The Things One Sees While Stopped At Traffic Lights

   She had her hair wrapped in a towel as if she had just stepped out of a shower...but she was driving a Lexus SUV while smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee.

   All I could think was, "Hope she doesn't get in an accident as there'd be one helluva unintentionally funny police report filled out by the investigating officer."

The Early May Storm Rolled In

   The storm rolled in overnight, stayed for breakfast, then decided Denver was too nice a place to visit to only stay one day, so parked itself over the city for another 48 hours.

   The vegetation was grateful for the extended stay. 

The streets looked much better with a good wash, as did the majority of the buildings.

The brown haze that usually hung over the city was gone too, at least for a little while.

Something Just A Lot Scarier Upon Reflection

    So, at the gas station this morning. Rain coming down, not hard, but consistent.

    Cold, too.

   The Sprinter van was being filled up...but suddenly, out from under the Sprinter van, diesel started to flow, as if somehow the nozzle had slipped out of the fill spout...but a quick glance confirmed it hadn't. 

   Drop down to the ground and look under the Sprinter van and what to my wondering eyes should appear? 

   Diesel leaking out of the gas tank like a race horse after ten furlongs.

   Calmly stop pumping fuel. Calmly replace the gas pump handle back in it's holster. Calmly step away from the van and assess the situation.

   It's diesel, it's raining, and it's a cold rain - the outside temperature is 43 degrees (F).

   Breath a sigh of relief for that. 

   Diesel fuel is a class II combustible liquid, class II's have a flashpoint above 100 degrees (F) to below 140 (F). 

   Plus, diesel, while flammable, is much less flammable than other fuels and flammable solvents. If you toss a lit match into a puddle of diesel, it will go out - diesel is much less flammable than gasoline.

   No vapor to speak of, which is even better.

   We were oh so grateful for the consistent rain and the cold this morning in this particular situation.

   We got out of the way and let the fuel spill crew do their job.

   And pondered how the hell that hole got in the tank.

 

Put The Brakes On Celebrities As Admirable Characters

 Celebrity worship/idolization has really gotten out of hand, IMHO. 

The Carved Tree Sculptures In The Smallest Park In Lakewood

   Not quite sure when this very small (maybe 250 square feet?) park was built as I just noticed it the other day - well, I noticed the carved tree sculptures from a distance and walked over to discover they were in the smallest park I've ever stepped foot in...  

...and for good measure, a little motivational graffiti on the arm of one of the two park benches.

The Older You Get, The Smaller The Birthday Cake

 

Here's an ugly truth for you. The older you get, the smaller your birthday cake becomes. It's some weird law of diminishing returns. Used to be there'd be leftover birthday cake for days...now, well, now this will be gone within the next 10 minutes.

What You Have To Do What You Can Do

Not everyone who picks up a pen 

                           Is going to write a best-selling novel

Not everyone who starts working with clay

                           Is going to create a remarkable statue

Not everyone who strums a guitar

                           Will compose a memorable song

Not everyone who works with a brush 

                           Will paint an exceptional picture 

But you have to try 

      You have to use what you have to work with

You have to learn to do the best you can

      You have to accept what nature has granted you

And play and work and study and nurture

      Your gifts are yours, for your enjoyment