Saying Goodbye to 2009…

Of all the years past I must say 2009 has been the best to me, so it is with a heavy heart I say goodbye.
Most of my readers know all the things that have happened to me and around me, because you’ve been a part of it in one way or another…but I’m going to try to give a summary anyway.
January 2009…Wow 2009, who would have thought we’d be here to say 2009. The first black president of the United States, well sure why not? Oh recession, unemployment, health care, Social Security…never really been a follower of politics, but getting savvier in my old age.
Road trip to San Antonio with Monica and Dusty to deliver Steven to the Airforce Base so he can start his boot camp training…scary…we camped out at Jan and Marcus’ house and visited Gruene for drinks. There we all talked and laughed about the future, Monica and Dusty have their 10th wedding anniversary coming up in August so we joke about taking an adult only trip to Vegas to celebrate the occasion; all the while joking that Kemper and I should get married while we are there. It turned really cold on our way back, I borrowed a sweater from Jan...thanks again Jan, it was a life saver. As soon as we get back I start the research on flights, hotels and things to see and do in Vegas.
In February, the recession is really starting to show, businesses closing, jobs dwindling. My job announced pay cuts and more work in an effort to keep the company afloat.
In March, we take off for another road trip back to Gruene with Brent, Brenda and the extended Novosad clan. We had a blast. "Did we just step over a dog?" Too much beer...well it start with Rita's too early in the day.

April…by now the whole Vegas thing is booked and Kemper and I have made wedding plans. We’ve decided this would be a surprise for our friends while we are there and we’d share almost the same anniversary with Monica and Dusty…it will be cool. This month Frontgate http://www.frontgate.com/jump.jsp?item=27780&maincatcode=1&subcatcode=null&itemID=21071&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C145%2C760&iProductID=21071 has oredered the first round of Sentrys' from Kemper...the units came from China but the chemical had to come from Kemper and his staff...3200 gallons we had to hand pour, hand label, hand box and put it all on pallets for the truck to come get...it took a village but we get it done...

Oh, I have to tell you…remember I’ve told some of you about the shenanigans between Kemper, me and mom? You know when one of us goes out of town the other checks on the animals…Well, Mom went with Joann and Bill on their ANNUAL wildflower tour in the hill county…so while they were gone Kemper and I hide 100 Easter eggs in mom’s house…we hid them in the ice maker…showers…everywhere you could possibly think of…and the kicker was 60 of the eggs had puzzle pieces, we knew that would drive mom crazy until she finds them all…well to date she is still missing 4 pieces to the puzzle…heehee.
May…really gotta go see Trey so we plan a summer vacation to DC with Austin and Danielle to visit him, we are all very excited.
June…DC bound. We visited Signature Theater, made dinner at Trey and Kate’s apartment, as well as toured all the cool stuff in DC. We all had fun and it was so good to see Trey doing so well, so far from home and on his own. July…Booked the beach House for the Lonestar Rally, by now I am just the group travel agent. We get to have Danni and AJ for the whole month…well when they aren’t at camp. Their mom will have them for the holidays this year so we are planning to spend Thanksgiving in the hill country and Christmas in Mexico, well plan it after Vegas.
August…okay here’s where the whirl wind starts…in August we got a dog, got married in Vegas, bought a new car. To date the only regret is the dog, we love her some of the time and the kids think she’s awesome. The car is totally cool and now beefed up with loud pipes, thanks to Austin with Kemper's help (yeah Peter Pan syndrome a little)
My husband…the BEST thing I have ever done for myself…yep totally selfish…I married him for me and only me. I am so proud of him…he’s the best man I’ve ever known in every way and he loves me…all of me…I am so lucky, and THANKFUL for Kemper. I’m in love…love is something I never knew, I never knew…
September…Still just wondering where our year went Kemper’s new product, the Mosquito Sentry is doing wonderful…sales are great and the spring is looking even better. We are going to have the kids for Thanksgiving?? What??? Trey wants to come home for Thanksgiving??…Kemper’s mom wants to come here for thanksgiving??? Gran is coming???? Oh dear…well I guess we’ll do Thanksgiving.
October…another year older…wow really...29 came so fast? Kemper’s truck gets a makeover including new paint…flat black (yeah…Peter Pan)…very cool. I get hired by CB&I and get to quit my job…it was awesome, like something on TV. There in the morning, get the call at lunch time and go back to announce oh…I quit...while “Take this Job and Shove It” is playing (well, only in my head…but that would have been the only thing making it sweeter). Now it’s rally time…the Lonestar Rally four days of rest, riding and freaks, oh and the people watching isn’t bad either…ahhhh, it’s a good life. Come home to find Candy Body Parts hidden all over my house (still finding them as a matter of fact) and a scary thing in my BED!!!
November… Danni gets a driving lesson...yeah...driving...in the new BEAST.

Gran arrived on November 21 and Barbara didn’t make it after all, Trey came home for the first time in over a year on November 22, everyone was coming over to see him…I cooked everything he likes to eat all in one day, fried squash, meatloaf, mashed potatoes and Uncle Bill became the newest fan of my fried chicken. On Wednesday, we smoked the turkey…an all day event, even Kevin came over to sit and watch the turkey smoke, and Brent and Brenda come over for a visit and we even got to see Chad and Haley as they made their way home from Missouri…exciting stuff. Thanksgiving was great, yummy food and fun family. While giving the family his presentation that he will give at Sam Houston State...Trey announced that Sweeney Todd will open in February http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/r2u270. You probably don’t know but Sweeney Todd is how this all got started, that was Trey’s favorite play in High School and when he went to college for Theatrical Carpentry he told me his dream was to one day build the barber’s chair for Sweeney Todd…well thanks to the recession and budget cuts, they are not building a new chair they are just using a borrowed one, but none the less Trey is working on the set, and called to tell me just the other day that he was the test dummy for the shoot. Trey left on Friday, the time really flew and I miss him like crazy…probably more than I ever have. It is nice to see that even in spite of the world’s worst mother he is a great man and the world is a better place because of him.
December…Santa?, presents?, shopping?, spending?, cooking?, eating?, parties?, plays?, concerts? Ahhgggggg!!! Well ready or not here it is…

So it started off with Lemon Fest, then Danni’s Winter Concert, then Mom and Bill's Christmas Play, then Mom’s Chorale Concert and finally Austin’s Winter program, I must say I am so proud of ALL my Stars!!!…then Steven is home for a two week leave for Christmas so we went there is see him…one thing seeing all these kids now grown up and successful… they sure make us look like a bunch of chumps…I think I speak for Brenda, Monica, I think they will agree…all three of our boys have been a group effort…we’ve all leaned on each other over the years, even talked each other off the window ledge a time or two…but we did it, they are still alive and so are we, we can be proud that we aren’t visiting them in the county jail as we all thought was their certain destiny…heehee. They are nice men; doing honest work…we can be proud of them and us. From me…thank you Monica, Brenda and Mom…I couldn’t have done it without you!! Not that I’m relieving you of your duties…pretty sure we’re not done yet…so don’t go far!
Mom, Joann and Bill went to visit relatives in Midland so Kemper and I bought those tacky blow up Christmas things to put in their yards…while looking for extension cords in mom’s garage we found all the things we’ve hidden in her house in the past…sooooo…we hid it all again throughout her house…Easter Eggs and Farm animals many, many farm animals…Now her yard is decorated with her a gaudy blow up Santa waving to the passing traffic, her beautifully decorated Christmas tree is now adorned with Easter Eggs and Farm animals…a Giant pig has joined her carefully hand painted collection of Santas, and her car sports a rather large velvet red bow. She’s never been so in the Christmas spirit.

On Wednesday December 23, we had the 2nd annual Yankee Chili
feast and White Elephant gift exchange at Bill and Joann's house...the chili is yummy...even if it's Yankee chili and the gift exchange is always so fun. This year one of the gift's in the exchange was a Monkey and rolled around on the floor and laughed...it is really funny...so anyway Bill got the monkey and was so affraid someone would take him away, that Bill licked him all over...really licked him...licked him until he was grossly wet...well the Monkey was safely and securely Bill's monkey for life now...funny stuff...really funny.

Kemper and I are better than ever...with the new Charger and his Beast all freshly painted...he bought us personalized license plates...Yin and Yang...This Simbol(Yin-Yang) represents the ancient Chinese understanding of how things work. The outer circle represents "everything", while the black and white shapes within the circle represent the interaction of two energies, called "yin" (black) and "yang" (white), which cause everything to happen. They are not completely black or white, just as things in life are not completely black or white, and they cannot exist without each other.

Good Bye 2009…sniff…Kemper and I were sitting on the couch the other night sipping a glass of wine and just kinda breathing for a minute…I looked at him and said…this has been the best year of my life, all my dreams have come true, I want for nothing, I have more than I have ever deserved, my life is complete. So 2009, by far, has been the best year of my life…………………………….…SO FAR…
Welcome 2010

Lonestar Rally 2009

Oh dear…where to begin?
So much I want to tell about…okay Rally. All year planning we’ve been counting down forever, and I get a new job…I’d been looking for a new job all year…was very unhappy with my current position since February 09 when they cut our pay by 21%…so after that …I came and went as I please pretty much, came in late, took a long lunch and left early, that part wasn’t bad and had paid vacation. So feeling pretty hopeless and trusting everyone telling me there are just no jobs I was accepting that I may have to stay there until the ship finally sinks completely. I get a call from Snelling Staffing, CB&I would like for me to come in for an interview, sure…cool…Executive Admin for the VP of Investor Relations…okay I know nothing about finances but I’ll go for an interview I need the practice. I go, it’s fine…couldn’t really tell if I was what they are looking for or not…oh well…good practice. The next morning Snelling calls again and CB&I wants to see me again…oh dear…okay. Keep in mind Caza is dwindling fast…I hate that place…I’d just been informed that my next assignment would be to sit at the corporate apartment and wait for the packers one day and the utilities the next…oh and just throw their toiletries in a box…no biggie…WHAT? Um no…REALLY? Yeah really…man I need a real job…for a real company…That day I meet Kemper at the elevator with some of my stuff from my office…I was beaten, done, sad and ready to jump out of the window…at the very least, ready to put on my blue smock and welcome people to WalMart…We load my junk in the car and Kemper says you should just quit…screw those guys…I can’t quit…I have to have a plan…all night last night and all day today I have just begged and hoped CBI would call…Kemper and I drive home for lunch and pull into the garage and my phone rings…Snelling…OMG…yeah…oh okay…oh I see…yes that’s fine…thank you for calling…CB&I wants me….OMG!!!! YEAH!!!! Thank you God!! After I quit crying…I come up with my plan.
I get back to the office…tie up a few loose ends…clean my office…and send an email that today is my last day…and that was that. I started at CB&I on Monday, Oct 26…keep in mind Rally is Thursday…CB&I was fine with me taking Thursday and Friday office to do my thing…so…I’ve been a little distracted this year…so forgive me if my writing is minimal and just enjoy the pics.
It’s finally here. Beautiful weekend after beautiful weekend have past…and now…the weather is looking nasty…but it’ll be fine…rain or shine we are going to Rally…wait…did I say rain???
Thursday
The plan was that we’d have the kids on Wednesday and drop them at school on Thursday and drop Penny at the vet…and be ready to pull out at 9 am…Monica and Dusty were pulling out at 9 am as well and we’d meet at the Beltway and 288 at Bass Pro Shop…it’s cloudy…but spotty…no biggie… We’re on the road heading for the beach…woohoo…I45…RAIN…let’s stop and put on our Frogg Toggs…we may need them ahead, back on I45, all suited up…mine are pink I looked like a giant PEEP…Kemper’s were 9 sizes too large, and when the air caught them he looked like the Big Black Gorilla on top of the Used Car lot.

TRAFFIC…BIG TRUCKS…RAIN…even harder rain…we gotta pull over and wait this out some…and waited we did…okay let’s go a little more…nope here it comes again…finally…with no more time to waste we gotta try to go…we’re not even through Houston yet…the rain is not as bad now…but the traffic is…we’re getting through it…finally I can see the Beltway in the distance, yea!! We missed the exit we should have taken and make a U-turn to get back to Monica and Dusty…there they are high and dry. Kemper and I are exhausted, wet and hungry. With only brief greeting and hugs we all take off before we get caught in more rain. We get as far from the rain as we can and stop for gas, bathroom and food.
Feeling better we strike out for the last leg of this already 3 hour tour…Beach House or Bust.
We are here, we are here!!! The wind was blowing like crazy the ocean was gray and angry as we drove in…and the shore was much different than we remembered…Ike did a job last fall and there was still many reminders…but we’ve made it so…

Let’s Rally!!! We unload our bags so we can stop at the grocery on our way back home tonight. We ride out headed for the stand the wind is blowing and is getting cooler…while on the sea wall the foam from the ocean is rolling across the road and covering our bike, we’re going to the Strand and get a parking pass, find a place to park and get our shopping done. The freaks beat us there and are in force…and OMG the bikes, tons of them already, and it’s only the first day.
BEER!!!!! Crap on a stick; yard long Pina Coladas for Monica and Port-a-Potties!!!! Rally Time!

We shop and shop, walk and walk and drink and drink…oh yeah…it’s fun…
As always…we meet new and interesting friends and learn new lessons to live by…
Friday is cold…I mean really cold…

the ocean is again gray and even more violent than yesterday…we just hang at the house and eat breakfast drink coffee, the boys wash the bikes and get them ready to head back into Galveston. That day was a good time more shopping and drinking and people watching…today Nancy and Dennis were coming in so Monica kept close tabs on their ETA.

Finally they are here and we need to eat so we met them at a restaurant for some dinner?...lunch??? I forget…
Oh which reminds me in addition to eating crap on a stick…turkey legs…nachos…you know I told you that we’d emptied the bags on our bike to make room for groceries…huge mistake to go grocery shopping when everyone is starving…how many frozen pizzas can someone cook in a 3 day weekend??? 10…that’s how many and 2 dozen taquitos, 2 cans of Pringles, gold fish crackers, cinnamon rolls, 2 dozen eggs, several pounds of bacon and a 12 pack of beer…yep…it all fit on 2 bikes AND we ate all of it.
So anyway…Nancy and Dennis arrived and they were a lot of fun…glad they made it.

Saturday--Today our friends Pam, Duncan and Todd arrived and we will go on a ride with them and several others…it was a beautiful day still chilly but the wind was calm and the sun was out.

We rode out near Surfside and through the wildlife refuge it was a great ride and good company…no one was really sure what the plan was for Saturday night if we really wanted to risk the Rally on Halloween night…some of the riders were going to dress in costume and wanted to get back in time to rest up and dress up to go back to the Strand. So we all split up not sure if we’d hook up again or not.
Nancy was really tired…’cause she NEEDS a back rest Dennis!!! We sat around the house watched some TV and drank some beer trying to entertain ourselves while Monica took a nap. We really wanted to go back to the Strand…Monica was tired and not feeling well but eventually after much begging and bugging she caved and agreed to go…WOOHOO so we’re off back to the rally…not as many creative costumes as I’d have expected but still really fun time and lots to look at…
The three of us girls bought matching hats…had the poor shop girl crawling on the floor looking for them…but we have them…Rally Hats!!!
Sunday…we washed the sheets, cleaned the house and loaded our bikes…wow we have more going out than we did when we got here…Nancy and Dennis went back to the Strand while Dusty, Monica, Kemper and I had to head home.
We ride on and before I knew it we were at our split…as Dusty and Monica took their exit we wave and blow kisses…and I of course I tear up…I can’t help it…I just hate to see another wonderful moment in time be over and another year go by.
But anyway…till next year…We’ll be another year older and wiser…nah, probably not wiser…but older for sure and ready to Rally…until then…keep the rubber on the road and your hope high!