Return to the Norm

Zooming toward home, through Utah.

I love a good vacation, and I love having visitors. Seeing my friends in Utah and having Andrew's parents in our home gave me a good solid dose of grounding in this seemingly make-believe life I have garnered in these mountains thus far. It was awesome skiing with Megan, Dave, Colby and Jason in Park City, Alta, Snowbird and Deer Valley (ooooh Deer Valley, so lovely, so decadent). Catching up on "what's happened since..." and rehashing old times over dinner and very small drinks (no offense to the Mormons, but Utah's liquor laws are just plain silly. 1 oz. of alcohol per drink, same price as 3 oz. anywhere else. At least reduce the price!).

Andrew's parents, Merry and Steve, were great house guests. Like us, they fell in love with our new home instantly. Even in some really tough weather (it snowed 30" in the last 7 days), they seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. Andrew's dad's rocky relationship with Maggie was reconciled and they were good buddies by the end of one day. We had some great dinners, including one that I cooked--not something I am completely comfortable doing for guests, but despite some smoke billowing from the oven, I somehow pulled it off. Photos to come.

So now that 2 weeks of assorted familiarity is over, I have come to realize how I love my new "norm" here. I have finally acquired certain routines, such as my three walks a day with Maggie, my writing Morning Pages (except for the past 11 days), visiting the Winter Park Resort office to retrieve emails, picking up my mail at the post office, taking photos of the alpenglow at dusk. Utah was nice, but not nearly as stunning as my home here. These mountains breathe their own unique kind of life.

Meanwhile, while I was away, I was...

Tagged

...by my girl Katrina.

So here goes...

Four jobs I've had:
Receptionist at a Catholic Rectory
Hoagie maker and waitress at Walt's Steaks
Foodservice for the Personal Care Unit in a retirement home
Decorator of children's furniture

Four movies I could watch over and over:
Winged Migration
Titanic
The Muppet Movie
Star Wars (all 6)

Four places I've lived:
Norwood, PA
Clifton Heights, PA
Havertown, PA
Winter Park, CO

Four T.V. shows:
The Apprentice
America's Next Top Model
The Sopranos
Animal Precinct

Four places I've vacationed:
The Jersey Shore
Disney World, FL
London, UK
Galley Bay, Antigua

Four of my favorite dishes:
Chicken Tikka Masala
Spicy Tuna Roll
Spicy Chicken or Fresh Mozzarella Pizza
Mashed potatoes and gravy

Four sites I visit daily: (almost)
Illustration Friday's forums
Feisty Scribe
Winter Park Resort for snow reports and gallery pics
Google because I'm often lost

Four places I would rather be:
This one is tough... I'll have to be specific.
Up on the hill, skiing on the sunny side of the mountain
Driving around taking pictures of the landscape
Birdwatching in the mountains or on a beach or in a foreign land
In front of a blank canvas, full prepped, with a loaded palette, clean brushes and a clear mind

Now I'm supposed to tag 4 others. This is going to be hard, as it seems a lot have already played the game. How about some peeps I've met in Real Life: Michele, Stephanie, Cindy; and one I haven't, but hope to: Amanda. Get to it!