Being a princess in a tower

 Arriving at the apartment building.

 I mentioned the other day how difficult it is to get deliveries. I kind of like that it's a secure building, but it also means I feel like  princess in a tower at times.

My apartment is on the top floor, the second from the farthest left end of the building. (thus the  3rd and 4th windows from the end!)

The outer door opens easily, but one must use a key-fob to open the inner door. Or buzz the office and have the landlady release it. This is a view from the inside of the entrance.

Packages are left on the table shown here...as well as sometimes things residents share with each other.

Mailboxes. Delivery of mail is sometime late mornings. The sign lets you know if the mail has been distributed.

NOTE: The US Postal Service is out to lunch in Durango. That's all I can figure. On Saturday Aug. 29th I received the first  confirmation of my forwarding address, put in in Black Mountain post office on July 22! I also received the second one, effective the same date, but turned in on Aug. 13! I received in the same Aug 29th mail the one and only forwarded piece of mail, which clearly asked to have it returned to sender, a bill! 

I haven't received the birthday card that Helen mailed on Aug 19 from Black Mountain NC either. I somehow don't think having a post box address would make much difference. Just text or email, my advice!!

The manager's office is straight ahead.

The 2 elevators are to the left.

The other day I went out to bring something in from my car. The ambulance and fire truck had blocked me in, but fortunately I didn't need to go anywhere. The EMT's were visiting someone and then left.

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 Repost from August 10, 2026

 The Durango Public Library

Early photo from the internet shows the back of the building, next to the Animas River

The path behind the flowers goes along the river.

Internet photo with small trees of the entrance to the library

Taken Aug 8, 2026, the sign is hard to see behind the trees.

Someone was working on these garden features in front of the library.

More from inside the library in another post!

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I saw an interesting talk was to be given by zoom as well as in person on Sat. afternoon, about early Spanish explorers in this area looking for a good route to California. I signed up for the zoom, but the sound quality left a lot to be desired. And I was glad to not have gone in person to hear the talk, as they handed out fans to everyone because of the heat.

I'll visit this museum when it's cooler! It's apparently an old school building!

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Down the street I saw this:

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This photo is from the internet.

There is a Farmer's Market which closed off Main Ave. Saturday morning. I almost went to it...but would have had to climb a steep hill to my car after I was tired, so decided to try it some other Saturday. I later found this was the last full blown one of the summer, but there's a smaller version every Saturday in a bank parking lot. (The bank I chose to do business with)

I'm good driving around, while breathing with my portable oxygen generator...and can walk a little ways carrying it. This old bod is working to acclimate to the altitude. Plus the air quality has been moderate to poor, getting worse in evenings. Fires and ozone levels are what are reported on the warnings.

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I saw the La Plata County Fairgrounds, and nearby the very big Durango Community Recreation Center

I had a lovely fun visitor outside my window as I composed this on Sunday morning. A female (or juvenile) hummingbird looked in the closed window...at herself in the reflection perhaps. She flew towards the glass, checking it out, then moved on to the next window in the building. I hope she finds some nectar, probably a bit further down than the 4th floor of a brick building!

 

It's all a process

 And it's all a process. Not to  reach a particular goal. Just to keep on keeping on.

Then: July 27, 2026 as the furniture and boxes and tubs were being brought in.

August 24 at around 5 pm. There are still tubs (on the floor on the right) which need to be given designated homes. And a big box of pictures leaning against the wall behind the recliner.

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Repost from August 10, 2026:

 A Japanese restaurant was the chosen site for a combo birthday dinner for my daughter-in-law and thank-you for helping me move to Durango by my son and his wife....my treat.

Dinner at the East by Southwest restaurant last night was super. I had tempura shrimp and veggies, Tai had vegetarian sushi, and Kendra had duck spring rolls (I got one) and Ramen with pork. That was after mojitos and edamame and beet fries. We left nary a crumb!  

The restaurant was pretty close to where I now live in Durango.  We stopped and picked up ice cream to take to the apartment where I served warm brownies a la mode for desert. (Regular vanilla ice cream!)

Then Tai and Kendra flattened more boxes and took them out for recycling. It makes the place begin to look like its lived in.

A nearby grocery with organic produce.

Yesterday I felt like I was coming down with something. But my son hooked me into his Netflix so I watched Remarkably Bright Creatures...or whatever it is with Sally Field. So lovely. 

So I took it easy, didn't do much, lots of lying around and eating tiny meals. That's what the body seemed to want.

Just another Monday Morning

 OK. I know it's Satuday, not Monday!

Looking down on the parking lot early on Monday morning, two deer were spotted in the alley, while new friend Rene (short for Irene) was taking her walk around the parking lot.

Did she see the deer?

Yes, but the deer hadn't yet seen her...

It did look up momentarily as she passed within 6 feet of it.

Monday morning I waited to see my new primary physician. Nice waiting area.

Sharing with Saturday's Critters!

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Repost from Aug 9.

Me and my Leo friends!

I just learned the little narrow gauge train engines are no longer steam powered, but have been adapted to diesel, though somehow they've got the same sound. The sooty smoke doesn't come from coal any more however.

Yes, my windows were quickly closed when the steam engine toot tooted by this morning around 9 am. They go up to Silverton almost on the hour in the mornings. I have less information about return trips because my west facing windows are shuttered by the blinds to keep out the bright sun in the afternoons.

My son, Russ,  is quite proud of his daughter who was in the Washington Post!

What do you think of Olive Oil Ice Cream?

Our air quality has gone down to moderate due to the nearby fires. But our wind is from the NNE so it's not directly coming our way. I went out before 11 (on Wed. when I wrote this) and didn't notice any problem...but I'm still adjusting to the altitude and using oxygen continuously.

It was delightful going out around 8 and not feeling hot at all! Air quality was ok too. (You may have seen some of these photos before if you ever read my musings on my other blog, Inner Workings.)

I got my exercise bringing things in from the car which were purchased the day before, most of the work is hiking down the long hallway to my apartment.

By Wednesday afternoon I could walk without holding onto the railing...and not be completely out of breath. This altitude of 6512 constantly makes my lungs work harder. My apartment is second from the end!

With windows open at dawn, I was cool enough to wear my recently found Alpaca shawl!

I made buckwheat pancakes for last Sunday night supper. They were ok tasting, but crumbled more than regular wheat ones.

Silly little things to adjust to. 

A dark towel works to combat sunlight streaming along the bottom of the bedroom blinds,

I often nap around 2-3 when that sun just blasts against these windows.

The first train of the day is a diesel. The steam engine seems to pull the second one. I don't know if this is the pattern all the time, but it seemed to be this last week.

A nice fortune-teller type forecast! I do hope you have all these things come your way!