Shut your eyes...

It was about the time I moved back to Colorado I first noticed, or rather really listened to this song... and kind of ironic that I did at that time. I had bought the album some time ago, and finally took the time to listen to the whole thing... not just the song that the radio deemed important enough to play... or however all that works. But this day while driving up the tight turns on Loveland Pass this song suddenly jumped out and grabbed me. I had taken a liking to the song melodically some time ago, but suddenly words created a shiver up my spine and goose bumps ran down my arms to the steering wheel.

“Shut your eyes and think of somewhere, Some where cold and caked in snow…” “And when the worrying starts to hurt and the world feels like graves of dirt Just close your eyes until you can imagine this place, yeah, our secret space at will” Shut your eyes, by Snow Patrol

I’ve always needed my place to get away from it all. In GA had my favorite spot where two trees had fallen across a river and formed the perfect get-a-way above the running water. The cottage, being way out in the country another great escape from modern day life. And here… in the Colorado high country sitting at the top of a mountain you just climbed is more freeing from modern day woes than anything I’ve ever felt. You realize how small we are when sitting on one of these granite giants, and suddenly you begin to appreciate everything around you a little more. Stock markets will tumble… gas prices fluctuate… big companies start to fall… and election campaigns finally come to and end. But the mountains are always here…

Go west young man...

Some would say I’m crazy, but the adventurous side of me did it anyway. In April I had the goal of interviewing for a job or two, seeing family and friends, and also reconnecting with the city that raised me through my adolescence. As I hate the idea of “puppy jails” and asking friends to watch my two could always lead to trouble (and the possible loss of a friendship) I decided to embark cross-country and take the pups with me. So I packed the car and headed out on my journey. A journey from Atlanta to Denver that has yet to feel settled to this day, as I still feel I’m trying to find my place here. Kind of ironic since this is where I grew up!

So anyway… two days prior to leaving I had to have all four wisdom teeth extracted, so not much of my mind took in the sights on the way out to Denver but was more centered on the pain and getting to my first night’s destination pop a percocet. A brief stop over in St Louis to see Mike and Kevin was too brief and I headed out first thing the next morning to get to my ultimate destination. Having heard the joys of traveling through west Kansas I had prepared myself with purchasing a few books on cd. I like variety in life so I had a broad selection of books to listen to. “Marley and Me” seemed to do the trick (Earnest Hemingway’s Short Stories were starting to put me to sleep)... although I had not been warned of the ending. Tears ran down my face as I heard the author and narrator tell of his beloved labs last days as I passed by the “Welcome to Colorful Colorado sign.” Suddenly I felt like I was home again, and in some strange way felt a new appreciation for the lab of my own curled up in the back seat with his ‘sister’ Cloe, my Weimeraner.

Soon mountains came into view and I knew that a new chapter of my life was about to begin.

Catching up...

I know I have neglected this blog for a while. Sorry guys... but the move... trying to get a job off the ground and running... launching a new website (that I had to learn most of myself)... and well making up for lost time in the Colorado Mtns has kept me busy the last several months. But the snow has started to fall and now I'll try to get you caught up!