Saturday, April 25, 2026.
John and Charlie joined us on Amtrak for a day trip to Denver where we met Marianne (Bill’s daughter, John’s sister). She drove us to her house in Boulder for a visit. Charlie is almost five years old, and he was very excited about traveling on the train that he often sees when it passes through the downtown Glenwood Springs station. He shouldered his backpack and pulled his Grandpa’s roller bag out to meet the train. He claimed the rolling step-on for his perch to watch the train approach.
Onboard, Charlie was a trooper. He charmed the other passengers with his curiosity and good manners. It was a long ride, but he avoided boredom by playing with his cars, drawing in my notebook, and consuming an astonishing quantity and variety of the snacks his thoughtful parents packed. He resisted the hypnotic motion of the train, too. His eyes didn’t close until we were in the car, driving to “Auntie M’s.” We had a delightful day traveling with Charlie.
We spent the next two days hanging out in Boulder with Marianne. On Sunday we went to a couple of playgrounds with John, Charlie, and Marianne. Bill and I used the exercise equipment in physical therapy mode–he’s been going to cardio rehab, and I’ve been trying to cure a painful hip with PT. It reminded me of the senior playgrounds we saw in China.
On Monday, we went out to the farm where Marianne boards her horse, Boone. It was fun seeing Marianne in her element. I loved walking around the fields; my grandparents were farmers, and my feet learned to love striding over the dips and clumps of a pasture. We got to pet Boone, and we met a classic farm dog named Stewie. He made us his business, staying close and attentive as long as we were on his territory. When he saw that we were leaving, he turned back and trotted off to join his dog friends. The goats were adorable and friendly, but there was no time for goat yoga this trip.
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