12 Days and Counting

12 days.  That is how long I have been a resident of Denver, Colorado.

23,097 days.  Approximately how long I was a resident of Iowa.

As you can see I have a lot of growth to do before I can believe I am actually a resident of somewhere else.  As I was adjusting to the idea of moving to Colorado, ( yes, even tho' I had thought about it since 1974 when one of my good friends moved to Pudre Canyon), I thought, if I don't like Colorado, I can always move back to Iowa....if I can never afford a house in Colorado (which is a lot different than Tama, Iowa), I can always move back to Iowa.

Now I know... this is not true.

I can never do this "moving thing" again.  Well maybe I can move across town or to a town close by...but not so far that I need to sell so many things and then try to figure out what I do have, what I really need, what I want, and what I can really live without.

In this short time, 12 days, we have unpacked eighty boxes, repacked five.  Many of them essential, some of them not.  I have at least 6 boxes that have no purpose...memorabilia and inherited...stuff.  I have many pictures that have not found wall space. Many things that have not found storage.  And many things that have not been found. One of those not found is the TV remote....where can that be?

 We have become good friends of IKEA and Target.  I have learned my way around the West and South West sides of Denver rather easily.

In the 12 days we have discovered several new "neighborhoods" with cute shops and restaurants.  Actually our check out person at IKEA lived in our zipcode and told us about one little gem which we are going to tomorrow night to celebrate Mox's birthday.  We have actually found a new restaurant at least 8 times, since it is taking awhile to get into the kitchen cooking scene after 3 months.






In the 12 days we have seen our grandsons many times and rescued their parents a couple of times.  Leo  really didn't know our house in Tama and he loves our house here that includes Thomas Train.  Mox and Keller haven't been down the mountain to our new house since we have moved into it, but I am sure it will feel comfortable to them when they find some of their favorite things.

In the 12 days we have registered to vote, we have gone to the debate party, (where I kept yelling at Obama to counter Romney, but he didn't listen), and we went to the Obama Rally, where the gates opened at 7:30, where we walked over a mile to the park 4 blocks from Anna's house (security), where we stood in line going through security for 2 hours, where he spoke for 20 minutes, but where he redeemed himself.  On the way out his motor cade passed by the street we were on... bonus.





In the 12 days we have a TV room, Living room, Kitchen, Bedroom, and SPARE bedroom mostly finished.  We have a dining room table without chairs.  We still need storage for some of my dishes, as you know I love cooking and serving so I couldn't part with much of my cookware.  I have a cupboard picked out at a nearby import shop but need to see it again before I decide.

After the 12 days, Mox and I are still getting along and making decisions together...which is amazing. Tomorrow is his birthday and tonight he went to a class on bicycle maintenance at REI.  This is one advantage of living in a city that we hope to take advantage of....classes.  Tomorrow Brooke and Charlie and Anna and Chris are joining us to celebrate at a cute little sports bar that smokes it own meat.

After 12 days it is starting to sink in that we have really moved.  We are now residents of University Park.  We are now residents of Colorado.

In the next 12 days, we have to establish proof....a bank account....a drivers license....license plates....CO insurance.

After 12 days we still have a lot to learn.

We are moving FORWARD.