Novell Gym

Seeing Hillary's blog about the BlendTec gym has jogged my memory. I remember working out at the free gym at Novell. I liked doing it on Sunday morning, the entire gym was empty almost every time I went. I would rip a personal mix of mp3s to CD format and take it down to the gym. I could walk through empty halls of Building B and into the quiet locker room. Then I would grab a towel, pop the disc into the stereo system, and blast some hard rock while pumping free weights. The place was completely empty, it was so very nice. I would drive from American Fork to Provo Sunday after Sunday to have that experience. I brought Rebecca with me after we started dating. Sharing that experience with her brought my heart closer to her. We would do lunges together side by side. Knowing some basic tips about technique I could pretend to be some kind of exercise expert answering questions she didn't ask me. I never recorded some of the things we did together while dating and while we were engaged. I am glad to have this blog to start recording treasured experiences of my life. After getting engaged we got a membership at Lehi Legacy Center and going to Novell's gym no longer happened. Here in Austin their are some gyms at the hotel, they are often empty too. Rebecca found a great site to track what you eat and keep from overeating called the daily plate. I love that site and have been using for about a week. Take some time to check it out and while you are at it check out mvelopes as well, both sites were found by Rebecca and both have had (or are presently having) a large impact on my life.

She's still the one

Rebecca is still the one for me. She is awesome, here are some awesome facts about her.

1. Has a great Texas smile that is impossible to photograph adequately and can light up a room or even a grumpy husband.
2. Is an excellent chef and has shown me a thing or two about proper Southern cookin'.
3. Has impeccable taste for fashion, interior decorating, premium cuisine, landscape design, friends and associations, literature, beauty, and much more.
4. Can negotiate with a fierce business savvy I envy very much.
5. Is a tender loving parent, very selfless and patient with her daughter in extremely aggravating situations and stressful circumstances such as living in a single room for several months cut off from friends and family.
6. Shares her beautiful voice in a church choir for Christmas carols and sometimes at home too. She also can play many songs on the piano and loves to sing Swedish Christmas songs.
   
7. Has quilting skills and has been working on appliqué blocks here in Austin that are very intricate and impressive.
8. Knows what it is like to live in a high crime, low income neighborhood. What it is like to have your house broken into and possessions taken from you. She appreciates the basics like a safe home, clean clothes, full cupboards, electricity, and education and does not sweat keeping up with the neighbors.

The grass needs me

I miss the lawn and miss mowing it. Now that the weather is nicer in Utah, I am sure some epic mowing is taking place and I am missing it all. I actually asked a grounds keeper in Austin to let me push his mower around for a minute, he just pretended not to know English.

The Orem tenant is moving out as well, which means the lawn at Orem is in need of attention. I was thinking of getting a lawnmower for the Orem rental and just storing it in the shed. Once the tenant is out and locks are changed. I need to get the following done there:

• photos of the condition of the interior/exterior
• change the city,gas,electric utilities back over to me
  
• lock for the shed
• lawn mower and gas can for the shed
• someone to mow Orem rental while I am still in Austin
• bids to replace carpet
• bids for any other work for getting the house ready to rent
• advertise for new tenants
  

Four Gables getting a Fence

Our neighbors want to get bids on putting in a fence, we will split the cost of the fence we share so now Rebecca and I are scrambling to make sure we have enough money set aside to put in the rest of the fencing we have often wished for.

It is so strange to think we will be coming home to a house with a fence in the middle of summer, having left the house with 12 inches of snow in March.

Christina and Hal sitting in a tree

Christina is in L O V E, love. I have never seen her this completely and totally swept away in love. She is so happy and it shows. I am excited for her and Hal to be together. Three months is a short engagement but it is better than a few weeks! I remember how happy I was to get married, when you got the right one, marriage is the best. It was so nice to meet Cyrl and Sae and their cute kids too. I am glad Christina provided a good reason for us to come see them, they are so generous and wonderful hosts. Spring Creek BBQ is what I would term a 'fine establishment' for excellent texas style BBQ. It is a franchise but a very, very good one.