Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Paint by numbers.

Quick and dirty update to catch you up to speed.

Last week...wife and grommets were gone...I hire the tape and texture guy to come and finish the kitchen. Wife comes home and sees walls ready for paint...wife very happy with lazy husband.

Now to the story.

So today, with all of the ice of Lake Byron contained to an area of about 5 football fields because of a strong Easterly wind, my mind starts to think about the pending fun of summer. I can't help but also think about all the work that needs to be done as well.

Part of the work/fun balance equation is being taken care of today as Steph, mom and Aunt Patty are going to paint the kitchen. I learned long ago from my wise father that it is good to be real bad at painting...I mean really bad.

I couldn't do a good job painting a canvas white, let alone painting a kitchen "crested cinnamon". What the heck color is cinnamon anyway? Cinnamon to me is a taste...and right now I might drive to the Empire Mall to hit up the Cinn-a-bon store for one of their fat freshys.

My wife sees white walls and a big empty room as a blank canvas for her HG-TV inspired feng-shui style of decorating our homes. Good on her, because I would have a couple of hockey jerseys, a poster of Alyssa Milano and a Chicago Cubs flag up on the walls. And instead of a "focal point" of decor, I would hang my wakeboard, snowboard, mountain bike, climbing gear, a few big Star Wars toys and hockey equipment on some sort of "mecca to fun stuff mobile" from the ceiling.

Yeah, she balances me that way.

Isn't that why we marry in the first place?

So our couches are not had-me-downs without legs, and our end tables are not made out of recycled lumber with a bunch of marker-written funny one liners or autographs of infamous people. (yes, I meant infamous, not un-famous...watch the movie ¡Three Amigos! for the back joke on that one) My college room mates are laughing right now.

Our "bachelor pad" was a tribute to Hockey, Eric's Sega Genesis, tv and stereo, Rahn and my CD collection and Thaler and Rahn's movies. But the "focal point" was an end table, in front of the legless couch, that was a dinner table, study desk, sometime weapon in epic wrestling matches, and a pedestal for the house champion of NHL 95 to proclaim his glory.

I built the table out of scrap wood from the lumber yard where I worked during my college days...I don't remember how the whole autograph thing started, but everyone that visited signed that thing. The top, the legs, the underside where ever you could find room. Then each year we would add another layer of plywood to the top to start a new round of writings and wisdoms. I think it ended up with 3 layers.

I don't ever remember what became of it...if I gave it to some underclassmen or junked it or what...but as I look back it would be fun to have. I also know on the first or second layer, Adam Vinatieri (pre-NFL fame) autographed the table.

I guess, for men, that's what college is for, so we live like dogs in dirty houses with bad furniture with a bunch of other dawgs. For women, college is about the education and figuring out which type of dog you could best train to sit around on your classy furniture (with legs) and not put too much stupid crap on your walls. Most of us domesticated dawgs get one wall and it's in the garage.

For the record, my college roommates...

Rahny, married, successful, with children in a beautiful home, and works in the banking industry.
Thaler, married, successful, with children in a beautiful home, works in the ag industry.
Erkel, well let's say, Eric is a successful farmer, and still generating his story, he is also the leader of about 6 bachelors in Beadle County, they are on Lake Byron on most calm days ripping it up behind the Malibu.
Bozzell, married, successful, with children, in a beautiful home, and Boz also builds beautiful homes if you are in the market in Sioux Falls.
Giles, married, successful, with children on a beautiful acreage, owns his own engineering firm.
Me, married, what is successful???, with children and still acts like a child, in a home on the lake that is becoming more beautiful every day, thanks to the wife.

Yeah, we all turned out pretty good...crazy isn't it?

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Jacks Win!

South Dakota State defeated Indiana 60 to 53 before a sellout crowd at Frost Arena tonight and moved to the Elite Eight of the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

Senior Megan Vogel led the 24 and 5 Jacks in scoring again -- this time with 14 points on five of 17 shooting. Andrea Verdegan added 12 points and Jennifer Warkenthien ten.Indiana, 19 and 13, got 12 points from Nikki Smith and 11 each from Sarah McKay and Kim Robertson.

Neither team shot well. The Jacks were 33 percent from the field and the Hoosiers shot 32 percent.But the Jacks did out-rebound the taller Hoosiers 49 to 33. Maria Boever led SDSU with ten boards

Progress Report

The entire kitchen/dining room is now taped and mudded. Friday my drywall guy comes back to sand and prep for Saturday's super awesome day of texture! (Disclaimer: The attached picture is of Steph a couple weeks ago taping and mudding a corner...it is not my drywall guy)

We should be able to paint next week and by early April cabinets will be hung. I think I will be hiring a plumber as well. I'm just ready to get this project completed.

Did I mention that we are putting tile in the entire room...I want it to have a coastal-Florida feel, and all the homes I have ever been on the Gulf Coast have tile all over the place. It also lends itself to an easy clean up if 2 boys should ever bring dogs, frogs or snakes into the house.

About 600 square feet of tile...my knees and back are already yelling at me!

By the way, here is a catch up on the Bachelor Week Report:
I haven't made the bed in 3 days (the first nights I slept on the couch)
There is a pile of clothes in the living room for no reason
I have eaten 1 meal at home
The dogs were in the house most of the night last night
I left my shoes on in the house 2 times on Tuesday
I ate cookies and milk at 12:30 am this morning...and left the cup and bag of cookies on the coffee table
I also have the thermostat set at 67...nice and cool at night!

Yeah, I know...I'm pretty much a rebel.

The real story, I miss the heck out of my family and can't wait until Sunday.

Oh yeah, and GO JACKS!...I am headed to Brookings in about 2 hours to watch the SDSU Women's Basketball Team play Indiana in the WNIT Tournament.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Bachelor Week Has Begun!

So I had a lapse of one week between posts...I think that is the longest I have gone without a blog fix...sorry to my readers, all 3 of you...Verlie, Uncle Skip and Roger.

It has been a crazy last 3 weeks...google my name and natural gas and you will understand what I have been up to.

Anyway, I put Steph and the boys on a plane last Friday...they headed to South Bend, Indiana or Ind-Montana as Maxim would say. So for about 10 days the lake house is the bachelor pad! My plans were to completely kick out a bunch of work on the kitchen and get things all wrapped before she got back.

All I had to do was ref my last hockey games of the year and get home and work. Unfortunately during my 2nd game I got caught up in a couple players checking each other and I got decked hard on my elbow.

Through my elbow pad my elbow cut open and from the X-rays it showed I chipped a couple of flakes off the bone. This is painful, and my arm is stiff, I got whiplash and my knee is sore.

So I laid around on Saturday...did a little work around the house on Sunday, and called my drywaller from Sioux Falls, who happened to be in the area. He's coming tonight to check out the project.

It should be taped and textured by the time Steph gets home.

I should have done this like 3 months ago...but I am stubborn.

So bachelor week started kind of rough and will end with a happy wife...I hope.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Springtime Heatwave.

I like how we bust out our huge down jackets when the temperature drops below 50F in autumn, but when the weather hits 45F in spring, it's practically bikini weather.

Every once in awhile you see some guy who's way ahead of the spring curve. He's the one who can't stand to wait another day for 50F weather, so he goes out running in shorts and a T-shirt when it's still getting dark at 6p.m. Those guys are always the joggers who find the dead bodies and get interviewed on the local evening news.

For women it's flip-flop and capri time right now. They don't care if there is water to the top of all the ditches in Beadle county...they are wearing their favorite capris and those cute sandals today.

For the record, Steph wore flip-flops and capris yesterday, and I ran in a t-shirt and shorts this afternoon!

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Brecken is having a rough day!

I'm in Rapid City working as talent for KSFY's coverage of the SD High School Hockey Tournament, but my heart is at home.

Brecken is sick and is going to spend the night in the hospital. Steph took him into the ER today and after about 5 attempts they finally drew blood from him.

The tough-nut even made them knock him out so they could find a vein to give him an IV.

He has a little cast on his arm so he dosen't pull the shint out of his elbow. He will stay overnight so the doctor's can monitor him. I owe Steph so much for what she has been through in the past 3 weeks! She is going to really enjoy that trip to Indiana to see her folks.
I'll pray for you Brecky!

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Mountains move me.

I'm in Montana again...have been since Sunday. I really do love Montana. This week's trip has reinforced that again.

I flew into Missoula, drove to Kalispell, then drove back to Missoula and down to Butte. Kalispell/Whitehall is the farthest I have been North and West in MT, and the Northern Rockies are beautiful. Flathead Lake is EPIC.

Since the bulk of readers of this blog have some connection to South Dakota, think of the Black Hills on steroids, specifically the Sylvan Lake area.

I went to Big Mountain...not quite the vibe you get at Big Sky, but very nice indeed. I would love to come back to mountain bike and climb in this area sometime. I also would love to kayak down some of the local rivers. Every Subaru Outback that I see has either a kayak on the rack or an empty rack.

I was in Missoula on Tuesday...downtown is like a giant Starbucks. Very progressive and outdoor savvy town. Right up our family's ally.

The mountains, the rivers...the wild that is Montana is what moves me each time I come here. I think it's funny when I tell people I have to travel to Montana for work and they say..."oh, sorry about that" or "what a boring place to have to go to". I smile and say I enjoy it, knowing that they have never been to Montana or just don't like the outdoors.

Here is my plug...if you are planning a vacation this summer...head to Yellowstone National Park (yes, I know that is in Wyoming) get out of your car and walk around. Then drive North, go to Big Sky, even if you are there in the summer...get out and hike around, ride the chair lift, then hike to the top of Lone Peak. Go to Glacier National Park...along the way stop in Missoula, Butte go to Kalispell...it's a trip you won't forget. Beauty everywhere.

I sound like a travel agent.

By the way just to balance this rambling of wanders around the Big Sky State...My loving wife was stuck at home, on a frozen lake with Mr. Energy (Maxim) and a sick, puking baby. Oh yeah...today....our Anniversary...9 years ago we got married on a super snowy South Dakota day.

For our 10 year anniversary I'll take her to Montana.

Friday, March 02, 2007

Blizzard - Schmizzard.

We are in the middle of a wicked blizzard. I think we are over 20 inches of accumulation in some areas.

I’m just glad the power stayed on.

We left the lake on Thursday morning...I didn't want Steph and the boys stuck out there without me, in case our rural electric company's feeble system would collapase.

We did forget a couple of key items...the Playstation 2, my snowboard and Star Wars movies.

So I have compiled a list of things to do during a blizzard.


Shovel snow

Take lots of pictures
In fifty years your grandkids will want to know how much snow “a lot” really was. Take pictures of yourself skiing to the grocery store because, come on, nobody would believe that...I actuall think when I was younger my dad did that once.

Watch people get stuck

Help people get unstuck

Do a flip into a snow bank, then watch your son try the same thing...only it usually ends up looking more like he is diving into a swimming pool and just bounces off the hardpack.

Throw snowballs at your wife.

Throw your kids into a snowbank...this is very stress-relieving, and the kids like it.

Sled down your driveway.

Snowblow other people's driveways...the widows, orphans and in general everyone you want to love you, and proclaim you as the best neighbors ever.

Stay over night at your parents house...if this is possible...this is a great way to pass the time.

Buy a bunch of snacks, pizza and drinks and invite everyone to your house for coverage of the Ididarod 2007 which starts on Saturday....someday I will own a sled dog team.

Listen to the Beach Boys and Jack Johnson...nothing warms the soul like "surf music".

Hopefully we will get back to the lake on Saturday afternoon.

Hey family, I'll be right home after work, I just have to stop at the DQ for a cookie dough blizzard.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

In like a crazy lion!


March came in like a lion...in the shape of a wicked snow storm. This is the scene outside my office at the electric factory.

Winds are picking up, so the family came to town to have a little overnight at the grandparents.

Huron got record snowfall amounts for one day...10" on Wednesday.

Maxim and I brought our snow pants along....we should have fun tonight again.