Bruce

Fifty Years Party

I mentioned last week that our trip to Point Pelee in Ontario, Canada, was a gift from our kids celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. Well, that actual anniversary was this last weekend. Since a number that big requires LOTS of celebration, we joined good friends Lonnie and Laura, who were married the SAME DAY as we were! (We didn’t know them at the time.) So on the evening of our actual 50th, we attended their party.

The venue was beautiful, with a view out over Denver.

A lively gathering of people at a dining table, enjoying a meal and conversations in an elegantly decorated restaurant setting. Flowers and decorative items are placed at the center of the table.
A smiling woman and man pose for a photo at a dining table, surrounded by floral decorations and fellow diners in the background.
Laura and Lonnie
A group of people dining at a round table in a restaurant with large windows, showcasing a cozy atmosphere with decorative lighting.
A group of people enjoying a formal dinner in a restaurant with large windows overlooking a scenic view. Some are engaged in conversation, while others are eating and drinking. Floral decorations are on the tables.
A group of four people smiling and sitting at a dining table adorned with floral decorations and food, in a well-lit restaurant with brick walls.

We had a surprise visitor! Elvis Bud had prepared us for a bit of flash mob fun: as Elvis sang, on cue, table by table we joined him at the front and sang along. It was really fun!

A performer dressed in a white jumpsuit with a red cape and sunglasses is singing into a microphone on stage, with a restaurant backdrop.

It got even funnier when the grandkids and cousins joined Elvis!

A man and three children dressed in Elvis Presley costumes, posing in front of an elevator. The man is wearing a cape and sunglasses, while the children also wear sunglasses and have black wigs. A sign for a 50th anniversary celebration is visible in the background.

This left Lonnie and Laura by themselves as the audience. I loved that the wait staff in the back were taking pictures and enjoying the hilarity!

A dining area with several tables set for a gathering, featuring decorative flowers and empty plates. Two seated individuals are engaged in conversation, while a person stands in the background. The setting has a warm ambiance with a bar visible in the background.

The next morning we headed up to the mountains to visit dear old friends Dick and Eleanor. We had a fabulous time with them – over breakfast and lots of catching up. We also gave them some Chocolates from our chocolatier daughter Becky. No wonder they’re smiling!

An elderly couple sitting on a couch, smiling at the camera. The woman has short white hair and is wearing a blue floral shirt, while the man has thinning white hair and glasses, dressed in a light gray t-shirt. They are holding a tray with colorful balls.

Later that day we drove to Fort Collins, to visit more long term friends. We walked to the park with Giny and Joe. A lovely walk, at least when we were able to find shade! (It was HOT!)

A group of four people smiling for a selfie outdoors, surrounded by trees and greenery.

At the edge of the lake is a miniature of the Statue of Liberty, complete with star-shaped base.

A couple standing in front of a small replica of the Statue of Liberty, surrounded by flowers and greenery under a clear blue sky.

The pond looks nice, but must be uncomfortable, since two huge frogs can be seen making their exit.

Scenic view of a calm lake surrounded by greenery under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds, featuring a stone-paved pathway.
A park scene featuring a winding stone path leading to a pond, with two playful green frogs positioned near the water's edge, surrounded by trees and greenery.
A scenic view of a lake surrounded by greenery and a stone walkway, with a partly cloudy sky.

I was surprised to see a street car rumbling along… in all the times I’ve visited Fort Collins, I don’t remember ever seeing one. So I did a bit of research (and you get to read it!)

Electric trolley cars ran around in Fort Collins from 1909 to 1951. This particular car, #25, is a single-truck Birney Safety Car built in 1922.. It originally ran in Richmond, Virginia, as Virginia Railway & Power Company. Fort Collins bought it used in 1946 to replace earlier cars. It served until the system shut down in 1951. After the Fort Collins closure, Car 25 was sold (for under $500) and moved to Victor, Colorado, where it sat outdoors for decades near the former Midland Terminal depot. In the early 1990s it went to South Carolina, where it received a cosmetic restoration as Charleston car 407. It later moved to Charlotte Trolley, Inc. (as their car 407). The Fort Collins Municipal Railway Society purchased it again in 2007 for $196,000, returned it to Fort Collins and began a roughly decade-long restoration. It first moved under its own power again in 2019 and officially returned to passenger service on July 4, 2020—the first time two cars had operated together on the line since 1951.

There – more than you ever wanted to know about trolley cars! But the point is… if you have a chance to buy one at $500, and can wait 30 years, maybe you can sell it for $200,000!

A vintage streetcar from the Fort Collins Municipal Railway, red and green in color, is seen on a street with trees in the background. Passengers are visible inside the streetcar.

This area of Fort Collins has a lot of beautiful old homes:

A two-story blue house with a large front porch, white railings, and an American flag, surrounded by a well-maintained lawn and trees.
A charming red brick house with a green lawn and garden, featuring an American flag and two red Adirondack chairs in the front yard.
A modern house with a gabled roof and blue-gray siding, surrounded by lush greenery and colorful flowers in the garden, on a sunny day.
A charming brick house with a front porch, surrounded by lush green lawns and various shrubs and trees, set against a clear blue sky.
A charming brick house with a gabled roof, surrounded by lush greenery and tall trees on a sunny day.

Including Giny and Joe’s place, with this HUGE tree in the front!

A cozy house with a wooden front door, surrounded by a large tree and greenery, with cars parked in the driveway.

Giny madę a plum tart with plums they grew in their garden!

A smiling woman holding a decorative plate with a fruit tart, surrounded by flowers, in a cozy kitchen setting.

Bethany, Giny, Joe and Cherryl go plum crazy!

A group of four people smiling and posing together, holding a large plate of dessert with a floral design, set against a backdrop of plaid curtains.

Later they taught me how to play “Catan,” and were kind enough to let me win!

A man and a woman sitting at a table playing a board game. The game, Settlers of Catan, is set up in front of them with hexagonal tiles representing different resources. Cards and game pieces, including houses and roads, are scattered on the table.

Giny’s father and mine were classmates in medical school, class of 1953. I’ve seen this photo before, but thought I’d look again for my dad. Took about 4 seconds!

Black and white photograph of a large group of individuals, including men and women, arranged in multiple rows for a graduation class portrait. The image is framed.

In case you didn’t know my father, I’ll make your search that quick too. Here’s Dear Ole Dad enlarged. The world is a different place from when that photo was taken, 73 years ago!

A historical black and white group photo featuring a large gathering of men in formal attire, with one individual circled in red.

We had a great time visiting old friends, celebrating our anniversary (at our friends’ party) and then had an uneventful trip back home.

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