It starts to look up again the closer you get to Laramie but on this day it's smoky, rainy, overcast. The rain didn't last too long but the haziness is. Smoke blowing in from the fire burning in south west Wyoming, or could it be still coming from the Fort Collins fire, and further still, the very destructive Colorado Springs fire. There are so many.
5pm and just over the border into Colorado. It's been raining on and off, it's dark and dreary and it's as though there has been a huge cloud blanket resting over us for most of the day. I just want to get there!What we can see of the scenery is beautiful, a word thats beginning to feel over used at this point but one that just fits. We meet up with Debbie and her daughter at El "Yucko" Mexican restaurant. Not quite the great Mexican food I remember of my days in Loveland. It's new and it's eh!
DAY TWO (Tues) Headed out for coffee first thing in the morning with Debbie, her daughter and her daughters friend. Shopped the downtown, then Mike and drove the around the rest of town to see how things have. . . or have not changed then met all the girls for a late lunch at yet another Mexican restaurant, 'Three Margaritas' and it was another bomb. (What's happening to the authentic Mexican food here? I did however stop at a little place near the canyon and found the best Longs Peak/Mt. Meeker pendant w/a Citrin stone as a sunset that I have seen thus far, so I made it mine! You see there are several jewelers in the area that do what is called "Front Range Jewelry" of the different mountain ranges within Colorado. I've been wanting one for years and was going to commission a jeweler to custom make one with a loose diamond I have. This one however, is much nicer, because the golden citrin stone that is that of the golden sunsets I remember falling behind Longs Peak for most of my childhood. Not to mention, Long is my maiden name and that mountain has always carried a little something special to myself and my parents. Last stop "Sunny Jim's" a local candy shop making their own chocolates and candies for years. I always make a point of stopping to get my mother a box of homemade mints.
DAY THREE (Wed) I woke in the middle of the night smelling smoke from the several fires that are near and blowing in, Mike woke our last night smelling smoke that was even stronger than the night I smelled it, so strong that he had to use his inhaler. Waking up in general is getting harder because of how comfortable we both feel at Debbie's and the fact that her guest bed is A-MAZ-ING! Headed to the Sculpture Garden, one of my favorite places to go in Loveland. And one of my favorite sculptures is called 'Friendship'. The joyful laughter depicted in this two man sculpture is so beautiful to me. It has completely captured true laughter between two true friends. They've added several new ones since the last time I was there two or three years ago. The town seems to have grown more as well. We didn't finish seeing the park due to the heat and a couple people in our party having a difficult time with it so Mike and I went back the next day which was actually better, because the park wasn't loaded with people. It was 4th of July the first day we went and due to all the fires in the area and Loveland being the only town in the that did not cancel fireworks due to fires, the town was PACKED with people, so finishing up the next day was great! There are three sculptures that my dear friend Debbie posed for, two of which I've never seen, their placement in the historic downtown of Loveland was quite beautiful.
One sat back in a very small garden like area with a few benches and a table. The other, just off the sidewalk with a bench near it. The entire downtown for that matter has sculptures all along 4th Street (the main drag) and many side streets. It's a beautiful addition to a charming downtown area. This day we skipped Mexican, too depressing. (laughing) But we did head up the canyon to get a gallon of Black Cherry Cider and a Peach one as well. Later that evening we watched fireworks from the driveway of Debbie's home. Much better in my opinion than fighting the crowds of people that were there.
DAY FOUR (Thu) We got up, went for breakfast, then headed back to the sculpture garden to finish our tour. It was already getting up there in temp so a good thing we started early.From there, the Loveland Museum was on our list. It was amazing and interesting, however... at the same time made me feel a bit old! There I was, standing in a museum of my childhood! Seeing pictures of the days that I lived there was both interesting and comical, in a way, in others, just plain sad! (I say with a chuckle.) How does that happen, that what you lived is now museum worthy, and more than that, WHEN did that happen? They had a fantastic topographical map starting at Loveland and running far west way over the mountain range. It took us awhile to get their reasoning as to what was what but when we did it was pretty cool, like google earth in 3D. Mike pops out from around a corner and says to me, "hey, come here, do you know any of these Ms. Lovelands?" And of course I did, seeing some of those pics was certainly a trip back in time! We did Mexican ONE - LAST - TIME, this time, our choice, a place from my childhood, a place my mother frequented because her friend owned it, and this time, we got it right! Whoop! But I gotta admit, and I never thought I would or more so thought it could ever be true, our guys in Menomonie really have it covered in that area, lucky us, sorry Loveland. We also looked to find the Big Thompson Canyon Flood memorial to pay our respects, especially to the brother of some VERY special friends of ours. It's a beautiful tribute to those who lost their lives in the flood of '77'.Our last evening was again spent in gut busting laughter over stories told and movies we've watched and even a little politics. My cue to "exit stage left" and go take a shower....I do not do politics if I can help it. Just a personal choice.
DAY FIVE (Fri)The morning was a quick one. Up by 6:30a and gone by 7:30a. I made the bed, threw all the towels we used in Doug and Debbie's washer so they'd be ready and convenient for her to wash, then left my usual surprise on the bed, a card, only this time I left a little something more. One of Mike and mine favorite types of wine for the two of them to enjoy on their deck over looking the foothills. We're Nebraska bound today...oh joy! There's just so much to see in Nebraska (I say with sarcasm).Let the drive begin, and the yawns overtake us. Did someone say massive amounts of coffee?
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