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I don't know if there is
anything special about this hospital. There doesn't seem to be, except that Marie Antoinette Parker worked here. She was the most
beautiful woman I'd ever known in Duarte. I miss having her around.
Though I didn't see her often, she was a wonderful, endearing, and sweet
friend. Yes, we were friends. But I was older than her. Six years older. Sometimes it's enough just to know that people like her lived in the
world to make this world possible. Anybody who knows her knows of her
artistic abilities. She had one or two of her paintings in the National
Gallery in Washington, D. C. The first time that I met her she was 10 years old. I came over to visit with Paul, and she came out dressed in overalls to greet her brother's new friend, a very cute, sweet child, who later grew into a remarkable woman. She bore her husband, Chris, a son, Quinn. But it is my memories of her that are so wonderful. I loved the days and relished the hours spent in her company when she, Roy, and me would drive in my 1980s green VW Bug to Newport Beach and Balboa during the summer. Roy and I would boogie board. Tried catching only the ferocious waves. We had fun while at the beach, letting our bronze bodies bask in the sun. And perhaps the best part of the excursion was stopping at the Red Onion on PCH on the way home for a Colorado Burrito and margarita. In fact, the day was almost scheduled around that activity. We'd get to Newport or Balboa at around 10am, organize our towels and radios on the sand just so, apply the lotion, and then just lay out. Stupid I know, but it felt like such an important ritual. Then 30 minutes later we'd gather our Boogie Boards and walk down to the water's edge before we dashed and dove in as if we were lifeguards. I loved those days. Funny thought. My dad bought my green, 1980 VW for $800 from Marsha, Eric Bergquist's step-mom, and then I bought it from my dad with $100 monthly installments. All hospitals, whether for animals or people, are places of pain, sorrow, and anxiety. Our family dog, Cowboy, was put down at this hospital. He was a loyal dog. He lived I believed 16 years. Got him as a puppy from Tammy Sleigh with whom I was working in 1976 at Steamboat Fried Chicken. Tammy called and asked if I wanted a dog. I asked what kind. She told me to come by and take a look, so I did. And we snagged him. He had beautiful colors as a pup. And he was just a good, fun, responsive dog. He was half Great Dane and half Doberman. What a mix! He was truly Tom's dog. Tom hiked regularly on weekends and on his days off and he always, always took Cowboy with him. I tried leaving my parrot, Ruby, here for a few days while I drove to Denver. She probably would have been in great company with all of the other pets in the back, but I decided to leave her at my mom's house when I drove out to the Great Plains on Interstate 70. Here are a few pics of the scenery out there: 
This
is a rest area off of I70 in central Utah, called Castle Valley View Point. I
am standing on a cliff looking out across the basin. This is considered part of
the nearest town, Emery, Utah 15 miles to the north. This photo faces south. http://bit.ly/1uqyviH
          
Richfield, Utah
 .JPG)
Westminster, Colorado with a shot of the Rockies.
Westminster, Colorado with a shot of the Rockies to the west.
Golden, Colorado
Westminster, Colorado
Westminster, Colorado
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Erie, Colorado
Georgetown, Colorado
