Random Thoughts

While I was blase regarding the Broncos win in Super Bowl 50, the following morning, I could not get Queen's song, "We Are the Champions," out of my mind.   And I would have loved to have been at the Broncos' World Champions parade in Denver this past Tuesday - but I don't like crowds anymore - and it was estimated that over one million people were along the parade route and at the Civic Center Park to celebrate the win.  Just looking at the huge amounts of humanity shown by the television news helicopter there was enough to convince me not to go.
   The Super Bowl advertisements were a disappointing lot this year....  I did like Helen Mirren's Budweiser commercial; I loved the Audi R8 ad; and I liked Christopher Walken's sock puppet.  I had hoped to see another fantastic Clydesdale commercial from Anheiser Busch, but was greatly disappointed there - a few seconds close-up of the horses mouthing their driving bits did not pass my love test.  Most of the ads this year were not humorous and some were just plain stupid.  At least that good defensive game was worth watching.
   I'm still having very vivid dreams, thanks to my anti-depression medication.  Yesterday morning I awoke totally convinced that I was living in my grandparents' house on Peterson Street on Chincoteague Island.  I stretched in bed, and then bounced up, ready to go out and ride my bike to the beach.  I was very disconcerted to look out my bedroom window and see the outlines of the Rocky Mountains.  I felt cheated, also.  Having awakened in an excellent mood, and being ready to go out and enjoy the sea air, the smell of morning marsh mud, and a delectable view - I was hit by the realization that a Chinook wind was blowing down from the mountains and that the island was 2,000 miles to the east.
   This morning I dreamed that I was in a huge house - part sales emporium, part haunted mansion - and I was trying to find all of the pets that I'd ever had in my life...  Collecting the hamsters, the bunnies, the chickens, the horses and the dogs was easy.  The cats kept running off to explore other movements of other creatures that were hidden in distant rooms.  It seemed like an effort in futility just before I woke up.  So, does the gathering of my pets mean that I'm too clingy?  Does it mean, as one psychiatrist said, that I'm too attached to objects?  Am I too attached to animals and not to humans?  I don't know and I don't care.   It's just good to "see" all my critters happy and healthy...

Short and Sweet

The sun is setting behind the mountain ridge, I'm at my desk, looking out, while Nedi is in the cat tree and Lovey is on the bed, taking a bath.  It was beautiful outside this morning - above freezing when I took Rosie out for a nice saunter through Crestview Park, and gorgeous when I took Tess over and around Wonderland Lake this afternoon.  I have my new calendar up, with appoints through August posted on it, and I'm ready to watch the Broncos win the AFC championship and head off to the Super Bowl.  (With Peyton Manning at the helm, again.)  The only "big thing" coming up is the Denver Stock Show - but I don't know if I'll attend this year  or not....   My cats, my friends, and my family all seem to be doing fine, so I'm happy with 2016.  Today's writing is short and sweet - just like me!

Red Dawn and the Broncos

The sunrise this morning can only be described as screaming scarlet.  Being a Navy brat, and having 350 years of waterman's blood in my veins, my first thought was, "Uh-oh.  Red sky at morning, sailors take warning."  Of course, the forecast is for rain and snow this afternoon, evening, tonight, and tomorrow morning - but it's odd how the old familiar phrases just roll into your mind...  And, as I was coming into the apartment, I had a single large drop of precipitation land on my thumb - and half of the drop was ice.  Cloudiness levels have risen and fallen since dawn, but at the moment, I can't see a single spot of blue anywhere.
  I was amazed that the Broncos - Coach Gary Kubiak, Manager John Elway, the whole schmear - allowed Peyton Manning to play at all yesterday.  Especially since it seemed that they played him only to break a record.  Manning was injured and in pain well before the game - both foot and ribs - and he was played until he surpassed Bret Favre's record, and then was benched for the rest of the game.  That was totally stupid.  If the player is injured, you don't play him, period.  To play him only long enough to break a record, and then bench him, is extremely crass and tasteless.  My regards for the Broncos, as a team, have dropped to an all-time low.  Why not wait until Peyton could play a whole game, and play well?  Why send him out just to break a record and then bench him because he was injured to start with?  It makes absolutely no sense to me....
  Since we started feeding the squirrels and birds a couple of weeks ago, we have one plump little fellow (a squirrel) that I really enjoy.  He's a dark grey/brown, but the edges of his tail are almost orange in color.  Every morning after eating his fill of nuts, berries and seeds, he climbs to the top of a wood utility pole, and spends several hours basking in the sun.  He only stayed up there for about 30 minutes this morning, and has moved over to the nut pile again.  I'm sure he can sense the change in weather that's coming.
 
 

Moving On.....

It's a big football weekend here in Boulder - the Homecoming game for the CU Buffs.   They had their parade last night; and the game is at 7 this evening against Arizona.  My best wishes go to them for a win.   The Florida Gators will be playing at LSU, and they hope to remain undefeated.  Good luck to the orange and blue!
   I was shocked to learn earlier this week that Steve Spurrier, "the Ol' Ball Coach," was resigning his position as head coach with the South Carolina Gamecocks.  As he has since said, he resigned, he didn't retire - but, still, without his presence, I haven't been able to drum up the same thrill about collegiate games that I used to enjoy.  Steve Spurrier was/is a person that has a polarizing effect upon people - you either love him, or you hate him, or you're totally indifferent.  I've loved Steve since he was a junior at the University of Florida.  I met and talked with him many times as a child, and throughout our lives since.  I've always been shocked that he's been able to remember me - but he remembers me via our link, my Dad.  He always recognizes me as "Charlie's daughter."   Coach Spurrier always had such a zest for the game of football, and he loved making his stinging comments about rivals.  I'll always remember his crack (while coaching the Gators) that FSU stood for "Free Shoes University" when an alumni at FSU was in trouble for giving large numbers of free Nikes to football and basketball players.
  Tomorrow the Broncos play the Browns - and I think that the Bronco defense will again supply the win for the offense.  Something isn't clicking in the offense - don't know if it's the new head coach, Peyton Manning, the offensive line, or what - but they are not the team that I cheered for s few years ago.
   (And I try to get my fill of Tim Tebow by watching the Friday evening and Saturday morning analysis shows on the SEC Network.  Tim does his homework and knows what he's talking about...)
   Finally:  Dreamer's Faith.  Closure.  Roe Terry and the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company admit they made a terrible mistake in not searching the corral and fence line at the Carnival Grounds after the filly was noticed missing.  They thought she had been stolen, and did not search the property thoroughly.  They state they have learned from a very painful mistake and will not jump to conclusions in the future.  The CVFC will make recompense to the Beer family for the loss of their filly, Dreamer's Faith.  New procedures are now in place regarding the ponies being kept on the Carnival Grounds - newer, safer procedures.   Period.
   The Fall Round-Up of the Chincoteague ponies takes place today and tomorrow.  There are at least three new foals born since Pony Penning that I know of...  Looking forward to seeing new photos from friends.

Friday's Adventure

We received more than an inch of snow Friday morning before dawn, and the temperatures never rose above freezing.  I wouldn't have minded any of that, except that I traveled down to the Denver Airport with a family in their car.  I was assured they would leave in plenty of time to make their check-in and boarding.  I was told they'd pick me up at 7:30, and once they had debarked at the airport, I could drive peacefully back to Boulder.  They arrived in my parking lot at 8:15, and the roads were covered with slush, which was coating the windows and windshield, as well as the rear window.  The morning soon turned into an adventure - first, while the owner was driving, and we were only 10 miles out from Boulder (it's 75 miles from the house to DIA), we ran out of windshield washer fluid.  It was decided, since they were running so late, that we'd just dash water (from the personal water bottles everyone was carrying) onto the windshield and use the wipers to clear a vision spot.   Let me tell you that I found the experience frightening - firstly, the driver decided to try this operation at 85 mph on the toll road, and, secondly, we couldn't see anything behind us because the rear window was completely coated with mud, salt, and slush.  The first try blew the water onto the roof, missing the windshield entirely, due to our velocity.  So we began stopping in the emergency lane every  5 or 6 minutes to splash water on the windshield - but (I was praying at every stop) we couldn't see if anything was behind us when we started to stop, or how close the vehicle was, because of the totally occluded rear window.  So the driver started chiding the son for returning the vehicle without it being filled with gas and washer fluid.  The son reminded the driver that the daughter had taken this particular vehicle out, not he....  It was an interesting drive....  We somehow managed to cover the 75 miles in 55 minutes.
   Then I got to drive back to the closest service station and convenience store to purchase washer fluid and fill the reservoir that is used for both front and rear windows.  The vehicle took in 1.5 gallons of washer fluid.  I then washed all the windows with the provided window washer and scraper.  On the way home, I decided that I did not want to be driving in that bumper-to-bumper Interstate traffic all the way from DIA back to Boulder.  (Dumb idea.)  I took Tower Road to 96th Avenue - and then waited for 90 minutes with a train blocking the road.  I finally pulled out of line, and decided I'd see the "back side" of Commerce City.  I had no map, so I was just zig-zagging west and north, in hopes of finding a road that I knew.  I found three dead-ends, but finally saw a sign that pointed to one of the main roads (there are only three) back to Boulder.  It was quite an educational drive, and I actually rather enjoyed the adventure...
  Yesterday and today are gray and yucky.  Originally, the weather folks said we'd be cloudy, but there would be no precipitation during the Broncos game.   Now it looks like we'll have rain, possibly sleet, and possibly snow during the second half.  At least I'll be snug inside and watch the televised game from the recliner!  -  And I had really wanted the Ravens to beat the Patriots yesterday, but it just didn't happen.  So sorry, Baltimore!

Short Post

Our big snow event of yesterday was a bust.  It did snow for almost 8 hours - sometimes with large, fluffy flakes, sometimes with barely perceptible granular snow.  This morning, there are a few patches of visible snow on grass and in sheltered areas - but there's no snow on the sidewalks or roads.  I can see what looks like a heavy frost on the grass and leaves in the back yard, but it's not much.  Lovey is on the bed, burbling at me; Nedi is prowling outside, as he has been for the past 90 minutes.  As my feet are starting to feel cold, I think  it's time to call him back inside and close the door.
   I've heard back from all but one of my friends/clients regarding their lost house key.  Everyone has indicated that it's no big deal and will supply me with another key.  Sister Kathy had my spare mail key, so I will be heading over to McGuckin's shortly and have new copies of my house and mail keys made.  I loaned my neighbor Wayne another $20 so that he can eat, and once, again, he assures me that his sister will be sending him a grocery gift card soon.
  The Broncos won their game yesterday, as did the Kansas City Chiefs - otherwise, all of my professional football teams lost.  It was a yucky game day for the teams that I like...  Not a whole heck of a lot happening in Boulder, so I guess I'll sign off.  I hope you have a great week!

Football and Dreams

In regards to football:  a win is a win, and a loss is a loss, period.  Yesterday was a wild ride in the college games.  I am looking forward to today's Broncos game, and I hope the orange and blue players win.  Who will catch Peyton Manning's 500th touchdown pass?  Tamme? Welker? Julius or Demaryius Thomas? Someone else?  We'll see.....
   I had another extremely real-seeming dream this morning...  Earlier this week, when I awoke I thought I was laying on my usual cot in the landing at Grandpa's house on Peterson Street - it took me a while to realize I was in bed in Boulder.  This morning, I dreamed I was in a convoy of yellow- painted trucks; we came under artillery fire, and my vehicle slewed across the roadway;  then this kelly green "thing" approached, and I knew it was a machine that had "the enemy" inside it.   This huge three-fingered claw reached out towards me, and I slammed my right hand up to try to push it away...  (So stupid, I know...) The claw was larger than a VW bug - and I remember thinking that the surface of the claw was very hard and very cold.  That's when I woke up - with my right hand fingers jammed against the concrete block of the wall next to my bed.  I had struck the wall so hard that I broke off four fingernails, one in the quick.  Apparently I'm "acting out" my dreams in my sleep again...  And I am fully cognizant that one of the medications I take daily makes dreams hugely vivid.
   There was a large contingent of Oregon State Beaver fans here yesterday, but even though they won, they were relatively quiet.  When the Buffs win, the town goes wild.  Maybe the visitors are better mannered...
   And here's a photo that a friend took of the bull moose that was wandering around the neighborhood near Chautauqua Park, here in Boulder, the other day:

Football - College and Pro

Wow.  The SEC Network kicked off the season with live coverage of the South Carolina Gamecocks hosting Texas A & M; and with a pre-game, half-time, and post-game analysis that included new sportscaster Timmy Tebow.  The Gamecocks were ranked 9th in the nation in pre-season polls, and, under Head Coach Steve Spurrier (whom I have loved for 50 years), it seemed about right.  Texas A & M, having lost Johnny Football at quarterback, was ranked 21st.  I watched to the bitter end....  Texas A & M beat the Gamecocks 52 to 28.  The South Carolina defense had no counter for the Aggie's offense.  Dylan Thompson, the 5th year SC quarterback, was a steadying influence for the Gamecocks, but Texas ran over the home team.  The quiet in the stadium was very strange.  And SC has a hard schedule coming up, too.  I hope the Ol' Ball Coach can regroup and win the rest of his games this season!
  The Broncos won their last pre-season game last night, without putting many starters on the field. The Dallas Cowboys fell 27 to 3 at home.  With Matt Prater out for the first four games, the Bronco tried out McManus  - he managed to make 2 of 4 field goals from beyond 50 yards.  Broncos fans are used to Matt making everything under 63 yards...
  And I had to laugh.  How does the NFL decide the amount that they fine someone?  Last week, Peyton Manning got up in D J Swearinger's face and "taunted" him, after Swearinger had tackled Wes Welker and given him a third concussion.  I imagine that Peyton said a few choice, nasty words, but neither he nor Swearinger repeated what was said.  The reason I had to laugh yesterday, was seeing that the NFL had fined Peyton  $8,428 for his "taunting" (or, dressing down) of Swearinger.  I don't think that amount will hurt Peyton's wallet too much, and it was probably a great relief to give Swearinger a vocal piece of his mind.
  The other NFL announcement made me cheer and pump my fists.  The league is finally shutting down on players (and, I hope, coaches) who abuse their spouses.  Ray Rice of the Ravens was given a two-game suspension after punching his then fiance (now wife) in the face.   Now, any player who is found guilty of domestic abuse will be suspended for 6 weeks and six games without pay for the first offense; a second offense will result in a lifetime ban from the NFL.  Finally, some protection for the spouses!

Catching Up

I'm finally checking back in...  David Gregory has left NBC and Meet the Press.  There's been a 6.0 earthquake in Napa Valley, California early this morning.  The Pro Cycling Challenge will end today with a ride from the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder to downtown Denver, after a trip up and down lookout Mountain.
At 8 am this morning, I had taken care of four houses full of pets and had taken a client to the Denver Airport and had returned home.  I'm tired again.
  I've been loving Lovey and Nedi like mad - they both are demanding attention, and I don't blame them.  I'll return home on Tuesday night, the second of September to sleep in my own bed.  Then I'm taking the following week off - no dog walks, no house sitting, no nothing - except being at home with my kits.  And that Saturday I'll be home is the first CU home game here in Boulder - so things will work out nicely.  And all of the local cable and satellite companies are carrying the SEC Network, so I can get my fill of good college football.
  Let's see, what else is going on...  I turned on the TV yesterday in time to see the post parade for the Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga yesterday afternoon, and I chose the filly that led the line - # 1 - Artemis Agrotera, as my winner.  And she won.  Then I watched the lead-in and the post parade for the Travers Stakes, also known as the Midsummer Derby; the colts people were talking about were considered the "Big 3" - Bayern, Tonalist and Wicked Strong.  I thought Wicked Strong looked the best of those three, but I chose V. E. Day as my winner...  And he won, with Wicked Strong in second.  Tonalist finished third, and Bayern, after a very fast first mile, was last.  I haven't lost my eye, yet.
   ISIS has beheaded an American journalist, after the US refused to pay a $132 million ransom demand.  They are threatening to kill another innocent American soon, and are also mouthing off about attacking cities and sites in our country.  I feel very badly for the family of the man killed, and the family of the man being threatened; but I cannot condone paying ransom to a militant jihadist group. I feel that our country is correct in refusing to pay ransom for citizens.
   The Broncos beat the Seahawks in their first pre-season game; they blanked the 49ers at their new stadium for the 49er's home opener.  Last night, the Broncos were rocked by a last minute touchdown and 2 point conversion by the Texans - after they had injured Wes Welker in the last minutes of the first half.  This caused the usually quiet and even-tempered Peyton Manning to go face-to-face with a defensive player, and the Broncos were penalized 15 yards for "taunting."  The final score was Texas 18, Broncos 17.
  Starting Tuesday (in 2 days), I'll be staying at one house and taking care of the critters there, walking Rosie as usual, and visiting my kits as much as possible.  Then I have four days of walking Rosie, and then I have 8 full days and nights of freedom...  and I plan on spending most of that time with my kits, at home.

Pieces

Well, I slipped on the ice beside the trash dumpster last night, and I did something to my sciatic nerve - my right leg is killing me.  But I've had this problem off and on for the past 25 years, so I know that it will slowly disappear - but today I'll ache like mad.  It's cloudy, grey, and windy outside, and the weather folks say that we'll get snow tonight - between 1 and 2 feet...  Rosie has an acupuncture appointment this morning, and our usual walk has been set back an hour.  Hopefully we won't have rain or snow at that time, and I'll be certain to let Boo out for at least an hour while I'm over there, as Kathy and Jim are down in Denver with little Evie for the day.
  My kits ran out and had a good 45 minute play period this morning - they chased one another, rolled, wrestled, and leapt like they were crazed.  After they had come back inside and calmed down, I gave them both a toy (refreshed by being in the catnip jar for a week), and watched Lovey get sleepy and slow, while Nedi became an attack machine.  Both are now sleeping off the effects - Lovey in bed and Nedi on the cat tree.
  All sorts of other bits and pieces:  KUSA is giving away their "Clingy Thingys", finally, in Boulder today - at the King Soopers (3 blocks from my apartment) at 4 this afternoon.  People are so crazy about getting these vinyl window clings, that now, a person can only get one, and the employees are allotted only 1,000 per location to hand out.  I don't know if I'll try to get one, or not; it will depend on how my leg feels later.  ....  My Sports Talk radio T-shirts finally arrived - they are bright orange, and, in white, there is a silhouette of Peyton Manning getting ready to pass the ball with the words "Keep Calm and Hurry!!  Hurry!!" on them. I'll wear mine on Sunday for the game.   ....   My copies of the 2-volume book, Pass It On, a history of Vernon County, Missouri arrived last night; and I plan to start reading them today.  ....  All the local stations news stations, are, of course, carrying extra football coverage, and all of them have a news team staying in either New Jersey or New York.  Enough of the hyperbole - I'm ready for the game.

Mustangs (or Broncos) of the Wild West

Mare and foal near Mesa Verde, Colorado

Buckskin in Nevada

Sand Wash Basin, Wyoming

Snaking stallion

Fight for supremacy in Utah

Triumphant

Broncos To Play Seahawks in Super Bowl

The Denver Broncos defeated the New England Patriots 26 to 16 yesterday.  After 15 seasons, Champ Bailey gets to play in a Super Bowl.  Quarterback Peyton Manning had his father and both brothers, Cooper and Eli, cheering him on to a huge win.  The Broncos put up 507 yards in offense yesterday - 400 passing yards and 107 on the ground.  Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was sacked, resoundingly, twice; and was hurried and knocked down multiple times.  Peyton Manning wasn't.
  The San Francisco Forty-Niners opened their game against the Seattle Seahawks with a roar - but, at the very end, Seattle came back and won the game, 23 to 17.
  This year's Super Bowl will be played at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, 2 February.  Kick off is set for 6:35 p.m. (EDT), and the game will be televised on the Fox Network.

Champ Bailey

Wes Welker

Happy Broncos!

Wild Creatures - Photos

Grey owl

Frosty grizzly bear

Squirrel

Oriental pied hornbill

Broncos

(also known as mustangs, wild horses of the American West;

this is the Red Desert Band in Wyoming)

AFC Championship Game Today

The AFC and NFC Championship games will be played today.  Most people here in Colorado are focused entirely on the Denver Broncos game against the New England Patriots.  I like and support the Broncos - there is not a single team member that I do not like.  I greatly dislike "pretty boy" Tom Brady, the quarterback of the Patriots team. And, I'm also quietly happy that Brandon Spikes will not be playing for the Patriots defense today.  I'm sorry that Brandon is injured, but - he's a Gator, so I have to favor him when he's playing.  KUSA, our NBC affiliate, has yet to hand out "United in Orange" clingy-thingys here in Boulder, even though they did hand them out in Fort Collins and Dillon yesterday...  Maybe if we win today, and the Broncos head for the Super Bowl, then they'll hand out "United in Orange" stickers here...  Everyone I know wants one.

There were not any clouds in view this morning, so we didn't have an orange and blue sunrise.  The skies are a bight blue, and it's already 50 degrees outside.  We currently have 28 percent humidity, and a light breeze is blowing at 6 mph.  Kick off time is 1:05 (MDT) today, and there is a possibility that it might be 60 degrees, or so, on the field.  High winds are not in the forecast.  And, one thing to keep in mind, is that our normal high temperature for this time of year is 42, not 60.  

  There are hopes that Champ Bailey will be on the field for every defensive play today, but the defense will be missing Chris Harris, Jr, who was the unheralded King of the Backfield for us.  But it seems that all of the usual receivers will be there and in fine fettle - so, here's hoping for a fantastic win at 5,280 feet above sea level!

   GO BRONCOS!

Odds & Ends

St Nicholas Abbey, the Irish thoroughbred race horse, has been put down.  He broke his right fore pastern while galloping in July, and underwent surgery.  In October, he began to develop laminitis in his left fore; that seemed to have been contained with minimal damage.  Earlier this week, he developed a severe case of colic; corrective surgery found a massive strangulated amount of intestine, and it was decided to put him down.  Most people can't believe how fragile a horse actually is - St Nicholas Abbey's case only goes to prove the point that horses are a fragile animal, even with round-the-clock monitoring.
   We've had a twelve-year-old boy  fire a .20 gauge shotgun in the gymnasium of his middle school in New Mexico this week, two people were hospitalized;  a couple of teen-aged boys set off an explosive chemical reaction in a Colorado Charter school, sending 5 classmates and a teacher to the hospital for treatment; a high school student in Longmont threw a party while his parents were out of town - a 20 year-old man is in custody for killing two teens and stabbing a third (he was an acquaintance invited by a friend of a friend). What's happening?  Once again, I ask, are we becoming a nation of non-caring people, or is the news that much more pervasive these days?
   The maintenance man just wandered by with a huge ladder...  Nedi ran and hid under the bed; Lovey just looked and blinked.  The patio door is closed, but Jim and some of my neighbors are making an awful lot of loud noises.
  Around here, everyone seems to be in the grip of "Broncos Fever."  I'm definitely supporting the local team and will be verbally cheering against the Patriots - but enough is enough.  It's a professional football game - men are paid to beat the crap out of one another and place an inflated pigskin either across a certain line, or through a set of uprights.  I won't cry if the Broncos lose the game, and I'll be happy if they win, and can go on to play in the Super Bowl.  But this game is not my end-all and be-all.
  This weekend, the Denver National Stock Show is open, and the Native American Convention is also taking place in Denver.  Football is fun, but it's not all....
 

NFL, Pets & the Nike Suit

I am in error - the pimp who wants to sue Nike is from Portland, Oregon (not Washington state), and he's 26 years old.  He didn't beat the non-paying john with the shoes - he stomped on his face and head while wearing the shoes...  And he's still trying to sue Nike because they didn't label their shoes as "dangerous weapons."  What a jerk!  (See yesterday's blog.)
  I was rooting for Cam Newton in the first of the NFL Playoff games yesterday - and, by the time the game was finished, I wasn't sure whether I should root for the Broncos or not...  Of course, I couldn't help myself - I was cheering for the Broncos, and wishing nasty injuries to Philip Rivers throughout the game.  (And, yes, I do realize that my feelings are a very rotten form of bad sportsmanship.)  But the Broncos were able to overcome the wind (and my support) and defeat the Chargers.  So next weekend's Division championship games will be the New England Patriots here in Denver, as the first televised game, followed by the San Francisco Forty-Niners at the Seattle Seahawks.  Whichever teams win next Sunday will face each other in the Superbowl on 2 February.  Naturally, I want the Denver Broncos to win it all...  And I can recognize all of the starting line-ups facially - thanks to the wonderful close-ups that are now available with all of the high-definition cameras.
   We're still having high winds here along the Front Range - and I saw that snow is forecast for tomorrow morning...  Yech...  There is still a lot of snow on the ground in shaded and wind-protected areas through the area.  And snow is falling, almost constantly, up at the ski resorts - which is great for them.  I knew that it was getting warmer out when Lovey relieved herself outside yesterday, and came running into the apartment, howling at the top of her lungs - then she jumped onto the desk and left muddy paw prints everywhere. Nedi jumped up later, and left even more muddy prints, which I shall have to clean off this afternoon, when I return home.
  Maggie Mae stayed curled up with me much of Friday - during the weekend, she spent most of her time in her closet; but this morning, she's bathing on the sofa behind me.  I did hear her sneeze twice this morning, but she was playing with a very furry toy, so I need to let her folks know that.  Otherwise, she has been delightful company - sleeping with me in the early morning, and talking to me while I fix her meals.  She's a sweetie.
  Today I start walking Rosie and Lucy again, and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I add Lola, Cooper, Pounce and Tipsi to the mix, twice a day...  and I'm trying to help a group in Rome, Italy trace the familial steps of a man in the early 20th century.  So I'll definitely have things to do!

National Western Stock Show, Broncos, & Suing Nike

The Denver National Western Stock Show opened to the public yesterday, and had over 44,000 visitors go through the gates.  It was the second-largest number of folks to visit on opening day since the Stock Show history began, 107 years ago.  There are all kinds of things that can be seen at the stock show - it's an agricultural show, and just about every kind of farm animal possible (from chickens to yaks) have judging contests; there are different types of horse shows, mule shows, donkey shows, and draft horse shows.  You can see Grand Prix Show Jumping; the rodeos - Colorado versus the World, Mexican International Rodeo, the MLK African-American Heritage Rodeo, the Wear Pink Rodeo; the Colorado Fiddle Championship; the Coors Western Art Show; Stock Dog trials; and a Wild West Show,  to name a few.  There are a lot of interactive activities for youngsters, and multiple stock sales - horses, cattle, goats, sheep, llamas and alpacas, swine, yaks and all types of fowl.  There is a daily entrance fee, higher on the weekend than on weekdays; the last day the adult entrance fee is $10 per person, but on Tuesday, 21 January, admission is totally free.
  Today, Denver is awash with Broncos and San Diego Chargers fans.  All week, KUSA, our NBC affiliate, has been passing out "Clingy Thingees" - a clear, self-adhering sticker for windows (car or otherwise) that reads, "Broncos -  United in Orange - Time to Ride."  Actually, it's the Broncos logo, not the word; "United in Orange" is printed in orange; and "Time to Ride" is printed in blue.  I want one.  But you must travel into Denver to get one, so I'll have to do without...  The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots won their NFL Playoff games yesterday.  Now the Broncos need to put Philip Rivers and the Chargers away this afternoon.  The game temperatures will be in the mid- to low-30s, and the wind will be swirling, with gusts up to 40 mph.  I'll be rooting for the guys in orange and blue!
  I laughed myself silly yesterday, reading one news story.  A man in Washington state is trying to sue Nike shoes for $100 million - because the company's Jordan Nike shoes do not have a warning label stating that the shoes can be potentially dangerous, if used to beat or kick someone.  The man is a pimp, and he beat a john who refused to pay for the use of a prostitute (in his string), with the shoes.  The john had a broken nose and facial fractures, and had to have plastic surgery to repair the damage.  The pimp also beat one of his "girls" with the shoes, causing her to bleed from the ears.  At his trial, the pimp was found guilty of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (the shoes), and was sentenced to 100 years in prison.  Now he wants to sue Nike because the shoes were not labeled as being "dangerous!"

Great Christmas Book

I contacted Rosie's owners this morning, and asked if they wanted me to walk her today - around 11 a.m., instead of the usual 9 a.m.  They replied that since it was still 0 degrees at 8:30, we'd put off her walk until tomorrow.  That's OK with me.  The sun is shining nicely, and critters are coming to the patio to eat and to amuse Lovey and Nedi.  I'm still dealing with a headache that I got by tripping myself on my bedroom slippers during the 4th quarter of the Broncos - Titans game; I fell over and caught my head on the corner of a short bookcase.  Didn't realize it was bleeding like stink until the back of my ear tickled, and I found blood running down my neck.  So I washed my head and put pressure on the open hole until it quit bleeding.  No evidence of concussion, but I missed some of the game. (Rats!)  At least I came out better than poor Wes Welker last night!
   And I hope that Peyton Manning did enough to prove that the stupid story that he "can't play in the cold" is truly bogus.  Almost every one of Peyton's throws was directly on target yesterday.  Yes, there were a lot of dropped balls by the receivers - but number 18 delivered the ball perfectly on target for the most part.  And, with a winning score of 51 to 28 over the Titans, I think the entire team proved they play well in cold weather.
  Not much else going on - I need to return some library books, and I'll walk Lucy at noon every day this week.  I finally replaced the red heat lamp bulb in my bathroom, which I like a great deal.  The kits think the red light is totally weird...  I'm done with my Christmas shopping.  I have to purchase wrapping paper and send a few things out, but, otherwise, I'm done. (Except for stocking stuffers...)
  And, if you are from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and want to help preserve family memories of the area, I highly recommend a new Christmas book.  Only 1000 copies were printed, and it's available from the Barrier Island Center in Machipongo, Virginia.  For a quick review, and information on how to purchase a copy of this fantastic book, please see:  http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013312050010    I ordered my copies last week, and have been giggling like a loon ever since they arrived!  A wonderful book for both children and adults!

Football, Kits and OKC

College football is always full of surprises - I watched three games of the five I was interested in, and in the three games I watched, each team I was cheering for lost.  Is that a sign of anything?  The Oklahoma Sooners lost to the Texas Longhorns, the Florida Gators lost to the LSU Tigers, and the Colorado Buffs fell to Arizona State.  I did not watch the Gamecocks trounce the Razorbacks, nor see Missouri beat the Georgia Bulldogs - just because neither game was available here in the mountains.  I would have loved to have seen those two games!
  Today, I'll be watching the Broncos play the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Redskins play the Cowboys.  I'll be looking for the plane flying over the Mile High stadium that is towing the banner that says, "Jags: Why Not Tebow?"  I know that a Jacksonville businessman has paid for the advertisement, and since I like Tim, I hope to get a good view of it.  I'll be rooting for the Redskins tonight, for old times' sake.
  Lovey stayed "stuck" to me yesterday after my absence, while Nedi, after one big loving session in the morning, went about his usual routine.  I didn't get much accomplished yesterday, other than watching football, but I did get the 120 photos I had taken in Oklahoma City down-loaded from my camera and onto my PC.  Then I cropped and labeled each one before I could forget what they were.  I called Mary this morning and asked how her day had gone yesterday (she lost money at the Casino, and bought three more books at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum), and to wish her a pleasant and uneventful flight back to Orlando today.  I laughed and told her how only my left leg was patted down at Will Rogers airport, on the way to the plane - the knee was swollen as usual, and security had to check it out...
  I'll also be hoping that the TV coverage for today's Broncos game will show that now retired Todd Helton (the Toddmeister of the Colorado Rockies for 17 years) was honored as an honorary Team Captain of the Broncos, since he played with the Tennessee Volunteers alongside Peyton Manning.  Hoping my two teams today have good games!

Sporadic Blogging

Well. Kathy and Jim have made their escape off into the wilds of Washington state - making a road trip, just for the fun of it.  I'll be staying at their house, without internet access, and without cable or satellite television, which means I can watch ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, or a religious network.   I've gotten spoiled with my satellite dish and internet access here at home.  I'll be home for only a few hours each day, so don't be surprised if my blogging becomes very spotty until the 18th of September.  - I'll probably move Lovey and Nedi in with Boo and I, as they get along well.
    Last night was the "big match up" game to begin the NFL season.  It was played in Denver, and the Baltimore Ravens, the Superbowl Champions from last season, faced the Denver Broncos.  There was a heavy rainstorm, and the kick off was delayed due to fears of lightning for 35 minutes.  The Broncos won the game, with a score of 49 to 27.  Peyton Manning threw for all 7 touchdowns for the Broncos. -  But the funny thing was the article in The Columbus Dispatch that stated that John Elway threw for 7 TDs; the lead paragraph states that it was Peyton Manning, but the following paragraphs, as well as the headline, state it was Elway.  What a hoot!

At least I can get my fill of college football tomorrow - first the Gators play, then the Gamecocks play, and tomorrow evening is the first home game for the Colorado Buffaloes - one long block from my apartment!