After an afternoon watching the Denver Broncos not playing all that well, I decided to get out and see the "neighborhood". I took a different route today. I went north on Remington Street, skirting the sidewalks that were still covered in snow because they haven't been shoveled. As I neared Mountain Avenue I decided to stop in the Fort Collins Food C0-Op. It was a chance to warm up as well as see what they have compared to the "big" natural grocers. What a neat store it is. It reminds me of the original Wild Oats or Alfalfa's stores in Boulder, Colorado. This was way back in the ancient days of the 70's. Those stores have long been sold to big corporations and have gone by the wayside. The lady that was on duty at the Food Co-Op was very friendly and showed me around the store. It looks small from the front, but there is an entire store in the back. Rooms that hold a vast array of various bulk items like health care products, liquids like organic vinegar, bulk flours and cereals etc. The atmosphere was very warm and nostalgic to me.
The feeling of nostalgia was with me on this walk as I remembered the same sort of wonder I felt at age 13 when my mom, my brother, David, and I moved from a rather inaccessible area to the town of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Our apartment was nothing more than a cellar someone had converted into a cheap 3 room basement apartment but it seemed quite grand to us. And we were one block from Broadway, one block from the Scottsbluff Library and our Church as well. The time was different than it is now and David and I had free rein to walk wherever we wanted and do it in a very safe environment. Our mom worked downtown at Sobel's Jewlery & Pawn Shop and she left us to our own devices when she left for work. It was a treat to me to be able to walk all over and see the wonders of living in town. How I feel now in my new "neighborhood" reminds me of that feeling of so many years ago. Wonder is a good thing and I feel so grateful to have recaptured it.
As I left the Fort Collins Food C0-Op I decided to walk through Old Town Square and watch the ice skaters. A homeless man was also watching and we exchanged a bit of conversation before I continued west to College Avenue. As I passed "The Town Pump" their TV was easy to see so I watched for a moment to see how the Broncos were doing. What?? They were within 3 points of the Philadelphia Eagles! There was 7 minutes left. I wondered if I could make it home in time to watch the end. As I passed Elliott's Mess I went in and stood at the bar and watched a few more minutes. Now the Broncos had tied the game!! The proprietor asked me if I needed something. I said, "No, I just stopped in to see what was happening in the Bronco game." He nodded and walked on. I decided with 5 minutes left I could make it home in time. That I did, and I was home in time to watch a disappointing loss for the Broncos. The "up" side was that I walked this whole distance without being short of breath once -- could it be because I am a vegan now? Stay tuned for the progress of not eating meat, dairy, or sugar. It's got to be a good thing, right?
The walk was a pleasure and it felt good to be home. It felt good to be grateful for the blessings I have received. It felt good that the new year, 2010, is on the horizon and to expect nothing but the best to come. I wish that for you as well. patj
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