E. Joe Brown

I can only sometimes be at my desk or somewhere writing. Like all of you, I have a relatively normal life with family, friends, and other interests. I will share a few things I've done since the Day of the Cowboy. What I'll share is what I would call my normal life.

The two weeks immediately following the "Day of the Cowboy" event at The Chisolm Trail Heritage Center were filled with doctor's appointments for me or Linda, board meetings, and working on the manuscript for my next novel, "A Cowboy's Dilemma," which will come out sometime next year. I'll give you a date as soon as my publisher gives it to me.

On August 11th, Linda and I headed toward Cheyenne, Wyoming, to visit our grandkids. The first night of our trip we stayed at Peterson Space Force Base outside of Colorado Springs. The Department of Defense redesignated Peterson Air Force Base into a Space Force Base when they created the U. S. Space Force in December 2019. It's not unusual for us to stay in what's called "Visiting Officers Quarters," but that night we were given the Ponderosa Suite used for General Officers. I'll say it sure beats most hotels or B&Bs.

En route to Colorado Springs, we didn't use the I-25 Interstate, so our tour included Espanola and Taos in New Mexico and Fort Garland, Walsenburg, Westcliff, and Canon City in Colorado on the way. From The Springs, we drove through the west side of Denver on US 287 and went through Littleton, Westminster, and up through Longmont, Loveland, Fort Collins, and then I-25 to get to Cheyenne. Using that route was more pleasant than using the Interstate, although it took longer.

We had a wonderful visit with Jordan, Tina, and Darian, our grandkids. It was also great to see Maggie and Dan. The kids aren’t really “kids” anymore. They’re adults beginning their lives, and it is exciting to watch as it happens. Jordan recently completed his degree in Business/Accounting from the University of Wyoming. Tina is a shift leader for T. J. Maxx during the day and a fantastic designer and model for Cosplay outfits. She’ll be involved in an event at the Gaylord Resort in Denver later this month. Darian is already becoming a gifted artist as she studies Art at Laramie County Community College. You can't tell I'm a proud "Grandpa."

After we visited Cheyenne, Linda and I drove back to Denver and stayed a few days lodging at Buckley Space Force Base. The USAF assigned me to Lowry Air Force Base in Denver in the 70s, and we wanted to see as many of our old “haunts” around Denver as possible. Lowry is no longer there, but developers have used historic buildings to repurpose the area. We were pleased that many upscale homes and shopping areas now cover much of the property that once was Lowry.

The day after we returned, we attended a "house concert" at a friend's house, where Joel White (a wonderful singer/songwriter) performed. Since then, we've returned to doctor's appointments and meetings and worked on a manuscript.

You know, “Life is Good”.

Happy Trails,
Joe