The days grow shorter...

We arrived in Denver at the middle of August.  2012 was a record breaking hot and dry summer in Denver, and it has continued to be quite warm—at times, almost hot, all through the month of September.  Still, the seasons change, and we are now beginning to see the signs of approaching fall.  Dawn comes later every morning, and sunset earlier.  This morning, it was cloudy (approaching front), so that it really wasn’t light until nearly 7:00.

This has been another full week, with lots of Charlie time.  Oh, it is going to be so hard to say goodbye to him and him, Mom & Dad next Sunday. The wonderfully warm weather and sunshine has induced us to explore the Highlands neighborhood, wheeling Charlie about in his stroller.  He hates being strapped into the stroller, but once secured, he always delights in the walks. We have found a park near their house with lots of grass to crawl around in and the opportunity to try the baby swings and a teeter-totter. He is still withholding judgment on whether he really likes these.

Charlie thinks he might like swinging.

On Friday, Bryn took us shopping—Larry needed a sports jacket and having failed to pack one, he was unwilling to fork out hundreds of dollars for an article of clothing that may be lost or abandoned at one of our stops. The Goodwill Store was the ideal answer.  He found an acceptable (Bryn & Sue think it actually looks quite nice & stylish) jacket for $7.00.  But our real coup was a large blue garden gnome that Sue couldn’t pass up and Bryn immediately christened “Gnome Chomsky.”  Sue had to fend off several other shoppers who were equally smitten! He has found a home in Bryn and Grant’s backyard, where he now stands guard over a newly planted tulip bed.

Wheeling "Gnome Chomsky" out of the Goodwill Store & finding him a new home!

On Sunday, we all drove to Lyons, CO, a small foothills town that serves as a gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park, to visit with our good friends, Jeanne Finan and Tom Eshelman, and their son, Jody, and his family including his wife Natalie and their three children, Cedar, Orion, and Truth.   

Jeanne & Sue enjoying a good visit.

It was fun to catch up with Tom and Jeanne’s news and to get to know the new family.  Charlie was really intrigued by the big kids and all that they could do—including lots of legos! We capped the visit off with a hike to the St. Vrain creek—the adults contented themselves with just dipping their toes into the cold water, but the kids enjoyed swimming and splashing around.   

At the St Vrain Creek, Lyonas, CO.

With two brothers, Truth still manages to be a Princess

We made it back home to Denver in time to watch the last quarter of another disappointing loss for the Broncos—Grant is an avid fan, and we are enjoying rooting along with him, even when they lose.

Oh, one final note--being the political junkies that we are, we were worried that we wouldn't get our absentee ballots in time, but they arrived this Saturday--and most of you know for whom we have marked them. It will be a strange situation to be out of the country for the debates and the general election in November once again.  We were in Italy in November 2000--waiting day after day for a winner to be declared--only to have the Supreme Court make their ill-fated decision.  Our European friends couldn't understand how it could happen--but then neither could we!