Fading Summertime

As we rode our bikes around town this morning I realized that summer is fading quickly and autumn colors will soon overtake us. So with some sadness I looked back at a few of the beautiful summer flowers oldest daughter planted and tended this summer during her "Urban Parks" job with the city -- as a budding horticulturist. (Budding seems so appropriate for a horticulturist!) These were taken near one of the rec centers and at Chautauqua Park.

23 Years ago today

Twenty-three years ago today we had a church picnic that dear husband was in charge of. How did I remember this? Well...........this young lady was born that morning. Miss Mallory Theresa, our second daughter. Dear husband attended her birth, carried her to the nursery, then left to buy the hamburgers and hotdogs -- and cigars -- for the parish picnic!

Dear Husband is Elderly

Just read this article in local newspaper. Dear Husband is slightly depressed. He didn't realize that he's elderly.

Man faces felony after assault at CU-West Virginia game

By Vanessa Miller
Originally published 05:51 p.m., September 22, 2008
Updated 05:51 p.m., September 22, 2008

A 26-year-old man — who lives in Delaware and was in town last week for the University of Colorado-West Virginia football game — now faces a felony assault charge after CU police said he punched an elderly man in the face while inside Folsom Field.

Michael Streicher was arrested about 8:20 p.m. Thursday on suspicion of third-degree assault and crimes against an at-risk adult because witnesses told police that he was fighting with someone next to him and inadvertently punched a man sitting below him.

CU police Cmdr. Brad Wiesley said witnesses reported that Streicher didn't know the 63-year-old victim from Denver and didn't mean to punch him in the face.

The victim, whose name wasn't released, was bleeding from the mouth and was treated at the stadium for his injuries.

Streicher was taken to the Boulder County Jail. The misdemeanor third-degree assault charge was upgraded to a felony because of the victim's age, Wiesley said.

"Because the man is over age 60, he's classified as an at-risk adult," Wiesley said.

A Non-magnetic Fridge Door

We lost our refrigerator due to old age which brought on a loss of ability to keep things frozen so we had to bite the bullet and buy a new one. We found one that would fit into the space allotted for it in our kitchen and settled on the stainless steel as that seems to be the one in style now. It was installed this morning and looks quite lovely -- and shiny.

After making sure it was clean we reloaded it with food and then I grabbed the box that held all the magnets and "stuff" from the old fridge. What? This shiny, metallic door is NOT magnetic. I realize the pictures in the design magazines always show these pristine, clutter-free refrigerator doors but I thought it was because ..... because the owners were somewhat anal about things. But NO -- you simply can not stick a magnet to the door. What to do with the guardian angel made years ago by youngest (now 18), or the little bear bought by oldest, with help from daddy, as a Mother's Day gift? Or the panda magnet given to middle daughter by her Godmother twenty years ago? Or "Dress David." Or..........well, you get the picture.

Thankfully I have discovered that the sides will hold the magnets. But...one side is not accessible and the other is only partially. So with 480 square inches compared to the previous 1890 square inches, we've had to really cut back on the cute little keepsakes.


I have googled this problem -- admittedly a very small one -- and did find this: A Choopa Board. Hmmmmm................

Some Sights Around My Hometown

Folks who live in my hometown are often referred to as "Granola heads." I happen to love granola but no, this is NOT my car.



We have the most wonderful Farmers Market on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Last weekend I found these beautiful orange flowers.


We are a liberal enclave in a rather conservative state. And the few republicans are finally seeing the light!

The big game for me this year will be on October 4, when our Buffs host the University of Texas Longhorns. Big game for husband as he holds degrees from both universities. Big game for me because I'm a CU grad but my baby brother coaches the UT receivers. Hopefully we will have a better game than the last time we played each other. CU lost 70-3 if my memory serves me right. This fella, spotted at the Hometown Fair, is ready for the game.

We have concerts downtown, and concerts in the parks, and concerts in the Bandshell. Lots of good music but it's always better when you have a buddy who will go and listen with you.

And when the day is over and you're tired of playing your music you can just take a nap -- still hoping that people will toss in some coins, though.

Today is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Day

9-11

For today's anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, here is a video I found -- and it has made quite an impression on me. See what you think:

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

My life has been touched personally three times by childhood cancer, and only one of those children survived. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. 12,500 children every year are diagnosed with cancer. That's over 30 each day. We need to stop the beast. Children are the future. Watch Stand Up 2 Cancer tonight on ABC, CBS, and NBC, 7PM Mountain Time. In the meantime, here are a couple of videos that just might touch your heart:

Note to Sarah Palin

Can someone tell me HOW a mother of a four-month-old can possibly have time to be a vice-president of the United States??? NO baby deserves to be handed off to a "care giver" so mom can do her "job." Mom's job IS being mom! Note to Mrs. Palin: The right to life does NOT end at birth. YOU should be taking care of your baby and your other children! What kind of "family values" are you supporting?

I was NOT "lucky" to be able to stay home with my children. It was a CHOICE we made. Children are too important to be left in the hands of a care-giver. You never get that time back and before too long your baby is grown. Yes, it's a difficult job. I'd say it's probably the MOST difficult job you can have which is probably why so many women forsake it. It's intellectually challenging. "Mama, just HOW did that first person get borned?" It's tiring. "You want to climb to the top AGAIN?" It can be monotonous. "In the great green room there was a telephone and a red balloon and.........." But I am proud to say I was a stay-at-home mom and I would not have traded it for anything. Here's a picture of one thing I would have missed had I not been home:

And NO, she was not practicing to become a great pianist some day. She was PLAYING, which is the job of every child.

Taste of Colorado and a Rocky Mountain Showdown

Yesterday we had a double-header. First we visited the Taste of Colorado with friends and enjoyed a free Herman's Hermits concert. Wow! Those were the good old days. Such sweet music. The video I took of them singing "Henry VIII, I Am" is too big for this blog but I did find a youtube video of them at a concert in California a couple months ago which is nearly identical to the video I took myself! Just substitute Colorado for California references and you can see what we enjoyed yesterday. We were fortunate to find some space under a tree where it was about 20 degrees cooler, although it put us at the back of the venue. It was perfect, though, and lots of fun.

Next, the four of us headed over to Invesco Field at Mile High (I still prefer to call it Mile High Stadium) to see the Rocky Mountain Showdown.


Mile High was the site last week for Barack Obama's acceptance speech and although Wolf Blitzer on CNN kept telling his audience that the Broncos would be playing on Sunday in this stadium it was our Colorado Buffaloes and Colorado State Rams who took to the field. (We switched to CSpan when it was clear old Wolf couldn't hear us shouting, "NO, CU and CSU will be playing!")We are a divided household with the parents being CU grads, one daughter being a CSU grad and another daughter almost finished with her CSU degree. So, we wore our CU gear and some CSU beads.

As usual, the Golden Buffalo Marching Band entertained us with great music. Here they are during the pre-game show:




Our Buffs beat those Rams, 38-17! Not sure why the scoreboard says 38-18. Go Buffs!



Our CU mascot, Ralphie the Buffalo, THE BEST college mascot in my unbiased opinion, led our team onto the field and Cam the Ram, the second-best mascot, led the CSU team.


Isn't he cute? Cam is named for the former name of Colorado State University which was Colorado Agricultural and Mechanical and here are some sheep facts from the CSU website:
• Sheep have 8 teeth on the bottom of their mouth (and none on the top!).
• Sheep eat alfalfa, hay, grass, corn, oats, and other plants.
• Sheep are ruminants – they have a four compartment stomach.
• Sheep wool is flame retardant.

It was a very long day but lots of fun! And thanks to Betty and Bruce for sharing it with us.