Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Dear Wichita,

Dear Wichita Drivers,

Please do not drag race your car at 2 am and 3 am on Kellogg in front of my apartment.  While am I sure your car is very cool and manly, being woken up by the roar of your engine is ridiculous.  Not to mention that drag racing on a busy road at night is dangerous.

Sincerely,
Sleepless in Wichita


Dear Office Manager,

Can you please do your job.  One of our two elevators has been broken for months now, and the other one constantly breaks down, bounces, and rarely comes to the floor when you push the button.  According to the elevator repair man, it is beyond fixing.  I know I need more exercise, but walking up to the 11th floor is not what I had in mind.  And now that Summer has reared her ugly head, it is so hot in our office that you can't think strait.  Please fix these issues or you can kiss your rent check goodbye.

Sincerely,
Hot Under the Collar


Dear Union Protesters,

What are you protesting?  I see you at every major construction project with a "Shame on You" sign.  Are you protesting economic development in a downtown that desperately needs it?  Are you protesting a project is employing hundreds of people?  I don't get it.

Sincerely,
Downtown Neighbor


Dear State Building Patrons,

I understand you are down on your luck, and coming to receive you government assistance, but can you please put some clothes on when you do it?  Walking in to work, I don't need to see you in your pajamas, I put clothes on to go out in public, you should too.  And now that it is hot outside, can you cover up a little?  A little left to the imagination would be nice.

Sincerely,
Person with Eyes


Dear Downtown Grocery Store,

Why is it always a train wreck when I go to the grocery store near downtown?  There are always a million screaming kids running around, people always look lost, it takes forever to check out.  Forget "People of Walmart" I am starting a "People of Dillon's."  I really don't want to start driving farther to a better grocery store, but I can't take it anymore.

Sincerely,
Hungry, Hungry Hippo

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

The B&B is Closed

The unofficial Bed and Breakfast at our home, is now officially closed.

Let me explain.

Last weekend I hosted my Sister-in-law's bridal shower at our house.  Most of my husband's family is from out of town, so they all came to stay with us last weekend for the shower.  I had 8 people staying at our house (plus two couch crashers Friday night, and one Saturday night).

It's a lot of work to host 8 people in your home.  At least for me it's a lot of work.  I come from a very small family.  We didn't have family come and stay with us very often, we didn't have anyone stay with us very often growing up.  If we had someone come stay with us, it was kind of a big event.  My husband on the other hand, has a large, close family.  It doesn't phase my husband at all to have a house full of people.

I am slowly learning to relax, and enjoy having company, and not stress out over every little thing being perfect.  I am learning to except the help that is offered from my in-laws.  To think I can cook and clean up after 10-15 people at a time and still enjoy their company is insane.  I love to entertain and throw parties, but I tend to go overboard, and get stressed out.  I am learning to cut back, and go simple.

When we bought our house, I never thought we would use the 4 extra bedrooms.  But every so often they fill up with our family and friends, and it's nice.  I am learning to enjoy being the unofficial B&B owner.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

I-35 Observations

I spend a lot of time on I-35.  It's a highway I have come to know and love, and sometimes loathe.

Today on my weekly I-35 trip I made a few observations.

Kansas is windy.  I know this is not a new revelation, but man it was bad today.  I felt like I got a workout just keeping my car on the road.  No, fellow I-35 drivers, I am not drunk, it just looks that way every time the wind gusts and my car swerves all over my lane.

"Jock Jams" is awesome and horrible all at the same time.  Spend enough time on the road, and you will listen to some interesting music over time.  Today the 90's on 9 graced me with the 90's mash-up hit that was  "Jock Jams."  In case you forgot about the awesomely-horrific nature of this song, feast your ears upon this.



Spring has Sprung!  Well, almost.  The farther south I went today, the more the snow has melted, unlike the piles of snow that still grace my front lawn.  And in some of those defrosted fields, they were starting to turn green, or sprout green?  I am obviously not a farmer.  I am though, excited about the prospect of Spring being here.  I love Spring, and I am ready for my house to not look like this anymore.


Or this.


That's it for this addition of I-35 Observations, drive safe!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Dumb Things My Dogs Do - Vol. 4

It's been a while since I've posted another installment of Dumb Things My Dogs Do.  Trust me it is not from a lack of activity, I've just been slow to update you.

I will start off with the best story.  When my husband and I went on vacation for a week this January we left Cooper and Derby at doggy daycare.  It's a place where they don't stay in kennels, but get to run and play in a big room with other dogs.  They love it and have stayed there many many times.  So imagine our surprise, when just a few days into our trip we get a message from my sister-in-law that Cooper got sick. . . and had to be taken to the emergency vet. . . and she was now going to watch Cooper and Derby for the rest of our vacation.  Our theory was that Cooper didn't want to be left for a week without us, and made himself sick to get him and Derby out of doggy daycare and to stay with Aunt Krista.  When we finally got home, the doggy daycare called us and said that Cooper was not the only dog that got sick and something was going around.  Nothing like coming home to some awesome vet bills.  Everyone on vacation with us had a good laugh at Cooper's expense.

It has snowed over a foot here, and to watch Derby walk through the snow is the funniest thing.  He is very careful of where he steps, and if he can help it, he will step in my footsteps so it is easier for him, I have never seen a dog do that before.  Other times he will tear around the yard like it's a game.  He also will pounce chunks of snow and ice and then try to eat them.

When we came home last Friday I parked in the street so I could shovel our driveway out.  The dogs had been outside with me helping.  When the snow plow was coming through our street I went to move my car, and was stuck.  So we put the dogs inside while my husband and I and the snow plow driver and our neighbor all worked to get my car unstuck.  A few minutes in, and both dogs are trotting down the driveway to see what is going on, so we put them back inside.  A few minutes later, and they are coming down the drive again.  My husband finally put them inside and wedged a broom in the door handle so they couldn't get out again.  It really is no longer a challenge for Cooper to open the door, he just does it when he wants out.

We have a big hill behind our house, and with the recent snow, it is a very popular sledding area.  For the past week there have been at least 30 people on the hill at all times.  The funny thing is the dogs will fall asleep in the living room and when they wake up they start barking at the sledders all over again.  Last time it snowed they would run out to just they edge of the hill to check out the sledders, this time the snow is too deep so they watch from a far, preferably from their chairs inside.




Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Just a Little Sunshine

If you haven't heard, Kansas has been hit by the one-two punch of winter storms Q and Rocky.  I enjoy watching the snow fall, but now I wouldn't mind if it would stop.  The piles of snow are getting so tall I don't know if they will ever melt, and I don't know if my back and arms can take another round of shoveling the driveway.

My husband and I have had the good fortune to spend most of January in much warmer climates like, Phoenix, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Houston.  So to remind me of sunnier, warmer days, I will share a few of our trip pictures.

First up, Phoenix, Arizona to watch the K-State Wildcats in the Fiesta Bowl.



Unfortunately, the Cats lost, and to top things off I got food poisoning and spent a whole day in the hotel (I won't explain further).

Before we caught our flight home we had a few hours to kill, so we stopped by this old historic house (I can't remember the name) that was one of the first in Phoenix.



Next we were off to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  We spent a week at an all-inclusive resort with my parents and 8 other family friends.  We had a blast, and I wish I was back there now.


My adorable (and maybe drunk) parents.


The rest of the group (sorry it's a little dark).




Finally, we went to Houston, Texas for a work convention.  It was a lot of long days, but the weather was great, and we got to see a lot of friends we haven't seen in a while.

I hope these photos help Spring to come a little sooner.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Christmas In February

My in-laws were supposed to come stay with us for a few days after Christmas, but stuff came up, life happens, and they weren't able to make it out to our house.  Fast forward to last weekend, and they came up for the weekend to help my sister-in-law plan her June wedding.  We finally got the chance to exchange Christmas gifts with them, hence Christmas in February.

And check out what my mother-in-law got me.



It's a purple scarf with a blingy power cat on it.  My parents will hate it.  I can't wait to wear it to the up coming Big 12 men's basketball tournament.  I think it will look good next to KU crimson and blue and OU crimson and cream.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Worries

Last week a 16 year-old girl from my husband's home town was killed in a car accident.  The driver of the car swerved to miss a deer and then over corrected and rolled the car.

My husband latter told me that his biggest worry is that I will do the same thing, and swerve to miss hitting a deer on one of my many trips back and forth from Wichita.  I promised my husband, that if a deer crosses my path while I'm driving I will hit that deer head on.  Not sure that was the reassurance he was looking for.

I like to think I am a very independent woman, and that I can handle anything.  But sometimes it is nice to know that my husband worries about me.