My Backyard

So, when I moved to Colorado, I didn't expect to love everything about the state. I am a person quite partial to my home state of South Carolina. I also didn't expect to be as annoyed as I am by certain components of life here. Many of you enjoyed my commentary on the favorite things I have in Colorado, but I noticed no one from SC commented on them. I'm balancing the blog by now sharing the things that annoy the heck out of me.

To begin with...there is one good season, Summer. Every other season is a smattering of good days mixed with snow and cold! For example, it is close to 70 degrees today. I can't really complain. However, last Wednesday/Thursday, this picture shows what my backyard looked like.

It's not that this southern girl can't handle the occasional cold front, but COME ON! This is not predicted to be our last snow. The saying out here is "If you don't like the weather, wait an hour." That statement couldn't be more true, but my sinuses have had it! It is time for spring, sunshine, and tans! I don't want to still wear socks and corduroy in late April! Tim's input here: No one out here can drive in the rain, but drive like demons in the snow!

Another thing that annoys me is that there are no dentist offices that are free standing...at least none I've seen. They are all in strip malls. Those of you back south...do you feel comfortable having your teeth pulled at a strip mall? Don't get me wrong, I love my dentist out here. However, I would have never tried her out had she not been highly recommended!

A third thing that annoys me is how every street, road, avenue, place, way, and boulevard have the same freakin' name! There's Euclid Ave., Euclid St., Euclid Way...you get my point. If it weren't for Google Maps and a couple uniquely numbered highways, I'd constantly be lost!

Many of you have heard me complain about this, but it needs to be said again. The educational funding out here is laughable. More money goes into the upkeep of the stadiums that house all the professional teams than to the schools. Justification is that people don't move here for the education. However, most of these people move here, settle, have kids, and then send them to schools that still have chalk boards, orange carpet (that was ripped out of my first dorm room before I moved in), and asbestos! But, please keep making the Pepsi Center state of the art instead! I'm down off of my soap box now.

The last thing is a little thing but annoying to both Tim and I. People out here don't Barbecue...at least not in the true sense of the word. Yes, I know the Australian term "shrimp on the barbie," but do you REALLY think about burgers and hot dogs when you hear the term "barbecue?" No, you think of some selection of meat, that is slow roasted or GRILLED, and then has a yummy goodness of sauce (KC Masterpiece, mustard, vinegar, whatever your liking) spread over it. What our good friends in Colorado kindly refer to as a barbecue is known elsewhere in the world as "cooking/grilling out." Imagine showing up for a barbecue and getting a Sam's Club burger and some Doritos...These are just a few of my less than favorite things in Colorado.

I do enjoy my time here. Like I said, summer is humidity-free and much less buggy. We have a much better public transportation system. People are generally healthier and more active and we have great parks for Rocky to meet new dogs. We are far away from friends and family, but have met some wonderful people out here. Hey, if I could pick anywhere I could live, it wouldn't be Colorado or South Carolina. I'd be independently rich and on a beach in Hawaii.