I’m melting, melting!

As we get older we become less able to compensate for temperature and tend keep our surroundings warmer and warmer (closer and closer to body temperature.) DG’s parents are in their very late 70’s and have lived in sub-tropical Florida for 24 years. Add the mix weather in the high 70’s, and 14, count them 14 dinner guests and the house was a bit steamy. DG started cooking just after 7:00 AM and started the last load in the dishwasher at 8:00 PM by which time it was 84 degrees with 99% humidity in the kitchen (he checked this with an electronic thermometer;) at that point a slight change in air pressure would have made it cloud up and rain in the house (and that would have dropped the temperature.) At some time in the afternoon the air-conditioning was turned on for a while, set at 78 degrees of course. Then DG’s dad felt a chill and turned it off. Later in the evening DG was slumped in the corner whimpering, “I’m melting, melting, oh my wonderful wonderful wickedness” (line from the death of the wicked witch in the Wizard of Ozz.)

The next day it was in the high 70’s with a light breeze and we went to the beach to broil in the sun and cool off.

Everyone behaved. All four kids made it home for the first time in about 25 years. A great meal and wonderful time was had by all (other then the steam bath.)

It is good to be home.

TR

Merry Christmas to All!

I’m dreaming of a green Christmas, just like the ones I use to know. We are headed over the river and through the woods for a gathering of DG’s family. Nothing says Christmas quiet like palm trees and mistletoe (a parasite that grows in live oak trees in semi-tropical climates.) DG’s started spending Christmas in Florida as a teenager 35 years ago (my, but he is getting old.) Nothing quite gets him in the holiday spirit like sand between the toes on his bare feet. This will be the first time in about 25 years that all of DGs siblings will be together with mom and dad at the same time. Pass the Prozac and Jack Daniels, we’ll be back to report to all you’all before New Years.

TR

Will It Fly?

On my recent trip to Florida we went out to the beach on the north side of the Kennedy Space Center (no we did not go to the far north end, it was far to cold for that.) In the process we passed within a couple of miles of the space shuttle launch pad. The shuttle is scheduled for launch on the 7th. For the first time in several years it is scheduled to be a night launch. The shuttle flies a bit like a penguin; even the paint scheme seems inspired by we wonderful “flightless waterfowl.”

TR

TR

Over the river and through the woods,

to Mom and Dad’s house we went. DG and I went home to see his parent’s for Thanksgiving this year. For DG it was a journey to one of his childhood homes; for me it was a road trip and a visit to the ocean. We had an easy trip on the road, going down we went through Atlanta, coming back we came across South Carolina into North Carolina and across into Tennessee and then north to home (passing very near Frog Pond Holler; where is Ms. Mahala?) We encountered very little road construction and the heavier the traffic the faster people were driving. Florida was cool but beautiful. Mid way through the week the winds and surf picked up whipping the ocean into a powerful froth and furry . . . it reminded me of my childhood, but the water was cooler at home. We are home; there are a few tales to be told from this trip over the next couple of weeks. I hope that all of you had a nice holiday.

TR

ROAD TRIP!

Here I am at the beach in Florida on one of the many trips to visit DG's parents. He decided at the last minute to go visit Mom and Dad for Thanksgiving. It will be a week or so till the next update, I'll try to get a few interesting pictures on the trip.

TR

FIsh!

This great fountain is located in a small plaza in downton Charlottee NC. There are wonderful loft condos overlooking the park. This is litterally in the shadow of a bunch of 40 story bank buildings.

TR

Water, Water everywhere!

Here I am at One Wacchovia Center in Charolotte NC. Great fountain, lots of water, just what a flightless waterfowl is looking for.

TR

It Is Election Day

If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.

Go to the polls and take a friend along with you, I did!

TR

River View

I am never real sure about a town whose claim to fame is being host to the only remaining gaseous diffusion plant (yes, just like the one the Iran has started to operate) in the United States; but DG’s services were needed for an hour and off we went to the far western reaches of the Commonwealth at Paducah, Kentucky. It is actually kind of a neat little town. They have done economic development in the old downtown area by offering low interest financing and very flexible zoning to attract artist to live and work in the historic wharf area along the Ohio River. Here I am down on the landing watching Old Man River roll on by. (Yeah, I know, in a previous post I said the Mississippi River, we were about 50 miles up-stream from the confluence.) Now why are my feathers glowing in the dark?

TR

Trains, Planes and Automobiles

I love to fly, for some reason it just seems right that a “flightless waterfowl” has logged thousands of miles in the air. I also like to travel by car (a road trip to the Mississippi River is coming up later this week.) But I especially like to travel by train. There is just something special about the slow pace, the rhythmic sound of the train on the rails that I love. It is also nice to have lots of room to spread out. Why have airline seats gotten so narrow as the average American has gotten wider? On a train, the cheap seats have plenty of room. Here I am taking an excursion on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway last summer.

Enjoy!

TR

Getting Older!

England is old, very, very old. People have been getting older in England forever. Word has it that Someone is getting older as I write this.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOMEONE! Wish we were there!

Travel and DG

Turtle Soup

Turtle, it’s not just for breakfast anymore! Here we are braving the wilds of Akron for the annual Hamster Family Turtle soup festival. My kind of people they hold outdoor parties as the first snow flakes are coming down in the wilds of northeastern Ohio. For those who are tender to the frost, there was Uncle John’s homemade grape anti-freeze. Next comes the mid winter picnic (silly hamsters!)

TR

Pandas at the National Zoo

My only real "must see" on my recent trip to Washington DC was the Pandas at the National Zoo (I only had one free day on the trip.) When I first arrived at the Zoo the "baby" (who is now about 60 pounds) was up a tree munching away and ignoring the world. Later she was was down with mom enjoying a snack in the afternoon sun. I took the hint and had lunch at a nice sidewalk cafe down near the Metro stop. I can't wait to go back.

TR

Happy Birthday Uncle Bert

Unless my notes are wrong, Tuesday is Uncle Bert's birthday. Happy Birthday Bert! Thank you for sharing insight into your wonderful world with us.

What does this picture have to do with Bert's birthday? The picture was taken the last time TR, DG and WH spent the day wandering around London with Bert and Someone. We can't wait to go back!


TR and DG

Tranquility base here, the Eagle has landed!

These are the first words spoken by man from the surface of the moon. Landing astronauts on the moon and returning them safely to the earth is arguably the greatest engineering accomplishment in the history of human kind. Years later I lived across the river from the “Rocket Ranch” and had the pleasure of meeting many of the ordinary people who performed the extraordinary tasks that made landing on the moon possible.

One lasting artifact from those days of extraordinary accomplishment are a few hundred pounds of rocks, sand and dust. Most of it is locked away for study by NASA. But a few pounds are out for people to see. If you look in the right places, you can touch a piece of the moon. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC has four moon rocks on display, one that you can touch. It is on display in the shadow of the Spirit of St Louis, near the entrance on the mall side. Here is Travel stopping to touch the moon. (You can slide your fingers under the sheet of glass, and touch the arrow shaped rock specimen.)

DG and TR

It’s always 5:00 o’clock somewhere

Here I am taking a little break with an “Amber Waves of Ale” at the Capital City Brewing Company. CCBC is in the same building as the National Postal Museum just west of Union Station in Washington DC. They have a sampler of all of their current products, good, very good. One thing I learned, beer and chocolate mouse don’t pair off very well.

Enjoy your weekends,

TR and DG

I just returned from 4 days in Washington DC. DG had three long days of work, but we squeezed in as much sightseeing as we could. As always we took the Metro from National Airport into the city.

We stayed at a very nice hotel near Union Station this trip. The hotel was just across the street from the conference site and very comfortable for me while DG was across the street being enlightened.

We went to the National Zoo to see the exotic wild life. They have a Panda who is less then a year old. The baby was hiding a tree, munching bamboo. The Panda’s are about to be moved to a new a larger habitat, I sure am glad I free to hitch a ride around the world. You never know who you bump into in DC, I walked past Haley Barber on my way to dinner on Tuesday evening, and minutes later watch Senator Clinton get into her armored SUV at the Capital. Then there was this gang of thugs that I ran into down by the Smithsonian Castle building one evening.

TR

TR goes to Washington

I am headed off to Washington DC with DG for a few days. On the agenda is a reception on Capital Hill and a visit to the National Zoo to see the Panda's. I will report back on what we see.

TR

Limo for Bert and Someone

I am waiting to pick a couple of friends up at the station, now what time does their train arrive from France?

TR

Where can I find a red velvet tuxedo?

DG has been shopping for a car; something gently used with lots of plush to accommodate his middle aged behind and what he describes as demanding passengers. After scouring car dealers, the internet and asking every circling vulture what was in the estates they were working on he found something. It is very gently used (less then 12,000 miles in seven years.) The first owner is not dead, but she has no clue who she is or where she is and really does not care as long as they bring her pudding. The vulture in charge finally got the court order approved for the sale and now we are floating along in style. Why do I have this strange desire for a red velvet tuxedo to go along with my fuzzy hat decorated with flamingo feathers?

TR