Memories & Glue

I finally finished a project I have been thinking about for a while. See, a few years ago I bought a shadowbox that I never ended up using for the project I had in mind at the time. Not one to just get rid of things that can be useful, I saved it. The darn thing moved with me from Fort Collins to Milliken, and finally, to Wisconsin, where it still sat around for a while. I wanted to use it for just the right thing.

It finally hit me when I changed my license plates. I knew I wanted to use my Colorado plates for something and finally could! 

I gathered some things from my time in Colorado, though that was easier said than done. I wanted to put things that reminded me of good times, favorite places, and people, but I didn't want to fill it with pictures (that's what my scrapbook and other framed photos are for), nor did I want to stick anything too valuable or irreplaceable in there. And then, like most of my projects, this one sat around for a long time until I finally did it!

 

No, your eyes aren't fooling you, I blurred out part of the number.

It took me a few tries to get everything arranged how I liked. And then I had to get a bit creative with putting everything in there. Obviously a shadowbox has depth, so I wanted to use that and shoot for a layered look.  

I started with my old, trusty map of Fort Collins. Boy, I used that thing a lot when I first moved there! It was definitely worn in places. I took the map and glued it to the back of the shadowbox. I tried very hard to make sure the part glued to the back included campus and the area of town where I lived for 5 whole years. While you can't actually see where I lived (it's covered by the license plate), you can see where campus is...right by my CSU Alumni pin!

You can also see a couple of tickets in the photo- one is for the Denver Art Museum (DAM) and one is for the Budweiser Brewery. What a contrast, huh? The Brewery was a fun place to visit, particularly because it was the first one I ever toured and it's home to one of the Clydesdale teams. I went there a number of times over the years- with my family, friends, and grad school peers- and it was fun every time. I didn't visit the DAM until the last couple years I lived in Colorado. I wish I had gone sooner! And became a member! It's a place that has some great memories attached...and great art! Plus it's very interactive, which is fun for everyone, let's be honest. 

Oh, The Rio! I may miss you most of all! OK, probably not, but I have not had a margarita as good or as potent anywhere else! Seriously, there is a 3 margarita limit- I debated displaying the back of the matchbox because it says that! The salsa was delish there too. The food was good, but people typically didn't go there for the food. I couldn't even tell you how many times I went there to celebrate something...or to start out a fun evening with a marg! 

Another place I went to often, in the later years, was Jay's. My advisor loved that place and would sometimes take his students out for a nice evening...on his dime. I had some really great times with him there. To me, Jay's meant laughter, live jazz, amazing creme brulee, wine, and oysters. Not all at the same time, though. :) I also remember cold nights...for some reason I really only remember being there when it was cold out, which makes me think of the twinkly Christmas lights on all the trees and walking down the street arm-in-arm with my advisor and a good friend. 

I tucked a map of Colorado in there, as well as my brochure/guide to the DAM. I also included a New Belgium bottle cap. I think it was from a Fat Tire or maybe a Skinny Dip. Gosh, I just realized...it may seem like I just drank a lot the whole time I was in Colorado! Budweiser, The Rio, Jay's, New Belgium. I promise, I didn't! In fact, I've probably had more New Belgium brews since I left Colorado than I did when I was living there. 

My little shadowbox might not seem like much, but it was fun putting it together and fun reminiscing. When I think of the good times I had at these places, it brings up all kinds of other related memories too! Good times.

Vacation: Part II

Once again, I intended to blog sooner and more often than I have been recently. So many things have kept me from it: a 4-day headache and fluid-filled ears, a friend's birthday, my brother's visit & 4th of July fun with friends, a shiny new cell phone, an impromptu visit from family, studying...and the regular everyday life stuff. Whew.

But here I am, ready to finish my vacation post...even though it's not THAT exciting. I woke up on my Birthday to find my friend already awake. She had a present for me on the table and seemed super excited for me to open it, but we had to go to her post-op appointment, so really I was more concerned with getting her to the doc on time. I had plans to meet up with a friend I hadn't seen in a loooong time later that day and was looking forward to it. Par for the course, it seemed nothing went right that day. We were a mere 3-5 minutes late for N's appointment...but we ended up waiting over an hour to be seen for a very brief appointment!! Grr! N colored me a picture while we waited....probably to keep her mind off of her own increasing discomfort...poor thing.

After the doc appointment, we ran to the store for a few things and to pick up a prescription...which apparently hadn't been called in. Sigh. Just as we were getting ready to leave the store, they paged N and she went back to the pharmacy while I took the groceries out and brought the car around. N said we needed to kill 15 minutes and they'd have the script ready. So, we went to a couple stores next door. I ended up getting a new pair of sunglasses. My other friend called and said she had to do some work before we could meet. On one hand, this was a good thing since we were running behind; on the other, not so great because who knew when I would actually get to meet up with her and have some fun.  At some point during the day I also called another friend I was supposed to meet for lunch the following day. She made a mistake in scheduling and couldn't make the original time, so I was hoping I could at least meet her for coffee! Quite frankly, I was getting a bit cranky by this point because nothing, even loosely made plans, seemed to be working out. 

Finally, N and I got her script and went home to eat lunch. She insisted on making me something and I opted for a grilled cheese and some soup. N wasn't super happy with how the sandwich turned out...

Oh well. It tasted fine. At this point, I was tired and just wanted to do what I wanted to do. So, I changed clothes and went out to sit in the sun for a bit, even though I knew my other friend was probably waiting to hear something from me. Shortly after, N had the FedEx guy at her door with 2 boxes from ProFlowers.com (love them, by the way). She asked, "who are they for?" I looked at her like she was a little nuts and said, "For you. Who would be sending me flowers?" She got approximately 6 dozen roses- some miniature and some full-sized, in a variety of colors. Her mom and sisters sent them. They were so pretty!


A little while later, the doorbell rang again and N was handed another flower arrangement. This time it was for me! Apparently she and my brother secretly plotted via Facebook and he kindly sent me this pretty little arrangement. He wanted to send something small so I could carry it home with me. He wasn't thinking that I wouldn't be able to take it on the plane. He is still sad about that.

Either way, I really loved the flowers and carried them from room to room with me- if we were spending time in the basement to play Wii, I moved them there, or the dining room if we were upstairs for long. Plus, I took LOTS of pictures!

I finally left to meet my friend, but she was late meeting me because she had more errands to run and ended up trying on some stuff in another store. Sigh. Anyway, we eventually did some shopping, had a nice dinner and got caught up before she forced me to eat the most amazing cupcake I've ever had in my life. Seriously. I have no other words to express my feelings. Amazing.

Then I headed back to N's house, where she and her husband were waiting to force me to eat cake. I knew N had ordered a cake and she was very excited about it, but I had no clue what would be on it.

She said she wanted a garden scene because of my backyard and flowers. I wish you could see how 3D the frosting really was!! And it was a very good cake. We all thoroughly enjoyed it. I even ate it for breakfast the next day. :)

The next day (last day of my vacation) really felt like my birthday to me, since I'd be seeing so many friends throughout the day. I even wore a dress! Gasp! N and I met up with our mutual friend for coffee and then another friend for lunch. It was so good to see those women! I used to work with them at the Evil Empire and it was really good to know that not everyone there hated me (just my Evil, Wicked, Horrible boss) and that they really did still care about what was going on in my world.


Later that night, N and J took me to Fort Collins to Cafe Vino to meet my friends. It was a great night! Lots of hugs, friends, laughter, and some good food and drink.



The most frequently asked question while I was in Colorado was, "Why the heck did you come here for a vacation?"




My answer, "To see my friends. I missed you."

And really, that's all I wanted. To see my friends. To take a break from my normal routine. I definitely got that. :) Granted, it wasn't what N or I really had in mind when we planned my visit...but it sure was different.

The second most frequently asked question, "When are you coming back?"

I'm not sure when, but I will be back. Colorado will always hold a special place in my heart. And so will the friends I made there.

Vacation: Part I

Before I left for vacation I had a series of mishaps...nothing was going my way and my stress level was going through the roof- from having to rearrange my plant water-er/house-sitter, to making alternate arrangements for a friend to pick me up from the airport when I came home, to missing the garbage pick-up the morning before I left (which meant it wouldn't be picked up for 2 whole weeks-ew), to the dogs eating the banana bread my sister brought!

Plus, for some reason I was feeling nervous for my trip...I even told my friend N (the one I would be staying with in CO) that on Thursday night and told another friend that on Friday and on the way to the airport Saturday morning. Why was I so nervous? Not exactly sure, but I just had this weird feeling.

After a very early morning on Saturday, a long layover in a boring airport, a delayed takeoff, and a very short catnap on the flight to Denver, I finally arrived! I was so happy to see my friends and I'm pretty sure they were excited to see me too. :) The weather in CO was... exactly as I'd left it in WI- chilly, foggy, and rainy. Booo. I couldn't even see the mountains!

From there my trip got...interesting. To make a long story short...we ended up taking N to the ER that night for some nausea, severe pain, and vomiting. After hours in the ER, they finally said they were going to admit her to the hospital and would be removing her gallbladder the next day! Poor thing. She was in so much pain and she just kept apologizing to me because this was supposed to be my big vacation. Instead I took on the role of Nurse Heidi... Is it just me or does anyone else see a pattern here? People end up in the ER when they're around me... Anyway, N wrote a detailed blog post about the whole crazy experience...it's an interesting read, so feel free to check it out!

N was feeling much better after the surgery (she was discharged the morning after) and she and I were able to have lunch with a friend on Tuesday and even managed to do a little shopping. After some rest, we all headed to Okole Maluna for dinner. That's the Hawaiian restaurant I've written about before... I was super-excited to be able to go back there for some awesome food! I even had a Hawaiian beer, which was also very tasty.

 Kalua pork, lomi-lomi salmon, white rice, and Haupia (traditional coconut cream dessert)

 

Blackened seared Ahi tuna.

After dinner we walked around the corner to a little ice cream shop. N and J got a tasty treat, but I was way too full and only had a few bites of N's "mini" banana split (it was HUGE). While they were ordering I drew on the sidewalk and took some pics (apparently N secretly took a pic of me!). I love the downtown Windsor area...it's so darn cute!

On the way home I asked J to stop at the park-n-ride I used to use all the time so I could snap a couple of pics of the mountains (shown in my previous post)... it's funny to think that used to be my view on the drive home!

N took this picture...

and this one....sneaky!!

The following day was a day of a little pampering. N and I both got pedicures and manicures! My toes still look lovely, though the mani didn't last long at all. We went to this beauty school, so the price was right, and hey, those students need practice! After that we grabbed some lunch after which my dear friend wasn't feeling very well...and got a bit sick on the drive into Fort Collins. So we turned around and went home. Poor dear. The rest of the evening was pretty low-key...a movie, some Wii, time on the patio...relaxing, yes.

Stay tuned for Part II...

Coming Soon...

I will be writing a bit about my vacation....I just haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm workin' on it, I promise.

Until I get around to it, here are some pictures from the trip!

Stay tuned...

Wintery Delusions

delusion [di-loo-zhuhn]
- noun, a fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact

Remember when I was knee-deep in snow yesterday? Shoveling, snowblowing, heaving, grunting? There was a moment when I asked my neighbor if she knew what the rest of the forecast for the week looked like. She replied, "Cold. The snow should be ending, though." Yet, even though she said it would be cold, I was thinking of warmer days, melting snow, and even had a brief vision of actually seeing our driveway again...my poor car looking less like a popsicle than a car...

Wait. What? Melting snow? Warmer days? Huh?

It hit me last night...after 7 years in Colorado... I was just expecting the snow to go away sometime soon...melt in a few days, a week, soon.

Oh, Heidi. Poor, poor, Heidi.

It was bitterly, squeaky-snow cold today. So cold that the dogs kept alternating which paw they'd hold up to give it a "rest" from the cold snow. My windows are all frosty and I worry that my back screen door hinges are going to snap when I open the door.

The women at work reminded me that we'll have this snow until March.

It's gonna be a long winter...and I may be in for a bumpy ride.

Maybe my delusions are a form of self-preservation??

Dear Diary,

Tomorrow marks 6 months since I left Colorado. I just realized it. On one hand it's hard to believe...on the other, it seems like it's been forever!

I find myself missing my Colorado peeps a lot lately. I had this crazy dream last night about visiting my department, seeing familiar faces, getting lots of hugs. I've been missing my favorite local coffee places (definitely Starry Night and the Human Bean), pizza place (MeMe's), kooky pasta place (Rasta Pasta)... though I'm trying to find new favorites here.

I know I made the right choice for me. I needed to get out of a job that was literally making me sick, a job I hated. I needed to get back to what I love doing. Even though I've had some tough days lately, I know I'm doing what I love.

xoxo,
heidi

Moving Day...

Dear Diary,

Today is moving day... I can't believe it's here already. The truck is crammed full of stuff, the carpet is being cleaned as I type this, and the dogs ... well, the dogs are not sure what to do with themselves at the moment. We camped on the floor last night and since Lilly didn't have anywhere to sleep, she climbed into the laundry basket (like she used to do) and made herself comfy. What a goofball.

I'm full of mixed emotions today- happiness, excitement, sadness, hope, exhaustion. Colorado has been my home for a long time now. I've made some wonderful friends, laughed a lot, cried a lot, had many successes, learned even more lessons, had my heart broken, and I've loved. Oh, how I have loved.

I think Carrie Underwood sums it up pretty well:

I guess it's gonna have to hurt, I guess I'm gonna have to cry,
And let go of some things I've loved, To get to the other side,
I guess it's gonna break me down,
Like falling when you try to fly,
It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life,
Starts with goodbye.

I know there's a blue horizon,
Somewhere up ahead, just waiting for me,
Getting there means leaving things behind,
Sometimes life's so bitter sweet.

It's funny how life works out... when I was 14 I came to Colorado on a trip with my sister and I fell in love with Colorado. It was magical for me. I told myself that some day I would live in Colorado, though as time went on, I wasn't sure when or how that would happen. Then, lo and behold, a graduate program caught my eye, and the rest is history. And now, I'm moving back to Wisconsin! To an amazing job at a college that I applied to as an undergraduate! Who knew!??

So, to my Colorado peeps, so long for now. This is not goodbye... Thanks for all the good times, your support, and most of all, your friendship.

To my Wisconsin peeps, I'll see you very soon!

Stay classy, Colorado!