Thursday, August 31, 2017

Papa's Office

Check out the new office. And the total commute is a set of stairs, 30-60 seconds depending on whether I'm carrying coffee or not. Thanks to Nana for doing 99% of the unboxing and setting up.

Smaller clock (PRR) is California time.

My Dad got the red Lionel train on the left for his 1st birthday.

Note that all the doors have locomotive builders' plates on them.

N-scale collection, plus some HO trolleys.
The lower left car is a Z-scale Beda's Biergarten boxcar from their
Guiness World Record event.

The HO collection includes equipment from the Alvin All-Star Railroad and
the Zenith train (at top) my Mom got when she worked for them, and others.

Oh yeah, and don't forget the mineral collection.

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Creede, CO

Zach invited us to share his Creede world with us this weekend, and "the Boys" were able to go. (The whole fam damily is going Labor Day weekend.) We met up with Zach Friday evening at Tommyknocker Tavern where he works. Damn fine sandwiches, by the way. We did the town Saturday morning then met up with Zach, including fishing at his other place of employment, The Antlers Lodge and Restaurant. The highlight was his campsite where the boys did some more fishing, we had a surf and turf camp-cooked meal (Zach caught a trout we all sampled and the main meal was rib-eyes with a fine coffee-garlic rub with asparagus veggies), the boys learned a few camping skills, and various libations and cigars ruled the night.

All the pics are here.

Getting Matt's fishing license and some gear.


At the Creede Museum.


View from the road to the Last Chance Mine. That's Creede down there.


A little rockhounding.






Jamie has lots of model livestock rail cars,
but doesn't remember ever seeing the full-size variety before.





You never know what might break out with theatre folk around.




The cheapy kiddy pool made it

Enjoying our new backyard. Having lived on a rock hill out in the country the kids weren't sure about the green stuff otherwise know as grass but otherwise loving the outdoor area.


Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Another day (or two) in Colorado

A few more miscellaneous encounters...

AJ is in command (of course we're playing "AJ rules" this time).

Where did he get that head of hair?

Tracy and Lynn found a Yard House by the
Container Store.

Back in the saddle - Fina auditions for
"Number the Stars".

Johnny waits to see the doc, with help.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Ice Cream Social

The kids' school threw an event today for the community to come visit. Frozen yogurt, pizza, bounce houses, dunk tank (with the principal, among others), popcorn, music, and dancing. And the Thunder Band played a couple songs. Discover Canyon Campus is the Thunders! Particularly appropriate today as a halt was called to the festivities for lightning. That's a fairly common occurrence around here, we've learned. Events will go on in the rain, but not if there's lightning within so many miles.





We walked home very fast in high winds and a little sprinkling.

Bourbon and Babes

Not that kind of babes, babies babes. But first, let me report that Jamie and Matt tried out the Cigar Patio at the Bourbon Brothers last night. OMG. Lucas took such great care of us, and we began our bourbon training in earnest. We may be having take-out brisket from there for dinner tonight.

The second pic is in Nana and Papa's kitchen. First time that table top has seen the light of day since the move-in began. It was routinely covered with picture hanging stuff, tools, mail, receipts, keys, garage door openers, you name it. We got rid of most of our cardboard boxes earlier today, too. There's light at the end of the tunnel...



Thursday, August 17, 2017

The Piano Guys at Red Rocks

What an experience. Red Rocks is very cool, we've got to back for some hiking, etc. But The Piano Guys are fantastic! And the Red Rocks Amphitheatre is quite the venue. This was heaven for Matteo: hiking among the great geology and The Piano Guys. Oh, and kettle corn.












Ship Rock Grille is right at the amphitheatre.
They do buffet service on concert nights.

That's a quilt!

Up at the concession stands. The theatre is to the left and down.






Among the many cool things the Piano Guys did was to bring in some kids
from the Denver Fine Arts School to join them for a number.