Denny's Resturant, Pueblo, Colorado

Well, here we are at Denny's 3600 North Freeway in lovely Pueblo, Colorado.  It is 8:00 AM and the hot rod club that meets there regularly has not yet arrived so we have the place to ourselves, pretty much.  Probably a good thing because there is only one waitress, or at least that is all I see.  She is quick to tell me that she does not need to see my AARP card which lets me know that she pegged me as old when she first looked at me.  She could have humored me, but not thinking there is much humorous in this place.

So the table is clean, advertising is in place and menu's await our purusal.  

My friend opted for the senior veggie omlette with hash browns and an english muffin.  Looks good and arrived quickly.

                                     
I went with the egg white veggie omlette with an english muffin and fresh fruit, not because I eat healthy, but because I did not want to be a copy cat!  It was amazingly good and the fruit actually tasted like fruit!  Usually the fruit was picked 11 days early, but that was not the case here.  And I do love english muffins..

My friend had salsa for her potatoes and since she had shared them with me she also shared her salsa.  That was really good also.  I am pretty sure it was not made on site, but at least who ever bought it had the good sense to buy good salsa.  We all know how important salsa is at breakfast time for the hash browns. 

See!  Doesn't that fruit look good?  Happy to report that even the grapes were sweet. 

They did have a bit of a problem deciding what size to feed me, but it really made no difference because I made short work of those little fellows.

And here is the ticket.  Not bad for 2 breakfasts.  Of course this was one of those mornings when we both drank water.  Had we had coffee you could add another $4.00 to that.  We just weren't in the coffee mood this morning. 

So, for my trip to Denny's, I have to say it was niether a flag waver nor a disappointment.  Just another chain resturant trying to feed people and make a living.  Know what I mean?  Sometimes you go in a place and when you leave you have the warm fuzzies or a feeling of disappointment?  One of those things that you did and now you are on to other places and things.  Like that.

How to succeed in business, by really trying.

 The first thing I want to tell you is that I am not going to tell you anything useful.  I am not going to tell you the name nor the location of where this is located.  Just that it is legal.  How do you get in this business?
The very first thing you have to do is get your license to do this and permission from the county and state and I think maybe even God.
Then you have to hire workers because you are going to need to build a building.  Not just any building, but one that is designed for keeping temperature, humidity and light at just the right levels. Then you have to start some plants.  Several ways to do that.  Seeds is one way.  Now I could not get my seeds to sprout.  Well, first I lost them several times and then when I found them, I stuck them in dirt and nothing happened.  I finally bit the bullet and got three plants from a source who shall remain nameless.  But this is how the big boys do it.  The place the deflated containes where they want them which is a lot smarter than having to move a bunch of heavy containers around.

Then they are filled with dirt and left to set until the plants are ready to be put in there.  There are more ways then one to get these plants started.  Besides the sprouting of the seeds there is also a process called cloning.  Now I call that process "taking a cutting and rooting it."  That works for house plants and apparently for this exotic weed.

So pretty quick the room begins to look like perhaps there is a business going on.  Now what happened to my crop out back, is a damn grasshopper decided to nibble around on my pretty little leaves.  I must interject here for those who do not know my habits, that my crop is not going to be smoked.  I planted them so I could harvest the leaves, press them and make them into a work of art with clever use of waxed paper, kleenex, Elmer's glue and lots of glitter.   

See, that is what they have and this is what I can do to it!  I am very proud of my renderings, but there is where it ends.  I am not sure I can even sell it since I am not a dealer.  Sure can't list it on ebay and if I could sell it, I can not send it in the mail.  So maybe I will just paper my house with leaves.

But this is where I went visiting yesterday.  I was introduced to many different plants and the set up was explained.  Seems each little plant is registered and has it's own little microchip.  The drug enforcement can drive slowly past the building and click the reader and know exactly how many plants are on the premises and what kind they are and probably be able to count the buds.   See, I now know that you are actually supposed to grind up the buds and smoke that.  I always thought you just rolled up a leaf.  I am learning much about this stuff.  Still have not smoked it.  Still don't want to, but I am an inquisitive little fellow and shall bring you in depth reporting on this when I actually remember to take my camera when I do and do not have to rely on a cell phone.

Until that time, I would like to leave you with a panorama of the latest place I have been into and nosed around.  I did find something there I would like to have.  Tiny bugs like to get high also, so there are stickly strips hanging every where with bug bodies stuck to them.  I could eliminate a few flies around here if I had some of those thing.

Until next time!

Farewell to the motor home that made a home in my back yard or who is the queen of ebay?

For the whole winter this 40' Fleetwood motor home sat in my backyard.  I had listed it on eBay early in the fall, but then one of the big boys with his own financing wanted the listing, so I gave it to him.  I just wanted the folks who owned it to be able to make a clean and easy sale.  And it sure looked like that was the way to go.  For the first few weeks I kept track of it, but then it got harder to find and I became less interested.  I was sure it was a go.
Alas, the best laid plans, or so they say.  Then the owner called a few weeks ago and asked if I would re list it so he at least would know where it was.  And so I did.  There was a flurry of interest and then the auction ended.  No sale.  So I dropped the price a silly $1,000.  That woke them up and I was busy fielding questions.  Of course no one was interested in paying the asking price and there were some offers that were downright insulting.  But we persevered until finally a guy named 4x4dude out of Oklahoma emailed with a list of questions that he needed answered.  I knew by the questions that he was a serious buyer.
Had it been smoked in?  Pets? Warranty?  Where was it located?   Maintenance records and things like that.  Then nothing.  So off I went to church that Sunday morning and when I got home I had a short nap.  Then I decided to check my ebay for sales.  My item sold!  My Fleetwood sold to a guy in Oklahoma for $100K.  My heart damn near stopped!  You need to remember I am in the bird cage cover /seed catcher business and my high dollar item is $25.00!
Phone numbers and addresses were exchanged and the date was made for 4x4 to come the following week to meet with the owner.   He would bring a check.  So early in May, Karl and his wife along with brother Larry and his wife arrived at my house.  The owner was already here and after a day of new batteries, mechanic checking things out, tweeking here and tweeking there and a couple nights in the motel, it was a go.
While we were standing around visiting Karl mentioned that he lived in Mustang, Oklahoma.  Bingo!  Do you know my niece, Cindy who lives there also.  Why yes I do!  Small world, huh?  Karl contacted Cindy and he was instructed to give me a big hug, and you people know how I like to get those.  And it was decided they would spend one more night and then get an early start.  And that is how that went down.

Mirrors are adjusted, black smoke bellowed out the back, dust kicked up on the road, and the motorhome with it's new owner at the wheel disappeared down my driveway.

And that, my friends is how I became the queen of eBay!

  

The High Tea at First Congregational United Church of Christ is now in the record books.

Don't these look like happy people?  They were.  Please meet Nancy Martin, her son Ross Barnhart, her daughter in law Terri Barnhart, and  Gail Barnhart.   They arrived in all thier finery at exactly 2:00 PM because that is what time the High Tea always starts.  Teresa and her friend Patty had arrived the day before and Mayflower Hall was festooned and beautiful.  Course my camera was at home through the whole thing, thus forcing me to go on facebook and steal pictures.

The tea was hot and the food at least looked good.  

This is a scone with lemon curd and yes, I made that from scratch.  Same with the dollop of clotted cream  getting ready to end up on that strawberry.

This was my first attempt at something this fancy, but I have been told that it was great.  Of course, I did not do this alone.  Jill arranged the tables.  Teresa and Patty decorated.  And when the High Tea was in full swing Pastor Jeannine was slinging tea like a trooper.  And plates were flying out of the kitchen thanks to the three of them along with my daughter, Sue. Amy manned the ticket table and sold tickets for the raffle.  Any great event is the result of a lot of hard work by a lot of people.  This one was our first, but it is not going to be our last by a long shot.  We will just be more organized next time.  

First Congregational United Church of Christ is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the very near future and  we would love to see you pop in our door next Sunday morning at 9:30 AM.    228 West Evans. 

Time for action!!

This is the only way I could think of to do what Sister Nancy asked me to do.  Hello, Facebook Friends!!

Leroy Garcia has introduced this bill to strengthen the office of the Consumer Counsel in the regulatory services of Utilities!  It's a quick read, 6 pages..with pg 4-6 being especially good!  

An activity in Pueblo on Saturday in support of the bill is in the works!   Can you pass it on?

Sister Nancy

Second Regular Session
Sixty-ninth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 14-1089.01 Duane Gall x4335 HOUSE BILL 14-1398
House Committees Senate Committees
State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
101 CONCERNING ADDITIONAL CRITERIA GOVERNING PARTICIPATION BY
102 THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER COUNSEL IN THE REGULATION OF
103 PUBLIC UTILITIES.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.)
Section 1 of the bill specifies that the "public interest", as used in
statutes outlining the duties of the office of consumer counsel,
encompasses consideration of:
! Disparities between the rates paid by consumers in
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Garcia, Duran, Foote, Ginal, Lebsock, Pabon, Salazar, Singer, Tyler
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Ulibarri,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters indicate new material to be added to existing statute.
Dashes through the words indicate deletions from existing statute.
different geographic areas of the state, where those
disparities cannot be justified by inherent differences
between the service territories of the utilities involved;
! Disparities between a utility's rate increases and the
corresponding increase or decrease in the quantity or
quality of service provided;
! Disparities between a utility's reported earnings and the
quantity or quality of service provided during the reported
earnings period;
! The economic situation of the utility's customers, or of
specified classes of its customers, within its service
territory, including their ability to absorb rate increases
without suffering undue economic or social harm;
! The utility's policies concerning the shutoff and
reinstatement of service for customers who fall behind in
their payments; and
! The utility's history of compliance with its legal obligations
regarding net metering and interconnection policies for
customers who wish to deploy distributed generation under
Colorado's renewable energy standard.
Section 1 also directs the consumer counsel to investigate and
report to the general assembly on geographic disparities in rates charged
to consumers.
Section 2 allows the consumer counsel to intervene in individual
complaints when doing so would vindicate the interests of a class of
consumers, under criteria borrowed from the court rules governing
certification of class actions.
1 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
2 SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 40-6.5-104
3 as follows:
4 40-6.5-104. Representation by consumer counsel - duty to
5 pursue public interest - definition. (1) The consumer counsel shall
6 represent the public interest and, to the extent consistent therewith, the
7 specific interests of residential consumers, agricultural consumers, and
8 small business consumers by appearing in proceedings before the
9 commission and appeals therefrom in matters which THAT involve:
10 (a) Proposed changes in a public utility's rates and charges; in
-2- HB14-1398
1 matters involving
2 (b) Rule-making, which TO THE EXTENT THAT THE PROPOSED
3 RULES MAY have an impact on the charges, the provision of services, OR
4 COSTS OF RESOURCE ACQUISITION FOR ANY UTILITY or the rates COSTS
5 THAT A UTILITY PASSES THROUGH to consumers; and in matters which
6 involve
7 (c) Certificates of public convenience and necessity for facilities
8 employed in the provision of utility service, the construction of which
9 would have a material effect on the utility's rates and charges.
10 (2) (a) In exercising his OR HER discretion whether or not to
11 appear in a proceeding, the consumer counsel shall consider the
12 importance and the extent of the public interest involved. In evaluating
13 the public interest, the consumer counsel shall give due consideration to
14 the short- and long-term impact of the proceedings upon various classes
15 of consumers so as not to jeopardize the interest of one class in an action
16 by another NOR TO PERPETUATE GROSS DISPARITIES BETWEEN THE RATES
17 PAID BY CONSUMERS IN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE STATE,
18 WHERE THOSE DISPARITIES CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED BY INHERENT
19 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SERVICE TERRITORIES OF THE UTILITIES
20 INVOLVED. If the consumer counsel determines that there may be
21 inconsistent interests among the various classes of the consumers he OR
22 SHE represents in a particular matter, he THE CONSUMER COUNSEL may
23 choose to represent one of the interests or to represent no interest.
24 Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit LIMITS the right of any
25 person, firm, or corporation to petition or make complaint to the
26 commission or otherwise intervene in proceedings or other matters before
27 the commission.
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1 (b) (I) DURING THE 2014 INTERIM, THE CONSUMER COUNSEL SHALL
2 CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION OF THE DISPARITIES IN RATES CHARGED TO
3 CUSTOMERS IN THE SERVICE TERRITORIES OF ALL ELECTRIC UTILITIES IN
4 THE STATE AND DETERMINE WHETHER THOSE DISPARITIES CAN BE
5 JUSTIFIED BY INHERENT DIFFERENCES IN THE COST OF PROVIDING SERVICE
6 TO CUSTOMERS IN THOSE AREAS. THE CONSUMER COUNSEL SHALL REPORT
7 THE FINDINGS FROM THIS INVESTIGATION, TOGETHER WITH THE CONSUMER
8 COUNSEL'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LEGISLATION, IF ANY, BASED ON
9 THOSE FINDINGS, TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 15,
10 2015.
11 (II) AS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF
12 THIS PARAGRAPH (b), THE CONSUMER COUNSEL SHALL CONVENE AT LEAST
13 THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE
14 STATE AND SHALL INVITE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
15 (c) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, "PUBLIC INTEREST" MEANS THE
16 HEALTH, SAFETY, DISPOSABLE INCOME, PROPERTY VALUES, AND ECONOMIC
17 AND SOCIAL STABILITY OF UTILITY CONSUMERS. WITH REGARD TO RATE
18 CASES AND PROPOSED RESOURCE ACQUISITION PLANS SUBMITTED BY
19 UTILITIES, THE PUBLIC INTEREST ENCOMPASSES CONSIDERATION OF:
20 (I) DISPARITIES BETWEEN A UTILITY'S PAST OR PROPOSED RATE
21 INCREASES AND ANY CORRESPONDING INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THE
22 QUANTITY OR QUALITY OF SERVICE PROVIDED TO CONSUMERS;
23 (II) DISPARITIES BETWEEN A UTILITY'S REPORTED EARNINGS AND
24 THE QUANTITY OR QUALITY OF SERVICE PROVIDED DURING THE REPORTED
25 EARNINGS PERIOD;
26 (III) THE ECONOMIC SITUATION OF THE UTILITY'S CUSTOMERS, OR
27 OF SPECIFIED CLASSES OF ITS CUSTOMERS, WITHIN ITS SERVICE TERRITORY,
-4- HB14-1398
1 INCLUDING THEIR ABILITY TO ABSORB RATE INCREASES WITHOUT
2 SUFFERING UNDUE ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL HARM SUCH AS EVICTION OR THE
3 INABILITY TO AFFORD FOOD OR VITAL MEDICATIONS;
4 (IV) THE UTILITY'S HISTORY AND CURRENT PRACTICES REGARDING
5 SHUTOFF OF SERVICE FOR NONPAYMENT, INCLUDING ITS POLICIES
6 REGARDING WARNINGS AND GRACE PERIODS, STRUCTURED REPAYMENT
7 PLANS FOR ARREARAGES, AND REINSTATEMENT OR RECONNECTION FEES;
8 AND
9 (V) THE UTILITY'S HISTORY AND CURRENT PRACTICES REGARDING
10 COMPLIANCE WITH ITS LEGAL OBLIGATIONS UNDER SECTION 40-2-124,
11 INCLUDING ITS ADOPTION OF, AND ADHERENCE TO, REASONABLE POLICIES
12 GOVERNING NET METERING AND INTERCONNECTION FOR CUSTOMERS WHO
13 WISH TO DEPLOY DISTRIBUTED GENERATION.
14 (3) The consumer counsel shall be served with notices of all
15 proposed gas, electric, and telephone tariffs and he shall be served with
16 copies of all orders of the commission affecting the charges of
17 agricultural consumers, residential consumers, and small business
18 consumers.
19 SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 40-6.5-106, amend
20 (2) as follows:
21 40-6.5-106. Powers of consumer counsel. (2) The consumer
22 counsel may petition for, request, initiate, and appear and intervene as a
23 party in any proceeding before the commission concerning rate changes,
24 rule-making, charges, tariffs, modifications of service, RESOURCE
25 PLANNING AND ACQUISITION, and matters involving certificates of public
26 convenience and necessity. Notwithstanding any provision of this article
27 to the contrary, The consumer counsel shall not be a party to any
-5- HB14-1398
1 individual complaint between a utility and an individual EXCEPT TO THE
2 EXTENT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
3 INTERESTS OF ALL CONSUMERS OR OF A CLASS OF CONSUMERS AND THOSE
4 INTERESTS WOULD BE VINDICATED THROUGH A SUCCESSFUL RESOLUTION
5 OF THE COMPLAINT. IN DETERMINING WHETHER TO PARTICIPATE IN AN
6 INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINT PROCEEDING, THE CONSUMER COUNSEL SHALL
7 APPLY SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME FACTORS AS APPLIED BY DISTRICT
8 COURTS IN DETERMINING WHETHER A CLASS ACTION MAY BE CERTIFIED
9 UNDER C.R.C.P. 23.
10 SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
11 determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
12 preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.
-6- HB14-1398

Cinnamon Rolls, Chandeliers, and Hello! Dolly!

 

Before I left the house yesterday, I rolled out my cinnamon rolls, cut them and put them in pans.  I crammed the whole mess in the refrigerator, because I knew timing on this little chore was going to be crucial.

 

 

This was the sky as I waited for Lawrence in the parking lot.  He was driving, you see.  Looks very scary, doesn't it?  Soon he popped up and away we went to the SCAP Red Ribbon Ball at the beautiful Antlers Hotel

 

Ok, I can hear you now.  Most of you know what a control freak I am and I must be at the helm of whatever vessel is hurling me through time and space.  That is why I do not fly!  But Lawrence seems like a reliable sort and he does run the SCAP office down here, so I at least know where to find him.  We parked in the parking garage and from that moment on, I was completely lost!  Phone was somewhere in the car and I was completely at his mercy. 

 Ah!  there is Valarie! 

And there is the door to the shindig!

And the silent auction!

 

This is what the chandelier looks like with my head in the salad plate looking up!

I did not get a picture of Lawrence, or John, or my food.  I thought I was eating a piece of roast beef on mashed up beans, but as it turned out it was pork on purple mashed potatoes.  So much for my taste buds!  I was astute enough to know what ever that dessert was it was gross, but everyone else at the table oohed and aahed, so I kept my opinions to myself.

All things considered, I did have a very nice time and the new staff at SCAP, Colorado Springs sure made me feel welcome and important.  Of course, my witching hour came right after the dessert was cleared away.  To my amazement, Lawrence did find the car in the parking lot in section P1, right where we left it.  The ride home was uneventful and we both stayed awake. 

When I got home I pulled the cinnamon rolls out of the refrigerator where I had crammed them before I left.  This morning I jumped up and baked them.

                                         
So here we are ready to go this morning.  Church is at 9:30 and coffee hour is right after that.  See you there? 

First Congregational United Church of Christ

228 West Evans

Pueblo,CO

9:30 AM

 

 

 

 

Tit for Tat on the Starbucks scene?

I love Starbucks.  I especially love the one on 4th by the bridge.  I met a very special person there several years back.  I used my other blog site to keep you abreast of how that went.  First there was the getting to know him, then the break up, and then the reconciliation, the getting to know him again, his decline  and finally his passing.  It was a long 2 years, but Starbucks was there through it all.

Coffee at Starbucks and then the walk along the river by his house were every day  occurrences since he had a dog who needed that.  But that is all history.  If you are really wanting to read that it is still available online in pdf. format.  One of my final chores in completing  things Sherman asked me to do was to find a good home for Cleo.  She went to live with Todd and his wife, who was President of the BMAC which Sherman had founded years ago.  Todd brought her to the estate sale and she remembered me.  We took our walk on the river.  When it was time for her to leave, she looked up at me, turned and got in the car with Todd and Dana.  Left me with another hole in my heart.

I did have one more task and that was to return a ring to it's original home in St. Louis.  I did that on March 10 and it arrived at it's destination on Jeff's birthday.  Karma?  Maybe.  They sent me a card for Starbuck's  so guess I will treat them when I meet them at Starbuck's on 4th Street on May 12.

 

  We have a few things planned, one of which will be a stroll along the river.  Cleo will not be there and I am sure at least one of us will have to shed a tear.  Maybe all of us.  One of those would'a, could'a,  should'a, if only days.  But such is life and life goes on until we all reach our inevitable conclusion.  In the meantime, we will cherish our memories and continue to make new ones.

See you in 42 days, which is exactly 6 weeks!