Feels like forever...

and I guess it has been since I last blogged....since June 29th, I've:

• finished up a great run for our radio station at the Stampede
• celebrated our nation's birthday
• lost my 98 year grandma
• took an epic road trip to Wisconsin and back

We had a great last weekend at Stampede-weather was perfect, crowds were good, had decent entertainment throughout, capped off by country artist Darryl Worley on the 4th with fireworks after.

things that make me feel short (er)

 My 98 year old grandma, "Tiger Lil" passed away on July 1st-she lived a great long life and really didn't struggle much with her health until this last year...plans for her memorial service were set for the following Thursday, so I started making plans to head back to Wisconsin where my family is from.

she was with us at her champagne celebration

On Tuesday, July 5th, I had to go weigh in at Metabolic Research Center...again, a little nervous about weight gain because it was a holiday weekend and was not following my normal routine much.  Great news!  I actually lost 2 lbs...how re-energizing!  Got stocked up on all my supplements and got ready for my trip to Wisconsin.

On Wednesday, my cousin Erik and I left Colorado by car to road trip back to Wisconsin for Memorial service and burial.  It was a quick, cheap trip-travel by car, drive straight thru, brought our own food and drink, leave Wednesday come back Sunday...whew!  It was an Epic Journey on so many levels.  Erik and I hadn't traveled together by car since we were kids  and it turns out we are pretty good traveling partners.  Although we live close enough to each other to be able to spend time together, that is rare due to jobs, life and other obligations getting in the way.  Being "stuck" in a car for 17+ hours each way gave us a great chance to catch up on each other's lives:

• We solved all the world's problems (if only they would listen to us)
• wrote at least one song and have ideas for more
• developed marketing plans and tried to once again figure out what we wanted to be when we grew up
• sang loudly to every type of music from Van Halen to Dean Martin, Patsy Cline to AC/DC
• took wrong turns a couple of times from blabbing too much (Marion Iowa is a nice little town)
• Discovered there is no Starbucks in Dubuque Iowa
• got pulled over for driving too fast into Des Moines (used dead grandma card to get out of a ticket)
• Discussed philosophy, art, music, religion, politics, family, health care and taxes...all without driving each other into a ditch!
• saw way too many bloated deer and dead raccoons on roadways
• I now fully understand why his wife Lucile says he has "squirrel-like tendencies" (it's actually an endearing quality of his)

A mascot for a rock band

My favorite quotes and events from the trip: 
(warning: these are generally "had to be there"s but funny none the less-feel free to ask me to explain when I see you)

• "Move along people this is a park again now"
• 23 bottles of champagne consumed to honor GG
• seeing all my fave musicians from the past together on stage after 30 years
• Me and mom, " Uncle Doug told us he'd be at the Farmer's Market today...I don't see him"  Random guy, "He's not here, his mother passed away."  Really?
• getting picked up by boat by my best good friend Lori to go out on the lake, drink vodka lemonades and reconnect like no time has past.
• "Hey Jim, I'll take one of your Manhattans...I'm a musician ya know"
• spontaneous guitar and banjo playing at family events
• The church pastor telling an Ole and Lena joke during the funeral service
• Carol's lefse, mom's krumkake
• being told "you're one of the good ones" by someone who is
• having my ATM card shut down because my bank didn't know I was out of town...good thing I knew people who would lend me gas money to get home
• Best compliment ever: "you're like traveling with a guy-playing air guitar and singing!"

A memorable trip...thanks everyone!

Latest weigh in:  Went over to MRC yesterday and gained 1 lb while out of town-bummer, yet grateful to keep the damage to a minimum.  Now that I'm back and everything is "normal" again, time to get serious.  Next weigh in is Saturday.