The BIG MOVE

It's hard to believe that a mere week ago we were loading a U-Haul in Boone -- 700 miles away.  As I look around the apartment, most of the "stuff" has found a home.  I plan to tackle the bedroom -- actually my sewing/office room -- this weekend.


I discovered many, many heroes during this experience.  First, Rick and Vicki Gustafson helped immensely by taking me to Ames to get the U-Haul and drove it to my house.  My Boone truck packers were Ray Bishop, Gary Beer, and Dave Springer.  They worked miracles getting all my "stuff" into the U-Haul.  To be honest, Vicky Beer, Deb Todd, Marty Lamoreaux, Cindy Cory, Majook, Mary Jo Martin, and myself were skeptical that there was any way they were going to fit everything.  But they did!!!  Of course, my sister, Dodi, and brother-in-law, Dennis, showed up just as the back door was being closed -- no worry they got their exercise the next day in Denver.  Dodi, Dennis and I (as well as Professor and Skipper) took off from Boone about 8 pm and drove to Omaha to stay overnight at my brother, Greg's.

Marty Lamoreaux, Gary Beer and Majook help with the loading.

Deb Todd and Vicky Beer helping out.

All loaded!!!

 Early the next morning, Greg, Dennis, Dodi and I (and the cats) headed west.  The journey was without incident, and we arrived at my apartment about 5:15 pm Friday afternoon.  Greg and Dennis started right in unloading.  Two young men, Trevor and Spencer, who attend the church I have been going to volunteered to help.  I believe it was Trevor whose first question to my brother was "How many couches are there?".  My brother informed him that there weren't any.  Little did Trevor know there were a few boxes of books that weighed more than a few couches!!!  My uncles, Michael and Gerald, also came to lend their assistance.  I was totally, totally amazed that the entire U-Haul was unloaded by 7:15 pm!!!!!  Uncle Michael picked up Mary Jo at the Denver airport about 9:30 pm.  All was well.

Trevor and Spencer still smiling after the truck was emptied.

I think Dennis was perspiring a wee bit!

Greg and Gerald did their share of sweating as well.

After the truck was unloaded and the living room was somewhat arranged, Dodi, Professor and Skipper decided it was time to relax a bit.

Saturday morning, MJ and I puttered around trying to make some order out of the chaos.  MJ was invaluable in her organizing of the kitchen.  Greg, Dodi and Dennis joined us late morning.  We opted to play, since we had worked so hard the day before.  We went to the Denver pedestrian mall for a late lunch, shopping, people watching and supper.  Uncles Michael and Gerald joined us for the people watching and supper festivites.  Greg boarded the train for Omaha about 7 pm.  Dennis and Dodi drove off early, early Sunday morning.

MJ, the kitchen organizer!

Dodi and Dennis as we have a late, light lunch at Hard Rock Cafe.

Greg and Mary Jo on the patio at Hard Rock enjoying the food and the people watching.

Girls just want to have fun!!!

Mary Jo, Dennis and Dodi One Mile Above Sea Level.

Michael, Gerald, MJ and I decided to take a drive up into the mountains on Sunday -- one of our infamous mountain journeys.  We had a great lunch at Beaujo's in Idaho Springs.  I dropped MJ off at the airport about 6:30 pm for her 8:30 pm flight.  If you follow her on facebook or twitter, you'll know that she didn't get out of Denver until almost 1:00 am followed by driving from Omaha to Boone after she landed -- but that's her story to share!  I am just so glad that she was able to see the apartment and share the weekend with me even though it ended in a travel "nightmare" for her.

Uncle Gerald, Uncle Michael and Mary Jo after our lunch in Idaho Springs.

So now I'm here; the cats are here; and my "stuff" is here.  I've spent a lot of time trying to get things sorted and put away with some good success.  Once everything finds its place, I'll post some pictures of the end result.

I can't ever say THANK YOU enough to everyone who helped get me here!!!  I felt so loved by all the helpers!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Where there's smoke......

Wildfire Season has Arrived.

The Front Range has been in the national news the last two days because of wildfires that have broken out.  One is northeast of Colorado Springs (south of me).  It has burned a number of homes and displaced lots of people.  Yesterday afternoon it occurred to me that I might be able to see the smoke plume.  Indeed it was very visible from my balcony.  This afternoon I couldn't see it, but that was because the wind had shifted and the plume was now over us.  I walked out the door to get the mail and experienced the unmistakable odor of fire.  This is definitely not something we experience in Iowa.  There is also a fire by the Royal Gorge and on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.  Those who have visited the Royal Gorge will be relieved to know that the bridge was not damaged although a couple of visitor buildings were destroyed.

The smoke plume as viewed from my balcony.

A Great Hike or Mountain Lions, Black Bears and Rattlesnakes?

This morning I went to Roxborough State Park southwest of Denver to hike and enjoy the great Colorado outdoors.  The scenery was absolutely breathtaking.  I hiked for about 2 hours through the park.  The paths I was on were labeled easy and moderate, but I was certainly wiped out when I got back to the parking lot.  I truly questioned my choice to hike when I saw the signs announcing that I was in Rattlesnake Country!  And the information board described what to do if a hiker encountered a mountain lion or a black bear!!!  But the beauty and the challenge overcame the trepidation.  I'm happy to say that the only wildlife I encountered were grasshoppers, crickets, butterflies, and a lone deer.

 Amazing outcroppings and scenery

The house at the end of the path.  Unfortunately it is only open one Sunday afternoon a month, but I could peak through the windows.

 The path went through scrub oaks.  The shade was very refreshing.

This deer (look closely) was the only large wild life I saw -- thankfully!

  

The flowers are already blooming!!

But It's a Dry Heat?

Denver set high temperature records the past two days!!!  Yes the humidity is only at 10% or so, but honestly 100 degrees is stinking HOT with or without humidity.  I'm so thankful for air conditioning.

Discoveries...

I'm still trying to familiarize myself with the area and am happy to announce the following discoveries.

a sidewalk mailbox (to send letters to Iowa)
The Aurora Public Library (for which I now have a library card)
Barnes & Noble (just down the street from the library)
Cold Stone (across from B&N)
BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse (my gluten free family will appreciate that one)
a cute little knitting/quilt shop

Meanwhile, the job search continues without anything significant to report.  Hope all is well with all of you.  Cindy

Greetings from Colorful Colorado!

On Wednesday, June 5th, Professor (the oldest of my three cats) and I packed up the Alero with whatever I thought I might need for a two week stay in our new apartment and headed west from Boone.  We arrived about 10 1/2 hours later in Aurora, Colorado.  So the adventure is officially underway.  I have rented a 700 sq ft 1 bedroom apartment for the next three months.  It's on the third floor (top floor) of the apartment building with a nice balcony view to the south.  Unfortunately, the mountains are to the west.  Right now the apartment feels quite roomy.  Of course, I only brought what would fit into the car :-).

I have spent the last few days checking out the neighborhood.  I have found Target, King Soopers (grocery store), Hobby Lobby, and Wal-Mart -- all the essentials!  Getting around really hasn't been all that bad.  I try to check the map before I leave the apartment and then just be patient.  The Denver metro is similar to Des Moines in that there are certain main roads that pretty much go from one end to the other.  As long as I stick to those main roads I can get around without getting lost.

I ventured to downtown Denver this morning to my uncle's apartment.  Then he and I walked along the Cherry Creek Trail to Confluence Park and back.  It was about a two hour walk with good conversation and excellent weather.  The picture below is a Night Heron that has hung out at that area of the trail for a number of years.  My uncle hadn't seen it yet this year and was fearful that it had died over the winter.  But there it was sitting statue still about 5 feet from us!  Very cool for the middle of a big city.

Next week's goal is to make some real progress on finding employment.  Not sure what door God will open, but I'm going to make sure that I'm ready and don't miss it.

The current plan is to return to Boone on Tuesday, June 18.  I didn't get quite as much packing and organizing done as I wanted, so I need to come back a day earlier than I had hoped.  With the help of my siblings and siblings-in-law and my Boone friends, I plan to load a U-Haul truck on Thursday evening the 20th and begin the journey to get my "stuff" to Aurora.  I'm very concerned that I have more than 700 sq ft of "stuff", but I guess I'll just have to wait until the 21st to find out!

I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about all this.  The emotions have been all over the place -- excited, terrified, encouraged, lonely, relaxed, restless -- kind of like Iowa weather -- don't like it now, just wait a couple of hours and it will change.  I do know that I miss Ginger and the feeling of security I had with her in the house.  We have a double locked door and a gated complex, but the fears still sneak in especially at bed time.  Professor is fine as long as he is very close to me.  He has managed to find the sunshine for the few hours that it shines into the bedroom as can be seen below.  He keeps meowing and looking for his brother kitties.  They will begin their own adventure tomorrow as they hang out with some friends for the next three months.

Anyway, enough for now.  Thanks for all your support and encouragement with this great adventure.  Watch for more posts in the coming weeks.  Love to all, Cindy