Heart, Cheap Trick & Joan Jett At Red Rocks

Great show at Red Rocks Tuesday night. Three acts I've seen before, three acts that are worth seeing over and over again. 

There was a mother of a rain/lightning delay to contend with that started almost immediately after Cheap Trick's opening set, but we rode it out and it was well worth it - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Heart both put on great shows.

                     This is the third line-up incarnation of Cheap Trick I've seen in 5 decades (!)

                  The nearly one hour rain (and lightning) delay soaked everybody to the bone.

                  The Wilson Sisters are both in their '60's...and can still rock with the best of 'em

Outside, By The Fire

Maybe A Little Less Zen & A Bit More Motorcycle Maintenance

It's easy to take for granted the things we depend on in our everyday lives. We expect everything from our refrigerators to cell phones to our preferred means of transportation to just work correctly, without disruption or fail, day in and day out, for however long we chose to use them.

But all things can suddenly fall apart, especially things that have hundreds if not thousands of parts and an equal number of screws or bolts to hold them all together.

I am not getting creative with a metaphor about life, health, or relationships here, BTW, I'm being literal - an occasional check to ensure that the important parts of the things you routinely depend upon are in good running order can prevent a mechanical failure or worse from happening. 

But yeah, that does apply to life, health, and relationships too I suppose.

Automatic Zero

                  Not for a lack of trying

                                 But definitely for a lack of doing

You Can Van Your Own Way

Who Let The Chickens Out?

Neighborhood Car Show

I bought my house for the neighborhood, not for the house. 

When I bought the house 16 years ago it was in fairly sad shape - lower level slab had sunk at an angle away from the exterior wall so that it sloped until it was 4 inches below grade due to improper site preparation (a foundation slab poured directly on clay soil w/o any type of compacted fill - seriously), no insulation in a high-altitude climate that experiences several months of below freezing temps, single pane, aluminium framed windows, aluminium wiring, etc. 

Not only was every shortcut concievable taken in the construction of the home back in 1970, the cheapest possible materials were used as well. I still cannot believe permits were authorized and an inspector signed off on a C.O. for the structure - money-stuffed envelopes had to have changed hands.

I have since replaced all the bad stuff with new, leveled the floor and even changed a few of the poorly designed features (moved a staircase and a few door openings). If I had the means, I would have scraped the whole house and built a much better house at the get-go, but I didn't so I made do with what I had and over time the things that needed to be fixed or replaced were.

All that being stated, you may be wondering why I bought the house in the first place. Well, I answered that with the opening sentence. The neighborhood was and still is a truly great place, full of good people and within walking distance to parks, shopping, and everything else I need or want.

And the neighbors are not the type that keep themselves shut in their homes, sharing only the occasional greeting when you see them heading for work or coming home.

Nope, not my neighbors. My immediate neighbors and I get together for bar-be-ques and summer parties quite a bit, and this past weekend some of the neighbors even had a small car show. It was a cool little get-together, and here are a few pics I took from the tail end of that show,