Driving to Raton, New Mexico

We left Fort Collins this morning and drove South to Raton, New Mexico - the first town in Northern New Mexico - on our way home.

Today is August 19 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Lil' Romeo (rap singer), Matthew Perry (actor - "Friends"), LeAnn Womack (country singer), Adam Arking (actor - son of Alan Arkin), John Deacon (bass player - "Queen"), Tipper Gore (wife of Climate Warming King, Al Gore), Bill Clinton (42 President), Willie Shoemaker (jockey), Gene Roddenberry (creator of "Star Trek"), Malcolm Forbes (publisher), and Orville Wright (inventor of first powered airplane and lost luggage).

Last Day in Fort Collins, Colorado

It's a beautiful day in Fort Collins, Colorado. We have watched the Olympics until we are suffering from terminal "Michael Phelps disease." We had a nice lunch today with our son, daughter-in-law and precious granddaughter.

We're heading home tomorrow. Due to a relapse of the bacterial infection in Betty, we decided the wisest decision was to cancel our trip to Montana and Canada and return home where she can be close to the doctor. Normally, we drive it all in one day - about 8 1/2 hours, but to keep it from being too tiring for Betty we're going to do it over two days. We'll spend the night in Raton, New Mexico.

So, this last Colorado post will be full of our favorite subject - Juliet.

Juliet with her Daddy, Wade Daniel.

Enjoying a bottle with her Nana.

Playing peek-a-boo with both of her grandmothers - Nana and Grandma.

Just enjoying the world.

Hey, I'm close to crawling so watch out world. Here I come!

Say, what?

Trying to get my Daddy's glasses.

There's nothing better than being with family.

Today is August 18 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Malcolm Jamal-Warner (actor - Theo on "The Cosby Show"), Edward Norton (actor - "The Fight Club"), Christian Slater (actor - "Heathers"), Patrick Swayze (actor - "Ghost"), Martin Mull (comedian), Robert Redford (actor - "Horse Whisperer"), Rosalyn Carter (wife of President Jimmy Carter), and Meriwether Lewis (explorer - Lewis & Clark).

Pooch Plunge

We're in Fort Collins, Colorado visiting our son, Wade Daniel, daughter-in-law, Marie, and granddaughter, Juliet. The family also has a great dog named Kona - a mixed breed - most likely Golden Retriever and Australian Shepherd.

Fort Collins is a very family-oriented city with great activities and great parks. At the end of each summer they hold a "Pooch Plunge" at one of the city pools. It's the last activity before the pool is closed and cleaned for the Winter.

Tickets are sold in advance and lots of people bring their dog to this pool and it's turned over to the dogs. There are hundreds of dogs running around both in the pool and out. It's a ton of fun for the dogs and for the spectators.

Here are some pictures from this afternoon.

Waiting in line for the gates to open at 5:30 PM. We were the second in line.


Kona heading for the pool before it gets crowded.

Wade Daniel throwing a ball for Kona to retrieve while Marie, Betty and Juliet look on.

Kona bringing the ball back in.

Chasing the ball down with another dog in chase.

Kona being very gracious - "Na, na. na, na. I beat you to it."

Beating another dog to the ball by just a hair.

Heading into the water for another retrieval.

Hey, folks, look at me.

Look out. I'm coming out.

Another dog enjoying jumping up into a column of water.

Marie, Juliet and Betty enjoying the shade.

Heading home after a fun, fun afternoon.


Today is August 17 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Jim Courier (top-ranked pro tennis player), Donnie Wahlberg (actor - started with "New Kids on the Block"), Sean Penn (actor and blazing liberal), Maureen O'Hara (actress - "The Quiet Man"), Mae West (actress - "Come Up and See Me Some Time"), and Davy Crockett (frontiersman and US Senator who wore a dead animal on his head).

Back in 1945 On This Day

On August 16, 1945, the US was digesting the news of the fact that the war in the Pacific was finally coming to an end and would be officially over in early September. At St. Thomas hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, Dorothy Erwin Cooksey gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. She, and her husband, Clyde Daniel Cooksey, decided to name him Junior and Clyde Daniel Cooksey, Jr. came into the world.

I grew up listening to the adults in my life talk about their WWII experiences, playing soldier and Cowboys and Indians.

From 8 years old to 16 years we lived in Birmingham, Alabama when it was still a steel town. I can remember watching the glow when they did a steel pour at night. It was also famous for it's statue of Vulcan, the god of the steelmakers.

When I was 16 we moved back to Nashville where I met my love and future wife, Betty, when we were both Juniors at John Overton High School. We both went to the University of Tennessee and, for you Texas folks, it was the original UT.

After college, I joined the Navy - it was either that or be drafted - and became an Ensign on the USS WILLIAM H. STANDLEY DLG-32. Originally, I was the Gunnery Officer, but I stayed on the STANDLEY and became the Navigator. We did two tours in Vietnam and both of our sons were born while I was in the Navy. I still hold the commission of Lieutenant in the Navy Reserve.

After the Navy I went back to the University of Tennessee to get my MBA and then went to work for Procter & Gamble. I had a 27 year career before retiring in 2000. We moved to New Mexico in 2004.

Sixty three years later, I'm celebrating my Birthday with my wonderful wife, Betty, my older son, Wade Daniel, my very neat daughter-in-law, Marie, and the one and only grand daughter, Juliet, to whom I am Papa.


Today is August 16 and if your Birthday is today then you share your day with: Yours Truly, Steve Carell (actor - "The Office" and "Get Smart"), Timothy Hutton (actor - "Ordinary People"), Madonna (singer - "Material Girl"), James Cameron (director - "Titanic"), Kathie Lee Gifford (TV host), Lesley Ann Warren (actress - "In Plain Sight"), Robert Culp (actor - "I Spy"), and Fess Parker (actor - "Davy Crockett").

Feeding the Wild Baby in Her Natural Habitat

For those of you who have encountered the baby of our species, you know that feeding time can be an adventure for all concerned. Here is a 'typical' feeding of the granddaughter baby known as Juliet.

First, if you're slow with your feeding, the baby in question will take things into her own hands, or in this case, mouth - and chew the furniture.

Most feeders of this breed of baby will try to keep her occupied with a substitute - such as Cheerios.

Finally, the baby gets the real food that she's looking for.

And, all's right with the world.


Today is August 15 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Joe Jonas (singer - "The Jonas Brothers"), Ben Affleck (actor - "Good Will Hunting" and "Pearl Harbor"), Jimmy Webb (composer - "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park"), Mike Connors (actor - "Mannix"), Rose Marie - (comedian - "The Dick Van Dyke Show"), Huntz Hall (actor - "The Bowry Boys"), Julia Child (chef and OSS spy during WWII), Ehtel Barrymore (actress - sister to John and Lionel Barrymore), and Napolean Bonaparte (French emperor and noted itch scratcher).

Driving to Fort Collins, Colorado

We're heading North in our Toyota Tundra truck to visit with our son, Wade Daniel, daughter-in-law, Marie, and granddaughter, Juliet, who live in Fort Collins, Colorado. It's a long drive - 8 1/2 hours - but the scenery up through Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado is beautiful. We're taking our truck so we can take our saddles and hopefully use them on the horses we'll ride in Canada.

We love to look at the Pronghorn Antelope that graze in the prairies along I-25.


For the next five days, most of the posts will be just updates on our visit in Fort Collins.

Today is August 14 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Halle Berry (actress - "Catwoman," "Monster's Ball"), Magic Johnson (pro basketball player), Gary Larson (cartoonist - "The Far Side"), Danielle Steel (author - romance novels), Susan Saint James (actress - "MacMillan & Wife"), Steve Martin (comedian/actor - "Roxanne," "Father of the Bride"), Lynne Cheney (wife of VP Dick Cheney), David Crosby (musician - "Crosby, Stills and Nash"), Russell Baker (writer - NY Times), and H. C. Oersted (scientist - discovered magnetic effects from electricity).

Happy Birthday Wade Daniel

Today, August 13, is our oldest son's Birthday - Wade Daniel Cooksey. His due date was very close to my Birthday, August 16, so when he came early I was still with my ship in Jacksonville, Florida. We had just come back from our first Vietnam deployment and Betty was living in Brentwood, Tennessee with her family. When I got the word that she had gone into labor I got a quick flight to Nashville (it was a lot easier in those days). I missed Wade Daniel being born by an hour, but in those days I couldn't be in the delivery room - just wasn't done.

He's been a joy and blessing to us in many ways - both as a child and now as an adult.

To celebrate his Birthday, here are a few pictures from his life.

Wade Daniel enjoying the sun through the patio door.

The older brother being really nice to his younger brother, Chris.

Enjoying his first real Halloween - this time as a Bunny.


Enjoying his favorite free-time activity - fly fishing - and he's quite good.

Like his brother, Wade Daniel is not a horse person, but he wanted to ride Morgunn while visiting us for the Balloon Fiesta.


Watching a balloon (What Would Jesus Do?) land behind our house during the Fiesta.

Sporting his Blue Man Group t-shirt. During their performance he was one of the lucky few called up onto the stage with them where they created this shirt by spitting paint balls at it while he wore it.

Wade Daniel is now a great father to Juliet as well as a good husband to his wife, Marie. Here he is with Juliet and both are wearing matching "fish" shirts.

A family picture of all of us during a recent visit at their home in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Wade Daniel, you are a good husband, great father and a very good man. Your Mom and I are proud of you and wish you a very happy Birthday!


Today is August 13 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Our oldest son, Wade Daniel Cooksey (an all-around good guy), Dan Fogelberg (singer/songwriter), Don Ho (Hawaiian singer - "Tiny Bubbles"), Pat Harrington, Jr. (comedian - superintendent Dwayne Schneider on "One Day at a Time"), Fidel Castro (Cuban dictator), George Shearing (blind jazz pianist), Alfred Hitchcock (director - "The Birds"), Bert Lahr (actor - Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz"), Annie Oakley (sharpshooter in "Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show"), Danny Bonaduce (Danny on "The Partridge Family"), Scott Hamilton (Olympic gold medalist ice skater), Richard Basehart (actor - "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea"), and William Caxton (first English printer).