Here we go again....

Was just reading my last post and yes, it is time for another major life change announcement:

SINGLE AGAIN

Yup. Looking back (don't you wish we could "look ahead a little more...") the signs were there but I am an eternal optimist. Kinda in a funky stage right now. I have so much to be thankful for, I have so much to not be thankful for. I'm seriously thinking about developing a split personality (already done?). Thankfully the plus stuff is way ahead of the minus stuff.

The best? My two children are very happy in their marriages and where they are right now, both financially okay. My daughter finally moved within driving distance with 3 of my grandchildren and I have taken major advantage of that! My son is far away in PA but married to a wonderful woman and expecting their first this July (the bonus is they both want to move back to Idaho sometime!). And I get to spend time with my mother, a most wonderful person.  And even though my marriage has ended I still am a grampa to all her grandkids, although I do wonder how that will play out.

I am living in a mountain area I've always wanted to live in but never really thought it would happen. I have a wonderful job with awesome people in a 4 season resort that is now on the upswing.

But I do find myself alone. When you grow up figuring on a 50+ marriage to one person, to have a special one to share all the times both good and bad together, to have someone right next to you, traveling life with you; to have someone who thinks more about your welfare than their own. That last never did happen, probably never will. Well I won't give up but for the first time I'm not keen on looking. Maybe that will work better, we will see. 

A new life....

I really do need to get back here more often. Seems like I can't go 6 months without a major life change. So, here we go again!

As you can tell by my last post things were going well in my life. My latest marriage going well, adding on many more grandkids, and buying a home in the mountains. Life was, well, not perfect but close to it. We realized right along that I would need to get a full time job; driving a school bus was fun but didn't quite pay all the bills. So for most of 2012 I filled out application after application for several different jobs but without any luck at all. I knew I could always go back to long haul trucking but that didn't fit well with my new life and family. I went back to driving a school bus last fall and wondering just what I was to do. Seems like being over 50 was a bit detrimental to finding a job!

Well I kept looking and trying but with no luck. Then one of my stepsons saw an add on Craigslist for a job with the Tamarack Resort out of Donnelly, Idaho, as a security officer. This resort is about 35 miles from our Cascade home. I discussed this with Sue, my wife, and we decided I should apply. A few interviews later and on January 30th 2013 I started another new chapter of my life.

I should fill you in on Tamarack. Back in the early 2000's Tamarack came into existence. With great fanfare and lots of money (borrowed) about 380 chalets, townhouses and custom homes were built, along with a large condo lodge overlooking a major golf course, a complete skiing complex with several chairlifts and a half pipe, and then the "heart of Tamarack", a cluster of giant buildings to house condos and shops and have a plaza structure amongst the buildings. While all this was being built Tamarack opened and had all sorts of summer and winter activities going, with lots of celebrities here and lots of excitement. Even President Bush came and vacationed here.

Then the axe fell. I've heard lots of stories from lots of people who were here why Tamarack failed. but the upshot of it was that the "heart" was not finished and the whole of Tamarack was foreclosed on, closing in the first part of 2008.

In December 2010 the homeowners formed the Tamarack Municipal Association (TMA) and re-opened the ski resort and subsequently also re-opened the 18 hole golf course. At this point we are going strong, and now, through many court proceedings, Tamarack is now being "bought", with 15 unfinished duplex townhomes sold, and the Village Plaza (the heart) also sold. It will probably still take several years but eventually Tamarack will come completely back to life. The lifesaver is TMA; they have kept the ski buildings/equipment and the Osprey Meadows Lodge and golf course maintained and operational. Without this much of it would have fallen into ruin.

A key component to life at Tamarack is the renting of most of the homes and lodge condos. We have three rental companies that handle this, and we have a beautiful "Arling Center" which includes a chapel, school and large Grange hall. Through the summer we usually had two weddings every weekend!

So, here I am, a security officer at an absolutely beautiful resort, with a great group of people, in all our divisions, working together to make Tamarack a fun place to stay!

Overlooking Osprey Meadows Golf Course from the lodge

Looking down at the unfinished Village Plaza; the dome buildings 

in front of it are the ski buildings

Lots of deer and foxes roam the hillsides and through

the homes, with elk in the fall

From the highest home at Tamarack

Our hot tub and pool at the lodge; there is even 

a kiddy pool on the other side of the main pool! 

Most of the rentals have access to the pools.

 

Pick your size of home to rent....

Or stay in one of our condos at the lodge.

Tamarack is alive and growing; with winter skiing, then in the summer with golfing, frisbee golf, biking, zip lining, kayaking, rafting and hiking we are a fun place to vacation. Yes, I am pushing Tamarack! Come visit us!

In the Idaho mountains

Life is good. Wonderful wife, great kids and grandkids, lots of family time (except for my own kids who have decided San Antonio is the place to be!). We have a cabin (really a home) in the beautiful mountains of Idaho and have spent a good portion of the summer there.

Had two of Sue's kids and their families up to the cabin last weekend to celebrate our new zip line through the trees back of the place! We are still tweaking it and need a real trolley (burnt up the cheap pulley!) but the kids all had a great time!

Took the kids out to Clear Creek to cool off. Between swimming and hunting for mussels and "gold" rocks they had fun. "Course, we did too!

Summer and Winter 2011-2-12!

Wow! Been a long time since I wrote here. So much has been going on. We certainly enjoyed our new cabin in the woods through the summer and since Sue and I went back to work (she teaching, me driving school bus) we have tried to also enjoy it this winter. Last winter I bought a season pass to the Tamarack ski resort.

Overlook of Cascade lake

 

A nice, high speed lift

Unfortunately I went down a run I wasn't ready for and fell hard, spraining something in my left knee! It took about 2 months to get that back good enough to try again, and this time I stayed smart and had a great time!

The highlight was having kids and grandkids up twice to enjoy sledding down our driveway and the road. Steve and Michelle brought Kyle, Dylan and McKayla up and what a show was put on!

And then about a week later Larry and Kristi brought up Lorrissa, Levi, Leah and our newest Grandson, Christopher.....

A week from now I will be flying to Albuquerque NM. My daughter Jesse and her husband, Michael and their 2 little girls will be going through the Albuquerque LDS Temple for their endowments and to be sealed together, and my son Sean will be there, too! It will be a great weekend being with them and Michael's family!

Michael, Jesse, Kadence and Sophie Malarsie

THEN I get to drive Jesse and family back to their home in San Antonio, TX and spend spring break with them. Finally I will get to see the best of San Antonio, including their famous river walk! Life is good!

Goats, Grass, Grandkids and cabin.....

Thought I'd touch on just a few of the things happening in my life lately.

Our latest addition, we have around 25 kids on the ground.

And we have several acres of grass to care for, including 

cheat grass needing mowed....

...so here's Sue of on her antique Craftsman to do the job! 

(didn't happen, it blew up!)

This is Sue trying to get the goats interested in their new toys!

On to the grandkids in NM, this is Kadence...

...and this is Sophie, her new sister!!

And the two of them watching Alice in Wonderland!

(scary moment?)

Now our new (to us) cabin. We have cleaned it top to bottom, 

now it's time to paint. Before pic....

...and after painting. I really hate to paint but it came out good.

Life is darn good right now. Quite a change, going from long haul trucking to homemaker and goat tender! Not used to staying home but sure have a better appreciation of the work to be done at home, especially if you have about 3 acres of grass and 50 goats, 5 dogs (plus 5 new pups), 3 peacocks and 1 Llama to go with it! Plus 4 step kids and 4 step gkids! We have plenty to keep us busy!

The best come in small packages......

April 6th, 2011; for the Malarsie/Church/MacLeod/Murray families this date is one for the books! At about 8am my niece Sarah Murray gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. After having 2 wonderful boys coming up with a little girl was a dream come true. I am so happy for them!

Alice

So Sarah had beat my daughter, Jesse, to the punch! They were within days of each other on due dates but everyone expected Jesse to win as her first came early and Sarah was usually late. Well, the day was not over!!

At about 9pm that same day Jesse gave birth to her 2nd girl, Sophie!!

Anyone else notice the resemblance? 

Mother's and babies are doing very well and we are all overjoyed! One of my bestest days!! Alice and Sophie, welcome to our families!!

The Bread Machine; An American Tradition

I was over at my mother's the other day and noticed her old bread machine in the corner. I asked her if I could have it and she was delighted to have it leave the counter. I have, in the past, used a bread machine with very good results and thought since I was at the moment the homemaker of the family why not? Unfortunately upon trying the machine I found it hopelessly froze up (it was at least 20 years old). I told Sue of the death of the machine; she said, "oh, we have one somewhere around here...". 

A little side note here; I have been very busy cleaning out the cupboards in a very nice kitchen and have found all sorts of wonderful devices sharing room with the dust and..... Just hadn't run across the bread machine yet!

Well, after a little searching we found it!

Now, this one is also quite old BUT it works, and works well. It is not fancy, not very configurable, but it gets the job done. So, off I went to the store and bought 3 "in the box" bread machine loaf "kits". (well, what do you call them?). Tried a couple and had good results but it wasn't much fun. Soooo, off to the computer to find out what I could find out about honest to goodness HOME MADE BREAD MACHINE BREAD!! LOL! Well, good old amazon.com to the rescue (I just love that site!). I found a wonderful book, down loaded it to our Kindle and then linked the Kindle to my computer and away we went! 

Well now! Everything you ever wanted to know about bread machine bread but were afraid to ask!! Using the machine, knowing your terms (gluten?), and just like that brand new cell phone of yours about 3/4 more than you will ever use!! Ha! 

Breads from around the globe (ciabatta, pagnotta, pane toscana to name to many). Oh...my...gosh I am in heaven now!! Not only breads but pizza, cinnamon rolls, fruit cakes (NO!), jams and preserves you can do in your wonderful bread machine! Need I go on? (ok, quit the yawning!).

Many loaves later, guess what I discovered? Now, listen up, this is the quote of the year!!!

THE SIMPLEST WAY IS USUALLY THE BEST WAY

That's right folks! A good 'ol down to earth recipe for bread machine bread has them all beat (so far!). But, it's still going to be fun to keep trying to disprove this!  Stay tuned!!