The year in review.

Here we are at the end of the year again.  I have been here 71  times and it never ceases to amaze me how many people are off and running to the party.  Not me.  I can not stay awake that long.  I will put on a big pot of black eyed peas so I can eat them tomorrow because that will bring me good luck.  Or so I hear and the way my luck runs, I do not want to take any chances!  Actually, my life is pretty good.  Few bumps here and there, but nothing insurmountable. 
January started out with a bang.   My dear friend Sherman was told his cancer had become active and invaded  his spine.  This would set my course for the rest of the year, if not the rest of my life.  His friend, Libby, who was his office manager when he had his business in Denver, came to act as his liaison with the medical community.  She and I became very close friends over the next few months and remain so today.
His very good friend, Mark, came from St. Louis and stayed for 3 weeks while he was in radiation.  Mark and I became good friends and like Libby, it remains so.
I lost him on July 13, which just happened to be Friday the 13th.  I think he might have done that on purpose.  He just had that kind of sense of humor about him.
I met his family and keep in touch with them.  I plan on going to St. Louis this next year.  I have never been there.  Bret has.  The Babylock company is there so that is where he attends classes.  Maybe I will take the train.  That is my plan.  Stop in Hutch.  Stop in St. Louis.  Finish in Dallas, and then reverse the whole thing.  Sounds like a dream come true.  I will probably sleep all the way through the trip.
I "self" published my novel Chapter One...Loose Ends and was able to place a copy in Sherman's hands before he passed away.  That was a shining moment for both of us.  And while I have not sold nearly enough copies to pay the publishing costs, it has been very gratifying.  I am working on a story line now that he and his brother requested.  It is purely fantasy and is what "could have been."  That can be read here.  Some of the descriptions will be real and the basic story line covers some of our time together and how we met.  I think it will be fun.
I did remain active in SCAP through the year and we had luncheon every second Tuesday of the month and several cookouts in the park.  Attended the movies once.  Played miniature golf.  You know, just fun stuff to escape the harsh realities of life.  World AIDS Day was observed at the Hoag Library on December 1.  Great turnout.
We had the Weavers Sale at the Vail Hotel, the craft show at church and the Jingle Bell boutique.  All those were in November.  I made enough money from those to pay the house insurance and part of the taxes.  I missed my vacation this year. 
I sold some stuff and managed to come up with almost enough money to rip out my carpet and put in wood laminate floors on the main level.  I am busy now trying to empty those three rooms and paint.  You got to remember that I have ceilings that are 14 feet high (at least on one end) so painting is a major undertaking.  Old women and ladders are not conducive to anything good happening so I am looking for children who love me, or a windfall to pay a painter!  Neither one has happened yet.  My only hope, Dan, is busy moving his mother and brother up from Arkansas, so I am open to any suggestion that does not entail doing it myself!
As I reflect back on the past year, I think it was a good one.  The part about Sherman was very sad, but for the most part it was a good year.  I made lots of friends through Sherman and we had some good times.  While I miss him I am keeping busy and carrying on just like I had good sense.  And as for the painting thing...I started this blog early today and about 2  my friend Lyn showed up and now everything is painted except the tall wall, and that is coming tomorrow evening when I have her and her husband to supper.  Life indeed is good!

Happy New Year to you and yours!!

 

Welcome to ColorSplash Paintball

Well, hello there!  And welcome to Color Splash Paintball. This is the store front located at 1813 Santa Fe Drive in Pueblo, Colorado .  Phone number is 719-544-1560, in case you need that.  So why are we here?  I have a few friends who do not understand the whole paintball concept, so I am here to give you a crash course.

Well, first I got to tell you that this is the brain child of my oldest step daughter.  Jackie Chacanaca is going to make money one way or the other.  When her husband bought his first Harley, I bought Harley stock.  When her husband and son started playing paintball, she was doing day care and trying to figure out how to buy paint and guns cheaper.  Ah, be a dealer.  So the garage was no longer for cars, it was for stock.  Now first you should know what a paint ball gun is.  It is not a gun and is not called a gun.  It is a marker.  The whole idea is to put colored balls of paint in a hopper and shoot each other thereby turning your enemy pink, green or some other color.  Oh, and the paint balls are pretty tough so when you get hit it really hurts.  But that is one of the fun parts of the game.  Bret used to come home with big bruises but he decided early that he did not like pain all that much.

So it was not long before Jackie had outgrown the garage with her business, so she moved up on the highway into a shopping center store front.  She gave up the day care thing when that move happened.  Then she found that people really wanted to play in tournaments and there was money to be made there so she needed a field.  Ah, a field.  No doubt you wonder what that is.  It is a field.  Only it has lots of parts to it.  There is a scenario area where there are hiding places and a fort and they can play war games.  There is a place for speed ball and hyper ball and who knows what all.  All the area's have referees to make sure all the rules are followed and there are lots of rules.  Gotta wear goggles and protective head gear.  If you think the kids have fun you should be on hand when the Army shows up to "play". 

Used to be paint ball was for kids, but now I find that it is a high dollar past time for lots of the big boys.  The markers do not come cheap, but if you want to check in at the field for a day of fun (?) and frolic Jackie or one of the guys will outfit you with face mask, goggles, marker, air (to power the marker ) and paint and you are good to go.  Now can you think of a better way to spend the day than having a bunch of goons chasing you and shooting you with something that is going to break when it hits your tender skin and spray paint all over you?  There are a lot of grown men partaking of this particular amusement even as we speak.

And above we have some  canisters that hold compressed air which powers the marker. A marker will cost from $200 - $1200. And below you see an assortment of markers on the wall.  I  think Jackie's guns come with a lifetime service contract, but I could be wrong. I do not like pain.  I do not like playing in the dirt, and air conditioning is really great in the summer.  So I do not spend my money at Jackie's!

OK, I found a link for you down below this picture.  I am sure you will be wiser when you have gone there and read about a few things, but as for me, I am going to bed and only dream about things like this!

 

Fun at Jackies!

(Click above)



Some one referred to me as BOSSY!!

Well, we were just setting around visiting the other day, and the subject of personalities happened to arise.  My friend pointed out that I was perhaps a bit pushy in my opinions. She then pointed out the time when I was involved in Operation Paintbrush, but refused to go the next year because they did not "do it my way!"  I want to set the record straight here and now.

I was merely trying to point out to those people that they were screwing around and there was work to be done and I tried to tell them the better way to approach the job. Had they listened to me, we would have been done and off to better things in short order!  But no, they wanted to eat donuts, and quibble over which brush to use and by that time it was lunch time. I just knew better ways and they did not want to listen.

And I like to drive because I know I am a safe driver and I am not going to fall asleep at the wheel. Of course I will give you tips on how to improve your cooking!  I want you to be the best you can be, and if you expect me to eat it, I want it to be good!  I did manage a restaurant for many years and did own my own, which was very successful, I might add.  The point I am trying to make is, I am not overbearing and bossy. I am just trying to give you the benefit of my many, many years of experience! If I ever run across anyone who knows more than I do, I will be most happy to defer to their expertise!  It just hasn't happened yet.

Now, just to conduct a little survey here for my own info, I want you to do this:  See down there where you can mark how this article affected you? There is also a comment thing.  Just sign in on the comment thing and say if you think I am bossy and overbearing or not.  Now I think you can remain anonymous. I would recommend that you remain anonymous.  Not because I would be upset, because Lord knows I can take criticism, but rather so you you can sleep at night. If you do not want to do that just mark one of the boxes funny, interesting, cool.  Mark interesting if you think I am a b---- and cool if not.

I will let you know how the survey went next time I am on.  So for now I bid you a fond, humble farewell.