Welcome Back Colorado Boys - Days 10 & 11

Okay -- today is THE day.  We are going to sew pajamas until they are finished, no matter how long it takes.  Well, at least that is MY plan.  Getting the boys to settle down and start in is a different matter.  Surprisingly, the first one out to work is Caleb.  I give him some leftover fabric to practice on so that he remembers how the machine works and then we are off.

He does such a great job and is the first one with a completed set of pj's.

Ryan moves in next and with a quick practice, he, too, is ready to go.

Pants always go together so quick and the longest part for them is working the elastic through the waistband.  Last year, I had to help but this year -- he manages it all on his own.

Now for the top.  He and Raef are taking turns with the machine -- pants and tops going everywhere.

At one point while Raef is working on his top, Caleb is watching and suddenly complains that his nose hurts.  "It feels like something is in it."  ALERT -- ALERT!!  This is not my first rodeo.  I asked him what he put in there and he gives me a blank stare.  Great.  Off to the bathroom we go with me hoping like heck that we can remove it without a hospital visit.  BLOW!!!  AGAIN!!  Fortunately, the item comes out.  Now I get to question WHY????  Why do all children have to insert something up their nose?  Please explain this to me.

Okay, back to sewing.

Both of the boys finish their sets and there are smiles all around.

It's still early in the day so we settle in to watch a movie.  I asked if anyone had seen E.T. and got a resounding no.  Well, dang.  I guess we have found today's movie.

After dinner, I want ice cream and everyone else seems to think it's a good idea too.  No, no need to get dressed.  Just go in jammies.

Ah, such fun.  I do love having them here.  It's been another great day.  See ya tomorrow.

4th -  Happy Birthday America!  Ever since the plans changed for the boys to stay longer, Grandpa has been looking for something fun to do today.  We want to keep history alive a bit so that this day will hold some meaning and memories.  Fortunately, he came across the Heritage Village site and saw that they were having a special event.  Since I have never been there either, this seems like the perfect ticket.  They open at 10 and we are trying to be there right away before the temps rise too much.

It is perfect timing and we only have to wait for about 10 minutes before we can go into the town.  That gives us time to feed some long blades of grass to the chickens as well as read about the park itself.

The marker reads, " OLD CITY PARK   Indian tribes were once attracted to this park site by a series of natural springs which became known as Browder Springs after Edward C. Browder (1825-75) acquired the property in 1845.  The springs figured in legislation which made Dallas the intersection of the Texas & Pacific and Houston & Texas central railroads in 1873 and launched the town's rapid growth.  On July 4, 1876, to honor the American centennial, ten acres near the springs were set aside as Dallas first municipal park.  'City Park' was also known as 'Eakins Park' because J.J. Eakin originally owned the land.  By 1885 nine more acres, including the Browder Springs property, were added.  The springs supplied water to the city, and the park grounds provided a center for leisure activities and group gatherings.  A neighborhood of elegant homes called 'The Cedars', grew up nearby.  The city's first zoo was here; fountains, greenhouses, tennis courts, a playground and a  wading pool were later added.  In 1936 the site was renamed 'Sullivan Park' for Dallas water commissioner, Dan L. Sullivan, but it remained popularly known as 'Old City Park'.  In 1966 the Dallas Park Board agreed to allow the Dallas County Heritage Society to revitalize the park as a 'Heritage Center' of restored historic structures."

The site is open and in we go.  Main Street looks just like what you would expect from that period of time.

One of the buildings that has been moved here is the Blum Brothers General Store.  It is from 1905 and its original location was at 2010 Lobo Street in Dallas.  "This building was constructed by German immigrant storekeepers without professional carpentry help.  The paneling on the ceiling and walls was recycled from older buildings, and under the current paint are many different hues.  The building remained in the family until 1972, when the museum acquired it."

It's fantastic and the boys are able to touch and experience it all.  They find an iron and are amazed at how heavy it is.  Caleb really struggles just to lift it up.

Ryan gets a lesson on how packages left the store (no paper bags back then) and is also fascinated with the small post office located right in the store.

I have to admit this stop is super fun but our day is just beginning and there is so much still to see.  I won't be able to go into this detail about all the places, so plan a trip there the next chance you have to kill time in Dallas.

Perhaps you'll even have enough time to stop and play a game of checkers like the boys did.

Across the street is the old bank and we stop in there for a peek and to talk about how everything used to work.

As we continue down the street, the community hall is now set up for kids to do some patriotic arts.  The boys are the first into the room and get to be the "test" students.  It's pretty funny as we figure out the best way to set things up and make it all work.

They make several crafts which are then set down on the floor to dry and we can pick them up when we are ready to go home.  (News flash:  we forgot them.)

On Main Street, next to the saloon, is the Sheriff's Jail --- outdoors of course.

Apparently the boys misbehaved a bit because two of them found themselves locked up.

As we continued around the town, leaving Main Street, we come to several self-sustaining farms.  We even get a chance for a visit with a real scarecrow before moving onto the blacksmith.  He does a great presentation and if it wasn't for the ants that Caleb discovered, we would have stayed longer.  Grandpa and Raef stay for quite awhile while the three of us continue on.

As we tour all the different buildings on the homestead, the boys laugh at the height of the doors.

Grandpa doesn't stand a chance without bending over but I'm with Raef and easily move from room to room.

Our next find are some sheep and as we walk up to the corral, they come to us.

There are some fresh cut branches of leaves to feed them and in no time the boys have quite the flock.

Our next stop has an old kiln as it's main attraction.  It is partially underground and one can put their head in and see all the pottery in the back that is ready to be fired.

After that, this playhouse is up.  It's pretty dang cool but we couldn't really take pictures inside of it.

The boys locate the dentist office and want their picture taken for their parents.

Temperatures are rising and so is our thirst.  That means a trip to the saloon is in order.  Right?  We find a table, order some root beer and play cards for awhile.  No, not poker, but a rousing game of go fish that ends very rapidly in a smoke out by Caleb.  How did he do that?  No one else even got to play.

While there, I notice (how could one help it?) this giant bear in a case.  The writing on the wall beside is says the following, "Dallas Herald, November 22, 1898.  Last Bear Died in City Park Zoo - Old 'Choctaw Jack' Committed Suicide Yesterday ----- Old 'Choctaw Jack', the big black bear in the Dallas Zoo at the city park committed suicide yesterday after beating his head against the stone walls of his iron grated cage, tearing himself in numerous places with his claws, and inflicting all the bloody injury to himself that he was capable of, he deliberately plunged into the large take of water in the center of the cage, placed his head under the water and stubbornly held in under the water until he ended his existence by drowning.  Old Jack was undoubtedly insane.  For several months his keeper and other park attendants had expressed the cold, unsympathetic opinion that Jack was simply cruel and vicious.  For a dozen years Jack had lived in peace and genuine domestic tranquility with his wife 'Queenie Choctaw'.  Several litters of cubs were born to them in their city park home, which were given away by the city authorities to different personas as soon as they became of weaning age.  Two years ago the last lot of cubs, four in number, were born.  Old Jack suddenly changed his nature towards bear babies and when the four little bruins were two days old he attacked, murdered, and ate them up.  He was never again the happy, docile, neighborly old Jack of earlier days.  Even the park keepers shunned him in a policy of protective caution.  About a year ago, Jack, in what was regarded as a fit of uncontrollable anger, attacked his wife, 'Queenie", in the night time, or the early  morning hours.  He lacerated her until she was helpless.  The park keeper of the bear department arrived at the cage just in time to see old Jack push Queenie in the big water tank, hump in after her and deliberately hold her head under the water until he had drowned her.  The park keeper could not get to the cage in time to save Queenie.  Old Jack was sullen, snarly, and generally unpleasant ever thereafter.  About two months ago he apparently started to starve himself to death.  He ate very little, and his keepers could not present anything to him that would tempt his appetite.  All his old acquaintances are charitable enough to credit his cruel and erratic conduct of the last two years to an unbalanced mental condition."   Crazy huh?

From the saloon we continue our loop through many old residences and finally arrive at the schoolhouse just in time for a class that is starting.  The boys take their seats and the teacher begins the test.

How well would you do on it?  Here are the pop quiz questions:  1)  The flag is raised ______/lowered ________.  2)  True or False - The American flag may be washed.  3)  Who can order the flag flown at half mast?  4)  True or False -- The flag should not be flown overnight.  5)  The American flag should be ____________folded.  All other flags should be folded _________.

When class lets out, the boys get a chance to play with the playground toys of the time and thoroughly enjoy themselves for quite awhile.  The teacher takes the time to show how all are used and even plays with my grandsons for a bit.

There are games with two sticks and a ring as well as a large hoop with stick.  It's great fun to sit and watch.

I call stop after awhile as they are starting to turn pink.  Yes, it is quite warm out today.  We walk over to the shade where some musicians are playing older music.  It is quite delightful and we get a kick out of Caleb.  He watches and listens intently.  Never even glancing away.  Only those who know Caleb will know how remarkable this really is.  When they finish the song, he comes over and simply states, "I actually really liked that.  May I give them a dollar?"  Of course.

The last thing is to play the games that are set up in a mini-carnival style.  We have bought them some tickets and off they go.

Stickers are the prizes - well and small erasers.  Perfect to elicit smiles out of at least one of them.

It's time to call it a day.  But not before a nice lady gives Caleb extra tickets to play more games.  When he returns, he presents her with one of his stickers.  Awesome.

The final game wins a stick of candy.  Yay!  Just what we want -- stickiness all over the car.  Oh well -- perhaps they will have it all eaten by then.  One can hope.

A final look back and we smile.  Yes, this was the perfect way to spend a Fourth of July day.  Absolutely perfect and almost makes me dream of living in a simpler time.

In N Out for lunch and then home for naps.  Yes.  ALL people are required to nap today as we are going out tonight to see the fireworks and I truly don't want any crabbiness at all.  Besides, it's been an active day and a rest is good.

The best part is -- no arguments and everyone goes right to sleep.  Well everyone except me.  As usual, I can't sleep.

After dinner, the excitement is building and it's time to go to the train station.  Yep, we take the train to Fair Park.  Parking down there is a nightmare and when you try to leave -- well lets just say the train is so much faster.

At least on the way down, it isn't crowded.  That will change tonight.

We arrive and make a beeline for the top of the Cotton Bowl Stadium.  A few years ago, Mister and I discovered how awesome it is to view from up there.  As we settle in, the sun is making it's descent and giving a nice show.

Everyone knows how much I love the rises and sets of the sun.  With the full city silhouetted below, I just watch until nature's show is over.  Now let the man made show begin.

As soon as the sun has finished, the lights of the city come on.  Additionally, all the surrounding areas start their fireworks and we have a 360 view of them.

Okay, let's get this birthday party started -- as Caleb is saying, "America is having a party and everyone is invited."  Once the fireworks start up, all he can say is, "This isn't fair.  Why do you get this big show and we just get a little one?"

I took a short video but then sat back to watch.  Who wants to hide behind a camera when this can be enjoyed to the max?

After almost half an hour, it comes to an end.  Wow.  Dallas, you outdid yourself again.

Now to get out of here.  We have opted to try and different station in the hopes that we will actually get on the train.  Trouble is, we can't get to it easy and by the time we are there, we missed the first train and have to wait for another.  I'm sure we would not have gotten on at the other station either, but it still is annoying.

As we wait, local fireworks are going off all around and some even make me jump a bit.  Drat -- not a huge firecracker fan.  I don't care what size they are.

A look back at the fairgrounds and then that's it for my camera tonight.  The train arrives and we are able to get seats.  At the next station, it is PACKED with people.  Yes, we made the right decisions.  Happy Independence Day everyone.  I hope your day was a truly wonderful as ours was.