Updates on living the dream in the Mile High City

Caleb at the summit, writing about what he sees. 

First summit!

(Yesterday, September 5, 2011...) Larry and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary with a day trip to Evergreen and a 4 mile hike in Alderfer/Three Sisters Park.  Very proud of the kids, who kvetched pretty much the whole way up, but got totally jazzed at the top, powered up with lunch and sang & skipped the whole way down.  Kudos to the "Evelyn & Larry School of You Better F-in Learn to Love it Out Here Because Mommy's Not Moving Again and This is How We're Going to Roll."  Larry & I enjoyed a delicious bottle of port after the kids went to bed and are very much looking forward to going out on our eighth anniversary when we most certainly will have found a babysitter here.  Hint, hint.

Today was (gasp) cloudy in the Mile High City, a good time for Adina and I to explore the fabulous children's area at the Koelbel Library after I picked her up from pre-school.  Colorado must be desperate for settlers because not only did they issue me a license to drive a car ... I got a library card!  My heart started pounding and my palms got all sweaty when the librarian took my "application" and started typing into her computer.  Huge. sigh. of. relief.  She handed me a card.  Apparently, she had no way of knowing about overdue fines, or say a "Dora & Diego at the Beach" book in the glove compartment of my car that belongs to a certain library in the state of Ohio and that, ahem, I will obviously be mailing back to them just like I told the kids.

Speaking of loving Denver even when I'm not outside (remember, clouds, went to the library), here are a few of the accoutrements of big city living that I've been kvelling over the last few days.  I never knew I always missed:

1. Chinese food delivery.  And eggrolls and tofu with mixed vegetables appeared at the front door.  And life was good.

2. Chair massage after manicure.  And for $10 for 10 minutes I bent over the flourescent drying lights.  And life was good.

3.  Target with produce.  AND LIFE WAS GOOD!

One last note.  I enjoyed a brief, but meaningful chat this morning about my last post on "choice paralysis" with the friend who suggested I try blogging about my journey out west/back into the world of paid employment.  I said something along the lines of I wish there were more high level, intellectually stimulating 9 am to 3 pm jobs out there, and she said something about thinking the next big thing was going to be when companies figured out a way to tap into all the creativity and intelligence of women who've been focusing on raising their kids, but are ready to enter or reenter the work force, who want to be productive and make a difference outside their homes, but also be there when the kids get home from school, need to go to the doctor, have a big soccer game, etc.  Of course!  Isn't this the natural next step in the feminist work evolution?  Stay tuned for more please as I ponder and research.  And please, let me know your thoughts.