Visiting an old neighbor

When we are home for a few days it is always fun to stop in and visit with old friends and neighbors.

TR

Flight 6 Ready for Departure

Disney has a relatively new coaster ride, modeled on a barnstorming airplane ride. Up-down-and-around. Our boarding was delayed by a sqauller. Daddy and son had waited in line for 15 minutes, watching the coaster go around and around, at one point so close you could almost swat it like a pestering fly. Just as we get the top the kid wimps out and starts pitching an I-don't-wanna fit! The only exit was to step through the car and out onto the other side. This posed an even bigger challenge as the cry-baby refused to step into the car to step across and out the other side. Finally one of the mousetts volunteered to grab the legs as dad grabbed the swinging arms and they carried the little ingrate across the car, crying and screaming in the happiest place on earth, and they still don't sell booze in this place. Amazing!

TR

Visiting old Friends

While we were in Florida we dropped in on some old freinds. DG lived in Florida for years and years, and well we won't talk about how old he is getting, but he knows lots of people who have lived there for years. His middle brother has worked at the "happiest place on earth" for 30 years (as of February 8th.) Now Florida homes can be a bit different and one bird's trash is another rodent's pleasure. Here I am on top of a Florida mailbox; the face opens down opening the front of the this unusual street side post box.

TR

Dreaming of warmer places

I am sitting back today dreaming of warmer places. It is cold, and getting colder by the minute. DG was out and about this morning dropping big Red (his car) off to have the passenger side fender and door fixed from where some idiot pulled out of a parking lot into the side of the car last Thursday. It does not look bad, but the passenger side door won't open. Picking up a rental car this morning took over and hour, most of it standing around watching the rain turn to snow as the temperature droppd about 10 degrees in an hour. Ah, dreaming of warmer places and simpler days. It does not help that DG spent the weekend home in bed with a cold. Dreaming of warm days in warm sunny places.

TR

Uncle Donald

I stopped in to visit Uncle Donald last week Florida. He is distantly related on my father's side, they really don't talk about it much, after-all he is a fligthed waterfowl and we are a flightless family.

TR

Waiting for our ship to come in

Here I am waiting for my ship to come in, some days I think that my ship was the Titanic, but I keep the faith. The sea is in my blood as they say!

TR

Drive On

Well it was not what DG had reserved, but the car rental place asked if it might be ok if they stuck us with a convertable last week, in Florida, where it was about 80 degrees with the sun shining. The lady was really nice so DG decided that he would give her a break and go zoom-zoom with the top down for a few days, that is when he could grab the keys and get me off the wheel. Can a penguin have an evil grin?

TR

Visit to aging parents

DG feels so guilty about not going to see his 80+ year old parents that he just can't wait another week. We are leaving in the morning for a one week visit with mom and dad. The fact that they live in Florida where the weather forecast for next week is highs in the low 80's and lows in the upper 60's has nothing to do with the timing of this visit.

See you in a week or so,

TR

Uncle Red

DG has his dear uncle Richard, who has led a colorful life including being dragged backwards down a hill on a hay-baler and ending up in the bottom of a pond. I have uncle Red, who I ran into in Louisville the other day. He is working at a local restaurant for a couple of months. (WC: I have found a couple of new options for next fall's Louisville convention.) Red has led a colorful life, you never know what kind of work you will find him doing next or where he will be doing it. It was nice to talk to him for a few minutes, maybe I will see him again next fall.

TR

I am leaving the obvious for your comments; dear uncle Red, I never know what he will do next.

Ah!

Here I am on the beach in San Diego, ah! DG had email yesterday from a friend who is spending two weeks on a warm sunny Island, she told him to think tropical thought. It sound like a way to cope with a long nasty winter. So here I am, thinking warm tropical thoughts. TR

Cold, snowing, nasty

The weather was cold and snowing today. At times like this I remember the warm summer days in Yorkshire. The good old days!

TR

One of those days

Everyone seemed to make about as much sense as this sign outside a supermarket in Portsmouth England did.

TR

Walk up, slide down

I found this stirway to play on someplace in DC last fall. It is a long walk up those steps, but a fun slide down the hand rail. Find something fun to do this weekend!

TR

Dirty Birds

Boy am I glad that the flock around here is cleaner than the nasty flighted birds on the rocky Pacific coast were. It must be that they can't swim underwater like a real bird. TR

Fish

There are lots of old traditions about good foods and good luck in the New Year. In many cultures having a pigs assured a steady supply of food in the coming year, so being able to have ham for New Years was a symbol of hoped for prosperity. Along came the French with Champagne, I don't know what it is a symbol of, but it is fun. In seafaring cultures the symbol is frequently some form of fish, sardines, krill, tuna . . . I really am not very fussy, with all this water there must be fresh sushi around here someplace. TR

The anointing of the fruit cake

You know it is Christmas when DGs family pulls out the bottles of booze. No not to deal with the stress, though that has been contemplated, to anoint the fruitcake. Fruitcake is horribly misunderstood and mistreated in this country. It is not really a cake; it is a desert of candied and preserved fruits and nuts. Done well, it is very-very good and should not be ridiculed. DG’s mother has been making fruit cake for about 30 years. Make fun of fruit cake in this house at your own risk. Adding a little extra booze is always a sign that Christmas is upon us. Make sure you have a designated driver before indulging in Mom’s fruit cake.

Merry Christmas,

TR

Up a Tree

I really don't understand what some birds see in trees. Hanging out waiting for Christmas.

TR

Subversive

Access to Travel Penguin by state employees at work has been blocked by the security people at the Commonwealth. It must be all of the subversive content, or maybe the Queen got in touch with them about Scotland, I knew it would catch up with us sooner or later.

TR

Dreaming of a white Christmas

Old friends dropped by to say hi and we gathered around the tree to enjoy some old favorite Christmas carols. Merry Christmas from TR and WH

In search of a virgin

After four hours of trying to get email to work on a new Windows Vista machine we decided it was time for desperate measures. Fortunately shortly after prostrating ourselves before the oracle things started to work. Just to be safe, we are still looking for a sacrifice.

TR

Tag From http://hiddenmahala.blogspot.com/

Seven random and little known things about me:

1) I was hatched in China

2) I have a back-up twin (just in case.)

3) I have been fished out of an alligator infested swamp in Florida

4) I once fell in the rocks along the Mediterranean in Italy (close call.)

5) I never travel alone

6) I have an increasing balance problem and have to have my tail adjusted from time to time

7) I love sushi

TR

The Captain said, “Welcome aboard Comrade”

Here I am in the ward room of a Russian submarine. My family has a long and distinguished underwater history, but this was the first time on a Russian sub, I can’t tell you where this was taken, well I could, but then my comrades might come looking for you and we wouldn’t want that now would we?

TR

Hotel Del Coronado

One of my best friends is form Coronado Island, now I know why he left. Pretty place, nice classic hotel, but a bird oculd waste away to nothing around here.

TR

Seals

It was really quite amazing to find seals on the beach near San Diego. If I spent more time in the wilds, seals might concern me, but my ocean crossings have been by air or boat, and seals are not much of a threat from 38,000 feet or when you are safely ensconced in a container ship. Here they kept them well cordoned off on the children's beach. No children around, kind of makes me wonder of the Mom's horror stories had some merit.

TR

Awakened by the sound of footsteps overhead

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Clement Clarke Moore
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;The children were nestled all snug in their beds,While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.Away to the window I flew like a flash,Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, Not reindeer, nor penguins, nor Santa himself, but a van full of Mexicans to finish my roof.

There will not be raindrops falling on the head of this little penguin.

TR

Tower Bridge

Kell sent out one of those proverbial 10 things you never knew about me email forward and reply things. There was a question about where have you been and where would you like to be. Tower Bridge in London would be fun.

TR

A woodchuck, a hamster and a penguin go into a bar

with a penguin security detail.

You should have heard the three of us trying to explain this gathering of furry and feathered creatures to the three RV dealers at the next table. They were last seen shaking their heads and ordering a couple more rounds, wondering why they asked, and why France?

A great time was had by all the furry and feathered creatures.

TR

Only in California!

It is a good thing I don't spend much time in California.

TR

Gathering the Spoils

In preparation for this week's gathering of the despots I was reviewing the goodies gathered during the summer campaign in Scotland. The Medea is currently on loan to a floating museum in San Diego, no time to to get her to the Ohio River front to host dinner this week in her lovely salon. To the victors go the spoils!

TR

Tea at the Hotel Del Coronado

Earlier this week I stopped by for tea with a couple of old friends at the Hotel Del Coronado on the beach near San Diego. I do think that the jewled wings are a nice touch!

TR

I am Home,
Great trip, planes on time.
More later.

TR

On the Road Again

We are off to San Diego in the morning. A few days in the warm California sun should do this little bird a world of good.

Happy Thanksgiving, glad I'm not a turkey.

TR

Veteran's Day : Ste. Mere Eglise

There aren’t enough battle fields here in the United States. The ones we have are from the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Wars that are distant in time. Memories of which are faded.

Sunday is Veteran’s Day here in the United States. A day set aside to honor all of the men and women who served in the military, those who lived to return home and those who did not. Traveling in France this summer I renewed my love of the country and the people. In doing so I realized why invading Europe at the end of World War II was worth the price. We truly returned freedom to wonderful places and people, people who truly saw us as a liberating force. I also came to realize the magnitude of the undertaking and the number of people who were injured or died to free Europe from a government that put ideology and national policy ahead of fundamental human freedoms, including the right to live.

Traveling to the battle fields I better understood why. Why we fought a war. Why the war was important to the history of civilization. Why honoring those who served in the wars is important. As Americans we need to travel more to understand what it is that we do when we send our military off to fight wars, and why we do it.

TR

One year until the next big election

We are sitting back watching local election results tonight. The "pardon" me Governor appears to be well on his way to being thrown out of office. Happy Days Are On There Way!

TR

Yes!

What more can I say, we don't have the transportation security administration to deal with, our luggage never gets lost, we never have problems with hotel rooms, frequently we have the best view in town.

This picture was taken near the Tate Modern in London (wonderful building filled with disappointing trash). They had a telescope set up for viewing of a hawk that was nesting at the top of the brick chimney.

Very nice to see our talents recognized. TR

If a Scotsman can fly

So can I; with the appropriate liquid spirit.
Finding the of the flying Scotsman made it easier to plot our conquest north through England. DG learned to navigate from his father. His father is a former amateur pilot who always had the appropriate FAA sectional maps, supplemented by the AAA road maps. Just like Amelia Erhart he learned to follow the major roads from city to city (oh yeah, there are no roads across oceans, little problem there.) Never think of it as being totally lost, just enjoy the adventure as you discover new and exciting places. No wonder I never make it home for the krill season. TR

Defending the City

In the August conquests we first took the city of York. Here I am perched on the mighty city defensive wall, protecting the city from the foreign invaders, oh,- right. . . that was us. We found large piles of dog poop placed at strategic intervals along the wall, obviously placed there for unwitting troupers to slip in. Being that most of the wall only provides a wall above the walk way on one side, with a sheer 20 foot drop on the unprotected side (where are the tort lawyers in this country?) the dog shit is obviously a clever plot to trip up the invaders from the south. Somehow we prevailed. Onward! TR

World War II Memorial

Parents, Grandparents, or Great Grandparents, we all have a connection to someone who played a role in World War II. The experienced shaped who we are as a nation. Thousands of WWII veterans visit the Memorial every day, and thousands of them die every day. Let us not forget who they are, what they did, and why they were compelled to do it.

Peace, tolerance and understanding,

TR

Soaring

A very pretty fall day, makes a flightless bird feel like a soaring eagle.

TR

Where in the world is woodchuck!

Just stopped by on Saturday afternoon to see if there were any fuzzy rodents around.

TR

Much Better View

In light of my complaint about the view from the last hotel room in DC, I thought I would post about the view from the latest hotel room in DC. The picture really does not do the view justice. The pentagon is just across the expressway to the left. You can see the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, old post office, Capital, and the National Cathedral. A million dollar view and for about 60% of the cost of the view of the brick wall. DG came down with a very bad head cold as we were headed out on this trip and has been ordered to rest. TR

Alarm set for 4:30 AM

We need to be at the airport by 5:30 AM to check in for a 6:30 AM flight to Washington DC. oh, wait a minute, didn't I write about this already? That was two weeks ago, the last time we did this trip. This time we are going to a major national conference. DG will be speaking as part of four different programs in 2 1/2 days. Nice intense 12-14 hour days. Friday the schedule starts at 7:15 AM and ends at 8:00 PM. Oh, the price of fame and absence of fortune.

Enjoy!

TR

Long Hard Week Coming Up

I am taking it easy today, relaxing in the garden and getting ready for another challenging week. A couple of days of trying to finish up everything in the office, one day of endless back-to-back meetings, and then three days in DC for a major conference. Yes that is six days work this week . . . and Friday the boss reminded me that Monday is a holiday and the office is officially closed . . . like I have time to take an extra day off this week.

TR

Inns of Court

WH thinks I should buy one of the English Barrister wigs. They are terribly expensive, but then with DG's thinning hair something should be done. We wandered through the Inn, I have no idea if this area is open to the public. DG just smiled at the guard, waived and walked by as if he owned the place. No one came after us, so I guess it was OK. The English have a wonderful tradition of professional apprenticeship for lawyers who are going to practice in court, complete with the participants being required to dine together for at least a minimum number of times. American lawyers are so rude to one another, maybe there is something to be learned here.

TR

Time to Party!

Congratulations to our ever lovable uncle Bert, he is turning $# on Wednesday. Funny, he doesn't look a day over #%. They say that being around children will keep you young.

We wish we were there to celebrate with you!

Love,

TR & DG

A Nice Private Jet

Three weeks ago when we flew to Atlanta this little private jet was parked at the local airport. I know it looks like an airliner, but it is one man's personal jet, a new Boeing 747-400. The owner had been in town for a couple of days attending a horse auction. The ground crew loaded two van's full of luggage onto the plane, no worries about the carry on limit here. Rumor has it that the owner has an Airbus A-380 on order so that he can have the biggest and best in the sky; we are going to need a bigger airport.

TR

Phoenix Park Hotel

Here I am enjoying the view from our $300 a night hotel room hear Capital Hill in Washington, DC.

TR

Time to Celebrate

Time to celebrate! It was announced this afternoon that the state of Kentucky was awarded three years of funding to create a program that DG and his program are essential to the development of. The email read, " we have been funded, congratulations on three more years of continued employment." This is the first time in two years that the "Foundation" has had secure funding to continue DG's work on behalf of seniors.

TR

Clock set for 4:30 AM

We need to be at the airport by 5:30 AM for a 6:35 AM flight to DC. DG has a few days of rather intense meetings, then a late flight home on Wednesday.

TR

Apple Season

Fall was in the air a week ago, this morning it is back to 84 degrees. I watch the weather in Florida, Michigan and here in Kentucky. Not unusual it is warmer here then it is in the other two places this morning.

Fall reminds me of apple harvest season. Not much of an apple crop here in this part of the country, it snowed and froze hard in early April in the middle of the bloom. What we need are apples preserved from the prior years to tide us over at times like this. The Norman’s figured out how to do this centuries ago when the perfected a couple of delights known as Norman Cider and Calvados.

When DG and I were in Normandy in August he ordered a bottle of Norman Cider with dinner one evening. Oh my, good stuff. It has a nice fall crisp flavor with a slight scent of autumn on a farm. It is very easy to drink, and it kind of sneaks up on you, it is about 11% alcohol. When we finished dinner DG was wondering back to the wonderful hotel room and he saw a freshly cut field of wheat. Suddenly he had fond memories of walking through wheat stubble as kid, three minutes later we are standing in the middle of a 50 acre wheat field in the middle of Normandy, remembering the joys of the past and creating memories for the future.

If the cider is not quite enough for you, the Norman’s also distill it into a heavenly brandy known as Calvados. Driving back to the hotel in Normandy late one afternoon stopping at various D-day sites and memorials, we came across signs for a country fair. After a moment’s hesitation DG pulled in and parked next to a Morgan. The only one he has ever seen on the wheel. The fair was in a freshly mowed hay field behind a village church. On the left as we entered the field there was a line of local ponies with ride offered for 5 Euros. Looking at the relative size of DG and the ponies, I was glad that he decided to pass on that (though he would not have had far to fall.) The local farmers were just sitting up displays of local vegetables, cheeses, wines and Calvados. DG bought a single serving sample bottle from the farmer in this picture. It was the distilled essence of autumn in the Calvados region of France, a taste worth liberating France for.

TR

A tall blonde in Amsterdam

I think DG needed another one of these this afternoon. He was up two-hours before sunrise and off over the river and through the woods for a breakfast meeting with the governor and a couple-hundred right wing nut cases. If they mentioned the all and powerful W one more time I think he might have snapped. When he had finally had all he could take he made like the cowardly lion and ran down the corridor and leapt for safety. Then there was the email. Did everyone get the memo that DG was going to be out of the office all day and this was the day to send email? In a fit of sanity, DG turned it off about 4:00 pm; the messages will all be there tomorrow.

TR