Just another Monday.

So, today is President's Day. What does that mean to me? Pretty much Nada, nothing, zilch. I had to come into work and deal with all the people who DO have the day off! For the most part, everyone is being decent, but there are the Uppity few who think we have to drop everything to work on their phones because "I need it!" or "I just can't be without it for two hours!" or "I am only in town for today, and this is my last stop before heading back home." (Now why, oh why, did they not make us the FIRST stop?)
Sorry, Folks, but we do all work on a first in, first worked on basis. We don't care if you think you are "Going to die" without your cell phone, you really will make it through! Trust us on this!

OK, now that that is off my chest...
After dealing with a bugger of a cold, I think I really, truely... ok, hopefully am getting better. This virus seems to take hold and not want to leave. I have been talking to many customers who have had it, too. We all agree, it really sucks! The kicker? It seems my fellow co-worker and friend Joe is getting it. All I can say to him is "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to share!"

Valentine's Day came and went, with only a little mention. I sat at home alone most of the day, Facebooking, reading blogs, going through some crochet pattern books, laundry, and dishes. Just me and Brooke, my "puppy" (she is 70lbs and 10 years old!). Joe came by after he was finished with work and bless his heart, he brought me a card and box of chocolates! Then we called up a couple of our friends and we all went out to the local Chinese Buffet for dinner. On the way home, I bought a boquet of flowers for my mom and stopped by her house. Joe and I visited my parents for about an hour. Then home. I did hear an interesting story though... see my next post for that one!

Sunday Joe and I decided to take the hour drive to see our friends in Deer Lodge. We had only planned to be there for a few hours, but we were invited to join them for dinner at a local restaurant, so we didn't leave for Helena until about 7:30pm, arriving home close to 8:30. Highlights of the day?
*We went to the hills and "played" with the boy's guns. I got to shoot a 17mm Magnum (revolver) and a 40 s&w automatic. Don't ask me anything about them... they are guns, they shoot bullets, they make loud noises...LOL!
*We almost got stuck in a snowbank.
*We had steak and crab legs for supper, washed down with a glass of white zin (served by clueless bar maid. I asked her about a house white, she offered the "white zin" as the only "white" wine they have, which is NOT a white wine! I look at the menu afterwards, and they offer a Chardonney by the glass, which IS a white! LOL) Dinner was decent, the crab very good, but the steak was only OK. The company we were in was excellent!
*AND--I put two dollars into a Keno gambling machine, and won 6! Ok, so I could have tried to "Hit it Big", but I am never THAT lucky, and decided to cash out.

All in all, a good visit, putting an end to a good weekend!

Time to catch up

To everyone who asked (here and in personal e-mail)-- Yes, I am OK. Wait...! I am as ok as I get-- we are not counting mental health here! LOL
Saturday afternoon Joe and I decided to head over to Missoula for a Geocaching event there. It was a pizza party and many of our geocaching friends were going to be in attendance. Missoula is about a two and a half hour drive from Great Falls. Joe was driving, so I could just sit and relax and watch the scenery go by. We had plans to stay in a local motel overnight before heading to Helena on Sunday.
The event (party) was tons of fun! Joe and I met some new cachers (people who geocache), caught up with many others, we both won a gift, ate some awesome pizza, and had a very good time. If anyone takes a trip to Missoula, Mt I would suggest the buffet at Freemo's Pizza. Excellent food for a great price.
Near the end of the evening, as people were heading out into the cold and snow, we were asked by a family we are friends with where we were planning on staying the evening. We told them the name of a local hotel, but that we hadn't checked in yet. They offered up their home and their good company for the evening. We accepted, and finished off Saturday evening visiting with Peggy, Ron, and Peggy's mom, Mary. They opened a very nice bottle of Port wine, then when that was gone, Mary produced Blue Martinis for everyone. We were all tucked into bed by midnight. SO, a Saturday that started out very badly, ended very nicely.
After leaving our friends home, Joe and I headed to Helena, which is about two hours from Missoula. Since the route takes us close to Deer Lodge, MT (only 15 miles out of our way); we dropped in to see Jeff and Barb. They are friends who moved recently from Helena. Jeff had been called in to work, and his wife Barb had decided to take a trip to Missoula to go shopping. We ate a good lunch (prepared by Jeff since he is a cook at a local restaurant), visited with him for a minute or two, then, while we were there, dropped in to see "Mom", Jeff's mother.
After about an hour in Deer Lodge, we were back on the road to Helena.

Once in Helena, I had to take my couch frame over to my dad's wood shop for repairs. This is part of a whole 'nuther post (tomorrow, maybe?) that started with this post on "Diary of a Stay at Home Mom's" blog about cleaning out the couch! Stay tuned for THAT story!

A late Sunday afternoon nap, then a visit to another friends home for about an hour, followed by a salad for dinner (had to redeem myself after pigging out on pizza the evening before). I picked up my now FIXED couch at about 8pm, loved the puppy for awhile, then off to bed.

All in all, a very good weekend, once I got the body moving! I saw many friends that I had not seen for months, travelled a total of 458 miles (and didn't have to drive at all!), and got my couch repaired when I was thinking it was "done for"!