One of the reasons for driving out West is so that I could stop and see my sister Kathy and her family in Fort Collins, Colorado.
The whole family was sick when I was there. Here is Kathy trying to get the ambition to to go to work even though she has pneumonia. She owns her own business selling used toys (see right). It is still losing money after a year, so she has no employees to work for her when she is sick and she "has" to go. Of course, she loves the work because she loves toys, but I don't think she was excited about opening up today )as you can probably tell be her expression). It is a really fun store with lots of great toys, but I think it suffers from the fact that we think there is something wrong with giving a kid a used toy, even if it is in perfect condition. Why is that?
Here is Kelly Marie Eckart, my goddaughter. Kelly is 15 years old and has had Celeste her bunny since she was born (it was the first toy she grabbed as a newborn). Actually, the original Celeste, named after Babar's wife, in inside the skin you see, about her 10th incarnation. Kelly is an incredible artist, writer and actor. She is sure to be famous one day, and I will say "I remember her when..."
Ian Scott Eckart, with Carl and Sweetie. Ian wanted me to put in the picture with his hat, gun, and shades in which he looks "bad", but it just wasn't "him". He is a great kid who is interested in everything and goes to a fun alternative school. Ian has the world by the tail and knows it.
From the breakfast table, looking out to the backyards. The Eckarts live in a new subdivision of Ft. Collins, "planned with the latest ideas." They all have these little postage stamp backyards, but then there is a big, common green space that goes through the middle. I actually think its a great idea.
It snowed this morning, and the clouds were still too low to see the mountain behind them. This "hemmed in" feeling was mirrored by the series of fences, little swqures of real estate staked out and vigilantly protected from encroachment by immovable walls, but walls with spaces so that your neighbors wouldn't take it too personally. Even the playhouse/slide next door plays this game. Curious.