September 21, 2014. A Day in the Village of Grand Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 21, 2014.  A Day in the Village of Grand Lake.  We remain in Stillwater Campground, about five miles from the village of Grand Lake.  After a lazy morning, we drove into Grand Lake to look around and shop around.  While Annie was shopping around, I began to look around for things to photograph for today's blog.  I found flowers, lots of flowers.  I also learned some of the tricks of local merchants. 

The Grumpy's sign you see first hangs over the door of a local saloon in Grand Lake.  Annie suggested that I photograph the sign.  I have no idea why she thought it was photo-worthy.  It is not nearly as pretty as the flowers which follow the sign.  Perhaps she thought it sent a message to someone.  Was it you?  If so, you'd better stop being grouchy.  No one likes a grouch.  Am I right? 

The horses shown were tied up outside another local saloon.  A fellow in a truck bearing Colorado tags asked me if I knew why they rode horses to the bar.  It dawned on me.  "Because they can't get arrested for driving while intoxicated?" 

"Right you are, camera boy.  There is no charge for RWI in Colorado."  I assume the R stands for "Riding."  Annie was in a store so I watched for a while.  It began to rain.  A cowboy came out and covered the saddles with rain jackets.  He returned to the bar.  Soon, two cowboys and a cowgirl walked unsteadily out of the bar.  They mounted their horses and rode off down Main Street.  There was a bit of a swagger about them as they rode past the police station. 

I caught up with Annie in one of her favorite stores.  She seemed to be buying the store a piece at a time.  One of the sales ladies approached me.  "I see you are taking pictures.  Our back garden is a photographer's delight."  She nodded toward the back door. 

"Gee, thanks," I replied.  Out her back door I went.  She was right.  There were aspen trees in various stages of color.  There were leaves of green, red, yellow and pink.  I took picture after picture, several of which appear above.  When I finished, I tried to reenter the store through the back door.  To my chagrin, I discovered it was locked.  The patio area where I had been taking pictures was fenced in and so was I. 

Their plan came to me slowly - lock the husband in a fenced-in garden while the wife buys out the store.  Diabolical.  Evil.  Perfect.  Well, perfect but for one thing.  The evil genius who locked me out failed to notice my lithe, agile and athletic build.  I leapt the fence tearing nary a stitch of my clothing.  I marched around the store, went straight through the front door and assumed a combative stance.  I enunciated clearly, "FREE HER."  The sales ladies were amazed that I escaped their prison.  Annie was allowed to leave the store in my custody.  But then, I had to make two trips back into the store to gather the stuff she bought while I was locked in the garden.

Men, listen to me.  You must always be alert.  There are sales people who will lock you up and sell your spouse stuff she doesn't need.  Be alert and stay lithe.