Hello everyone!
So, as I mentioned before, Mike had only a few days to get the spot ready for the spa's arrival, since it was delivered to the shop early. When we got back from Cripple Creek, Mike had a nasty migraine that left him out of service for a few days, then he got some stomach bug that had been going around, and was out of commission for another few days too. He was feeling better by Friday, (the spa was to come to the house on Monday) so he started to work on the space that he already cleared rocks from. He started to dig the outlines, and haul them out with the wheel barrel, until there was no more light to work with.
Knowing that he was feeling quite pressured and wondering if he would have to call and reschedule the delivery of the spa, I decided to help out. On Saturday morning, right after Mike went to work, I got up, and headed outside to start digging. The weather was exactly 22 degrees from 8am to about 10am. Cold with wind! It might have gotten to 45 degrees by the time Mike got home. I was out there from 8am until 5pm when Mike arrived at the house, fully prepared to be digging in the cold clay.
I started by digging up all of the dirt and clay, placing it into one corner of the grid. Once things were dug up, I started to load it into the wheel barrel and head down the yard to the opposite side of the fence to dump the stuff. Early on, when it was still really cold, I kept laughing to myself, thinking that I was digging a foxhole in World War II. I told that to Mike, who didn't catch on at first, but then finally got it.
My dug up foxhole.Each time I tried to get the wheel barrel over the wood borders of our yard, the wheel barrel wouldn't budge, but instead give me some nice bruises in the same spots on my shins. Yay, bruises!
Getting annoyed and frustrated by the wheel barrel, I headed into our garage, in search of something that I could use as a ramp up and down the wooden borders. The previous owners had leftover siding from the house, so I grabbed two smaller sections and placed them down. Success! It worked!
The work gloves I had to use, were way too large for my hands. They were Mike's gloves, of course, and I had no idea where I had packed my work gloves, so I had no choice but to use his. It made doing this task difficult, as I had no real grip on things.
During this event, I could feel my body tightening and getting to the point of being too painful to continue, but I pushed myself to do it. It had to be done, and I didn't want Mike to feel like he had to get everything done by Monday, meaning he'd be out there all day Sunday, trying to rush this.
Mike finally arrived home, saw how much I had done, and thanked me over and over again. He got me something to drink, and ran me a nice hot bath, to help my muscles. He went outside to start carting the dirt out of the pit. He came in later to tell me that he had broken the makeshift ramps. Apparently, I didn't load my barrel nearly as heavy as he did. He also said that he had to lift the door to the fence up over the rocks that are too high, and the gate came off the hinges. Great, yet one more thing that we need to fix!
By the time Mike was done for the night, he said that the only thing that was left for him to do on Sunday, was to bring the sand that was delivered earlier that morning, into the pit, level it out, and lay the pads down. All in all, it saved him a ton of time on this project.
Monday morning came, and while I was still sleeping, Mike helped the men with the spa, laying the pads down, and getting the spa in place. We ended up getting cleaned up, and going to the new steak house in town to have lunch. While we were there, the owner of the resturant came out to take our orders, congratulated Mike on looking young, when he ordered his beer, and then when we were signing the check, she was asking us what brought us to Craig, what do we do for a living. When I mentioned that I was a freelance photographer, and Mike half jokingly suggested that should she need pictures for her resturant, and she asked me if I had anything outdoors. I told her yes, a lot in fact. So this lady told me to bring some samples of my work by tomorrow, before they opened at 1130am. Holy cow! I was surprised. It's so tough in the Springs to try and get any sort of business, and yet here in Craig, I seem to be getting a lot of business!
The next morning, I headed over with my prints from the pseudo craft show from two weeks ago, and drove back to that place. She greeted me at the door, and I began to show her what I had with me. She was blown away with my work, and told me that she didn't care which pictures and that I could pick them out, as long as they fit her theme, which is kind of western and country with animal skins. Okay, I can do that. So, I have the task of choosing 4-5 pictures, getting them matted and framed, and delivered to the resturant for her to hang. This is great, especially due to hunting season. Hopefully, this will get my name out there, and get my photos selling!
After leaving the resturant, and feeling kind of confidant, I headed to the newest bakery in town. It's a weird combo, but it's a Hawaiian and Mexican bakery. The owners lived in Hawaii and they are Hispanic, so I guess it will work? The owners were not there, so I gave my card to the girl working, explaining myself and then I decided that since I am meeting Mike for lunch, that I would bring some cookies for everyone, since they had asked me last time if I had been there, and if I had, to let them know how it was. I selected an empanada and 5 cookies, since there would be 5 of us there. I instinctly reach for my credit card to pay, looked up and saw a sign that said that they don't take debit or credit. Crap. I asked her how much my selection would cost me, to see if I had enough to pay her, and she rang me up and said $2.68. I must have looked at her like she was growing three heads. I had to ask for clarification, because I didn't think that I heard her right. Sure enough, it was only $2.68. Sweet. I have that!
I left there, and headed to the store, to get a few last minute things that we didn't find at Wal-Mart, and headed up to the hospital to have lunch with Mike and his crew. I got to the hospital early, so I decided that I owed a lot of phone calls to people. I started with my grandmother, and had a good conversation with her, and right on time, we ended it. I texted Mike telling him that I was here, and headed inside, where I waited for him.
During lunch, I told him the good news about the photos being hung in the restuarant, and then after eating, I pulled out the cookies. Mike had no idea what an empanada was, which I had to laugh at, because I thought that everyone knew. For those of you who don't know, an empanada is like a mini pie. It's a crust filled with different things, some have apple, like the one I bought, or they have vanilla custards, or other fillings. They are really good. I told Mike that I got cookies for everyone, and after he ate his cookie and most of the empanada, he reached in for the last cookie. I scolded him, as that cookie was for his boss. He tried to tell me that he already fingered it, but I wouldn't let him eat it. Almost on cue, his boss came in to eat, and when he joined us, I dutifully informed him that I saved his cookie from Mike. That got some laughs, and we had a good rest of our lunch.
When we finished lunch, I had looked at my phone and saw that I had a voice mail. It was from the bakery. Turned out that the owner came back, and wanted to meet with me. I left the hospital, and headed straight there, with some mail that Mike wanted me to mail at the post office. At the bakery, the owner was more than willing to allow me to display my work to sell, without even seeing my work. I told her that I had some samples, if she'd like to see them, and she did, but I think that she didn't care. She told me that as long as it's not offensive, that she didn't care what they were or how many, as I was the only person to come in to offer to display work. Sweet, now I have more photos that I need to print and hang, but I need to hear from her first about if her display boards will hold the weight of framed prints. If not, then I need to think of something else.
The past several days, I have been unable to move most of my right side, due to my efforts with the foxhole. Today is much better, but it's still pretty tender and stiff. The bruises are now ugly yellow, and healing as well. Mike is starting to cough again, which makes me worry that he's getting sick again. I hope not!
I have a few more new recipes that I will be trying this week. I'm hoping they turn out, as I didn't have all of the right ingredients, but I will just have to improvise.
During my inability to do much, because of my work in the dirt on Saturday, Mike has taken over the dinner task the past two days. He got some free fish from work, and was making sushi for us. Rolling sushi rolls takes a lot of patience and practice, as they don't looks so nice when you're done and they fall apart on you. They tasted great, but they didn't look as fantastic as Mike's first rolled up ones.
Mike's first ever hand made rolls!
On Saturday, after Mike took over for me, I noticed that there were a few boxes on our front step. Before my bath, I pulled the boxes inside, and after my bath, I opened them. One was our new electric toothbrush, as our old one broke. It lasted a good 8 or so years, so far past what they normally do, so that wasn't too big of an issue, and the other box had our new towels, and the surprise that I bought Mike. I was a little jealous and looking back, might have ordered two of them, one for me, but I think that I am glad that I didn't, just so that we didn't look like freaks if we wore them at the same time.
My Sheldon.
The surprise was a shirt that says, BAZINGA!. Now, for those of you who are looking at that, and wondering what the heck that is about, it's from a popular TV show that is super funny. It's called The Big Bang Theory. One of the characters is very witty, sarcastic and kind of high on himself, (not suggesting that Mike is high on himself, though he fits the rest of the bill) and this character, after a practical joke, will say BAZINGA! We both love the show, and we really like that character, who is named Sheldon. At first, I wasn't sure how he would react to the shirt, but as you can clearly see, it was a hit.
For my business, and especially for the upcoming craft shows, I had gotten a free credit/debit card reader, so that if someone buys something, I can just run it through my phone. This little reader plugs into my phone, and connects to my account, so that when I run their card through it, I get paid immediately! Yay! I'm still waiting for the reader to show up in the mail, and I'm hoping that I get it soon. I just have to remember to carry it with me at all times, and not lose it!
We have a few more things to accomplish around the house before the party, like hanging pictures, but that's not so important. I know that I want to get the decorative shelf that my dad built up on the wall, so that I can unpack the final two boxes that have Mike's collectible and breakables in them.
For the party, I'm really excited! I have some friends coming up from the Springs, as well as family, and even Mike's parents are coming! I told Mike that I'm excited to get to know his co-workers better to, as we seem to get along pretty well during our lunches.
Sometime today, the electrician for the spa is suppose to come by. He told Mike that he was going to come by yesterday, but he never showed. Guess he got busy? So, I'm letting the cats roam, until I get a call from him, as that's what he said he was going to do before showing up. He's going to set up the copper and other wiring so that Mike can get the spa up and running, and then he can relax and enjoy it. He really needs it too!
I've been writing again, and posting them online, and I know that I have visitors reading them, as well as members from the site, but no one has been commenting on them. Is it true that "no news is good news"? Makes me worry a little that I haven't heard from anyone, good or bad. Hmm...Makes you wonder if you should continue...Oh well, I enjoy writing, and I am coming up with some good ideas, I just wish that people would be a little more proactive in letting me know how I'm doing!
Well, I don't think that there is much else to update you on.
Until next time!
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