The Blue Peanut M&M and the Hot Car

Troublemaker

On two of our past three road trips (Michigan and Breckenridge/Denver), I've lost a M&M in the car while we were driving home. Not a huge deal to anyone in the world except my husband. 

He keeps the inside and outside of our cars clean. It's a symbol of his love language, and I love him for it. 

The thought of an M&M rolling around inside a black car in the August heart, or worse, melting into  goo in some crevice makes him insane. He doesn't trust that I'll find it at the next stop or when we get home. 

The first time, it was a green plain M&M, and he couldn't handle it. We had to pull over at the next gas station and look for it. It didn't help that he was stressed from work, and I painted a verbal visual of the melting process (the car was pretty new at the time). The description made him really made. We found it, intact, not melted. In fact, one of the girls popped it her mouth with an exuberant, "Yum!" That about put the poor guy over the edge. The green M&M incident became a family joke (more to me and the girls than to him.)

Then, it happened again. This time, it was a blue peanut M&M. I searched and searched at the next stop, but no luck. I searched again when I got home and almost gave up. As a last ditch effort, I lifted a floor mat, and there the little guy was, intact, not melted. I lovingly brought it inside, snapped the pic above and sent it to my husband as proof that all was right in the world (at least in terms of melting M&Ms in hot cars.)

That's what love is ...

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

 

Ideas for Where to Stay & What to Do: Breckenridge/Denver Areas

Just spent five days in the Breckenridge and Denver area (two days driving to/from Kansas City). Wanted to get a quick trip in before school starts and also find relief from the excessive heat warning in our area. 

Where We Stayed

The Irish Rose

After looking at umpteen Breckenridge condos, we decided on a VRBO. We wanted something a little less cram-packed with people, somewhere quiet where we wouldn't hear our neighbors all hours of the night. I can't recommend the Irish Rose in Alma, CO, enough. PERFECT. Mountain views. Plenty of space. About 20 miles south of Breckenridge and not far from Pike's National Forest. 

View from the cabin

What We Did - Alma, Fairplay, Breckenridge

We explored the area around the cabin (several old abandoned mining areas), hiked a small stretch of Mosquito Gulch Road and tooled around Fairplay, CO. We toured the South Park City Museum and Visitors Center (worth it!) and ate a pretty good meal at the South Park Pub & Grill. Mark pick up a "souvenir" from South Park Distilling. Our first night in town, we stopped at the South Park Brewing Company for some dinner. Great food, service and craft beer. 

We had planned on spending a day in Breckenridge, but when we got there the roads and streets were packed. Parking was at a premium, and our tolerance for crowds (and COVID-19) were at a low. So, we drove through town and headed back to our cabin. 

What We Did - Denver

My Brother's Bar

We spent one night in Denver, wanting to cut down on some of the driving we'd need to do on the way home. We walked the 16th Street Mall and went to the Denver Art Museum before heading to our hotel. We stayed in downtown Denver at the Fairfield Inn. It was a great location for us, easy highway access and within walking distance to the Platt Park neighborhood, a trendy spot with shops, an REI store and several restaurants. 

We ate dinner at My Brother's Bar, the oldest bar in Denver (AMAZING food, best onion rings ever) and grabbed some delish homemade ice cream at the Inside Scoop Creamery. That's it. Pretty low key, like we wanted. One of those beautiful moments in life where my Ideal Reality and Real Reality coexisted in peace and harmony. 

The Inside Scoop Creamery

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ...  Keep It Real. 

Stay Curious

 

I've been a fan of Rob Walker and his book and newsletter The Art of Noticing for a few years. Such incredible, fun and interesting food for thoughts comes out of Rob's brain. 

Check out my previous posts:

• 4 Must-Read Enewsletters for Your Inbox

• Fire Hydrants & Snacks in the Stairwell: How I'm Paying Closer Attention

One of Rob's recent newsletters, Committing Acts of Curiosity, really stuck with me. He shared the joyful video Stand Here for Dance Party by Improv Everywhere. It's a beautiful and fun example why being curious is a trait that should be practiced, cultivated and encouraged.

On our recent trip to Denver, CO, we ate at My Brother's Bar, an unexpected gem. Great food, good vibe. On the sidewalk outside the door, there was a decal encouraging passersby to scan the QR code to find out "what happened at My Brother's Bar." I was treated to a short audio clip sharing fun history about the bar. My family thought I was crazy for scanning something on the sidewalk. :) 

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ...  Keep It Real.