Home Again--trying to get the Life Reset going again!

I've been home a week now, I think I've mostly slept! 

Anyway,  how about a few pictures?  (Blogger or Google who knows which is playing games with photos-I have no IDEA where they will end up!)

I flew out this time, normally I would drive but I decided that I didn't really want to do 4 days in the truck and with gas prices as they are It was just as cheep to fly.  I had no idea what I was getting into.  It has been YEARS since I landed at Denver International-so    BIG!  My airline lands and takes off from on the same level as the runways (I did not know that or I'd have chosen a different airline).  I arrived at Gate A31, down a ramp then walk and walk and walk, no people movers.  Up escalators, down escalators, onto a train, off the train, hunt for baggage claim.  I'm pretty sure I got 20,000 painful steps before I found my brother waiting at arrivals!

This is my brother Jim and his dog Scout.  Scout has decided that I am part of his Pack.  He knew something was up the day I left-he kept sitting on my feet and leaning against my legs!  Silly, sweet boy.

I made a slightly large mistake in packing--I did not pack my coat!  Now, I know how cold the mountains can be in May--I lived there after all!  I only packed one sweatshirt and no long sleeved shirts.  Where was my HEAD!  Well it was 80F at home.  So Jessie and I had to go shopping after a trip to the bank.  We were closing out the Estate account from probate and trying to move money around was proving impossible!  On a wild whim I checked to see if my bank had a branch in Denver--turns out they have Four!  Big sigh of relief.  Then on to find some kind of jacket/coat for me.  Found a windbreaker and a hoodie plus some other goodies, after all I had my personal shopper (Jessie) with me.

On Tuesday we headed into the mountains.  Breckenridge for the day and then Dillon that night.  Snow was forecast, of course.  It was chilly up there but the windbreaker was sufficient until the very end.  I had a ton of trouble with the altitude this trip on top of the walking.  9700 feet about sea level-the oxygen in thin.  We had a great time wandering through the shops that were open.  Hit up Starbucks, etc.  When the weather turned a bit nasty we headed for Dillon. After checking into our hotel for the night we went out for dinner at a really nice local place.  I had Risotto!  I hardly every get to have that! (Maybe I should learn to make it?)

 The next morning we woke to this!

A pretty, wet snow. There was concern about the road conditions but it wasn't too bad.  It was SOOOO pretty driving down the mountain, all the trees with their branches in white.  Jim and Jessie worried about the road, I just admired the scenery.

On Thursday  Jim had appointments so I hung out at the house and rested my very cranky leg. Then Jessie and I made a trip to the mall.  I have started adding Pandora charms to my bracelet whenever I travel PLUS my bracelet was FULL so I needed a new one.  That achieved we hit a favorite Thrift store-where I found a few books and my personal shopper found me a larger bag for the trip home!

The next day we went up to Estes Park. I ALWAYS want to go to Estes but I especially wanted to see the memorial bench we had placed at the YMCA of the Rockies for our brother Bobby. Also, I wanted to visit the Quilt Shop there.  Peak to Peat Stitching has quite a few things designed just for them.  I bought a few things.  In my defense I haven't bought any fabric since last year's trip!

The front range.  A kit.  I bought a laser cut Elk last year that I want to put on this.

The Faces of Longs Peak.  The highest peak in Rocky Mountain Park

Aspen!

Lastly a few fat quarters!  A big haul for the woman who usually spends about $25.00 on fat quarters!  I'm not saying how much I spent!

A drive through Rocky , with a stop to see the bench and we headed back to Denver.

After a lovely dinner of Italian food!  It was back to the house to finish packing for the trip home.

After having such an ordeal on arrival and being seriously concerned that I might not make my flight home if I walked, I requested assistance for the trip through the airport.  First time I've ever done that and I was really grateful when I was taking off from A81, the next to the last GATE on the concourse. They put me on the plane and took me off the plane and off to package claim where my daughter was waiting.

All, in all a lovely trip! 

This week I have several medical appointments.

Today it's Physical Therapy-after all the trouble I had with walking in Denver I decided I needed PT to be ready for the next trip.  The Surgeon left it up to me so I will be doing that for a while.

Also, I have a 5 page list of things that need to be done.  I've only marked a few off so far but I'm not stressing over that!

To all of you that have left comments on my Reset--Thank you!  It's heartwarming to know that someone actually reads this blog!  

 

Life Reset Continues

 Well, I need to finish packing but otherwise I am ready to go in the morning!

Plus, I booked my flights to Iceland!

I'm excited!

Life Reset continues

I don't know what's going on this week, I just feel a bit off and extra tired.  I'm looking forward to Sunday and seeing the Rockies again! Also looking forward to the hugs I'll get from my brother and his wife!

 I did some of the necessities of life:  went to the grocery store for bread and came home with ice cream among other things.  I did in fact get the bread thank goodness!  Then I paid the bills.  It happens every month on the first (this is the first month of 2026 that I have actually paid them on the first.)  Another of those things one puts off either consciously or not came up today.  My tankless hot water heater refuses to stay on.  I turn it on, it heats the water and then goes cold.  Which is a real bummer when you want to take a shower!  I called my favorite plumber to come make magic but he can't come until Monday.  Lucky for me my daughter is coming to deal with the in person part and pay for it (She has a credit card of mine in her name for just such occasions.)  The plumber has promised me hot water when I return home!

Tomorrow, will be busy, packing and tidying the house. No gardening for me until I get back from Denver.

Life Reset Continues

It was bound to happen-I missed yesterday!  Fell asleep and when I woke I just crawled into the bed. I'll try not to let the misses happen too often.

I have finally gotten the laundry all put away.  Sometimes, I get disgusted with myself over how long it takes to get three  small loads of laundry folded or hung!   It's so easy to just get dressed from the laundry basket, sigh.  Anyway, that's done, and the kitchen is tidied.  I've been taking my little chain saw out and cutting branches, hopefully that will be finished soon.  Then I dug the gigantic dandelions out of the strawberries.  I even picked a few, strawberries that is.  There are many, many berries on the plants.  It looks to be a good harvest!  There are lots of blueberries on the bushes as well but I doubt the birds leave me any. 

I can't get my stapler/tiny nail gun to work, it's finicky and I must not be holding my mouth right!  I can't finish the last bulletin board without it and I don't want to hang the other two until I can hang them all.  

Tomorrow, will be more of the same.  Well no laundry!  More limbs, some raking of leaves-unless it rains, then I'll just have to go down and try to finish something in the studio.

Life Reset Day 16

 I can happily report that there have been no tornado warnings since the 5:45Am on Monday!  Whew, Maybe I'll get caught up again, or not.

Had a chat with my brother about what we are doing while I am there next week.  Some great times in the Rocky Mountains are on tap.  We are headed up to Breckinridge for two days which is always fun (even if you're not a skier anymore.) No trip to the mountains is complete without a trip to Estes Park and  Rocky Mountain National Park.  We had a vacation home in Estes for several years, then my parents moved out and back to Missouri for a while.  Estes has a special place in my heart.  We had a memorial bench placed at the YMCA of the Rockies for our younger brother, as we went there on vacation for years, and I want to go see it.  Looks like a very full and fun time ahead!

I have quite a bit that should get done before I go.  Packing being the most important!

Until tomorrow! 

Life Reset - Day 15

Today has been very quiet,  mostly because at 5:45 this morning the city's tornado sirens began blaring!  Seriously, twice in less than 24 hours!  I was so sleepy I sort of sleep walked to the basement.  45 minutes later I sleep walked back to bed!  Both of these were radar indicated-meaning there was evidence of rotation in the clouds.  Neither touched down, maybe they weren't even tornados but early warnings save lives so I'll forgive them my loss of sleep.  The big outcome has been flooding, not near me but all over the metro.  It was a sunny day today and there is no rain in the forecast for several days so maybe my sleep won't be disrupted again tonight.

I did start the laundry, spent a little time working on projects although none of them are complete.  Then I simply couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, so I had a nap.  I didn't finish the laundry but I'm still really tired so I'm going to take my night meds and crash.  Wait I still need to make my bed, sigh 

Life Reset Day 14

Interesting day.  I fiddled around in the morning and didn't get breakfast until 10am even though I'd been awake and out of bed since 7:30.  I was enjoying the rainbows too much to leave the bedroom! After I finally got dressed I made myself Avocado toast (I didn't like this when I first had but now I do) BEFORE I made my coffee.  Really backwards morning.

Finally, I got to doing something after lunch.  Brought out several yard tools for cleanup.  Used the blower to clean off the patio and began raking up leaves left from last fall.  While raking I decided what I'd do with the cut branches so I emptied one of the old veg boxes of branches and weeds, broke up what I could by hand and put them into the empty box, then brought up the wagon and emptied it.  I'd been out working, with lovely swing breaks when I got tired, for about 3 hours and it was sprinkling so I put the wagon and a big bin under the tree to hopefully keep it dry(ish), and carried in the rest of my tools.

I hadn't been in too long when I received notification of a ZOOM catch up with the Chookshed Stitchers which was fun UNTIL my phone, my watch and the city's sirens all came on with a tornado warning.  So, Off I went to the basement.  For the second time in less than a week.  When we got the all clear I got back on ZOOM to answer the question of how I know when it's safe.  That's a combination of TV saying the warning had lapsed for my area, the sirens stopping-and the lovely voice over them saying that the danger had passed.  That was the first wave of storms, there was a second round about 9, and apparently there is more coming after midnight.  Crazy.

I'm tired after such an "interesting day" so until tomorrow, Goodnight.