Gaaaasssppp: First Re-Impressions of Flagstaff

I say "re-impressions" because I grew up here, so I don't think that technically my impressions of Flag from the past month can really be classified as "first." But here are some of the things that really stand out now that we're back:

(1) There is no air. Hence, the gasp. I am really trying my best to maintain my running here, but so far I can only pound out about two miles without collapsing into a twitching, semi-conscious heap on the side of the road or trail. On the other hand, running in Buffalo Park (my favorite spot) is jaw dropping, epiphany-inducing gorgeous. (Well, maybe the epiphanies are more from lack of oxygen). There are pine trees swaying, birds singing, and an herd of deer regularly roaming the park.
Last week, I rode my bicycle to the grocery store (probably 3/4 of a mile away), had a delightful down-hill ride on the way there, and a near heart attack on the uphill way back. It literally took me 10 minutes to catch my breath. It also appears that one's ability to adapt to a thinner atmosphere is related to one's age. Garion has had absolutely no trouble adjusting and I 'd say that within week, he wasn't feeling the altitude at all. I on the other hand am still struggling to adjust. So not only do I get to feel like a wuss, I get to feel like an old wuss.

(2) It is hilly. There is not one single place to run or bike that does not involve a significant hill and I am not exaggerating. Even Buffalo Park, which is relatively flat, and thus my favorite spot to run, has a bitch of hill at the end of the loop. Downtown Flagstaff is probably less than 2 miles from our house, but the giant ogre that is Cedar Hill stands between me and downtown bliss (at least as accessed by bicycle). Also, it would appear that someone in this family thought it was a good idea to buy a house on top of a hill. This means there is no way to get home that does not involve climbing a hill. I am determined, however, to persevere and think that I will have really awesome calf muscles in a few months. Be sure to check them out and ooo and awww accordingly the next time you see me.

(3) It is really freakin' windy. Whhhoooooossshhh all freakin' day.

(4) It smells like pine trees. On the few days when the temperature has creeped to around 70, the fragrance is particularly strong and I am reminded of every summer of my childhood. I love that smell, it is the smell that makes it okay that there is no air and lots of hills.

(5) It's cold. Cold as in today is May 12. There is a storm coming in tonight and we have a chance for snow. In May. Tomorrow's projected high temp is in the mid-forties. In May. I've resorted to telling myself little lies as a coping strategy. As in, "it's okay that it's still cold in May because you burn more calories during cold weather" and "oh, good I get to wear my sweaters a little longer now." These are lies because a) when it's cold I eat more and have no desire to go outside to exercise so even if I'm burning more calories to stay warm it doesn't matter and b) I really prefer shorts, t-shirt, and sandals to wool socks, long pants, and three layers of sweaters and a jacket. On the plus side, the Flagstaff-granola-Birkenstock uniform is really more my cup of tea, fashion-wise, than the spaghetti-strap-tank-top uniform of Tucson. So if it ever warms up, I'll blend a little better. I'm hoping my body will adapt soon or that I'll be saved by global warming.

(6) Flagstaff is kid friendly. There are at least three different outdoor summer concert series coming up and every single one runs from about 5:00 to 7:00 in the evening which means we could actually go without having to pay the price of putting our kid to bed past his bedtime. I can't tell you how excited I am about this.

(7) Technology is not as big a deal here as other places. There is a nice little old lady who works as a cashier at the Farmer's Market on Fourth Street. I feel a good degree of guilt when I grocery shop there because she has to enter every price for every item by hand--no such thing as bar codes and a scanner. Thankfully, she doesn't seem to mind and we had a delightful conversation about her garden the last time I was there. Also, the dude who connected our internet cable thought it was perfectly fine to run the cable from the box near the street through a bush, over the front yard, into our neighbors' flower bed, and over the fence to our house. Still haven't got the dude back out to fix the problem and it obviously is not perfectly fine. We had a thunderstorm two weeks ago that wasn't even anything near what the monsoons are like, and the power immediately went out (I'm going to have to get a back-up battery for my computer).

(8) There are Swedish Oat Pancakes. My most favorite-est restaurant is now officially Brandy's, and lucky for me it's in walking distance of our house. They have a spectacular creation there know as a Swedish Oat Pancake, and it is a yummy, hardy pancake that is bigger than my head. I ordered one two weekends ago and had it for breakfast for the next two days.

(9) The federal court house is right next to the Late for the Train Coffee shop. Score! I have to go into the office to check my mail about once a week, and well, as long as I'm there, I might as well get a chocolate-y, delectable "Mars Hill Mocha" to ease the pain of a cold Monday morning. Mmmmmm. (See, that's where the cold weather=burning-more-calories theory breaks down).

(10) I've spent more time with my family in the last month than I have for the previous two years before that. And I still like them! Last week, my mom, brother, and I met for lunch. Just casually, no big deal. Except that I can't even remember the last time I did something with just my mom and brother and that wasn't part of some big event like Christmas or a wedding.

(11) I am so lucky that I might as well have won the lottery. I have a great job, with a great salary and benefits and I get to work FROM HOME. IN FLAGSTAFF. How incredibly unbelievable is that? My family is here. I get to live in a nice house (with copious amounts of wall paper and yellow beveled glass window). This place indescribably beautiful. Some of our oldest and closest friends live here. My heart and soul sing with a sense of good fortune in the present and memories of some of the best parts of my life as I move through this town. I feel a connection here, to this place, that I have never felt in any other place in my life and I am so grateful to be home.