ROYAL GORGE AND ITS FAMOUS BRIDGE are mainstays of the tourist trade in Colorado. We had seen the bridge only from below as we rafted the Class IV rapids through the Gorge so we were immediately onboard when Tim and Candice invited us on a birding road trip to the area. They have become experts on Colorado birds and never seem to tire of seeing the same species over and over. It was a nice weekend with great weather, nice scenery and good friends.
Tim and Candice (again)
Connie’s mom turned 90 in June so we flew to Kalamazoo for the fete. 60-something old friends and family (Hazel has 4 kids, 7 grandkids and a passel of greatgrands) turned up at the Constantine elementary school, the same school where Hazel served lunches for many years and where Connie tormented her teachers. Connie’s sister made posters of dozens of family photos going back to the 40s, which prompted hours of stories, legends and semi-truths.
Hazel, This is Your Life Four Generations
My brother Ray’s youngest chick, Claire booked her wedding in Pittsburgh — coincidentally, on my birthday — instead of Lubbock where she and Manny live. (When the father of the bride is paying I guess he has some say in the wedding plans.) Since we hadn’t seen Ray and Luanne in ten years we were excited to go. From our point of view as guests everything went smashingly well, the bride and groom were beautiful and Ray performed his limited duties faultlessly. Claire would have a different take as everything “back stage” was a shambles. But she and Manny weathered it well and I’m sure they will be as happy as one can be in Lubbock. Ray was, as always, Ray. He was the pick of the Maginness litter and we probably embarrassed the other guests with our laughter.
Claire and Manny, the Kiss Ray and Claire Swingin' it
We topped the weekend off with a visit to the National Aviary and the Pirates/Cubs game at PNC field on the banks of the Allegheny River. Downtown Pittsburgh is really nice and everything was within walking distance. Gone are the mills and the belching smokestacks of yore. Perhaps Donnie will hasten their return now that he has proved that global warming is fake news!
Pirates and Cubs
