The previous owners of our house left several steel posts which I assume they used when planting new trees. I have been trying to recycle them since we moved in. Fridays are trash pick up days. A guy in a black pick-up cruises the neighborhood each Friday morning looking for useful things that people discard. Since we live in a "golden ghetto," the pickings are probably pretty good. While I was out watering, he made an early pass-by. Later he made a second run since most people hadn't put their trash out when he made his first run which necessitated the later second run. An idea flashed in my mind. Maybe I can get him to take the steel posts. I flagged him down. Carlos, who speaks little English, and I, whose Spanish is rusty, were finally able to communicate that I wanted him to have the steel posts. He was pleased to have them; I was happy to get rid of them. Things seem to work out when the price is right.

This is the last week of Cheyenne Frontier Days. To cowboy/rodeo types it's holy week. I used to go to Frontier Days when I was in college. I just never went near the rodeo. They used to close off 16th street and it was a walking beer bust from the Plains Hotel to the Mayflower Cafe. Coors use to back a refrigerator trailer up to the rear of the Mayflower and they would empty it every night. A famous cowboy at the times was Casey Tibbs. Casey to park his Cadillac convertible outside the Plains Hotel with the top down. The later it got in the evening the higher the pile of beer empty beer cans rose in Casey's car. They'd clean it out the next day and fill it up the next night. The rules then were if you could see over the bar and had money, you could buy beer. Then the do-gooder's came in. A person couldn't have an open container on the street, Casey Tibbs quit rodeoing and the event lost its charm for many of us.
In over 50 years in Wyoming I think I went to over two rodeos. I don't consider it a sport although the rule of "You don't try to out drink, out dance, or outfight a cowboy" still exists. They are some rugged dudes. The PETA folks are all over them especially the calf roping. I admit I root for the bulls, horses, and barrels.
Frontier Days aren't the same. Now that I'm old I don't think it's all bad.

Yesterday I received an invite to attend the 40th reunion of the NCHS (Natrona County High School) class of 1970. NCHS is where I spent my first six years of teaching. Kathy later taught there and both Keri and David are NC graduates. Among some of the more famous NC graduates are former veep Dick Cheney and his wife Lynn and NBC TV correspondent Pete Williams. The Cheneys attended before my time but I remember Pete running around the halls taking pictures for the annual. Dick Cheney was the main speaker at Keri's graduation. He had just finished as the Secretary of Defense and was the CEO at Haliburton. He spoke about being the Defense Secretary.

Later after Bush/Cheney were nominated in 2000 in Philadelphia, they flew to Casper and their first campaign appearance was in the NCHS gym. Kathy was out of town but I went. George II, Dick and their wives were all there. They could have spoken at the Events Center which probably would have held around 10,000 but politics indicate that small venues are better because it emphasizes the crowd. They, therefore, spoke in a gym that holds around 1,500 people and crammed around 2,000 in. I had a seat in the balcony right behind the TV cameras. It was probably the best seat in the place. Cheney gave almost the same speech he gave at Keri's graduation.

But I digress. I had to tell the NC class of 1970 I would not be able to attend as I now live in Colorado. I would have enjoyed it.

Yesterday was sort of a dry run to see how the twins would react to having the grandparents babysitting while Keri was gone. She was at a wedding, came home for a bit, and then went back for the reception. When school starts in 2 plus weeks, this will be for real.
The first half had its ups and downs but we all survived. The evening session went better and the twins were down by 8:30.
We'll see how things go in August.
Went to work out yesterday morning. The crowd was much younger than on Saturday. I don't know if this indicates that the older folks go to church and then work out. Need more weekends to research this.

Yesterday afternoon the temp was in the 90's and the humidity was in the 60's and people were driving around with the tops down on their flashy convertibles. That's conspicuous consumption or a strong disregard for one's health. I could understand it if they were in the mountains.

Yesterday was my third day working out at my health club. While on the cardio machine I noticed a surprising number of people walking around with their cell phones in their hands checking for texts, other messages or just talking. Some seemed to spend more time with their cell phones than working out.

Yesterday there was an Xcel-our electricity and gas company-truck in front of the house. I went around the side and there was an Xcel person checking the meter. He said it would have to be replaced in the near future. I think what Xcel was worried about was the low electricity/gas usage the past three months. What they don't realize is there were long stretches during that time when no one was living in the house thus lower consumption. A new meter is now in our future.

We were registered Colorado voters for a little over 24 hours when we got our first polling call. Since we don't know much about the political races yet, we declined to do the survey. One minute later we received a call about marketing sales. The caller didn't speak English very well so we declined to do that one too. At least we're getting phone calls. Got to get on that "don't call" list.

Kathy and I are now officially Colorado residents. We got Colorado driver's licenses yesterday. Kathy had an easier time than I did. Her old driver's license had her middle name on it. Mine didn't which meant I had to produce a passport or a birth certificate to get my license. Since I don't carry either, it meant a trip home and back. By the time I went home, got both my passport and birth certificate, a nasty thunder storm had gone through the Denver Metro area. When I got back to the license office, the computer system was down-statewide-so I took a chair and waited. This time I took a book to read and the system came back up in about 20 minutes. The lady whom I had worked with earlier took me first and I was out a few minutes later. Licenses cost $6 more in Colorado and I still had three and a half years left on my Wyoming license which had a picture I liked. We were also able to register to vote at the same time.
We found the people at the state and county offices where we got license plates and driver's licenses to be very friendly and accommodating dispelling a myth. Now if the Post Office could take some lessons from these folks, people might be inclined to use the USPS when there is an option.

Finally joined a health club today. Took about as long to sign up as the time I worked out. It did feel good. Now I have to learn to use the new equipment. I swam some laps the the chlorine but did a number on eyes so I bought a pair of swim goggles for tomorrow.

The Billing baseball team was staying in the same motel where I spent last night. When I went to breakfast around 6:15, there wasn't a single player at breakfast that early-imagine that. In fact I'm always amazed at how many people on vacation get up so early.
I was driving down I-25 headed toward Cheyenne and I kept getting closer to a vehicle but I couldn't couldn't figure out the profile. As I got closer I realized it was three 10 feet tall fiberglass bears. Last night the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo closed and these were part of the carnival rides which I figured were heading to Cheyenne Frontier Days. I kept passing more rides but when I drove by Frontier Park in Cheyenne the carnival was already set up. In Colorado I passed more trucks from the carnival. I guess I'll never know where they were going.

Ghosts beat Billings. I'm 4-0 this season in games I've attended. I was here for opening night in June. I said good-bye to all my friends in my section where we've all had season tickets for years. This is the tenth season for the ghosts.
Saturday morning I went swimming in the Star Plunge. Remember-Thermopolis is the home of the "World's Largest Mineral Hot Springs" and swimming is the big attraction. The water temp is always in the 80's if not higher. It's like a spa but it's a swimming pool.
Remember the guy from St. Paul I met at the rest area. I ran into him at the area where the mineral springs dump into the river. He thanked me for suggesting Thermop and said he would like to come back. Just doing my bit for the local chamber of commerce. After registering for the meals, picnic, etc., I spent most of the afternoon reading "The girl who played with fire" which I hope to finish this weekend.
Saturday evening we had a catered prime rib dinner at the house of one of my friends. It's right on the river and when the sun went down and the bugs came out, we could watch the fish jumping in the river. After we finished dinner and taking pictures, the rains came in torrents. This is a place that probably get less than ten inches of moisture a year. They got at lest 10% of it last night.
Saturday finished with an all class dance at the VFW. It was so crowded and noisy, however, that some of us stood out front and visited. It's a good thing the cops didn't try to enforce the open container law. They would have been outnumbered by at least a hundred people. Thus ended Saturday.

You may need an Atlas for this one.
I spent the last three days celebrating my 50th high school class reunion with the Thermopolis (WY) class of 1960.
I spent a couple of days earlier in Casper checking our house we still own and getting my annual physical since we don't have doctors in Littleton yet.
Friday afternoon I left from Casper for Thermopolis. The road from Casper to Shoshoni is the most boring drive that isn't in western Utah, eastern Nevada, or eastern Oregon. At a rest area I visited with a guy from St. Paul (I was wearning a Twins T-shirt). I told him about Thermoplis and the mineral hot springs. I realized as I left Casper this is the first time I had driven on a two lane highway since February. The traffic bunched up and of course people try and pass all the RV's. I discovered the reason the traffic was so bunched up as they were putting fresh asphalt on one side of the highway which meant a pilot car took us through the construction area. I only had to wait about five minutes before my lane got to go west.
Friday night our class celebrated with a pizza party at the VFW. Anyone who tried to smoke was threatened with his/her life. It was low key and we were able to table hop and visit several classmates and their spouses. That afternoon I bought a local paper with directions for all the doings for each class. I started looking for the home which would host our dinner Saturday night. I couldn't find the address as they had inverted two number so I got out, went to the back of the house where I had seen some people in back. It turned out to be the place I was looking for and several of my best friends were there warming up for Friday night so I forced myself to drink a few beers (to be sociable, of course), tell a few stories, listen to a few lies and try to remember incidents that happened over 50 years ago (such as an afternoon spent in jail-I was innocent, of course.) I'm back in Casper as I type this and I'm five minutes from the start of the Ghost/Billing game and baseball takes precidence over blogging. More tomorrow.

Went to the Casper Ghosts game last night-they played Great Falls. The game had a personal interest for me because the starting left fielder for Great Falls is a kid from Casper. I was his junior high counselor and Kathy had him in class. He was raised by his grandparents but overcame so many things and earned a baseball scholarship to Oklahoma State where he graduated with a B average. Last night he was playing on the same field where he played legion baseball. I, like many other fans I suspect, was secretly rooting for him. He had a fine game both offensively and defensively but the ghosts still won making it a perfect baseball night.
We had quite a few Harley folks at the motel in Casper last night. It's Sturgis, SD time. Had the first motorcycle fatality in Yellowstone yesterday but there will be more in the surrounding areas. While I was eating breakfast, some came to breakfast wearing their leathers. I'll have to be extra careful driving today keeping an eye out for antelope, deer, and hog riders.
Adjustment-I find myself looking for the Denver weather first in the Casper CS-T.
Bumper sticker-"I Love Haters"

NEVER CHANGING
For years a lady named Doris from Wheatland has acted as the most informed spokesperson for Christianity and has used the forum of letters to the "editor in the Casper Star-Tribune" to inform the public of her unchallengable knowledge. You can image the content of the responses on the letters page that her printed rants bring. I haven't read the CS-T in almost a month but when I read a copy of yesterday's paper, there was a letter from Doris listing some of the things that are destroying Christianity. Now I always thought Christianity was capable of destroying itself if it ever chose to do so and didn't need Doris to spread the word.

This would be funny if it weren't so pathetic. I stopped in Wheatland to get gas for my van. Just as I was preparing to leave, a small Audi from Colorado pulled in facing me. The driver twisted behind the wheel in all sorts of directions and I wasn't sure if he were experiencing some sort of medical distress. Finally he either rolled out of or fell out the Audi. I would describe him as 6' 2", 300+ pounds with a waiste between 50 and 60 inches-probably closer to the latter-and who didn't appear to be particularly agile. He started pumping gas into the Audi. He really needs to do what some of us of larger than average folks do and buy a bigger car. I really wanted to watch him get back in but I was in a hurry to get to Casper before supper. Memberable scenes from life on the road.

When I drove into Wyoming today, it was the first time since 1955 that I was entering as a nonresident. I thought the drive from Cheyenne to Casper was boring after driving from Denver to Fort Collins.
I went to a Casper Ghosts ball game tonight. I learned what a Ghost's Happy Meal is-a beer and peanuts.

After a day in the 90's it cooled off to the high 70's and we sat on our deck for the first time. The night before we were walking home from K&E's and could hear the coyotes howling in the natural undeveloped area south of our cul de sac. Life is good-now if it would just cool down a bit.

When a person moves he often wonders how long it will be until the solicitors of worthy causes get the new address and sends mail which includes address labels and letters asking for donations. Our first arrived yesterday. Nice labels.
Walking home from K & E's last night I was accosted by my cul de sac neighbors, found myself with a beer in my hands, and spent the next hour in conversation. Nice people and they like their street. They think about the same as I do about the HOA. Smart people.
Went over and watched K & E and the boys pack up and head for the airport this morning. They are headed for Ohio and to visit the other set of grandparents. Hope all goes well.

Baptized the twins Sunday. They were s0 good during the ceremony I was amazed. The Lutheran minister is the same minister who confirmed Keri and David in Casper, did the wedding ceremony for Keri and Eric in Littleton, and now has baptized the twins in Littleton. He and his wife came over to K & E's for lunch and we had a great visit. We finally went to the other room to watch the finish of the World Cup. I was rooting for the Netherlands. I don't know why. Our son and daughter-in-law came out from the Twin Cities and that made things even better.

Went to my first Home Owners' Association meeting last night. I thought it had some of the makings of a "kangaroo court" as they got so picky as to whether the siding on a shed was vertical or horizontal. One couple received a citation before they had even bought the house. We got a citation for a basketball hoop before we moved in and still don't own one. I think the corporation that runs the association needs a royal butt kicking. Apparently there is a group that believes in the association and those who tolerate it.

I can't believe I now pay attention to the ozone level readings on the Weather Channel in the morning.

The last two evenings I have fallen asleep listening to the Rockies and at that time they were down several runs late in the game. Both nights they have come back to win in the ninth inning. I'm not worried about that happening today as they are playing an afternoon game.
Buyer beware-
We keep getting calls to install security systems. Must be money in them.
I got a letter from a company in Illinois wanting to sell us a copy of the deed to our house. Why?
The Denver Post delivery keeps throwing the morning paper in the spray of the sprinkler system.

Watching the Weather Channel this morning. One of the info items was the ozone report for Denver. We didn't have ozone reports in Wyoming. The wind either put particles in the air or blew it away. We just waited for the wind speed to change. Another new experience.

Survived the 4th. Started with a hail storm Sunday afternoon. We got a little nervous with some good-sized incoming hail hitting some pretty large windows. Then it rained. What that did was postpone the "Men acting as boys" neighborhood fireworks display for a couple hours. The shooting finally stopped a little after 11:00. I think it was a little late for the little kids to be out but they had "parent supervision." Monday there were a few random fireworks shot. The displays got intense again last night but shut down around 10:00. I guess some people had to go to work today.
Just a typical July 4th in the burbs, I guess.

HAPPY 4TH!
In our neighborhood the last firework went off around 9:30 last night. The first one this morning about 6:30 and the second about 7:30-quiet so far.
Another adjustment-my daughter told me this would happen. It's overcast and cooler than yesterday so I turned on the Weather Channel. The local radar was for Colorado rather than for Wyoming. It's realizing where I am and where I no longer reside. BTW-I'll take cooler since it was 97 yesterday.
Found my office waste basket and hooked up the printer on the computer. Life is better. Still have to use a manual can opener.
The twins and Keri stopped by last night to see the new refrig. A & R weren't impressed since they know food doesn't come from a refrig.

We bought new Colorado license plates for Kathy's car as they expired on the 30th. I bought Colorado plates for my car in April as they ran out then. I was working in the yard this morning, looked in the garage, looked at the back of the cars and knew something was missing. It was old "Steamboat", the bucking horse and rider on the Wyoming license plates. The mountains on the Colorado plates certainly define Colorado but I don't believe any other emblem represent a state as well as the rider and horse do on the Wyo plates. Anyway, I'll adjust.
We got our new frig yesterday so I thought I would try some regular food. I had to buy a manual can opener as our electric can opener is still hiding in a box somewhere.

Delivered our new refrig at 7:01 this morning. When I asked for a morning delivery, they granted my wish. By 7:20 the delivery truck was motoring back down the street. The only problem we have now is most of our containers are still packed.
We went looked for furniture this morning. We bought three items. Kathy was most interested in getting a desk so she could start putting things away. The other two we got a nice price on. Guess which item wasn't in stock-that's right the desk. Murphy's law is alive and well.

We now have had wireless Internet for two days without crashes. Eric, the son-in-law set it up so we don't have off and on service. What a guy!
Got the Trailmark newsletter. They want to go electronic with the next issue and posted an e-mail address to subscribe. Unfortunately they posted two different addresses in two different places and the one in the column rationalizing the switch and the e-mail to use to subscribe is the incorrect one.