A gorgeous Christmas in Denver
Posted by Richard on December 25, 2005
On days like this, I feel sorry for everyone who doesn’t live in Denver. I just got back from a long walk. I started out in a sweatshirt, but had to take it off fairly quickly. Shorts and a T-shirt would have been more appropriate. The forecast called for a high of 65° today, but that’s at the airport. I suspect here in town it hit 70. Clear blue sky with just a few wispy, high clouds.
I walked up to and around Washington Park, about 3/4 mile from here. It’s probably Denver’s most popular park, and with good reason. Today, it was as busy as on a September or October weekend. All the tennis courts were in use; a bazillion walkers, runners, bladers, and cyclists were on the 2-mile loop road (closed to cars except for two short stretches to parking areas); more runners and walkers were on the 3-mile perimeter trail; people were shooting hoops, tossing frisbees, playing volleyball — it sure didn’t look like December! Well, except for the ice on the lakes and all the geese and gulls walking around on it.
I took a roundabout way up there and back, so with the park loop it came to almost 5 miles. I just had to get off my ass after watching a Fox News story about 91-year-old Jack LaLanne and his 80-year-old wife — jeez, they’re unbelievable. Talk about shaming you into physical activity! Asked his secret for staying so fit and full of energy, LaLanne declared that you just have to work at it, that "dying is easy, but you have to work at living!" OK, I thought, put on my walking shoes, and headed out the door.
Now I’m starving! Fortunately, there’s a turkey breast in the oven that’ll be ready soon, the potatoes are boiling, and I’ll get started on the burgundy mushroom sauce shortly. After dinner, I’ll head over to Jan’s condo to spend some quality time with her cat, Grayson, whom I’ve been taking care of while she’s out of town. He’s a sweetheart; last night he nearly licked my neck and cheek raw.
I’m a confirmed heathen, but I wish you a very merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, and super Saturnalia!
Sorry, I don’t acknowledge Kwanzaa: it’s a fraud created by a Marxist college professor in order to fool black Americans into believing that the socialist ideology created by 19th-century white male Europeans is somehow part of their African heritage. Completely bogus.
UPDATE: I thought it felt like 70°! We set a new record high for Dec. 25 — 69° at the airport, 3° above the old record. Monday will be just 2 or 3 degrees cooler.
The record low for Dec. 25? 15° below zero. Denver winters offer a lot of variety. It’s not unusual for the record high and low to be 70 or 80 degrees apart.
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