Awake: 5:41am Temp 54 sleep 6+12 dark clouds overnight @ Littleton, CO.
K & I have no breakfast, just coffee; then drive to Kat’s condo arriving @ 7:25am.
This morning, Kat is taking us to meet her little “sister,” Karina, about a 35 min drive to the northwest part of Denver. Kat goes into the facility to sign in & bring Karina with us for about (2) hrs. We visit the local Starbucks where Kathy has a latte, I have a hot chocolate, Katrina has a Chai tea & Karina has soy hot chocolate (Katrina found out the hard way several months ago after treating Karina to ice cream that she is very allergic to milk). Karina is 12 yrs old & comes from a very dysfunctional family; her mother is an addict & she doesn’t know who her father is. She and her younger brother have been in foster homes & are now living & going to school at the Tennyson Center.
The wind is cool this morning but K & I join Kat & Karina in walking around a section of Sloan’s Lake. As the story goes: in 1861, farmer Sloan started digging a well on the north end of his farm; the next day he was amazed to find the water from his well continued to flow like a fountain, spreading over a wide area of dry prairie he owned. By the time it slowed, a 200 acre lake had appeared. The newly formed lake soon became a favorite recreation site for the Denverites for swimming, boating, fishing & ice skating in the winter time.
Karina loves walking around this lake with Katrina & we enjoyed the walk as well. Karina will be going with other kids to the amusement park @ 10:00am today so Katrina returns her to her facility. Katrina often speaks of Karina so we were happy to have the opportunity to meet her.
We return to the condo where Kathy makes oatmeal for our breakfast. Then I continue with fixing the things on Kat’s list. Her garage door sometimes will not recognize the open or close signal. I found one of the sensors had drooped giving it a hit & miss kind of reliability. After tightening (2) screws, it appears to work fine. Next, a yucky job of cleaning hair from a bath tub & a shower; using part of a hanger, a hook is made that really scoops up the hair.
Katrina & Stephanie analyze the living room & continue their talk of changing the furniture. The neighbor (2) houses down have a couch & loveseat for sale & they are interested in buying these. We go to the neighbor’s & Steph & Katrina carry the loveseat back while muscle woman, Kathy, carries the pillows. Some time is spent discussing the value of the purchase & what to do with Steph’s hide-a-bed & Leland’s large recliner chair now in the living room if they decide to go thru with the change. The decision is made, both must go & Katrina will purchase the sofa & love seat.
Moving Leland’s BIG lounge chair was quite a feat. He was very unhappy about moving his chair downstairs, but Katrina & Steph persisted & practically carried it down the stairs themselves. Leland did assist but not willingly.
The (3) girls go back to the neighbor’s, make the deal & the same carrying teams bring the sofa back. Once the pieces are in place, the slip covers put on, the other furniture moved out or around, the living room looks great.
Kathy & I attend 4:30 vigil Mass @ Saint Mary’s church; a (15) min drive. Strong winds kicked up & rain began during our Mass time. Shortly after we left for church, Stephanie’s father, Jim, picked up the girls & they attended his church. When they return, Jim invites all of us to join him for dinner @ the Thai Hiep restaurant for some great food & conversation. I like Jim; he’s a nice guy.
During the evening, lots of rain, lighting & thunder; we return to our bus & finish watching the DVR movie: “Pat & Mike” with Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Aldo Ray, William Ching, etc. Hepburn is Pat, top female athlete; Tracy is Mike, her manager, in pleasing comedy. 1952. We both enjoyed this movie; we think you will too.
Lights out: 11:11pm
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