Tuesday, December 30, 2014

December 1~7, 2014: Grand Junction



The First Week in December 2014  
~ Christmas Preparations with our Family  ~

Mt. Garfield ~ View from Amelia and Bobby's home.
~ No snow in Grand Junction yet ~

The first week of December was filled with Christmas shopping for our friends and family and lots of quality time with Amelia, Amanda and their loved ones. Amelia and I baked cookies for Holly's Christmas Cookie Party which Amelia and I attended while Amanda was in Moab running the 'Winter Sun 10K', a 6.28 mile run. She finished in 1:12:14. Great Job Amanda!

Trimming the Tree with Amelia and Bobby
December 6, 2014


Lucy  supervising







Amelia and Bobby love their Budda Tree Topper

Wonderful day followed by an Oh So Yummy dinner prepared by Bobby

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Festival of Lights ~ Downton GJ 
This parade had over 100 entries and was about 2 hours long

The Crowd grew~
Colorado National Monument in the background





Great entry ~ Dogs helping Disabled


I loved these Snow girls!
Dance Works - won 1st place
in the performance catagory.

 













Best Float of All with Amanda and Amelia
Mix 104.3  Float ~ Town Squal Media Group
http://www.coloradowest.com/
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Trimming the Tree with Amanda, Lee, Lexie and Oz
December 7, 2014


We found IT!
Lexie and Ozick (Oz)
Love these guys!


Oz steering and having fun


John putting the lights on!! His favorite job!  :-)

We had a great time.  Now for a famly movie!
Home Alone!! 
 

I have missed Ellie!
She's always been such a loving kitty! 

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

November 25 ~ 27, 2014: Finally Grand Junction, Colorado in time for Thanksgiving

 November 25, 2014 ~ The drive over the Rockies


The usual driving time from Denver to Grand Junction is just under 4 hours....pending good weather.  Leaving Denver for Grand Junction, we ran into snowy weather prior to the Eisenhower Tunnel all the way through Vail Pass.  I'll let the photographs tell the story.

Loved the snowy mountain scenes.

The line of trucks went on for a at least a mile.

Yup, saw a few of these! 
I kept my eyes closed for awhle!
I thought of you, Paul Boetsch
Couldn't keep my eyes closed for long.
It was just too beautiful.
Such beautiful texture! I think I could like granite if it looked like this.
Almost there..... just a few more miles
First real view of  the Colorado river.
Mt.Garfield.   And around the corner....
the view of  the valley and Grand Junction.

Our home for 2 months.
Sunset view from Amelia and Bobby's home.
That's Mt. Garfield and the Bookcliffs
with the Mesa on the right.
I am so jealous!
Close up of the view ~
Mt. Garfield in the Sunset

Goodness I love this mountain!
From Amelia's home

















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November 27, 2014 ~ Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Morning Turkey Trot, a 5K completed with Lee, Amanda, and John
 John and I finally got to meet Amanda's love ~ Lee Waltrip!  
A terrific young man and he is so sweet to our Amanda!   
We are so happy they found each other.

Amelia, Bobby and Bobby's Mom~ Etta Williamson
We enjoyed a yummy Thanksgiving meql at Bobby's Moms home. Thanks Etta for a wonderful meal. We missed Wayne, Etta's husband, and look forward to seeing him in January. 
I loved the typical Crysler conversations around the car later that day!

Now I know I am in Colorado!
We must have dozens of
 'Cryslers around the car with the hood open'
photographs taken over the past 60 years!   
Here's another one to add~ 
John, Lee, Amanda and Bobby.

Yup!  The Snow storm that hit Maine about a week before we left gave us a 'not so nice' present ~ 
a dent above the right rear door of  of our beautiful Passet..
Thanks a lot 'downed limb'!
John examining the damage.


Unbelievable!







Aiden, Madison and Aunt Amelia enjoying
Thanksgiving Dinner
How quickly they learn!










Monday, December 15, 2014

November 22 ~ 25, 2014 ~ Denver

Our Denver Visit with the Rileys and Johnstones! 


View of  the Denver Skyline from the Rileys Condominium

Saturday, Noverber 22, 2014

So good to be in Denver with Louise and Peter Riley.  After 2 full days driving to Denver, it was so nice to have a relaxing evening with these very good friends that we have known for 37 years ~ Peter grilled delicious steaks and the conversation flowed ~ as did the wine!  We were blown away by the amazing views from every window in their downtown condomenium.  I would never get anything done because all I would want to do is look out the windows at the beautiful views!  And to top it off, from the balcony looking west, you can see the Rockies!

Lou, John and Peter 

Looking up from the swimming pool
towards their Condo

View from the Riley Living Room
Pool was too cold to swim, but later we did enjoy
the hot tub.
Pete and John
Denver skyline on our first night -the picture was taken
from the pool and hot tub level
Getting ready to grill

















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Sunday, November 23, 2014

The next morning the four of us met John's sister, Elizabeth and her husband Will, for breakfast at their favorite restaurant. My Eggs Benedict were so good and even though I didn't finish them, I didn't need to eat another thing all day long. It was fun to go back to their beautiful victorian home to see all the changes they are making as they plan to sell and move to New Mexico.  Lou and Peter were also able to see all Will's beautiful paintings. I never get tired of looking at them and am happy to even own a few. Will has so many wonderful paints so I am adding his web link:

http://www.willjohnstone.com/

John and I also met Will and Elizabeth for lunch the next day (Monday the 24th) enjoying a fabulous thin crust Pizza, our favorite, made correctly with tomato sauce~ just like I had in Italy! YUM!


Church by Will Johnstone
Denver Skyline by Will Johnstone  

Will and Elizabeths Victorian
John with Elizabeth and Will
Interesting Find ~ Will has lots of them
Futon delivered 
Yummy thin crust Pizza      
I love the faux window painted in their Kitchen. What you can't
see is the Tin ceiling which Will installed. Its beautiful!
Monday, November 24, 2014
Later Sunday afternoon we visited Lou and Peter's daughter~ Cara, her husband, Tyler Warmbold and, of course, Baby Weston Gray Warmbold!  Now we understand why Lou and Pete moved to Denver!  Weston is so adorable and what a little personality!!!

Pete, Weston and Cara 
Cara and Weston 


Tyler, Weston and Cara Warmbold
Cara and Tylers dog, who didn't like me!!!
It was sad but funny ~ Evidently when I
arrived I set in his chair.
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The Cartier Exhibit at the Denver Art Museum
An unexpected treat! 

Sunday afternoon, November 23, 2014
These are a few of my favorites


Denver Art Museum

This is the only photograph in this grouping that
 I did not take.    
 Cartier Paris

Tiara's were worn at Court Events in the 1930's
This is my most favorite Tiara
Diamond  Bird Broch  1948
994 diamonds = 90.94 Cts
I wish the lighting had been better.

Sapphire Broch Pendant ~ Paris
478 Carets      1913

Platinum and Diamond Snake Necklace ~ 1919


Moonstone Desk Clock
Egypt ~ Deep Blue Lapiz Lazuli Clock















Tutti Frutti Style Sapphire, Ruby & diaonds
with Pearl ~ In style from 1929 to 1938
Cartier's solid gold Lunar Landers is a replica of the
1969 Apollo 11  Lunar Excursions Module



Beautiful Emerald Bracelet
Panther 'Big Cat ~  1930
Mother of Pearl Clock
So beautiful

Duke of Windsor Bird ~ 1936



Princess Grace of Monaco
Star of the Order of Saint - Charles
Princess Grace of Monaco
Diamond and Ruby Necklace

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Later that evening Lou and Peter treated us to a wonderful dinner downtown, and we followed that with drinks at the Ships Tavern in the Brown Palace Hotel. It is one of the oldest Hotels in Denver at 116 years old, and Lou and Peter have a great view of it from their condo. To say it is a lovely hotel is an understatement and the nautical style tavern lent itself to a very relaxing atmosphere.  We laughed as we tried to take a selfie of the four of us. One after another they were horrible or the lighting was terrible....  I really don't know what happened to the only good one.  I'm sure that it had nothing to do with the delicious drinks!


The Ships Tavern, funny that it had a nautical theme in Denver
Lobby of the Brown Palace Hotel  







I  believe that the Brown Palace Hotel is the low beige
building center right 


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Monday, November 24, 2014

This day was a perfect day. First waking up to another amazing sunrise and then spending the morning relaxing ~ enjoying our time with Lou and Peter. For the rest of the day we had a second visit with Elizabeth and Will. Past visits had either been very sad or very happy and very busy. It was nice to just relax and talk with no other agenda. We look forward to seeing them again in the Spring~possibly in New Mexico??

That evening, Lou prepared a truly delicious meal of Red Fish and, of course, a delicious wine or two. After dinner the hot tub call our names and Lou and I answered!!!  It was a very beautiful evening with sweet conversations.  What a setting with the Denver skyline shinning in the background. And to make things even nicer (if that is possible) Peter and John cleaned up after dinner!
 How lucky are we! 







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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Sunrise on our last morning in Denver. I could never get tired of this view.

Thanks Lou & Peter for your wonderful friendship and 
sweet hospitality!
Elizabeth & Will, we can't wait to see you again in the spring
for an even longer visit!


Sunrise shining on the Denver Skyline