Will Spring Come?

Across the country, snow has made another appearance and this time it's after the First Day of Spring. In Colorado, bright and early Wednesday morning, we were hit by a blizzard. Seriously. A....real....huge.....blizzard!!!! Just getting out of the house was a chore because the wind blew us sideways. I couldn't even see the car.

Being from Connecticut originally, I'm used to snow, ice and cold but wind hitting you so hard that you can't see where you're going? Nope. Can't say I've experienced that. Driving to work in that....oh...my...word. I can't thank God enough for that red truck in front of me. Honestly, I couldn't see anything else! Not the road, not any of the other cars, not the trees, not ANYTHING. Scariest drive of my life. I'm more certain than ever that God himself or more likely one of the angels drives for me.

Thankfully work closed early and I got to the car around 2:30pm. I had texted Gina in order to let her know that I was on my way home. But before I could even start the car, I got a text back saying, "Wait." I sat there with my mind going in a million different directions. Ok...should I stay in the parking lot for who knows how long? Should I go into the mall and shop? Should I find some place to go? Just by glancing around the lot and the street closest, I could see the mess. The wind was blowing the snow around making the snowflakes dance a tango/foxtrot/salsa/cha-cha all at once. The streets themselves were covered in slush and ice. I guess I'm not going anywhere for awhile......

I had driven my boss and coworker home just around the corner and then stopped to figure out what to do. Wound up going back to my boss's house and stayed there until the roads opened up again.

It wasn't a bad trip home, until about a mile or two before arriving. I started seeing cars stranded alongside of the road. Not just a few. ALOT! I had lost count but it had to be close to 30 cars stuck in the snow. When I had arrived around 7:15 at that point on the journey home, the road was still ice not pavement. Looking at it you'd probably think the road was a bobsled track, no joke.

Home sweet home at almost 8pm that night. I had left my boss's house at 6:45. Normally, it would take me 20 minutes. Yea..... Please let this be the last snow.

Uh, no. We are getting more Friday night. YIKES!

Super Bowl!

So....in case you haven't heard. WE WON THE SUPER BOWL! Denver Broncos against the Carolina Panthers 24 to 10 :D Never been this excited over a football game. Seriously. Though, they all played a good game aside from Aqib Talib who didn't seem to know how to keep his cool and play like a professional last night. Peyton Manning being 39 years old showed the world that an "old" man still has game!

Apart from the game itself, the commercials are probably one of the highlights and sometimes one of the low-lights. The Doritos ones are always full of laughs, but the mini cooper commercial this year was enlightening.

You can watch it here and comment what you think.

Personally, I found this to be a good reminder not to let others tell you who you are or what you can be. For years, I've heard "You can't," but it wasn't until college where I realize there was a lot I could do. Looking back, I've made quite a list of accomplishments and have continued to pursue my dreams despite challenges. Like Serena, with the right support and mindset no matter the circumstances, you and I define ourselves.

I define myself as a creative writer, storyteller and designer with a love for American Sign Language. How do you define yourself?

Biggest Snowstorm Since 2006

Of course, I have to be in Colorado when a record snowstorm hits. Of course!! Apparently, I bring snow because last year this time I was in CT and it snowed every Monday the month of January.....What did I do to deserve this?

So, we got two and a half feet of snow plus pretty high drifts, around three feet or more. Crazy! This morning we shoveled for about three hours and successfully got two out of the three cars out the driveway. Not quite pretty or at normal speed, but out. Yea....we aren't going anywhere today either. We've been stuck in the house for three days and I'm getting tired of it. If I were still in school, I'd be rejoicing! However, as an adult it can get boring real fast especially when running out of things to do! Thankfully, I do live with a rambunctious family that is full of laughter. I do also have my TV shows I catch up on via Hulu. So I'm not completely bored.

I love snow, but when it comes time to shovel it.....it's a nightmare. So I tend to love snow more when I'm warm and toasty or how the Colorado people say it, "roasty toasty" while looking outside. We did however make snow angels :D

Goats...Yes, I Said Goats!!

So, yesterday a surprise wandered onto our front lawn. Two goats. No idea where they came from. but they were friendly. They even tried to eat off the barren trees and bushes. I found it completely hilarious.

Just a crazy moment in the prairie.

Blizzards on the East Coast vs. the West.....

From my three months living on the prairie, I've met three people from the East. They've all said they will take the West's version of a snowstorm over the East anytime.

Well....I've officially survived my first Colorado blizzard and I have to say....it was scary! Once you've driven past the edge of Colorado Springs, there's nothing. Not even a gas station for two miles. No McDonalds. No CVS! Nothing! The only thing there that will greet you is darkness. There are no street lights so you seriously have to stare at the lights of the car in front of you if you want to reach the land of the living again. Seriously.

Monday night as I was driving back to warmth and safety....though the car was quite comfy if you ignored everything around you....the wind was howling and the snow was going horizontally. That's not supposed to happen. On top of that, we have drifts out here. Half way down the street I live on, there has been a ditch for who knows how long, but when the snow came it kind of got stuck and just pilled up. Driving across it is like driving through a marsh or maybe a ski slope. That was not fun.

In reference to the East, this blizzard happened on Monday and the snow is almost gone. You can barely tell we had a storm much less any amount of snow more than a dusting. In the East...the snow would still be there Christmas Day... just saying. However, I'm not a huge fan of driving in zero viability so honestly, not sure if I like the West's version of snow more than the East or not. Maybe it will be different in other parts of this state.

Friendly!

Compared to the East Coast, Colorado natives are so friendly and helpful! Whether I'm digging through my purse to find a penny or I drop something or even putting on blinkers when changing lanes! The people seem always willing to help you out and give you the right of way. I love it out here!!!

In the past week, I've met two people from the East Coast, one from CT and another from MA. Both have said they noticed the same thing. It's different pace of life and sense of calm not rushed. I'm curious when the snow comes how they drive. People have told me that there are many from CA who live here and they have NO idea whatsoever how to drive in snow. SMH. Just like New England.

I also love the faces I get when I say I'm from Connecticut. Their jaws just drops. At least they don't ask, "Where's that?" like people in New Jersey do.......seriously!?

Prairie Life

One huge difference from my hometown in CT and Falcon, CO is the fact that there are animals. Don't laugh. I'm serious. Sure, in CT we have squirrels and raccoons and woodchucks. Not really that spectacular. However, in the prairie, there are antelopes, cows, horses, frogs, bunnies, chickens, pigs and probably a whole lot more I haven't seen yet. They are everywhere! I am however pleased to say that the area doesn't smell like manure like most of Iowa does......

I also find it somewhat nerve wreaking, coming from a busy town next door to Hartford, that most people around here are very trusting. Now, my dad made it a point to get to know our neighbors and here is the same. The family I'm living with now have no idea where the house keys are....why, you ask? Because they never use them unless they are gone for weeks at a time, which hasn't happened in quite a few years. Even when we went camping for the weekend, the doors were shut like the windows but not locked. Weird for me but slowly becoming natural. I don't even lock the car doors here. On our street, you pretty much know what vehicle belongs to who. It's a rather short street and it's dirt to boot. Until recently, there were potholes everywhere. Thank goodness the county decided to fill them in. Before that, we had to drive in the middle of the road, but hey it's a quiet street. We never run into anyone coming the opposite direction.

It's also very quiet out here. Reminds me of Ithaca, minus the drunk Freshmen. You can see the stars quite clearly and the blood moon we saw recently was pretty cool. Down the street, there's a new Walmart, Domino's, some fast food places and two banks. Being used to driving 15 minutes to the nearest Walmart, this is awesome! Who'd expect that in Colorado!!??! But as they say, the West is booming!