Aussie Back to BYU

Had a very, very fun trip to Utah to put Austin in college. My dad has grown his hair back after his chemo and radiation! Here we are at a family reunion for my ancestor Eric GM Hogan who immigrated from Norway.

On the first day, last Friday, I got to play with Sammy and Lucas and roll down a steep grassy hill in the rain while Bryce was mountain biking and trying once again to injure himself on the steep and rocky downhill of squaw peak. We saw Bryce’s new house---very nice, and ate delicious tri-tip for father’s day.

On Saturday, when we got to Provo with Aussie, he was waiting around for the office to open and an old freshman dorm buddy named Jesse jumped out of his apartment and invited Austin to stay with him. We really like this Jesse kid. He studies a lot. After talking to Austin about discontinuing his wow video game usage until we were blue in the face, Jesse sat Aussie and his friend Andrew down and asked them to remove all the games, which Aussie did.

I was so pleased when Aussie called later and said he had been to diving practice and coach asked him to do a front 1.5 full twist. Aussie thought, well, I haven't’ done that before but I have done something similar on the trampoline, so I’ll just try it. And he did it.

Back in Colorado, the house is so much more empty. I'm glad Aussie is there, it was socially, spiritually and intellectually inadequate here, and BYU will help him reach his potential.......but I can't help but miss his big goofy smile, his service projects, him admiring his butt in the mirror, his even emotions and his eating large quantities of food. Austin really enjoys food.

On Monday, Tiana did my hair and I got to hang out with her all day and shop at Tiapan trading and hobby lobby to make topiaries. Mark being his usual cultured and decorative self, called them "tapiocas"

Back at home in Denver, Danica came over to eat 2x Saturday and JJ and Lily are so cute. Lily’s running movement is straight up and down.

Yesterday Mark and I had an awesome bike ride on the Highline Canal. Mark waited for me and I went faster---until on the way home my bike came off the rack and now it’s trashed. It was scarey picking it up of c-470. It’s so sad to see my bike all bent and trashed.

Yesterday was also my last lesson with my riding teacher Crissy. She’s moving to Wyoming where feed for her 3 horses is much more reasonable. We saddled up Shadow and she rode Hazel bareback and we trotted through the long grass, trees and wild flower in the river bottoms. The sunset was ribbons of light streaming between the clouds on the mountains, Colorado can be so beautiful.

Horses and Mountains

OK. So we forgot our camera. But, I'm putting these two horse pictures to give you an idea of what a beautiful day Austin, and his friend Rebecca and I had on our trail ride.


We actually were just a few miles from home on the bluffs above Highlands Ranch. The grass was long, the wildflowers were in bloom. The sun shone after days of rain. Austin's horse, a fleabitten mare loved to eat (who does that remind us of?) and Rebecca's horse kicked me and my horse if we got too close. Never the less, the gentle rocking in the saddle drove all my stress away. I was a wonderful way to spend Austin's last Saturday at home before he goes off to BYU this week.
Then we climbed Devil's Head mountain with Mark. Oh how I love Colorado Mountains!

Preferred Care at Home goes to the Zoo

You are looking at our booth for "Preferred Care at Home" at the recent Denver Zoo Health Fair. Our Team from left to right : Jackie, Our Senior Real Estate agent, Margaret our Nutrition Therapist, Sharon our RN for the medical side, Me the Care Coordinator, Sherry Ross our Director of Mktg and Rick Roedel the Administrator.We love when Dave goes out of town for work, Danica fixes dinner and brings it over for Aussie and I. After a long day of work, two of my favorite things, food and grandchildren. But right after our first attempt at a picnic, it rained and rained. Everything is emerald green. I've never seen Colorado so green. I don't handle dark and cold and wet rainy weather well. I've been doing wierd things. I search through my bag for my phone while I am talking on it. It's as if synapses in my brain don't connect. I lock my keys in the car. It's June 2 and I'm sitting here in my ski sweater with the furnace on. Blach.