Clearing Out

Our house is emptying out!! Yesterday we sold the leather couch, love seat and matching chair, a bunch of kitchen stuff, plants, cookbooks, book shelves, my diamond ring, snowshoes, the butcher block island, and DVD's. Today Andrea came over and bought the lazy boys, tomorrow the lady who bought the couches is coming back over to buy the pot rack. Next weekend I'm going to pack up the rest of the yellow room and it'll be empty once Dan's sister comes over and gets the china cabinet. One room down. I broke out grandma's old lazy boy chair for Dan (I have to keep mine - the one that now belongs to the new owner of this house - cuz otherwise the dogs can't sit with me) and it's a little small for Dan, but he says its fine.

I sent out some emails last night for some rentals in Kauai. Got some email responses as well as a phone call. The emails said to look them up when we get out there. The lady who called was very nice, sounded like a native. The place is pretty far out by a military base, it's a house divided into 3 separate homes. The one that is available is upstairs and an attic separates it from the other unit. She was fine with Baxter and Lucy. So maybe we only stay there the first month. Dan found a job in the Kauai newspaper for a Audio/Visual Tech Specialist. He would provide services for concerts, conventions, whatever. He sent the posting to my girlfriend Ilissa to see if she'd herd of the place because she does that sort of thing on a large scale. She'd not only heard of it but used to work there as a Director Of Sales. They talked for a long time, she gave him tips on wording and what the job would entail. She said to use her as a reference. It seems like things are starting to come together.

My uncle is coming to visit us next weekend, he and my aunt live in Texas and they want to see us before we go. They are so sweet, my uncle is really funny. The only ones in my family who are really making an effort. My brother came over yesterday to buy some stuff.

While we got about 9 inches of snow, Kauai is flooding out. The guy I met on Face Book the other day is excited about it and Kauai's Hindu Monastery had a video where they were outside, watching the Wailua river flood out with big grins on their faces, standing in 6" of water in flip flops. It's not so much fun for others, some had to be evacuated from their homes.

Friday my boss had our monthly meeting and fortuitously, I was the only one who showed up. We had a honest discussion of my frustrations as well as his and Dan's. I understand now his position and know that things will never change in that department. Not as long as the "child" is running things! I can leave now, with peace. No hard feelings. It has been a great place to work and grow, mentally and financially.

Dan and I are eating like crap and I am not inspired to do much, like blog, so sorry for the lack of posts. I can't believe how exhausting it is to sell all of our stuff. Luckily, Dan and I are doing great. No arguments, some impatience but that is temporary. I actually cooked today. I haven't felt like doing that lately either. We have been living on Isagenix shakes mostly during the work week. We have been eating burgers and fries, ice cream, pastries, eggnog lattes. Sugar, sugar, sugar!!

Another Early Morning

4:44am. Everyone is dead asleep except me. Dan is all snuggled up in the down comforter, Baxter and Lucy, along my right side, take up half the bed. I sit up and Dan rolls over and looks at me, looks at the clock and rolls back over to sleep. I get out of bed, get my things and pad downstairs. It snowed a lot over night, looks like 4 inches or so. I will not miss the snow.

Brian added some color to the logos so I'll put them up again. I like #2 now.



This week started out kinda rough. The anxiety of selling the house and quitting our jobs really affected me physically, plus, I was beginning to wonder if we were crazy. I was still sick Tuesday morning but I didn't want to call in and have my co workers think I was slacking because I was a short timer. Rich thought I should go home anyway but as the day wore on I started feeling better. By the end of yesterday I was literally buzzing with excitement. The Kauai vibe is getting stronger and its a lot of fun riding it! As of last night I felt like it couldn't be any other way. People keep saying what we are doing takes a lot of courage, and, I agreed Tuesday but now it just feels right. Not extraordinary, not courageous, just right. Some people are right along with us, getting wrapped up in the excitement of it all and then it just increases.

The editors are jostling for our shifts. They make comments like "I told management I want off my shift". Some have been there a long time, over 10 years, working split shifts or weekends. The assistant editors and Seth our excellent tape op are hoping something happens for them. It's fun knowing that by our leaving, some people will get what they want. New blood will flow through those hardened arteries! Or not. Our director came to my edit bay yesterday. He told me it was bittersweet for him. He'll miss me and my "extensive knowledge" but moving to Kauai, wow! He said he'd counter offer if he thought he could compete with paradise. There was a pregnant pause and I said yea, you can't compete with paradise! It seems we are appreciated!

We are starting to sell some of our stuff. The tower computers are gone, Bryan wants to buy my Cerwin Vega speakers and our Dennon 7 disk CD changer. I found a lady on Craigslist who wants to buy our temperpedic pillows, Dan found someone who wants to buy ALL of our CD's, DVD's and books, there must be 4000 in all! Vendria, that cute little mother to be, is buying my office chair. Kelly, the new marketing producer, may buy our book shelves. My brother not only offered storage room but is going to come by and see if him and his wife want to buy anything. Porter is interested in our big screen. The car still hasn't sold yet. Dan has been talking about web design, he knows someone who does it and is turning away work. He told Dan if he can get up to speed, he'll give him some work. It's all coming together like Dyanne said!

Goodbye Beloved Trail

Leaving Colorado is in our sights and I am reminded of the things that I will probably never do again. This morning I walked the dogs. I have walked this 4 mile loop of the Cherry Creek bike path hundreds of times in the last 8 years. The dogs know it well. This is the last walk I will be able to enjoy the colors of fall. There is yet time for sunrises and big sky.

My IPhone can't quite capture the way the golden light plays off the trees or Baxter's brown velvet coat. I am reminded of a time I walked the dogs in the fall. It was a classic beautiful Colorado fall day. Baby blue sky, a coolness to the air; crisp yet warmed but the sun. Passing by a clump of golden cottonwoods a breeze came and blew the leaves off the trees. Their golden faces reflecting the sunlight and making everything sparkle. I was struck by the beauty and had to stop and watch. I found myself raising my arms to the sky, tilting my face up as well; feeling the warmth of the sun and twirling with my eyes closed! It was fantastic!

I go out the gate that Dan put into the back split rail fence.

Walk down the well worn path that Dan keeps mowed for me.

Pass the iron bridge that goes over Cherry Creek.

I have met many people on this path.

The nice lady whose walking stick has indian totems running its length. The older lady who stopped me on the trail, sung me a poem about Jesus she wrote and gave me the paper she had written it on. The overweight grumpy couple who rode their bikes and got tweaked because the dogs were off leash. The older guy who reminds me of Steve Small walking his 2 dogs that bully mine. Tom and his golden Chloe, we always stop and chat for 10 or 15 minutes while Baxter runs around barking at me to move on. The old guy, who had diabetes and rode on his roller blades every day to keep it at bay. This is ranch country and we walk on a working ranch. One spring day while Dan was walking the dogs, a mother cow walked up behind him and shoved him in the back with her nose, protecting her calf I guess. The "doinking" deer, who, alone at sunrise would bounce around radiating joy because he was alive. The rattlesnakes. One morning, we were walking the dogs and the sun was coming up, lighting up everything. We looked across and there were hundreds of spider webs forming a lacy patchwork throughout the cattails. This morning as I was rounding my favorite bend, lined with trees and wild flowers I saw 2 deer loping out of the brush and a coyote lumbering after them. All the dogs, animals and people enrich our walks.

Baxter and Lucy love getting into the creek. They drink greedily on hot days (their shots are current) Lucy slowly walking and drinking letting the current guide her. Baxter running as fast as he can up and down the creek bed, splashing and generally having a great time. One time, the creek was really full from a lot of rain. Lucy was hot and thirsty and went down in a place that was unusual for her. She got caught up in the current and started to float down stream. I thought I was going to have to go in but I walked along beside her until she came upon a bank and got out. We get home, I rinse them off and give them a towel dry which for some reason, they both love!

Lucy loves the towel dry, she hates getting her picture taken!

So many times I have walked this trail. In joy, sorrow, love, anger, through tears, running it to burn some calories, listening to the birdsong, the rustle of the leaves, the hum of insects. Rain and hail pouring down (Dan came and rescued me with an umbrella), impossible wind, sun relentlessly pounding down. Snowshoeing when we got dumped on, Lucy walking in my tracks, Baxter sinking to his chest trying to make his own. I have felt deep gratitude for this trail and will always be grateful for its presence and the gifts it has brought me.