I thought the inauguration ceremonies that take place on the West Capitol steps in Denver were just too close for me to pass up.

The saying the early bird catches the worm applies here, since, by the time I got over there everyone else and their private security agents were there too and I couldn't help notice . . . they were much closer to the action.

This is apparent in the photo here of Sen. Joan Fitz-Gerald who spoke from the podium at about 10:45 a.m. mountain standard time.

Dick Lamm and his wife Dottie came out, and so did many, many other Colorado political dignitaries including the outgoing Mayor Bill Owens and his First Lady Frances.

The Ritter sons came out and stood to the side, and Honorable Judge Mary Mullarkey, Chief Justice of the Colorado Judicial Branch. She stood at attention.

The announcer said, "And now, Colorado's first grandmother."

I wasn't sure what he meant by that. No one appeared.

Then slowly, an elderly woman, who is Bill Ritter's mother Ethel, appeared. Her gaze focused on the steps below, but once in awhile she would stop and glance up at the crowd stretched out before her.

The sun came out, people had cameras. I stepped underneath the alumnium bleacher that held the heavier photographers. I took a few pictures from a great distance, caught from a vantage point between their feet.

The battery on the camera fizzled out, so I enjoyed the moment. The lady next to me said, "Where do they go? They introduce everyone then they seem to disappear."

It did seem that way, but it was only because there was a giant solid block of humanity in front of us that obscured the view.

I told her, "There is a trap door beneath them, it opens and they go down into a hole."

I could tell by her expression, she believed me.
I tugged at her sleeve and said, "Just kidding."