Coming back to life

I'm not sure if it was my illness, or my distaste for crowds, or a combination of the two...but up until now I have been eager to keep my distance from the DNC. Today, however, was my mum's last day in Denver, and she wanted to get out and DO something! I can hardly blame her - like I said, we all have a pretty serious case of cabin fever after long weeks of illness and sleep deprivation. I realized I was going to have to cave on my avoidance tactics. I also realized, suddenly, that this was something that I didn't want to miss. I mean, how often does an event like this occur in our little Western city?
M. has spent much of the week in the thick of the action, working a seven-day work week covering the convention. Much of that time he has spent at the Pepsi Center, in the booth next to Bill Clinton, and I guess that his excited description of the goings-on finally got to me.
I wanted a piece of the action!
Today, M. didn't have to go in to work until three, so the four of us hopped in the car and spent a few hours wandering the streets of LoDo.

As it would happen, it was the perfect day for it. The weather (which heated up a bit more than was comfortable during the past few days) had turned cool again, with a brilliant sun and dappled shade. With attention moving from downtown to Invesco Field for the final day of the convention and Obama's acceptance speech, even the police were in a relaxed mood, taking photos with civilians and kicking back a bit after their tense and vigilant week.

We're a horse family, so of course the first thing we came across was the alley housing the mounted police. I love seeing all the muscled, shiny horses, dressed for duty.

My mum, my husband and my daughter...can you tell they get along? I'm lucky like that.

This guy had an interesting little one-man campaign going. He certainly had a big sign.

A typical corner of the 16th Street walking mall.

I like this picture of mum and me.

QQ, as you can see, was completely unconscious. She missed the entire first half of our tour of the historic Denver DNC. Oh well. At least we have the pictures to show her, many years in the future when she becomes interested in politics.

This gallery had an interesting show: a combination of Obama and Dr. Seuss.

After much consideration and weighing of evidence, this was Flynn's candidate of choice.
She was adamant.

...and can you blame her?

...I mean, his platform is really unassailable.

She had her dad convinced. He was on the fence in the beginning, but she made him into a convert.

Who doesn't love the lorax?

...they DO speak for the trees!!!!

This little gallery dog had all sorts of patriotism going on!
...he was campaigning for Seuss as well, I believe.

Family on a beautiful afternoon.

Flynn wanted to meet the patriotic bear outside the chocolate factory.

Grandmother and granddaughter.

The pink army. They had cool bikes.

Another dog with a political opinion.

Even as security was relaxed around the mall, police presence was still in play.

Those cops in riding gear are lookin' good!

The last of the perimeter patrols, looking a bit more laid back than they did three days ago.

After M. went into work and everyone else in town gravitated toward Invesco Field, Mum, QQ and I went for icecream at the newest joint in town, Little Man's Creamery, for pistachio gelato. Verdict: two thumbs up!

Well, except for QQ. She's still protesting icecream.

She'll change her tune. Sooner or later.
(Notice how she's keeping the cone not only at arm's length, but at leg's length too? And the suspicious look of consternation on her face. )

Trying to remove mommy's hat. You know the one thing she likes even less than icecream? Hats.
Those hats are bad news. T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

Outside the creamery. This place has definitely livened up the neighborhood.
We approve!