Pennies Give Me A Good Feeling

My blog readers already know how I connect pennies I find, to my son. He has been gone almost three years but when I find a penny it feels as if he is still around. This past week I felt his presence stronger than ever.

Doing laundry I had taken all my clothes out of the washer and placed it in the dryer. As I was getting ready to lower the lid to the washer something dropped with a noisy rattle. I could see it was a penny. I had no idea where it had originated other than it fell from heaven. Warm thought of my son flooded me as I reached down to pick the penny out of washer.  It was not a penny but one of my earrings that had looked as if it had been made from a penny! Exactly the same color as a penny and I thought it was close enough for me to experience a good feeling!

While in California I found a penny and realized my son was also in California with me. On our trip to Cripple Creek a few days later, I found a nickel as I stepped off the bus. At first I didn't think anything of it, but then I began to think that maybe he sent a nickel to cover five days! When I got on the bus, one of the passengers pressed something into my hand and it was a penny. I had told my penny stories to the people on the bus, and he said, "As I was starting to gamble I sat down at the slot machine and as I looked down I saw a penny by my foot. I thought about your story and I wanted you to have it."

Don't get the idea that the only time I think of my son is when I find a coin. He is always in my thoughts and sometimes, I get the feeling that my son is closer to me now, than when he was alive! His life had kept him busy and away from me, but now he lives in my mind, heart and memories!

There's no tragedy in life like
the death of a child.
Things never get back 
to the way they were.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

A Surprise On My Doorstep

During my visit to California my granddaughter let me use her light weight nylon water resistant purse. I loved the size and the color and asked her where she had found such a neat purse. She told me at Target or Walmart so we visited the two stores and found nothing to match her purse. Generously, she said, "Just keep the purse. I have one I can use." As tempting as the idea of keeping the purse was, I did not want to keep her purse and I told her I would look for a similar purse.

She brought up some baggallini bags on the Internet and we were shocked that they cost over $50 or more. That quickly changed my mind on trying to find a purse like hers! When I packed to leave California I sadly emptied her purse. Arriving home the purse faded from my mind as I did my daily errands.

Yesterday when I arrived home from doing a few errands I found an Amazon box on my porch. I knew I had not ordered anything and thought it was a mistaken address. When I saw it certainly was for me, I opened the box and much to my surprise there was a baggallini purse. Not quite like my granddaughter's but very similar. My thoughtful daughter, seeing how much I liked the purse, had ordered me one. The information about the purse let me know that the purse is lightweight, water resistant nylon, has a smaller wristlet baggie that is RFID (protected from credit card information being stolen), multi-functional pockets, and a quick access phone pocket. Wow, much more features  than I thought it had. The logo is Life is a Journey and founded by two flight attendants. Whether your journey takes you five blocks or five time zones, baggallini helps you glide effortlessly through it is written on the information with the purse. 

Today I moved my belongings from the old purse to my new purse and every time I use it (which is every day) I will think of my sweet granddaughter and my generous daughter!

"You're never

too fat for a

new purse."

Nia Vardalos

Acres of Fun

My California family and a friend went to the Orange County Fair on July 21, 2019. What fun to visit the different areas of livestock, carnival, main mall, music stages and farming. We started out in the  Main Hall with lots of display to see. I loved the photography section with some gorgeous and clever photos. The decorated cake area was amazing with beautiful cakes and cookies. The decorated chairs I found to be very unique! The sewing, quilting knitting and crochet section displayed many items by talented people. The Culinary section had different chefs preparing food and then the contest of eating a ten pound cheese sandwich was advertised. The only contestants were young teens and they tried to eat the pizza like sandwich. Once the winner was chosen I saw him spit a huge glob of sandwich into a waste paper basket. So, it wasn't a true food eating contest but more of who could  stuff the most sandwich into their mouth!

We wandered to the Livestock area and we all felt sorry for the cows, pigs, goats and chickens in pens. The herb section was interesting because many of the plants had different smells. We rubbed the leaves with our fingers and found out that each plant had its own smell and healing powers. Every one went in different directions when it came time to eat. I opted for a corn on the cob, two had Mexican food, two ate Mediterranean food and one ate what looked like an Italian sausage sandwich. After eating we went to the Plaza Stage to listen to Karaoke and I was impressed by the good singers. There was a lot of nudging to try to get one of our group to go up but no one had the courage. My excuse was that I did not know any of the rock songs being played!

After trying to keep up with the younger members we started meandering toward the exit. How exciting to see the many booths with flashing lights, the food trailers with weird concoctions; fried chocolate pickles, ice cream cakes, deep fried tater twisters, funnel cake buried in sugar, carmelot, fried cheese, puffy tacos, fried Oreos, and the regular fare of hamburgers, corn dogs, turkey legs, and fish and chips!

As we passed the Hanger area a band was playing and the music sounded great and danceable. Everyone seemed to know who the Ozomatli Band was but I had never heard of them. A guitarist was being filmed on stage and shown on the large screens. Many swayed with the music. The sound had a Latin beat and my group danced a semi-cumbia to the music. It was loud and usually I do not like loud music, but I could tolerate this band with its Latino sound.

On our way to the car we saw the many rides spinning, whirling and flying. The rides did look like fun but I no longer can enjoy those carnival  rides! I noticed there were more young people than old getting on the rides or playing the games to win huge stuffed animals!

A fun day at the fair and a selfie to remember the day!

Two Thousand Dollars

When I was handed two thousand dollars, my only wish was how I wish this was real money! I had been invited to Casino Night at the Thornton Senior Center and I had $2000 to play roulette, black jack or twenty-one. Aside from the games, there was conversation with friends and good food to enjoy.  I liked their photo area with large playing cards for props.

 

 There was no way to get rid of the $2000 no matter how much I bet or how many times I played.
Even when I found a five dollar chip on the floor, I was rewarded with a twenty-five dollar chip. After forty-five minutes of gambling I gave my remainder chips to a lady standing next to me. All I could think of was why does real money disappear faster than play money?

"A roulette table pays nobody

except him who keeps it."

George Bernard Shaw

You Either Like It or You Don't

Driving into downtown Denver I was shocked at how much it has changed. Going on Broadway where it used to be an industrial area with lots of businesses, now it is all huge apartment buildings on both sides of the street. I saw many young people on motorized scooters through out the city as I drove to the museum to see an exhibit that interested me.

The other shocker was the thirteen to sixteen dollars per day parking lots. I found one for seven dollars and felt like I was getting a bargain because it was a block away from the Denver Art Museum. I wanted to see Jordan Casteel's work. Through the years I have known people who love Cilantro while others hate it. Some like to get up early and others like to sleep in; some love red meat and others don't eat it, some enjoy posing for photographs while others hate having their picture taken; some love traveling and others prefer staying home, some like to read and others don't; and art is the same way. Either one loves a certain style of art or not.

Today was a free day at the Denver Art Museum and I had seen some of  Jordan Casteel's art. Maybe because she paints from photographs and I like how all her subjects seem to be looking right at me.

The artist was born in Denver and now lives in New York. I enjoyed seeing the thirty some paintings
that she had on display. I read in a brochure handed to me: The first major museum exhibition for Denver-born painter Jordan Casteel, one of the most acclaimed emerging artists working today. 

Other areas I saw was the paint studio where anyone can sit and paint items displayed in the studio. Some people were very good and my guess is that they are artists in training and others were those that wish they could be artists!

On two different floorsthey had The Light Show and that was mostly reflections, shadows and light.

In the huge round silo like display called Eyes On: Jonathan Saiz was his installation #WhatIsUtopia
and it had over 10,000 tiny squares about 1"by 1" drawings, painting and sculptures."  It would take forever to see all the individual squares of life!

 

There is so much art left to see at the museum, but I wanted to hurry and beat a rain storm that was supposed to arrive in the afternoon, so after three hours I took my car out of the lot and came home. So far, no rain!

"I dream my painting

and I paint my dream."

Vincent Willem van Gogh

Good News And Bad News

On the 4th of July I decided to drive to Greeley, Colorado to see the parade. I invited two friends to go see the famous annual parade. Every year I drag who ever is around in my life to go with me. At one time or another it has been my past friends, my children, my grandchildren, and now, current friends. What I notice every time I see the parade is how it is slowly losing its sparkle after sixty-two years. The excitement is still there yet the parade is no longer the parade I remember.

The Bad News

The first thing I have noticed that decorated floats are no longer allowed. When I asked I was told that the council had voted against having them for safety reasons. Then I noticed the "cowboys" on horses had been reduced to a few. The marching bands, this year, were about three when I remember ten or more bands making my heart beat right along with the loud drums! After the parade in the past, which lasted almost until noon, there would be a rodeo. This year the last rodeo was held on the 3rd of July and that was a big disappointment because we had planned on going to the rodeo after the parade. The parade ended at around ten-thirty almost an hour shorter than I remembered. A pet peeve of mine is seeing politicians marching in the parade route and lots of John Deere tractors!

The Good News

This year, arriving to my favorite spot where I like to park, there was plenty of parking. Usually I have to search for a place to park because many of the streets are barricaded. We took our canvas chairs and snacks and trudged to the sidewalk where we would stake our spot. People already had marked their spots with masking tape and as we looked around a young man sitting under a canopy  asked if we wanted to join his family underneath the tarp. We did and we were protected from the sun (if it would come out from behind the gray clouds) or if it would rain. In all the years I have gone to the parade it has always been hot and sunny, but not this year! From our front row seats we enjoyed the long-horn steers, horses, stage coach being pulled by beautiful horses, dancing horses prancing, and a large yellow bus blaring Mexican music.

The Bad News

I parked the car and we began walking toward where we would watch the parade. Two of us were walking ahead and suddenly we heard yelling coming from behind us. We turned and our friend was flat on her belly and some kind lady was trying to get her up. We rushed to help and assisted our friend up. She said, "I fell right on my face, and my wrist hurts." We wondered if we should find an emergency health place but she insisted she was all right other than being shook up. Before long a purple bruise formed on her face from her eye brow down to below her cheek bone. She was a trouper because she never complained other than to say her wrist hurt.

My plan was to visit a friend who lives in Greeley but had forgotten her daughter's address.  The night before I had put the address in my phone and while we were at the parade I had clicked on the map app on my phone and her address appeared. After eating lunch I tried to find the address on my phone again but it had disappeared. For about an hour I tried to find the address by searching on my phone but it never popped up again. I drove around, kept checking my phone with the hope that by some miracle, the address would show up on my phone. It didn't. The bad new was that I never got to see my friend.

The Good News

I was able to show my friends where I had lived, my Jr. High School and High School, the hospital, and the church built especially for Hispanics. I showed my friends where I used to go skating, Island Grove Park where the carnival and rodeo are held and downtown Greeley.  I enjoyed reminiscing and I hope my friends enjoyed the tour of Greeley also.

On our way home we stopped at Lulu's Roadside Market and I bought some frozen green chili. The best news was that we arrived home safely.

"If you're not in the parade,

you watch the parade."

Mike Ditka