Sunrise

What can I say? I love sunrise!

I used to think that this was because I was born so early in the day. Mother used to tell me (in times of dire provocation) that I was put on this earth so that she would never again be able to sleep past sunrise. I got her up at some ungodly early hour to be born and had not let her sleep in a day since.

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This was not, of course, entirely true. Those of you who didn't know my mom need to know that the character In Damn, Lola, was similar to my mom in that "what ever Jeannie wants, Jeannie gets..."

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Mom could have slept until noon every day if she wanted to. I have to assume that she didn't want to. She was right. I have always been an early riser. It has paid off too. I get to work ahead of rush hour, I get home before it. I get to see the sunrise...

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What more could you want?

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I think the best situation I have ever been in for sunrise viewing was when I lived on Tampa Bay in an apartment on a peninsula sticking into the bay. I could sit in the hot tub with my coffee and watch the sun come up and soak. Later, after work, I would sit in the hot tub with a beer and watch the sun go down. One old bitty once accused me of being there all day.

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How absurd. Being of Scandinavian descent, this would have been impossible. Exposed to direct sunlight for more than ten minutes, I burn to a crisp. Scandinavians are a bit like vampires in this respect.

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Well, I seem to have strayed a bit from my original topic. Hope you have an great day!

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Don Bergquist - 30-November-2005 - Denver, Colorado

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity-Jig

There are some decisions you regret almost the moment you make them. Others you look back on with disdain only from the safety of the present when they are in the distant past. Alternatively, some present themselves as such an obviously good decision that it is hard to believe that you didn't arrive upon them as sheer dumb luck.

My decision not to stop in Nebraska last night for a nap or night's rest falls into this last category. Although you could not tell this from looking outside here, the weather is beautiful and the temperatures are moderate, the worst weather that was predicted apparently was not far behind me as I drove home last night.

This morning on the news they said that parts of I-80 are shut-down. Parts of I-76 (according to the news) are in danger of being shutdown. The local newscaster today said that if you are traveling through the Dakotas of Nebraska, you are on a dog sled! Good thing I made it back.

Well, I guess I should go do my shopping so that I have provisions should the storm hit here.

Have a great day!

Don Bergquist - 27-November-2005 - Lakewood, Colorado

Threading the Needle

The sunrise as I was heading west along Minnesota State Highway 27 was spectacular. I captured this shot as I was approaching the Traverse County line.

The driving today was excellent. Except for the plethora of patrol cars pacing the traffic between Omaha and Lincoln, the traffic was flying.

The roads were clean and dry the entire way except for a few flurries of sleet between Julesburg and Ft. Morgan. Other than that the travel was easy and made faster by the book on disk I am listening to: Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen.

I stopped for a late lunch in Lincoln and hit the road again. Saga has been wonderful. She has slept most of the day. I think it was the cold and snow back in South Dakota that made her decide to stay in her kennel as much as possible.

I have a bit of a problem now that I am home. I have nothing more to shoot for. I am pretty sure that my new personal best will remain un approached for quite a while to come. I made the eight hundred eighty miles in just over thirteen and a half hours today. That means that I averaged over 73 MPH the entire way. Quite a feat!

I'm planning leaving the car packed for the night. I can get that tomorrow. I hope you have had a great holiday weekend!

Don Bergquist - 26-November-2005 - Lakewood, Colorado

Surprise!

In the end, it made no difference what I wanted or what Flo wanted.

It started snowing this morning around 04:00! By the time the house was awake and moving it was more than ankle deep outside and still coming down steadily. We all decided not to head into town until it stopped showing (if at all) . It did finally stop around noon and Chip and I decided to head into town between Whist games.

Since Flo no longer wanted to head in, Chip, Eric and I went to the mall. Not only were the sale prices still ringing, I was able to get extra savings by signing-up for a Herberger's charge card. (Sure they have no stores in Colorado, but I had planned on paying cash and I can close it as soon as it is paid.)

The rest of the afternoon was spent people watching at the mall.

I have studied the weather reports (as if they mean anything... this morning's snow was not supposed to happen until Tuesday!) and Sunday looks horrible. Saturday looks iffy, but doable. I am planning on heading back a day early and getting home (hopefully) while the weather still holds. It looks like I have to be in Grand Island or beyond before I stop tomorrow. They are predicting snow and ice by sundown tomorrow.

My car is packed. The dog's stuff is ready to toss in at the last minute and I plan on heading west at daybreak. Wish me luck!

Don Bergquist - 25-November-2005 - Kensington, Minnesota

Thanksgiving at Home

The rest of the drive was uneventful.

I did stop and took a nap in the Iowa welcome center. I just needed a couple hours. I then finished the drive and got in early yesterday. I was able to help Dad and Flo with some shopping and errands and am now in the process of roasting the turkey.

I am so glad I came home. I never get to cook and now I have the opportunity to make a big thanksgiving dinner for the six of us. Chip, Allyn and Eric are here and Dad, Chip, Eric and I have been playing games while the turkey takes care of itself.

Flo got a new domino game that we have never played before and Eric is just crazy about it. Between that and Monopoly, the eight hours that the turkey has to cook is passing relatively quickly.

There were some great deals in the circular from the local department store so, like-it-or-not, I am determined to go to the mall tomorrow. Herberger's has got a sale on luggage, it looks like a serviceable set for $40. I am rough on luggage with all the travel I do, I have learned to buy luggage when it is on sale and do not buy the very expensive kind. On the whole, unless you get something that is obviously cheaply made, you're better to get three or four cheap pieces than one really expensive piece. They also have a $200 feather bed advertised for $49. I want one of those because it is going to be a long, cold winter.

Flo wants to go, but wants to wait until later in the day. The sale is from five thirty until nine. If I have my way we will be first in, first out, go get some coffee and breakfast and get home before any of the decent folk are out of bed. (I hate crowds, I hate malls, I hate shopping!)

Oh well, time to make the sides. The link above will take you to the pictures of the finished dinner.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Don Bergquist - 24-November-2005 - Kensington, Minnesota

Driving Home

It is late (nearly midnight local time) Wednesday and I am writing from a restaurant at a truck stop outside Lincoln, Nebraska.

The roads are, indeed, in great driving condition and there have been very few other drivers on the road with me. From our "Best Laid Plans" department, I had planned on leaving this morning when my conference call ended. I had planned on it lasting about an hour (since the coordinator of the call had scheduled it for an hour) and was unpleasantly surprised that it lasted for over three. It purpose of the call was to discuss my new job (and that of the people on the call) and what the new reporting structure we are in means.

Yes, I have a new boss... I am not sure what this really means, I have worked with Leann before and like her and all, I am just a bit hazy about the role that I have. (And no, it has nothing to do with the hour.) Seeing how late it was getting, and having been up early this morning to finish a few things up, I decided to take a nap before leaving. which, unfortunately meant that I hit the early part of the rush hour and was in traffic all the way to Ft. Morgan. Once past that, though, it has been smooth sailing.

I'm having a bite to eat before heading east again. I will probably stop for the night somewhere in Iowa. I am making good time, though and will keep going as long as possible.

I hope that your roads are clear and dry today!

Don Bergquist - 23-November-2005 - Somewhere in Southern Nebraska

Weather Report

Checking with the weather channel, it is supposed to be warm (relatively speaking) and sunny through the weekend and therefore I should have great driving weather throughout the holiday weekend.

I have packed the car and called Dad and Flo. I will be in Minnesota for the holiday. I have a conference call that I need to take tomorrow morning, but I hope to be on the road by late morning.

More from Minnesota!

Don Bergquist - 22-November-2005 - Lakewood, Colorado

Dad

Okay, for those of you who have asked: Dad is doing great!

For those of you who didn't: Dad is doing great!

For those of you who have not heard: Dad has had a stroke. Well, technically, it was a Transient Ischemic Attack (or TIA). I have included a link at the top of this article for those of you who would like to read more about this on WebMD. Dad had this attach last Sunday and has been home for the past couple days.

According to Flo, Dad is in good spirits and is on the mend with little physical aftermath of the stroke. I have been talking to Dad regularly and he sounds just great! He is upbeat and except that he has an occasional problem with aphasia, he is talking normally. I hope to be able to make it to Minnesota for the holiday. I'm hoping to see how he is doing first-hand.

I hope that your day is going well!

Don Bergquist - 21-November-2005 - Lakewood, Colorado

Flying Home

Okay, I am not sure that I am going to get used to this "no assigned seating" thing.

Chatting with a number of my fellow travelers in the B Line this morning, they agreed... they only fly Southwest when there is sufficient difference between Southwest and some other airline. Being able to know where your seat is and not having to jockey for position in line to get the best seat is worth a few extra dollars.

The flight crew, though, are definitely worth the hassle of no assigned seating. Shortly after leaving Tampa, I got up to stretch my legs and the flight attendants, having finished the beverage service, started chatting with me. It was nice. We chatted about this and that, Christmas, travel, etc. for the entire flight. Well, practically; a short way out of Midway we hit some pretty severe turbulence and the two lovely young ladies (I know, I sound sexist, but they were) and I all said in unison - "Better grab a seat."

The last few minutes of the flight were pretty rough, but the landing was ahead of schedule, my flight to Denver was not too far away, and so I am sitting here with my PDA, my coffee and my blog entry for the day.

I hope that your day is smooth and filled with pleasant people to chat with!

Don Bergquist - 20-November-2005 - Midway Airport: Chicago, Illinois

Aftermath

I never did see what kept me sitting on the bridge last night. It was nearly two before I made it back to Mary and Corey's place.

This morning, I headed back to St. Pete this morning to see what needed doing back at Fritz and Sarah's place. Fritz' parents were there and just stirring as I showed-up. The house was otherwise quiet but for the sound of sleeping people.

After making sure that the transfer that I had started from the Video Camera to a VHS tape had completed successfully, I grabbed the camera, checked to see if Fritz or anyone needed me to do anything and then ran out to return the camera.

It is a lovely, sunny day so I stopped to get a Cuban Sandwich and a bag of plantain chips and sat out by the airport watching the planes take off.

I returned to Apollo Beach mid-afternoon and visited with Mary and Corey for the rest of the afternoon/early evening. After a dinner out at a salad bar Corey put on a film, but with the long hours that I have been keeping over the last two days, I fell asleep almost as soon as the opening credits were done.

Awaking a little later on, I decided to hit the sack. I am writing this quick entry before going to sleep again. One final thought: I love traveling, but I miss Saga!

I hope your day was full of simple pleasures!

Don Bergquist - 19-November-2005 - Apollo Beach, Florida

Nuptials

If I ever get off this bridge and make it back to Apollo Beach, I am going to sleep like the dead! The day has been hectic.

I showed-up at Fritz' place this morning and asked what I could do. Suffice it to say that I spent the rest of the morning running around. I know that this is the first event this group has done, but I am surprised at the things they didn't think of. Like, if they want to use footage of the wedding for a promo they might want to have a video camera.

Okay, enough of the bad stuff. Sarah was lovely and Fritz was flustered. But they had their friends there and between all of us, we kept them pointed in the right direction. They were still married when I set-off for home; that is always a good sign.

Their wedding was pirate themed and was held at the South Florida Pirate Festival. The crew who was putting on the wedding runs the festival. As the sun set over the intracoastal waterway, the guests all gathered in the saloon. The pirate ship pulled up and a hush fell over the crowd. The groom was attended by his son, James. Fritz and his son came into the saloon first sporting sabers, sashes and other pirate paraphernalia. A swashbuckling pair they were and they carried the theme of the wedding quite well.

The Bride was escorted into the saloon by her mother and attend by Fritz' daughter Charlotte. Sarah wore a lovely, short silk dress and carried a bouquet of roses, orange blossoms, and bluebells.

In attendance were the bride's family, the groom's family and assorted friends from all across South Florida, the south east of the US, and of course, your humble blogger from Colorado.

After the service, there was a feast served by the serving wench of the saloon. The meal was excellent including Cuban roast pork, black beans and rice, and a nice salad. There was a margarita cheese cake for the wedding cake. After the feast we went to the pirate ship outside the saloon for family pictures. I'll be uploading all the pictures I took at the wedding to Shutterfly as soon as I get home; so follow the link above to see them all.

It was, all in all, a lovely day and a busy one! The party was an excellent mix of the interesting kind of people that Fritz and Sarah always seem to be surrounded by. If only the traffic on the bridge would start to move I could get to Apollo Beach and get some sleep. I need to return the video camera tomorrow. But while I sit behind whatever accident is keeping the bridge from moving, I am glad I have my PDA. At least I can write my blog entry while I am sitting still.

I hope wherever you are, your day is moving along nicely.

Don Bergquist - 18-November-2005 - Over Tampa Bay on the Gandy Bridge

Morning in Florida

I wish I had a nice Digital SLR!

I have been fighting with myself for months over why I hate myself so much that I refuse to buy myself a nice camera. (I don't seem to remember that I have a nice digital camera - I bought myself a nice FujiFilm F10 less then a year ago. I remind myself of this and that is when I begin, seriously, to pout!)

I have been looking at the new Pentax *ist line of Digital SLR cameras. It is expensive but if I had one I could capture the lovely sight that is outside my window right now.

I am driving from my sister's place to my best friend's place. It is about 08:30 and I am in fairly rural county due to a detour of my main route. I was on the phone talking to Dad when I happened to look to the west. The sight that I was treated to is so lovely! I stopped, took a picture, but with the limited focal length of my camera, it is lost in the translation.

The picture I took was so bad (because I could not get the moon to look right) that I tossed it. (Plus, a construction vehicle went past spewing a cloud of dust that has yet to settle - the picture was ruined.) You'll have to settle for my description.

Looking off to the west there is an open expanse of scrub grass and palmettos. An occasional royal palm (the state tree of Florida) rises from this expanse which reaches to the horizon. The sky is an uninterrupted field of azure backing the greens and browns of the field. There is one lone live oak in the center of the field. But, calling the sky an uninterrupted field of blue is not quite accurate. There is one interruption. As big and round as a stray beach ball, the moon is just a few degrees above the horizon. It looks like a big silver coin about to be dropped into the slot between the Live Oak and the Sable Palm off towards the south.

I wish I could show it to you!

I hope that your day is lovely - wherever it finds you!

Don Bergquist - 17-November-2005 - Somewhere near Riverview, Florida

Flying Southwest

There is about to be a new choice of airlines out of Denver. I am glad that Southwest
advertised that they would be flying from Denver before I bough my tickets for the trip. I am not sure I like the way southwest loads their planes, but I like the prices.

I am sitting in the Chicago Midway airport waiting for my flight to Tampa. (So I guess I am really flying southeast on Southwest...) My original flight was cancelled and the consensus among my fellow passengers is that this was because there were only five of us on the flight. It is a late flight that goes (was supposed to go) directly to Tampa from Chicago but it was cancelled.

When I talked to the agent a while ago she said, no. I could not go on the direct flight that went out at 21:00 - I was supposed to be leaving at 21:30 and the 21:00 flight is just about to board - I had to take a connection through Nashville. Instead of getting in just before midnight I will be in some time before 01:30. I have an hour's drive ahead of me when I land.

Okay, so what is not to like about the way that Southwest loads their planes? They have no seat assignments! When you get to the airport they put either an A, B, or C on your ticket. All the special assistance people get on first... Then the As, then the Bs and finally the Cs. They insist that this makes the process go faster. I will have to see for myself. I am eight people from the front of the B-Line so I assume that I may get a fairly good seat.

Oh, I haven't told you why I am headed to Florida!

My best friend, Fritz and his long-term girlfriend, Sarah, are going to tie the knot. I learned of this a few weeks back when Fritz told me that he had a friend that had a new business, they cater fantasy weddings. Well, I guess they will do other things as well... But they wanted to photograph Fritz' wedding so they could use it to promote their new business.

Well... The As are almost done walking down the jetway. I will tell you more of this experience tomorrow. Good night!

I hope your day is pleasant - wherever you are!

Don Bergquist - 16-November-2005 - Midway Airport: Chicago, Illinois

Of Science and Religion

The recent decision by the Kansas school board to rejoin the 19th century has left me to wonder what all the palaver is about. This vote was a good thing. I can see it now! This intellectually lazy "science" will be a boon to intellectually lazy students the world 'round.

Teacher: "Class, what is 6 x 9?"
Johnny: "God knows."
Teacher: "Right!"

C'mon! Be serious. You could call Intelligent Design a science, but then, you could also call me "Ra, Sun God, Master of Time, Space and Dimension." Neither would be right.

I was prepared to write a long and scathing essay on this topic. I had written a three-page screed but then decided that there were better works out there. I am not against religion! I just don't think that it should be taught in public school science classes. Oh, and the religious right-wing will claim that this "theory" of theirs is more than just creationism dressed-up in a lab coat. It is not just an attempt to slip their theology into science. If this is the case, why are all the main proponents of ID in the religious right-wing?

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the Reverend Pat Robertson. He has the right to implore God to smite any foreign dictator that he wants. First he thinks he is the keeper of the divine hit-list, now he really believes that he is the sole spokesperson for God! The good people of Pennsylvania have the right to teach science in their science classes. Should they choose to vote the eight members of their school board off for trying to foist creationism off as a science, who is he to tell them that God will no longer be there for them?

But as I said, this is not an angry screed about the stupidity of Kansas for not-only voting that ID must be taught in their schools but also for voting to change the meaning of "science." No, really... that is the part of the story that doesn't get enough airplay.

They now want to define "science" so that it no longer is looking for natural explanations for observed phenomena. This will probably make things fun in electrical engineering classes at the University of Kansas:

Instructor: "Mr. Smith, your paper on computer design is really great."
Smith: "Thank you. I thought it important to debunk the fallacy that electrons moving along the conductive materials inside chips on the motherboard cause computers to work."
Instructor: "Yes, and that word 'Motherboard' has such a stink of paganism to it."
Smith: "Since the hand of God is what makes the computer work, I think that we should call it the manna-board."
Instructor: "I'll call the board of education and ask them to pray upon your suggestion."

There is an old proverb that says, "He who cannot remember the past is doomed to relive it." Apparently, however, even those of us who can remember the past are going to be taken along for the ride.

For fifteen days in the summer of 1925 Dayton, Tennessee was the center of the universe for creationists (literally since everything in the universe revolves around the Earth, you see) as John Scopes was tried for teaching evolution in the public school. Imagine! It was a crime to teach science in a science class. Makes you wonder what Home Economics would have been like...

Mary: "My cake always fall, Miss Nancy, what am I doing wrong?"

Miss Nancy: "Well, you probably didn't pray enough. God is making your cakes fall because you are a bad person!"

I am not saying that all proponents of Intelligent Design are stupid, backward or gullible. That would make the "theory" easy to dismiss. Some are misguided, some are sincere in their belief that there is some viable reason to call this science, and some are just insidiously using it to forward their agenda. They want to turn America into a theocracy with their God at the helm.

Didn't we just bomb the heck out of a theocracy because it fostered hate and discriminated against its own population? Hmmm. I guess that they backed the wrong god.

Billy: "Teacher, why is the sky blue?"
Teacher: "Because God wants it that way."

Well, I guess that is enough, I'll jump down off the lectern for now. But not before making one pitch in favor of ID. There are some good things to be said for taking the intellectually lazy route of blaming everything that you can't or don't want to explain on a supernatural power! For anyone that I have offended with this piece, please remember:

I am this way because God wants me to be!

(Alternatively, I could be possessed of devils. Take your pick!)

Don Bergquist - 13-November-2005 - Lakewood, Colorado

PIzza!

This has been a busy weekend so I have not gotten out to take pictures. I have been doing work around the home and trying to get ready for my fall festivities. I have been thinking about pizza today, though, so I thought that I would get you thinking about it as well.

The news article was commemorating the early days of pizza as introduced to America and how it has changed over the years. The early pizzas, the article said, were thin-crusted with crusts that tended to burn in places leaving the pie crispy and topped with a thin layer of sauce and toppings. IT went on to explain the evolution of pizza to the Chicago Deep Dish pizza and to discuss how the pendulum is swinging back toward the early style of pizza again. The article made me think of pizza and I have been fighting the urge all day to order one from Papa John's for dinner.

Ah, Pizza! The famous local favorite is the Colorado Mile-High pizza from a local chain called Beaujeau's (pronounced "bo-jo's). This thing is huge. I have seen it ordered but have never tried it myself. It is at least two inches thick. As far as I can tell, it is what Douglas Adams describes in The Long, Dark Tea-Time of the Soul. In the book, an American who lives in London entertains herself by calling the most uncooperative pizza restaurants that she can find (none of which deliver) and ordering huge and lavish pizza pies; "pies with extra cheese and anchovies, essentially a pizza with an extra pizza on top." Make them both Sicilian pizzas and you have the Mile-High.

Then of course there was the pizza that my Aunt Judy used to order when we would come to visit in Minnesota. They were the first pizza that I ever saw that, although the pie was round, the slices were square. I remember how my cousins used to get so excited that we were going to have pizza.

"We're going to have pizza! Do you have Pizza where you live in Miami?"

What does one answer to a question like this? Granted my cousins were very young when they asked this, but then we were all young as at the time as well and as such, had to have a good time at their expense. So, even though Dad made some great Sicilian style pizza himself, we looked at our cousins and all four of us shook our heads feigning bewilderment. "No," we replied "What is pizza?" We have gotten some good natured ribbing at our cousins' expense ever since.

Dad's Sicilian pies were good. He'd make them occasionally, lining a cookie sheet with dough, smearing on the sauce, and then letting Mary, Denis, Chip and I "help" put on the toppings. Yum! We didn't have pizza nearly often enough when we were kids.

No story of would be complete without mentioning Provenzano's. When the description of the "original" pizzas was stated in the article, Provenzano's was the first thing that sprung to mind. There were very few restaurants that I can remember going to a child. There were a couple breakfast places, one in the Concorde Shopping center on Bird Road (Next to the Woolworth's five and dime) there was another, further from home, at the Westgate Mall. I cannot remember which was which, but one was called "Bertrand's."

For lunch (and occasionally dinner) there were two that stand-out both of them because we got to see the elephants when we went to these places. One was the Burger Giant the other, diagonally across the street was the Royal Castle. Burger Giant was a burger restaurant that served the burgers plain and you could take them to "the fixings bar" at the end of the counter and put whatever you wanted on them. Oh, and it had the best strawberry shakes! Royal Castle was an odd restaurant for its location. It was a corner coffee shop that had booths in the back and a lunch counter that wrapped around the front. There was a window that wrapped around the two sides of the restaurant that faced the streets that it was on (Bird Road and Southwest 107th Avenue) just like they expected a lot of foot traffic past the windows. The restaurant would have looked less out of place if (like all the others I had ever seen) it was on a corner in a busy down-town area.

The elephants! Also at the corner of 107th and Bird was a large house set back from the road by a large front and side yard. The house was surrounded by a ten-foot chain link fence. The fence was to keep Trixie and Dixie a pair of African elephants in the yard. They were pets of the homeowner, who (as I was led to understand) was apparently the widow of the famous flier Eddie Rickenbacker.

For dinner it was either The Grotto (a seafood restaurant in Coral Gables) or Provenzano's. Provenzano's was a family-owned Italian restaurant that had the kitchen in the open so that you could see the dough being tossed and the pizzas being slid into the oven. We used to go and get thin, crisp pizzas with one or two toppings, sausage and mushrooms was what I remember. One other thing I remember about the pizza at Provenzano's is that they used Parmesan or Romano cheese on their pizzas. I do believe that this was probably the first pizza I had ever had. Occasionally we'd get spaghetti and meatballs. One big baseball-sized meatball sitting on top of a pile of spaghetti topped with tomato sauce!

Well, I've made myself hungry! I think I am going to go and make some dinner. I hope that your weekend has been great!

Don Bergquist - 06-November-2005 - Lakewood, Colorado

Yet Another Sunrise

I know, I know... I take entirely too many pictures of the sunrise. But when I am provided with so many spectacular sunrises, how can I not?

This morning was yet another spectacular opportunity to shoot a sunrise. As Saga and I left for our walk, I caught a glimpse of the sky to the east of my home and decided that it was worth it to turn around and grab my camera off the dining room table. I am glad that I made Saga wait the three extra seconds.

Speaking of Saga, she was such a brat this morning. I put down the lead so that she would quit pulling against me, shaking the camera as she did, and she started walking away. She stopped when I called her to come back. (She is afraid of the take-up reel on her leash; it freaks her out when it comes along sliding behind her.) I called her to "Come Here!" and she just sat there looking at me. I had to take the picture and then go and chase her down. Luckily, the leash got snagged on something and I was able to grab the leash. Oh well.

I hope that your day is bright and colorful!

Don Bergquist - 02-November-2005 - Lakewood, Colorado

Halloween

The number of trick-or-treaters I had come by last night was, comparatively speaking, pretty high. About 19:30 the president of my homeowner's association, his wife, and their son showed up. It was pretty cute. The kid (who cannot be two-years-old) rode in the wagon, pulled by his Daddy, while his Mommy did the actual Trick-or-Treating.

He was dressed as a little puppy and provided some of the best entertainment of the night. Saga approached the wagon to see what was in it and sniffed at the creature riding in the big, red, radio flyer. When the kid moved, Saga jumped. She beat a hasty retreat and hid behind the nearest human that she could find. This was Michael's wife who Saga also didn't know.

I had moved over to the wagon to get a better look at the costume. It really was pretty cute! Saga, realizing that she had mad a tactical error, hiding behind a stranger - looking for protection, slinked from her hiding place and cautiously slipped out the gate and behind me (nervously eyeing the wagon as she slipped by). She then refused to go anywhere near it.

What a stalwart defender of the homefront she turned out to be! Sure, she'll bark at those darn squirrels that seem to be intent on invading her territory, but let her come up against a toddler in a puppy costume!

That was it, one visitor. Good thing I didn't go out of my way to actually buy candy or anything. We did have a nice sunset though!

I hope you weren't too spooked by your visitors last night!

Don Bergquist - 01-November-2005 - Lakewood, Colorado