I am so excited!

Confirmation of airline tickets to visit Uncle Bert and Someone just arrived in my email box! Oh the stories we will have to tell.

TR

Fog and a Spring Thaw

We awoke to a dense fog this morning, and DG and I had a 90 mile drive down into the mountains. Everything went well, we arrived on time, safe and sound. The fog was a wonderful sign. It was foggy because it had warmed up and all of the snow and most of the ice melted off for the first time in about three weeks. By noon the fog had cleared making the drive home much easier. This picture was taken on the way back to the office this afternoon.

Stay warm,

TR

Thinking Warm Thoughts on another cold winter morning

I have had enough of winter. I know, I know, I should like the cold. But I have lived inside for so many years that the cold really bothers me. Snow is nice for a day or so, then the novilty wears off and I am ready for it to be nice again. Snow and cold don't remind me of home, the smell of hot plastic does for some reason.

So on mornings like this I remember the wonderful places I have been . . . the beach in Florida, California, Georgia, South Carolina, sunny days in Italy, Greece, London in August for their three days of summer. And I dream of places I will go this summer.

STAY WARM! Spring has to arrive some day.

TR

To Flashy?

I think it would be just right. A car that would draw the respect that a world traveler expects. A level of comfort and elegance fit for a flightless fowl. If only I could pick the right numbers.

TR

I’ll Never Be Bloggless Again!

Now I can read bloggs anyplace, I’ll never be stranded, unable to read about my featherless friends. And the screen and keyboard are just my size, you should see me dancing across the key-pad sending email at the speed of snails.

It does not appear that Blogger will let me log in to read the bloggs that require log in, or to post an update; we will continue to work on that.

So, after a couple of years of resisting the “crackberry” temptation, how does on get lured in? Mobile maps and directions, live mobile weather including animated radar, and syncing to the home and office computer based calendars so that we are never without the file that runs our lives (currently booking into October.) We went paperless on calendars this year for the first time. One down-side of this is that when you leave the computer, you leave the calendar. This little joy plugs into the computer and downloads the calendar, syncing the computer and device. I even like the way that it displays a seven day calendar better then the way that Outlook does.

Onward to read bloggs,

TR

Nesting

We are home for a few weeks. Nice, quiet, not much going on. I am just chilling out, staying warm and comfy and dreaming of travels past and planning travels future.

TR

Wisdom Is Better Then Strength

The window features the original core liberal arts curriculum. I spent many years in the shadow of this window learning critical thinking, communication, civilized debate, understanding of the arts as an essential way of communicating the human condition; quantifying the world, analyzing and understanding the essential science while never loosing sight of the human factor. Exploring and understanding of the world and myself. I will never be the same person that I was when I first walked under this window all those many years ago.

TR

Columbia South Carolina

I am back from a very quick trip to Columbia, South Carolina. We left Thursday at noon, flew to Charlotte, North Carolina (Useless Air was only 45 minutes late - please don't let them destroy another good airline.) We then rented a car and drove 90 miles to Columbia South Carolina. Why fly to North Carolina to get to South Carolina? To save about $225 between airfare and being able to be home on Friday night rather then Saturday. The training went well, they laughed at most of DG's stories. The room blew hot and cold all day, but all in all it was a good session. Friday afternoon we made a mad dash back to the airport (100 miles in less then 90 minutes) returned the rental car and arived at the gate with about 20 minutes to spare. The next couple of adventures are road trips.

TR

Where in the World is TR?

I’ve kind of been resting since the trip to Florida. Not much happening here. Rain one day, snow the next. It will be cold tonight. DG is starting to plan this year’s travel. We will be in South Carolina the end of this week. The end of February we will be in Charleston, West Virginia for a couple of day, nothing to exciting there. In March we will be in Denver for four days. In April we will be on Daytona Beach for a full week workshop. In May we are scheduled to be in Rosebud South Dakota for a couple of days. In early June we are scheduled to be in Anchorage Alaska. It will be the first time either of us has been to Alaska. We were looking at glacier tours over the weekend (reminds me of home!) In late July and early August we are planning to go to England, the Netherlands, Belgium and France (Normandy.) There are tentative plans for a trip to New Mexico and another to Michigan. In October we will have at least one conference in Washington DC. All in all it will be a busy travel season. I should rest up some more. The total was 49 nights in hotels last year, a new record for the two of us.

TR

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