As it turned out, today happened to be Carol's 66th birthday!

A few photos from our trip to Garden of the Gods and the Miramont Castle in Manitou today.

time out from vistas for my friends who joined me for a light lunch on the patio of the Trading Post...

This little guy with the spot on his back was my best bud. The other half dozen were pretty shy and came up carefully. This dude shook hands, sat right nearby to munch, and came back for more without a sideways glance. He knew a squirrel bud when he saw one. 

After lunch, onto Miramont for a tour before High Tea!

  

Sadly, the Christmas Creep has hit the castle. Sigh. 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

that tiny little Victorian Fainting Couch...

the only visible anchor (one of sixteen) that secures the castle to the mountain wall, so it doesn't all go tumbling from erosion. They are sixteen feet long deep into the earth.

 

from the top of the castle, down to the Tea Room!

 

 

 

the tea room is actually behind the first room you enter on the tour up the staircase, so here's the opposite side's view

 

back at the end of the Con after a fun birthday!

So with Bob staying over at the Convention center this weekend and running madly from one end of the hotel to the other and to the airport and back multiple times . . .

here I am, sipping on the first cup of coffee in bed with my constant companions.

I do feel a little guilty.

 

There are now approximately 15 blankets that have made their way beside my bed and while Katy tends to slide up next to them and not much else, Evan is going in whole hog. He's worse than a toddler, kicking them around and arranging them just so. It's a feat of acrobatics to get out of bed in the morning without tripping through paws and tails.

My quiet morning on the computer was, as usual, interlaced with how much I'd allow Bruiser to spread out. I let him get pretty far gone this morning, before his weight started working on the keyboard so I couldn't scroll, before we had to have the talk.

He knows the talk is about to happen.

Got about as dressed up as I do, which wasn't much, but when you spend most days in hoodies and pajama pants, it feels like a lot. 

 

(Harry Potter Marauder's Map dress)

Mom and Dad took me to Los Dos for lunch (and leftovers are about to be reheated for dinner!) and then we drove over to check out the Con. 

Really proud of this guy and what's he's built for himself in such a short time. He's been hustling all year long for this moment and, despite plenty of behind the scenes craziness, has been able to pull off a really impressive Year 3 Con. Pre-sales and door sales are booming and they've doubled in size from Year 2 to 3. George's line was long, of course, as always. And Jason, I learned, was out squiring Carol over to Cherry Creek for some shopping since I wasn't available. 

Tomorrow, Carol and I hit Manitou Springs and Victoria Tea at the Miramont Castle and Jason will be back on George-handling duty. I think they'll both be happier. 

She's always been heat-seeking, but this is a new  . . . low.

Ah, November. Our first tiny bit of snow might come tomorrow morning in the wee hours, making the last of the golden leaves hanging on finally fall to the ground. 

It's also the time of year when Evan's propensity for walking under bushes becomes comical. And no, those don't just brush off with your hand. Each one is now individually attached and will have to be time-consumingly extricated. 

Taken this morning, our late bloomer that holds out through a good part of Spring before bursting into leaves is the thickest blonde in the neighborhood now. We'll see how she fares overnight. 

  

(Noche de los Muertos in Manitou Springs with Deana)

 

And, from a recent Ringling grad . . .