Living here

beets

The Colorado air is dry.

This parched feeling is all-pervasive, making itself known in every part of my body.  My skin is the Sahara, my eyeballs, sandpaper.  I smile, and my bottom lip splits like the back of Chris Farley’s coat.  My hands are cracking, my cuticles flaking.  I cannot drink enough water.

Short from slathering myself with lard, there’s not much I can do about it.  Still, I will take dry over humid any day.

Denver is incredibly sunny – over 300 days a year of sunshine.  Right now, even though it’s 16 degrees outside, the light is intense.  Seattle being my one true love, this brightness is an adjustment for me.   My eyes are wimpy and require sunglasses basically all the time.  I’m wearing sunscreen like it’s my job; being a mile closer to the sun than I was before, I walk down the block and come back pink.  I need to get a hat – I’m sensitive, folks.  Even my lips are freckled.

I am suspicious that every person I see out and about is an Olympic athlete.  Denver is a ridiculously active city – even more than Seattle, it seems.  Everyone looks young and healthy and fit and strong.

And having run 7.6 miles at a Mile High altitude yesterday morning, I dare say that I fit right in.

Speaking of health, on Friday night, I got a bee in my bonnet.  And after a 2-hour wait at the very fabulous Root Down, I GOT MY BEET SALAD THANKYOUVERYMUCH.

beets

It was not nearly as good as Fuel‘s.  But the cheese plate and wine made up for it.

So… scratch that thing I said about “health.”

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7 Comments

  1. Greta on January 25, 2010 at 1:13 PM

    Regarding moisturizing:

    Applying baby oil right before you get out of the shower works miracles. Your skin will feel so so soft. Don’t put it on your face though– don’t know what you’ll do about the lips, eyes, etc. :)

    Will call you after work today– this weekend was so, so good and incredibly restorative. Answer to prayer for sure. Can’t wait to tell you about it– and so glad you had fun with Julie!!

  2. Tim on January 25, 2010 at 2:06 PM

    Hellooo beet salad.

  3. Hope on January 25, 2010 at 5:19 PM

    funny. my friend in boulder posted this blog about surviving a winter in colorado just today.

  4. Shannon (sister of the other Annie) on January 25, 2010 at 7:51 PM

    Aveeno lotion works well too. And you can buy gigantic Colorado-size bottles of it, so you only have to go back to the store… well, once a week. :)

  5. cara flory on January 26, 2010 at 12:23 AM

    can I also just add…colorado boogers are THE WORST.

  6. Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams on January 26, 2010 at 10:49 AM

    Lip balm is the answer…take it from a resident of dry West Texas. I personally LOVE Burt’s Bees.

  7. Miranda on January 26, 2010 at 11:02 AM

    You look so beautiful AP!

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