Having lived in Broomfield since 1975, I’ve seen LOTS of changes in our small town, and one of the better ones has been Broomfield Days, which has grown bigger and better since it’s inception. Until this year, that is. When I saw that BD will be ‘virtual’ this time, and they wanted stories from our residents, I first thought of a typical year when I look at the collector cars, sample the food, check out the booths and try to avoid Paul Derda and his microphone, so he doesn’t embarrass me, again.

Then I remembered an unusual coincidence that happened about fifteen years ago, when my daughter Kari’s husband, Ted Royer, was in Algeria on business. Ted is a geophysicist who used to travel quite a bit, with clients all over the world. That particular September he was in Algiers and was winding down after a long day, working on his French language skills, watching the local news program, in French, But without a beer or cocktail, because it’s an Islamic country.

As he looked and listened closer, he noticed they were documenting a fun time in the US, where, after closing the pool for the summer, they ‘let it go to the dogs’. It was part of Broomfield Days, and it was Dog Days at the pool.

Ted looked closer and saw our entire family, with my son, his two Golden Retrievers, Milan and Hey Duke (remember the hockey player?) as well as Kari, Carol and myself. We were all on French television in Algeria, as they showed the dogs having a blast chasing their tennis balls, while everyone laughed at their antics.

Since then, letting the dogs take over the pool has become more common, but I think it started here, as part of Broomfield Days?

We still get a chuckle as Ted tells how he was halfway ‘round the world, and tuned into French TV, only to see his wife and family getting splashed by the dogs, at the Broomfield swimming pool.

Thanks, Steve Olson, a Broomfielder since 1975