Happy Halloween Everybody!

I know I use this photograph every year, but what the hell - I like it.  I took it at an arts and crafts festival one August in Riverside Park up in Vero Beach, Florida.   My mother Mary is on the left and my sister Susan on the right, gearing up for another scary Halloween.  I probably took the photograph at least 20 years ago, more years than I care to think about.  Susan, my brother-in-law George, and I have lived in condos and apartments for many years now, and I don't think any of us has seen an actual trick or treater since 1975.  However, George always buys candy to give out each year, and each year he eats it himself.  Is that just optimism or the creation of an excuse to indulge?  No matter. It's Halloween! And so time to celebrate, at least for the day.

What Makes Denver So Haunted?

On the eve of Halloween, I have to wonder why there are so many ghosts rumored to inhabit Denver.  Is it because the city's cemeteries were emptied (but only partially and in a very unrespectful way) to make room for parks, or is because of all the Victorian houses located in the city?  Denver grew by leaps and bounds in the1880s and 1890s, and thus the city is filled with houses from that era.  Nothing makes for a good ghost story like a Victorian mansion.  I took the above photograph of the Grant Humphries Mansion during a recent bike ride  Not only does it sit on the site of a former cemetery, but Mr. Humphries was killed there around the early 20h century.  The death was ruled either a suicide or an accident, but many believed it was murder.  His personal nurse disappeared right after the shooting, which is of course very suspicious.  The house is now owned by a non-profit group that rents it out for weddings and other events.  A number of brides have reported primping in the mansion's mirrors and finding Mr. Humphries starring right back at them.  Scary.  Or perhaps just pre-wedding jitters.

Mutt Of The Month

Hey - I'm not a snobby person. I am not particularly fond of old bulldogs (which I think the above photograph is of), but I will feature him (or possibly her) anyway if it wants to pose.  I took the photo during my bicycle ride last Sunday.  It's owner's were having lunch on an outdoor patio, and they didn't seem to object either.  I suspect this was the first time anybody has ever wanted to photograph their pooch.  In any case, could so many people in Denver own dogs just because it gives them an excuse to walk it to the nearest bistro, hang out on the patio, and have lunch, while the poor dog is tied up to the railing next to them?  "We only stopped for lunch because we were out walking the dog."  Pretty sneaky.

Biking In Denver In The Fall

It has been a long time between bicycle rides, and each time I finally get out there I wonder why I don't do it more often.  Last Sunday afternoon I rode from my condo in south central Denver to downtown, and from there up Market Street to the ballpark neighborhood, so named because it is directly north of Coor's Field.  It was a factory district for a long time, but now it is filling up with trendy apartment buildings, brewpubs, and restaurants.  It is very popular with the hipsters, but I must say you are hard pressed to find a tree in that neighborhood.  Plus, there are still  a significant number of warehouses and businesses around.  I much prefer my own neighborhood near the University of Denver.  It is still only 5 miles away from downtown, but is an old and established area.  Plus, on the way home from my bike rides, I get to go through Washington Park, which is always a treat and can be seen in the photograph above.  What could be nicer?

The Poor Will Always Be With Us...

I am paraphrasing a biblical quotation here, and it is one that can't be disputed.  The poor have always been with us, and it appears that will always be the case.  When you see the poor and handicapped walking down the street, it reminds you just how lucky you are, and how small your troubles are compared to so many others in this world.  Denver seems to be especially hard hit by homelessness - there are panhandlers holding up cardboard signs on every street corner, homeless camps all along the Cherry Creek Parkway (the road leading into downtown), and many people (both men and women) sleeping in the parks every night.  If I was homeless, I would be heading to a warmer climate by now, and so who knows why there are so many homeless here.  Perhaps it is the same all over the country. And what is the solution to all this?  I wish I knew.

The World Series - Game I

I had dinner and beers with my friend Stuart at the Old Chicago Restaurant on South Colorado Boulevard here in Denver last night to watch the first World Series game between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians.  This was an historic game, since it was the first time the Cubs have played in a World Series since 1945, and they haven't won one since 1908.  And sadly, this return to the World Series after 71 years did not go exactly as planned, as the Cubs lost to the Indians 6 to 0.  Could the curse of the Billy Goat still be working?  Nonsense.  It is just one game, and the Cubs will return to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, where they play very well indeed, after today's game in Cleveland.  No need to panic - yet.

Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young Makes An Appearance

Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young appeared at the local Denver bookstore where I work for a book-signing for his new book QB: My Life Behind the Spiral. yesterday afternoon. I was thinking that he would be appearing in the evening, and that I would miss getting his photograph, but it turns out he did the book-signing at noon.  Always a good idea to read your e-mails all the way through - another lesson learned.  In any case, Young seems to be a pretty nice guy.  He let each person in line pose for a photograph with him, and took time to talk with each fan.

After taking the photograph on the right, I heated up my lunch in the store's microwave and brought it outside to a table near the door.  A short while later Steve Young walked out of the store with the publisher rep, met a family fried and her young son, and took a bunch of photographs with them, too.  Like I said, a really nice guy.  When he first walked out of the store, I overheard him commenting on how nice the weather was here in Denver.  Of course, Young played football for the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park for most of his career.  And as Mark Twain once put it, "the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."  Nuff said.