days 2-5 in denver

i've made it to denver! the roads were cleared the following morning of the storm in gallup, nm. i was able to stop in las vegas, nm to see a friend and have lunch with her. coincidentally, it was her birthday so the visit was a happy occasion. she and her family moved to the town recently, and everyone seems to be adjusting to the new place well. she seems happy with her new job even though she's exhausted from the long hours.

the rest of the drive to denver was pretty uneventful...except for the brief hail storm in colorado springs. i managed to find my friend l's place quite easily, and we went to a concert that evening - melissa ethridge. neither of us were familiar with her music except for a couple of songs. l got the tickets from someone who had to leave town over the weekend. we enjoyed the show though - melissa ethridge has such amazing energy on the stage.

over the weekend, we took it easy. we saw 'little miss sunshine' and loved it! dysfunctional families rule - otherwise, how boring life would be. on sunday, we went on a hike just outside of the city. the scenery was incredible. giant slabs of red rocks jut out of the ground at an angle, like frozen waves of the red earth, contrasting with the green hills in the back drop and the bold blue sky above. the city created an outdoors concert hall, taking advantage of the accoustics the rocks offer and the fresh air in the openness.

and today, it's been a while since i've had a decent monday. getting to stay home (well, l's home) and watch the u.s. open is not too bad. people in denver seem extremely nice and sweet - it's like being in the south without the drawl. we're going to boulder tonight to have dinner with one of l's friends. the woman is apparently really nutty but an absolute sweetheart. it'll be an interesting evening.