Rocky Mountain Sober

I am at home. Praise God.

I love home.

I love the Denver Airport (this from a person who thought building that silly tent out on the prairie was insane!)

I love that my flight landed at about 8:30 p.m. and I got to see the sunset over the rocky mountains. The beach is fab, but I am in love with my home scenery - the mountains.

I love that I got to take a bath in my own bathtub.

I love that in this arid climate, my hair is fluffed back up after a week of FLAT, FLAT, FLAT.  

There is so much to write, but I am utterly and totally exhausted.  

I will lay my head down on my own pillow and gratefully go to sleep.  

Tonight when I got to Denver, I experienced familiar emotions, because I am always glad to come home - no matter where I go.  But tonight I had a new one.  

I am so grateful that I live in this place, so far away from my family.  Not because I am far away from them, but because I struck out a long long time ago and made my own place in this world.  And I really do love it.  It is not fabulous like others, but I don't care.  Fabulous is in the eye of the beholder and my bathtub and bed are totally awesome tonight.

I will write more coherently tomorrow.  

Making Salsa

The day starts with a trip to the farmers' market.  Tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, onions, and garlic.
Starting with washing the cilantro and blanching the tomatoes.  (Do you see that colander?  I got that as part of a wedding present for my first (wedding) in 1970 - it was an entire set of tupperware - this is the only piece I have left.  I bet it looks like an antique by now!)
A box of chiles, just out of the roaster.  I wish I could show you how they smell!  The entire house smells heavenly.
Bowls of chiles and tomatoes.  Getting ready to cut up the onions, garlic, and cilantro.
This my garbage bowl after a day of slicing, dicing, and peeling.  Note the latex gloves.  You do not want to handle these peppers with bare hands!
The product?  A bunch of pretty jars of salsa.
I'm finally done.  It's 8:51 p.m., 67º outside and 83º inside!  An entire day of work for 17 pint jars of salsa.  But, boy, is it good!

Home Improvements!

This is my old garage door and color scheme...This is my front door as it was...
This is my new garage door and you can see my red front door!

I had three moons in my house, this is one.... they are all gone now.
The new foyer light - and the new red door... note the rooster knocker on the front door.
Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful.
The new ceiling fan. I think it is so pretty.

The old dining room light. eeeeesh.
My new dining room lighting. This is probably my least favorite of the new fixtures. I still like it WAY better than the old.

The old kitchen lights, two moons hanging over my kitchen. I have disliked these things since the moment I walked in here - 6 years and 2 months ago.
My new kitchen track lights (shouldn't they be called 'tract' lights?) I love the way these things open up my kitchen. And yes, that is a half an apple pie on the counter... and note the little chicken lamp on the counter.

This is happy stuff. I have wanted to do all of this stuff since I moved here. But little, by little, it gets done.

Some Favorites

A cell phone photo, taken while running along the beach at sunrise in Galveston, TX

Three generations of wonderful females.

My front porch, which I love.

The finishers medal from the Colfax Half-Marathon, May 20, 2007

I took a run on Christmas Day in this snow!

A bit of fun.

From inside the rest room on top of Vail Pass - in October!

My father's big book (this is all I wanted when he died)

My beloved big book.

A day in the life

My current project - a pair of socks with cables at the top - for my sponsee J. - this is what I do in AA meetings in order to keep my big mouth shut.

After the 6:30 a.m. meeting, I decided to take a picture - it's my foot (obviously), my knitting, my coffee, my purse, and a box of kleenex - with the steps and traditions in the background.

Breakfast once I hit my office. I eat the same breakfast every single morning... plain, nonfat yogurt, with blueberries - and Uncle Sam Cereal.

Picked up a few items at lunch time to bring back to the office.

This is my "view" most of the day, except for the feet... I was hamming it up for the camera.

I LOVE the view from my office, putting my foot on the window sill was unnecessary, but it felt good anyway.

I got home and decided to head out into the garden. Pruning a rose bush - it's alive! it's alive!

Yes, I really have gloves and crocs that match - and they are both dirty - which means I really use them both for gardening.

Blizzards of 2006

Look at how much snow is on my bedroom window sill by late afternoon!
It looks like ghosts are having a cook-out.

NO! Please, Please, NO More! December 29 - Another day off of work due to snow. It's pretty, but I really want my life back.
YakTrax might be the best product ever invented. Certainly the best $30. I have spent in a long time. They make it possible to go outside without it being a death / disability wish.

Who ever saw so much snow?
Finally !!!! It is all shoveled. This was a herculean task, one which I hope never to repeat.

Apple Pie

Don't these apples just SCREAM - make me into a pie!?
Getting the 'gredients together...
The crust is made.
Doesn't this just look like a great way to spend an afternoon?
Under construction.
It goes in the oven.
The finished product. And it was good!