Happy Holidays from Denver

I can never get it together soon enough to send out Christmas cards. Some years I even buy Christmas cards, address them, write in them, then fail to send them in time and bail.

This year I’m going to try what seems like a fail-proof plan: blog my Christmas card. No excuses. If your reading this on Christmas Eve, I did it! If not… I’m hopeless.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Last Christmas my house looked like a Christmas card. I do miss my spruces.

This year it’s not exactly quintessential Christmas vibes. Then again, apart from my snowblower feeling utterly useless, and our watershed having way not enough water, it’s ok with me that we don’t have a foot of snow. Lacking climatic cues though, Christmas really snuck up on me.

The year in review

(The Christmas letter section)

This has been another big year with lots of changes. Highlights include:

Looking forward to a new year

I can’t imagine the adventures that await me in the upcoming year. I do miss the adventures that regularly showed up on my doorstep in Juneau, but I’m looking forward to getting back into some activities that the “big city” offers. I think I’d like to:

  • Bring music back into daily life.
  • Continue my new yoga practice I’ve started since moving.
  • Cook and bake all the things.
  • Spend less time with computers and my phone.
  • Get a dog and take them on lots of adventures.
  • Visit friends.
  • Re-establish some daily habits that evaporated during the quarantine black hole (you know like getting dressed and leaving the house every day…)
  • Learn something new.
  • Be patient.

Hope to see you soon!

I’ve done my best to try to stay connected with people through this mess, but I haven’t been entirely successful. I’m looking forward to a little more travel, visiting, and connection in the upcoming year. I hope our paths cross soon!

Love,

Liz

Moving in: top 5 things covered in other peoples’ filth

Today’s episode of my moving-in series is brought to you by: the filth of other people.

Having moved into many pre-owned domiciles, I have cleaned up other peoples filth many times. There are definitely some hotspots that are always gross. If you haven’t cleaned these in a while maybe check on them.

I don’t know who this post is for.

1. Microwave Top, Bottom, and Vent

Sure, the inside of a microwave can be dirty. What is truly icky is if the microwave lives over the stove. Entering a new place I am not surprised to find a thick impenetrable layer of congealed sticky substance on the top surface, and underside of an over-stove microwave.

2. Vents

Bathroom vents, hvac vents. Just vacuum them. This one makes no sense. Same for fans.

3. Oven floor

It rivals the windshield for awkward angle so I get it. The water in the bucket was clear when I started.

4. Terlet hinge

This ones easy to ignore, but about two weeks in my toilet seat lid literally broke off so I found myself replacing the seat. Check on this one if you run out of things to clean. It’s probably gross whether you cleaned it a month ago or never.

5. Washer gasket

The amount of black sludge I removed from the crevices in my front load washer gasket would shock and appal you, so I’ll just show you some of the aftermath. it was so bad I first thought I was removing part of the gasket itself, but it was just really stubborn crud. Barf.

Honorable mentions

  • Window sills and tracks. I discovered about 20 little greenish house spiders squatting in my window tracks.
  • The gap between the fridge / range and the cabinets.
  • Fridge drawers and shelves. I broke a shelf rail cleaning mine and it was about $30 to replace.
  • Washer detergent dispenser drawer.

Boise to … Denver

We took an unplanned detour through Utah when the smog was settling in in Idaho. Figuring we might not see much of the Tetons, and giving my poor out of shape car engine a chance to recuperate, we rerouted through flatter lands.

Continue reading “Boise to … Denver”