Rocky Mountain Home

After two weeks in my old Texas stomping grounds, I'm back in Boulder. A two and a half hour plane ride and an hour and a half bus ride and I'm the happiest person in the world.

I stepped off the bus tonight and took a long, deep breath of that sweet Boulder air. A bright moon shone in a cold clear sky, making the snow covered ground glow a silvery blue. Boulder creek was tumbling and icy. And mountains. Those beautiful, beautiful mountains.

I soaked up every glorious moment of the stroll home. There I found Gerard with a smile and a warm hug. I ate a hot homemade meal of spicy pinto beans and fresh baked cornbread, took a hot shower and slipped into my favorite flannel pj's.

There is no screaming television. There are no strings of traffic backed up for miles. There are no interstates or tollways, no skyscrapers, no chemical-laced prepackaged factory "foods" and no rednecks. There's just me and the mountains, the snow, the creek, and my lovely, sleepy little town.

I don't mean to imply that my trip to Texas was miserable. It was not. I had a great time and I loved seeing my best friends and my family and visiting my favorite Texas hangouts. Some of the highlights of the East Texas portion of my trip were hiking with the family in the Big Thicket National Preserve, long wonderful talks with mom, getting a tour of the "new" Houston from Michelle and Gina, and hanging out by mom's pool. In Austin, it was chatting late into the night with Scott, sharing a beer at the Ginger Man with Elizabeth, dinner with Ragen at Truluck's, dinner at Eastside cafe, barbecue at Rudy's and Artz Rib House, breakfast at Kerby Lane with Keith, a long walk around Town Lake (I have a brick dedicated to me in the overlook at Town Lake and Barton Creek), shopping for boots at Allen's Boots, visiting Bookpeople, Tesoro's and the Whole Foods flagship store, strolling the capitol grounds and hiking at McKinney Falls State Park, and spending New Year's Eve celebrating with lots of friends, food and karaoke. No, I had a wonderful time in Texas just as I always do.

But the wide open spaces of the west call to me. The mountains and the snow and the solitude of places west of Austin - whether they be in Texas or Colorado - call to me. My home calls to me. I guess I'm an introvert, because people - however much I love them - drain my batteries. Quiet time restores my energy. Nature rejuvenates me. Privacy keeps me sane.

How I love my Rocky Mountain home.