Grumpy Snickles

Howmanyofme.com

2008-07-23T15:00:00.002-06:00

This is a pretty interesting website.

Howmanyofme.com

* There are 428,067 people in the U.S. with the first name Nicole.
* Statistically the 131st most popular first name.
* More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Nicole are female.

# There are 149,290 people in the U.S. with my last name (the last name i use, not the long hypenated last name I am legally...)
# Statistically the 211th most popular last name.

There are 210 people in the U.S. with my name.

I am the ONLY person in the US who has my legal hypenated last name. That's actually kinda cool.

With my maiden name...
* There are 18,280 people in the U.S. with my maiden last name.
* Statistically the 1943rd most popular last name.
There are 26 people in the U.S. with my maiden first and last name.

Monday

2008-07-21T16:04:00.002-06:00

Well, my co-worker miscarried over the weekend, due to the same reason I did (which is kinda spooky but ok...) I cried and cried and cried on friday night but them came to the realization (once again) that it wasn't meant to be and the reason why it wasn't meant to be was becuase we BOTH can't be on maternity leave. So i was feeling better about things.

This morning came into work and found out she had lost the baby as well, and boy that was sad. It's something I wouldn't wish on anyone. How sad. So apparently we have a fertile office but the office has a lack of progesterone. I told our other female worker she better be careful she's next but apparently she had a hysterectomy when she was 25 so she is safe and can drink the water.

I've got a really busy week at work, a lot of off site meetings and I'm off on vacation on friday as my aunt is coming to visit us from Holland before she goes up to Canada to visit with my parents. This will be her first visit in the new house so that's always fun. Hopefully it won't be too hot outside.

Just when I thought I was starting to feel a bit better...

2008-07-18T16:51:00.002-06:00

someone stabs a knife into my heart. I had a quiet weekend last weekend as I went through the miscarriage, and am still pretty sad but anxious to just move on and not dwell on what happened. Until today, when a friend/coworker wanted to give me the heads up that our secretary, the one who i sit next to and work with constantly all day long, is pregnant. Yep, as pregnant as i was until I lost the baby.

Oh...my....god. It's hard enough to not think about it, but now i'll get a constant reminder seeing her. I had to leave work early, I was in complete tears. I guess she wanted to tell me in person earlier this week but my friend/coworker knew what had happened and intercepted so now she's afraid to tell me or act happy which I can see becuase she knows how sad i was/am.

Ugh. Thankfully it's the weekend.

No power

2008-07-17T19:23:00.002-06:00

Yesterday when I came home at 4:15 (I left an hour early because I didn't get to take a lunch) I came home to a house with no power, and a lot of heat. Turns out the power went out in our neighborhood. When I called Qwest they said it would be 4-5 hours before they could restore it. They did get it back up and running around 9 pm, but boy was I hot and irritable. This had to happen on the hottest day of the year so far. Ugh. Our house was SO quiet, especially since the fish tank wasn't gurgling as it usually does with electricity.

We appear to have a casualty as a result of the power failure. Our DSL stopped working and hasn't worked since (I am interneting through our mobile phones). Austin spent some time with the help desk and determined we needed a new dsl modem. Bummer. He is in the process of installing it. I'm ready for fast internet again. I am easily addicted to the Internet.

In other news, my doctor prescribed new pills for me to take and there are two unfortunate side effects. One is a lack of appetite (one would think this would be good, especially for weight loss, especially since I've now lost 10 pounds in one week - but i literally have to force myself to eat now and want to eat absolutely nothing which is starting to create a lack of energy). The second is crazy insane explosive diareahh. I know, too much information but my god it's insane. The doc said it would take about 2 weeks for the side effects to even out. I've got a week and a half left, and I am so ready to get back to normal bathroom habits rather than having to run like hell to the bathroom for fear of shitting my pants.

Good times.

I knew it was too good to be true...

2008-07-14T19:37:00.000-06:00

Lion On Loose May Be 'Big Dog'

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The reports of an African lion at large that spurred a helicopter search, a reverse-911 call to the neighborhood and a nearly eight-hour hunt by local, state and federal wildlife trackers may be false.

The "African lion" pictured in grainy photos may have just been a large dog, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office said Monday afternoon.

However, that too has not been confirmed since no large dog -- and no lion -- has been captured. A search in eastern El Paso County, focusing on a field about a mile-and-a-half square, was called off Monday afternoon.

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office suspended the search at about 3 p.m., saying there isn't enough evidence to corroborate reports of an African lion roaming the area.

Three different people reported seeing a lion Monday morning. Search dogs haven't been able to pick up a scent for a lion and none of the searchers ever spotted it.

However, DOW's Michael Seraphin told the Colorado Springs Gazette earlier in the day that the two photos taken by residents and the tracks found by DOW officers confirm the animal is an African lion and not a mountain lion.

El Paso County Sheriff's Lt. Lari Sevene said the first call came in of a large cat chasing several dogs through a field off Log Road. That call came in at 7:35 a.m. The resident told deputies the cat had a red mane and a big tail. Officers obtained a photo of the big cat. A second sighting was reported and that resident also snapped a picture.

A reverse-911 alert went out to residents in the Falcon Highway and Log Road area. The automated phone call warned residents to stay inside and keep pets indoors because a lion was possibly on the loose. A second reverse-911 call went out when the search was called off.

State wildlife officers found big paw prints near a home, but no other tracks were found.

Big Cats of Serenity Springs, a sanctuary that houses lions, tigers, leopards and other animals about 5 miles away, told 7NEWS that none of its cats are missing and they have checked several times. The wildlife center's owner and director, Nick Sculac, said he believes that if it was a lion, the lion was someone's pet that got loose.

However, after looking at one of the photos handed out by the sheriff's office, he said he believed the animal could be a large dog.

Three other wildlife sanctuaries that are permitted to have lions all say their lions are accounted for.

Imported and exotic species brought into Colorado are regulated. Some are legal with permits; some are prohibited.

The area of the sightings is sparsely populated, with pockets of mobile homes and livestock.

"We figure he's probably just taking a nap right now," said Sevene, when no animal was spotted for hours. The animal was last spotted around 10 a.m., about a mile southwest of the original sighting.

The search for the big cat involved the sheriff's office, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the Colorado State Patrol, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Staff members from Serenity Springs stayed in the area to help authorities track the animal. Sculac had brought a tranquilizer gun in hopes of taking the animal alive.

At one point in the search, some residents strapped on revolvers, while others searched on horseback with lassos at the ready, according to the Gazette.

Exciting night in the Montgomery Household...

2008-07-14T19:33:00.001-06:00

Twas an exciting night in the Montgomery household. Jones AND George got outside, but on separate occasions. Jones just rolled on the concrete as he usually does, he slipped out through the garage door as we were helping someone pick up our old grill we sold to them. George slipped out the front door when she was giving us the 20 bucks for it, and he had a hay day. He sprinted and sprung and jumped ALL over the place. He was so happy. Until we managed to grab the little bugger. Jeesh.

We've taken the cats outside a few night for about 10 minutes, but we've always put them on a harness. Jones was usually ok without the harness, he just likes to roll ont he concrete but George is a sprinter so we knew to always put him on the harness. But last night Jones ran after a bunny so he ALSO is getting harnessed and leashed.

Apparently they like the outside. And apparently we need to watch them a bit more with the doors.

African Lion Reported Roaming In Eastern El Paso County

2008-07-14T11:12:00.000-06:00

How crazy is this!!! Honey I think i saw a lion chasing the dogs outside...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- El Paso County deputies have received a report of an African lion on the loose in the eastern part of the county.

Sheriff's Lt. Lari Sevene said the l first call came in of large cat chasing several dogs through a field off of Log Road. That call came in at 7:35 a.m. The resident told deputies the cat had a red mane and a big tail. He showed them a photo of the big cat.

A second sighting was reported after the first and a second resident took a picture of the cat.

A reverse-911 alert went out to residents in the Falcon Highway and Log Road area to let them know about the animal. A second call will go out when the coast is clear.

Sevene said deputies haven't seen the animal, but State wildlife officers found tracks of the lion, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Michael Seraphin, of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, told the Gazette that the two photos taken by residents and tracks found by DOW officers confirm the animal is an African lion and not a courgar.

Big Cats of Serenity Springs, a sanctuary that houses lions, tigers, leopards and other animals about 5 miles away, told 7NEWS that none of its cats are missing and they have checked several times.

The area where the lion was spotted in sparsley populated, with pockets of mobile homes and livestock.

Anyone who sees the lion is asked to call the El Paso County Sheriff's Office at 719-390-5555.

The animal was last spotted around 10 a.m., about a mile southwest of the original sighting.

Officials are waiting for a police helicopter to search from the air.

Doing better

2008-07-13T16:09:00.002-06:00

I'm doing a bit better better. I'm still sad, but believe everything happens for a reason and this just wasn't our time quite yet. Austin and I have done relatively nothing this weekend and that has been quite nice, I've been reading a lot. We went to the farmers market this afternoon and got some cherries, corn and honey. Yum.

Otherwise, back to work tomorrow. We have seen a definite slow down in commercial and residential building, but I'm still pretty busy unfortunately. I'm ready for a bit of a slow down so i don't have to run a mile a minute.

We tried to get I-Phones this morning, but our cell phone provider is AT&T already and Austin's phone isn't up for renewal in contract until November and I'm not up until February so they wanted to charge us MUCH MORE than we were willing to pay for the gadget. So both of us are content to wait. It'd be a fun toy, but we can wait.

Sad Snickles

2008-07-09T15:26:00.002-06:00

I'd like to change my blog name to Sad Snickles. I miscarried my baby today. There are no words to describe the pain that I feel in my heart, that there was a baby there and now it's gone. Its like someone has ripped one of my kittens from my arms and is taking it away forever. I have this yearning to be a mother so badly, and I jsut can't seem to get there. It doesn't help that most of my friends have just had babies or are pregnant right now. When is it my turn? Why isn't it my turn?

A fantastic blog...

2008-07-07T18:58:00.002-06:00

I wanted to recomend a new blog to put into your RSS feed if you are a movie-lover. My awesome husband Austin LOVES movies...and has started up a new blog reviewing movies he has seen recently at home or in the theater...check it out!

http://www.bluepail.com/

A beautiful evening

2008-07-06T20:23:00.005-06:00

Tonight was an absolutely beautiful evening. It rained around 4 pm and cooled everything down. I went for a 45 minute walk around the neighborhood and entertained myself by everyone's flowers and yards. It was really quite relaxing. It is so hot in Denver in the summer that evening walks aren't really something I want to do...and getting up early in the morning to walk isnt in the card either, and it's often warm in the morning anyways with the stupid sun lol

Sick...

2008-07-06T11:26:00.001-06:00

Friday night i started to feel congested and had a stuffy nose. I figured it might be from the fireworks we were setting off in the driveway, becuase they created a ton of smoke and I have sensitivities towards smoke. yesterday I had a really runny nose, and last night began to feel really awful. And today I feel even worse. My nose is runny, my head hurts, my throat hurts, and I just feel icky :(

Me and my parents graduation 1995

2008-07-06T09:31:00.001-06:00

Me and my parents graduation 1995
Originally uploaded by grumpysnickles.

Grade 12 Graduation with my parents. My mom looks a lot different now...she has a super cute spikey hair cut with blonde streaks now!!!

Austin with a bird on his head in Venice Italy

2008-07-06T09:30:00.001-06:00

Austin with a bird on his head in Venice Italy
Originally uploaded by grumpysnickles.

Austin and Nizar went to to Europe about 4 years ago (maybe 5?) and made a stop in Venice Italy. Here he is with a bird on his head. I LOVE this picture!!!

Me at lunch in Grade 12 - 1995

2008-07-06T09:28:00.001-06:00

Me at lunch in Grade 12 - 1995
Originally uploaded by grumpysnickles.

I was doing some straightening up last night upstairs and came across some old pictures from high school back in Canada. Here is a pic of me sitting outside at lunch in grade 12. Good times!

My new tattoo - a maple leaf!

2008-07-04T22:50:00.001-06:00

My new tattoo - a maple leaf!
Originally uploaded by grumpysnickles.

In honor of Canada Day (July 1st) I went and got a small maple leaf tattoo'd on my right ankle. It's something I've wanted to do for awhile, and once I got the temporary henna tattoo in while on vacation last month in Mexico I knew I had to get the real deal.

I was pretty nervous for how painful it would be, and it wasn't something I'd do daily, but was more annoying and irritating than really painful. I'm sure if you got something larger it would be much more painful. I'm really happy with it so far, it's so cute! I love the fact that I'm Canadian, and I'm thrilled to have a small tattoo that shows my love for my country (even though I don't live there).

my hopes of sleeping in

2008-07-04T08:38:00.002-06:00

were dashed. somehow I could not sleep past 7 this morning. Which lately, for me, is VERY abnormal. On weekends I can sleep until 9 or 10 easily. I guess I just had to get things ready for today. The brisket was put onto the smoker at 6 am, and my dedicated husband got up then to attend to it. Smoking requires a lot of patience and he has to watch the temperature constantly and pretty much gets up and fiddles with something to do with the brisket at least every 20 minutes.

but the end result is delicious!!!

Twas the night before...

2008-07-03T22:49:00.003-06:00

the 4th of July, and all through the house, the occupants were cleaning and running about.

We are having a small gathering of about 15 people tomorrow for the 4th of July. Austin is going to be smoking a large brisket and will be getting up to begin the smoking at 6 am. Yikes! I will be sleeping in. We have a large fireworks display in Broomfield and we back right up to the park where the display is held, so we are in a prime viewing location. This year they expect around 10,000 people to converge on the park. Wowza!

I got all of the groceries today and prepared everything I have to prepare. Tomorrow all I really need to do in advance is prepare the cake.

Flip flops

2008-06-30T19:58:00.001-06:00

I alternate on weekends and anytime I'm NOT at work between flip flops and birkenstocks. This morning I had gone outside and put on my flip flops. I made a mental note to make sure to change before I left for work. In order to get to my car I have to dodge a very large pile of my shoes in the garage. Unfortunately, I realized 1 mile from work (I only work 5 miles from work) that I still had my flop flops on. I had to turn back around. Bummer

Tomorrow is Canada Day. We are having a pot luck at work to celebrate the holiday. I am bringing Canadian Butter Tarts and Nanaimo Bars. Yumm!

I'm a baking fool!

2008-06-29T16:02:00.000-06:00

I've got banana bread in the oven, nanaimo bars chilling in the oven, and about to make butter tarts.

It's Canada Day on tuesday and my co-workers are having a pot luck in honor of Canada, which is so sweet! Nanaimo bars are a bar cookie that has a vanilla custard on top of a chocolate graham crust, and they are delish! Butter tarts are well, just simply delish! And the banana bread is to use up bananas that were going bad.

I love baking!

Table

2008-06-28T23:05:00.003-06:00

Austin and I were at Costco this afternoon and I saw a dining room set (more like a dining room table and 8 chairs) that I absolutely fell in love with. I would have bought it then and there if a) I had the money b) we had a car (we were driving the Mini Cooper that day so not a whole lot of room) and c) Austin liked it. He didn't dislike it, he just didn't feel like paying $1,000 that we don't have on a dining room set. I've wanted a new table and chairs since we moved into the new house. It was SO nice, I loved everything about it. And the price was really reasonable for what you got. Good quality too.

It's a pity, because Costco tends to not get too many furniture items in and when they do you have to grab it or its gone. So saving $1,000 overnight is less than likely, especially when we are trying to save money for our trip to Holland in September. It doesn't help matters that we've had some unexpected medical expenses that our stupid medical insurance won't cover and I had to just shell out a bunch for new contacts. I sure could use a raise at my job, which is pretty unlikley.

Or...just win the lottery.

Holland here we come!

2008-06-24T10:19:00.001-06:00

We booked our trip to Holland for September for a big family reunion and vacation. I'm SO excited I can hardly stand it. It will be the first time Austin has gone to Holland, and he'll get to meet my entire extended family (which is pretty small for extended family but they all are SO awesome and I can't wait for them to meet him). We are going for 10 days in total.

Yiiiiiiiiiiiippppeeeeeeeeee.

My car...

2008-06-17T19:10:00.002-06:00

So this morning when i went to start my car to go to work, my car wouldn't start. So I drove the mini cooper and dropped Austin at the bus stop right next to my work and worried about my car the entire day. We got home, he took out the battery and we took it to get tested. It didn't hold a charge anymore, so we had to buy a new battery. Austin just finished installing it and it works great now.

Whew.

George

2008-06-16T20:37:00.001-06:00

George
Originally uploaded by grumpysnickles.

I LOVE this picture taken of George on my lap.

A basket of cats

2008-06-15T13:43:00.001-06:00

A basket of cats
Originally uploaded by grumpysnickles.

Our cats are the best of friends. The play together, they eat together, they drink together, they poop together, and they sleep together. We have 4 bird feeders outside our dining room window and I put a basket on the table so they could sleep and view...and this is how we find the cats quite frequently. Tired, cuddling, and all tangled up together. They sure do love each other.