Being a lone tourist makes my neck tired. I’ve got to look in all directions at once. Oh beautiful scenery, it is hard to soak it all in and drive on narrow mountain roads. Saturday I drove up to Park City and then took the long way back, through aspen lined canyons. Today, I headed out to the Great Salt Lake where I found sails raised and big skies.

All this sight seeing would be so much better with a friend at my side, someone to enjoy the stark beauty with me.

My time in Utah was extended, so I’m still out here, living in a hotel room, far from home. This is now, officially, the longest I’ve been apart from SB since we met and ofcourse the longest I’ve been away from Lola. This past week Lola turned one. In celebration I’ve posted some photos from last weekend, when she and I had a dog park fest and met up with her new friend Sammy.

Today I’m off to find some more clothes for the coming week and then I’m planning to drive up to Park City for the afternoon. I’m sure I’ll be posting more photos tonight.

I’ve missed western mountains, true, looming, jagged, snow topped. Tonight at sunset they were perfection. This photo doesn’t do them justice, for the colors they turned and the full moon rising over the peaks.

Last night I had that same restless night’s sleep that I used to get before starting a new school year. Is my outfit ok? Will the other kids like me? Will I have any friends in my class? I hope it is better than last year….

Much like a new school year, the first day, the first week, they are a strange time, when you don’t know where you need to be or what you should be doing and everything is new and fresh, but still familiar. That’s what today was like for me. I’m ready to go back tomorrow and I’m looking forward to the next month, the next six months, to see what this job becomes.

Day Five, my final day of unemployment. By now I’ve got a whole system to fill my day, starting with a leisurely hour at a local dog park (photos), followed by some general correspondence and web surfing, pretty soon it is lunch time. SB has been walking home for his lunch break for an hour of hot food and hanging-out. Then on to the afternoon where I can split my time between cleaning and organizing the house, crocheting, watching movies and hanging out with the pets. How did I ever have time for working? How did the pets ever survive without my undivided attention?

If it weren’t for that whole money thing, I’d give this unemployment gig high marks for overall satisfaction. As it is, I’m incredibly happy to be starting my new job. On Sunday I’m flying out to Utah for a week of training and then I’ll be back, working from my home office. (Photos around our new Madison home.)

Thanks for all the comments to my post last month. I’m feeling more settled and less overwhelmed. I did decide to break-down and buy an $800 chair (ouch). I found this office supplier who let me test drive as many chairs as I wanted, bringing each one home for a few days. There was no comparison between the chair I bought and the five others I tested. I’ll give a full review when it arrives in a couple weeks. They have to custom build it for me.

Lola and the car have both recovered from their injuries and the string of catastrophes seems to be behind us. Whew!

Fall is descending here in Wisconsin, bringing crisp mornings and riotous leaves. I can’t get enough of the fresh air and flocks of geese. It still seems unreal that we are back home. I’m looking forward to a few months from now, when I’m comfortably settled into my new job and really ready to dive back into Madison life, just in time for snow.

Now who wants to buy a wonderful bungalow in East Atlanta?