giddyup

Last night, Molly and Phil came over to babysit June and allow Adrienne and me to head out for a night on the town. Junie wowed her aunt and uncle with her endless reserves of energy, and she managed to stay up well beyond her normal bedtime, which is what a kid is supposed to do when mom and dad are gone. Adrienne and I went out for a nice dinner, and afterward went to a bar to hear a few djs spinning some soul music. The music, the smoke-free air (Colorado law), and the people-watching were second-to-none. The only downside of the whole evening were the tears that ensued this morning after Junie realized Aunt Molly and Uncle Phil had gone home.

Once the crying subsided, we quickly sprang into action. After some milk, some oatmeal, and a banana, we were out the door and on our way to Mass. Once again, Junie put on a stellar performance. She got her "lolly" (lollipop) from the pastor after mass, and we headed out to catch the last day of the National Western Stock Show.

Her first pony ride...



Checking out the latest farm equipment...


what kind of parents are we? a kettle-corn junkie...

the rodeo version of the Zamboni. I had no idea such a thing exists...

We finished our outing with some delicious pulled pork sandwiches (but not quite Carolina-style delicious).

And now it's time for a family nap.

latest and the greatest

nectar of the gods

A glorious gift awaited me when I arrived home from work this afternoon. My friend Dan, a native of Wisconsin but now living in NYC, had his dad back in the Midwest send us a case of Schlitz longnecks. The "Classic 1960s Formula" is available in only a handful of states, so this will be our first taste of the old formula. My love affair with Schlitz started in 90's at the Green Mill in Chicago, where it was served on draft. Fortunately for me, Adrienne enjoys it too. We celebrated Junie's birth with a Schlitz, and we'll crack open this case in a few weeks when the next baby arrives. Thanks Dan!

Adrienne, post delivery, with her celebratory brew...

new frontiers

Another fine day here in Denver. Oatmeal for breakfast, St. Vincent De Paul's for Mass, and then our first trip to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. If you've ever read this blog, you know we loved the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, so the bar had already been set rather high.

But before I get to the pictures and details of today's outing, I need to point out that our transition and experience here in Denver would have been much rougher without our friends Mike and Jenny. They've taken us on tours, given us cheat-sheets for the best restaurants, grocery stores, parks, etc., helped out with last-minute babysitting needs, and Mike has given me a lift to work everyday since I've been here (I think we'll finally have our new car tomorrow). Mike even helped us find the house that we're currently renting (and enjoying). Hopefully, we'll get a chance to return some of the favors.

Now back to today's adventure...

A little bigger than Durham's museum; it felt a bit like a Smithsonian.

a "wind table" that Junie loved...

more fun at the wind table...

tickling the ivories...

blowing bubbles...

fun with a magnetic board game...

two pretty things and one not-so-pretty thing...

The museum has some amazing dioramas. Even my sister, Molly, an accomplished dioramist (is that a word?) would be impressed. Here's Junie checking out the walrus...

Although we're already members of the museum, today, unbeknownst to us, happened to be a free admission day, so it was a complete zoo. We'll have to wait for our next trip to get a feel for the typical crowd. Here's a preliminary Durham vs. Denver Life/Nature & Science comparison:

Durham: only 5 minutes away, rarely crowded, live animals, train to ride, several activities geared towards the toddler set, and ~$100 for annual family membership.

Denver: 10 minutes away, enormous, no live animals but a zoo located next door (haven't been there yet. in fact, I didn't know the zoo was next door until I googled it 30 seconds ago), IMAX theater, a planetarium, incredible exhibits that June will love as she gets older, and ~$100 for an annual family membership.

All things considered, today's trip was a smashing success.

my inner stuart smalley

I don't have enough tidbits for a self-help book, but I might have enough for a pamphlet. This would be one of them: I'm convinced that the best motivator in the world, even better than money, fame, or even the threat of humiliation, is a workout schedule written on a calendar. Who would think that drawing a line through each completed workout would be so gratifying? Give it a try. And if you're really set on reaching a goal, make it public (right, Emilie?).

running parallels

This morning at 5am I stared bleary-eyed at the GMaps Pedometer website as I tried to quickly create a 10 mile running route. A few clicks later I had created a course that would fit the bill. I loaded up a bottle of Cytomax and stumbled onto the Denver streets. It turned out to be a great run, and it marked the beginning of a new workout program for me. The streets were still asleep, and I was able to greet the new day. Of course, as I was running I was comparing it to my regular 10 mile route in Durham. Here are some things I noticed:

First the differences...

• There was a fresh half inch of snow covering the streets. If I was in Durham, the grocery stores would have been sold out of water and non-perishables and the city would have been in lockdown mode. Here in Denver, it appeared to be business as usual.
• It was 17 degrees this morning. I'm not sure if the thermometers in the Southeast even read temperatures that low. It reminded me of training for my first marathon six years ago in Michigan. During that winter, 17 degrees felt balmy.
  
• The route here was close to pancake flat. The Durham route had some hills.
  
• The number of parks and playgrounds I passed today was remarkable. Junie is in for some treats.
• In Durham, 3 of the 10 miles were through the woods. No woods here.
• I passed 2 lakes in Wash Park (how do the ducks tolerate sitting in water when it's so cold?). Not much water to be seen on my Durham route.
• It was overcast this morning, but in the future I think I'll be able to glimpse the mountains in the distance. No mountains to be seen in Durham.
  

And some similarities...

• In Durham, I'd regularly run past Duke Chapel. About a mile into today's route, I passed the John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization (houses the Archdiocese of Denver Pastoral Center, the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, the Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary, and the Archbishop Vehr Theological Library). The Duke Chapel certainly takes the cake for awe inspiring beauty, but the campus and tower at the John Paul II Center isn't half bad.
• In Durham, I'd run through DU (Duke University). Today I ran through DU (Denver University).
• In Durham, my 10 mile route took me around a golf course (Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club -- 18 holes). Today's route also took me past a golf course (Harvard Gulch Golf Course -- 9 holes, par 3)
  

After the run, we headed to Mass. Junie couldn't have been better. She listened, used a "whisper voice," and was always ready to say "Amen!" You should hear her say the Hail Mary and the Our Father. It's too much.

From church we headed out to brunch with Mike, Jenny, and Emmett at a very popular restaurant, Lucile's Creole Cafe. Despite an enormous waiting list for seating, we had our table within minutes; Lucile's has a policy of seating pregnant women immediately-- genius!

After brunch, we drove down the street to the world's largest model train store, Caboose Hobbies. Needless to say, June was well entertained.

Soon we were back home for a family nap. So far, so good. Not bad, Denver.

'til next time

Some pictures from our last trip to the Museum of Life and Science before departing from Durham. Pictures don't do the Holiday Springs and Sprockets exhibition justice, but trust me, it's a spectacle.

Featuring five large scale, holiday-themed sculptures and installations, Gerberich explores scientific principles in artfully creative ways appealing to both kids and adults alike. Gerberich’s work has been featured in the famous Macy’s store windows as well as on CBS Sunday Morning, NBC’s Today Show, and The New York Times.

Junie sending the crazy contraptions into motion...






lost in a cloud...

running through the curtains...

posing with the snakes...

busy at work in the space capsule..

watching the coins go 'round...

new homes

Among all of the other changes, several fixtures of our lives recently found new homes. One of our cats, Minnie, headed off to a new owner three weeks ago. We talked for months about paring down our inventory of cats from three to two, but we hadn't had the heart (held back by affection, inertia and, at least for one of us, guilt) to go through with it. Before the cross-country move to Colorado seemed like as good a time as any.
So why Minnie? I've had Mac for over 13 years, so he's got seniority on his side. Our other cat, Rocco, might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's incredibly tolerant of June's less-than-gentle petting and tail pulling. Minnie just wants to be petted, and she's one of the softest cats you'll ever feel. She didn't interact all that much with Mac and Rocco, she fled when June was near, she's declawed, and since June arrived on the scene two years ago, she hadn't gotten nearly the attention she deserves and desires. She went to live with an elderly lady who recently had another cat pass away. We think it's the perfect situation. We miss her greatly, but it's comforting to know she's providing loving companionship for an appreciative owner.

A happy update: Minnie's new owner's daughter graciously emailed us with photos and an update. Look at them gazing at one another! We've been assured that they suit each other and Minnie sleeps on the bed each night. Isn't that just sweet?

Also off to a new home: the old Volvo S70, a trusty old friend for 10 years, a bit shopworn and cosmetically challenged to be sure but a good old car nonetheless. Not, however, up to handling the snow, ice and thin air of Colorado. So, we decided to donate her to a great local Durham organization, TROSA. It will be very much appreciated and used well, so it's a win-win for all; if you donate a car to a charity, like TROSA, that actually uses rather than sells the car, you can take the full Blue-Book deduction. Someday soon we'll have a new (or new-to-us) horse in the stable, one with all-wheel drive and some grit to get us where we need to go in our new state.

Last, and least, we donated my old trading computer (not the one I built earlier this year) to the Teaming For Technology branch of the United Way. They were thrilled to get it, as it will be used immediately to replace a failing server of theirs.

Although we're sad to see them go, it's nice to know that Minnie, the Volvo, and the old computer are safe, sound, and helping others.

GEER Redux

Following through on a post promised last September--here's what Junie and I did while Lloyd ran the GEER:

Early a.m. at mile 22.9, one of very few spots to see the runners. Lloyd, fresh as a daisy, planted some kisses and moved on...

...and so did we, to an apple harvest festival at a nearby orchard. How beautiful it was there! Fingers of mist reached down over the peaks surrounding the little green valley and gave the whole place a feeling of Brigadoon. I love to think about the fact that the Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountains in the world. They feel it, too--soft, green...I'm at a loss. But amazing.Folks gathered around the apple slingshot, a rudimentary contraption wherein one tries to shoot tiny apples into blue barrels in the cow pasture. The cows gathered to investigate, and most people seemed to be taking aim at them more than the barrels. The cows were not injured, I should add.The slingshot, the cows, the barrels, and a budding marksman.

Goofing off inside the barn.

What a beautiful place to go rambling and exploring.

Not pictured: the giant barbecued chicken, apple cake, apples, and other treats I can't even remember that we shared.

Also not pictured: our next stop, Oktoberfest at Wintergreen Ski Resort, where we stayed our 2 nights. We showed up just in time to see the old guys in lederhosen perform 2 more songs on their brass instruments, which was thrilling. Also ate more: goulash, large pretzel with mustard, root beer, and brown bread. Lloyd may have an iron stomach, but mine was feeling more like an unsteady washing machine by then. But, if you haven't learned by my age, you just can't complain too much.

Back to the same aid station at which we'd seen Lloyd in the morning, only now he had run 58.8 total miles. Past the gloaming of the day and well beyond Junie's bedtime, she stayed wired and happy as long as I supplied her with her drug of choice, the opportunity to play in the front seat of the car. Isn't that a happy face?

Lloyd posted about the rest back in September, so follow the link at the top if you're interested in reliving it. It still amazes and inspires me. And makes me feel exhausted.

Photo Booth

These were taken at the mall nearby our house in November while my mom was visiting and Lloyd was in Colorado exploring the job possibility. I just want to point out that when we put the coins in and the machine solicited out options, June's fingers started flying and before I could step in to slow things down she had selected our "best friends" heading and the sepia tone. There was no going back. I think it's sweet that she thinks we're best friends.

pumpkin patch

Ganyard Farms, Durham, NC--October, 2008
Hayriding, pumpkin picking, frolicking.