I can fly!

On Friday we went to the Smithsonian aircraft museum at Dulles International Airport. Wow! I am sure I can fly at least a few of these.

TR

Quiet on the Set

If you ever wondered how I get all these great pictures.

TR

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas on a bright and sunny day.

TR

Defending the East Coast

WH is in residence and we have successfully established a beachhead on the east coast. Colder then home here this morning and the furnace died in the night. A nice freshly painted new one was installed complements of the landlord today, Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah as the case may be.

TR

On the Mall

Here I am visiting the Mall, not terribly crowded for 10 days before Christmas. Lots to see and do, I do need to stop and pay my respects to Mr Smith, DC would not be the same without his legacy.

The movers are scheduled to deliver nest feathering supplies at 8:00 AM on Monday and a certain tyrannical rodent is set to arrive around dinner time.

TR

Washington Monument Trivia

When the Monument was first opened it was ventilated by windows at the top. Shortly after it opened a distraught visitor tried to jump, but found that the windows were to small to squeeze out of. Not to be deterred he pried open the doors to the elevators proving that where there is a will, there is a way. To bad he couldn't fly, but who am I to talk about that!

TR

Christmas in DC

Here we are with the politically correct holiday lights on the balcony railing, complete with grounded safety orange extension cord. We went into the city and viewed the national holiday tree by the White House on Sunday. It is just a little larger then the one we had in the living room last year, not much, but a little.

DG had a good first day on the new adventure. Much to do and learn.

TR

New Nesting Site

Well, we have made it, we are settling in and starting to feel at home. DG has made about 25 trips up from the garage 5 floors below carrying things in, up packing, setting up. Macy's was wonderful and on time with the new bed and chairs. In a couple of weeks the movers will get tables, chairs and a couple dozen boxes of additional stuff here. In the mean time, the bed is fluffy, the sheep is happy (and waiting for the rest of the flock to arrive,) dinner was cooked last night and the first loads of laundry are running. The view is wonderful.

Internet, cable (when the TV is delivered in a couple of weeks) and phone were installed and working by noon on Friday. Then 30 minutes later they quit working. Two phone calls to customer no-service, no call back, and four hours later everything started working fine. I suspect someone made a data entry error, but it would have been nice to have a call back from Comcast to tell me that they had fixed the problem.

You all have fun!

TR

I am in the new nest, furniture is being delivered in the morning. It has been another marathon of 12-15 hour days, but we can see the light. Comcast is suppose to connect us to the world Friday morning. I will try to update again over the weekend. I have a new fluffy companion sheep.

TR

0-hour fast approaching

It has been a fine rainy couple of days here in Hotterville. Departure for Emerald City is fast approaching, about 24 hours and counting. We should get an estimate from the nest movers this morning. Pack the car, this evening, in the morning we will be on the way to the next chapter in this exciting story.

Ready for takeoff?

TR

Staying Calm

I am thinking warm tropical thoughts and trying to stay calm. It will all be ok, it will all be ok. The estimator for the nest moving company is coming on Tuesday, the only little detail that fell through the cracks was arranging movers. Well, probably not the only one, but the only one we have discovered so far. The sheep have been sealed in a box for shipping, glad I am not a sheep. DG wishes he was a sheep. I am going to nest now!

TR

If they would leave me in charge

If they would leave me in charge DG would not go off to DC and leave his camera on the desk in Lexington. The lease for the new nest has been signed, keys received and the first bag of books moved in. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, that wasn't a whistle I heard was it?

TR

Visiting Old Friends

While in Nassau I stopped by to visit with an old Queen. One of many that I know. This one is quieter then most.

TR

To Sea Again

I went back to sea again to see again what I could see. Nice short relaxing cruise to the Bahamas. Good thing to, without it DG might have gone over the rail.

TR

Director of Aquatic Flight Operations

I was called in this morning to direct aquatic flight operations at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport. My considerable expertise is wet flying was a great help. Here I am on the balcony of WH and DG's very-very fluffy hotel room.

TR

4th Floor

The new nesting site is on the 4th Floor, on the opposite side of the building. Moving day is fast approaching and DG is no where near ready.

TR

Progress report

A new nesting site has been found, pictures to follow. On our way to Florida to see family. Moving into the DC nest in mid-December.

TR

Nesting Site

I am off with DG and WH in search of a new nest site in DC, then onto Florida and the Bahamas then back to Florida and then back to Kentucky, for three days, then back to DC for 4 days, then back to Lexington for 4 or 5 days, then onto the new nest. OMG!

I'll drop in and update when I can to let you all know what is happening.

TR

Comfy Hotels

We have been a little keyed up the past 36 hours with a couple of odd nights of rest. We really need a nice comfy hotel like the Pan Pacific in Seattle for a couple of days of rest. No early morning email and web searches for a new nesting site.

TR

Away we go!

It is official the offer has been made and accepted, notice has been given to the present employer, the official job title is Chief Counsel for the well we won't talk about that on a public blog, but it is a major national organization that does program and policy development in DG's field. DG and TR are to report to start the new job on December 15th.

OMG what now!

TR

TR goes to Washington

A verbal offer has been made and accepted, DG is awaiting something in writing, but it looks like I am going to Washington. About 2 blocks north of the White House. In time for the inauguration. DG is thrilled speechless and slightly in shock; kind of like the dog that keeps chasing cars and one day he catches one.

TR

Penguin poop

We went to visit family today. They kept stepping on DG's feet, nipping at his finger and trying to catch the wrist strap on the camera in their beaks. The problem is that the floor was covered with the exhaust from lunch and they tracked penguin poo onto the tops of DG's shoes. Any ideas on how to clean penguin poo off leather shoes? My family, what can I say?

TR

And many more!

Happy Birthday Wicked Hamster, Happy Birthday to you, and many more, but at his age how many more can there be?

TR

Woodford Cannonball

A couple of weeks ago we decided to escape one weekend afternoon and ride the local scenic railway. I can swim faster then the train to no where, but the ride was relaxing and fun.

TR

Happy-Happy-Joy-Joy!

That is as political as I get.

TR

Vote For Me

I can't wait for the moving vans to bring change to Pennsylvania Avenue. Vote for me and I promise krill and every pot and safety from the leopard seals.

TR

Saturday at last

We are home from an intense trip to DC. In a week or so we will know if the trip yields the desired result. In the mean time it is Saturday and we are going to kick back and relax.

TR

On the road again

We are off to DC at 6:20 AM on Thursday. No bird should be forced to fly at that hour of the morning, but it was either that or a likely missed connection with a barely legal connection in Cincinnati or four hours in Atlanta and not getting in until late. I will have to nest and relax to make up for it. We are do back home late Friday night. Talk to you all over the weekend.

TR

Sorry for the repost on this, someone added homophobic comments to the original and blogger would not allow me to delete the comments

Look who arrived today! A birthday present for DG from Kel, Carmen, WC, and RS and the girls from both families. How wonderful! Thank you all.
We are thinking of naming one of them Sarah for some reason. She is so happy she has been in transit and has avoided being turned into campaign mooseburgers.
Love you All,
DG & TR

Monday

Another fun and exciting Monday, meetings, followed by meetings, followed by returning phone calls, email, then some number crunching. I am ready to get out of town again. DC on Thursday and Friday.

TR

Up into the Clouds

In Juneau we took a cable-way to the top of a mountain and "hiked" around a mountain top trail. The ride starts at the harbor and rises about 1500 feet up the side of the mountain, into the clouds and fog and ends in a rain forest. When the clouds part the views are spectacular, wonderful and wild.

TR

One Move At A Time

Tough week, but it is always one move at a time. Trying to keep from exposing the King to hostile action. Life can be a giant chess game. Is it Friday yet?

TR

I was stolling on the pier one day

Here I am strolling down the pier one day, just enjoying the wonderful penguin weather.

TR

Name That Face!

So what infamous person took this to a plastic surgeon and said, "make me look like this?"

TR

Skagway

When we returned from the adventure train ride we explored the city. It was interesting with wood sidewalks and plenty of parking. Now where did we leave the ship?

TR

On the Railroad

One of the motivations for the trip was to ride the White Pass and Yukon Railroad from Skagway. What a wonderful ride. The train starts at sea level and climbs through the White Pass and on into Canada on a narrow gauge route built for the gold rush 100 years ago. It is one of the top 10 train trips in the world and very-very worth the ride. You can even stand out between the cars and watch the Yukon roll by.

TR

The Landing

One of the best parts of aquatic flying is the landing. It was so smooth that dad could not have done a better job (RS you have got to go try this!)

TR

When Penguins Fly

We took a nice areal tour in Juneau to see the glaciers and ice field. There are hundreds of miles of glaciers and ice fields, the vastness of the of the ice was amazing. The plane was older then DG, but had a major rebuild the winter before including a retrofit with a turbo prop engine. Wow! Worth every penny.

TR

Perfect Pool Weather

We had some wonderful pool weather on the cruise. We had a couple of warm sunny days but as we went farther north the weather turned cool and damp. My idea of a perfect day at the pool. An it wasn't crowded, people must have been in the Casino or down at the buffet. With any luck we will have weather like this on the pre-Thanksgiving cruise to the Bahamas.

TR

Cabin 521

Well this was a unique experience, the hotel put us in a renovated log cabin with a huge stone fireplace. But our first reaction was you have got to be kidding. The cabin was over the cliff and half way down the mountainside, see the roof top on the horizon, that is it. There were 63 steps from the parking area to the cabin door. Hauling luggage in the dark and rain, I really wished I could fly.

TR

Drifting along

I have been resting up for the past couple of weeks, just sort of drifting along. I am headed out to the western end of Kentucky on Sunday for a couple of days and then down to the south central part of the state, nearly to the Tennessee state line for a couple of days and will hence probably not post until Friday. I know you will all miss me, try not to cry to much, the water level seems to be rising, not fun unless you are a flightless fowl.

TR

Rainforest

Parts of the panhandle of Alaska are in a major rain forest. Nice wet, green, not at all like home.

TR