MetaBatty

Finding Casey

Many know that Erin and I are ready to get a new puppy - a male yellow lab, whom we want to name Casey. We found a great breeder in Conifer, CO - Simerdown Labradors - who has four yellow males ready in about three weeks. Here are a few video clips from our visit to Simerdown this weekend.

Finally digging out

The snow hit us on Wednesday. Today, Saturday, was the first time they were able to send plows (or anything that could move snow) into Stapleton. They cleared out our alleys, as best they could - there's so much snow and no where to put it. The HOA sent people to shovel snow from the sidewalks and common areas, too. Most of the side streets are still waiting to be plowed.

Deliveries and mail have not yet resumed, which was quite evident after a trip this afternoon to King Soopers, the local grocery store. Shelves were almost completely bare in the bread, cheese, meat and snack aisles, among others. The management provided very helpful, albeit interestingly worded, signs in these aisles to explain the vacancies:

"We apologize for the lack of product. We have not received any product since you last received your mail."

Check out the latest pictures in the Blizzard 06 album by clicking here.

Blizzard!

It is snowing here in Denver today. All day. HARD. So hard, in fact, it's snowing sideways.

At 2:30 p.m. today we had almost a foot on the ground, but the wind is causing drifts up to 5 ft high in some places. The area is expecting 20-24 inches by the time the storm is supposed to end at noon tomorrow.

So far, almost all major Colorado cities (Denver, Aurora, Colo. Springs), services and interstates are shut down, including:

• All schools
• USPS
• Most businesses
• I-70 from Denver to Kansas
• I-25 from  Denver to New Mexico
• I-76 from Denver to Nebraska
• Tonight's Denver Nuggets game (which no one will care about until Melo is back from suspension and Iverson is wearing blue & gold)
• Local broadcast news stations (resuming live news at 6 p.m.)
• The neighborhood bar & grill (most inconvenient)

The airport is technically still open, but that won't do much good, as every major airline canceled their flights in and out of DIA today. UPDATE: DIA closed at 3 p.m., due to "white out" conditions that made driving to and from the airport impossible. They do not expect it to re-open until "Thursday evening." Of course, I have a 7 pm flight to Baltimore tomorrow...

At 2 p.m. today Colorado Gov. Bill Owens declared the storm a disaster emergency and sent the National Guard to help emergency workers.

And yet, this does not excuse me from work today. My company allows me to work from home - and as long as the phone and internet connection are still working, so am I. In this digital world there are no snow days. Don't feel bad for me, as this is more than compensated for by the opportunity to work more flexible hours, avoid the morning and afternoon commutes, put a little less carbon into the atmosphere, save money on gas, and shave with less frequency (as you may have noticed in some of my recent photos here).

Here's a picture looking out the sliding glass door to my back porch, taken at 2:30 p.m. today.

Return of the House People

UPDATE: Some of the House People have returned.

On Friday, The Water People stopped by to fix the heating element in my super-modern, air-tight, water-sealed, vitamin-packed, new and improved water heater (notice I didn't say HOT water heater...you don't heat water that is already hot). Apparently, most new water heaters no longer run a pilot light which, as you may know, is relatively simple to re-light if it ever goes out.  Not these new water heaters. They require a specialist to come out and do it for you. On their schedule.

This morning The Floor People returned to start working on the small, dark stain on the wood floor (see photo from the last posting on this topic). They hand-sanded the stain down to the original oak wood, re-stained it, and apparently have to come back tomorrow and Wednesday to do more staining and sealing. The whole process takes about, oh, 5 minutes. They also surround the area with their version of police crime scene tape - which, I have learned, comes in an assortment of colors. Today they chose green.

But wait - it gets more exciting.

The Heating People finally came over to fix the humidifier. Wayne was very astute, and fixed the problem immediately - the "hyrdostat," which regulates the humidity in the house, had a bad electrical connection. Wayne promptly fixed that, as shown in this flattering picture. He then proceeded to tell me everything I never wanted to know about the entire HVAC system in my place, common problems with humidifiers, his wishes for a stay-at-home job, the weather forecast for the rest of the week, common repair calls he receives, the candle power of my flashlight compared to his...

I also have a message from The Drywall People. They want to come and fix the hole in my dining room ceiling, which was made when The Electric People moved the dining room light six inches closer to the wall.

I don't think this will ever be finished. Now I can truly, fully appreciate the benefits of having a landlord.

Visits from The House People

One of the great things about buying a new home is that you are covered by a builder’s warranty that covers repairs on any mistakes or faulty equipment in your home, usually within the first year. I have been in my new place for about four months, and almost everything is just as the builder, McStain, promised and in great working order. There are only a few adjustments to be made, and, to their credit, McStain has been all over me to arrange the appointments and make sure everything is how it should be. They have a great product, and fantastic customer service.

But that’s not what I want to talk about. What I have noticed since becoming a homeowner and beginning this repair process is that I am meeting and interacting with what I am calling “The House People.” The House People is a collective term that applies to any specialist that works on your home. So, you have The Heating People, The Floor People, The Water People, and so on.

At 8 a.m. today, The Electric People stopped by and relocated the light in the dining area (moved it six inches closer to the wall). It’s much better placement if I ever decide to get the elusive dining room table, something I have never owned before. Of course, now I have to wait for The Drywall People to come and fix the hole where the light used to be. 

They also added a light above the shower in the guest bath. For some reason, when The McStain People originally built the place, The Electric People they contracted installed the light above the toilet, instead of the shower (where it was supposed to go), meaning a dimly-lit bath for any of my unsuspecting guests (who choose to bathe). Instead of moving the original light, The Electric People today added a second light above the shower, and left the original light above the toilet. Now I have lights in both places, and it makes the bathroom look even better. No doubt my resale value went up thousands of dollars with just that one modification…

The McStain People stopped by, too, and replaced the doorknob in my bathroom, as the finish was peeling off the original knob. Another huge boost to the home’s value, I am certain of it. They also will come back soon with a new shower curtain rod, which The Electric People broke when they were installing the aforementioned light (note the absence of shower curtain in picture above). The McStain People also reminded me we still have to get The Exterior People out here to replace a piece of broken trim on my balcony.

I noticed that my built-in humidifier wasn’t working – the house is dry as a bone right now, when there is supposed to be a balmy 25 percent humidity level whenever the heat is turned on. I'm talking condensation-on-the-inside-of-the-windows humidity (for those of you in cities with some level of moisture in the air, you really have it better than you might know). So I called The Heating People, and they talked me through a potential fix to the problem. I still found that water is not going into the system, even though I played around with the feeder valve (yes, I used tools...and even a flashlight). Now The Heating People will have to come out for a visit.

But not before The Floor People, who will be here tomorrow afternoon to touch up some areas on the hardwood floor where drops of finish pooled and left darker stain, and other such overwhelming grievances that make it nearly impossible to sleep at night.

I am just glad all of these repairs are free. I don't want to visit The Finance People again any time soon.

(You know, there was a time, not long ago, when I had a life...)

Summer, I hardly knew ye

I can't believe summer is over already.  It seems like yesterday we were figuring out our plans for Memorial Day Weekend. And suddenly it's Regatta Week at the Grand Lake Yacht Club, then it's Labor Day, and now Halloween candy is filling the aisles at the grocery store. Hold on a second there, I only got in a handful of cocktail cruises on Grand Lake this summer - I haven't reached my quota yet! 

But that's not what I want to talk about. Denver saw it's first real snow of the season yesterday, and it was the first snow for me in my new place.  Here's a picture of the back porch, taken this morning.

Of course, this being Denver, it will be in the 70s again by this weekend, and the snow will be but a faint memory. But not in Winter Park and Mary Jane, the resorts I will be patronizing frequently this ski season, which are getting more snow today. They open in 28 days. Yee haw. (cue the song "Lift" by Brad)

Happy birthday, Mom!

Just a quick 'Happy Birthday!" to my mom, Judy Pepper, who just turned, um, 44 today (which of course means she was only 12 when she had me) - yes, thst's it. My mom gew up for a time in Honolulu, which explains the picture you see here, which was most likely taken when she was about 3 (or in high school)...

Welcome back mom, and I can't wait to see you soon. We'll eat you up, we love you so!

Why do people always call oak "Solid"?

As some of you know, I recently bought a home (front door pictured). Which means I have taken a new and sudden interest in the world of home furnishings - notably, furniture. 

Just a quick, random observation/question here - why is it that every time I encounter in my browsing and shopping, that the word "oak," when describing a piece of furniture, is always preceded by the descriptor "solid"?

"Solid Oak."

I mean, honestly, does it matter? Is there some alternative to "solid" oak, perhaps "Liquid Oak"?  Why aren't other woods so eager to use "solid" in their descriptions? Or are other woods less worthy in their consistency than the vaunted oak?  Are we out there, wandering furniture showrooms, buying "Soft" Mahogany, or even "Gaseous" Cherry? I think not. In fact, I believe that "solid" is often added to "oak" to try to make oak furniture more appealing.  Which it, most decidely, is not.

In the end, all I know is that, on average, oak furniture is about as current and hip as Jordache Jeans, Pac Man and "Harvest Gold" and "Avocado" hued kitchen appliances. It reeks of the early 80s and the advent of cordless phones, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Solid Gold dancers.

And, yes, these are the subjects that now warrant my attention.  I used to care about more philosophically weighty things, but getting a new place changes your interests dramatically.

Which is why I like my Solid Maple and granite kitchen.

 

Aaannnd now I am officially rambling.  Nice to be back on the blog after buying a house, and trying to figure out other random details of life.  Stay tuned, it's all coming back online.

I must be getting older

I've seen some disturbing trends in my lifestyle recently that lead me to believe that I am getting older. Of note:

1. I was in bed last night at 10:30. On a SATURDAY. By choice. And did NOT have plans to get up early to ski this morning
2. I was at Safeway at 8 a.m. today.  That alone is shocking.  What makes it worse is that I was happy to be there, because I was, as I old myself triumphantly, "beating the Sunday after-chruch crowd."  What?!
3. After watching Meet the Press and reading the Sunday paper (?!), I worked out in the gym in my building (?!), for about the tenth day in a row (?!).
4. When I got back to my place, I dusted (Denver is nothing but dust, all day, every day), and have serious plans to vacuum.
5. I cleaned up my kitchen.
6. I did all of these things before noon.

Here's the one thing, though, that really got me:

     7. I found myself, at lunchtime, ravenously snacking on Quaker white cheddar rice cakes and washing them down with a Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper...and LIKING IT.

What happened to me?!?!  Anyone who had not seen me in a few years might shoot me on the spot, thinking some evil doppleganger had replaced the original Batty - the dead give away being gym clothes, no puffy eyes, and a bag of rice cakes replacing what was once a staple in my diet - Cool Ranch Doritos.

I must be getting older, as none of these things seemed abnormal or out of place for me (until I reached for the rice cakes, anyway). My father might even say I am getting wiser and more mature, but I think you have other things in your life - most notably, kids - to really earn (be branded with?!) the labels of wise and mature.  Oh, and, of course, gray hairs.  Which means I should probably be hunting through my hair for any signs of age like a monkey picking for nits right now, instead of writing this blog post.

One of the reasons I live in Denver

Saw this part of a poem tonight - excerpted from a longer (and convoluted) poem called The Bridge: The Dance, by an American poet named Hart Crane (1899 - 1932).  It reminds me of nights I have had over many summers in a place called Grand Lake, which is a short drive from Denver. Just wanted to document it somewhere so I wouldn't lose it. Something about these two stanzas remind me of those random moments that come out of nowhere, late at night in the summer, where you suddenly realize how beautiful your surroundings are, and how lucky you are to be there, watching it all unfold, from a trail, or an inlet, or a beach, or a road, or a boat, or a rooftop...

	What laughing chains the water wove and threw!
	I learned to catch the trout's moon whisper; I
	Drifted how many hours I never knew,
	But, watching, saw that fleet young crescent die,---

	And one star, swinging, take its place, alone,
	Cupped in the larches of the mountain pass ---
	Until, immortally, it bled into the dawn.
	I left my sleek boat nibbling margin grass. . .	


I'm a cheeseball.  I know this.