"Are you from here?" "Why yes, as of two days, I am!"

Hello my chums! I am alive!! And finally updating the blog!! I apologize profusely for those of you that have missed your daily dose of absurd updates. But it has been quite a busy few days! Thank you for following up and reading despite my awfulness at keeping up with the blog. I <3 you all!

Last Friday, Dad and I left St Louis at 9:30 PM and drove allllll night to Colorado Springs! We did the drive in about 12 hours or so, and probably about 8 of those were spent in Kansas. Let me tell you, driving through Kansas is boring, but driving through Kansas through night is worse! The only good thing is the extreme amount of stars you see! Lots of stars, trucks, and more stars, and the occasional gas station. There were t-shirts that said "Dear Auntie Em, hate you, hate kansas, taking the dog. love - Dorothy"  Now we have all seen that quote before, but it is HILARIOUS and so wonderfully true when it's 3 am and you are in BFE, buying m&m's to keep you awake at a gas station from a huge fat old trucker guy who talks in grunts and one syllable words. But we finally emerged from Kansas into western Colorado prairie and all I could imagine was riding through on a wagon being chased by Indians!! There is no where to hide!

We got into the springs around 8:30 AM and found the most delicious crepe place! I had a crepe that was stuffed with Brie and Almonds and pears! Then I found an apartment and applied and got it! It's in the foothills of Cheyenne Mountain (which apparently is where N.O.R.A.D lives) and is beautiful.  So the first couple days were spent finding a bed and some basic furniture.

Yesterday Carolyn and I drove out to Cripple Creek, an old mining town in the middle of the valley of the mountains. The ride there was gorgeous, lots of gold and red and yellow Aspen leaves. Then we got to Cripple Creek and found a brothel museum. Yes that's right, a Brothel Museum.  It was in this beautiful old historical building. And we walk in and there's this 75 year old woman sitting there. So we give her our money, and she took us on the downstairs tour. Apparently this house the gentlemen had to be screened and show proof of income (mostly millionaires). They charged 100 per trick, and 250 per night, which is the equivalent of $9000 in todays money.  Technically it was illegal, but the city charged taxes on their profits, and they used the money to pay the policemen to keep the town safe! They were only allowed out downtown when the "respectable ladies" would be at home doing their laundry.  The house itself was gorgeous! Old antique furniture made of hand carved oak and cherry. There was a tiger wood framed mirror in one of the girls' room! A beautiful old piano downstairs, apparently they had a hired musician. They also had a bar and card-room, the wall paper was original (from 1890) and it was made of oatmeal paper imported from Europe. It was beautiful! The girls bedrooms were upstairs, and there were beautiful hand made quilts made of silk, one was made of handkerchiefs sewn together with lace. There was even a hand pump vacuum cleaner which looked something like this. vacuum cleaner  you have to scroll down, but it's the one advertised in the paper. So we went back downstairs to look at the merchandise, and ended up buying shot glasses. They have a picture of the house on it and says "Old Homestead House - where the customer always comes first"

Then today, after going to work and chatting a bit with my bosses and meeting everyone else, I decide I was gong to go for a hike! So I went up to Seven Falls, which turns out is about 4 minutes away from my apartment. Before I headed out there, I went to REI to pick up some sunscreen and bear spray. Yep, bear spray. My boss said I should get some, and that it works on any animal, including humans, and that mace is illegal in the city.  Carolyn says that every 8th time you go hiking, a mountain lion tracks or watches you!! So i went to REI to look for some, and of course I couldn't find any and felt like an idiot going up to the guy and asking "do you have any bear spray?" so I decided to chance it, and bought sunscreen and a hiking trail guide for colorado springs area hikes.



There will be a blog hopefully on wednesday that is just packed full with pictures from all these adventures!