What a weekend!!

I've been thinking lately about how long I really want to stay here.  In this town, I mean.  This is longest I've ever lived anywhere, except Ohio when I was a kid. But I'll admit this is definitely not the place I would have guessed I'd be living for so long.  It's not that it's bad, it's just....  well...  it's "ok". 

If I could live anywhere here are some things that I would like to have easily accessible to me:

• mountains to bike, hike and ski
• water (river???  not a fan of the beach) for the hubby's rowing
• lots of "green space" - community trails, bike friendly, etc...
• active community
• liberal people and politics
• multi-cultural
• warm/ hot summers but NOT especially humid!!!
• winters can be cold or not - just so long as there's sun!!
• close to major airport and interstates
• and of course - a good job for me!! (the hubby is fine so long as we're by an airport)

Do any of you have any suggestions of places that meet the aforementioned criteria??

The place we live now has mountains but they aren't in my backyard.  They take at least an hour to get into the "good" mountains.  So there's no way I'm slappin' my bike on my jeep and heading out after work.  Well, I could but there are limited places within 30 minutes of work/ home. 

Don't get me wrong - I'm not bitching, exactly, about where I currently live.  (please do not read above with a whiny voice.  That was not the intent.) It's just that while living here for now is fine I don't see us living here forever.  It's not my "forever" place.  And the hubby agrees, despite the fact that he grew up here.

That said we're not quite ready to pack up and move within the next year or so.  So this is a great time to really reflect on what we want both in a place to live and a job before diving head first into a job hunt. And to really enjoy what's to offer here.

I admit - with me working in an office of 5 people and the hubby working from home we really don't know many people here.  (which is also probably why I don't feel like I "belong" here.)  I decided that I was going to do things that I "used" to do but haven't in a long time, even it's by myself or just me and the hubby.

So to start, I decided to go skiing.  And totally by coincidence there was a deal at one of the mountains Friday nite.  Lift ticket for only $6 to ski between 4pm and midnight Friday.  (usually about $45)  So after work the hubby and I headed up to the slopes.  This is probably the only time I'll get to ski this season so I wanted to make the most of it.  I had all intentions of staying until midnight.  However, Thursday night I was so excited to go that I woke up at 4am and couldn't get back to sleep.  (like a kid at Christmas, I tell ya!!)  Need less to say that by the time we drove up, rented out skiis and hit the slopes I lasted exactly 2 hours and 45 minutes.  We were home by 10pm.

It was crowded.  The deal, along with it being the last day of Feburary break (whatever that is...  the kids got the whole week off.) there were a million people.  So to get through the line faster I had the hubby and I split up and ride as singles to mingle in with doubles.  (this let us get in many more runs!)  On our last run I rode up with 2 snowboarders. These guys looked like they were in college.  Of course I chatted them up on the way to the top ( as I did all people I rode up with..).  Apparently they weren't students - probably my age - but you can't tell with winter coats, helmets, goggles and neck gators!!! But after that run I decided that I was getting tired and the fun of skiing was no longer worth waiting in the long lines.  So we headed out.

Saturday we headed downtown to a fancy restaurant for dinner.  They have a thing going on where several places have a three course meal for $25.  It's a great way to try a new place or go somewhere that usually is way too expensive.  So I got dressed in my "hoochie" skirt and we headed out.  After dinner we met up with the SIL and her friends to grab a drink for her birthday.  While standing at the bar this guy walked up beside me.  I kept looking at him out of the coroner of my eye and finally said "excuse me, were you snowboarding last night?!?"  I SWEAR he looked just like one of the guys I rode with on the lift!!  After looking at me like I had three eyes, he said "um, no".   Ok - I'm no dropdead buxom blonde - but did he really have to give me that look???  "Oh, I'm sorry - I thought you were someone else."  Which promptly brought out a huge laugh from the hubby's cousin, Post Lady, who was there and witnessed the whole thing.  "OMG!  Are you picking up guys right in front of your husbnad?!?!?!"  uh, no.  I was merely inquiring whether the gentleman was boarding as I thought that would be quite a coincidence if he were and we ended up at the same bar the next night....  Hey PL - all conversation betwen a man and woman does NOT indicate that the conversation starter is looking for a good lay!  GEESH!!  The hubby, standing, actually between me and the guy, just gave her a "whatever" shrug.    In retrospect I should have said to PL "oh, don't you know??  D and I are swingers..." and just walked away.  That would have thrown her for a loop...

Then on Sunday they had a "Bloody Mary-off" at downtown bars from 11am to 4pm.  Since KVeg doesn't drink I was kinda on my own.  But the hubby went with me - except he doesn't like BMs.  You get a ticket for $5 and then go to 13 different bars and get a sample (boo!!  only a 1oz sample?!?!?) of their BM and then you vote for your favorite.  Last weekend they had a "Cosmo/ Martini-off" on Saturday and then a "Margarita-off" on Sunday.  I can't believe I missed those!!!  : (  Although the hubby was great company it would have been more fun with a group of people....  But I persevered by myself.  It was hard, I'll tell ya... but I managed.  ; )  Drinking all those different BM...  tough to do by yourself.

So now I'm trying to get more involved with what we have to offer in town.  The winter is especially hard here so I was glad to get out this weekend.  Once warm weather rolls around it's easier to get out and about.  So for those of you in warmer climates... you can bite it.  It was 14 degrees this morning.  And we're supposed to get more snow today.  The hubby is concerned that they won't be able to get on the water for rowing until a few weeks later than usual.  (they have to wait for the ice to melt on the lake/ river!!!)  Do you want to know how much snow we get a year???  Check this out.  Hopefully it will drum up some sympathy for me.  BTW - Clay is a suburb of Syracuse and Utica is right down the road about 30 miles.... Cheektowaga is over by Buffalo....