Monday, October 08, 2012

Home again, home again

Yes, I am back home again, after a nice road-trip to Denver. I like taking road trips. I bring along a few friends like ZZ-Top and Aerosmith and the Stones, and we all sing and watch the miles go by.  Count the cows.  Count how many times you cross over the Platte River.  (which is looking VERY SAD due to the drought.  More like platte mud flats, to be honest.)

A lot of the time, tho, I keep the CD player off and just listen to the world going by. It relaxes me.  I like seeing a lot of wind-farms too.

This year, the destination was Denver, the reason being twofold - even threefold, sorta - first, foremost and best, I got to hang out with Amelia and her mom and dad for a day and got my fill (for the moment) of baby-holding and cuddles.

She certainly IS a little cuddlebunny,

We went out to dinner at a "Chicago Style" hot-dog place. Amanda pronounced it adequate as a substitute for Portillos. They have a sign-in book for Chicago "Ex-Pats", which she signed. If you're in Denver, it's on Colfax, right - and I do mean RIGHT across teh street from Casa Bonita. Yes, "That" Casa Bonita, for those who have seen the Southpark Episode (or have lived in Denver). I had not seen it, but I've been there several times back in the halcyon days of being married before everything got strange and uncomfortable and we broke it off.   I have since seen the Southpark Episode.  I laughed.

I am told that the food there has deteriorated, and that it's not all that and a box of pop-rocks anymore. This is sad. It was kinda fun, even as an adult, back in the days when I lived in Denver. When dinosaurs roamed the earth.

The second reason was to have lunch with an old friend - the first one I made in Colorado, as the state is not really all that friendly to outsiders. Especially in Colorado Springs, where I first lived after getting married. People who live in the Springs are rather insular. I suspect it has to do with so many tourists and military coming in and messing with their economy and traffic patterns, but it is hell on a newlywed. I would wake up, go out of the house to get the newspaper, look up, see Pike's Peak - and flip that Muthafucka Mountain right off.

Ok, childish, I admit - but it did the fucking mountain no harm, and it was less combative than flipping off the hubby.

The 3rd-ish reason was to go see my tree. Back in the early 80's I planted a tree with my daughter "helping" (as only a 2-1/2 yr old can). I planted a Silver maple - because Denver needs deciduous trees. Aspens don't count, they are stupid. So... here is my tree (and the top of the Little Blue Neon). Almost 30 years old.(The tree, not the Neon. The Neon is 12.) Yay tree. (Yay Neon)