Tales of the Ordinary Days

A new Durango Chamber Diplomat (Dip) and trusted with the giant scissors! I love to go new. There is something exhilarating about going for the freshly wrapped gift in a white elephant gift exchange. Not knowing what lies under the colorful wrapping has always caught my wonder and attention. I now find myself going new on most days. With a life with less restrictions (no boys' calendars to coordinate nor 8-to-5-type work days), I find myself in my new city of Durango, Colorado filled with people whom I have never met and in places I have never been. The days of raising three sons are in my past. But I still have three 'boys' in my life today. Garrett, Larry and Zeke (husband, father-in-law and dog) are my current partners-in-crime. Every day brings something new. Some things are mundane and necessary, like weaving our way through the healthcare system and the ever-important need for a new dog groomer. More times than most we find little treasures as we work through...

View from the front porch of our new house There hasn't been a dull moment in our recent nomadic lifestyle. But we now have news on this subject. And our news is that we don't plan on moving again. We plan on staying in Durango. No more nomad existence for us. We bought a house! Last year was all about 'out with the old' and this year is officially our 'in with the new'. After two large house sales and moves last year (Nebraska + Indiana) plus two moves from Boise rentals, we have gotten a little tired of packing and moving. After my last move post-exhaustion, I clearly articulated my feelings to Garrett. "One of two things is going to happen in Durango. I am either going to settle in for good or I am not going to get too comfortable. I am not doing another big move." Settling in has won out. It started with us 'just taking a look at some houses' to get a feel of the local market. One house viewing led to another and then we met ...

Old Guy and me We did it. Somehow, someway...with a lot of help from a lot of wonderful people, we got my father-in-law moved out of his long-time home in Monterey, Indiana. I flew in last Monday to assist with the move. Larry and I 'flew out' today, via our packed vehicles and a stuffed U-Haul trailer. Oh what a week. Let me start by saying that I have never met Larry's mom, Mabel, nor have I met the prior owner of his house, Agnes. But I now feel like we are intimately acquainted and I am grateful for the experience. I have also relived the years of Larry's ex's and Garrett's ex through the house cleansing process. Photos, cards, memorabilia from trips...you name it, I've been through it. As Larry and I reflected over wine and steak tonight, so much of our journey is lived in a home. A journey full of people who have walked by our side. The home being the ultimate holder of these memories. Now I need to digress a bit on Mabel and Agnes and the m...

Old Guy (Larry's nickname from cousin Judy) and me From my recent trip to help orchestrate our many life moves We have news. And the best kind - good news. We are on the move again! Our adventure in Boise will come to a close as we ring in the new year. 2020 will bring a change of address to Durango, Colorado. Why you ask? My answer? Pretty much....why not? Life is grand when the world is your oyster and you allow yourself to think that way. So here is the more detailed story on how we came up with Durango... Knowing our short-term rental in Boise was done at the end of the year, Garrett and I discussed our next steps over some cocktails mid-summer. We tentatively decided to stay in Boise for another year, feeling like we hadn't yet experienced all Boise and Idaho had to offer. We have really enjoyed our time here. I summed up my experience in one word - joyful. Holding that thought under our cap, we moved through the summer. I did some work in Colorado in l...