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| Chill'n at the local library |
Coffee is free and the staff are friendly. Reid is with me this week so early Monday morning we drove here so he could participate in his daily video conference calls while I joined the 6 other women and one Labrador retriever for a hour long Yoga/Pilate's class.
The library is like the community center. They offer classic movies to the community on Monday nights, technology classes on Tuesdays, etc. They have a new media room for residents to record their life histories. I want to enhance my Excel capabilities so I have a one on one with the tech guy next Tues.
I also want to experiment with their newly purchased media equipment as I continue my interest in the use of video for learning. One thing I became more comfortable with while on my RV adventure was video recording myself. After the first few recordings, I dropped most of my harsh self criticism and just kept recording. I learned to accept myself whether I had makeup on or not, whether my hair was sticking out or not, whether I sounded intelligent or not. I highly recommend it as a self development opportunity as well as a way to chronicle a unique experience for later reflection and potential sharing of your experiences with others.
While Reid is in virtual meetings today, I've decided to continue viewing the Quickbooks video training I purchased as a way to keep track of income and expenses for the new business venture that Kent and I will be starting very soon. Kent and Lydia closed on their house last Friday and along with their daughter Hannah, they are caravan-ing their way here. I'm really looking forward to having them here so that we can move forward, faster with renovations and spend time with 3 of my favorite people.
I've completed the minor renovations to the bedroom that I'll call mine---that is, I've caulked to fill in gaps and painted to cover old laminate paneling and weatherized the windows and added curtains. I painted the floor the brown paper bag color used in the den and found a lovely carpet to add warmth and bring it all together. I'm still sleeping on a mattress on the floor but that will have to do until I have my belongings stored in Houston moved up here. I've been waiting on the outcome of Reid's custody suit before making the decision as to where my belongings should go....or stay.
I told the owners of Pine River Lodge across the street from me (sisters---Debbie and Donna) that I'd like to volunteer to help them clean their cabins if they'd let me so I can see how they do it. One night I dropped by to pick up a package they collected for me while I was away and Donna asked if I wanted to help that night. Even though I was tired and hadn't eaten all day, I wasn't going to miss the opportunity. There was just one cabin to clean and I think it's one of their nicer ones plus the person who stayed there only stayed one night so it wasn't very dirty. Even though I've been cleaning up after myself for years, I did pick up some great tips for cleaning efficiently and effectively. One recommendation that Donna made was to turn on all the light when you walk in so you can see the dirt. Also, they don't stock their cabins with a bunch of extra supplies like paper towels, coffee, coffee filters, etc. I envisioned personalized soaps, and trying to think of everything but realize it can become quite expensive if we're not careful. Better to start simply at first and see how it goes. I think Kent and Lydia will agree with that. Right now our cabins would definitely be considered budget, summer cabins. I still love Lydia's suggested tag line for the property--We're Not Tents!
One of the locals is teaching yoga on Wed mornings at my place. So far, it's only been me and two other women but I'm happy to be able to offer the space and I'm glad that I don't HAVE to drive anywhere if I don't want to. It's been a great way to get to know my neighbors and to get some exercise. One of my fellow yoga students told me of all the work she's done to try to get the internet situation corrected on the lake.
In addition to that, she mentioned the challenge she's had with some of the local folks who don't want Vallecito to grow. She mentioned a couple that I should meet at the local watering hole called the Hideaway. She said they were very progressive about growing their business and bringing in more fun activities towards that goal. When I visited Karen and Rob at the Hideaway it reminded me of the old sitcom--Cheers where everyone knows your name. It wasn't the dark, smokey, dingy saloon I was expecting. I ordered a beer and some wings and talked to Karen and Rob about opportunities to partner....I met their Schnoodle, their cook (who recently broke his collarbone snowboarding at Purgatory) along with his mom who was helping with his convalescence. In addition, I met the local hair stylist, Robin, who has a salon attached to the Hideaway along with one of her customers who has the spiky do I like so much. I definitely need to give Robin a try to avoid that long trip to Taos where I got my last cut.
While the Hideaway attracts motorcycles with their live bands, many of the local lodge owners don't want that sort of clientele. Karen said they had planned to have a live band for New Year's Eve but the band---a duo in their fifties couldn't find a place to stay in the area for one night. Most lodges seem to require a 3 night minimum. So, I'm re-evaluating my thinking about things after meeting and talking with them. If a professional couple drives up from Durango or Farmington, NM on their bike to hear live music, I'd like to be able to offer them a comfortable, clean, affordable (and beautiful) place to stay for a night. Karen and Rob even mentioned the idea of a shuttle between their place and ours for safety. We'll see how this development progresses.
In other news, the sisters across the street invited me for a day trip to Farmington, NM (1 hour south of Durango) which I enjoyed tremendously. They are full of great ideas and years and years of experience in the lodging business that they're very generous to share with me. Since this is the slowest time of year, they have more time to take these kind of excursions and I'm glad they let me tag along.
On another note, one of my yoga mates said she runs on the east side of the lake so one day after painting the walls in my bedroom and while the sun was still out, I bundled up and headed that way to check out the conditions for walking---since that's what I prefer. Lydia bought me some Yak trax for traction on ice for my shoes so I strapped those on. The road had snow on it but it was relatively clear. Late in the afternoon, I pulled the Liberty over to park it and got out for a brisk walk. It was rather desolate and I saw what looked like bear paw tracks in the snow. It occurred to me that I don't really know what to do if confronted with a bear and might need to keep the walk short until I learned more. I had visions of Leonardo DiCaprio's new movie (the Revenant) where he's mauled by a bear and he drug himself 200 miles for help.
Locals told me later it was probably not a bear but may have been a mountain lion. Add that to my list of creatures to learn more about before my next remote walk in the snow.
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