When I get to stand in for the Jolly Old Elf himself, I do what I can to make everyone feel happy, welcome and special, no matter how they might otherwise be feeling in this hustle-bustle holiday world. I think I mostly succeed, but there are some kids who are super-shy, some who are afraid of strangers (“stranger-danger” can be a very good instinct in this unfortunate world and I try not to think about what lessons they may have learned in their young lives that may teach them to fear strangers; I never push them or do anything their parents aren’t comfortable with).
This year’s parade was blessed with warm weather leading up to it, so we had an estimated 20,000 people lining the route of travel. Just before the start, we started getting some snow, and by the end of the parade, there were many snowflakes being blown around and I was encouraging people to not only to have a “Merry Christmas” but to also stay warm and to enjoy the snow because it was like home. You can see the whole parade at the Rocky Mountain Channel at www.rockymountainchannel.com/… (you’ll need to create a free account).
In case you missed the news, one of the good ones, Colorado state senator Faith Winter was killed in a car crash last week on I-25 in Denver. She was not only a Democrat, but she was a mentor to a number of other Democrats in the legislator and she will be missed.
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s office has released new information about the multi-vehicle crash on I-25 near Centennial that resulted in the death of Democratic State Sen. Faith Winter.
The full report on what happened is not yet available because the details are still under investigation, but the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s office said on Monday that there were two separate crashes that evening that occurred in close proximity to each other.
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Winter, who lived in Broomfield, was driving northbound on I-25 the night of Nov. 25th when she was killed. She was set to serve in her final year in the state legislature. During her time at the Capitol, first in the House and then in the Senate, she was a strong environmentalist and advocate for transit. She led the way on efforts to improve the Capitol’s workplace culture and was the first to speak out on allegations of workplace harassment, which led to policy changes.
To end on a lighter note, last week’s Thanksgiving dinner, while being heavy on the calories, had terrific conversation even with just four people in attendance. It turned out that the two guests and my sister all had spent significant time in Egypt and that became quite the topic of conversation and it even led down some unexpected highways and byways. I think I’ll keep up the tradition.
It’s past 7 o’clock now, so I have to hit publish, but I hope you will have a fun time and enjoy whatever snow is in your area, enjoy the holiday traditions, enjoy sharing companionship and cheer with friends and relatives and neighbors and you all have a wonderful season.
As always, I invite your comments. The floor is yours...
