Day 253

Lexi made Nana a birthday artwork! The kids went to town on a Brio catalog (Christmas is in the air). We got a remote-controlled Brio locomotive (and that catalog came with it). We're gonna try the Brio approach to trains in Jamie's office for the kids. Jamie and Lynn headed to Denver for a little getaway. First stop, Castle Rock, where we re-visited The Barn for a little shopping and also re-visited our favorite Italian restaurant in town, Scileppi's at the Old Stone Church. Jamie managed to catch a shot of a coal train going through town with the actual Castle Rock in the background. We visited the Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street) this afternoon. Be careful, they have more than one location. Pretty cool, even in winter. I loved it because it was a conifer show! At 5pm today, all the restaurants in Denver's county had to close all indoor dining (COVID nonsense). There is zero food service in our (very nice) hotel, not even room service. But no problem, we found a liquor store (see below). Dinner? Take-out from Kobe An. All the day's photos are here.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Colorado's first In-n-Out opened today not ten minutes from our house. They're now in seven western states. The line was four hours long, 150 cars stretched out along Voyager Parkway!

In-n-Out Burger in the distance...
Intersection of Voyager and Interquest.

The Barn

Scileppi's at the Old Stone Church

Very likely the structure to which we took Trevor and Tracy
as small kids years ago when visiting Robob in Denver.
Cheesman Park, right next to the Denver Botanical
Gardens (where we were today).

Denver Botanical Gardens

View from our room.

Day 252

Bittersweet day today. Our foster baby (since before COVID) left today to be with his forever family. Two new foster babies will be with us soon (that are within six days of the same age as our first). Matteo and Fina continue studies at home while the others at DCC get today and tomorrow in-person then e-learning through Christmas (at least). Lynn had a 4-hour hair appointment today; she became part of a filmed hair dressing lesson. The Screening Room folks got things pretty wrapped up today in the theater room except for some calibration work that'll happen tomorrow. The Lego Christmas catalog arrived today; OMG!

My friend joined me for Torah study this morning.

For the new foster babies.

Study partners.

Hard to believe it'll be all done tomorrow.

That long box on the floor is the screen.
The other three are bass speakers.

Lunch at the Club for Matt, Jamie, Fina, and Matteo.

All packed up.

Lego Christmas catalog!

Day 251

First full day of e-learning for Matteo. Went quite well, it seems. Tracy started a new puzzle. I took Matteo and AJ to Fox Run Park to mountain bike. It's a new love for both of them! Sorry, no pics of the biking; I was too busy worrying about giving them instructions, etc., particularly since dark was only about 30 minutes away and I couldn't go with them (no bike for me). The DCC kids came home with laptops that they just opened up and went to town. I guess they've been learning how to use them during these last couple days of at-school class. The Screening Room installation guys were here all day and say they will finish up tomorrow.

Theater equipment room.
The theater is on the other side of the wall with the hole.

Day 250

Looks like e-learning is going to be the norm for a while. DCC already announced going to e-learning through Christmas. Matteo came home today and said his school is doing e-learning through Thanksgiving. And, of course, Fina is already doing all online. So there ya go. TimberCreek Church is also struggling with what to do having been moved up a tier (or is it down?). We lunched at a favorite today, El Padrino. Discovered the #21 lunch combo, yum. Oh, and yes, we're still finding and counting ballots.

Day 249

Regular school day, though Matteo stayed out sick. Tracy got a fun phone call, but it also included confirmation that DCC will be all e-learning through Christmas break. Jamie started the book of Numbers today (Prager's course), בְּמִדְבַּר‎, (bemidbar) "in the wilderness." Studying Torah by the fire with a cigar is the best! The Reguscis got a nice gift from their refinance people.

Hadn't heard from her in a while!

Let Numbers begin...

That'll come in handy.

Day 248

Sunday morning, so off to TimberCreek Church. Tracy came back down from Denver for the morning to run the Kids program. Right after church we took Matteo down to Palmer Park (near his school) to ride his new bike with a friend from school who has virtually the same bike. Those two and the friend's dad rode for a little over an hour on the bike trails there. Happy Hour Donuts magically arrived at our doorstep! And guess who really enjoyed them... Lexi! This is Tracy and Matt's last full day of their little getaway. We've gotten a few meal-time photos from the restaurants they're finding - good intelligence gathering for Nana and Papa's upcoming weekend at the same spot. Fina was the first of the Compound to try out the downtown outdoor ice skating rink at Acacia Park with a group of friends, who also hit Jack Quinn's Irish Pub afterward for some mac-and-cheese.

Gathering before Sunday School

Palmer Park

Happy Hour Donuts

All weekend with the grands.

Yes, please. Kobe-An.

Day 247

Waffles for breakfast (with some protein content!). And coffee for sure. The boys have gotten started with setting up trains for Christmas play. We're having an issue with locomotives - none of the battery powered ones are working. Were we surprised at one point this morning to look up and see it snowing. Really coming down! Fortunately it was short lived and the snow was gone by mid afternoon. Jamie did a Parlor Car Chat on the Alvin All-Star Railroad, a 3rd grade classroom project fully integrated into Lynn's teaching plans (back in 2002 and 2003). Watch the Chat here. The assembly guy for Matteo's new bike cancelled last minute so we took on the project. Success! (We think.) And the boys got a new set of Covid Cuts (haircuts).

Well this was unexpected.

Ever the artist!

Sunday School project, two halves apart.

Assembled tree.

Lynn and Jamie listened to a Prager Fireside Chat
while cooking the spaghetti for dinner.

Parlor Car Chat: Alvin All-Star Railroad.
Click here for the recording.