We took a few steps back this week. 🙄 Because the world has gotten more expensive, we needed to get another estimate for our home. So, I called our sales rep and asked for the requested numbers. I was a bit surprised when our plan came in lower than their requirements, and for a lesser quality home. Color me confused. Now that that new paperwork has been submitted, hopefully, we can finally get our financing to move forward.

We still haven’t received the approved building plans yet, so we are at a standstill on that front. With luck, we’ll get past the logjam sooner than later, and we can get started on our foundation before it gets too bloody cold.

Speaking of the cold, this week saw the balmy temperatures depart for eastern locales leaving our region a good ten or more degrees below average for the season. Morning walks with the dog have gotten somewhat brisker than they were a week ago. Layering helps.

A cold front began moving into the region on Thursday. Ahead of the expected snowstorm came hurricane-force winds (one gust at Rocky Flats was reported to be 110 MPH). Which sparked a massive wildfire between Boulder and Superior, northwest of the Denver Metro. Some six hundred homes and businesses burned, and more than thirty thousand people evacuated as of this writing. This event brings up trauma stress for many of us who have experienced or survived a similar fate. The most significant difference that I can tell is that we had several hours notice before leaving. We, at least, were able to save some of our most valuable items.

By Friday, the winds had calmed, and the predicted cold front arrived, bringing frigid temperatures to the region and snow in the mountains. Which, of course, made our trek up to Estes Park a bit of an adventure. Traffic into the hills was steady but tame. Most people kept a safe distance and drove through the canyon with extreme caution—a welcome change from the insanity of the city.

We arrived at our destination almost two-and-a-half hours after we left home. We did need to pull over every fifteen or twenty miles or so to clear ice from our wiper blades, but we weren’t alone in that task. Our plan was to spend the day doing nothing more than resting and enjoying the quiet. I would have liked to walk near Fall River, but the 7-deg F temperatures prevented much outdoor activity. The drive home should be much less wheel-gripping than the trip up as the snow is expected to stop sometime Saturday, and temperatures rise into the twenties, a veritable heatwave.

As I finish this, on New Year’s Day, I want to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year. May your dreams come to fruition as the days pass.