I have many things to write about.  I have tried to get to it all week, but everyday I came home from work with a headache and on Thursday it turned into a horrible migraine that sent me to bed at 9:00 (which is early for me, especially when I don't have to work the next day).  I slept for 11 hours and woke up feeling much better.

This past week was not good at all.  I was not myself.  I felt like there was a dark storm cloud over my head every where I went.  I felt grumpy, depressed and angry at the world.  Work is draining me in the worst kind of way.  I think it is the reason I have had these terrible headaches every day.  I feel like I REALLY need a vacation.   I want to sit on the beach with my husband, pina colada in hand and not a worry to be had.  Probably won't happen anytime soon, but it is sure nice to think about.  I am already feeling better having a couple of days off and hopefully I can go to work tomorrow with a much better attitude and not hating everyone who crosses my path.  Moving on to the events of the past week....

Last Saturday I went down to Tubac with my family to spread our good friend Dale's ashes.   I really was not sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a beautiful (and sad, of course) thing.  Some other good friends, Butch & Denise own some property down there that they hope to someday build a house on.  It really was a beautiful spot.  Janet (Dale's wife), my dad & Butch had already dug a hole where Janet placed Dale's ashes.  Everyone there took a turn putting in a little dirt to fill the hole.  Besides my family, Janet, Butch & Denise, were all but one of Janet's siblings and a few nieces and nephews who flew in to be there.  Janet's parents were not able to make the trip, but they did send a cactus plant for the top of Dale's grave.  Janet planted that and then we all had a rock that we placed around the cactus.  Janet's brother said a prayer, Butch read a poem that he wrote and then together we all sang Amazing Grace.  It was a beautiful and very personal service and  I think it was just perfect for Dale.  After that we went to a little family owned mexican restaurant in Tumacacori that has been open since 1944!  It was delicious!  Even though it's about an hour and a half outside of Tucson, I will definitely be going there again.

The one in the middle looks like a dog laying down.

My rock.

Dale's Grave

Janet & her Tucson Family.

On the way  to dinner.  Notice the cow standing near the cow crossing sign.

On Sunday was Dale's Celebration of Life.  It would have been his 60th birthday.  It was at his house, and sooo many people showed up!  I guess I hadn't really thought about how many people might be there, so I don't know why but I was surprised.  I saw people I hadn't seen in a really long time.  There were also a whole lot of people I didn't know.  We had a nice little service in the backyard.  A few people told stories, prayed, sang, etc. but I have to say my dad was the highlight.  He was asked to tell some stories and he put it together in a way that it all rhymed and yet it included so many memories of Dale over so many years.  He was very nervous as he does not like to speak in front of groups of people, but I have to say it was awesome!  Dad, if you are reading this, great job!  I was so proud!  And I still want a copy of that.  Everyone was complimenting him.

Dale has always loved converse shoes!  These were his infamous Christmas ones.

Sunday was also the Super Bowl of course.  We watched the beginning at Janet & Dale's house and then we went to Rudy's parent's house.  I was not that into it, even though Arizona was playing.  It was quite a game though!  I was definitely on the edge of my seat at the end there.  Too bad we didn't win.  

Tuesday was the Extreme Makeover house reveal!  I was determined to go ever since I found out it was happening.  Unfortunately Rudy had to work and I could not find anyone else that was interested in going and didn't have to work.  So I went by myself.  That's right, BY MYSELF!  Not something I would typically do, but I wanted to go that bad and I knew I would regret it if I didn't.  The whole time I was driving to the park where you had to take a shuttle from, I wasn't sure if I was going to follow through.  But I parked my car, got in line and when it was my turn, I got on the bus.  There was no turning back at this point.  

When I got to the house, there were still some good spots left.  I was able to get in the front of the crowd, but more on the side of the house.  Who knows if you will see me on tv or not, but that's not why I went.  So the family was supposed to arrive between 2 & 3 ..... I got on the shuttle at about 1:30 and was worried I might miss it.  Boy was I wrong!  When I arrived, they were still scrambling to finish up.  The garage was full of furniture still waiting to go in the house.  3:00 came and went .... and I just kept thinking it was all going to happen any moment!  I have to say I was a little disappointed that it doesn't all happen the way it looks on TV.  Chances are, when you watch the limo pull up to the house on your screen, the family isn't really in there.  They did so many takes of the limo arriving, and they had a stand-in family.  We chanted "Move that bus, move that bus, move that bus," numerous times.  They moved the bus.  And then they brought it back.  And moved it again.  I am surprised that I had enough patience  to stand there in the sun, by myself for so long!  There were long periods of nothing going on.  I wish Rudy could have been there with me.

At one point, they moved the barricades up and I was actually in the yard of the house.  They gave no warning about when the real family was coming (at least not that I could hear).  It was a complete surprise when the bus moved and the family was actually standing there!  From where I was, I could not see when they got out of the limo, but had a great view of their reaction when the bus moved.  I got a pretty good video of it.  So basically the family showed up just before 5.  I STOOD (do you know how much I hate standing?) in the sun for 3 hours, for about 10 min of action!  But I am glad I went.  Now I kind of know how the show works.  And when will I get the chance to do that again?  Maybe never.  

Once the family went inside the house, everyone started to leave and of course, the only way to get there was by shuttle, so there was a LONGGGGGG line.  It was too far to walk back to my car, so I had to get in line.  My patience was about gone by this point, but there was nothing I could do.  After waiting just a few minutes, I saw Rudy's sister walking by and heard her tell the cop that she had her car there (he was trying to direct her the opposite direction).  "KATRINA!!!!"  That was me yelling across a bunch of people, so excited to see someone I knew!  I don't know how in the heck she managed to get through in her car.  She offered me a ride back to my car and I couldn't have been more thrilled!   I would have waited at least an hour in that shuttle line.  When I got home,  I was POOPED!!  The sun wore me out.  And then  I got a really bad headache.  Here are pictures from the day ..... 

The bus was not even there when I arrived.  I thought it's arrival meant the fam would

be there soon.  I was wrong.

After the bus was the limo.  Stand-in family inside.

One of the designers in the garage.

More designers.

Ty running out of the house all excited.  They did a few takes of this.

The house!

Ty Pennington!  And he's giving me the peace sign!

The family is here!  In red is the little girl who is sick.  Her sister is in the teal shirt.

That's all!  I will leave you with this funny photo.  Little boy taking a nap in the little bit of sun coming through the window.  Rudy was rubbing his belly with a tape measurer and making his leg shake.  It was hilarious!  If I can ever figure out how to post a video on here, I will show it to you.  Sorry for the novel.