Adrenaline Junkies

Here we are at Hanging Lake!

On Saturday afternoon, the members of the Poor House were gathered in the living room deciding what to do for the weekend (although let's not kid ourselves, every day is the weekend at the PH). The idea of camping was discussed and, after some phone research on Ryn and Kels' part, it was decided that we would travel to Glenwood Springs for the night. The fire ban in Colorado didn't apply there, so we mobilized pretty quickly and Kelsey, Kathryn, Andrew, Michael and myself headed for the hills. Literally. Foxy decided to stay home and enjoy some alone time at the PH, which is hard to come by and, every now and then, necessary.  Next thing we know our tent is set up next to a river with a (cargo) train track on the other side. There is something disruptive pleasant about hearing a train go by every hour throughout the night next to your tent. Later in the evening we ventured to the Hot Springs and soaked up the mineral water (only from the hour of 9-10 p.m. when the discount applied, because we are members of the you-know-what house and we milk the  discounts). Those of us from Saratoga were quite accustomed to the rotten egg smell of the sulfuric water... it almost felt like home if it weren't for the fact that we were in a canyon.


Camping was great. We woke up (some later than others, I'll let you guess who slept in and who woke up and went to get breakfast for the group) and went for a morning swim (see video below. Please ignore the brown stain below my bathingsuit that resembles feces. It is in fact mud. I swear). We then went to Hanging Lake where we went on a 1.2 mile hike up to a beautiful watering hole with caribbean-color water and waterfalls. It was a great trip and it was nice to be surrounded by nature and lovely friends. I recommend you take a similar trip if your job/life/city is overwhelming you.

Good Morning Everyone!

Hey look everyone, it's Sandra D. post-makeover!

Canyon Yoga

 

Hanging Lake

Dinner at the Poorhouse

Some say it's an odd combination...I say it covers most of the major food groups.

The Purple People Eater

On Saturday, the 4 of us girls ventured over to the Goodwill sale in hopes of finding a new couch for our lovely abode. When we arrived, we immediately spotted a very large textured burgundy couch. After further examination, we discovered that 2 of the seats on the couch were actually recliners. There was some question over whether or not the couch would fit in the car and through our front door, but we figured we wouldn't know unless we tried. It took 4 men to load the couch in to the Highlander. While loading the couch in to the car, we discovered yet another feature. The middle seat folds down to serve as a cup holder, food tray, and even potentially a booster seat. We couldn't fit the couch all the way in to the car, so one section of it was hanging out the back of the Highlander on the way home. I followed behind in my car with my hazards on. We drove down Broadway going about 10mph. Getting the couch inside the house was quite the task. The 4 of us just barely made it through the door and in to the living room with it. We were quite satisfied with our accomplishment. We got this gem for $30. Sweet deal. Are we a little too excited about it? Maybe. We now have a whole blog post dedicated to The Purple People Eater.

G.A.B.F.

Last night Nor and Kat shuffled over to the Great American Beer Festival to sample some of the country's finest brews. The two ladies donned their pretzel necklaces - the only food allowed on site at the G.A.B.F., although their necklaces were actually chokers as you can see below...


After waiting in a line to get in, the gals took on the Fest. They were quite scattered at first - sampling any ole thing that came in front of them. However, after getting some tickets to a judging/tasting workshop, they had some perspective on the importance of mapping routes. A list was compiled - including only the most unique and enticing beers, some being Rosemary Ale, Coconut Cream Ale, Blueberry Cobbler Ale, Cherry Pie Ale, Eat a Peach!, and and IPA infused with Yerba Mate. Some very diverse choices to say the least. The Fest got a little crazy, especially when anyone dropped a sampler's cup, but it was a great time!

The Bugs in Colorado are No Joke...

Yesterday during a leisurely drive near Boulder on the way to a hike with Kelsey and our good friend Adam, something stung/bit my hand. This creature could not be identified (I didn't even see it), but it sure left an impression. See for yourself...

Both hands look deformed here... but it's the one with no knuckles that got stung.

Here are some other pictures from that day:

Hi Adam!

Pretty nice views. Henry enjoyed them.

This is in our basement a.k.a. "The Dungeon". Henry and his friend, Roger the Rodesian Ridgeback are spending some time relaxing together after a seriously intense play session (as you can see, Henry is about 1/16th the size of his playmate).

The Poorhouse hits the Pourhouse

Welp....straight off the plane from my wanderings and back to the poorhouse....I was informed that we were going on a group barcrawl (what better way to spend the $3 we had our mom send us). Luckily for us, there are happy hour specials all over this city. You just gotta know where to find 'em (nice job on the research, foxy).

The goal of the night was to explore what the greater Denver area has to offer us in terms of local beverages (It was all about the culture, really) without going to Sanchos. Has anyone mentioned Sanchos yet? Its the Grateful Dead Bar that Foxy and I will never deny a night at. Who were we fooling....2 am rolled around and we couldn't resist the pull of the grunge that Sanchos has to offer. I think we found our local watering hole....

On that note: Norah is babysitting TWICE this week, Kat is puttin in 3-4 whole hours at her old job, and Foxy started school!! Major.Moves.

Unemployment Hike

There are several advantages to being unemployed. One of which is the surplus of free time we have. Today, with our free time, we went on a 6 mile hike at Rocky Mountain National Park. This scenery is beautiful and much different than the Adirondacks. One of the first signs we read at the visitor center was "If you are attacked by a mountain lion or a bear, FIGHT BACK!" Good to know... cause we'd totally stand a chance (not).
Anyway, it was a great hike, after which we enjoyed free beer samples from two different mountain town breweries (Lyons and Estes Park). 

This small critter was king of all the land. Here you see him looking over his kingdom with nothing but pride.

Tonight We Revel in the Feminine Power

On a more sentimental note, the female residents of the poor house went to Molly and Shane's house tonight for dinner and game night. Our two newlywed friends found out that they were three months pregnant just a few weeks ago and now there is a lot to be excited about! After a wonderful dinner of chicken and butterflies, a good majority of the evening was spent with the men outside smoking cigars and the women swapping stories of family and babies. I felt as if we were transported back to the old days, sharing wive's tales and superstitions in a nomadic tent. We told the future by putting a needle at the end of a piece of yarn and holding over Molly's belly --- according to the tale she will have a boy because the needle swung in a straight line. However, we all know she and Shane are going to wait to find out the sex of the baby as a surprise. I know this is a touchy-feely post, but when friends find out that they are expecting a baby, it is a touchy-feely thing that should be celebrated. Hurray for the exciting future that lies ahead for all of us!

From the Underbelly of The Poor House...

This was written by one of our current basement tenants, Andrew. Apparently it's a whole other world down there... see for yourselves:


While life on the surface at The Poor House is nothing but the brightness and cheer exuded by its female occupants- and a highly-overrated front porch- there is a little known underworld beneath the charm.  Dark, mysterious, decidedly masculine, and entirely unglamorous, the basement is an almost inexplicable experience. 

Beyond the flickering, Saw-the-movie florescent lights, and past the drone of a washer and dryer that dominate basement's ambiance, you'll find a panoply of peculiarities.  Imagine- if you can- a world with no beds. If the puzzling masochism of inmates who sleep on the floor is not astounding, then you may be impressed by the assortment of unclaimed and utterly unused- and ultimately useless- furniture that dominates the landscape.  If alliteration is not your thing, then doorless bathrooms may be.  It's difficult to appreciate the potential intimacy created by a living arrangement in which living and relieving are separated by only a thin sheet- but the experience speaks more than words ever could.  Give it a try.  

Of course the defining feature of Humboldt's seedy underbelly is its resident-vagrants.  Ruggedly handsome, relentlessly suave, and eternally humble, (remarks variously heard around the house), they turn what could be a mildly-unpleasant existence for some into an unavoidable attraction for all.  Avoid the basement at your peril- once you go down you'll never want anything else.  

Front Porch vs. Back Porch

Since we have 2 pretty awesome porches, there has been some debate over which one is better. In this entry, we will discuss the pros and cons of both and will settle this debate once and for all.

The Front Porch:

The Pros:
-more sociable
-people watching
-2 swings
-hanging pot bottle holder
-owl statues
-easier access to cars

The Cons:
-the dogs can escape

The Back Porch:

The Pros:
-has the only table in the house with comfortable chairs
-fenced in yard
-easier beer access
-more lighting
-more privacy

The Cons:
-less sociable
-back door locks when you shut it



THE VERDICT: The Front Porch WINS!

Comments:

"I prefer the front porch, because I feel like when we're all sitting out there everybody else's property values go down."
-Dustin

Flying Bugs, Oh My!

Ever since the glass on our screen door shattered, we have had a serious bug situation here in The Poor House. The flies, bees, and other hopping bugs were tolerable, until last night when a huge flying creature entered my room. This undesirable creature is also known as a Crane Fly. There's something about crane flies that really freak me out. Maybe it's their enormous size, or something about the way they fly. When you try to catch them they do this downward swirl motion and then they fly at your face. They look like freaky flying daddy long legs. So...in my attempt to catch this monstrosity, it kept flying up in to the light and burning its legs. Norah was upstairs and heard my shrieks and cries for help. By the time she arrived, I had managed to trap the bug with a cup and a piece of paper. Norah then gracefully removed the cup from my room, and set the bug free outside. Phew! I vowed to remedy the bug situation in the morning. This was our solution:

Productivity...

It is (believe it or not) a fairly productive day at the Poor House today. Kathryn flies in from San Francisco and I'll be picking her up at the airport this evening. Foxy is knockin' things off her to-do list left and right, and then she has a writing workshop for school later on tonight. I found out that I got an interview for a preschool teaching position, which will happen tomorrow, so wish me luck and I'll keep you posted. It would be truly wonderful if I got the job seeing as my mom told me she found 3 dollars in my room at home and I asked her to mail them to me. All-time low right there.

We did wake up to some WAILING sirens this morning, which Foxy feared was a tornado warning (turns out there are WAY more tornados in Wisconsin where she's from  than in NY, so her fear is much more rational than I originally thought)... but it went away, so we're assuming everything is fine. Speaking of natural disasters, when we were driving to Boulder for game night two days ago, this is what we saw:


It has been windy and dry here, so the Boulder fire has been spreading like... well you know what. We are hoping it rains or it gets put out soon because it seems to just keep growing.

The Burners take on SF

After a long and labored 13 hr trip from Black Rock City, NV aka "Burning Man," Kelsey and Kat are now adventuring in San Francisco. Surprisingly, the two did not get enough of each other while on the playa, so now they are aimlessly walking around SF together looking for people with cool burner gear. Do they have other friends, you ask? Well yes. However, all the friends and family available for hanging out this week are at work - yes, because they are all employed. This world of employment is something the girls have not experienced for a very long time.

Kat and Kels tried to go to the California Academy of Sciences this morning but after finding out that it was 30$ they quickly turned around (obviously too pricey for poor house girls) and rode the MUNI to the nearest Trader Joe's. After consuming almost an entire box of green tea mochi on the street, they are now lounging in Brendan Breen's apartment in Russian Hill. They are anxiously awaiting the hour when they can start dinner for their dinner guests because they have nothing better to do and no money to go anywhere.

On the menu tonight:
sourdough bread with goat cheese
pasta with spinach, peppers, mushrooms, chicken and feta cheese
3 buck chuck

Another Standard Day at The Poor House

So today was another standard day at The Poor House. Norah and I started off the morning with our usual G-chatting session with each other, even though our rooms are only 20ft apart. Usually that begins between 11am and noon. We had a mystery woman in the house this morning. Her identity is unknown, and we have no idea why this random woman was in our house. Regardless, we are used to waking up to voices we don't recognize by now. Now, we are sitting on the couch. We know that we should mow the lawn, however, it is a task that we avoid at all costs. If anyone would like to volunteer to mow the lawn for us, please contact Meghan or Norah.

Pictures From The Poor House

Welcome to the Poor House

We would like to cordially welcome you to our home. As 5 unemployed young ladies, we have plenty of  time on our hands... so here we are.
We will give you a run down on who is currently staying in our house (it's a transient population).


Meghan a.k.a. "Foxy"- Meghan is awaiting the start of her first quarter in graduate school. Her program is Environmental Policy and Management with a specialty in Energy and Sustainability. In her spare time, she enjoys foosball, sleeping, sitting on the porch, and frequenting Sanchos Bar...


Norah- Norah is currently seeking employment. If you know any schools who are hiring, please let her know. In her spare time, she enjoys sleeping, sitting on the porch, and g-chatting.


Kelsey- Kelsey is currently in San Francisco after her mind bending experience at Burning Man. Once she returns to reality at the poor house, she will also be seeking employment, presumably at a lab somewhere. In her spare time she enjoys hanging out with Henry her dog, listening to the same playlist on repeat, and sitting on the porch.


Kathryn- Kathryn is also in San Francisco, assuming Burning Man spit her out alive. She returns tomorrow and will continue working on her thesis. She enjoys eating string cheese wrapped in ham, sitting on the porch, and yarning her hair.


Caiti- Caiti will arrive at the Poor house in several weeks. She will seek employment as well, and enjoys cable T.V., country music, and exercise.
We have two current basement tenants for the month of September. 


We recently had a housewarming party... it would suffice to say, our house is now warm. Please enjoy our pictures from the shin dig.