Remembering Stewie Anderson's Sailboat

My mother Mary and father Nelson moved to a condo at the Monterey Yacht and Country Club in Stuart, Florida back in 1976. My Uncle Bill and Aunt Elsie had moved there a few years earlier, and my father was anxious to retire there too, and play golf with my uncle on the complexes' 9 hole par 3 golf course (until the 2nd hole became a par 4 to stop golfers driving over the Winn Dixie grocery store and endangering shoppers). However, the yacht club never had any yachts, since the developer was not allowed to dredge the St. Lucie River. The only boat I ever saw there - and seen in the above photo - belonged to a resident name Stewie Anderson, who moored the boat in the middle of the river and kept a dingy at the pier in front of the yacht club in order to access it. How he was allowed to do that when no one else could will always been a mystery. I wonder if I should buy a used boat and moor it there like Stewie did years ago, and see what happens, once my sister Susan and I stop renting the condo and begin to use it part of the year? What could go wrong? And by the way, the yacht club is only used for parties these days, which I think is true of yacht clubs the world over. Who needs boats?

City Walls

I just finished reading City Walls, the latest hard-boiled Amos Walker private detective novel by Loren Estleman. This series takes place in Detroit, and is written in a kind of old-fashioned noir fiction style. I like these books, and they even make me want to visit Detroit, a feeling which thankfully passes a few days after I finish reading the latest installment. This time, Walker is out to prove that a random shooting from a freeway overpass was not simply random, but pre-meditated murder. He is hired by an Elon Musk style electric car entrepreneur to get to the bottom of his stepson's death, resulting in very deadly consequences. I enjoyed reading this story, and can recommend it to all fans of private eye detective novels. Just wait a couple of days before making plane reservations for a Detroit vacation.

Walking Your Anteater...

It has been a very pleasant April here in Denver, and so it is a great time to get outside and walk your anteater. Don't have an anteater as a pet yet? You are definitely not keeping up with current trends. Is this just a Denver phenomenon, or is it a national trend? Is there a major ant infestation in this country, creating a great demand for this animal? Or is this just another way to go green and stop using harmful chemicals? And what do you feed your anteater? Three guesses. As long as we are at it, who is buried in Grant's Tomb?

Where Have All The Horse-Drawn Carriages Gone?

I ran across the photograph above the other day, taken years ago, of a horse-drawn carriage making a turn. I never did ever use it on this blog. I considered it a skip because of the blur, but am now much more laid back about photography, and so here it is. The photo reminded me that there used to be a lot of horse-drawn carriages that would cruise Denver's 16th Street Mall, taking tourists and locals alike on short tours of the downtown area. I never gave it much thought until now, but they are all long gone. First, no doubt, due to the pandemic, and now because the mall is all torn up while being renovated. Will those horses and carriages ever come back? Beats me. Since taking those carriage rides no doubt costs a small fortune, in my case, the question is simply academic.

The Sandlot Brewery

Just before the Colorado Rockies began their baseball season this year at Coors Field here in Denver, the local television news programs did some feature stories about what's new at the ballpark, including new food items, enhanced seting options, and the fact that Coors Field sells the cheapest beer in the major leagues. They claim there is beer for sale for $3 at the park. I would sure as hell like to know where. You must need to have inside information and be given a secret password to gain access to that bargain. There was also a story about The Sandlot Brewery, which is not new, but featured anyway. This is a brewpub at the park that is owned by Coors and features microbeers, including Blue Moon Belgian White. When Coors Field first opened, the Sandlot Brewery was open to the public on non-game days. As Opening Day approached, it was fun to go there, have a beer, and look at the field through the windows, anxiously awaiting the start of another baseball season. Not any more - it is now open only during games to ticketholders only. Still another fun thing to do gone. Considering the Rockies' horrible start this year, perhaps it is all for the best. And yes, the above photograph was taken many years ago just before a long forgotten Opening Day.

April In Denver - Where Is All The Snow?

March and April are Denver's snowiest months, but there has been precious little of it here the past two months. Not that I am complaining. There have been huge amounts of snow up in the mountains this year, which is, of course, where it belongs. In fact, there is a major storm predicted to begin this very afternoon that will bring feet of snow to the mountains, but just a dusting here on the Front Range. All of which makes walking - not to mention biking - in Washington Park, seen in the photograph on the left, very pleasant indeed.

And by the way, signs all over Washington Park say that visitors should not feed the animals. However, I think people are not heeding this warning, judging by the squirrel in the photograph on the right, who seems to be begging for more food. Whether people are also feeding the coyotes, who might or might not roam the park at night, is still an open question. 

Watching Newcastle Crush Tottenham With Mark

I went over to my friend Mark's house yesterday morning to watch the soccer match between Tottenham and Newcastle. Mark is a Tottenham fan, but his all-time favorite team is Newcastle, and Newcastle just plain embarassed Tottenham, beating them by a score of 6-1. Tottenham was down 5-0 during the first half alone. There is a Tottenham fan club here in Denver that meets at Esters Neighborhood Pub to watch the matches, which we have sometimes attended, but since the game started at 7:00 A.M., we watched a recording of the game instead. And I am very glad that we didn't show up at Ester's. There are a lot - and I mean a lot - of Tottenham fans there. The club is run by Prudence and Keith, a couple of British ex-pats, and I would be afraid that if we went there with Mark wearing his Newcastle jersey, as he is in the photograph above on the right, the two of them would have beaten us up. Those guys take their soccer seriously.

Lady Ann's Victorian Tea Room Circa 2003

I read online in the Stuart News recently that a tea room in downtown Stuart, Florida closed this month after many years in business. I did not think much about it until I spotted the photograph above on a bookcase here in my Denver condo. It shows my mother Mary with some of her neighbors at Lady Ann's Victorian Tea Room back in 2003. I can't find the article now, but I did see on the internet that this place is indeed closed, and so I assume it is the same tea room. Another part of old Stuart gone forever, although I have to admit that I am not a big tea room fan. I am more a fan of the Jolly Sailor, an outdoor bar and patio in Stuart, overlooking the boats in the Sunset Bay Marina. A wonderful place to sit, have a beer, and watch the sunset over the St. Lucie River. I just hope that place never closes. In any case, in the photograph above, from left to right, are my mother Mary Hoyt, and her neighbors Dorothy Maxwell, Elaine Sabine, and Jane Hoy, all sadly no longer with us.

Reading Two More Laurence Shames Novels Via Kindle

I decided to order two more Laurence Shames' Key West Capers novels through Kindle, using the iPad I inherited from my late brother-in-law George. I really prefer books, but since there are no used copies of those books available, going the Kindle route was much cheaper. Plus, I read in the reviews that these two stories are both narrated by Nacho, the pet chihuahua owned by Bert the Shirt, the main character in the series. He is a 90 something ex-mafia guy, who helps Key West locals and visitors alike with the various situations they blunder into. I shouldn't have worried - the books are in the same comic style as the others, and the dog's narration is limited to just a few pages scattered throughout the story. In Nacho Unleashed, Bert helps out a new resident who gets a job at a tasting room in Key West that just happens to be owned by a Mafia guy. In The Paradise Gig, Bert comes to the rescue of a local woman whose newly discovered son is recording a sure-to-be hit song with a music producer who is up to something shady and possibly dangerous. I liked both of these comic novels, and have decided that next time, I might even spring for the actual books. And yes, that is indeed me in the photograph above on the beach back in August of 1983. Not in Key West, of course, but in Stuart, Florida. And surprisingly, I have not aged a bit since that photo was taken. As I have said many times before, it can only be a miracle.

The First Bike Ride Of The Season!

This past Tuesday it was sunny and in the mid-seventies here in Denver, and so I decided it was time for the first bike ride of the season. I headed from my condo across the street from the University of Denver through Washington Park and on to the 16th Street Mall. Since that mall is currently being remodeled, it is not all that great a place to hang out, and so I moved on to Coors Field, where I took the photograph on the left before heading home. The Colorado Rockies, by the way, actually won a baseball game yesterday afternoon 5-0 against the Philadelphia Phillies, after losing eight straight. Is this the beginning of the big turnaround? Is it time to put all your money on the Rox to go all the way? Do you also want to buy a bridge I happen to own while you're at it?

April At The Zoo Part II

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, I went to the Denver Zoo last week to take some photographs, and thanks to the mild temperatures and partly cloudy skies, most of the animals were more than happy to pose for photographs, such as the gorilla in the photograph on the left. As you can see, he is giving me a friendly look, no doubt in a good mood because of the weather. 

The ring-tailed lemur was also in a good mood, quite willing to pose for photographs. I think this little fellow would be a good candidate for the petting zoo, which sadly the Denver Zoo does not have. What's the deal with that? They could certainly make a space available, and have different animals every month, which I am sure would boost attendance to record levels, especially when the mandrills and orangutans are there, gentle creatures that love to cuddle. 

I am not quite sure what kind monkey it is in the photograph on the left. I personally think it is called a "generic" monkey, although I could be wrong. For that you will need to consult a zoologist, whom I am sure exist in great numbers at every zoo. Once again the lighting was finally good enough to take a photo, and for the first time since I can remember this creature decided to hang out in the front of it's compound and look me in the eye, instead of lurking in the back. This little guy seemed a bit depressed and lonely. Still another candidate for the new petting zoo. Perhaps all it needs is a hug from a few thousand zoo visitors to cheer it up.

The orangutan in the photograph on the right was also very sociable that afternoon, posing for a photograph with a young zoo visitor. I have photographed this orangutan a lot. It goes nowhere without its blanket, which it drapes over itself at all times. No doubt it is uncomfortable not wearing clothes. I say have an intern dress it up, and take it to the petting zoo, where they can set up a place where zoo visitors can have a photo taken with it. A camera could be set up, and for a nominal fee, a zoo employee could take photographs of paying customers with their arms around that orangutan. This would no doubt be a tremendous money-maker. Be sure to write or e-mail Denver Zoo officials in support of these wonderful and genius ideas. What could possibly go wrong?

April At The Zoo

I went to the Denver Zoo last week to take a few photographs. It was a good day for it - partly cloudy with mild temperatures - and so all of the animals were out and about, enjoying the day, including the giraffe in the photograph on the left. Most of the time at that compound the sun is shining directly into the lens, ruining the chance of a decent photo, but thanks to the cloud cover, I got a nice portrait of this giraffe.

My friend the tiger was also out and about, pacing it's compound, which the Denver Zoo calls The Edge. The tiger did not look at me as it paced back and forth, keeping its head focused on the ground, but after what seemed like hours, it finally looked up, allowing me to take the photograph on the right.

The four bachelor lions were hanging out on Predator Ridge, one of them looking me in the eye, posing for a portrait, which was very kind of him to do. I was able to capture three in one photograph, as seen in the photo on the left, while the fourth was sitting up on a rock, sniffing the air, no doubt wishing he could go next door and visit with the hyenas, who I am sure would have loved some company. I know I feature a photograph of one of these lions whenever I visit the zoo, but of all the animals at the Denver Zoo, they are the ones who are always most willing to be photographed.

And finally, even one of the two Ilamas at the zoo was willing to pose for a portrait. Most of the time they have their heads buried in a feed bag, and not interested in anything else. I am not sure if this is Fernando or Jorge, but to me it makes no difference. As long as I get one of them to pose, I am good. It was definitely a good day at the zoo. However, once summer begins and it is in the 90s every day, the zoo will need to have their interns get into those cages and compounds, wake those animals up, and prod them out of the shadows with a stick so that everyone can take some nice photos. Better start training those interns now. 

Tax Day!

Today is Tax Day, April 18th, the deadline for filing your income taxes. And if you happen to be a tax dodger, you better watch out, because according to the Republican Party, under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Internal Revenue Service will be hiring 87,000 new armed IRS agents to audit and possibly shoot every taxpayer in America. And if the Republican Party says it is true, it must be. So get those taxes in the mail (if you are my age), or else file them online, and rest assured, hackers will never access your information, at least for a couple of days or so. I wonder if you can cancel your social security number, and get another, like with a credit card? Let's hope so.

Brunch With Some Of The Old DU Bookstore Gang

I had brunch with Chris and Jim, seen in the photograph above on the left, and Darrel and Linda, on the right, yesterday morning at Chris and Jim's house here in Denver. As usual, Chris cooked a gourmet meal that was just excellent. Chris is the former Accounts Payable Assistant at the University of Denver Bookstore, Jim is now retired from a career in banking, Linda is a retired emergency room nurse (a good career to be retired from, in my opinion), and Darrel is the former DU Bookstore Accounts Payable Manager. I myself am the former Finance Manager for the DU Bookstore, which was outsourced to Follett Higher Education Group back in 2012. We discussed a lot of topics over lunch, including politics, the current state of the school system, as well as what we are watching on cable lately. And all things considered, I get the feeling that we are all very glad to be retired, footloose, and fancy free these days - metaphorically speaking, of course. 

A Final Visit To Piccolo's With Mark

My friend Mark and I had lunch at Piccolo's yesterday, most likely for the last time before it closes at the end of the month. Piccolo's has been in business here in Denver for 50 years, but the owners decided that it was just too expensive to continue operating. When we arrived at 11:00, we had our choice of seating, but by noon, the place was packed, everyone wanting to visit the iconic restaurant one more time. It was like that when the Bonnie Brae Tavern closed down, too. It was impossible to get a table there the final few weeks it was open. In any case, lunch was good, and Mark, seen in the photograph on the left, is doing well and tells me he has jury duty this coming Monday. My advice to him, if he winds up being a potential juror, is to tell the defense attorney that his client looks guilty, and he will vote accordingly if selected to be on the jury. That should keep him from being selected, although it might also get him thrown into jail. If so, my bad.

The April Mutt Of The Month

I took the photograph of this month's Mutt of the Month at the Golden City Brewery up in Golden, Colorado, which is located in the backyard of a house in the historic district. The dog was looking up from its bowl of beer when I took the shot. I definitely like his or her expression. No doubt a very sympathetic animal you can tell your troubles to. And if it replies to you and gives advice, please get help.

The Golden City Brewery is a very popular place, especially on weekends, and the day my sister Susan and I were there they even had some musical entertainment, as seen in the photograph on the right. When the place first opened, the seating was just in the backyard area, and uncovered. These days, there is a large sheltered area, and the seating now extends along the side of the 1870s era home, too. Pretty soon I suspect the front yard will be filled with tables and chairs, and people will start going through the front door of the house to check it out. And I will be the first in line.

The 111th Anniversary Of The Titanic Disaster

Today is the 111th anniversary of the Titanic disaster. The "unsinkable" Titanic struck an iceberg at 11:40 P.M. on April 14th, 1912, and sank just 2 hours and 40 minutes later, claiming 1,500 lives. Although they were given 6 warnings that there were icebergs in the area, they continued at 22 knots per hour, just 2 short of maximum speed. Blind faith in the belief the ship was unsinkable, assuming lookouts could spot icebergs in time for the ship to change course, an emphasis on keeping to the timetable no matter what, not to mention the lack of life boats and mistreatment of third class passengers during the evacuation, all contributed to the high loss of life. To me, it shows that there have always been stupid and arrogant people in this world who can cause great harm, and it is not just a recent phenomenon. However, thanks to social media, these idiots now have a much greater influence. Let's just hope they always remain in the minority. And no - I did not take the photograph above of the Titanic. It was attached to a story about the disaster on my web browser's home page. I am pretty sure I was still just a toddler at the time of that tragedy.

The Last Kingdom

I just finished reading The Last Kingdom, the latest Cotton Malone thriller by Steve Berry. I like this series, and enjoyed reading this latest offering. In this installment, Malone helps the CIA investigate the possible existence of a deed signed by the last king of Hawaii, giving the Hawaiian Islands to King Ludwig II of Bavaria (Mad King Ludwig). It is believed that Germany intends to find and trade this deed to the Chinese for favored trade status, among other benefits. It is a fast read, and I recommend it, even though Berry gives a very favorable portrayal of fictional US President Warner Fox, who very much resembles Donald Trump. Berry is no doubt a conservative Republican, but if you can ignore the minor intrusion of political views, it is still a good read.

Crowds, Music, And Beer At New Terrain

It was sunny and warm this past Sunday afternoon, and so my sister Susan and I headed up to New Terrain Brewery in Golden to have a pint and enjoy the day. As far as I can tell, the entire population of Golden had the same idea, too. We were lucky enough to find an open table on the outdoor patio, no doubt helped by the fact that so many people were standing in front of the stage, swaying to the music from a local rock band. The beer was tasty, the crowd in a very good mood, and the band was, well, loud. Very loud. I had to lean over the table to hear whenever Susan said something, which was often. I think from now on we should visit only during the week, when the threat of live music is low. Do I sound like an old foggy or what? Don't answer that.

Encounters With A (Feline) Voyeur

I was closing the blinds to my den the other night and saw something staring at me from the balcony. It was not a hound from hell with glowing red eyes, as I feared, but just a large cat. The next morning, it was back for another visit, staring into the living room intently. When I approached it with a camera, it backed away, but I was still able to take the photograph above before it went back to its home next door. It didn't cause any harm, so I didn't mind, unlike years ago when my next door neighbors, married students, had a dog that was not toilet trained, and left its calling card several times on my balcony before I put up a make-shift barrier. At least I think it was the dog. Relatively speaking, a large cat is no problem at all.

Visiting Roxborough State Park At Last!

My sister Susan and I visited Roxbourgh State Park, located against the foothills south of Denver, last week, and it was very impressive to see. The park consists of dramatic red sandstone formations that tilt at a 60 degree angle, as seen in the photograph on the left. I have driven through the area many times, but never entered the park, since you either need to have a state parks pass or pay a fee. Being a notorious cheapskate, that was never an option. We did try to visit last year on a free day, but were turned away because we had Susan's dog Blackberry with us, and dogs are not allowed. 

Happily, starting this year, a parks pass comes with your Colorado license plate renewal, unless you specifically decide to opt out, and so we were finally able to enter the park. I was all set to show my car registration with the relevant permit to the park ranger at the entrance gate, but it was untended. What a letdown - any Tom, Dick, or Harry can evidently just flagrantly drive in this time of year without paying a dime. Wish I knew about that thirty years ago, but what the hell. It was indeed fun to finally see the place. I highly recommend it. And don't be a cheapskate when you get to the entrance station.

Happy Easter!

Today is Easter Sunday, and in honor of this day I am featuring several photographs from Easter Sunday back in April of 1957. The photo on the left is of my mother Mary as she was preparing the table in the dining room of our house in the South Side Brainerd neighborhood of Chicago. My mother loved that house, and just hated to leave it, even for a vacation. Easter morning my father Nelson would hide chocolate eggs around the house, and we would all participate in an Easter egg hunt. My father loved chocolate, and not surprisingly, it was he who wound up finding the most eggs. Go figure.

The photo on the right shows my mother and father in the kitchen, taking a break from preparing the meal. My father always helped my mother with the cooking. He was a dentist, and his office was located in the front of his parents home less than a mile away. I myself would soon be attending Fort Dearborn Grammar School, and we would all have breakfast, lunch, and dinner together in that kitchen. My sister Susan was attending Calumet High School at the time, and I can't remember if she joined us or not. I suspect that was when she was in her rebellious period, and all these years later, is still in. Some things never change.

The Denver Police - Masters Of Opening Day PR

For the second year in a row, I noticed, while walking around Denver's Ballpark neighborhood on Opening Day, that the Denver Police had a major presence in front of Coors Field. They weren't there to patrol the area, but to polish their image with the public. Once again there were two mounted police officers posing for photos with fans going to the game, as seen in the photograph on the left. The last time I saw mounted police officers here in Denver was on Opening Day last year. I have to wonder if they rent those two horses just for this event.

Along 21st Street, adjacent to the ballpark, they had a booth set up, and a few police vehicles with officers there to answer questions. There was some sort of SWAT armored car on display, and some other exotic police vehicles, such as the one seen on the right. I don't know if it was really a squad car from back in the day or not - perhaps it was just purchased for events like this. In any case, I think the PR is a good thing, considering all the bad press police are getting these days. The fans seemed to respond to it very well. Hopefully we will soon see squad cars just like the one in the photo on the streets answering those 911 calls. One can only hope.

Denver Celebrates Opening Day

I walked around Denver's Ballpark Neighborhood yesterday afternoon to soak in the atmosphere of Opening Day, and as usual, the bars were all packed, especially the patios, such as the one at the ViewHouse, seen in the photograph on the left. I have learned over the past few years that many, if not most, of these revelers are not really there to watch baseball, but just to party. When it gets close to first pitch time, they do not head to the ballpark to take their seats, or even go inside the bar to watch the game. It is as if they are not conscious a baseball game is even taking place. I think this is what is referred to as the casual fan. 

At McGregor Square, just across the street from Coors Field, there is a giant television screen showing the game, and with beverage service provided by Mile Post Zero, the adjacent food hall, they can still party and occasionally look up to catch some of the action - the best of both worlds. The photograph on the right shows the fans in action right before the game. It was a fairly pleasant day, sunny with a high of 51 degrees, and so a perfect day to spend outdoors. And the Colorado Rockies won the game, defeating the Washington Nationals 1-0, thanks to ace pitcher Kyle Freeland, a product of Thomas Jefferson High School here in Denver.

And in fact, a lot of fans did attend the game - a sellout crowd of 48,250 no less. This, despite the fact the Rockies are predicted to be one of the worst teams in baseball this year. Happily, they were playing a team that is predicted to be even worse. Was Colorado's 1-0 victory a sign of good things to come, a darkhorse candidate to make the playoffs, thanks to a stellar pitching staff, or was it simply a case of two terrible teams unable to get any runs across? Time will tell.

The Colorado Rockies Home Opener!

Today is the Home Opener for the Colorado Rockies, almost an official holiday here in Denver. I attended every Colorado Rockies Opening Day until 2018, when I decided the cost to attend this single baseball game was just too expensive, and instead decided to use the money to get a subscription to MLB.com, where I could once again watch every game played by my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox. Of course, I will certainly attend a number of Colorado Rockies games in person this year. However, since they are predicted to once again be one of the worst teams in baseball, most of the attraction will be sitting in that beautiful ballpark and watching the visiting teams, which this year will include both the White Sox and their North Side rivals, the Chicago Cubs. So let's play ball! And by the way, the photograph above was taken on Opening Day at Coors Field years ago, before launching balloons was outlawed for being politically incorrect. Still another reason not to attend that very pricey baseball game.

The Maltese Iguana

I just finished reading The Maltese Iguana, Tim Dorsey's latest comic Florida novel about Serge, the serial killer with a heart of gold. Hard to believe, but this is the 25th book in the series. It is a quick read, funny, and best of all, has lots of local Florida color. Dorsey was a reporter and night editor for the Tampa Tribune from 1987 to 1999, and after his first few books were a hit, he became a full-time author and never looked back, which I very much admire. This time Serge and his drug-addled friend Coleman are living at a +55 condo complex in the Upper Keys of Florida. Serge decides to charter a bus and give weekly tours of the Florida Keys for the residents, while also getting involved in a botched CIA action in Honduras, carried out by a Miami-based private black ops organization. I enjoyed the book, and will definitely read the next installment when it comes out, but a short synopsis of the story would be "the same, only different." If you are a fan of the series, definitely pick up a copy, but like the State of Nebraska, it is not for everybody.

The White Sox Home Opener - Not Pretty

The Chicago White Sox home opener yesterday afternoon against the San Francisco Giants at Guaranteed Rate Field went very well. For the first half inning. Then it all started to go downhill. The White Sox gave up 7 home runs, and it got so bad they put in a position player to pitch the 9th inning, baseball's equivalent of waving the white flag. And, to be fair, he pitched just as well as the regular pitchers, which for yesterday, at least, is not saying very much. The final score was 12-3, and the crowd of 37,000 was not happy.

As usual, Jason Benetti (in the photo on the left) and Steve Stone (on the right) were broadcasting the game, and before play began, were very optimistic about the team after a 2-2 record in a series against last year's World Series champions, the Houston Astros. After the White Sox fell behind 7-0, Jason and Steve were cheered when the Sox scored 3 runs and looked like they might be making a comeback. Then the roof fell in, boos began to be heard from the crowd, and they advised the fans and the team to put the game behind them and come back fresh on Wednesday, when they play their next game against the Giants. There are, after all, still 157 games left to play.

On the bright side, Liam Hendricks, their all-star closer, who is being treated for cancer, spoke to the crowd before the game via a televised message on the scoreboard, announced that he is about to undergo his final round of chemotherapy treatments, and expects to be back soon. And happily, based on their performance yesterday, they don't need a closer until he gets back. In any case, I have not given up hope. It is very early in the season, and the Sox could very well still win it all this year. And if it is a subway series against their North Side rivals, the Chicago Cubs, I promise to be back in Chicago to watch that historic World Series. If you dream, dream big. Words to live by.

Traversing Upper Bear Creek Road

My sister Susan and I took a drive along Upper Bear Creek Road up in Evergreen, Colorado this past Saturday afternoon. This is a beautiful road that begins at Evergreen Lake. When you start out, it is lined with what can only be described as mansions, but the farther you go, the more open it becomes, and the more modest the homes. Finally, you reach the unpaved section of the road, where there is a dead end sign, where I turned around and headed back. Years ago, I drove further up the road from this point a number of times. It became pretty rough, but eventually you wound up in an open pasture directly in front of Mount Evans, featuring beautiful trails you could hike. Of course, back then I was driving my old Honda, and didn't mind taking it up there, but now, with the price of both new and used cars, I am afraid to head back up there. Unless someone else is driving, of course - then I am all in.

Throwing Rocks

I ran across the photograph above of my ex-wife Lisa and her friend Karen that I took at Bandelier National Monument, north of Santa Fe, New Mexico, back in 1982. This was before Lisa and I were married. I remember she and Karen had headed down to Santa Fe to attend the opera there. I joined them later by taking an overnight Greyhound bus, and arrived in Santa Fe the following morning. It was my first visit there, and I was just enchanted with the place, and still am today. My memories of Bandelier are a bit hazy now, but I do remember it had a number of ruins from early Pueblo settlements. And no, Lisa (in the photograph above on the left) and Karen did not actually throw rocks down on the visitors below. I think.

Lunch With Mark At Piccolo's

I had lunch yesterday with my friend Mark, seen in the photograph on the left, at Piccolo's, which is closing April 30th after 50 years, due to the high cost of operating a business in Denver these days. The minimum wage here is now $17.29 per hour ($14.27 per hour for food and beverage workers), and I suspect it has now gotten too expensive for them to hire even students or persons seeking their first job. In any case, lunch was very good. To me, their smothered beef burrito is the best in town. As for Mark, he took this past week off from his job at the University of Denver's Anderson Academic Commons (the library) after some minor surgery, and will be heading back to work this Monday. It is a shame Piccolo's is closing, and both Mark and I plan to head back there before it is gone forever. You should too.