July 1, 2002, Monday- the start of a new month and a refocus of direction. For the last few months the anticipation, planning, execution and unwinding of Becky and Steve's wedding filled our days and nights. Now, that is a memory captured in photographs.
Time to look forward to the next phase ….that of returning to the work force. As we've been alluding to in the diaries, the stock market continues to decline, our portfolio continues to shrink, and it's definitely time to give the portfolio a chance to work without having to support of our lifestyle.
Looking to return to work in the Naples area, we've lined up a good friend of Al's, Ken, who is merging with another CPA firm in southwest Florida to become the largest south of Sarasota. Ken wants me to serve in several review capacities, client contacts (audit committees), and new business, and says that I don't need to have my CPA license current (since I'm not signing any reports). That would save both time and money (80 hours of credits needed, including one 2 credit course that will be giving on August 20 in Denver). My dilemma is whether I should get current or not. Ken says they will get me 80% current in 2 days of a review course that they offer, but my question is that of holding myself out to clients, titles on business cards, etc. While we are in Denver I'll stop into the Colorado Society of CPA's and see, in person, what is offered and what is needed.
I worked several hours in the morning, using Fran and Allan's land line, to get the web page up and running for June. With close to 100 photos, it took time to upload and link each to the text portions. Finally, it all came together and now the preliminary site is ready for viewing. What I still have to add is some wedding shots of the ceremony. (Being in the ceremony we weren't able to take our own photos).
A real treat in the afternoon. Rach and Brad asked us to baby sit Jake for a few hours. After his nap, he played and played and had a great time until their return. Dinner at Chilly Willy's with them, Art, Anna and Ben completed a great day.
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July 2, 2002, Tuesday- out at 8. down the hill to the eye Doctor's office. Arrived just after 10 and by noon Susan had her procedure finished. Since her PRK'd eye was hazy, they buffed off the top surface of the eye, put on a protective clear lens, and will wait a few days for the new surface to grow. By Sunday she should have crystal clear vision!
Got to lunch with Steve and catch up on the stories of their two weeks in Spain. Lots of great stuff.
Headed over to the Colorado CPA Society, now headquartered in the DTC area, and got good news. The one mandatory CPA course of Colorado Rules and Regulations, is given as a home study course, so we don't have to be in Denver on August 20th.
Over to Cherry Creek we headed to get a baby gift for Carol and Peter's grandson, and then Costco and finally, dinner with Debi. Back up the hill and arrived at Fran and Allan's at 9. By 9:30 we were back in the card playing mode, and before we knew it, the time was after 1 AM. Definitely dirty stayups.
July 3, 2002, Wednesday- dentist time this morning. The good news is that our three year intensive checkout, from x-rays to tooth by tooth exam, provided no new cavities or immediate problems for Susan or me. Nice for a change!
Lunch was at the Brewery in Edwards with Art, Anna, Ben, Rach, Brad and Jake. It was nice to eat outside and catch up on more stories.
By 6 we were cleaned and polished and Fran, Allan, Ruth, David, Sue and I meandered over to Phil and Bev's house for a superb grilled salmon dinner. First class all the way. Before we knew it was almost 11 PM and we dragged back to Fran's. During the 2 minute ride, and fresh air, everyone got their second breath, and soon the cards were being shuffled. Again, it was after 1 AM before we stopped and called it a night.
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July 4, 2002, Thursday- Happy Fourth to All! Got on line just after 7 and found that Phil was ready to have me help at his house, so off I wandered before anyone was up at Fran's house. First we hung a large piece of artwork in the stairwell of his home. Definitely a two man job due to the height and ladder work.
Next we prepped the opening from his garage to the new storeroom. After Phil gets some shims and the proper screws, we can hang the prehung door and check off another project as completed.
Returned back to Fran's and by 11:30 we started down to Cami and Paul's to catch up on the wedding photos (from friends) and see a slide show from Steve and Becky's honeymoon travels to Spain, and open more wedding presents. The good news also was that Steve made the decision to go to graduate school at the University of Texas in Austin for his MBA. Things are happening fast. Within a month they must be packed and setting up their home in Texas. First classes start in early August. Best of luck to them!
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Next, back to Vail for a BBQ at Bruce and Margie's. It was like old home week since we hadn't seen many of the 30 or so people at the party in more then 5 years. Lots of nice people and too much good food.
July 5, 2002, Friday- strange thing happened today. I awoke with the futures market up, and by the end of the day the DOW was up 325 points, and the NASDAQ up 65. Maybe it's time that the pendulum swings the other way.
At 7:15 I was headed to Eagle to the coach with Phil. He had to retrieve some things from his, and me, a few things from ours.
Next, the "Good Enough Construction Company" was asked to help Phil install a pre-hung door into the opening between his garage and wine cellar (aka- storage room). As we started using his battery operated drill, it was obvious that it didn't have enough power to drill in 3" drywall screws. Also, when we put the assembly into the opening, it was only just wide enough…..if it wasn't out of square. So, off came one of the studs, and over to John's house we went where all the tools one could desire were located. After the belt on the table saw broke, we were relegated to the circle saw to trim a half inch off a two x four. With the trimmed stud and powerful drill, the rest of the job went smoothly and the door now operates smoothly. Another job well down by "Good Enough".
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Dinner with Phil, Bev, Brad, Rach, Ben and Debi in Vail at La Botega. More laughs. The old folks headed home at 9 while the young ones went to a 9:30 movie. Oh, to be young.
July 6, 2002, Saturday- two different days. For me, it was reviewing some of the accounting and auditing books that I had borrowed from the CPA library, while Sue went to the Minturn Farmer's Market and then hit golf balls at the Eagle Vail driving range. In late afternoon we visited Phil and Bev and got the low down on their house (which we shall use for 2 weeks), and then up to Art and Anna's for a BBQ. Lots of neighbors plus Steve, Becky, Ben (with a date- wow), Brad, Rach, Jake.
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July 7, 2002, Sunday- at 11 we started a hike up Meadow Mountain with Fran, Allan, Roberta, Ernie and Lisa. Two hours up, lunch at the top and then back down. A gorgeous day to be outside.
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This evening we did our first Bravo Colorado concert in five years, at the Ford Amphitheater in Vail, and it was like old home week. Golly, we met just about everyone. Fran, Allan, Cynthia, Bill, Roberta, Lisa, Carol, Peter, Myrna, Don, Werner, Gilda, Sally, Alan, Bill, Lani, Rick, Rosemary, Les, Maureen, Jim, Karen, Wendy….I could go on and on. The Dallas Symphony was outstanding with several standing ovations.
July 8, 2002, Monday- another Denver run today. We stopped off at the State of Colorado CPA Board to make sure that the process that I'm following, 80 credit hours will result in a reinstatement of active license status. Fortunately, my rules interpretation is correct. Then we stopped at the Colorado Society of CPA's to return the library material I borrowed last week, and to have the home study course of "Colorado Rules and Regulations" test sheet graded. I guess I got lucky and passed with a 95.5%. 2 credit hours down and 78 to go. Almost there!
Debi got lucky, to a small extent, when Warren Buffet agreed, with some buddies, to invest $500 million in her company, Level 3. The per-share price of the stock was up 50%. It's too bad it was only $1.50 to $4.50.
Costco needed some business so off we went for us, Allan and Fran and Bev and Phil. Finally we cruised to the eye doctor when we were taken in the shortest time period ever. Naturally that's because I wanted to call a number of self storage unit places for rates and availability before our "next". Only 1 call was accomplished and the rates seemed high to me at $62, $73 and $92 per month for a 10 x 5, 10 x7.5 and 10 x 10 respectively. The rates were much higher then I expected, but they didn't have any space.
The eye doctor looked at Susan's eye and said it was healing nicely. Too bad she still can't see out of it. Come back in 2 weeks.
Dinner with Steve and Becky at the Rock Bottom Brewery in Park Meadows, then back up the hill, we headed, to Edwards.
July 9, 2002, Tuesday- moving day, over to Phil and Bev's. We didn't want to become like fish at Fran and Allan's. (you know…after three days fish start to smell).
Several carloads of stuff from house one to house two. Also, a trip to Eagle to the coach for more stuff.
Dinner at our new house with our former hosts and Bill and Cynthia. We made BBQ baby beef ribs. Our first time for these…10 pounds and they all went. Next, another night of cards. We taught Bill and Cynthia how to play, and I think they are also hooked.
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July 10, 2002, Wednesday- a sore back today. Don't know why, but each time I sit, it tightens up and I can't stand straight for a while.
Mom got her first cataract eye done today. She's more uncomfortable then advertised. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
For dinner we went to Les and Maureen's home in Squaw Creek. Since we left 5 year's ago, the road has been paved, a significant 10 mile or so improvement from highway 6 to their driveway. As always, Maureen outdid herself with a great dinner, and Les with his music (fantastic new speakers) and wine selections. But poor Les, still suffering from the fusion of the vertebrae in his neck…from L2 to L6. difficulty swallowing and talking.
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July 11, 2002, Thursday- we took a 5+ hour hike up Cross Creek with Fran, Allan, Howard, Rose, Ernie, Roberta and a few others. Although rated as easy, it still had some challenging terrain. Afterwards we stopped to see the redo of Howard and Rose's condo. They bought the one next door and combined them into a 6 bedroom fantastic home with enough whistles and bells to show off in Architectural Digest.
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Dinner back at our house with Fran and Allan (we still have a ton of sirloin burgers and salmon burgers to finish), and then to the movies to see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". Many, many laughs. Lastly, back home to play another round of cards with Fran and Allan.
After today's big hike, my feet are killing me. Time for some more drugs.
July 12, 2002, Friday- we took Fran up on her offer to watch Hobbes for the weekend. By 11 we arrived at Steve's and by 3 we had the boxes up from the basement and into the garage. We drove up to the LODO storage place to "check it out". This one past all tests with flying colors. Great security, climate control, and clean new units. They will even loaned us a Ryder truck to bring the boxes over.
Dinner with Debi at PF Changs. The wait was over an hour, plus the 30 minute phone reservation before we left the house. Great food and company, but the wait was too long.
July 13, 2002, Saturday- moving day - to storage. Debi came over and went through some of the kitchen items that she could use. Steve and Becky did a trade by taking some things but adding 5 small boxes. Debi and I picked up the Penske rental truck and returned to Steve's where everyone helped load the truck. Steve and Becky took a car load of "stuff" to Goodwill, and then we all did lunch. Finally, we all headed back to the self storage place by Coors Field. A 15 x 5 unit worked well leaving a small aisle so that all of the boxes can be seen and removed without having to empty the entire unit.
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Over to Debi's to carry up the stairs all of the things that Debi took to her house. Naturally her elevator is broken for another week or so. Continuing on to the next project, at Home Depot, we picked up some under counter lights that I have to install below her cabinets. More fun projects!
Returned Debi home and Susan and I wanted to relax for a bit, so off to the movies to see Minority Report. Not what we expected, being a Sci-fi flick, but interesting none the less.
July 14, 2002, Sunday- strange, a day without real running. Helped clean Steve's place for the afternoon open house, did some Costco shopping for Fran and Allan, and drove back up the hill. But first we had to get rid of Roberts old tires and computer. The tires were easy…$1.75 each at Costco for a disposal fee. The computer was two strikes before we hit pay dirt. Costco and Best Buy don't take used computers. We got lucky because Comp USA took the equipment at no charge. We were happy to be out of the 96 degree Denver temps. Even at 11,000 feet, the Eisenhower Tunnel, the thermometer read almost 80 degrees. Hot!
July 15, 2002, Monday- we met 11 others at Leadville to do the new Leadville, CO loop bike path, a 13 mile trip around the town. Great day for riding and getting exercise. A bad day to watch the market drop 440 points and then recover in the last hour to be down only 45 points. What a relief.
After Fran and Allan finished with a Bravo concert they came over for a few fast games of Hand and Foot. The ladies decimated the men. In the last game we came back to positive points after being down by 5000. Such a deal!
July 16, 2002, Tuesday- it took 3 hours of phone calls and internet to sign up for 78 more credit hours of continuing education courses, and close to $2000. Some will be with the Colorado Society of CPA's in Denver, and some with the AICPA home study courses. It shall be challenging!
I did get lucky with the State of Florida. If I want to transfer my license to Florida, I just have to fill out a bunch of forms. Luck, because I had my license prior to 1984. If I didn't have it by that date, I would need 2 of 5 years of practice to be done in the last 5 years. Not possible in my situation.
Visited, with Susan, a Just Cuts shop and we each got $17 haircuts. Both looked good when we were finished.
Dinner was at Fran and Allan's with a total of 12 folks. More of their famous Costco lamb chops on the grill. Yum!
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July 17, 2002, Wednesday- spent the better part of the day trying to track down the Fedex package sent from the AICPA yesterday. After numerous phone calls, tracking, etc, it turns out that they sent this package, due in Edwards, to Debi's address in Denver (where my second order was to go). Since Debi was at work, the package wasn't left. Tomorrow they will ship it up to Eagle where I'll have to pick it up at their depot. Well at least a $1000 order wasn't lost in transit.
Attended a Bravo concert by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Always a pleasant experience. The highlight was that we got to see Karen, who looked marvelous, and had a date. Great to see her out and living again.
A late night round of cards, for Allan and I to see retribution for the last demolition by Fran and Susan, was not to happen. They again cleaned our clocks.
July 18, 2002, Thursday- drove to Eagle to pick up the rerouted FEDEX shipment from yesterday. Returned back to Phil's and worked on a 6 credit hour program on budgets and planning. Started with an easy one first. I think I got most of the 60 questions right. Tomorrow I tackle a more technical selection.
Today is the anniversary of Dad's passing in 1986. It's hard to believe that so much time has passed.
July 19, 2002, Friday- Happy Birthday to me, 57 and kicking.
Spent from 8 until after 6 working on a 9 CE course for retirement planning. Didn't get to finish it with all of the phone calls for "Happy Birthday".
Bad finish to a bad week in the market. Down 390 points, 14% for the last 2 weeks.
Susan cooked up a storm and our small party of 13 had a great time…Debi, Steve, Becky, Art, Anna, Ben, Cami, Paul, Pablo, Fran and Allan. Perfect night to be outside on the deck. Nice to have such great family.
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July 20, 2002, Saturday- spent the first few hours finishing up yesterday's CE program. Afterwards we joined Steve and Becky on a hike up through the Whiskey Creek Drainage in Eagle Vail. They outpaced me by a country mile. I had forgotten to take my asthma spray before hand, and I was wheezing and puffing like it was my last breath. After 45 minutes I begged off and let them continue. Nice to be young!
Dinner at Fran and Allan's followed by some more cards. It was a split with one game for the men and one for the women.
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July 21, 2002, Sunday- started early on my next CE course….the 2001 Tax Act. 9 credit hours. Since a large part of this was related to pension reforms, I had covered part of it during the last two days. Bottom line, finished in 7 hours. Nice to be ahead of the curve for once.
Dinner with Susan after her bike ride in the Keystone area with a few other couples, and then a 2.5 hour ride down the hill to Steves.. Bumper to bumper traffic from Georgetown until Floyd Hill.
July 22, 2002, Monday- over to the Colorado Society of CPA's for my 8 CE hours of FASBs and APB Updates…..lots of technical pronouncements. I couldn't believe that there were 28 people in the class, with half being female. About 1/3 were in practice and the majority remaining were in industry. I learned a little about how much more there is to learn. It's only been 25 years since I've reviewed a technical pronouncement. Somehow the principles seem the same, only the execution changes.
Susan got a good report from the eye doctor and, never letting the grass grow under our feet, I got home at 6, Susan at 7, and at 7:30 William joined us for a relaxing dinner.
July 23, 2002, Tuesday- started before 8 and finished after 6 pm on the start of 18 credit hours of "Business Valuations". Heavy reading. Have to get through 180 questions for the final exam. Whoopee! Joined Fran and Allan for dinner, with Cynthia, Mary and Steve, teaching the latter two how to play Hand and Foot.
July 24, 2002, Wednesday- started again before 8 and finished the CE hours by 5. There are definitely a lot of technical items in this 2 volume course. Next, moving day, back to Fran's. Phil is coming home, late, tomorrow, so Sue will polish the place while I do my CE thing.
After being down almost 300 points at mid day, the DOW turned around and closed up 489 points. What a ride.
After dinner, 120 miles down the hill to Steve's, to be ready for tomorrows CE course in the DTC.
July 25, 2002, Thursday- arrived at the Colorado CPA Society for my CE course on Business Acquisitions and Combinations. By 4, I was back on the road to Vail. It was pouring rain from 20 minutes before the tunnel until Vail. Coming down Vail pass, in a downpour, I hear a pop, but everything seemed ok. Arrived by Avon and the left rear tire was almost flat. Fortunately I was by the gas station and it was in-between rains, so changing the tire wasn't the end of the world. Tomorrow we'll find out if it's repairable or not.
July 26, 2002, Friday- over to Golden Eagle Tire, the Goodyear dealer in Avon. Sorry, it's a sidewall puncture and can't be repaired. How much is a new tire? $175, and it lists for $186. You've got to be kidding. Called a Goodyear dealer by Steve in Littleton, and the same tire is $119. Big difference! It should be in by Monday.
Went flying for an hour with Phil, my first time up in about a year and a half.
A concert at the Ford Amphitheater with the Rochester Phil….wonderful performance, as usual.
Cards with Fran and Allan afterwards until midnight.
July 27, 2002, Saturday- down the hill to Steve's to help him pack. By 3 PM we had a large part of the kitchen done, and the end was in sight. Dinner was a farewell celebration at Becky's attended by some 40 of their friends.
July 28, 2002, Sunday- helped Debi finish her paint and under counter lighting selection. I got to put the primer coat on her wall this evening and then back to Steve's to get ready for tomorrow's class.
July 29, 2002, Monday- 8 more credit hours completed. Small Business Reporting Problems in a seminar setting. Another $200 lunch and they throw in a seminar. 2 more sessions next week and my 80 hours are finished. Yeah!
Last night at Steve's with the mover scheduled to arrive at 8:30 Tuesday AM.
July 30, 2002, Tuesday- well, by 10:30 the movers finally showed up, and the old "bait and switch" game was being played out. All of the things that the salesman had told Steve were bogus. All of a sudden there was an extra charge for steps, a second pickup point (Becky's house), and extra packing of furniture. Also, the base rate was higher. Delivery date, instead of being 4 to 5 days, was now up to 2 weeks. After 2 hours of fighting on the phone with the boss, Steve told them where to go, and reserved a Budget truck and will do the trip themselves.
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So, by noon, we were headed to Debi's to finish the wall painting and install 8 under counter halogen lights. Both of these projects went well, and by 6 we were cleaned up and everything was working fine.
Dinner with Debi at Little Ollie's was a treat, as always, with their consistently good food.
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