Alive & well

We recently took a weekend trip up to Longmont to visit my brother, Jack.  Longmont is NW of Denver close to the mountains.  They have been getting a lot of rain up there, and it is so lush and green (completely opposite from our near-desert conditions here in Fowler with temps reaching in the low 100’s). 
Longmont is real close to Boulder, CO where the Celestial Seasonings Factory is.  Jack took us over there for a tour.  It was awesome!  If you are ever in that part of CO it would be worth your while to do this 30 minute tour if your time allows.  While we were waiting for the tour to start there was unlimited hot and cold tea sampling (with a bathroom nearby!)  On the tour you get to visit the famous Peppermint room.  This is a completely separate, sealed room where they store the mint leaves.  It can only be opened for a few minutes at a time, otherwise the mint will infiltrate the entire plant.  When you go into the room you immediately feel a burning sensation in the back of your eyes and then down to your nose and chest—like suffocating in mentholatum(Vicks) is the only way I can describe it. The tour guide told us to feel free and step out if we couldn’t handle it.  About half stepped right back out…weenies!  I challenged myself to stay in so I could buy the t-shirt or coffee mug that says “I survived the peppermint room”, but then Grace wanted me to go out with her.  So, we stepped out and not 2 seconds later she steps back in leaving me out there with the other weenies!  The tour strategically drops you right into the gift shop where you can shop to your hearts content or go back and do some more sampling.  (We were not able to take pics during the tour itself.)

My brother Jack and I

Brenda, Grace, Sunny

After the tour we drove over into Boulder to the famous Pearl Street, which is an outdoor downtown area with fun shops and outdoor ‘entertainers’ from a bassoon quartet to a funky double-jointed man.  Kind of reminded me of Pier 39 in San Francisco minus the pier.  We had a nice lunch at the Cheesecake Factory there, and because it just so happened to be National Cheesecake Day (they probably pull that sign out everyday for suckers cheesecake lovers such as ourselves!) we were able to get a piece for half price.  My brother and I split the Hershey’s chocolate (of course) and Sunny and Grace had plain with strawberries on the side. 

This was a couple playing long, funky horn-like thingies that played a monotone sound as they blew through them, sorta like blowing into pop bottles.  I was more impressed with the cool shadow the sun cast of the streetlamp.  I also thought it was funny when they took a break—-they each had a large red suction ring around their lips!  Oh well, whatever floats your boat toots your horn!

Now this bassoon quartet was worth listening to!

This one cracks me up.  The voodoo conga beater checking his messages on his break! 

Grace and Uncle Jack

Did I hear someone say cheesecake?!! 

Uncle Jack trying to get Grace wet!

We enjoyed God’s Country as we drove along the foothills heading back to Jack’s place where we ended the day in the pool.
Sunday we headed back into Denver where we attended church with Jack and his 3 grands.  We had planned on hitting the new IKEA store before heading home.  (The grand opening was the previous Wed.)  We were going to have lunch in their cafe before shopping, but when we got there we found there was a one hour wait just to get into the huge 415,000 sq. ft store.  Hungry kids, hungry adults, one hour wait in 95 degree weather.  No can do.  IKEA can wait! 
The only people missing from our wonderful weekend were Mary, Jack’s wife--who is living temporarily in NY with her 87-year old mom who has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer :( and our daughter Chels who, by the way, is moving back in two weeks! 
I have other posts I want to get up sharing our summer, but I see that this one is pretty long, so I’ll wrap it up now.  And it won’t be long before we get another laptop so I can get back into posting the way I’d like.
It’s All I’m Still Around Good!
Brenda
(((Chels)))