“TOW-Wanda…being towed away to her new life with a boy.”

Night before last, I put the camper on Facebook Marketplace at 10:00. It sold in thirty minutes! And, there were thirty people right behind the guy I sold it to, ready to step up and pay cash. I was shocked. I was forthright in explaining the camper needed work or would be perfect for a backyard she shed, writer’s nook, guest quarters, or kids playhouse. Still, the price and “camper” were enough to bring everyone out of the woodwork seeking a deal.

“Enjoying a midsummer’s eve in Colorado.”

I was talking about my blog the other day with the owner of a lovely antique store in Minturn, Colorado. Just a stone’s throw from the glitz and glamour of Vail, Minturn still holds that little mining town feel it’s had for decades. It is kind of land bound…there can’t be a ton of new expansion and building outrageous mansions for the rich and famous. The town center is located just two miles off I-70, but it seems like a step back in time.

“I enjoyed watching the kayakers at Eagle Water Park yesterday.”

When my brother told me he was going to be at the Day Program all day yesterday, I decided to stop in for a visit to see how he liked it. I needn’t have worried. The activity yesterday morning was drum circle. He has loved the drums ever since he was a little boy and asked Santa for a set of bongos. I enjoyed every minute watching him really get into the music and the rhythm. It was so much fun to see him enjoying himself.

“I stopped at Grizzly Creek to catch a shot of the runoff from the snowmelt.”

I decided to make a quick trip up to the mountains to see my brother yesterday. We only get to see each other a few short days when I come to Colorado every summer. Bless his heart…I felt he looked better this time than he did last summer. Although he uses a walker all the time now, he seemed stronger. He is shrinking with age and the first thing he always asks me is, “Are you getting taller???”

“Little snoozing in the morning sunshine.”

Yesterday was so much fun. Little absolutely loved sleeping in the camper. She went to sleep much earlier than usual and I had to wake her up in time to have some breakfast before we left for church. She was very excited to go to “Nana’s Church.” The contemporary mega church model suits Little’s personality to a T. She sat with me and was focused on the sermon throughout. She loved the praise and worship music. She was so animated when we came out of church and declared she wants to go every week. I am highly encouraging that because she had a definite light about her when we came out. 

“Little’s nest in TOW-Wanda!”

Little is here! She has been at camp all week and we only saw each other for an hour after I arrived last Sunday. I spent a good deal of time with Big this week, so I could hardly wait till Little got back and came over to “camp” with me.

She is my camper. No one else in my Colorado family is even remotely interested in camping. We had big plans to take the camper up in the mountains and stay a couple of days, but with the unfortunate demise of TOW-Wanda…we had to change plans.

“Looking east as the sun set over Arvada.

I think I brought the rain with me from West Virginia. We got about an inch of rain in two days in the northwest suburbs of Denver. It dropped from the mid 80’s to 75…then in thirty minutes it dropped down to 60 degrees. Lots of small, pea sized hail but no damage that I can see.

“The beauty of sunshine and lilies.”

Daughter #2 and I got a chance to spend a few hours together yesterday. We had coffee at the house then went shopping at Target. Man, that store has changed since the last time I went there. I used to shop Target all the time, but we don’t have one anywhere near where we live in West Virginia. After shopping at Walmart all these years, Target looks like an upscale department store.

“Colorado’s sky is always amazing!”

It seems like I’m in Denver just about every Independence Day. Since I don’t travel here in the winters anymore, I make my trips extra long in the summer and they just about always hit during this fun, but noisy, holiday. As I am writing this, neighborhood fireworks are going off all around me and it sounds like a war zone. 

Yesterday, I helped Daughter #1 upholster a padded cover for a chest she uses as a coffee table. Their new couch doesn’t have the recliners like her old one and they needed something comfortable to prop up their feet when they watch TV. It turned out beautiful and we were very proud when it was finished.

“Damage to the camper indicating it is no longer towable.”

Whenever I travel with one of my campers, I always circle around and do a visual safety check. I check before I head out. I check when I park for the night. And I check when I get to my destination. Saturday night I stayed at a hotel in Russell, KS. I did my walkabout when I locked her up to go inside and there was nothing wrong. Same thing the next morning before I headed out on the road for the final leg into Denver.