City Park--Denver

Denver bungalow

Thanks once again to AirBnB, we have found a delightful place to spend the next three months here in Denver.  We are now ensconced in a little bungalow in Denver's City Park neighborhood.  Situated on a quiet street, the house is perfect for us and includes a nice sized living room, dining area, bedroom and a great, fully functioning kitchen, with all of the modern conveniences, including a dishwasher and ice maker.

Gazebo

What makes it so nice, though, is the wonderful backyard and deck. The deck features a tent gazebo, where we live most of the time.

Denver's climate is so great--warm sunny days with low humidity--or at least low humidity compared to the steamy East, so we often eat all of our meals on the deck.  That sometimes means donning a light fleece or jacket on cool mornings or evenings, but also turning on the fan during the heat of the day. Seriously we feel like we have landed in our own little piece of paradise.  After our first day here we were already making plans for perhaps returning again next spring--but alas that is not to be as our landlady, Cindy, tells us that we are her last AirBnB guests--after we leave she will put the place up for sale.  What a bummer.

The house next door has been converted into a small African American church--The Grace and Truth Tabernacle.  We have gotten to know the caretaker, Sam, and he recently invited us to attend a Sunday service.  This past Sunday we were Sam's guests and we were welcomed with open arms and loving smiles.  Having never attended a pentecostal church before, we were unsure what to expect.  It was a joyful service with lots of singing and praise giving, stand-up swaying and hand clapping to the beat of the drum set and electric organ.   We were even treated to a funny skit performed by some of the parishioners. Although the service lasted close to two hours, the time went by quickly, and we left feeling buoyed and joyful.

Charlie on his bike

As we have repeatedly said, one of the great joys of being in Denver is the more frequent contact with Charlie.  He and his Mom came over for lunch and a visit recently. Afterwards, we all decided to take a walk to the playground nearby.  The playground was closed--but all was not lost--on the street running by the school, the city is installing a new storm drain line.  Lots of big pieces of equipment--diggers, dump trucks, backhoes, etc.  Charlie was in heaven.  We watched them dig up and move dirt, lay pipes, and fill trucks for close to an hour.  The three adults were ready to move on long before Charlie got tired of the goings on.

Cirque du Soleil

One evening we went to a performance of Cirque du Soleil:AmaLuna.  Although we have seen countless TV shows about Cirque du Soleil, we had never been to a live performance.  It was very different.  The traveling shows still perform under a Big Top holding three or four thousand spectators. There is one ring or central stage, and unlike the traditional circus, there is a unifying theme or storyline.  AmaLuna (Mother Moon) is loosely about a young girl's birthday and meeting her first love.  The costumes are fantastic and the acts include contortionists, jugglers, acrobats, aerialists and clowns.  The two hour performance is quite entertaining and at times enthralling--but in the end, we both felt that once was enough. 

This past weekend we went to see Lee Daniels' The Butler, and we would recommend it.  Covering more than fifty years of contemporary American history, it is told from the perspective of an African American man who served as a butler in the White House during seven presidential administrations--Eisenhower to Reagan. You learn how he and his family experienced the monumental changes that occurred during that time from the Federally enforced integration of Little Rock schools in 1957 to the election of Barack Obama in 2008. Having lived ourselves through these events, it was very thought provoking to be reminded of the events such as the March on Washington, the Freedom Riders, the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965, and the assassinations of President Kennedy and Martin Luther King.

Greg & Shirley LLafet with Sue

B39  Bomber, FIFI

Also this weekend, Grant's parents, Greg and Shirley Llafet, invited us to go to an air show with them.  It was much like a country fair or the Scottish "Highland Games" (which we're familiar with):   exhibitors, vendor tents,  food and drink.  All the activities are centered around airplanes and air history.  Greg, who has worked as a pilot and air traffic controller, is very knowledgeable about the planes and the history.  He made the experience so much richer and such fun. The day's events were capped off with a "balloon glow".  Hot air balloons don't ascend, but are inflated at dusk so that they light up and glow--kind of hard to explain, but neat to experience.  A huge fireworks display at the end of the evneing lasted half an hour and was really fantastic.

Our real thrill was to see "FIFI" the sister ship to Enola Gay.  Either plane might have been chosen to drop the first atomic bombs on Japan.  The two planes were identical.  Enola Gay was chosen, and FIFI moth-balled, but  has been lovingly restored by airplane aficionados.  Greg said we were really lucky to have seen it fly and land.  Not many people get that opportunity.

Erin--Ready for her Pakistan assignment

It feels nice to be stationary for three whole months in one house--so much so that we have rented our usual downtown studio for six months from January to June.  During that time we hope to take at least one trip to see Erin.  She is now in Pakistan beginning her year long assignment.  Please keep her in your prayers, though she assures us it is Islamagood, not Islamabad, each time we talk with her.

We always say we welcome visitors and mean it.  Even in our studio there is room for a blow-up mattress and we have one.  If you haven't seen Denver, you are missing a treat !