High in the Thin Cold Air
We are really enjoying our time living at 10,000 feet. There really is not much to do, but every time you open the door, the air is crisp and the setting is absolutely beautiful. We are spending our time skiing and schooling. Tom, of course, is constantly working. He does not have a desk or even a den to hide in, so he sits in this old chair in the bedroom and when he is on the phone he paces from the window to the washer/dryer, to the bathroom and back. It’s hard to believe, but he has been very productive.
The boys have settled into our routine quite nicely and they are really very focused on their studies. Every day they do a math lesson and a grammar lesson, and we try to cover all the rest at least five times a week. I keep thinking I am turning them into little geeks what with all the history, literature and Latin, but they really seem to enjoy it.
We are deep into King Arthur, and each day they beg me to read at every break and meal. They have turned the entire living room, which is tiny, into a giant medieval battlefront, with the occasional storm trooper wanting to bring up a quest of its own here and there. They really are enjoying all the beheadings, which is a little disturbing.
I seem to be much more in control of my odd quirks and pet peeves here. The place is small and highly manageable, and everything is where and as it should be. No laundry accumulates, I have time to cook all three meals, even time to get creative, and the kitchen is always immaculate. I have time to keep up with the school work and find interesting additional material online. I have even been making fires.
The one thing I have noticed is that I can’t seem to get worked up over anything. There just isn’t enough oxygen for that. I got a little upset on the phone the other day, and found myself hyperventilating. I wasn’t even moving! Also, if I get excited and start talking a little too much or too fast, I am soon out of breath.
After a few episodes, Tom decided that, if nothing else, this is definitely a good reason to consider moving here. “So you can’t talk a lot and you can’t be bitchy… Where do I sign?” Never a dull moment…