Business as usual

Am back in the land of the living. Hobbit ear has disappeared (yay for miracle drugs) and we have been on some adventures.
On Saturday we headed into Santa Fe (literal translation "holy faith") to check out the art galleries. There is a stretch of road that is jam packed with galleries. The art work ranges from some very fantastic oil paintings and bronze sculptures through to "arts and crafts". It's fair to say that none of the artists (or more correctly the galleries) are inclined to offer a bargain. Still it was great to wander around and be out of the yellow house.
The architecture here is pretty special with traditionally built houses (adobes or mud houses) designed to be perfectly warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Several of the galleries were in old historic houses and it was amazing how warm they were, with one fire heating a whole house. People continue to build in the traditional style and these houses are certainly the rule as opposed to the exception. Alot of commerical buildings are also built to this style.
On Sunday we headed off to Taos. Have been before but really enjoyed going back and, on the way home, we drove via the mountain pass where we hit snow (the pass was closed last time).
We also drove through Georgia O'Keeffe country. This really is spectacular country and has the most spectacular rock formations. Overall it was a fab weekend after a week that really did take the wind out of my sails.
I am back on the job hunt having finally sorted my resume and figuring out that, while I haven't applied for heaps of jobs yet I haven't been applying at the right level (too junior). I figure at this stage I can aim for the jobs I want and see what happens! Peter and I (having both recovered somewhat) are now painting the greenhouse (yes it is green) and today I have been mowing lawns and...............collecting more leaves. It's nice to have some structure in my day and now that it is getting colder and damper I don't start work until 830 and finish at 1. B took me for a drive into Santa Fe which was good. I feel much more relaxed being on the wrong side of the road but I expect it was the slowest trip in and out of Santa Fe that B has had. B&K have a very nice landrover SL which I drive on the roads (as opposed to the big trucks they drive around on the ranch). B took me for a spin in the hummer the other day (one of the many "recreational vehicles" they have here) and that was fun.
All and all am feeling very happy and healthy!

Hobbit ears and emergency rooms

Well the great outdoors and feeling fit and well went out the door this week. Somehow managed to get a very very special inner ear infection that has seen one side of my face swell up (munster like) and a right ear resembling something like a hobbits ear (swelling to about four times its usual size). Doctors visits here are somewhat more complicated as we have to travel to Santa Fe which takes 45mins. Ended up at the after hours doctors rooms where - yep you got it - the Doctors assistant used to live in Aussie and spent a large chunk of his childhood hanging out with a local Maori family! In between hearing lots and lots about NZ versus the USA I got a massive dose of antibiotics, prescriptions and a referral to the ear, nose and throat specialist (thought that was a bit over the top until the Doctor explained exactly how odd my condition was and how it could damage my hearing....).
Of course those who know me best appreciate that my constitution is not very attuned to massive doses of drugs (alcohol isn't a drug.....) so I spent the next four hours bonding with the great white god, begging for forgiveness and promising to never ever do anything bad again. I haven't been able to eat much other than very strange jello, chocolate pudding and tentative picking at anything that seems vaguely tasty and will stay with me long enough to provide some sustinance - three cheers for Powerade.
Went off to the specialist today (Wednesday) where I was made to feel very special as he too was intrigued by the combination of symptoms - long and short of it, have a new dose of medication and have to go back in two days if my charming good looks fail to emerge within two days. And no, before anyone asks, there is no photographic record.
In between all that my pal Peter fell off his ladder and cut his head (I ended up going with K to the emergency room then she dropped me at the specialist). Peter is fine, but will be very sore tomorrow - he didn't fall far but did give his head a good whack.
Just to reassure that life is not all grim - it was lovely to have the yellow house to come home to, everyone on the ranch is being very nice about my being ill and, best of all, have K to be big sister super nurse & B drive miles to get my prescriptions filled.
Don't you just love reading about other peoples health problems online????

It doesn't pay to be superstitious

.....no sooner did I hit send for a job in NY when K (who happens to be on the telephone with someone on 5th avenue) gets told that a small plane has just flown into a building. What do you say? Even in my short time here I have met people whose family or friends were in or near the towers - everyone has a memory of where they were when it happened (just like home really). Anyway I have decided not to dwell - seems to me something sad is always happening somewhere in this country and, on the flip side, something happy too.

Day to day living

My life in the last few weeks has largely revolved around painting, mowing lawns, raking leaves and generally enjoying the great outdoors. Went horse riding the other day and had a fab time. Group of the staff went out. We rode "western" as opposed to "english" - random insight - riding western is like riding a harley (laid back) while riding english is like riding a suzuki (up tight)..........so much to learn so little time.
Went to my first "sports bar" too. Consists of dozens of high tables with stools and around 20 TVs all showing different games of college football (gridiron) and motor racing, with random music booming out over the top of everything - including the cheering from the various groups watching different games. Also had the compulsory pint of beer and fried chicken wings!
Had my first driving experience too. Drove on the highway (and interstate) and around Santa Fe. All went well and K was very good at giving directions. Helped that it was Sunday so not nearly as much traffic as there might have been, still busier than Wellington on the average weekday I have to say.
Found a few more jobs to apply for and am slowly getting my CV (resume here) into a format that might work (four pages means I have to really target). Am really interested in at least two of the jobs but not sure that I am an absolute fit for at least one of them. Spend quite a lot of time trying to imagine what the next part of my life looks like and where I might be living. Everytime I see a "maybe" job I go to the map and have a look at where it is and wander what it might be like to live in "that" city.
In a couple of weeks time I head off to Denver for a week as there is a big visit on at the ranch and its a good opportunity for me to have a look around. Its only an hour away flying and I found what looks like a nice hotel that isn't too expensive but in an okay part of town.
Weather here is starting to get cooler and we even had some rain (apparently a rare and special thing - although they do get covered in snow at the height of winter).