I told you a bit about Mac McFadden last week. What is really great to know, as told to me by Mac’s daughter Anne, is that Mac would read this column and often he would say “Ruthie for President”!  What a compliment…I am honored to know this. As I mentioned last week, we didn’t always agree, but that was okay. We had mutual respect for each other. RIP Mac.

As I celebrated with another birthday on the 5th, I wondered if I should become a ‘proper’ grandmother, a ‘professional’ business owner. I wondered for about 5 minutes, and decided no, not gonna happen.

When I pick up my granddaughter from school and pretend that I can’t find her, or that I am looking through binoculars to find her, the kids engage with me, and it’s like a game. Peyton sometimes holds up her notebook to hide, but it doesn’t work for long. Sometimes she calls me her “crazy grandmother.”  I’m okay with that. I’m okay with the kids laughing at me…or even with me, when I tell them I’m not crazy, just silly. Life is too short to be too serious, right?

These past few months I have attended more funerals/memorial services than I have in a number of years. Life is short…and fragile. I always say that “if I get hit by a truck tonight, there will be no wondering how I feel on issues around town tomorrow.”

That being said, I have to publicly say, I hate the downtown comprehensive plan or whatever you want to call it. I understand that some folks call this plan progress, but I think it is sad. I believe it is exclusive to a couple of blocks, a few businesses. I don’t quite get why the money that “might” be spent can’t be spread further and maybe not so grand. I would like to see a written guarantee/promise that CDOT is willing to change the traffic pattern if that is what is decided. An ironclad guarantee. When I asked in a meeting if they could just fix some drainage problems from the construction years ago, I got no answers.  Other than the contracted money, how much has been spent by our city in just staff time?

When I hear of one street being called ‘festival street’ I wonder about the nice parking lot between Oscars and the Rubi Slipper. Or the area behind the Bistro Rialto—suitable for many small celebrations.  When I hear of a historical walking path down Hunt Avenue to Cole Park, I shrug—even though it would be a little bit closer to my store. I happened to be down in that area and took pictures of some of the trash in the alleys and again I wondered….if we can’t get these areas cleaned up NOW…why do we think spending hundreds of thousands, and even million will make this better? 

I have been told that we will get these 2-3 blocks done and then we will get more money to do more blocks. What if we don’t get more money? What if the money runs out? What if…….? I should stop thinking about it, because I will be long gone and maybe six feet under, before LODA (lower downtown Alamosa) is included in any plan.

Meanwhile….I ran into Scott Van Gieson (Van Gieson Construction, of course) last week (at the Devil store, I hate to say). I asked him for advice on getting this little concrete pad done at Society Hall.  Without even asking him, or begging, he offered to go by and take a look. And by the time I got back around, he had gone home and picked up concrete blankets to warm up the soil and was spreading them. I am so blessed! On Thursday he sent Greg Gunter to handle the job. And Tom Mathias, with Mathias Concrete, offered to donate the concrete back in September. His guy, Rick Pena, was awesome at getting the concrete unloaded in the right spot! Thanks go out to both of you wonderful businesses!!

This pad will allow for passengers with special needs to get out of their vehicle on the right side, without trying to get through a bunch of rocks. This pad is done in memory of Jesse Russell, who passed away a year ago, on Christmas Day. My sincerest apologies for not having this pad done when the building was first purchased—I just wasn’t thinking, Jesse. RIP card-playing buddy—you are missed!

If you’re reading this soon enough, there is going to be an awesome Xmas show at Society Hall tonight! I guarantee you won’t be sorry if you get off the couch and come on down. The show starts at 7 p.m.  Remember…life is short…and fragile! Go for the gusto!