tomorrow. 

 

Peace-

Matt

Patience

Madeline is dressing in the poodle-skirt 50's style for Halloween.  My Mom made the skirt.  She looks good.

I'm hoping some patience returns to my stable of emotions while I'm in recharge mode at Taneycomo.  I fear I've spent almost every drop I have left. 

Peace-
Matt

Compadres

 

All is well on the home front. 

We finally replaced our desktop computer with a new one.  Still in the Windows world, for now.  I found one with Windows 7 though, which I like.  I've heard lots of complaining about Windows 8. Angie is good with these frustrating machines, and got it set up in no time. Incredible difference in speed vs what we've been using.  Crazy how our opinion of acceptable computer lag time has changed over the years. 

Going to Taneycomo on Thursday morning.  Looking forward to some pizza at La Pizza Cellar in Rockaway Beach.  I've eaten some of my favorite meals ever there over the years.  I'm lucky to have these awesome friends that I do.  I can't imagine doing this manhood stuff on my own. 

 

Peace-
Matt

Lessons

Life is full of lessons.  Really, it's non-stop, like it or not.

Peace-
Matt



Countdown

209 days until our 25th Anniversary
77 days until Christmas
175 days to Grandbaby
22 days until Taneycomo

It was great seeing Uncle Nate this past weekend.  It always is.

Peace,
Matt

Homecoming

We went to the Ballard homecoming football game last night.  Ballard beat Norwalk, and they should have crushed us.  The whole team played great.  The play calling was right on.  It was a fun game to watch.

Abby will be 17 in a week.  Holy cow does time keep flying on by. 

Summer is officially over and autumn has arrived.  Everyone's favorite season.

Peace-
Matt 

Trudge

I feel older now than I ever have.  Sometimes life just doesn't go like you want it to.  Sometimes it's really hard to keep upbeat, to take it in stride, to trust in God.  It will pass.  It will all be ok.  Everything is a blessing.  Gotta keep reminding myself of these truths. 

Peace-
Matt

Eleven

Happy Birthday to my baby.  Madeline will be 11 tomorrow (8/27).  She's a great kid and growing up way too fast.  I should have taken my father-in-law's advice years ago and kept her in a drawer so she wouldn't grow.

Parenting is 10% making actual decisions and 90% second guessing and agonizing over your decisions.  None of us are perfect at it.  It's a continuous, painful struggle.  I'm sure that people without children age much slower than those with children.  I wouldn't change it though.  They're worth every grey hair and every tear.

Peace-
Matt