Where have we been??

Wow it’s been a long time, I had almost forgotten this blog even existed. Well it looks like the last time I updated was in 2013. A lot has happened since that time. We left the great White North for the great state of Texas. Sold our toy hauler, bought a house and made a new life here.

To sum it up, in 2014 we moved to Texas, Houston to be exact. All in all I have to say it was a good move for us. We have enjoyed our time here, in spite of the intense heat of the summer.
Unfortunately it was not all good, in Jan 2020 we lost a dear member of the family . Cosmo passed away.
This was a very hard thing for me to deal with. As Sherilyn knows all too well I loved that dog like no other. But he had gotten very sick and there came a time when it just was not fair to him, or to us to let him continue that way.
After he passed away we decided to start camping again and bought a trailer. Since then we have been on a few camping trips and added a new member to the family, not a baby of course, but a new dog and her name is Ellie. She is a sweet girl and is learning her place within our family.

Ellie

The past five years have been good to us. We have recently celebrated another anniversary (12 long years right?) and now we are looking forward to retirement. When that day comes it will be a whole new chapter in our lives and it’s one I’m really looking forward to.

That’s it for now, love you today tomorrow and forever babe.

Husband

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Often we allow ourselves to get all worked up about things that aren't really that big of a deal. We focus on problems or concerns and blow them way out of proportion.

I resolve to become a better person. In body, mind and spirit, and in the way I live my life and interact with those around me. So many people, myself included, spend so much energy worrying about the little things that we lose touch with the magic and beauty of life. We take certain things, or people we love for granted.

I am going to try and live by this philosophy:

(1) Don't sweat the small stuff.. and, 
(2) It's all small stuff.
 

I love you!

Day after Day after Day etc...

"Women marry men hoping they will change. Men marry women hoping they will not. So each is inevitably disappointed."

Albert Einstein.


Been a while my Dear! Seems like things have changed so much just in the last year, and yes, sometimes I feel like this job is graduallly sucking the life out of me.
You know that because you have to hear me whine every day about it.

But honestly, I don't think I have ever worked for any agency, company, etc that cared less for it's employees than this one does. But it is what it is, I can't change it I can only keep swimming in the quicksand, or else I'll sink.

Some days do seem easier than others, and I just keep telling myself it's only temporary. Hopefully, in less than a year we'll be out of here, and back in a warm climate. That's what we have to look forward to, another chapter in our lives somewhere closer to where we really want to be.

What concerns me more than anything though is not what it is doing to me, but what it is doing to "us".
I can not, and will not let this affect our life any more than it already has. BIG changes are in order, and they need to happen quickly. I feel like I have neglected you.. in more ways than one.

I want you to know that I do desperately want to change that. There are things I need to do, (exercise, stop eating garbage for starters) and people I need to see (you know) and I intend to make it happen, and I know I will. But when I am working what feels like 100 hours a week, it's hard to find the time. But it's coming, so please just be patient.
That being said, working all the time certainly has it's benefits financially, and at least in that regard we are better off than we were before. But that proverbial silver lining in the cloud, comes at a cost.

First, we are overdue for a vacation. A REAL vacation and not to serve some other purpose like the last 2 trips. Just you and me and a Dog named Cosmo.. Ok, then just you and me. Even a weekend trip away somewhere is better than nothing. Winter blues have set in, and thats the cure.

Second is just making changes to our day to day lives. We are kind of in a rut I think, maybe a comfortable rut but a rut none the less. I don't want our mariage to become more stagnant, lifeless and predictible. Instead...a thin slice of heaven every day! As I said.. CH CH CH CHANGES!

Anyway, something IS in the planning stages, (not a dog mushing trip), even though I would like to do that sometime. So in the not too distant future, we'll get away for a few days. Then when Summer comes hopefully I will actually be able to take some time off for the bigger things.

It's a start.

And...

Sorry V Day wasn't as great as the years before. No new car, no trip to Texas (you got a trip, I didn't) . And BTW, I'm still looking for my card.. Did you misplace it? hmmm

Love, Hugs & Kisses,
Russ

This is what I will become if it doesn't stop snowing.

Wow, so it has been a while since I posted in here. Over a year to be exact. We have come a long way I think. We finally got out of that nowhere place called Sweet Grass and made the move to Calgary. I think you are happier, at least it seems that way. I know I am.

Things are going well I think. We have a nice little place out in the country, wildlife out our back door. I am looking forward to the Summer so we can get out of the house and check out some new campgrounds.

And to Daysha, I don't have to pretend. You are a lot like I was when I was younger (gender aside of course) so I can relate to some of the things you are experiencing in your life. I was broke most of the time, I went through tumultious relationships, moved around a lot, and didn't seem to have any real stability in my life until much later on. You are an awesome Step-daughter and I wouldn't want to change anything about you.

The stuffed chicken was awesome. And you're welcome here any time as long as you cook it again.

Love,

Russ

Happy Second Anniversary to my Wonderful Wife

It's been 2 years now of blissful marriage now and we are on the verge of starting a new chapter in our lives, one that we are very much looking forward to. We just returned from a great trip to Montreal and got that most important thing out of the way. It was a nice, and for the most part, relaxing week.

Now we have some things to do in the next few months to get ready for our next big journey. I know you are looking forward to moving to Calgary, and so am I. But mostly because I know you will be happier there. And if you are happy.. I am too.

It's going to be different that's for sure. We are used to the slow pace here in Sweet Grass. We enjoy our nice leisurely walks and the fact that we can run a tab at the local watering hole and pay it pretty much whenever we want to.
There's no traffic and no crime, but if we pick the right location in Calgary, we shouldn't have much to worry about anyway except for the traffic.

I know you get irritated with me sometimes especially where Cosmo is concerned... Like today for example. You bite your tongue and take him to the kennel because you know I will feel better knowing that someone is looking after him while we are both gone. I appreciate everything you do from the small and not so small things to show me that you care.

I can say without any hesitation whatsoever that the time I have spent with you has been the best part of my life. Even though we get on each others nerves at times and snap at each other, we have never gotten into a real argument. We just agree to disagree about certain things and leave it at that, but mostly I think we are on the same page, and both want the same things in life. Compared to some of the things I have been through before, it's a small slice of heaven.
I am glad we found each other and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you. I never really knew what it was like to have a soulmate up until now. And you are that to me.

All I ask is that you respect me, love me, and take care of our home and kids. I will return what you give me ten times over and give you the best life I possibly can, and try not to stink up the bathroom before you use it.

Happy Anniversary!

Russ

Hang in there

I know I said this before but it's worth repeating I think. I tend to lose my temper over little things and I know that really bothers you. You know that it has nothing to do with you, even though it is directed at you sometimes. It's just a combination of the winter blues and not being able to get out of here and go somewhere that we want to be. I feel like I have let you down in some ways.

It's very important to me to be able to give you the kind of life you want. I want you to be able to join a gym, make new (female) friends and be able to do things that you want to do when you want to without having to drive an hour to do it. I want us to get back to civilization again because being here is not good for us. And I don't want you to leave because you are my life now and I couldn't imagine being without you. So if you could just hang in there, I know something good will happen for us. Besides, it won't be long that we will be able to enjoy some outdoor activities again and that will be really good for both of us.

I am going to work harder every day on the little things that matter. And try not to let the little annoyances annoy me so much. In other words, not be an asshole at times.
I know I said this before too, but all in all I think we are doing ok, we just need that change of scenery to make it closer to perfect.

I love you!
Russ

Winter Blues

Hey Babe,

I think the winter blues have set in. We know that summer is over and all the fun things we enjoy doing together are "summer things", so what does that leave us for the next 6 months?

Well, we have that trip to Texas coming up in November. Even though it's only a week it will be good for both of us to get away and gorge on Mexican food. After that, I have a few other ideas...

I know that I have been a little out of it lately, I think a lot of it is the frustration of not getting the jobs I want, and of course the change in the seasons. I can understand now why so many people up here are on anti-depressants, or are alcoholics. That's not going to happen to me.

You know what? Marriage is a tough damn road. No question about it. No matter how much two people love each other, they can still annoy the hell out of each other. But I will take those occasional annoyances over being without you any day.

In the meantime let's forget about what isn't that important, and get back to that happy place. I'll make a deal with you, if you stop putting the rat poison in my food, then you only have to give me 49% of your winnings 97% of the time.

Yes, you still complete me.

Love,
Your Husband