The bear went over the mountain

The bear went over the mountain

The bear went over the mountain

To see what she could see

The other side of the mountain

The other side of the mountain

The other side of the mountain

Was all that she could see

Greetings, my holiday friends. I have finally completed my move from Boulder, Colorado to "the western slope," or Palisade, Colorado, to be exact. For those of you who have asked "why Palisade," my first answer is that my children (and three of my grandchildren) are right up the road in Fruita. I'm also smack in the heart of Colorado wine country! A wonderful park five minutes from my door hosts a plethora of festivals (wine, peach, lavender, music) and the Colorado river runs through it. Beauty, fresh fruit from the farms, and family all abound.

Moving to a smaller place created its own challenges and questions, specifically, how did I get so much STUFF? I've been downsizing ever since selling my home two years ago, and yet, I was doing the two step hoarders shuffle through boxes for the first three weeks I was here. I have a little ditty going through my mind to the tune of "Gangster's Paradise" but with the words "keep spending all my life, living in a hoarder's paradise . . . " The fact that I have an abundance of Santa Nana costumes, hats, jewelry, and other accoutrement doesn't help the situation, either. It takes up an entire room, shared by the cat, and she's still a little freaked out by it all.

It seems strange to be starting a new life at age 62, but everyone I've met so far has been really lovely. I hope to start promoting myself (Santa's sister) over the coming weeks, starting with a visit to the local Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. I've already connected with some folks I met at the lavender festival, and a backyard concert at a local bed and breakfast on Sunday. There are only 2,500 people in Palisade, so I should know all their names by Christmas.

If you know anyone in my area, please let me know. I'm very close to Grand Junction, where my son is a nurse at St. Mary's hospital.

Many thanks!

Santa Nana

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. Walt Disney

Santa Nana's tip: Freecycle is a Yahoo group that has participants in every major city in the U.S. Basically, you can post your still usable items to be given away, and the recipient makes an appointment with you to pick it up. This way, stuff doesn't go to the landfills, people get stuff they can use, and you don't have to haul stuff away (especially nice for an old woman without a truck It is completely free. Of course, there are the occasional "no shows" and odd ducks, but I have used it in Longmont, Boulder, and now Grand Junction with great results. Let me know if you would like more information on this terrific community service. Someone just came and collected a heavy table I could no longer use. Oh, and you can ask for things you need, too.