All roads led to Fort Collins last Sunday.
Monica and I made the drive up Interstate 25 to Fort Collins this past Sunday to celebrate Easter with Monica’s sister Laura Ericksen, her husband Jon, and their daughters Relayana and Aundrea. Enedina drove Colorado 34 over from Greeley and joined us. And Monica’s other sister Christina and her family, as well as Monica’s dad Mañuel, took the 287 up from Longmont to The Fort to spend the day with family. Jon’s parents visiting from Montana, Linda and Howard, along with my niece Anna’s friend, Angel, rounded out the group.
Most of the day was spent outdoors on the patio enjoying the 70-plus degree day. There was an egg hunt that featured 48 hidden plastic candy-filled eggs along with one Golden Egg that had $5 tucked inside.
We did convene inside for the mid-afternoon dinner. Laura made the meal, which featured baked ham and all the fixings, including baked carrots that rocked the house. And I’m no fan of cooked carrots.
After we ate, most everyone paired-up for an egg toss contest back in the backyard. It’s safe bet there are no Major Leaguers in any generation of the Olvera/Peña/Fischer/Ericksen clans. There were lots of drops (I’m fairly certain the team of Monica and Laura only caught a single tossed egg) and some wild throws (Anna launched an egg over her sister Julia’s head that nearly ended up in the Open Space adjoining the Ericksen home). But there was the occasional nice catch, too (Mañuel and Jon). Aundrea and Angel were the eventual winners after Enedina’s attempted catch of long toss by Christina exploded in her finger tips.
By 7 o’clock that evening, those who arrived by car had left or were leaving. The drive home for Monica and I was uneventful, despite heavy traffic through Denver. The cats and dogs were glad to see us when we got home. At least I think they were. I’m never quite sure if it’s our homecoming that they’re excited about or that someone’s around to let them in the house so they don’t have to spend the night outside. Regardless, everyone was bedded down by 10:15 p.m.
It was a nice day. Unless you were an egg.
