Enough already

Ok, I've put up with this crappy cold for two weeks. I've endured the crappy sleep. I've endured getting only tiny bits better day by day. I've endured working even though I feel like crap. I've endured not really enjoying my days off because doing anything makes me start coughing.

THE COUGHING... ENOUGH ALREADY.

The coughing sends my asthma over the edge. I have done everything that usually works. I've annoyed everyone around me with my loud coughing and my constant smelly cough drops.

This thing just wants to hold on forever and die very slowly. And not relent to my usual tactics. I might have to call in some really big guns....I HATE Nyquil....But I might have to take it if this doesn't quit.

My 1st 5k of the season is a month away. I can't run...I can't even walk on the treadmill...why? because the minute my body temperature starts to climb....cough, cough, cough coooooough....It just starts all over again. Ugh.

Enough already. Give a girl (and the people around her) some peace.

Mini-vacation to Dubuque

If you can't beat the snow, join it!

We have been talking about going skiing for a while this winter. Once Brad got his job, we decided to take advantage of the last weekend we would have off together. Neither one of us has ever been skiing, even thought we lived in Iowa most of our lives! We found a deal at Sundown Mountain in Dubuque, which is only 90 minutes away. They have a discovery program where you can get a lesson and rental of all of the equipment. Through the end of January the program was free. We were going on Jan 31st, so we skied and got to use equipment for FREE!

We stayed at Hotel Julien right next to the river. It's a gorgeous hotel that just went through a major renovation. It looks almost like a hotel we stayed at in New Orleans and reminded me a lot of that city. It was fantastic.

We got a deal package through the hotel for restaurants and play money at the casino down the street.

After skiing, we went over to the casino and used our gift certificate. The nice restaurant we wanted to go to wasn't open on Sunday, so we hit the sports bar called MoJos. We had Pro Bowl on one TV, the Grammys on another, and the X-games on a 3rd...It was perfect.

The way that the menu fit us was a tad creepy. This burger is right up my alley and then when I read the details...too funny!

And this was Brad's burger!

There were only about 8 burgers on the menu, so for us to find 2 that fit us so well and were about our teams was pretty funny.

We also had free games at the bowling alley at the casino, which was the nicest bowling alley we have ever been to. We also did get in a little bit of gambling before the end of the night.

Mississippi River Museum. Paddle wheel is off a boat we toured later in the day. (The wind was a tad cold blowing right in our faces)

An area outside the museum that wasn't frozen

The frozen Mississippi River

This boat is an old dredge boat that used to travel up and down the river.

The paddle wheel that was in front of the museum came off this boat. We got to tour the whole boat and learned alot about what these boats do. It was very, very interesting.

Frogs - yes I was talking to them. And of course, Brad thought it was funny.

This was a cool station where you could drive a barge down the river. Brad crashed his into another barge...but I drove successfully!

Brad looking through a chameleon's eyes

We drove out to the edge of town to see the Julien Dubuque monument, but it was closed for the winter.

This was a great trip of fun and exploration while we learned things we didn't know about the area!

Good point

From one of my favorite shows The Big Bang Theory.

Sheldon: A fear of heights is illogical. A fear of falling, on the other hand, is prudent and evolutionary.

I always say I have a fear of heights...I guess I've been saying it all wrong!