Mini-Outing, Bad Mood Style

We planned on going cross-country skiing or hiking during the 3-day weekend, but grey skies have made me a little gun-shy since our New Year's experience. After morning nap #1 (for Sam, who always gets up with Kenyon, bless him) and morning nap #2 (for me), we dragged our lazy butts out of the house to explore the Confluence Park area near downtown.  Sam and I have fond memories of bringing then-infant Jackson and our then-weimaraner, Winston, to run around off-leash at this park.  I use the term 'fond' loosely, because wily Winston somehow had a knack of knowing when it was time to leave, at which time he would commence his favorite game of Stay Within a 10-ft. Radius Of My Owner, Barking and Jumping Around But Not Coming Close Enough to Be Caught.  You haven't seen amusing until you've seen Sam at his wits' end, trying to tackle an obstinate, leggy grey dog. :)  We miss you, little Win (or at least, I do).

Confluence Park marks the spot where William Greeneberry Russell first found gold in the area in 1858; this discovery led to the founding of Denver.  Thank you, Bill!  It's a great area, with the Platte River running through it, and right near the amazing REI flagship store.  Kayakers, runners, walkers, bikers...and unfortunately, a decent number of vagrants, can all be seen using the area.  It's definitely a place where you feel more comfortable with other people around, but it's also convenient that we've got a spot to explore with a river, less than two miles from our house.  On lazy days like this, it's the perfect spot to get out and about for a bit.

 Despite their appearances, they are not in the Witness Protection Program.

 Kenyon enjoyed seeing the ducks and throwing rocks into the river.

 Jackson found a rock he thought was beautiful.

I have to admit, I felt a little disgruntled--it may have been that I didn't treat myself with what has unfortunately become a near-daily Peppermint Mocha from a coffee shop that I won't name but that rhymes with Schmarbucks.  Part of it is for a different post about parenting (and wife-ing) that I don't have the energy to write about now, but I feel it building.  And most of it had to do with the major, major bummer of a letdown of what I alluded to at the end of my Christmas post being thisclose to coming true, and then it being turned down.  I've got a bit of a cloud hanging over me, a what could have been cloud, a little bit like I was just dumped by someone when I already had multiple notebook pages with rows of my first name and his last name written out in swirly cursive letters, all surrounded by rainbows and stars.  And yes, I know that's an odd way of talking about your brother, your sister-in-law, and your niece and nephew.

I never knew how much I wanted family in town until it almost happened.