Good morning and happy Thursday!!! Count down to the Super Bowl has started! Parties are partying! Players are playing!
I, myself, am not a fan of the SB, never have, but man those Budweiser commercials are killer!!!
Whether you are a Patriots fan or a Rams fan, it’s all about the fun, food and game! What are you going to serve at your SB Party? I have searched Pinterest for all kinds of goodies to share! All of these recipes are not mine, they all have links back to the people who posted them, so make sure you go check them out.
Here we are, last week of September and the Aspens on the Grand Mesa are amazing! They even have a day for people to come out and see. Take a ride on the gondola to the top of the ski slopes and back down. Hike or bike through the trails. Stop by the community center for Turkey dinner and craft fair and several yard sales along the way. There were so many people, so many cars, just loving it up! Honey, Max and I were among the million of them!
Two weeks ago we went to Crested Butte, light traffic, dirt roads…TOTALLY different feeling. The Mesa, tons of people and asphalt tops, if you pay attention to these things, your body is telling you, you need to get back to nature, reground yourself, let go and boy do I miss those days! Don’t get me wrong, the Mesa was great and the trip to Salt Lake City, just have had different effects on me. Total different experiences.
I conceive the notion of pizza being an intricate part of life.
To me: Pizza being just another word for life!
With all that nonsense said, it’s time for yet another pizza review. Seems as though we have started some kind of tradition. Take a Sunday drive, find a “whole in the wall” pizza place. You know, not the chains; the mom and pop places!
Address: 730 N Main St, Gunnison, CO 81230
Phone: (970) 641-5255
Honey got a recommendation from one of his customers, this was one of the best pizza’s in town. Being that Gunnison is a college town, I was sure we would be able to find at least one great one! I was excited to try this place out.
I have to say, I was not at all impressed with the decor: dated and cluttered. The only people besides honey and I were 1 cook, 1 waitress and not sure if the other was a dishwasher, but that was it. It was a Sunday afternoon around 4, expected more people.
The Cheazer Pleaser
We choose the Cheazer Pleaser. Ricotta base (no marinara), Mozzarella and Parmesan. We had been in the car most of the day, so we really didn’t want a whole lot more. However, I would have liked to have tried the Garlic Knots. Our pizza came to us in good time and it LOOKED and SMELLED fantastic! It was hot, it was fresh and it had to ooze of a great cheese pizza. Until it cooled off. All flavor seemed to have gone away and the cheese wasn’t quite some oozy (which is somewhat normal) and the crust started getting oily from all the cheeses. Never the less, Honey finished the pizza and Max enjoyed his few pieces of pizza crust.
I have found many restaurants have started to NOT be on top of refilling drink glasses. Honey had water and I had a Soda, I would have never gotten a refill if we didn’t have to get her attention when another guest walked in.
My thinking place
So, when you ponder the meaning of Pizza think about it being another word for life. This pizza (the day) was hot and fun and full of excitement, until it had time to cool. Sounds about how some of my days go. Great fun, lots of things to do, and then whoosh! You’re exhausted! Lifeless. Tired.
In all, I would give this pizza place a 2 star rating, however, I feel if the place had been busy, things may have been quite different.
Fall is my most favorite time of year. With summer done here in Colorado (thank you drought…), the fall colors are coming early and in some places even already gone. Last year, we took the fall drive over the Grand Mesa, this year we took a (long) drive to Crested Butte, CO. Summer is supposed to be awesome up there also, they have a wildflower festive and the whole mountain is to light up with wildflowers. We had planned to see that, but…it was hot. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
So, we gassed up the SUV, grabbed the dog’s collar, leash and the dog and headed east. For…three…hours!!! Don’t worry, I did get a nap and woke up in time to see a moose!!! However, there is no proof, other than my word and that my hubby also saw it…
Let’s chat about Crested Butte:Elevation: 8,909 ft
just a mere 4,312 ft higher than Grand Junction…Which means…COOLER WEATHER!
Founded: July 15, 1880Industry: Ranching, coal and silver mines. As the silver mining began to decline, many of the surrounding towns began to fail. Crested Butte survived as it served as a supply town to the surrounding areas.
Crested Butte is a mountain resort town in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. You can enjoy downhill skiing, mountain-bike trails which crisscross the slopes of the Crested Butte Mountain Resort and then take the Nordic ski routes throughout the town.Shop at the wooden shops and restaurants which line Elk Avenue in downtown Crested Butte. We weren’t there for shopping…We were there for colors. Lots and Lots of Colors of the Populus Tremuloides kind.
We were NOT disappointed.
Just what are Populus Tremuloides? Well, they are Quaking Aspens and they are one of the largest living things. Quaking Aspens are a stand of aspens which are actually only one very large organism and normally grow in large clonal colonies from ONE single seedling, reproduce and then spread by root sucker. This continues until a whole stand, of what look like individual trees form: in reality it’s a clonal colony, one living, single organism which can cover 100’s of acres and weigh 1000’s of tons.
And where can you find one of these? Kebler Pass is home to one of the largest aspen groves in the United States and one of the best displays of fall foliage found anywhere in the North American continent. However, we didn’t study before we left and cell range was in and out, so we missed the turn off for the Pass and just kept going up the Gothic Road to the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory.
I survived. I didn’t sleep the night before and I had the shakes real bad, but I survived! In fact, I had a really good time!
It was only orientation day, what could go wrong?
Well…
Nothing major… Before I left the house, I had checked the documents list of the forms of ID I needed to bring: CHECK, they are in my wallet! When I was asked for them; they are not in there, I should have checked my wallet, however, I wasn’t alone in this faux pas, I company. That was the end of MY issues for the day!
When you get hired for a job, no matter what kind of job it is, they have these things called policies.
1a : prudence or wisdom in the management of affairs
b : management or procedure based primarily on material interest
2a : a definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions
b : a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures especially of a governmental body
Things that make you go hmmm…
Employees may not have facial jewelry…sitting across from a gentleman with two nose piercings. More than five other employees had some kind of facial jewelry as well. Spacers may only be used for a tongue piercing and band aids my not be used to cover up piercings.
Undergarments must be warn…um…this needs to be said????
Personal cell phones must not be warn or used during work time…I don’t think there was an employee who DIDN’T have their cell phone ON them.
Personal pages may be worn…do they still make these?
Employee name tag…employees are not required to use their legal name & may use any name they are normally addressed by which is not offensive, disrespectful or inappropriate… I wonder…Can I use Grumpy on mine?
I get these, I do…but I have to say, if you are going to put these in the policies, they should be enforced. Just a rant I have.
“The code is more what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules.” – Hector Barbossa
I just like this quote and it seemed to fit!
In order to get familiar with the store, we were given tasks and a scavenger hunt, my thoughts on this BRILLIANT! Except when you have your name tag on and customers want to ask you questions and you have no answers. But, the three of us newbies, made it work though. Until we got to a spill. I never realized just how long 10 minutes were, until you are waiting on a cranky maintenance gentleman to come clean it up and you have to stand guard. Then to hear him tell you, “it’s not my job”…Like fingernails on a chalkboard for me. YES!!! Safety IS your job!!! It’s EVERYONE’S job!
We also got to see some great videos, including one for Active Shooters. Now, I KNOW this is something you have to be aware of and don’t deny people need to be aware of this, but it’s a sad sad day when it has to be taught at work, but more so schools! What has this world come to?
Finished the day with our new schedules and a gift card for lunch. Can’t beat that! I am totally stoked about this job! I am really looking forward to it. And on the one of the many plus sides, I slept like a baby last night!!! I tired myself out for sure yesterday.
Tomorrow I take on the cash register. Wish me luck and hopefully, I will have shenanigans to report.
Well, now…I went and screwed up my leisurely days of sitting at home, staring at the computer, wondering if I should get dressed or just spend the day in my pj’s. I got a job. Yup, went out for the interview and they were either really needing people or I am just that good! I am going to go with the later.
I had a couple of choices…this box store, that craft store, this supermarket or that home health care. OK, the home health care, not so much. I am totally not good at things like that! I am, however, extremely happy with my decision on which I went with and just as nervous as what my body will think. We will need to have a sit down and talk about this body throwing fits and monkey wrenches into my plans. It HAS to behave, this time! As I am sitting here with pain in the back which feels like kidney stones revolting. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT! This WILL NOT happen!!!
So tomorrow, I start my day at the crack of dawn (not sure if it will be light yet or not, I haven’t seen this time of the morning in a very long time), get myself ready and then drive myself across town for a five hour orientation! I am hoping I will have new friends there with me, I don’t want to spend five hours with just myself, I can do that at home!
I start at just part time, which is great! I will have money to pay more of the bills, instead of just scraping by AND maybe even start saving for a great vacation or a place for hubby and I!
So, wish me luck, hopefully, I will be back tomorrow evening to share my fun filled day!
Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it’s also exciting. You’re embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh story on a clean slate. Adena Friedman
*this post may contain photos which are not mine, no copyright infringement meant* Disclaimer
WOW! It’s September 1st, where does the time go? Where did summer go? Oh, I remember, it was hot and smokey and I stayed inside most of the summer. With only one pool day under my belt this summer, I am totally bummed. But, I did learn a new craft, got poked, prodded and evaluated most of the summer for this chronic cough, nobody seems to be able to give me a definite answer or solution.
So, let’s start fall off with a BANG! I love fall, love the colors, the cooler temps and the smells.
I am not sure whether the cleaning out the closet, dusting and washing windows would be on MY bucket list, but I suppose they need to be done.
Moist Pumpkin Bread
Servings: 1 loaf
Author: Kitchen Nostalgia
Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
1 cup + 1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon*
1/2 tsp pumpkin spice*
1 large egg or 2 small ones
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup water
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine both sugars, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
In another bowl, combine egg, pumpkin puree, oil and water. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
Grease one 9×4 (6 cups or 1.4 liters volume) loaf pan and pour the batter into it.
Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for about 5 minutes. Then take out of the pan and wrap in aluminum foil. Let it cool off completely.
Recipe Notes
*This Moist Pumpkin Bread is mildly spiced. If you like it spicier, increase the amount of cinnamon and pumpkin spice to your taste.
DIY Fleece Blankets would be great to tie in with the Random Acts of Kindness!
Leaf Crafts! OK! I am gonna totally do a few of these and post! Show me your crafts! Here is a link to more fall crafts!
