The Trip Out West Continues

After my high school girlfriend get-together, Friday was spent in a flurry of activity. Mom and I rambled around town, relocating several old haunts. We found the apartment I lived in with my first husband; I was amazed that I remembered the address after 34 years! Then the hospital where I delivered my firstborn, 33 years ago; the house we brought her home to, her preschool (where I had to come and pick her up for biting a child!), my old high school, the wonderfully bright yellow and orange Weinerschnitzel where we ate unhealthy chili dogs for dinner, a favorite yarn store where we high school girls bought yarn to wrap boyfriends' rings, the gas station where I filled my first car; gas was 25 cents a gallon, now a pay loan type of joint with bars on the windows!. It was a really fun day, just to ramble around, taking turns here and there, re-remembering old places.

Mom and I also popped into a neat little consignment store run by volunteers. It's a non-profit, and we found some great deals there. I had to shop lightly because of that 50 lb limit on suitcases. I sure didn't want to be fined $25 for consignment purchases!

Then it was time to finally pick up my better half from the airport, and head out to visit his family. I enjoyed a few minutes to myself, sitting and reading at the airport, after a solid week of constantly being with people. It was nice to sit in the middle of many people and not know a single one of them. It was also nice to see his face in the crowd as he came out into the main terminal.

Our last four days in Colorado were spent with Don's family, except for a side jaunt to see my sister's daughter and son-in-law. We managed to fit in our traditional mexican food outing, then a family reunion.

The Gibson gang, although this is really the Armes side of the family. Before this trip, I had trouble putting names with faces. After a dinner together and some time to sit and visit I have their names much more straight in my head!

A cleaned up version of us.
Don's brother, Tim and his wife, Nola.
We also spent a day in Boulder, going to visit Don's parents' gravesite. We hadn't been back since his mother passed away almost two years ago. Some will think this is a morbid photo, but there's a healing, a finality that has to sink in, when you visit a grave. It was a gorgeous day, with bright blue skies and geese nestled in nearby. We spent some time walking around and looking at headstones, amazed at how old many of them were. I thought our kids would appreciate seeing this, since it's hard for them to get to Boulder with so many little kids. My daughter-in-law, Janae always tells me how much she appreciates the photos of family she has yet to meet, so I thought she'd especially appreciate this post.

Our last day was spent on a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, into Estes Park, to hopefully see the elk. Boy did we see the elk! I saved those photos for last because they're wonderful, wonderful. I'll post them in a few days.