It was a month ago that I woke up to this...

After driving this...

2007 Mazda 3do you see that window crank - no power windors, locks, or keyless entry

and this...

2007 Nissan Sentra
Way too blue

and this ....

2005 Honda Accord

Stick Shift - I wouldn't get very far

I finally settled on this.

2004 Honda Civic

Scarecrow on a Sunday Afternoon

I've never had the knack for decorating - I dont think its in my blood. I'll probably never be one of those cute moms with a darling home, sprinkled with festive reminders of what month it is and what holiday is coming up.

But with a little bit of time on a Sunday, and a bale of hay in the backyard, I thought I would try and dress up the yard. I wouldn't call it darling ... i think its got some personality.

Seriously, Scott, could anything else be more fun?

Disclaimer: No pumpkin for a head, improvised with a melon from the garden.

When life gives you tomatoes...

Last year it looked like this - (big thanks to Geoff for helping with the gravel)

After a lot of work, now it looks like this:

(Internet Problems - I'll post pic later)

Brent Bardo and his green thumb was the mastermind behind the garden this year. Double digging, starts from Wasatch Community Garden, arranged planting, careful watering, pruning, and cages.

Brent got a little...no, maybe a lot, carried away with the number of tomatoes he planted. I didn't even know that many varieties of tomatoes existed. And I had no idea plants got that tall.

We picked about a hundred tomatoes this weekend...and turned it into this

(Salsa)

And this ...

(Marinara Sauce)

And this.

(Tomato Basil Soup)

Now all I need is an extra freezer to store it and we'll be enjoying the garden all winter!

(a quick shout out to Brent Bardo who's biking across the US right now. I hear he's in the middle of colorado in a place called 'Hoosier Pass.' )

His First…Probably His Last

Scott runs, but it’s not really his thing.

When I’ve mentioned races before, either they’re too long and "he’ll die" or they aren’t worth paying for, even if there is a t-shirt at the end.

It was only a 5K and it was free (thx Ken Garff for sponsoring). And I really wanted him to do it.

Did he have an option?

(we're still cougars. it was the UofU alumni run, but it was free)

Is it Me? Or my Job?

I've never had car problems. I've done the standard maintenance, and had some warranty repairs done for free, but nothing overwhleming.

But then i started working for Ken Garff.

It'll be 7 months on Thursday and in the last 200 days I have ...

• changed my oil 2x (no big deal),
• replaced my brakes
• bought a part for my hubcap that was missing (ok, not a necessary fix, but it made me look like a slob with it missing),
• fixed my windows because of a broken regulator (fix = the window is up, but didn't pay to have them make it work again),
• blown out a tire and had to get 2 new one,
• replaced the front bumper because it was ripped off by a semi truck,
• and now this ....
  

Bad Karma? Or is it Me?

(Ok, so they’ll probably never find the guy who hit us, that’s really annoying – can’t stress too much though. Here's what was the hardest part of it all ...

Lying in bed, 2 am, still not asleep yet.

Enterprise Rental only had minivans, trucks, and a PT cruiser. No thanks.  

The $30 of gas still in my car. Seriously, I just filled up on Friday. If it gets totalled you better up the money by that much. 

My roommates has her own therapy for getting her anger out – a good air-kick to the side as she bikes by the cars…Hillarious.

 

Bucket List

Haven't seen the movie. But I like the idea. I actually started my list back in 2005 - OB 541, I think, Strategies class. And we didn't call it a 'Bucket List,' the assignment was termed 'Goals for Life', and I included it in my Personal Strategic Portfolio for the semester.

Sad, though, that I think I've looked at the list and that portfolio only once since I graduated almost 3 years ago. With all the craziness that life is for me these days, I think it might be good to find that file on my old computer and look at it again.

Some goals and dreams I remember from the list. I know there are more I don’t remember. I'd like to add a few things, and maybe change some others. An evolving and maturing list, I guess.

I'll add to this list from time to time, but for now - I just have these few things to include.

1. Race the States: Previously I wanted to see all 50 states, now I want to run in them.
2. Start a scholarship

3. Run a triathalon

4. I used to want to visit 100 countries, and at 23 I'm on my way, but I think my preferences are chagning, but heres a pic from my last adventures.

Thailand in November 2007