Prettiest in the Setting Sun

WHEW! First of all, my sincere apologies for neglecting this blogging thing for pretty much the entire first half of 2009. Once the new year hit, my work life got more and more hectic as Bike MS grew closer. And who wants to spend their few spare minutes blogging when they have an amazing boyfriend to cuddle up to?? Any who - now that life is back to normal, I'm back! (Well, at least until January.)

Without sparing you and making a huge list of things we have done over the past 8 months, I'll just update you on our most exciting activities! We have been having one hell of a summer, and it is all thanks in part to a lovely blue boat named Loretta. Last summer, our friend Eric took us out on a rafting trip down the Colorado River. Ever since that fateful day, Thomas had been talking non-stop about buying a raft of our own. At first it just seemed like wishful thinking... buying a raft, winning the lottery, moving to St. John, you get the picture. As he started doing more and more research, I actually started getting into the idea of spending our summer on the water. I love Colorado with all of my heart, but the one thing it hasn't provided me with is the ability to be on the water.

Fast forward to May. I am in the middle of event season, the stars finally align, and T buys a beautiful 14 foot white water raft. We were so anxious to get her out on the water, but timid and nervous as well. As many of you may know, Colorado can be a dangerous, unforgiving place; ESPECIALLY when you start talking about the rivers. We (and really I mean I) wanted to make sure Thomas was prepared and had all of the knowledge and information he would need to make our maiden voyage a successful one. He scouted easy, Class I and II rivers and we started planning.

We decided our first trip would be on the North Platte River in Wyoming. We would camp at the Treasure Island put in, get up bright and early, and enjoy a beautiful sunny day on the river. We would find a place to camp on the river that night, then pull out and head home the next day. Now the funny thing about this story is - after camping at Treasure Island, none of it happened! The sun was only out for an hour or so before the most intense storm I have ever been caught in blew in. Think wind, stinging rain, hail, cold, wet, miserable. Thomas rowed our boat for 20 miles straight to get us to where we had arranged to pick up the car. Hampton was freezing and shaking uncontrollably, T had blisters on his hand, and I honestly thought we were going to die.

Why didn't we just pull over and take shelter under our tarp or a tree?? Because the river went through private lands and we would have been trespassing had we done so. After one of the most miserable days of my life, when I was in the car in dry clothes with my hands to the heater, a strange thought crossed my mind. "I can't wait to do this again." And so my love affair with boating began.

We have since done two more overnight trips on different sections of the Colorado River. Both have been near perfect - nothing like the first time. Our boat takes us places a car couldn't even imagine going. We have seen eagles feeding, gotten so close to enormous sandstone canyon walls we could have touched them, met some cool river folk, and most importantly have been able to escape the craziness of life, take a breather, and enjoy our time together. No phones, no email, not even a watch. We wake up when the sun rises, we eat when we're hungry, and we take a dip in the river when we're hot. Simple.

Now to the name. Where the hell did we come up with the name Loretta for our boat?? After our first successful overnight trip, we were listening to Townes Van Zandt and driving through the mountains back to Denver. We had briefly discussed naming the boat, but hadn't given it much thought. After the trip she led us on, I knew she deserved to have a name. Just then, "Loretta" came on. And so it was. Given - it is about a whore, but we also think it's the perfect name for our boat.

Oh Loretta she's my barroom girl

Wears them sevens on her sleeve

Dances like a diamond shines

Tell me lies I love to believe

Her age is always 22

Her laughing eyes are hazel hue

Spends my money like water falls

Loves me like I want her to

Oh, Loretta, won't you say to me

Darling, put your guitar on

Have a little shot of booze

Play a blue a and wailing song

My guitar rings a melody

My guitar sings, Loretta's fine

Long and lazy, blonde and free

And I can have her any time

Sweetest at the break of day

Prettiest in the setting sun

She don't cry when I can't stay

Least not till she's all alone

Loretta, I won't be gone long
Keep your dancing slippers on
Keep me on your mind a while

I'll be back, babe, to make you smile
~Townes Van Zandt

Loretta on the Colorado River

The Coast Guards

Captain T

Oh Christmas Tree...

Just wanted to show everyone our BEAUTIFUL Christmas tree! We actually got to have a real one this year.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Take A Piece of Tinsel and Put It On The Tree

Now that we're in the midst of the Christmas Season, I find it important to share my MOST FAVORITE Christmas movie of all time. Not only is this movie awesome, but the soundtrack is even better!

Christmas is in full swing here in Denver. Our tree is up and decorated, stockings are hung, and we have snow on the ground with more to come! I love this time of year, even if it is midly depressing. Thomas and I are straying away from tradition this year and will be staying in Denver, cooking a big Christmas Eve dinner, and skiing on Christmas Day. So even if it doesn't snow in Denver, we'll still have a white Christmas for the first time in our lives!

Because I know me, and know that I (most likely) won't blog again before then, I hope everyone has a Merry, Safe Christmas! Hampton says the same...

Well it's Christmas time again
Decorations are all hung by the fire
Everybody's singing, all the bells are ringing out
And it's Christmas all over again, yeah again.
- Tom Petty, Christmas All Over Again

Alabama Was A'calling Her Back

I typically try to put some thought and wit into my posts, but I don't really have much time for any of that business today. So I'm just going to post a few pictures from our New Orleans trip, and update y'all on what we've been up to the past few weeks!

Starting with New Orleans, we had such a great time. Thomas and I both love that city and are reminded of that every time we go back. We pretty much stayed off Bourbon Street this time around and spent more time in other areas of the French Quarter and Harrah's (of course!). We went out of our way to eat at restaurants we had never been too, and I officially found the best po' boy sandwich in existence (half shrimp half oyster with cajun mustard, cabbage, and tomatoes please!) at Mother's. Here are a few pics from our trip:

Little Bo Peep (Mike) and Linda Lou

JB as a ghost
Saturday Brunch at Dante's Kitchen (T, Josh, and Brandon)

Mel and I having some MUCH needed brunch cocktails

Happy T
Cool house in the French Quarter

Other than getting ready for our Thanksgiving trip back home, T and I have been gearing up for ski season and spending time with Jimmy and Liz who just moved back from Kentucky! Last weekend, we went up with Scott and Adrienne to A-Basin for an early season day. It was crowded but still felt so good to get back on our skis.

We're leaving Denver tomorrow morning at 6am to start the two day process of getting back to Auburn. We'll be in Auburn until next Friday when we'll leave for Asheville to see Panic for two nights before coming back to Denver! Can't wait to see everyone while we're home, and if you're here in Denver, have a great Thanksgiving and we'll see ya on the mountain in a couple weeks!

"Dixie asked if I'd been to Alabama
Her voice was thick like some old southern night
And maybe for the sake of conversation
I said back in '88 or '89

She said her daddy's fields were full of cotton
By the river that she swam in as a child
Lord she loved those sweet magnolia blossoms
And that good ol' Honeysuckle growing wild"
-Yonder Mountain String Band, Pride of Alabama

Gonna Take It Up to New Orleans

As Caroline kindly commented on my last post, I need to keep up with this blog better! I still owe you guys some pictures from our road trip to Austin>Tulsa. We had an absolute blast down south. Lots of driving, but also lots of good music. I was able to meet up with Stacie at the show (one of my friends from high school that now lives in Austin) and we shared a little boogie time. Always good to see familiar faces on the road! The Backyard is (was) BEAUTIFUL. By far one of the coolest venues I've ever seen. Tons of live oaks throughout the place, and all of the vending was built into the trees to look like tree houses! Sad to see it go. As promised, here's a few pics:

Hampton ridin' doggy

Austin Crew at the Backyard

This is how close we were in Tulsa

This weekend is the weekend Thomas and I have been waiting YEARS for. Panic is playing in New Orleans, on Halloween night, at UNO, for the first time in 6 years. It seems like just yesterday when T and I were there. Then again, when I think about the fact that I was 19, it seems like a lifetime ago! New Orleans is by far the best city in the world to be in on Halloween. There's such an underlying creepiness to that place on any normal day, but you add Halloween and it's a whole different ball game. As expected, I am dressing up and Thomas is not (no surprises there). We recently found out that (almost) everyone we know from Denver is not only staying at our same hotel, but also on our same flights! So it's sure to be a weekend full of food, music, and partying NOLA style.

Other than gearing up for our trip, things have been pretty quiet around here. We went to see the Drive By Truckers play a free show last night at the Bluebird Theater. It was a private event hosted by none other than Jack Daniels. We ended up winning tickets to it, and had a blast. As soon as we walked in the door, there were two girls standing there giving out free drink tickets. Yes, please!

I hope everyone has a great weekend, regardless of how bad Auburn sucks! I promise to post Halloween pictures in a more timely manner than I did Austin. Just give me a few days to recuperate when we get back... lord knows I'll need it!

Four train days
Get me back to New Orleans
Drink more fishwater there
More than any whale's mama ever seen
-Widespread Panic, Fishwater

Let's Get the Show on the Road

The time has FINALLY come! No, I'm not talking about Auburn football or ski season. It is time for Panic Fall Tour! This coming up weekend Thomas, Brandon, and I are heading down to Austin, Texas for two shows at the Backyard. Then we're heading to Tulsa for a show at the Brady Theater on our way back to Denver. The thing that makes me so excited about this trip is the fact that we are driving. I know, Austin is a long way away (think 16 hours) but there is nothing better than packing up the car, rolling down the windows to smell the crisp fall air, putting on some good tunes, having a couple good traveling companions, and hitting the road. It's so reminiscent of our college days, and I can not wait!

Another thing about this trip that excites me is that I will be seeing Panic play in two cities and two venues that I have never been to. Thomas and I have toured across the country and back, so when we get to go to new venues there's always a sense of anticipation. The Backyard is a beautiful, historical venue where many great musicians have graced the stage. These shows will be the next to last shows there as it is being shut down so developers can build a shopping mall on top of it. Yep... you heard me right. A SHOPPING MALL. The people that step foot in that mall will never know the beauty of what lived there before it (or the dirty business that happened underneath their feet)... but we sure as hell will!

After Friday and Saturday nights in Austin, we're driving up to Tulsa for a Sunday night show. Those of you that are familiar with the ways of the Boys know that it is these one night, random shows that have the opportunity to be SICK. Small venue, city along the way, Sunday night. Sounds like the makings of a great show.

We'll be back in Denver on Monday and will have just enough time to recuperate and recharge for Halloween in New Orleans.

For those of you that know Thomas and I well, this long-weekend trip should be no surprise to you. If we can swing a way to get out of town to see some music (especially Panic) we will. Now that we're part of the "real world" these trips are fewer and far between. But I think this is one thing that bonds us together and makes our relationship that much stronger. Some of our best memories take place out on the road or at shows. You may not understand it, and we don't ask that you do. But we always seem to have a damn good time, meet some damn good people, and hear some damn good music. And there's not many negative things you can say about that.

I'm sure I'll have some great pictures from this weekend, and I hope to have them posted shortly after we get back. Gotta spread the love. :)

I'll leave you with a few lyrics that are fitting for this post. Couldn't choose just one.

And when the dust all settles and the story is told
History is made by the side of the road
By the men and women that can persevere
And rage through the storm, no matter how severe
And whether it’s a horse or a car or a train
There’s gonna be some fine times and there’s gonna be some pain
-Drive By Truckers, Monument Valley

Well, I wonder where that driver's bound
Is there someone, somewhere, someway out there that I've not found
-WSP, Driving Song

Here's your ticket, pack your bags, time for jumpin' overboard
Transportation is here
Close enough but not too far, maybe you know where you are
Fighting fire with fire
-Talking Heads, Burning Down the House

One Good Dog

Ok, I have to post these pictures I took of Hampton last night. Recently, she's been very into sleeping with her head and upper half of her body under the bed. After weeks of laughing everytime I see her little legs and white tipped tail sticking out, I had to document this.

The funniest part is, when you call her name and she's under there, her tail starts thumping so hard! Like she's saying "Maybe dey don't know dat I'z under here." Hilarious.