Rejuvenation

I've always wanted to live in Colorado, and since moving there five months ago I've enjoyed the majority of my time there. In the last few weeks, however, emotions have been increasingly harder to control, probably because I was missing my family and friends as the holiday season approached (I was definitely not the easiest person to get along with my last 48 hours in Colorado as I prayed I would make it out of DIA).

But after spending the last nine days back in the Midwest, and seeing nearly everyone on my must-see list, I am feeling completely rejuvenated! Getting my nails done, eating lots of delicious food, doing puzzles, playing games, going shopping/partaking in some shoe therapy, and just hanging out with people who I can't help but be comfortable with (after all, most of you have known me anywhere from five to twenty-four years) has been just what I needed. As 2007 dawns, I am ready to return to my new life, delve back into school, and tackle those slopes! I miss you all immensely but am so happy in Colorado!

Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's Eve and a joyous year ahead!

Christmas!!! It's great to be back with friends and family...

DIA during the holiday season and immediately following a blizzard...

The radio mentioned we should arrive at the airport at least 4 hours prior to our intended departure time, and I really did try. Thanks to a wreck on the highway I was only just over three hours early. I was lucky enough to have Lottie standing in line already, so I cut in with her. Hours later we were still standing in the freezing temperatures outside of DIA with hundreds of other people who were also stressed about making it home to family and friends. With only 30 minutes remaining, I asked a Frontier employee what I should do. After all, I had already printed my boarding pass at home and only needed to check one bag. Even if I got through the first line, I still had an hour and a half wait to get through security. I smiled and tried to be friendly, unlike several of my fellow travelers. She looked at my bag and decided I could get it through security and could check it at the plane if there wasn’t enough room on the plane. She gave me a conspiratorial nod and said, “Follow me and just go along with whatever I say…” So we took off through the airport…she with nothing but herself, and me with two “carry ons” and a piece of full size luggage. Minutes later we were at the front of the security line with only one disgruntled guard between us and the metal detectors. She told the guard she was with an “unaccompanied minor” and needed to get back to her station quickly, so we didn’t have time to wait in line. The guard looked at me suspiciously, asked my age (to which I replied “15”), took a few more takes, and then rolled her eyes and said to go on through. I yelled “Merry Christmas!” over my shoulder and continued through the security checkpoint. Now you must remember that my bag was supposed to be checked, so I had several contraband items included. Luckily, when I explained the situation to the guy searching the bag, he had mercy and left everything in. Several hours later I was disembarking in St. Louis and had no baggage to claim, making it much easier to rush to dinner with family and friends!

Car Trouble (Kind of)

By Wednesday evening the snow had finally let up, leaving 2+feet of the white stuff on the ground. I was coming home from school and made it safely up Society Drive to my parking area. Of course the plows had plowed right into the parking spots, leaving snow piled 3+ feet high. In my defense, there were tire tracks over the snow pile where a vehicle had previously been parked. I know this is not a sufficient excuse for my actions, but nevertheless I atempted to park my car in the same space. I got a running start and hit the tire tracks exactly…my front wheels made it, but then my car bottomed out in the snow drift! Of course I was a little worried, seeing as the rear of the car was still sticking out in the road, but I am an independent woman…surely I could dig the car out! At this point, I tried to get out and start digging. Unfortunately, the snow was piled so high that I couldn’t even open my doors! I ended up having to crawl out of my car window. Luckily I don’t think anyone saw me. As I was standing there, in a drift up to mid-thigh, contemplating my next move a van rolled up the street with one of my little six year old’s family inside. They were kind enough to help push me back out onto the road. Apparently any time it snows more than 2 ft, I’m going to have to park in the little parking lot that gets plowed on a regular basis.

Dashing Through the Snow

Deadly Icicles!

Ok...so some of this is drift on top of steps, but it's still quite a bit of snow!

With over a foot of snow already blanketing the earth due to steady snow showers throughout the past 24 hours, and another 12-18 inches predicted over night, I'm enjoying the winter wonderland from indoors and praying the roads are clear by Thursday afternoon for the journey northeast to Denver and beyond.

The few inches of white stuff Sunday night was greatly appreciated by my six-year old ski experts who skied their way down fresh powdery slopes during Monday's "school." Two weeks in a row they've been lucky enough to have powder days for Ski PE! After a mandatory meeting I was able to join them on the slopes and had an awesome time! I helped the kiddos onto and off of the lifts whenever they happenned to need it, catered to a wide variety of needs at lunch (everything from opening packages and getting in and out of ski gear to making a long treck to the bathrooms since a watermain had frozen and left those nearest to us out of order), and was able to ski in the afternoon with my aid Sally, who happens to be an excellent skier. It was like having my own private lesson for free! She assured me that we were doing nothing more difficult than a double green, but after looking at a trail map today, I have discovered that she had me on a few blues! Anyways...we made it back to school with everyone just as the storm began heading into the valley.

I spent the evening cleaning my apartment and baking Christmas cookies for school, so I was pleasantly unaware of the storm brewing outside until this morning. Luckily, I left enough time in my morning routine to dig my car out of the snow and still get to school in a timely manner (my remote start is wonderful, but when there's anything more than an inch of snow it takes too long to let it do all the work). The kids had a ton of fun in the snow today, but when I walked out the door I found that the car was yet again burried in snow. The purchase of snow boots that literally come up to my knees has definitely payed off!

Ski PE: Nightmares Resulting in Success

My first ever Ski PE! For those of you who haven't heard of ski PE: every student in the district gets an entire day each week on the mountain with ski instructors while the ski resort is open. I didn't even go up on the mountain with the kids, and I was more nervous than they were! After nightmares last night concerning kids being unable to participate through some fault of mine, I beat the procedure to death in my head before school this morning. Getting sixteen six year olds dressed in ski gear and keeping track of skis, poles, boots, lunches, and other paraphenelia is a little overwhelming, but everyone was prepared and we were ready before all other classes! The kids were way excited...not only do they love ski PE in general, but there was 9 inches of new snow over night, so they were in heaven. People here (including six year olds) live for powder days. Last report told of happy children with full bellies from lunch who weren't even complaining all that much about the frigid temps.

As for me, back here at school...after a few meetings that weren't nearly as bad as they could have been, I was still left with time to work on other projects I'm responsible for. I was amazingly focused (until about ten minutes ago, when I decided to update this BLOG) and accomplished a huge amount of work.

Next week I'm going up with the kids after my beginning of the day meeting! I'm really excited, even though I will surely be humbled by the vast expertise of my students on the mountain. I felt I had made great improvements this past Saturday when I hit the slopes, but I am still, after all, very much a beginner and obviously not a native of Telluride!

This Year's Official School Picture

By the time I retire I'm going to have countless school photos... when my kids and fellow teachers asked what I do with the free prints provided to me by the school I had to respond, "I send them to my parents, just like when I was a student!"

Cold Conditions

Hope everyone has recovered from the winter storm that seemed to hit the entire country. Family and friends have told me Missouri and Illinois had it much worse than my new hometown...or maybe it's just that they don't know how to deal with it as well as Colorado (the street cleaners, utility companies, etc...not the loved ones). We ended up with much less than the 2.5 feet predicted, and it was nice not having to dig my car out from under more than 24 inches of white powder! Don't get me wrong...I was still wearing my full winter boots (the ones that go all the way up to my knees), winter coat, gloves, and hat when I went outside to brave the frigid conditions (negative teens over night), but no power outages and such. It has currently warmed up some, but traveling down the ski slopes at not so high speeds still gives you frostbite on the nose and cheeks! I went for a couple of hours this past Saturday and had an amazing amount of fun! After gaining confidence and speed through numerous runs down a few easy greens, I ended the outing with an attempt at a long double green run. I must say it was a success!

Wonderful Winter Weather!

Those who know me best are probably wondering if I've gone insane... after all I've been complaining about perfect weather (60 degrees and sunny)! I'm just so excited about learning how to ski that I can't help but hope for snow!

Lottie and I were able to take lessons on Friday, which were a blast! There were only a few runs open (2 to be exact), but since we spent most of the lesson on a tiny hill learning how to stay upright, stop without falling on our rears, and turn back and forth across the slope smoothly, the shortage of options didn't really matter. I was a little worried after my last experience braving the slopes at the end of March. If I was going to be fainting mid-slope I was afraid the ten day pass I purchased wouldn't get used. Thankfully, I must be much more used to the altitude, because although I was tired, I wasn't even ready to stop at the end of the afternoon! Yes, there were a few mishaps... Yes, my muscles were sore for the two following days... And yes, I CAN'T WAIT TO GO AGAIN!

After an extremely warm and dry November the weather-people are predicting approximately 1.5-2 feet of snow in the next three days with highs in the teens. This is wonderful news for a ski resort/town! I foresee a multitude of practice runs in the coming weekends, with the goal of conquering at least the blue runs by the end of ski season!

Thoughts on a Thankful Thanksgiving

In a year filled with firsts for me, this is a big one. The first time I'm away from any and all family for a holiday. The first time I'm disappointed in 60 degree, completely sunny weather (it's not very conducive to skiing). The first time I've ever cooked a whole turkey by myself! The first time I've had to seriously think about the high altitude cooking directions for the benefit of everyone else. Thankfully, there are still some things to remind me of home... talking for extended lengths of time with the entire family on the other end passing around the phone...watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...eating turkey, hot rolls, pumpkin pie, corn, and mashed potatoes.

Lottie brought the turkey with her when she came down yesterday...it weighed 18 pounds! We had to continuously bathe it in cold water on Thanksgiving Eve to defrost it in time. Then, I had to get up bright and early this morning so there was enough time to cook it before our scheduled feast time at Suzanne's. It was definitely an interesting experience...I still feel like there's salmonella everywhere even though I've scrubbed all surfaces possibly touched by the uncooked bird. Lottie's pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and corn dish were delicious. The turkey was pretty darn good too, if I say so myself. The carving wasn't nearly as efficient, nor the turkey as attractive as in years past when done by more experienced cooks, but I would definitely classify it as a triumph for two first timers.

It was a pretty good day, despite the sadness that went along with being so far away from the people who mean the most to me. I continue to be optimistic about ski lessons tomorrow and am looking forward to the copious left overs for the next few days.

"My brain is getting bigger!"

I am almost always impressed with my kiddos...we all know that. Their attitude towards school and willingness to learn are absolutely refreshing. Lately, however, I can tell they are in severe need of a break. After tomorrow, they will thankfully have an entire week to relax away from their everyday buddies at school who have been getting on their last nerve.

Even with their struggles getting along, they still make me smile! Today a little boy (who moved out of a second grade and into my class due to academic and social problems, as well as speaking very little English) came in with the brightest smile on his face! He walked right up to me and exclaimed, "Ms. Hasty, my brain is getting bigger!" When asked why he thought this was so, he replied, "because I know all this new stuff I couldn't learn before!" How precious is that!?!

Vast Views of the Wild West

(All of the beautiful pictures above were taken by Jeremy, since I had forgotten my camera at school...I promised I'd give him credit!)

I am a midwesterner...seeing for miles and miles without obstruction is not new to me. However, when those views contain massive red rock towering overhead and winding canyons carved thousands of feet into the rock below, it is an amazing sight.

This weekend Jeremy and I took a leisurely drive west into Utah and became tourists in two different National Parks. Saturday we got a little bit of a late start (thanks to me insisting we go to the Ski Swap here in Telluride, at which we both purchased skis!) but made it to Canyonlands National Park with enough time to get in some pictures and a short hike. It was amazing! Although the clouds were definitely threatening and the wind was picking up, it never precipitated. With a jackets on, the 45 degree temperatures were pretty comfortable, and we had the place almost entirely to ourselves. As far as the eye could see was a vast canyon flowering within a canyon, both of which were surrounded by precipitous cliffs. It was absolutely amazing!

We stayed in Moab for the night, got up early this morning, and headed out to Arches National Park. The sky was somewhat clearer, but the temperatures remained the same, leaving the hikers a bit chilly in the shaded areas. This park was also impressive, but I personally enjoyed the Canyonlands more. There are huge rocks...I'm talking the kind that rise thousands of feet out of flat ground. To top it off, many of them have centers that have eroded throughout time, leaving literal arches in the air. Also seen were "petrified" sand dunes created when sediment that blew in over the dunes compressed them into rock and later eroded.

From Arches we took 70 back to Junction and suppressed the shopping bug before heading back home via the normal "boring" route. We thought about hitting the Colorado National Monument and taking the scenic route through a red rock canyon home, but decided it would be more impressive if left to a day of its own. We did, however, drive "through" an impressive storm out in the desert on our way to Junction. You could see the rain pouring down in torrents for miles, but in one area it was almost like a curtain lifting. You could seeing the sand dunes in brilliant sunlight just on the other side. And of course there was a rainbow (I've seen more in the few months I've been out here than in the entire first 23 years of my life in the midwest). Furthermore, we saw a herd of antelope just off the highway. Jeremy made fun of me, but it was the first time I'd seen them outside of the St. Louis Zoo...I was a little excited!

It was a fabulous weekend, but I guess it's back to work tomorrow (not that I don't love every minute of work too). One more week with the kiddos before Thanksgiving break. They get a well deserved week off, while the teachers are forced to attend two days of meetings prior to being released for some rest and relaxation...or more like serious over eating, long naps, and maybe even a bit of skiing!

When it rains, it pours...

Ok, so we know that I can never do things the easy way. Instead of just being allergic to something that was easy to identify, I instead had to pick something that was unidentifiable. Today I drove 2.5 hours to "the best allergist on the Western Slope," only to find out that I'm "slightly" allergic to everything he tested for (40-50 little pricks in the back and right forearm), and moderately allergic to cats. Nothing that should have cause my facial swelling and throat constriction. BIG SURPRISE! His conclusions were as follows (yes, there were several):

1. I have a chronic sinus problem (when he asked the last time I didn't have a runny nose, I had to admit I couldn't remember...sometime in the last decade though).

2. My facial swelling and throat constriction were caused by a sudden allergic reaction to ibprofen (I know that's a spelling mishap waiting to happen), which I was taking to alleviate the sinus headaches.

3. I also have strep throat, which I probably got from my kids while I was taking the steroids to relieve the swelling and throat constriction. Apparently steroids somewhat repress your immune system (according to my general physician).

So while I'm not feeling all that great, at least I have some idea of what is going on and am beginning a wide range of medication to combat the little germies and histamines that are rebelling in my body. Hopefully I'll be back to normal soon!

These pics are from a few weeks ago... I was just looking through them and thought I'd share. Even though the colors only lasted a very short time, they were the most vibrant I've ever seen. It's still beautiful here, and I love the snow capped mountains, but I think the few days of fall may be my favorite scenery so far. It looks a little bare now that all of the aspen stands have lost their leaves.

My second post of the day...Must be having a hard time focusing on work...

Yesterday was of course Halloween, which in Telluride means PARTY! Everyone gets involved, and it's soooo cute! After lunch today my kids all dressed up in their various costumes and the entire elementary school paraded through town...some parents here can be VERY creative. One kindergartner was a slice of pizza, one was a playground (wrapped in turf with barbie sized playground equipment glued all over), etc. I let my kids vote on what I should be. The witch costume won out by a narrow margin, but they were deeply hurt when I failed to wear the green face paint I had originally planned on (a nasty allergic reaction resulting in swelling of the eyes, throat, etc. prompted the doctor to forbid me from wearing any makeup until we figure everything out).

It was an absolutely gorgeous day...not a cloud in the sky and a toasty 45 degrees! Our only obstacle was the packed ice and snow still remaining on the road from last week's winter storm. The kids just decided to skate down the street instead of walk though...they're always up for a challenge! All of the parents and shop owners lined up along main street and threw candy at the paraders (I think it's usually the people in the parade throwing candy at the bystanders...hmmm).

Once we got back to school we partied for two complete hours! They were pumped full of sugar just in time for their parents to pick them up. We're talking cupcakes, carmel apples, sugary juices, as well as candy, candy, and more candy. One parent did opt to provide grapes, crackers & cheese, and celery. But how much of that do you really think they ate? The teachers and I had a great after school snack! The kids then made jack-o-lanterns, various Halloween creatures with punch art (using a thumb tack to trace the outline so that light shines through when you hang it up in the window -- the kids absolutely love it, but "shhh" don't tell them it's a great way to improve their fine motor skills!), and playing Halloween Bingo.

It was an exciting day, but once the kids left I turned around and saw what a mess our room was! Cupcake smashed into the floor, sticky grape juice on the tables as well as the floor, paper everywhere! The only thing I'm sure of is that the thumb tacks from the punch art got put back in the bulletin board (we've had that issue previously). I did have a few students and their parents help me clean up after school, and tomorrow is a work day, so I'll have a little more time to scrub each and every surface again in between my million meetings. Hope everyone had as great of a day as I did!

PS... about my allergic reaction...I'm apparently all of the sudden allergic to something in my apartment...doing my best to figure it out by removing things that have been added/changed in the last week (eyes started swelling last Thursday). Went back to the doctor today and was prescribed some steroids to help with facial swelling and throat constriction, but we probably won't know for sure what it is until after I treck all the way to Grand Junction (a 2 1/2 hour drive) for testing with an allergy specialist this coming Monday. Luckily I feel (and look) pretty much normal after I've been out of my apartment for a good 5-6 hours...so I'm not too awful looking in the class Halloween picture!

Optimistic and Smiling!

So I have been absolutely loving this new place I call home... completely amazing scenery, fresh air, miles of beautiful trails to hike, a totally new start! And even though I'm much more remote (traveling 2.5 hours just to go the mall is a little rediculous), my new experiences here have kept my spirits pretty high. The atmosphere is a complete 180 from before (and I don't just mean the oxygen...). Most everyone is extremely laid back, which means less stress for me, although waiting three times as long for anything to get done has taken a little while to get used to. The fall colors were gorgeous, even if they only lasted for a week and a half before the first snow, and I've been able to forge some new friendships. I've visited Mesa Verde, as well as the Denver area several times, and recently had snow tires put on the car (after a rather treacherous trip to Denver through blizzard like weather).

One of the few drawbacks has been not being in St. Louis to experience history in the making last week as the Cardinals won the World Series for the first time in 24 years! I was jumping up and down and shouting, at home all alone (I was slightly under the weather, but had I been in the St. Louis metro area, you can bet my illness would not have stopped me for the world!). GO CARDS!

My First Blog

This is my first blog... I'm currently living in Telluride, CO! I'm teaching first graders, and loving every minute of it! They surprise me each and every day. The scenery is amazing, and now I'm just waiting for ski season to start. I'll keep you updated!