Alabama...WE HAVE SNOW!

So, its been a while since I have posted. No I still don't have my apartment completely set up the way that I would like it, but...I have with about 6.5 hours to go to complete my first on-call 3 day weekend with snow. Including driving in it every single day at least twice. I have attempted to snow shovel for the first time. My neighbor who is originally from Idaho makes it look so simple and easy. I can attest that it is a great workout and will get you sweating. I haven't yet made snowmen or had a snowball fight but...soon enough ( with the way my weekend has been going it would be my luck if I got to do either one I would be called in and have to go in covered in snow). Here are some of the sparkly shiny snow images from out of my front door. I truly never realized that fluffy snow tends to look sparkly and shiny like glitter until travelling in tonight from a call into work. It kind of looks like someone sprinkled glitter everywhere...albeit difficult to turn in but looks like glitter no less. Here's to hoping I can finish out my weekend on call with no more calls.

Forgive the heavy breathing from me...I forgot my snow brush.
Once you walk on snow it becomes ICE!

I also made it last night to attend the annual Parade of Lights here in town (for most of us Bama folks it would be a Christmas parade) which was quite a cold but fun experience doing it with a friend (Alicia) and her family. I now realize most things here happen early since the snow is here to stay and will only be getting worse (or better- if you like more snow than is seen here) and the temperatures are set to drop below zero this week. They tell me that chances are good that around the new year that temperatures will be closer to -1 to -30.  I still am not sure about all that.

As well as all the snow fun I have had, last weekend a few of the ladies from radiology made sure that I was not alone for Saturday evening . We had a girls night out over in Steamboat Springs. We started out the night at Mahogany Ridge then travelled on to Sake2U. We were hitting up the happy hours especially for the yummy appetizers.

We had an absoulte blast that night! 

For thanksgiving I went to the hospital for the Thanksgiving meal there since most people were busy with their own families ( I won't have to worry about this for Christmas though) and spent some time talking with family and friends throughout the day.

That about sums up my last several weeks. 

Out and about

Well after not doing so much the other weekend, I decided last Sunday...since I was on call on Saturday and spent several hours at work...that I was going to get out and explore once I got up and was moving around.

I headed into the ski resort town named Steamboat Springs which is about a 45 minute ride east of where I am living. The drive is absolutely stunning, I can only imagine what it looks like during the snow season. There was some snow on top of some of the taller mountains, but none to speak of at the "lower" elevation a.k.a. in town.

I spent my afternoon wandering in and out of shops in Steamboat, spent no money (tourist-y trap that is way more expensive than what it is worth) walking along the Yampa River.
Finally about 3 pm MST I decided that it might be a good idea to eat something. I wound up eating at a place called Sake2U. I had their Steamboat Crunch sushi roll which was delicious. They do serve other things but...I wanted sushi so that was what I got.

My view while eating my sushi :)

Well after I ate since it was getting later and getting colder I drove back to my place. With the colder weather here (think Alabama during December/ early Jan) comes the deer. Although I have seen so many more deer out here than I think I have ever seen in my life, there definitely is a difference in the "town" deer versus deer just 5 miles south of "town". The "town" deer don't seem to care just how close a vehicle is, if it is moving or whatnot. They just tend to stay to the side of the road as far as I can tell from what I have seen.

Over the last week or so we have had threats of getting snow but as of yet we have not gotten any. There is a place just south of town called Trapper Mine- which as you might guess is one of the coal mines here in the area- and behind a coworker/friends house up on the hill had snow on Thursday morning if memory serves me correctly. They keep changing the weather so I don't know when we will get snow...but it should be just any day now.

On Thursday night I went and helped to decorate the local elementary school for a fall festival that they were putting on for the local community Friday night. I didn't think ahead enough plus my phone died during decorating to get any photos. I was told the next morning at work by one of my coworkers Alicia that the children loved it when they walked in. As far as I know things went well for them Friday night with the fall festival. I have only seen the photos in the local paper of people enjoying themselves at the fest.

Yesterday morning since I was lazy and didn't want to cook or do dishes, I had a brunch meal at a local eatery called the Cool Water Grille and had a sausage omelette which was covered in a white pepper gravy (so good and I forgot to take a picture of it). On my way back out to my vehicle I saw three "town" deer munching on someone's grass. They were literally one street/alley off of the main drag in town.


Well that about sums up the fun I have had over the last 7 days.

Nothing too exciting happening right now.

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since I have posted anything. But in my life not much has been happening. It's been wake up, go to work, come back to my apartment to study, sleep...repeat.

On Tuesday night, the radiology girls and a couple of moms went out and did a Splatz class (think Wine down with Art) and we painted a fall scene. This was my first outing as a co-worker to a great group of people. I think a fun time was had by all who were present. Wish everyone else would have came too but, things happen. I think mine looks better in the picture than in real life.

Almost all the girls from radiology.

I did go down to Grand Junction on Wednesday to attempt my registry for Abdomen again, without much success which I am bummed about.

I have started working more on getting my place in better looking condition but still is not ready for it's close up. That really about sums up these past two weeks. There hasn't been any snow as of yet, but if it had been precipitating this morning we would have either gotten sleet, ice, or snow...It was 27 degrees outside when I woke up this morning. Hopefully soon I will be able to get out and explore more of my "new hometown". Y'all have a good one!

The Move to CO

Well my last days in Alabama were busy as could be. During the time when I was planning to leave AL, some dear friends of mine : the Budraitis's (sp?), the Domeny's, Bro Mike, and the McGowan's wanted to find out about my new job up here, but sadly I didn't have time to call and chat. So this blog which hopefully I will update every week or two came into being. I may not have a snazzy blog but it helps keep those who wish to know, in the know. Here's how my last weeks in Alabama went:

1. Finished out a two week notice at my last job.
2. Signed a lease on a place to live up here in CO.
3. Lined up a moving service to get everything out here to CO.
4. Packed a Penske truck to move everything out of my apartment that I had been living in.
5. Packed the front end of a 28 foot trailer to get all my belongings out here to CO.
6. Spent as much time as I could with friends and family in AL before leaving.

Mom, Dad and I at the airport at Ft Walton Beach before going through TSA.

Then things went smoothly through all of my flights which went much better than the flights out here for my onsite interview for the job I now have. I was lucky enough to fly in and have one of my new co-workers and his wonderful wife pick me up from the airport and provide me with a beautiful place to stay until my apartment here and my stuff arrived.

There were a bunch of deer down in the valley below their home.

Their two sweet dogs.

The view of the eclipse from their back porch.

Momma and baby deer right out the door.

 My new co-worker helped me to find my place (pictures of that will come later when I finish getting things together) and a new ride :)

My new ride and my co-worker taking a pic with his IPad.

 It's been a busy month for me but I can say that although I have been extremely busy, I have a new outlook and new scenery to see until it snows. But I leave you now with some of the vistas that I now have daily.