I'm back!
After what must be years, I've decided to get back into blogging. New state, new house, new job (hopefully!) and first time living in the States in over half a decade. I figure, I should have enough material to keep things from getting too monotonous!
Mat and I got the keys to our new place on 31 August, 2009, and since then (aside from a week in Iowa) we have been busy getting everything in place. Our movers arrived from Iowa yesterday (Saturday), and since then we have been unpacking machines. It's crazy just how much stuff we (read: I) have managed to accumulate over the years! We were a little overwhelmed by the number of knickknacks we have; once everything is unpacked, though, I'm sure we'll find a place for everything . . . I hope!
I still can't believe we are homeowners; very overwhelming!! Our loan payments are not too dissimilar to what we were paying in London, only now we know that every payment made is going towards something we own rather than a rental. Of course, now when things go wrong we can't just call the landlord! Natch!
We are really falling in love with our new state. Since I was in high school, I have dreamed of living in Colorado, and I love that I have someone who shares that same passion for nature, wildlife and an active lifestyle. We are so psyched about exploring every nook and cranny--once we get this house in order!!
We live in a town called, Louisville, which was recently named the number one small town in America! (Side note: you pronounce the 's'.) We love that we are close to Boulder (around a 10-minute drive) and Denver (around a 30-minute drive), but that we also have a quaint downtown in Louisville, which is just a 15-minute walk away! After six years without a car, I was keen to keep walking to as many places as possible. Once we get bikes, we'll have even more options for car-free destinations. Also, what's brilliant about Boulder/Denver is the public transport! We were able to get to Denver station (for Amtrak) by taking a call and ride and another bus--all for $6.50 each. To give you a better frame of reference, I called three cab companies and they each quoted at least $70 for that same journey!
What drew us to this area, aside from the beauty and charm, were the two tour operators selling Asia. Mat loves--and is brilliant at--what he does, and really wanted to keep working in travel. I'm very happy to say that he is now working for a company called, Asia 360. He starts on Wednesday, and I am really proud of him managing to secure a job so shortly after moving here. We met up with his boss and a few colleagues of the company that owns Asia 360, and they all seem very kind and good humoured.
That's another thing (I'm changing topics here): I keep spelling things the British way without thinking! Part of me wants to retain that, for whatever reason, but another part of me realises (there I go again) that I should re-train myself. All I can say is, thank goodness I never drove in the UK!
Back to Mat's job; we're thrilled he starts on Wednesday, as that gives us plenty of time to get the house ready. I know I could have managed on my own, but the two of us working together for 12 hours, two days in a row, has meant we were able to get a lot accomplished! Our goal is to have everything finished by the end of tomorrow (Monday) so that on Tuesday we can relax and focus on other things--namely, his first day and my job interview. As I am superstitious (it's the Turk in me) I shall refrain from giving any details of said interview for the time being.
So I am LOVING having access to my albums again!! We have a stack of CD's in the car and I am experiencing sensory overload every time we put in something from my uni days. It's been a LONG time since I have been able to drive and listen to music, and the drive from Iowa to Colorado had a particularly nostalgic vibe for that very reason.
I have a lot more that I want to post, and will make an effort to add bits from time to time.
Until then, night night.
-Dxox
