Smelling the Roses

Good Evening Friends,

What a work week I have had - took yesterday off as I wasn't feeling well - today the Museum was closed to film a TV show - tomorrow I work and then I am off Thursday and Friday for my trip to Lubbock - life can be so difficult sometimes - teehee.

Today I stopped to smell the roses - the ones in my own front yard - here are some pictures of the things blooming at my house.

I will share some more pictures of the flora of New Mexico on the next blog.

A while ago I told of my adventure taking a class in harness loom weaving and promised to show my final class project. It was a scarf and although there a few flaws it really came out well. The colors are really beautiful - and this winter you will see me decked out in the new scarf a lot I am sure.

Here is a close up to show the colors and a picture showing more of the scarf.

Don't worry - you wont all be getting hand made things for Christmas this year - I need to buy a loom first - lol - then look out.

The weather is nearly perfect here in NM this time of the year - warm days, very cool nights for sleeping, crystal blue skys, and perfectly clean, clear air during the day - the mountains are breathtaking these days. As fall approaches and the seasons change I am reminded of the many changes that we all go through in our lives. This past year has been filled with so many changes I can hardly even list them all (don't worry I wont). Some changes are joyfilled, some very surprising, some incredibly difficult, some just curious. Whatever they are - change gives us the time for reflection and the realization that we are here for such a short time - what a crime to waste it fighting change.

Blessings to you all. And Riv - excuse me for asking - but who are you? Making me crazy trying to figure it out.

Always - Chuck

YIKES! Not Since July

Good Morning and it is great to be back blogging.

I apologize for the very long time between blogs so I will try to make it up to you and fill you in on all the dirt that has been going on - well maybe not the dirt - but the joyous activity that has filled my life since I last blogged.

I bought a new mode of transportation and here she is - bright green, new tires, something that allows the wind to blow through my hair - tada:

My dear friend Brian is a bicyclist and helped

me pic her out - and I love it. Have not tried

very long trips yet but have done a few days of

10-15 miles. I have even gotten over the fact that the helmet messes up my hair.

Lots more has been happening - the back yard is just about finished - once the crappy customer service people at the water feature place replace the broken fountain - then it is time for the party to christen the place - you all MUST come.

Work - Hmmm - who came up with the idea that one should spend 8+ hours a day in a room that does not have a TV, or a couch, or snacks, or someone fun to talk to? I want to dance on their grave.

Now don't get me wrong - I love my new job. Not sure I have even mentioned it here - but I am the new Director of Development for the National Atomic Museum - soon to be renamed the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. We are a Smithsonian Affiliated museum and were chartered by Congress - so it is a pretty special place. We will be moving to a huge new state of the art facility in March and will become a very visited place. The folks there are super, my boss is wonderful and the many financial benefits of a full time job are welcome - but no more Ellen, or endless hours of the HGTV network and all the hunky carpenters. I guess I will live.

Just this past weekend Jeanette (the director of marketing for the museum) and I were attendees at the Navy Ball - and here is proof that we both clean up well.

Jeanette is a delight and we are becoming fast friends - and she loves wine - yea!!!

More to come on the fun people I work with - lots more.

Here is Albuquerque we are all preparing for the upcoming Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta - the largest in the world - it means many days of rising at 4 AM to get to the filed in time to see 800 balloons all ascend at the same time - breathtaking. What? You haven't been here for this event? Well get your butt moving - you are always welcome to crash here - hotel rooms fill up about 9 months ahead - but the Wilhelm Hostel is always open.

This year the Museum is sponsoring a field trip to the Trinity Site - the site of the first atomic bomb - here in NM - and Brian and Sherrie are coming over for that trip - a drag show later that night and then the balloon fiesta the next morning - they don't have any idea how tired they will be for the trip back to Phoenix.

The BIG news is - I have found my voice. Since I have lost so much weight - much more than a normal person weighs - I have found I am able to stand and sing again. I have joined the church choir and the New Mexico Gay Men's Chorus and I love both. Very different experiences as you might imagine - but both wonderful. The Men's Chorus is under the second year of a great new conductor and the music we are doing for the Holiday Concert is outstanding. It is very emotional, after 2 years of self-isolation that I have 45 new friends - all who like to sing. To say nothing of the social benefits of knowing 45 new friends who are gay men.

So much has happened in the past year - o yes - a full year. Next Friday I have an appointment in beautiful downtown Lubbock TX to see Dr. Syn - on the one year anniversary of my surgery. There is almost no way to explain how I feel - physically and emotionally about the major changes in my life. But thank you all for your support and love while they have all happened.

The next big hurdles are to have a hernia fixed (and that may happen within the next month), the peneculectomy (and I almost promise you that is spelled incorrectly) but that is the major "tummy tuck" they will do to remove all the lose skin - that will happen sometime in the spring, then the little nips and tucks with arms, legs, neck, and other areas that will need to happen to make me look FABULOUS - but not like Bruce Jenner or Joan Rivers - ya think he could make me look like George Clooney? Hmmmm.

Well - this has gone on for a long time - and I promise now that I am back in the groove to be very regular about this blogging thing.

Blessings - stay tuned for many more surprises - hugs and love to you all.

Chuck