January 24 - 29, 2007

•January 24, 2007•

   We were worried about what penalty we would have to pay to break our six month lease with Sylvia. Turns out she was very understanding. We are packing and cleaning the apartment today. Decided to fly out of Vienna for Colorado to stay with family. Paul's sister and brother, niece and nephew live there and we haven't seen them in quite a while. If we had really wanted to stay in the Czech Republic I'm sure we would have tried harder to solve the problem. The reality is we're both ready to go home, home in the broader sense of the word. That icy wind off of the Vltava was the harbinger of our departure. Even the Rocky Mountains couldn't be that cold.

•January 25, 2007•

   Today is my birthday so we went into old town to shop for presents to take home. We bought art deco and art nouveau jewelry, Czech glass from the 1930's, books and pashmina scarves. It was a great way to spend my 58th. I'm very happy to be going back but I know that when I'm in the U.S. I will miss Prague. I'm never satisfied to be where I am and always wanting to be on the go again. Paul doesn't know how to explain our decision to cut our trip short to friends and family. For my part, in the words of Rhett Butler, I say, 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.'

   On January 29, 2007 we flew from Vienna to Denver. We spent a few weeks with Paul's sister in the small town of Manitou Springs on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. The house next door to hers was for sale; a big, rambling, split level 60's house with a fireplace, great views of the Garden of the Gods park and Pikes Peak. The neighborhood is quiet, the neighbors are friendly and mule deer forage in the backyard. One morning Paul and I looked at each other and said, "Why not?" and made an offer on the house. A month later we moved in and , for the present, Manitou Springs, Colorado is home. But knowing us, that could change at any moment.