SUSAN: It was nice to wake up in Fort Collins, not in a hotel but in a quiet house and quiet neighborhood! Margo was up when I got up at 5:30 am. She was doing her daily word games and was about to do her Jazzersize workout. While she did that, I did my morning word games and caught up on journaling. Jim ate some breakfast and after that Margo, Jim and I went on a walk through Quail Hollow parks. It is quite extensive and very well kept. When we got home, I folded all our laundry that I had washed the night before and then we packed up for our drive to Margo and Tim’s Frisco mountain home.
Jim got a call from “U.S. Bank.” He thought he should answer it but only had his watch, not his phone. He came over to me, talking into his watch with a very perplexed look on his face. I didn’t really understand what was going on, but I heard him say, “Can you call my wife’s phone?” and then give them my number. I went to my iPad, found my phone, and while they were calling me, I logged into our U.S. Bank account online. The person on the line had a very thick accent and asked if we had approved a Zelle transfer of $1,000 to a Melissa Lukas and another transfer of $1,500 to a Michael Smith. I said no, we had not. He told me he was calling because these seemed like unusual transactions. Meanwhile, Jim kept signaling for me to hang up. I stayed on a bit longer. The first caller even transferred me to a second “U.S. Bank representative” who was supposedly there to confirm all the information. They started giving me multiple “cancellation codes” and telling me what they needed me to do. I told them I did not feel comfortable with that and that I would hang up and call U.S. Bank directly. That’s exactly what I did. When I finally reached a real representative, they confirmed there were no suspicious charges on our account and that they had not contacted me—so it was definitely a scam. Fortunately, I had already locked the card.
JAMES: After several conflicting plans and contingencies, we headed for the townhome in Frisco. It’s about a two-hour drive from Ft. Collins. We drove for about half of it through suburban towns and lots of traffic. Eventually we started up in the mountains. Traffic is slow and there was a lot of construction. It is a beautiful setting. You drive along Clear Creek and up through the canyons. They have constructed an amazing bicycle trail that is literally suspended over the creek. It follows the highway for many miles up into the mountains. We stopped for lunch at a Lebanese place. Good food and huge portions. I ended up eating my leftovers for two other meals.
SUSAN: Margo rode with Jim and I and we followed Tim who had lots of stuff in his van to take up to the mountain home including a bunk bed for the girls and a new 55” TV. We stopped at Lebanese restaurant “Amir Grill” in Golden, CO. There was a young man behind the counter that looked about 15. Tim started talking to him and asking him questions, some quite inappropriate like “Are you Lebanese? Really, well are you a Muslim, a Jew or Christian?” It ends up he was 17. He had a very nice smile. Margo and Tim don’t eat ethnic food like we do so I was not sure they would like this. But they did. It was pretty good.
We finally got to Frisco around 2 pm. The Frisco is a highly developed, full of three and four story condos. It is right off of Interstate 70 so has a lot of cars and traffic noise. Since Margo and Tim's condo is right near the interstate you would think you would hear the noise, but you don't. Margo and Tim both took naps. Jim took a walk to the nearby Dillion reservoir. All of Colorado is experiencing an extreme drought. Tim said the water levels are significantly down.
Christine and John arrive around 5:30 pm and we went out to dinner at Margo and Tim’s favorite Mexican restaurant, Hacienda Real. Lots of talking! Tim and Margo regaled us with lots of stories. When we got back home, we played the card game Nine Hole Golf and then hit the sack.