Longhopes Donkey Shelter, what a very special place
/in Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's programs Denver, early stage alzheimer's program /by Mary ArcherWe met Jennifer’s carpool at the Donkey Shelter which certainly is a special place. Those animals are so calm and affectionate. A bunch of them were following D around and I heard him say, “One at a time. Please.” We were able to leisurely pet and brush and enjoy basically hanging out with over 30 of these friendly creatures, while the staff person answered our questions and taught us about donkeys and the mission of the preserve.
J told me about how when he was a young man his uncle lived near him and had horses, B commented on how his dogs will be jealous when he gets home which was a good thought! T made me laugh – at myself – when I said a corny joke/pun about a horse of a different color; When he heard that he said he wasn’t so sure he wanted to be in this Tuesday group anymore… “I don’t know about you guys”.
The Donkey Shelter is welcoming and a terrific place to visit. I brought a picnic lunch for us and they had a large room all set up for us, with tables and chairs and all we needed. A couple of adjoining bathrooms and a visiting cat and I started thinking what a great spot it could be for a large event sometime. Certainly unique! Jennifer said:
It was so much fun to watch how everyone connected differently. D was just giddy with the one donkey that followed her around, C and J were so captivated, a word I would use with J would be delighted, and I thought the rest of the guys seemed so happy to have such a different experience. Loved it!
Awkward Family Photo exhibit at History Colorado
/in Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's programs Denver, early stage alzheimer's program /by Mary ArcherHi Everyone,
What a busy fun day we had.
starting with coffee today at Higher Grounds in Golden…
/in Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's programs Denver /by Mary ArcherDenver Art Museum today plus a walk in Wash Park area
/in Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's programs Denver, early stage alzheimer's program /by Mary ArcherWhen D and I picked C up, she said “Let’s go find some mischief” she and I laughed and D said “I’m getting scared already!” As always, D
All three carpools met at the St. Johns
Coffee House across from Wash Park and everyone else was in great spirits too. I was so glad to see R again, it had been several weeks since I was had seen him. We had a quick snack of apple slices and a few baked goodies then took a walk along Franklin and Gilpin Streets looking at all of the wonderful, mostly older homes that line the streets, the various architecture styles, craftsmanship, gardens, and Halloween decorations. It was fun to listen to all the chatter and everyone was pointing out all sorts of different details.Brian and the guys had a 1:00 tour at the Denver Art Museum so they took off in order to make it in time and J, D, C, and I were able to linger a minute or two longer and decide what to do
next. The plan was to go to History Colorado, but because lunch took longer than expected we went with lan B. We went on another wonderful walk through the Arts Complex, Civic Center Park, up to the west steps of the State Capitol, then back across Broadway in front of the Carr Colorado Judicial Center. These 3 women took great care of each other, making sure everyone was together, felt safe and comfortable,they helped each other when footing might be a challenge, and were enthusiastic to look for more sights. We read about the various statues and monuments, we watched 2 people working on the balcony just below the clock-tower of the City and County Building (we think they may have been working on the Holiday lighting), found the step on Capital that says “One Mile Above Sea Level” and more. A very kind man noticed me taking pictures and offered to take one of the four of us together, we all commented on how kind that was off him. We crossed the Arts Complex again and found the guys waiting for us. Tuesdays tend to be filled with laughter, teasing, and camaraderie…but today seemed to be even fuller.

Visit to the Harley Davidson Museum today
/in Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's programs Denver, early stage alzheimer's program /by Mary ArcherHi Everyone,
Boy did we have a beautiful day. We were going to the Springs to see a Harley Davidson Museum. We stopped to get some coffee, and then, it was on the road. The drive down was exceptional. It was crystal clear, lots of color, and the mountains looked wonderful. As we were driving down we spent a lot of time talking about how pretty everything was. As we were coming up on the Air Force Academy, both T and B brought up our previous trips there. We talked a bit about the chapel, and as we drove by the Academy, the sun was reflecting off of the chapel. It looked like it was glowing. It was pretty cool.
The Harley Davidson Museum is in a huge Harley dealership. It is in a cavernous room, and it probably had 30-40 vintage bikes there. The earliest was a 1914. They also had different bikes on display, including BSA and triumph. D saw a Honda just like the one he used to have. They also had all sorts of paraphernalia, and just about anything you could put a Harley logo on. The two big hits, oddly enough, were not motorcycles. Each dealership has their own special t-shirt. The owner had a wall full of shirts from shops he has been to. We got a kick out of looking at all the shirts, and we were all able to find our home towns. The other big hit for us was a 1957 Wilys Jeep that they had for sale. It was in terrible shape, but it looked beastly. The previous owner tried to placate his wife by doing the interior with dark red Victorian looking designs. It really looked like he used his grandparents curtains. The tires on it were literally as big as we were. All of us figured we would probably get in some trouble if we took it home with us, that and we didn’t have seven grand.
We then headed down the road to BJ’s Brewhouse and restaurant. We have gone to the one in Aurora, and it’s always good. They didn’t disappoint today. Service was great, as was the food. D and I had sandwiches, while T and B got the salmon and asparagus lunch special.
We got in the car and started to work our way back. We made a quick stop in Parker for a ice cream and bathroom break.
All the guys were fairly sharp today. Usually I see verbal skills increase during the day. Bit different today, started strong and slowed down a bit. Guess they were tired and full. But all the guys were social and interacting with one another. It was a nice day!
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