Memorial Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cemeteries in Alton and Greenup, Illinois

October 2007

On this Memorial Day I pause to think of loved ones we miss.

Remembering

Colorado Blue Columbine

Crested Butte, Colorado – July 2008

Today is the 10th anniversary of the tragedy at Columbine High School in suburban Littleton, Colorado. As we watched events unfold that day innocence fell from our souls. There was a new awareness that if it could happen here, it could happen anywhere.

Easter is Coming

Peeps Art

American Legion Spring Festival

Louisville, Colorado 2005

Have you considered Peeps art? Get out the glue gun!

Stories and Laughter

Met friends LeeAnn, Paul, Patty and Michael this evening for dinner.  Lots of chatter, and catching up about moving to a new community, mothers, health, dogs, art, and travel. Laughter rang out, anyone passing by knew  this table was having fun.

We’re fortunate to have such opportunities and friends. Memories are made from such simple but gratifying events.

Oh Where, Oh Where Did my Husband Go?

Today was botanic day for us. We started at Tohono Chul Park – probably our favorite site in all of Tucson. The 49-acre preserve showcases gardens, trails, museum, greenhouse, gift shops and tea room. Within 15 minutes of arrival Bob’s wandered in one direction for a photo op and Nancy’s trolling the shelves of the La Galeria Museum Shop.

When I go back outside guess who is nowhere to be seen. I spend the next hour exploring a number of the specialty gardens and taking photos, returning periodically to see if Bob is in the general area where we separated. No Bob. I don’t let it ruin my visit but as it gets closer to noon I’m thinking more and more of cold prickly pear lemonade and something to eat. My cell phone rings, “Where are you?’ asks the lost boy. Sitting near the front gate waiting for me, he says it never occurred to him to look for me inside the shop. Obviously he wasn’t thinking, we’ve been married long enoug to know that a shop featuring art and books draws like a magnet. Should I get a leash?

Improvements

The desktop computer works, the new transformer fixed the laptop and the Honda hasn’t died in the middle of an intersection. There was a chill in the air but today saw blue skies. I met friends for lunch and two plus hours of conversation. Browsed through a number of interesting shops and galleries in downtown Littleton, and purchased a couple of jars of interesting mixes at Savory Spice Shop. Granddaughter called to play her first sonatina and sing Alexander’s Ragtime Band. Perhaps the frustrations of the week are behind us. Cheers!

Oh Where, Oh Where Has Our Corner Grocery Gone?

 With regret I report the demise of our local Safeway store. The doors are closed, the food, fixtures and staff gone.

This was one of the smaller stores, old with no recent updates and limited merchandise  lines. When Michael was living back at home he called it, “The Food Stamp Safeway.” Perhaps a more apt name would have been, “The Geriatric Safeway,” both for its age and the age of its customers. Probably the highest demographic of shoppers were retirees. It fit our needs well, easy in/easy out, close-in parking, manageable size store. Shoppers could get from the dairy to the fresh produce without walking a quarter of a mile. Alas, it’s history.

Sure there were items we wanted that weren’t carried at this store. Periodically we’d take our list to one of the larger stores and stock up. The convenience of the local store offered a huge bonus for day-to-day shopping needs.

We knew it had to be coming. With the opening a  year ago of the super, super Safeway at Mineral and Broadway there’s been a huge publicity push to shop that store. It’s very nice, but almost over the top for just running in to pick up milk, bread and bananas.

We’ve lived in this house 40 years and there’s always been a grocery on a corner within a half mile of home. Red Owl, Miller’s, Alfalfa’s and more whose names I can’t remember. Now, add to that Safeway.

A sparking new Whole Foods, supposedly the Denver area flagship store, will be opening later this year in the Streets at Southglenn redevelopment. It will be swanky, hip and pricy. No doubt we’ll shop there some of the time but it won’t be our corner Safeway – may it rest in peace.

These Little Piggies Went to Maggiano’s

Oink, Oink! I think we all feel a little like well fed piggies after a “Family Dinner” at Maggiano’s Little Italy this evening. Mary and Dick sent us a Maggiano’s gift card for Christmas. They love the restaurant that originated in Chicago. We invited Michael and Stephanie to join us for a night out at the Denver South location.

Considering all we hear about the disastrous economy we’re amazed at how busy the restaurant is at 5:45pm when we arrive for our reservation. Every table is packed all evening and turned quickly when emptied.

We decided on the Family Style Dinner designed for at least four. Instructions are to pick two appetizers, two salads, two pasta dishes, two meat dishes, and two desserts. We started with bread and basalmic dipping oil, mushroom ravioli al forno baked in alfredo sauce, calamari fritti, chopped salad and the spinach salad. I’ve always loved the chopped salad although tonight it seemed watery, as if the lettuce was dripping with water when added. Our attentive waitress brought seconds on the chopped salad.

Did we quit? No! Next came eggplant parmesan, chicken and spinach manicotti, lemon herb salmon and beef medallions with portabella mushrooms and garlic mashed potatoes. Big platters of each except the salmon. Our waitress asked several times if we wanted more of any of the items. Bob and I tried not to over indulge, however we definitely ate more than we have in a couple of months. Leftovers of everything but the salmon were packed to go.

A deep sign sounded across the table as we each rested before dessert. Yes, we tackled the selected desserts – tiramisu and apple crostada with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce. Michael and Steph accompanied their sweets with hot coffee.

Back in the car I noted that we had eaten for over two hours. So maybe it wasn’t little piggies that went to Maggiano’s but big ones. As Steph said on the way home, “It was nice to look forward to the evening, clean up and have a nice night out.”

Talking Travel

Friends who have never been to Yellowstone wanted to get together to pick our brains about planning a trip next summer. We quickly discovered we would all be in the Phoenix in early March. They go to a timeshare in Chandler almost every year. What fun to exchange information on places to visit – or not! No matter how much reading and research we do the best advice often comes from word of mouth.

Hi, Grandma

Answering the phone brings an instant smile when the first words are, “Hi, Grandma.” Our nine-year-old granddaughter already may be a budding communications major - she loves to chat. Sometimes it’s real conversation but often it’s a stream of, “You know what?” Simple chatter of what she’s looking at, doing, eating while the phone is attached to one ear. Will this generation ever be able to focus on one task at a time? I love hearing from her and am pleased she wants to share what’s going on in her life.

When I asked her about her piano lessons today. She reported, “I was busted, my teacher wrote ‘practice more’ in my book.” She promised there had been more practice time this week.

Since I’m old fashioned enough to generally concentrate on a phone call and not multi-task I needed to cut the call short to get dinner. I explained that Papa had a Scout meeting tonight and I didn’t even know what I was going to fix for dinner. She had an immediate answer. “I recommend pasta, it’s easy and good. Meatballs go really well with pasta.”  Not a bad idea. Tonight’s dinner included spaghetti, meatballs and Prego.

I was still smiling long after her call and menu planning. I love her chatter.