tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66555570958003976242024-03-05T04:15:27.175-05:00Keeping up with the KisersUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-91290727418642275232012-01-15T10:43:00.000-05:002012-01-15T10:43:32.124-05:00Winter!Winter has finally set in here in northern New York. The temperatures had been mild (dancing around the freezing mark) and the weather very fall-like (only one snow significant for the plows to come out, about 4"), but that was before Friday.<br />
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Friday morning, I woke up and looked outside to check the weather (to estimate my drive-time to work). It was raining, as it had been for several days, so I went about my business getting ready for work. By the time I made it down stairs to pack my lunch, I looked out the kitchen window and 2" of snow had already fallen. In the next 24 hours, we would get about 18" of snow, total. I was fortunate they sent me home from work much earlier than I was scheduled (which is 6 p.m.) so that I could drive home in the daylight. My usually 25-ish minute drive home took about an hour, with white-out conditions. If you've never seen white-out conditions, it basically means you can at best see vehicles maybe 40' in front of you, and only if they have their lights on. It also means you can't see the lines on the road, and you have to just guess where to aim your car. I am not a fan of New York.<br />
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Nathan was a little horrified at that snow storm. I had been trying to tell him that's what winter is normally like here, but he was deployed last winter and hadn't experienced it first-hand. Luckily for me, he was off work on Friday so he could shovel the driveway before I got home. Last year, I would have had to just leave my car in the middle of the road until I shoveled a space big enough to move my car. That's SUPER safe in white-out conditions and snow plows coming around.<br />
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We haven't been doing a lot so far this winter. We made it home for Thanksgiving to see both families, and also made it to the Egg Bowl (Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss football game). Mississippi State won! And thanks to our good friend, Paul, we got great seats. We got to see a lot of our friends, but a lot of friends are also Army, and couldn't make it back for the game. While we were in Starkville, we also got to revisit many of our favorite restaurants. It was hard to get to all the restaurants we wanted to, so we just ate about five meals a day to try to fit it all in :)<br />
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For Christmas, Nathan and I decided that as little time as I had off from work, combined with the sky-high prices of plane tickets, we couldn't really get home again. We decided to have Christmas here with some good friends who happen to be neighbors of our here on post. We had a great time, and, of course, ate entirely too much food. We didn't get the White Christmas I had been promised, though. When Nathan found out where he would be stationed after he commissioned, he called me at work to break the news. His exact words were "So... you know how you always wanted a White Christmas? Well, you're going to get one. We're going to Fort Drum." Of course, this was the year of the weirdest beginning of winter in recent history. The only snow we saw on Christmas was a brief flurry that had melted less than 20 minutes after falling.<br />
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Nathan and I decided yesterday that we should enjoy the snow if at all possible. We picked out some sleds and took advantage of the sled hill right behind our house. The communities here on post have different featured mini-parks during different times of year. There is also an ice skating rink in the next neighborhood over. I realized I hadn't been sledding in years, so we had a pretty good time. We even took a few turns pushing the kids on sleds to get them going.<br />
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Today, we have bright sunshine, but I don't think the temperature has even broken above 0 yet. I don't mean above freezing. I mean above 0. The low overnight was -12. Brrr. Overall, I'd rather never have snow, but never see the negative temperatures. That's just me. I prefer over 100 to below 0.<br />
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When do we PCS, again?<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-50111557749894679562011-09-26T01:42:00.000-04:002011-09-26T01:42:57.404-04:00Lake Placid with Mom and DadMom and Dad came up to visit again this summer. We took it easier this time than last, not running all over the state. The only trip we took was to Lake Placid - possibly one of the only significant places in New York State we DIDN'T visit last year.<br />
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Lake Placid has mixed emotional memories for me. The first time I visited was with Nathan two days before he deployed to Afghanistan. It was late March, so the snow had mostly melted. It was also about about 34 degrees and raining. I, of course, was miserable anyway. We stayed only one night, then came home just in time for Nathan to leave. My second visit was last summer when I climbed Mt. Marcy with a group of friends. Even though I really missed Nathan being there with me, I had a wonderful time, including a night spent on Marcy Dam where I saw more stars that I've seen in my whole life - more shooting stars than I'd seen before or have seen since. That will be important in another blog post. For now, this trip with Mom and Dad was my third trip. I was glad to be tipping the scales to more pleasant times.<br />
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Mom and Dad really wanted to see the Olympic sites. If there's anybody who doesn't know, Lake Placid has hosted Olympic games twice, once in 1932 and again in 1980. The 1980 Olympics was the "Miracle on Ice" where the US beat the Soviet Union in hockey to win the gold medal. This was the first time in the history of the Olympics we won gold in hockey. But anyway, we went to the Olympic sites.<br />
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We took a ski lift to the top of Whiteface Mountain, one of the highest in the Adirondacks. If you can see the tiny white dot just above the center of the frame and to the left of the most right cable, that's the building where the chair lift started. As you can see, it was a very long way up.<br />
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This is a view of Lake Placid from the top of Whiteface.<br />
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Nathan wasn't too thrilled with having his picture taken.<br />
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This is the skating rink where Miracle on Ice happened. History was made. The US rocked the sports world :)<br />
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This is the ski jump ramp. You can see how small the door at the bottom is, so this thing is very, very tall.<br />
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This is looking down to where the jumpers land. The gray square at the end of the green patch is where the skiers have to stop at the end of their run. I think you'd have to be out of your mind to ever do this.<br />
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A view up from the bottom. Again, you'd have to be out of your mind.<br />
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This is the new bobsled course. The one from the 1980 Olympics couldn't handle the modern speeds safely, so they built this mile-long track. We walked down it (no riding though ;-) ). </div>
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I think Nathan would win the race, though. Even on foot.</div>
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We took a boat tour on Lake Placid, itself. Each of the cabins there (called "camps") costs over 1 million dollars. The money you have to make to afford one of those places was outrageous. The families that own Texas Instruments, Calphalon, and Alpo each have camps.</div>
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I was glad to go again in the summer, this time with Nathan with me. Mom and Dad really enjoyed the trip, too. They love to see historic sites and Lake Placid has a nice history to offer. I was also glad to see the sites and check them off my "bucket list" :-) </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-55166255891294177192011-09-20T23:59:00.001-04:002011-09-21T00:02:05.591-04:00St. Lucia Wrap Up (Boy am I terrible at blogging)I left off with a photographic tour of the Sandals grounds. Very beautiful, but doesn't scratch the surface of St. Lucia. Here are a few quick pictures from our speedboat tour.<br />
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Rich people's houses on the side of a mountain overlooking the ocean. Must be nice.<br />
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Private beaches.<br />
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These mountains are the Pitons. They're considered the most memorable feature of the St. Lucian landscape. They are even reflected in the "double peaks" of the St. Lucian flag. On the left is Petit Piton. On the right is Gros Piton, the taller of the two mountains (it looks shorter in this picture because it's farther away). Petit Piton is a very difficult mountain to climb, and I didn't want to die...so we decided to climb Gros Piton (the day after this boat cruise).</div>
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The edge of the tree line marks the beginning of the volcanic valley. We went into the crater for a volcanic ash bath. It makes skin feel silky.<br />
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There's still heat coming out of this thing, too. I burned myself in the water where we did the ash bath.<br />
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This shoe-shaped rock formation was in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. I don't know which one because I'm not very good at pop culture...and I wasn't terribly impressed with the movies.</div>
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The day after the speedboat tour, Nathan and I climbed that mountain I mentioned, Gros Piton.</div>
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This was on the way up Gros Piton. You can just see the island of St. Vincent off in the distance to the south.<br />
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Here you can see the island of Martinique to the north (far off above the horizon). It's amazing how close together all the different Caribbean nations are. It's a good thing they aren't fighting with each other because it seems like you could throw a rock from one island to the next.<br />
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Petit Piton looks a whole lot steeper from this view. I was so glad we didn't try to climb it.<br />
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This one is for Mom. She's grown this purple plant called Wandering Jew as a house plant for as long as I remember. Here, it grows all over the side of the mountain in huge patches.</div>
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Hot and sweaty and gross and exhausted, we made it to the summit! 2438 feet high.<br />
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Still sweaty and gross and exhausted, we got a great photo op with the Pitons in the background :)<br />
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This, obviously, wasn't on one of our outings, but we celebrated my birthday while we were there. I don't know why the creepers in the back felt the need to smile for our picture, but whatever.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW3YiGm3EvfKFJaxN2KvuBiymXz4w37HZOKM4J_osXx85ZI0TwIoG72YVekyFaUUG3ddpanjt6IYRkmM5VCZd1nPh1PjDwkR7mIzQ5Rp8h6w3cB__pj2Gu0fPADoFgQpR46AJ7Cq683c/s1600/DSCN0645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW3YiGm3EvfKFJaxN2KvuBiymXz4w37HZOKM4J_osXx85ZI0TwIoG72YVekyFaUUG3ddpanjt6IYRkmM5VCZd1nPh1PjDwkR7mIzQ5Rp8h6w3cB__pj2Gu0fPADoFgQpR46AJ7Cq683c/s400/DSCN0645.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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And as a last picture of St. Lucia, here's a beautiful panoramic from the top of Gros Piton looking out to the south.<br />
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That's it for St. Lucia! More random updates to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-78510288173018747572011-06-15T17:00:00.000-04:002011-09-21T00:00:22.498-04:00The Sandals Grounds<div style="text-align: center;">
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There will probably be more than a few posts about the St. Lucia trip. For one thing, I like to relive the trip. How I miss those warm tropical breezes. *Sigh* For another thing, I took about...500 pictures? Don't worry - I'm not going to post all of them. But I'll post a lot of them in various groups and try to make sense of them. <br />
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This time I'll show you lots of pictures of the Sandals Halcyon grounds. "Lush" and "tropical" are the two words that come to mind. Like most mountainous islands, St. Lucia has the dry desert side and the tropical rainy side. We were on the tropical rainy side. You'll see.</div>
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The gardens were gorgeous.</div>
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They don't overlook the details, either.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">They had some rooms with some serious garden appeal. We didn't stay in one of these. Why spend all your money on the room exterior?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618317289048669202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8c7BYy4KIiIYhWTpC6-bCVSSsSuAgov6i29i6h7tDrjPapDp0KcADLjwNdeZdmKGzfKv11PyckpBaLwg03TOUeMxD6hMOR-ZxvmgnZWCvY6vlTk-VxEFIZAmJnfoZcZH7IaUMW1V_Bw/s400/DSC_1063.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">For my birthday, Nathan got us a massage. They do them in this gazebo right on the beach. It was wonderful :-) The lady said that I'm very tense and I should get another massage when I get home. Maybe I should remind Nathan she said that...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618319085477725202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwm0lPaYw5snc3KcXg-hN7-coMkK1dMpPx1ODqdnwgNmSyibmloEh4ahniDdKFy_H3OaVRINmvG4pw6f-9a1Bfv9IgXjl5HcvKzotgT9bO4S5IPn7j0Z14fK-Db0SbM2_gcb0SCq2Cjg/s400/DSC_1085.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">My favorite restaurant at our particular Sandals (there are three on St. Lucia) was The Pier. We went there for my birthday dinner, too.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuR1rJA07vNLQu7bzjJ2qvKm1oimffCMuY-TiMxB2KairnSY5T6s7l8ul1XIGdpJ91VxzV03oABPjP6CCcYNQ2VrXufLuJRSLCWTBBWwOMe0ktjuZjOSFOs65UOms2yXvfHwOUg2Wl4Y/s1600/DSC_1077.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618318042463986098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuR1rJA07vNLQu7bzjJ2qvKm1oimffCMuY-TiMxB2KairnSY5T6s7l8ul1XIGdpJ91VxzV03oABPjP6CCcYNQ2VrXufLuJRSLCWTBBWwOMe0ktjuZjOSFOs65UOms2yXvfHwOUg2Wl4Y/s400/DSC_1077.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 266px;" /></a></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPPgqEO8cYgaG2mTxN4seYDpiRsT6dfpKLGmoCv4XWPxs8kIAOb_MOGcs8-j90P3p36za0G91M-AcUABa9e7Tq50ZVX6QUMZ5pOOaI-WCsDDfjCVk_vt8cFWYRZh0jldQdpp5UYi20p8/s1600/DSC_1075.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOn6fSH6IGXpWBj3LJYkdiKX2MJ1chpS9JhtIh7htTV-1Sflt_ZmYZCMdxok4Kr-ccq97-JeW-UJPzsgBaN5Hr2la4LZuRRvTL746KEPAUdsdFJVbXHA5jBIgZFl0BKHLEr7onAsnOj2M/s1600/DSC_1065.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618317298008683026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOn6fSH6IGXpWBj3LJYkdiKX2MJ1chpS9JhtIh7htTV-1Sflt_ZmYZCMdxok4Kr-ccq97-JeW-UJPzsgBaN5Hr2la4LZuRRvTL746KEPAUdsdFJVbXHA5jBIgZFl0BKHLEr7onAsnOj2M/s400/DSC_1065.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">A couple of other interesting notes. There was one particular tree (the white five-petaled flowers in the garden pictures earlier in the post) that had these caterpillars on it. They were about FIVE INCHES long. Huge. One of the workers told me they were flesh-eating caterpillars. Obviously I'm no idiot, and since they were eating the leaves on the tree, I was pretty sure they were just a big variety of regular caterpillars... that eat plants. Intimidating to squeamish girls. Me, not so much.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618316342507086770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila-iawHDnaKPD2htsRoRWF9B1KIBepOPoNrUeCbUekWZRVgn5Qkw8i60EDG8XxdwlWL7J7wzsxgAlbILL7Ck1wcKqpCLPCXkr8aL1iLhtAxQFXd0zqn_VXyRnYxrT27CF5ACM60Z-uXU/s400/DSC_1053.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">Also, they had a few sets of these...</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618316351489589922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlyjFD6AxDOpdt-KzV8YonDEsKcy-_orIV7NHFtH_20xHl6idqpgBhqZtNw2BIdsn6wGqxRrTEFVc6rZHK5oq6-eUp56eVbXxmP5j7YZmMyaB5ejPWD1jiavifywUaCZhc6-JVO-1JLY/s400/DSC_1057.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618319095347161506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZDcH1gHYdGUkzigfwolqQzU5FJnqmvKABC5Z9oKgGGqPEsfVp0fvpmLpKf4wl3kBnz4wglKjUgxe1i78X0kjNTT_W-4QM6_LwNjxgBSfP7RTHpOxByVJzs9Ln7E77ZEbeidCaIXmKig/s400/DSC_1089.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">I like to call them Wizard's Chess. If you don't get this reference, you should really get out more. And watch some Harry Potter movies. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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More St. Lucia posts to come!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-25278908888428383792011-04-27T02:28:00.012-04:002011-06-15T02:21:33.702-04:00The Puerto Rico Detour<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-SUPXv_NPxylOoDlUnspc5kg05Gh-hvWS4tbciGKJH_ZhqAeaVwGJlRiFzgZe9nPtUs9rSEx6u-8u61d7BXGu8z3fYglM5RquEftciDY0hiHu3gFwnw8f5678_hPuJj7clFE1u6wlVM/s1600/DSCN0560.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>How behind am I on this stuff??? I'm a little annoyed at myself, but I'll try to play catch up. I hope you don't mind being a little behind, but I'd rather tell you about my trip late than not at all. We cool? Cool :-) </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few weeks (<i>now months *ahem*</i>) ago, Nathan and I finally got to go on a nice welcome home vacation. I'll skip the annoying details, but thanks to the Atlanta airport's poor planning, they made us miss our connection from Syracuse to St. Lucia. Delta re-booked us to St. Lucia by way of Puerto Rico. The only thing was instead of getting to St. Lucia at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, we'd have a six hour layover in San Juan. Nathan and I decided that since we had such a long wait and it should be relatively simple to leave the airport and come back in time for our flight, we should go try to see SOMETHING in Puerto Rico. I mean, since we were there already, why not? So with a little advice from some in-airport ticket agents, off we trudged with our carry on bags (Nathan was sweet enough to deal with the one rolling one). We didn't really have time to do more than eat and go stand on the beach if we wanted to get back to the airport with a big time buffer (we REALLY didn't want to have to miss another flight)... so we took a cab to a highly recommended restaurant that just so happened to be a couple of blocks from the beach. Kill two birds with one cab fare.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>We went to a restaurant called Metropol. From what we heard, it is THE place in San Juan to go for authentic Puerto Rican food. Our server was very nice. He gave us directions on the easiest way to get to the beach from where we were, told us about moving back to Puerto Rico from Brooklyn when he was a teenager, and about all the famous people that come to the restaurant when they're in town. We tried the flan...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-SUPXv_NPxylOoDlUnspc5kg05Gh-hvWS4tbciGKJH_ZhqAeaVwGJlRiFzgZe9nPtUs9rSEx6u-8u61d7BXGu8z3fYglM5RquEftciDY0hiHu3gFwnw8f5678_hPuJj7clFE1u6wlVM/s400/DSCN0560.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618301196144445170" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>And the tres leches cake...</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRD-HjeQ-k7wb3AxkKZgAp2RpWhzdCfQgLx9hbahMeOAFpTpgdzKWCkI0rkSGbQeAJIzW5zh2Jta59DOENGBQrZe3wANqa1-qO50UTiplGAbkTPWRCc6vFlxETG_gTLCy0W-Difj-kQQI/s1600/DSCN0561.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRD-HjeQ-k7wb3AxkKZgAp2RpWhzdCfQgLx9hbahMeOAFpTpgdzKWCkI0rkSGbQeAJIzW5zh2Jta59DOENGBQrZe3wANqa1-qO50UTiplGAbkTPWRCc6vFlxETG_gTLCy0W-Difj-kQQI/s400/DSCN0561.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618301202867061058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I actually like my own tres leches cake recipe better. Okay okay, to be fair, it's <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/">P-Dub's</a> recipe. But I still like it better.</div><div><br /></div><div>I couldn't help but notice this place right next door...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5JB0yLZG8A4MCnEUcSGNbPQ_eAF5_Y7z4xAyBUHci3_oYlp4vTuRxjggii8K2ih7nV_h4Fj5HSxUXHg9gB4wsKTLm-MDRShpwoMsfGUAWUcY5kYVlSIoCXxfPjAGVkGcgiVZ1Oi4Bcw/s400/DSC_1026b.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600151687298270290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I forget that cockfighting is legal anywhere in the U.S., but Puerto Rico gets to play both sides. They're American, but pay no federal taxes and they get to do pretty much whatever they want.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">And again, for a place with such rich culture, this street is a little disappointing. Can you count the fast food restaurants in this one picture?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZaS3ZdtAw4vy1wtovEb5dnnIdFogq4j6s5UCUDbnR4ez12X4BQWSau8xDKxz8OiFHqFrFPw3600vEFot7hSk6pwt6oM3-2I5kXsqxWlltzurTL6jYktEDJ21-y2UwG6-RqGPwCrj7WI/s400/DSC_1027.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600154345411313938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The beach was beautiful...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNprk46kKbAeSGIEfJUh3y6rCwD1JT-rNR9_w-EHReDv409vv6sQrv0XozzgEX1k5xNstLHjFcunIFly0WPKGRfgvpLhSGJltUT0YegE-v_VnSo6w9KypCqauHdrgJDFr0oYPa8xo1GI/s1600/DSC_1030.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNprk46kKbAeSGIEfJUh3y6rCwD1JT-rNR9_w-EHReDv409vv6sQrv0XozzgEX1k5xNstLHjFcunIFly0WPKGRfgvpLhSGJltUT0YegE-v_VnSo6w9KypCqauHdrgJDFr0oYPa8xo1GI/s400/DSC_1030.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600157121795727058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0i5Mx5e3l-G9R68sILnQug0i3d_vTkYTAXUUyrunstQnz8G_av9aclyR6Fdv1aSDYrpn-l25ThDii_BjlZ30uXYsRbMPVkmZtdtICaEwlLGbH3V16jogmp7TN_L-R5VbOHfWZ_ZtzxwI/s1600/DSC_1031.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0i5Mx5e3l-G9R68sILnQug0i3d_vTkYTAXUUyrunstQnz8G_av9aclyR6Fdv1aSDYrpn-l25ThDii_BjlZ30uXYsRbMPVkmZtdtICaEwlLGbH3V16jogmp7TN_L-R5VbOHfWZ_ZtzxwI/s400/DSC_1031.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600157129774134994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">And we were being very touristy :-) Standing on the beach with suitcases, taking pictures - I'm sure we looked pretty ridiculous.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8ZF3jnE0Hb-68pkjvV01LdCdldVm5xN9S1ePCEgihqEKHpGLsRMp0tIOh9j6TzV2HyvARCSpekDH5lfIg6B1Lln4RDsgT9NIKVA1ylRgg0D7pHNz5abJ6Y6L4Li1jdn8hn4QEY0q3gA/s400/DSC_1033.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600157904233148146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinP8crZ-J9HxvlVbR-OM8snS2fAkpyWkT5_OH6LYWslR_Ojy_4AvddExCwBidSD-10oT1tXvkBGWJyfRGFUs-2qMHfG0q9mGOqu_PBuE0ftgepIvS8Y9DeH4nhVdz_jAqAn_XiYcgjc8E/s400/DSCN0565.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618301214334953506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">After the beach, we headed back to the airport. The Caribbean being a tropical place like it is, it started raining just before we boarded the plane. Now, I've done a good bit of flying. I've even been on quite a few regional "puddle jumper" jets. I have never before this trip, however, been on such a rickety PROP plane. A.k.a. death trap. A.k.a. vomit comet. It was so small, it never even made it above the clouds (and therefore, the storm). We had to fill out our customs form during the flight, too, so imagine trying to fill out a legal document while your hands are bouncing all over the place. It was MISERABLE. Pray you never have to fly on one of these guys...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ySvPStw5MCeWuprds7jWuW1BukE3rM3oHHHh2A9SXTi8JJcr5l_dEhsqayjikYXLEa-A9TRPkJm-LRVSVf3BB1DXIhLhtW4TnvpcO0OprdUILiqPuT1ntSfO4rfihV6mCZxB2vlXvms/s400/DSC_1034.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600160352260257378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Coming soon - St. Lucia! </span></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-73326083369583863822011-03-27T22:29:00.002-04:002011-03-30T00:43:55.113-04:00Welcome Home!<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ETgTcIfSK1j1VR3rqvU9pPgFTogkQJjSrhSyPcfEN0Z9jYrrRDrCRMmZaFBkHJf6DsHZ9VG7Goi2ZLSvSSZSRMuHCzqzuiHi9ydCYJNcvxxbJAGFUeHzNnMTM_lDDSVRHvhX7WjFIt0/s1600/DSC_1018b.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: left;">After approximately four delays in the two days leading up to their scheduled arrival, Nathan FINALLY made it home Sunday morning at 2 a.m. Yes, 2 a.m. He spent 360 days away from home. Most soldiers don't push the 365 day limit so much, but in Nathan's group someone had gotten to 362 days. If a soldier spends 365 days in the country he's deployed to, it costs the Army a lot of extra money. The Army tries to cut it as close as possible without risking going over.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our good friend Sarah spent the day helping me frantically clean, and then came with me to the ceremony to take pictures for me :-)</div><div><br /></div><div>Since the Welcome Home Ceremony was supposed to start at 1 a.m. up until they changed it four hours before, I decided to show up a little before 1 juuuuuuuust in case it started early anyway. At 1 a.m., they started showing the video of the plane carrying all the soldiers landing, and then all of them coming off the plane and shaking the big wigs' hands. They played the video over and over and over... It was painful to watch, really. I just wanted them to hurry up already. This was also the point where my hands started shaking and I got light-headed. Nerves do some crazy things to the body! It was a long hour for sure, watching my hands shake and trying to focus on breathing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the huge open gym where the ceremony took place.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8at7eqonYKhuxNKXKgCxsT2ufu1s63kLBFceehVS6RqOZm9u0tJTw4AmyQIbEX_HNZjGieJ-tRVUdZYVtoAdSfyGo9_DJOYNkupWiCtbehUWm7-sThPC6EqHn5IuP8Uo5p0_6Csp2y-c/s400/DSC_1008.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588959072429330610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">It was agonizing just sitting there, watching some of the important people come in, hug their families, knowing we're all watching them and wanting our soldiers back. I think if I wasn't allowed to see my husband yet, they shouldn't have been hugging their families right in front of us. I just think that's bad taste. But you know, my opinion just doesn't matter much to the Army...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Here is the group of soldiers. Now how in the world am I supposed to be able to pick Nathan out of that group???</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Pmi3_Wu9LsFKn2Qfsie80n18AiXtqJJvsBcO6XCr9c_W1SE0iFu-gn93zt0kDFVvCs_6nA2TXlcHEeMvEzqeKemSRvPZ1sclCq835O0i0EAaN2QYEi-tvx-dcHDeuBxdBFXhwMUqTk/s400/DSC_1013.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588959075960966450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I couldn't very well. This is me, totally not clapping like we were supposed to be doing, and thinking "Which one is Nathan?!?!?"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXi-eIyDPS5xSgYxRrt0anmomnirnHYZEY4bqBGz87KH_sMCefc4BKhXHxNKhI5R0w-VGX67H3rCElAD4ZxustCQRfpOzg7AsBowFyThJPM-YqcmX3Eb2IO4HchStW_QWX2RWru2jCRc/s400/DSC_1012.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588967668452191490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">He told me later where he was in the line up. He's in that second row, fourth in line. The one with the tiny black arrow head pointed at him. I most definitely couldn't tell that from all the way up in the bleachers.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibukmzbnZ1bDgYFWEPOXV_dFgK5kQEa28s1iZm45O3UwncvwEjQmXDxqEdRDg_pIJxZWEtsjp7Yd43WuZKG-GZdt8HRdBF98ZIGdzKMgNx9w5ShngQacu4o15F-fUO5GVWL9nPBJFuxd0/s400/DSC_1009b.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588967658553702850" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">After a short speech that I couldn't understand because of a bad sound system, and really didn't care to hear since I was looking for Nathan, they said a prayer, sang the 10th Mountain Song (I'd never even heard of it, but it was so important they had to sing it at 2 a.m. before turning the soldiers loose???), sang the Army Song, and then all out chaos. Fortunately for me, Sarah spotted Nathan. How were two short people supposed to find each other in that crowd?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgdNwfYLOsNAH5xPAPumIH5Whlg8mjWjj_7XNnpZ1-ZoYxCe4YDw4uG77j969JqafvT5sjya3Wcppbem-rBnbXV_Yi3ew-v9EmECDAxUitpIRaldqcAEpuvL4_4JCnGsKANRni_Nz9m8/s400/DSC_1017.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588968538701288466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">This is my favorite though. You have no idea what a good feeling this is.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ETgTcIfSK1j1VR3rqvU9pPgFTogkQJjSrhSyPcfEN0Z9jYrrRDrCRMmZaFBkHJf6DsHZ9VG7Goi2ZLSvSSZSRMuHCzqzuiHi9ydCYJNcvxxbJAGFUeHzNnMTM_lDDSVRHvhX7WjFIt0/s400/DSC_1018b.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588969556023128802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I really really missed this guy :-) </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HwAEVCS37nUENrxG6Ptt04dLZrnXVsz9EVxh9Xn4NzU3SFm7rixxFEUBtg-MN3L6DwxuCvGvnS2Gl9ma8Fa8gcgfaDxJPIyYea_eU1kEWkZJi5TiyXgn_R5wBL_tRMo7gM2sGhbxE2o/s400/DSC_1019.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588968545091452082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Also, the guy on the left hugging the woman in black is Nathan's friend Rich. He was creeping in most of our pictures. There's a picture where Nathan is kissing me, and Rich is looking over at us and laughing. I've done a bit of creative cropping :-) Rich said we're in all of his, too, so I guess that's only fair.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Somewhere around 3:00 a.m., we finally made it out of there and headed home. Saturday/Sunday morning was probably the absolute longest day I've had all year, but deployment is OVER!!! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-49603552527967449252011-03-21T20:32:00.000-04:002011-03-21T23:46:16.245-04:00Winter Activities<div style="text-align: left;">After this one, I think I'll be pretty much caught up for the year. Finally!</div><div><br /></div><div>I did quite a bit of traveling during the winter. I'm glad I did, because the weather here was MISERABLE. Here's a picture I snapped with my phone one day. Yes, that is snow halfway up the garage. And yes, it is starting to cover the living room windows - and this wasn't even at the worst of it. Miserable. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaH_DSyp024fKYaHOudnuYdS2LwuBSjssnHA6Hxj6ylkEuaTfxdc21mnC13Lqw0RVT_bI_DkoSiuk0cpkgRMPu3iqMDVAF76fR5g1S11ayrLH3CQhrTjG_AQh1EerYsS6gB_ygQ1G8Cmk/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586700025661879522" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">So like I said, I got out of here as much as possible during winter. My bosses were very understanding about Nathan being gone and my having zero family around. I was basically off work for three straight weeks. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Now cut me some slack on all this, because it's been a while and the details are a little fuzzy...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I went home on Monday before Thanksgiving and spent it with my family. It was so nice to just relax and be home with them. Nathan was flying into Columbus (Mississippi, near Starkville where his parents live) </span>possibly on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, so I went down to Starkville ahead of him and checked into a hotel, got all the stuff Nathan wanted to have for R&R, and waited. The waiting is awful. He ended up flying in Saturday afternoon. I'm not usually an overly emotional person, but I cried for at least five straight minutes when he walked in the gate. Deployment messes with your head.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">We spent the evening with his parents, brothers, and sisters having a slightly delayed Thanksgiving dinner. They had waited for him to get home to have the big dinner. We also spent a lot of time that week just sort of hanging out around Starkville/Mississippi State, going to all of our favorite restaurants (I really miss the barbecue!). We even got to watch the seventh Harry Potter movie while we were there :-) </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Over the weekend, we went to visit some of our very good friends Brian and Becca Page, who were living at Fort Benning, Georgia while Brian finished up his infantry training. Some other good friends came while we were there - Allen and Lindsay Arant came from Fort Rucker, Alabama, and Jeff Cummings came up from EOD school (explosive ordnance disposal) at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. It was a Mississippi State ROTC reunion! We had a great time watching the SEC football championship game. I really miss getting to watch SEC football. Here, all they like to show is NFL (lame) and hockey (even worse). But anyway, absolutely awesome weekend. Saying goodbye to everyone was sad because with PCSes (army moves) coming up and the possibility of deployments, we were just guessing at when we might see each other again. I am so glad we got to see them for the weekend though!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Mi11hnHmlw4VoW3SzJe-GFctQ0Y1JoCrTXRGLm4wDZu8x_FCh6COigDYRdaLU5Bpxd-QnLYW4md459ljEUuED8SbHr8T4osJ62Ov5iGSSReEjfnOVUUU7x_ctjhQWY-OGK-DwedbpFs/s400/DSCN0434.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586742160671946114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">We squeezed in a quick visit to Tennessee so Nathan could see my family, and then (sadly) it was back to Mississippi to say goodbye. If I thought saying goodbye the first time was hard, this was so much worse. I think because after eight months, I got only two weeks and I just felt cheated. Two weeks in eight months is just. not. enough. Not even close to enough. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Nathan just missed Thanksgiving, and wasn't home quite long enough to spend Christmas with me, but I'm still grateful I got to spend some of the holiday season with him.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4tdv8B3bckYIliSxpeJDJcaIFpYBPxqxLgpODv4uq93bJdBW_-swS7LB1DdFd-BY4KjkbHt4u2F4HCAhzY7rZh_GatbOtXjXyoUm7liJ-CwtQC0UD3TZ22QueFrYHjuNyXRD6Chtq7M/s400/DSCN0443.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586742171318275490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">After his R&R, I still lucked out and got to go home for Christmas. I flew home Christmas Eve, miraculously making all my flights on time, and so I got to see my family a third time for the winter.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Basically, I was all over the place this winter. Now that Nathan is home and spring is nearly here, I'm hoping to spend some time with him enjoying all the local (or relatively local) things - the walking trails along the Black River, Lake Placid and the Adirondacks, boat tours along the St. Lawrence River. Or maybe just sit around the house together watching movies :-) </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-82811866706343359172011-03-08T21:54:00.001-05:002011-06-15T02:27:18.876-04:00Labor Day Weekend 2010<div style="text-align: left;">I know I'm behind, but I'm catching up, OK?</div><div><br /></div><div>Labor Day weekend, I went on a little road trip with my friends Sarah and Kim to the Finger Lakes region of New York. I'd never been there before (except for just driving through), but this place was absolutely beautiful. You can bet that Nathan and I will be visiting. </div><div><br /></div><div>When we got there, it had just stopped raining after several days of bad weather. This picture pretty much sums up how great the weekend was...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCXmZza-bJ8Cow9_jGCXliMxtTJfsXYjv80PBAOD9naiTi3KHy2O4CCK3PKzRwlURygPAvdBWdjamBJ764p3rxAj0qTOCkTqtpa3s7dfTMF2EinWgNGbgk1fJcTfWlGQEQRlb0w2Rm2k/s400/DSC_0909.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581917446718840482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Kim knew about this great state park called <a href="http://nyfalls.com/watkinsglensp.html">Watkins Glen</a>. It's too bad it was pretty close to dark when we went, but there's a series of beautiful waterfalls that have obviously been wearing away at the rock for a very long time.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ-h10pgxjsEPqAr_zRrYdfR-m4nVWpLc8Run-xxbYvX7IHjP8Y4TRDIJkmh2J2uWG5q4x1Q29obgxJ7HF_F7kpOOGvlcXx0Ayo0_liUoZ8d43mdpeBudu4MRteN8S2t3JkoaflxScIg/s1600/DSC_0923.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ-h10pgxjsEPqAr_zRrYdfR-m4nVWpLc8Run-xxbYvX7IHjP8Y4TRDIJkmh2J2uWG5q4x1Q29obgxJ7HF_F7kpOOGvlcXx0Ayo0_liUoZ8d43mdpeBudu4MRteN8S2t3JkoaflxScIg/s400/DSC_0923.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581918481552648978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTb1_7sQH0WTBlyke9I9uOc279NT-zeoDLYwIUEpfOnIOoEA5WmWZrcZpG_ztnI6WbDjwjJ0IGAHp_9slD2WyvuQ_Kh3OWq9IPmyHSMBoFEvkl-8Qe04oXBcxtFueeBs4lAAjqoXmnc4/s1600/DSC_0914.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTb1_7sQH0WTBlyke9I9uOc279NT-zeoDLYwIUEpfOnIOoEA5WmWZrcZpG_ztnI6WbDjwjJ0IGAHp_9slD2WyvuQ_Kh3OWq9IPmyHSMBoFEvkl-8Qe04oXBcxtFueeBs4lAAjqoXmnc4/s400/DSC_0914.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581918470774316434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7w2_ss-RvYwCLH7l0kL-RpgPcVCCzRb14ZPL3DpwOOtpRJspLEOwsGRLBwnNB5KrOA8WgmPG3s3GS-rq3c24N3fh866HOqQaOOlppPsNs63v5vA04gp_oxnC69JSEGNW8yuGDvTzChc/s1600/DSC_0915.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7w2_ss-RvYwCLH7l0kL-RpgPcVCCzRb14ZPL3DpwOOtpRJspLEOwsGRLBwnNB5KrOA8WgmPG3s3GS-rq3c24N3fh866HOqQaOOlppPsNs63v5vA04gp_oxnC69JSEGNW8yuGDvTzChc/s400/DSC_0915.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581917453855962082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></div><div>I am sooooo looking forward to going back and hiking the rest of the way into this place! </div><div><br /></div><div>Funny side note: I guess we weren't the only ones who had the idea to take a spontaneous trip to Watkins Glen. We tried to find a hotel room and out of the maybe twenty hotels/motels/B&Bs we called, we finally found one that had two available rooms - one with two beds that was a "smoking" room, and one with a king bed that was "non-smoking". We unanimously voted to go cozy and save ourselves from coughing all night. I guess I didn't realize places still had hotel rooms for smokers. Random. Anyway...</div><div><br /></div><div>After we got home, there was a storm system moving in. I snapped some pictures from the marina in Sackets Harbor and a couple of cloud pictures from the Lowe's parking lot. Hey - you've gotta take your chances when they come.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIt7eMMf7KHUZ9g-atCluu1ctbQTKVVWg5iMyVupJwUyOvl30ozPXz7-TauyhmEjrEL09fFOWhyXI_T8DwBleICuQTXN-wm21B0Z8mTgmH0CWC5R8Fe-oj0Ls9RrYqan-oycDUOAP9cU/s400/DSC_0939b.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581933095905396130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pR7q8Nd5DBf80gvNGqkCaUEs4WD0T5fy8DUqSg3Y5iSyRPDfGxLVDD2FYx9Th2a-Ydf7SUA3VC1ygy_S-gqGw2tt4gZIntoWQxdEhecr9ZuzgG-7eSSpkDnKOYa83sAPbZEGbesUT6s/s400/DSC_0964.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581928212997464002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09i6g91vh7ZxfPFNRU9IsEvv-9cQ_inRwffu6OLnIqRs2cR-35rdpzpB-gPxdqka1JmjC4QkTU6Fuc5BX0NUIbsDUb5v0QQ8T33KU4SIW8vOHbQES3xmnXGuTriXNuMlozeaH9WyjHfE/s400/DSC_0965.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581928610891831794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Next time, I'll tell you about Thanksgiving/Nathan's R&R/Christmas. I didn't bring my camera, so if you're the type to like pictures stories, I'm sorry. You won't like it. If you have a problem with it, tell the airlines that fly in and out of Syracuse to let me actually keep my carry on bag inside the cabin with me so my camera will be safe when I travel. I'm not putting my camera in a bag that's going to get thrown in the cargo hold. Nope. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-31575468920261797632011-02-23T17:43:00.000-05:002011-02-23T19:50:03.423-05:00Mom and Dad Came to Visit, Part III<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It hasn't been very long since Part II, has it??? Nah... Just seems like it to you, maybe...</div><div><br /></div><div>Before I start, some of these pictures are from Mom, so if they aren't the most amazing photography ever, don't look at me ;-)<br /><div><br /></div><div>After NYC, I took Mom and Dad up to the St. Lawrence River. We took a boat tour of what's called "Millionaires' Row". Millionaires' Row is what they call all the houses built along the St. Lawrence by millionaires when industry was huge. A lot of the homeowners were wealthy business men from New York City. This house is a good example of one:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNq7fWctELeFuo3hUJd47MVqTh93F3QhotDh3xOvXOmujDtArM54OoLKnZ4efHbGPjxBHXiKIilYDMAWPGkRWLbRfqVl1hfVIAavxEtMXWWrDc12dn9pBpyAZYVzVF8JAzvrgs1QUv9Ec/s400/DSCN0866.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577029057383341250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>One millionaire's house in particular is a gigantic home called Boldt Castle, built by the owner of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel around 1900. If you want to read about it, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boldt_Castle">Wikipedia</a> has a pretty good article. The house was extremely ornate, in typical industry mogul style.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HH8ysL3GyLdjYQptXHdiEm1VQrtkO8jFG_1vmB3SYleMtLy9x8x3x9IDsEgC3i32QRcBy5hBZIkgCZ_MfK6R-I_oi0FdyO8h15YgOnnoWrKgJaAWmw4CPOBETgq850MBPH8t6ox5b4Y/s400/DSCN0889.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577032809277225490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYHhT4I0q_AtP1u7cA5GEsuoAM4Jt_JyAWSNDs6zrg1CFB2dmyOr411UdSlc9qgiPN__nCFLWaCKToD6vfqIr2OaFFoaRoTqIWwwjhsDzehODK4lgo8Cj1MJWzbupbs2kudtNlj2MCwU/s1600/DSCN0910.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHF3-4K5YJapu-dAwFeGQFcAZ7gIjxCCpBw67gauJYjFxmhIXY6lwx13nzZ28keZ6R_clFV_pKwl-bX7aTdrooBuAYYCkLjNdtbVXfdtmMA2FyGKVrJDC90MlqT-J6hzSz2KRRLf0QQq4/s1600/DSCN0896.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHF3-4K5YJapu-dAwFeGQFcAZ7gIjxCCpBw67gauJYjFxmhIXY6lwx13nzZ28keZ6R_clFV_pKwl-bX7aTdrooBuAYYCkLjNdtbVXfdtmMA2FyGKVrJDC90MlqT-J6hzSz2KRRLf0QQq4/s400/DSCN0896.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577032820577138082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Can you even imagine a dining table for 20??? I get nervous having more than two people over. But I guess it's easier when you have an entire staff of servants, right?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><u><br /></u></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B1oMgmmn3glH_5TgNuHYpvfs-4tajxyL3kOlNZibupJoC1VpjJO1mH7afG4jjrTE0vaSJBbdocYElWgoV0K5yqTCef-3aZeSLstkFq_OpY1KFQCGxEtTn0xOvDuxWRoLzwa2T0AgeAM/s1600/DSCN0893.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B1oMgmmn3glH_5TgNuHYpvfs-4tajxyL3kOlNZibupJoC1VpjJO1mH7afG4jjrTE0vaSJBbdocYElWgoV0K5yqTCef-3aZeSLstkFq_OpY1KFQCGxEtTn0xOvDuxWRoLzwa2T0AgeAM/s400/DSCN0893.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577032811374381810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>I think Mom and Dad had a good time seeing the house :-) </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYHhT4I0q_AtP1u7cA5GEsuoAM4Jt_JyAWSNDs6zrg1CFB2dmyOr411UdSlc9qgiPN__nCFLWaCKToD6vfqIr2OaFFoaRoTqIWwwjhsDzehODK4lgo8Cj1MJWzbupbs2kudtNlj2MCwU/s400/DSCN0910.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577032826276936162" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div></div><div>A few days later, we decided we should go to Niagara Falls. Dad had never been, and Mom and Dad <i>DID</i> say that they wanted the whirlwind tour of New York, so I tried to make it happen.</div><div><br /></div><div>All of the pictures are taken from the Canadian side of the falls. Sorry, America, but you really lost out on this. Your view is pretty lame. My advice, if you're ever planning to go to Niagara Falls, be sure to take your passport so you can get to the Canadian side! </div><div><br /></div><div>We got there at night, so we got to see the falls lit up. This is the American waterfall.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT6V8yLvhUfKrOZ4wqyJB3ScwufutGdg04AKYfDxncoTeKU6nQezlozk-WjtuZuFEW7FnT8TwiwDOKtJPmiN93OPZ_nz0Jf8Mf3O3ChPdkbJgzMmzKGk720u2Wg82xmjOdo_lSqvuUjs/s400/DSC_0824.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577037682632585122" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>The Canadian fall is pretty amazing, too.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIk-RuwaL10jYN3irfShbabd_h0NNPHryrjONAZFIP5QS9C2TcaxTMs8d1ShBS-hA4mOc3bKdoH3osgcglb3bZmrpFRe0vmTgjv4G2tDLZL7S8Ms1OWK6o-2GwwZ34CZAYKKKB7zUj_M/s400/DSC_0832.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577041572096434962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>In the mist, I found a double rainbow. What does it mean?!?!? (Sorry - if you don't follow pop culture, you're not going to get that one.)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBR56gaMeMF5PTG5Rx2b0KPswMqr7oFc3g1fxDTUrAyxpgqcLeGSwiV_AgbFpn5hENYm98jAGkqFe2swmhfQD2QGb4kCN8Boq3UfdawKzhW4X_bAbeawH_cJsS__Jxs7Kt0v6bXFWgWu0/s400/DSC_0826.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577045984290016210" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>See? I was on the trip :-) That girl on the left just wouldn't get out of the picture.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDz60UyqQ3aJ7junsWhMGN_bNOaniNY7K9jZApfX4b3mEfuFVUt-btsb3SIdkAHHMd0wL0IqCqxqQEJIrVb03NctbEaqHbhAQQq5JddBe7wtVLQlU1C2yRFtIMRmLbXGG3m0rSQpWLRw/s400/DSC_0867.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577041572885595954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 292px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Mom and Dad had to squeeze in to get in front of a section of fence. That place was crowded!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-6EXjRT_ssuakrZOJNcv85TC8D81usu-ct8cgeE1JH0X2ZIoIOte2wvVrEMfII6Cy8Jlj3DZSTKDbleSnJU6k-qcTrqLH9alFzyaW043pVxtIOyRYsyBwdz3MWvV6oxuzptukOJy2Avg/s400/DSC_0879.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577043646444345090" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">There's a lot of water going over these falls! A picture just doesn't capture that.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2LtBrYqIY4zTP1jrqyO6PjsLlMuV5iOEoQqFEWiDjl9853gbhFcyQNLttcBOzj8P3WRCHH0P5AeARIdRPa_Ydl92FAsCAyunWJK4noVHpB7hs9SImiISz7ejNOnRmROSdVffbjsvOs4/s400/DSC_0881.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577043649822791714" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div>We ate lunch at the top of this tower. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0uq27hmZtFojXkJ4hWzUWktuj89ROE4jG_IgurEYCPmNvmcIBIoZpAGWk5yYYEhJ9bdfiu7WCYZ_ZpdqZhy0UtGwjnm0qSS1e5iDM2hMyslrWNGm5vTFKMHXDcDvqVRUgqrUBsiHi6M/s400/DSC_0872.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577041580197168706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">It had quite a view! See how small that huge Canadian fall is now?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGi6avU9_V77-uhly542K4U6XC02MMExqivJ7Q-PKUzfjvXVN_lGfNB6ZsYRLLDhjz7z32dVX54cqZNhkdNCH8-KCLbWgIHEewJ5i2LzDAMwu5G0YQgsfbTii87detI9hLSi3ngKQel4/s400/DSC_0897.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577043652655958290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Well, ladies and gentlemen, that wraps up the Mom and Dad Came to Visit blog series. Up next, what I've been doing all fall and winter. Maybe I'll get to it BEFORE summer rolls around?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-8787163523986006652011-01-21T22:11:00.000-05:002011-01-21T22:22:41.691-05:00I'm famous! Not really, but...First, I know this doesn't count as a real blog post. Now that I'm not traveling all over the place (like I have been since Thanksgiving), I'll get back to it.<div><br /></div><div>Second, so here's the thing. There's this blog called <a href="http://www.copycatchic.com/">Copy Cat Chic</a> that's pretty famous with home decor kind of people. It's been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, among other big magazines. The idea of the blog is to take a high-end item (lamps, rugs, drapes, furniture) and find an affordable alternative. Since this is pretty much how I have outfitted my whole house, I follow the blog. My awesome dining table that I found? Now it has been featured on Copy Cat Chic, and I got an honorable mention. Go me!</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's the link if you'd like to see my amazing copy cat-finding skills :) </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.copycatchic.com/2011/01/pottery-barn-montego-turned-leg-dining.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+CopyCatChic+(|+Copy+Cat+Chic+|+chic+for+cheap)">http://www.copycatchic.com/2011/01/pottery-barn-montego-turned-leg-dining.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+CopyCatChic+(|+Copy+Cat+Chic+|+chic+for+cheap)</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-79872737642162283232010-11-06T19:59:00.001-04:002010-11-06T20:29:26.408-04:00In case you care about my house furnishings...<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr67KAcqAmwyMjfw2v1EYE4Kp9wCiscE9a11Dy1SO5iohsXMMENUKLYNpDXcVd-j8ycrlQKYDXUsJkc8IBIQiOVtID_7okMkC3JTIzql6YZtvXV0L33OO4-8bdZv41NfSt1WLLUrjLf2I/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+1162010+74448+PM.bmp.jpg"></a>I know you probably don't though. But look at it this way - until I get my dining room furniture, I'm not posting pictures of the house on the blog. So indulge me and I'll get there faster :-) <div><br /></div><div>If you've talked to me about dining room furniture in the past four months or so, you know I'm pretty much obsessed with the <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/montego-turned-leg-rectangular-table-set/?pkey=cmontego-dining">Pottery Barn Montego table</a>. Of course, I'm not so much in love with the price. But just for comparison purposes, here's what the table looks like...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr67KAcqAmwyMjfw2v1EYE4Kp9wCiscE9a11Dy1SO5iohsXMMENUKLYNpDXcVd-j8ycrlQKYDXUsJkc8IBIQiOVtID_7okMkC3JTIzql6YZtvXV0L33OO4-8bdZv41NfSt1WLLUrjLf2I/s400/Fullscreen+capture+1162010+74448+PM.bmp.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536593144771824546" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 263px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I've been looking and looking for a copy cat that I could actually afford. I wanted a rectangular table that seats no less than six people, dark finish, turned wood legs, wooden seat chairs (so the cats don't ruin the upholstery by sleeping on the chairs all the time), and no small vertical slats on the chair backs (super country style). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I've been looking for months and I almost went today and bought a set I'd found, but it didn't fit all my requirements. I got busy this afternoon, though, and didn't make it to the furniture store. I'm glad I didn't. That set would cost nearly $1300 by the time I paid taxes and had it delivered. I looked at <a href="http://thesimplestores.com/">thesimplestores.com</a> (where I found the TV stand I have now which I love) one more time and found <a href="http://www.thesimplediningroomstore.com/p-20230-steve-silver-company-barbados-dining-set-chocolate.aspx">this great set</a>...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDKzgxdQu64m9X_iZg313PcjKUn5xNujCOvGJAMYy8FsN722lZzHESY-CyKQyw5uJkCZYIsTdrwXhQwKPoxS4DfMTkADNyeTWBdCi9VSpVS-uUAUmfrACvNT4FmizbBthPa-qqHV8Icw/s400/Fullscreen+capture+1162010+75151+PM.bmp.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536593147171270194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div>Including six chairs (all chocolate finish, no red ones :-) ) and delivery, this one will cost just over $800. I think I'll take it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Pictures of the house soon! I promise! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-73928664560899532382010-11-01T14:41:00.000-04:002010-11-06T23:26:15.580-04:00Mom and Dad Came to Visit, Part II<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-e4wiuuhETEHdl0bmcObV0lhWWUOmb_sq_E7x4vP1PdrWM9wKepPx507LI7In8FwZ5Y2eZiWddWQTR4cBvIXkNRuMOL5PkFPX00kQgVWZXWXT-3hUEB8x-81jCBQGkk_shDpjFYTxBQU/s1600/DSC_0736.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxSwVP3Qq9NJWxcYDI6L3diaR4LtpRATKR4TvwnLF_L18aPldQmGQ_ysNwvXIko1HreZAcbhVnubULmoi7OZ1Vi2HmkSlfW-J9ugHKjpVrM6ny2vmWX3jXwM_kZU4qpL1jIow265JMAQ/s1600/DSC_0707.JPG"></a>I know my blog seems to be more apologies than posts. I guess all I can do is just try to post more often. So back to the blogging...<div><br /></div><div>I believe I got as far as New Jersey in my trip description. I'll try to hit the highlights of NYC this time around. There was a lot more that we saw but either we drove by and I didn't have time to snap a picture or my computer was about to pass out from too much uploading :-) </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm pretty sure this sign is a joke. I mean, everybody honks. It's the New York City way of driving.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxSwVP3Qq9NJWxcYDI6L3diaR4LtpRATKR4TvwnLF_L18aPldQmGQ_ysNwvXIko1HreZAcbhVnubULmoi7OZ1Vi2HmkSlfW-J9ugHKjpVrM6ny2vmWX3jXwM_kZU4qpL1jIow265JMAQ/s400/DSC_0707.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534664592271970706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>This is the Dakota Building. It's the apartment building where John Lennon was killed. Yoko Ono still lives on the top floor (the entire top floor). </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN6JcmX111_xooGm4q4y62k6XyDP4CEo1TnBRM9ziwX-XjnKExfhCvOuIKnQlzX1ul-j_huyr6-tpYecc0MmUqMoYXg0jiJOaroIFytSCIgvhEeuADnLmz7qoU36tzfl3GCpAbviSuM4/s400/DSC_0717.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534668616399784450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Don't you just love the attitude in this sign?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSfekHYMnVEC7tXkiIdoA5_HFcmPQMvSCtOdZXqW719OLbbDcKJJjtqIvSyKMlw4e4k8aIOkuYfsHLIW0BJi69VgiF5Nc4ZOJurfbULAEcYb9lDoqBksbilpiGfnGnvjCeC_MR1hVExo/s400/DSC_0724.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534671142062498146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div>And the Empire State Building...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-e4wiuuhETEHdl0bmcObV0lhWWUOmb_sq_E7x4vP1PdrWM9wKepPx507LI7In8FwZ5Y2eZiWddWQTR4cBvIXkNRuMOL5PkFPX00kQgVWZXWXT-3hUEB8x-81jCBQGkk_shDpjFYTxBQU/s1600/DSC_0736.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-e4wiuuhETEHdl0bmcObV0lhWWUOmb_sq_E7x4vP1PdrWM9wKepPx507LI7In8FwZ5Y2eZiWddWQTR4cBvIXkNRuMOL5PkFPX00kQgVWZXWXT-3hUEB8x-81jCBQGkk_shDpjFYTxBQU/s400/DSC_0736.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536643806194427906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The Brooklyn Bridge...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ1HVpVk2QA4jGjDZTt4Uad7JBuT8ix3K_CSHaryJ4yO0fqmw30YiypNk_hqchbIO9lGkoraQm4Pd6ZMjxUz16LergmW5KU3WMLRT2woo4wKplcut7_Z8cQZDtqn6Q7cBv25v80qppm4/s1600/DSC_0753.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJ1HVpVk2QA4jGjDZTt4Uad7JBuT8ix3K_CSHaryJ4yO0fqmw30YiypNk_hqchbIO9lGkoraQm4Pd6ZMjxUz16LergmW5KU3WMLRT2woo4wKplcut7_Z8cQZDtqn6Q7cBv25v80qppm4/s400/DSC_0753.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534682910753867810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pNPyaWKtPvtKDkovQY9V93PyVz3i8mEpTSXU9lEq6vRM8Wj0pgrwd0gV4FzmOck4YFi-Kqpku6HrJe8tB3cCqTPfD5eKCeZc-TPFfHAIPiWQvb55wGJMGiWeus4S7i989OtlvEnS4eU/s1600/DSC_0749.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pNPyaWKtPvtKDkovQY9V93PyVz3i8mEpTSXU9lEq6vRM8Wj0pgrwd0gV4FzmOck4YFi-Kqpku6HrJe8tB3cCqTPfD5eKCeZc-TPFfHAIPiWQvb55wGJMGiWeus4S7i989OtlvEnS4eU/s400/DSC_0749.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534680732936783394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The Manhattan skyline...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmk_DRgzRoX2u5tHlEwil_sWvxIMvjFiXZUMuOiA79iCzQ9F7t5Re5n_AYu8jBcmePicPx1p_DPAF7i6Fi0AofnlShGejlX78AoBftM_gspvn-yzP8gHy-CqfFkflq1Q8i-JqVHJc3ow/s400/DSC_0767.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534685200507533122" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Ellis Island...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L_wluna8VPySAYLXTrdjvIEy88jHHKfu5kgqHlqy-unfQEAouZXFf_FxKuHZdqtTRHv5Q5HKQHo51AkRFr9uvGY7VtYxGNJXqLWXHuSaYGfqObAMfkqapX4rizJ7mG4LqyN0WAvdIN8/s400/DSC_0769.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534689502313983634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The Statue of Liberty...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrPFaais7v0DRCQRNUVhB1mX2xjzp-uLu5dDbtUIi81JXTUwKsHustYKbGCUQ97zlhZS-vYcS6IV9NLRC3UA4mq4wfOQcDgsO-SHbphF1z6sxSmfcakdr6ac91LbV45fh1S0l2YMH1cg/s400/DSC_0781.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534693558690548082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">And Ground Zero...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGncqrZTrWY3wMxeA0PRiwxhYbmi3FDKnk6q31YCKh6JnPMmyHlgNdDLIYrafKUSzvpdRq_ku8YlfF7Ae0iDM5v1oMEXsxu5KQmLfv2ag4eKk5E2cUKq1vKsofrnognSxtfzKzIvWAOU/s400/DSC_0800.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534695916429830354" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">It was a whirlwind tour of the city and I hope I get to go back and see things a little more slowly. It was a good time though! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "> </span></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-67036926170134360372010-09-23T15:22:00.000-04:002010-09-23T15:33:57.039-04:00A Kiser WeddingThis past weekend, I went to Nathan's cousin's wedding about six hours from here in Butler, PA. Nathan's cousin, Eric, is the closest to our age in either my side of the family or his. Nathan grew up playing video games with Eric and Eric's older brother, Philip, whenever they went to visit grandparents in southern Illinois.<br /><br />But back to the wedding. It was absolutely gorgeous! Eric and Amanda were married outside a mansion and it was as if they had custom ordered the weather for the day. I didn't take any pictures because I didn't want to be in the way, but their caterer has a blog and <a href="http://www.jodyspantry.com/node/228">wrote an entry</a> about the wedding. I really really want you to have a look. The thing I most want you to notice is the pink "flowers" in Amanda's bouquet. Eric and Amanda are both working on Ph.D.s in geology, so they have quite an interest in rocks. The flowers are actually stones that form looking like flowers. I don't think you could dream up a more perfect wedding for a couple of geologists :-)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.jodyspantry.com/node/228">Caterer's link</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-56448231123922295182010-09-06T22:35:00.001-04:002010-09-06T23:43:27.917-04:00Mom and Dad Came to Visit, Part I<div style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwyx_2askx-syC7Sxl13nJB1YMt4cXNPBBYJzG2qCyf8uPjDFGHgB64qLhFc4AUURuJMZahf7wotz8SYokxOiDCs2YGvHeNrdZhdJpnIdTOKDMxGXfWgL9gqKLn4KbVp_MaA5dcVEujg/s1600/DSCN0724.JPG"></a>When Mom and Dad came to visit last month, we did tons of stuff. I can't possibly put it all in one blog post or I'll never finish it. How about I just start at the beginning? Here we go.</span><div><br /></div><div>On Saturday and Sunday, I just showed Mom and Dad around the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Watertown</span> area. Here, I took them to Thompson Park (which I've mentioned in a previous post).</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwyx_2askx-syC7Sxl13nJB1YMt4cXNPBBYJzG2qCyf8uPjDFGHgB64qLhFc4AUURuJMZahf7wotz8SYokxOiDCs2YGvHeNrdZhdJpnIdTOKDMxGXfWgL9gqKLn4KbVp_MaA5dcVEujg/s400/DSCN0724.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513997741726369666" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>From there, we went out to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sackets</span> Harbor which is right on Lake Ontario, but it started to rain pretty hard so we had to come back to my apartment and just sit around. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Booooring</span>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Monday, we started our trip to NYC. On the way something interesting happened to my car...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh287-X2chXjwN77uZTbfp73O2fUwoUG1U025WSYTxIrl3lA0A9-2pnIrEtqfWfSIC9nxahyphenhyphenUgdYLbZKA68ydpW4sBzoeKV54lnVd3INqXJnllt_ZAqA71i6xq060cXVjl0ydbjGq-OCmk/s400/DSC_0696.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514002623186466514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rcCKTzyFFvyy_kIuxbeARw-rsX0gIzjFpbDoI26d7XdDhkW59gfRpLHZJ5awMuLP9ifo-__QEtW9VQ0N-BDaGQiWEZ2gzU7fPR5rT3BwWEp4_6XtM-03UIQaicwgm1kNUYBgbmoqRCA/s400/DSC_0698.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514002638593106786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5d9-SXb-BgpVqtT6aw2PV4TOsdhDGDI6RALzsAd4CGJ9mUJU9DYQdDJ1aOqJDjL5eR5DrSjXT2yqnuWr1N2DSDpiHkQ-o3kLY1M94d5p_5pCaOSxfYU1xrJ4uZoRCGZQdg4mIPBMqemE/s400/DSC_0699.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514003123768798834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqwAsp0IgBUOyU-2U14yj7yJfV4RnMZpllywoMOUg6c7PnFbGWro-MyrxwNNHAdU5FNvJO0OLIOJJE12ApE1G3l_aKZqONxLev4hCFVl63WpYOXOXniB4T6WNgg5VlBvmzokAxGkTYDs/s400/DSC_0700.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514003130428764818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Sorry. I was really excited about it. Sometimes I used to wonder if my car would live this long. We have a love-hate relationship. I love it about 20% of the time and hate it about 80% of the time.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Aaaaaaaaaaand</span> here's a new state to add to my list!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIffXntgUrCoN1RKZC9r5_dZ5gXAcdREYCcYZth6bX_QKtWj4-P1zE95iGPYwGIIIkZY7tQJ_wDs5BIK60KTZlS0iVNIx2MpRdB2SJbSy7-A48PefF_EvPAShIrEU0E3uoI9U6i1jCKv4/s400/DSC_0702.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514007681145676770" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">But here's my first impression of New Jersey - </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div>It's sort of dingy...</div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYU3GqFOptfpG5lN1wCENjEHaMsCIsq52MbcwrjBJnvkUqVcUaW66G9KaJ80qJ7iBBwuXLhnnyENH1clX9Z-kylh4AG8KbgQAoMEkUetVmNtotb4en1bfwKs_GqGu_WfcXdqGV7_hyphenhyphenV0U/s1600/DSC_0704.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYU3GqFOptfpG5lN1wCENjEHaMsCIsq52MbcwrjBJnvkUqVcUaW66G9KaJ80qJ7iBBwuXLhnnyENH1clX9Z-kylh4AG8KbgQAoMEkUetVmNtotb4en1bfwKs_GqGu_WfcXdqGV7_hyphenhyphenV0U/s400/DSC_0704.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514009502217668898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>And there are a lot of cockroaches... (the tiny little dots along the refrigerator seal)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMy91vGxumPOZzz401IHfkxmFLHHH4KQW02aWQilXOw-B6LWtc6YrR33v4dm0HU9jyspO2r9uAS2WzoJIuT9TXvx0uOLcX9DJV-LuEkEGhBMyxD0SCvlVKNB-aejbxBFdJws_lyoF46k/s1600/DSCN0743.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMy91vGxumPOZzz401IHfkxmFLHHH4KQW02aWQilXOw-B6LWtc6YrR33v4dm0HU9jyspO2r9uAS2WzoJIuT9TXvx0uOLcX9DJV-LuEkEGhBMyxD0SCvlVKNB-aejbxBFdJws_lyoF46k/s400/DSCN0743.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514009507241942450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYU3GqFOptfpG5lN1wCENjEHaMsCIsq52MbcwrjBJnvkUqVcUaW66G9KaJ80qJ7iBBwuXLhnnyENH1clX9Z-kylh4AG8KbgQAoMEkUetVmNtotb4en1bfwKs_GqGu_WfcXdqGV7_hyphenhyphenV0U/s1600/DSC_0704.JPG"></a></div><div>I know that's not a completely fair assessment. But it can't be too far off, right? Now that I've got you really interested in our awesome road trip (I mean, there are cockroaches. Who wouldn't be intrigued?), I have to leave you here.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned for Part II - The big city!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-22771812098693354932010-08-25T17:10:00.000-04:002010-08-25T17:32:07.191-04:00New York Stars<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnanZpxRmMsAqc6Y6Vgj9KTcRE6Ayv1WADVoDVWrbUNREG2Le-0sO4tG1u8nGOS4xR72sVHc7SfC37UMHzrXVUoVw-symbpWPY4VVR21HDw5cisoTXNVBCS3xYIELwMWYN5bkIDk_tPkM/s1600/DSC_0695.JPG"></a>There is this strange phenomenon with the houses here. I've never seen so many people with the same outdoor decor. People like to put these giant stars on their houses, barns, garages, whatever. I'm trying to think if there is something people liked in the South like this, but my best guess is those gazing balls in the garden. I don't think even they were this popular. I was just out for an afternoon and there were tons of these stars. I kinda liked them at first, but now I've just seen too many. What do you think?<div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnanZpxRmMsAqc6Y6Vgj9KTcRE6Ayv1WADVoDVWrbUNREG2Le-0sO4tG1u8nGOS4xR72sVHc7SfC37UMHzrXVUoVw-symbpWPY4VVR21HDw5cisoTXNVBCS3xYIELwMWYN5bkIDk_tPkM/s1600/DSC_0695.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnanZpxRmMsAqc6Y6Vgj9KTcRE6Ayv1WADVoDVWrbUNREG2Le-0sO4tG1u8nGOS4xR72sVHc7SfC37UMHzrXVUoVw-symbpWPY4VVR21HDw5cisoTXNVBCS3xYIELwMWYN5bkIDk_tPkM/s400/DSC_0695.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509462664442581778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2bA2-XDqkmlltFVD1b1vBbR9JwBYalvxyJH1Ay4dvLR6MydirtsqRLhkoc7RrX-BZdHSn9YFJjti-LnQ13klT4DEKmtnoA-2OABFEW-_cEJEdw4eZ4wThWQNAEqnGyWpM3hguqbyNLM/s1600/DSC_0692.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2bA2-XDqkmlltFVD1b1vBbR9JwBYalvxyJH1Ay4dvLR6MydirtsqRLhkoc7RrX-BZdHSn9YFJjti-LnQ13klT4DEKmtnoA-2OABFEW-_cEJEdw4eZ4wThWQNAEqnGyWpM3hguqbyNLM/s400/DSC_0692.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509462656566611986" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 262px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jm80ezuzfLjHfychvn-lnbkkUfr7aKwUiUxcEtXCvqFXIM5FhMG_woDH4TvgplRg6CHOjP9xeHrSatnQRzp-DYU9f6imE6rz8TQg9EgLrTE9IndaakpMOrSnVUlDVH8VfmFKKaAp3ak/s1600/DSC_0690.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jm80ezuzfLjHfychvn-lnbkkUfr7aKwUiUxcEtXCvqFXIM5FhMG_woDH4TvgplRg6CHOjP9xeHrSatnQRzp-DYU9f6imE6rz8TQg9EgLrTE9IndaakpMOrSnVUlDVH8VfmFKKaAp3ak/s400/DSC_0690.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509462652729875474" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4jzCHeadjS6NNL5GHoKn_qAp51lcJfMpKUNz3SZXcD2_SV20aG4iC2Vf0v1hdXPaLzIQ3dxnldbn4LLBY_t7EY7mGbKek1OQx6WOBWeI_N5qvoai1aTG2EHO_dE_wfDjDesfDymzvOs/s1600/DSC_0685.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis4jzCHeadjS6NNL5GHoKn_qAp51lcJfMpKUNz3SZXcD2_SV20aG4iC2Vf0v1hdXPaLzIQ3dxnldbn4LLBY_t7EY7mGbKek1OQx6WOBWeI_N5qvoai1aTG2EHO_dE_wfDjDesfDymzvOs/s400/DSC_0685.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509462635380476050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And by the way, I could find dozens more. I just didn't think it was necessary to make the point :)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-89005300473341374852010-08-24T01:32:00.000-04:002010-08-24T02:21:38.484-04:00A Weekend of Fourth of Julys<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Maybe it's that American history has some deep roots around here. Maybe it's that the most deployed division in the Army is right up the road. Maybe the locals are just very patriotic. Whatever it is, they did tons of fireworks shows and historical presentations of sorts for several days around Fourth of July. I missed the war reenactments (War of 1812, not Civil War...that's different from the South, right?), but at least I was off work in time for the fireworks shows. I basically googled some photography sites on how to get pictures of them, but some turned out pretty good. Now if only I had a tripod...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQ1_2ypihe6kujtX2zSQKPlbXUfysrFEzhjjANwFE-fbeeFilLMstZOZopGj8uVM5a6jkLS5EOhCpmy5DCsSJioGvp9-lVhX901UfLE295TyTB6bqBHaGNzn0UXR9Q7DJTpHlxx3Y2aU/s400/DSC_0569.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508849658460223282" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FFIGZ8cLWNRwHSctP685XfkAvtgvZVT052eQ_sKBdji0N-Q6y7OPWsF2gXU_6HKSDVxNKJ8r8yaSqzXqZ_83xWNUtSvtrnoFLBC95_MTq1UxaH4TcR4WrkXo61-X8bEFLMfmwQ6Fxvw/s400/DSC_0570.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508850089578716274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUm-zsFXOTiPJr39TsRwIw7N-8huFJ_MH4LBPyOzN4eyf1r2g7LlRg0tBDXBJLnEDikAZ26cH0rE9Y6d-42lP2WzVADss6EMaCBKRojL1UYBCCDmuZ3-aFK2ncMAP2832fIrLOWoPxnwI/s1600/DSC_0571.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUm-zsFXOTiPJr39TsRwIw7N-8huFJ_MH4LBPyOzN4eyf1r2g7LlRg0tBDXBJLnEDikAZ26cH0rE9Y6d-42lP2WzVADss6EMaCBKRojL1UYBCCDmuZ3-aFK2ncMAP2832fIrLOWoPxnwI/s400/DSC_0571.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508851841511996002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRWN39Iilyba48cOaGaamRiRKQNuAezPQejZgaKV-aYOLEegc_95S89F-omFgsb9u-UqipizCCmkvP-U6QlrmtsZqIhyphenhyphen6DiyRlvuSlDl7oP4MRafuvSv9o16BkWprD-SP5aIX6uIFfKI/s1600/DSC_0600.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRWN39Iilyba48cOaGaamRiRKQNuAezPQejZgaKV-aYOLEegc_95S89F-omFgsb9u-UqipizCCmkvP-U6QlrmtsZqIhyphenhyphen6DiyRlvuSlDl7oP4MRafuvSv9o16BkWprD-SP5aIX6uIFfKI/s400/DSC_0600.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508853027870479538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK589UdHWd3Y_imSCjY98hf5S71ZS72fo10_Tu6NMd3cuWS0aDsvnxwv-1nHl77X_aX82tKaDGqPxyMYmP1Nc7ACYXZTIGVn47_Q65pfSLK9WNlUMTVHd0nqhtZ15DmZsGp1qnoKgKYTY/s400/DSC_0601.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508853710231674994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 246px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQv1BycFJV6WZb0xACSZGlYp47a0VE4TDadK68Gr8fJ5Y39yRX8NJUog-w9kwaK-p0xInozVCNOO7fu1EvTMSsdrl-edar-xWxVGCmfCbaDtygbZtarlCRylmv8woqQZCoo2MTRyQRBjo/s400/DSC_0629.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508854815285528738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div>I wish you could see these full-sized. The tiny versions just don't show the clarity very well. Not that I'm an amazing photographer - I just picked my very favorite ones out of the dozens and dozens I took and I like 'em :-) </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-69325946039343387562010-08-14T21:47:00.000-04:002010-08-14T22:12:44.991-04:00Hello Again<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0WiCaG-wthw5E6bEcCb2Vglnuzc5Kx047uX4qq40M3zGe0ZJiAB1iOEN-wo363UaK1B2exm7gGad_A2WWpnjpdtFUb6b8omB6D5I0JFoarjYU214QQtpnoNJimlR8lMgm-Qfyo1lQ70/s1600/DSCN0852.JPG"></a>Hello everyone! (All 2 of you that still read my blog :-D ) I've been pretty slow on the blogging lately, I know. Most of the summer has been pretty uneventful but I've got some great stuff coming up in blogs. My parents have come to visit and we've been trying to hit most of the major sites of New York. We've seen New York City and all the local attractions (St. Lawrence river, the Thousand Islands region, Wellesley Island, Fort Drum, etc.), and we're going to Niagara Falls before they leave. I'll be blogging about all of that soon, but for now I just have to share one thing with you...<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0WiCaG-wthw5E6bEcCb2Vglnuzc5Kx047uX4qq40M3zGe0ZJiAB1iOEN-wo363UaK1B2exm7gGad_A2WWpnjpdtFUb6b8omB6D5I0JFoarjYU214QQtpnoNJimlR8lMgm-Qfyo1lQ70/s400/DSCN0852.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505449570484796722" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">This picture was taken today (Mom's camera, Mom taking the picture, moving vehicle - sorry for the blur). Please look closely, then tell me what color you think the leaves are...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Red? Yellow? Why, yes, I believe you're right. It is now FALL! Leaves have been falling from the trees since the last couple of days in July. Summer didn't arrive till the 4th of July, and it's already ending. Now, before some of you who have been enduring the heat waves tell me how lucky I am, I just want to explain something. I <i>genuinely </i>feel sorry for you, but please remember what <i>I</i> get after fall happens - lots and lots of snow. And by "lots" I don't mean six inches of snow - I mean six feet of snow. Well, at least six feet is what is considered a "normal" winter here. We never had more than three feet this past winter but everyone goes on and on about how mild a winter we had. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">So anyway...I'm a little bummed out.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-33959217801472885192010-08-02T16:11:00.000-04:002010-09-06T22:35:50.993-04:00A Piece of Family History<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">A lot has happened since my last blog post and I know I'm getting behind. I've got parts of a lot of posts together, but a lot of them aren't ready. In the meantime, I thought I'd share some family history. This won't be any stellar piece of genealogy or accuracy as far as time lines go, but it makes a good story. I think.</div><div><br /></div><div>First off, this is about my dad's side of the family (so obviously, the Lentzes). His family comes from the Oklahoma/southwest Missouri part of the country, at least the last couple of generations. Many years ago, in the mid 1800s, my grandpa's grandparents moved to Missouri on a wagon train. Yes, in a covered wagon. They stopped with their traveling companions on a small river and founded what is now the town of Stella, Missouri, named for the granddaughter of the first mayor of the town. These early days are depicted in a large mural in the Newton County courthouse. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxX3NPQBioVDgWH-ZMkUjCvCsPeGZRdTTY-eFM8oyLlT5OikN3htdXU5VS00CjIosIpQdN7rqnKoiTS9uz6DrA2MVuZGUNDBL9IHc4MxFHO4JysgzW_z948i64I8OVlExD5S1nzl0n1k/s400/DSC00608.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500917605220686290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>There were a lot of natives in the area at the time, many of them Cherokee. </div><div><br /></div><div>Together with the Carter family, the Lentzes opened a general store, the only one in the county at the time.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5fEDVbP9jHZfRj0VNwy8okyOrgmMo-q_mp3DtTIcIAUVD3XUbcmHAPSllaiTpK_rdyMqc63aHaND90jzMsn5h1ezzVrF_rLzgk3teTH41h8eKvZf-qVYBAsomk8bdUr9VpCujLAEK5Y/s400/DSC00602.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500918475771650658" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Being such a tiny community, all the families were important. In addition to the general store, the Lentzes also ran the mill that you can see in the far right of the top picture. Once the town began to modernize, streets were built and named after families that played a role in building the town.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-ySN3g4LexJb4139LUKboUOf87IpSbAKG9v4oqRsbvbONLloJ8DbyDWVTT_tCwgMvtFwQ_DFqB3GCuTHGq-mP56fDvg9PWFhvvIG2XNDSRhofYbwPqg3Dbc1EYLw1EyGC02kANneTx8/s1600/DSC_0514.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-ySN3g4LexJb4139LUKboUOf87IpSbAKG9v4oqRsbvbONLloJ8DbyDWVTT_tCwgMvtFwQ_DFqB3GCuTHGq-mP56fDvg9PWFhvvIG2XNDSRhofYbwPqg3Dbc1EYLw1EyGC02kANneTx8/s400/DSC_0514.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500920621666349250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px; " /></a><br /></div><div>My grandpa's mother's side of the family was also involved with Stella. They were the Cullers family.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9LE-NI-g3TNEVdgeWDsbDANcevbmeAu53CgoUIK4pIHcVy2NHJCdi91vuoDy0DX2rUh7KJOcPmU6aL7JZOyHlyJbsezipr0Ik1_J2hyphenhyphen1XFn8nWt4KbZ0Gqqw8kYiwsoT6IUoVKmvaH0/s400/DSC00646.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500922493457810338" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Of course, as time moves on, towns begin to age along with their buildings. Many of these pictures were taken in 2006 when I was in Missouri for my grandpa's funeral. At that time, the old general store was a run-down shell of its former self.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3x1via4otZUQRrh3g6DYFdKv8ZtTSvL_GSdtRYtBRKzhtzXknxvXgyay5eVMh2Mc_fa4FJQUay2xv4SJYip-ZOywqrV6eavkRiYFSAQDXoinuAuosDPYFXNfePE18ZL5-r-nnLciQfs/s400/DSC00639.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500926581430804594" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div>I didn't really expect the building to last much longer, but when I was back in Missouri this summer for my grandma's funeral I heard it had been renovated and a restaurant was operating successfully there. I was pleasantly surprised.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd12JgOwLehPy-HW0DurWxk37UXb_PJAYCbXxYB3QFZ0ngjPMkAeZZ6QIi0wG3WbzXt_KKfGBupXNTo3NA89ImxuyfITLy8NVIakSEPi_shZuebaGom1iIIgrBc8AK1HhMvA9eLJp66yQ/s400/DSC_0509.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500928292651305346" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Paying homage to the building's origins, old drawings of both the general store and the old Lentz mill are displayed in the dining room. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQalmSSM0v-NapsCepPql-0FymbLnk8v-QhWaXKrY1X3gxnlL1oxsTNNtxovOhSdszIECCdwq6QK-7j3cQPTtqxGyXAJnHc-Anvw556cBnizOqoLPI9AMDbeirOcojNX8PJ5B_Pa-82Y/s400/DSC_0513.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500920633930698754" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zpBvAOn3K9V100S0ueBnxzfhMDHMLt6alk8NDm-twRkZ2xHnIuESnAugCn2JmK071dCS9nnm3w1e47t1Ft_W4TkjD-coTPepl8qNzd8zPvcaR0T5fZF31zcIbj_epVXUJ0DWB4e3xok/s400/DSC_0512.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500921477467750354" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">And do you know what this restaurant is called? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-size:16px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrNEF6NrePKiRRSI3wktmMJyzsO-tSlX_YRF0q1titcrAAkE1N4KkmJfWM40vRTWamCz2IS3iFGjmo7uL61Vd-VTLFZVgUMy6JvWf8RH2HqZ4oQ6qMy1XdDKKbP4NzRZwbqfiKZBHOz4/s400/DSC_0508.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500928284266811874" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-size:16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">:-) </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I feel like things have come full-circle.</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-48204202434071245362010-07-06T22:48:00.000-04:002010-07-06T23:50:11.406-04:00Northern Excursion<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjXJnerTHdnyrLbmG0cpMjBTMZUUaFjv5YJQRZolBB_QIoTeJ40xAKraa8wrldtNC5EB0xBoM1sIVnkmN5wZUo8Kyk01NmCXmYUprEd8GkQnuByPtEMVfrF022CE0ydq0YY6rVDq8JXo/s1600/Northern+Excursion.jpg"></a>Yesterday, Sarah, her friend Shannon (who is visiting her this week) and I decided to take a drive up to Alexandria Bay and into the Thousand Islands region. Yes, this is the area where Thousand Island dressing originated. Also, Alexandria Bay is often called "A bay" by the locals, but I just can't stand to call it that. Every time someone says it I hear a Shanikka or Chiquita or someone with a similar name saying "A bay bay". Kinda makes my skin crawl. <div><br /></div><div>But I digress. We drove up to Alexandria Bay and over a bridge to Wellesley Island. From the edge of Wellesley Island you can wave across the St. Lawrence Seaway at Canada. So... we went to the edge of the island and waved at Canada. Even with temperatures in the mid 80s, the breeze along the St. Lawrence was distinctively chilly. The water was a bit on the icy side, too, but that didn't stop plenty of people from swimming and boating.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was so beautiful; I really regret not taking my camera with me.</div><div><br /></div><div>I realized once we got there that even though I went to Niagara Falls when I was younger and even went into Canada, that was probably not as far north as Wellesley Island. I checked and, sure enough, I set a new record. Have a look!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjXJnerTHdnyrLbmG0cpMjBTMZUUaFjv5YJQRZolBB_QIoTeJ40xAKraa8wrldtNC5EB0xBoM1sIVnkmN5wZUo8Kyk01NmCXmYUprEd8GkQnuByPtEMVfrF022CE0ydq0YY6rVDq8JXo/s400/Northern+Excursion.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491002581879406130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 331px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>I zoomed way out so you could kinda see where the states are. If you zoom in, Wellesley Island is really toeing the border. That reminds me...some Border Patrol officers walked in at a restaurant where Sarah and I were eating the other night. It seems strange for there to be so few Mexicans but so many Border Patrol officers. I think if I were Canadian I'd still try to sneak in though. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, just thought I'd share!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-5520152027126842822010-06-28T20:06:00.000-04:002010-06-28T21:27:27.452-04:00This is another opinions-needed post :-)<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6s5EXo_sQfKZxtHHLMoxb1F-QVA6PDXUTKqBg2di_cqeZqSwmAk-weYBdt8DZE27ejOw6uCDUVn_nJOpZu2OXvNz_pUTv353JAT6US0o1CjsAUnRzbF9IB7VC0zZTVuIIuJfTV2hrQo/s1600/Poppy+Fields.jpg"></a>And also, this is probably one more for the ladies, because guys really just don't care about this sort of thing. Usually. That being said, guys, feel free to jump in!<div><br /></div><div>After my last few experiences flying American Airlines where they've made me "valet check" my carry on bag for every flight, I've had it up to my eyeballs. After hours of calling customer service and trying to get some sort of answer about why they keep doing this, the best answer I got was along the lines of "Too bad, just get a duffel bag and not something with wheels and that'll be your best chance to take it on the plane with you." </div><div><br /></div><div>So now, I'm looking for a good duffel bag. I didn't want to get a Vera Bradley bag just because so many people have them, but they're so much prettier than most duffel bags and sometimes I just want something girlie. Even after looking through a lot of sites for other kinds of duffels, I've narrowed it down to these three:</div><div><br /></div><div>Large Duffel in Make Me Blush:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56SsClQCYEpoa2DuFGWSOtp77yJHnW8O0DpzmqO8jf-yPTdVc8pFepeChvnun8XeR236oO1qOzazXrw8EwAs54V2dBKWXxhEON0mwoEF2fpvYpc6zuO3246K42xSvvugdqFHzK7-A-J8/s400/Make+Me+Blush.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487995679067566706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 337px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Large Duffel in Poppy Fields:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6s5EXo_sQfKZxtHHLMoxb1F-QVA6PDXUTKqBg2di_cqeZqSwmAk-weYBdt8DZE27ejOw6uCDUVn_nJOpZu2OXvNz_pUTv353JAT6US0o1CjsAUnRzbF9IB7VC0zZTVuIIuJfTV2hrQo/s400/Poppy+Fields.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487991754441960674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div>Both of those look better on the <a href="http://www.verabradley.com/">Vera Bradley</a> site, but I couldn't get pictures of the bags where you can see the whole things so well. I swiped these from amazon.com.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or there's this Vera Bradley one that I've loved since it came out last fall. It's just so classic Americana:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAq5P3BjgVMpKtGRNJ89FxxmTxMUU3Bl2zFATm-6rKNmuLDETrX5G2USVhgZxZaoMCMLVMbKKCfsgrzPmfyRRlp1wvdIN4hUd1ZmRon3KEw71-Ti2VVBI1sfI0d5EJoUgu9Sph-3ArZvM/s400/Vera+Bradley+Canvas.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487991761107241394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>So what do you think??? Do you know of any cuter ones somewhere? Please share!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-40322342830830547142010-06-28T17:18:00.001-04:002010-06-28T17:33:23.571-04:00Household 6<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiMo9CKZJZr0cMv1WpzmOAXMuRROQijPg-7mQLLe2Lu5WLqQvA5suNiHxyoBH_LHg9NxANa6ix1frem4OxbS908Uuhe6XYuUUZtbyyEh8sq9wXH1CuIfxX9H3wF32PeBPq2NYZ53AzLA/s1600/Army+Wife+Decal.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiMo9CKZJZr0cMv1WpzmOAXMuRROQijPg-7mQLLe2Lu5WLqQvA5suNiHxyoBH_LHg9NxANa6ix1frem4OxbS908Uuhe6XYuUUZtbyyEh8sq9wXH1CuIfxX9H3wF32PeBPq2NYZ53AzLA/s400/Army+Wife+Decal.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487937127715519138" /></a><br /><div>Okay, I know being an Army wife doesn't make me an official member of the military. But if you think about it, in many ways (very different ways, but still...) being an Army wife is almost as hard as actually being a soldier. When a soldier deploys, he deploys with his coworkers. His wife may not know anybody at all. His wife doesn't get shot at, but she might have to juggle work, kids, a home and vehicles for two people, bills, and chores all by herself. Without a wife to support him, a soldier might have to put all his belongings in storage during a deployment and just hope that nothing goes wrong. </div><div><br /></div><div>For all these reasons, soldiers developed an unofficial title for the Army wife - Household 6. In the Army world, a 6 is a commander of something like a platoon, company, or batallion. Since soldiers are often at work long hours or deployed, their wives by default run the household. Household 6, then, is basically the household commander.</div><div><br /></div><div>So girls, if you ever hear your guy say something to his friends to the effect of his household 6 won't let such-and-such happen, he's talking about you! :-) </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-45896695455124179502010-06-15T20:50:00.000-04:002010-06-15T22:21:22.541-04:00Welcome to Watertown!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3__XHg4-otUUHuyTciqrvpUJ_XPwdkrKuuPhdB6DGJjIFrD8m6M7HdcVTG_ABybuNaJ-Y1aYJNGaeXXvnlE1z50VYM7dT_6v3Fvc0I88Ivc-MuL09ZOgCtSSeqMPZctPVp2gdtkFWpHA/s1600/DSC_0375.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1ejxH5_NBw8RAjWq0r05Vpzk70eHnHcKHeKBRVFwyVsVPxxjy9pFyuenF4uet_3D2etgp3I41IIx1g5zZIdWG0y-kS1UxzrUJP7RWKAuozejraYLPan4FBPiALbpEaiRFqqya8M6-h8/s1600/DSC_0369.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgxQ1lL_uwdNk0ba98QkfA1ct6FRA3wBKkf745cnGI-HifSg25fykrhKxzJ-cawnHbQCe6bGV2mqJrHwh-wnp6SL1wJqxUdoH7Cx2z6e5qnXgDsIQh0i-JuFxguCabl2OMaAW-OchK_M/s1600/DSC_0367.JPG"></a><div><br /></div>I've been here nearly six whole months and I have yet to post any pictures of Watertown. I guess that might make it difficult for anybody to see what my new town is like, wouldn't it? Here are some pictures I took back in April on an unusually nice day.<div><br /></div><div>These show the view from Thompson Park, an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Law_Olmsted">Olmsted</a> Park built on a hill overlooking the city. Olmsted was the landscape architect who designed Central Park.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygog8mM5e8TnQ64lXTk_CDql5tJo6f9HIDpnqM0CcouPBE9-f6LFKoYZutEy9uO_Jiw6fMAoVbnbLhghJDsrrb2eTtg1sHqeCN-eLvOW2-XOInmOTbLX1uqnKScDb2YGUZI-l8xr8ZlI/s400/DSC_0347.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483172623212317698" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmRUTnRN19SdFmW8qmxTr2Uio-Xt8AG8X9j9lxXfpBu8A6JEXSeh6wWJjIUgAeeNS4G_u-Kq-a-T5YlLKHtyRvg3180savLGZPfuuFPr3vXQkCa-BzjM3AQ0LicFCEOGThvkR6NKqMKM/s1600/DSC_0348.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmRUTnRN19SdFmW8qmxTr2Uio-Xt8AG8X9j9lxXfpBu8A6JEXSeh6wWJjIUgAeeNS4G_u-Kq-a-T5YlLKHtyRvg3180savLGZPfuuFPr3vXQkCa-BzjM3AQ0LicFCEOGThvkR6NKqMKM/s400/DSC_0348.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483172615129493218" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobGkjC1KjGbotOY-uNt45S7JYs42hn9NCVkyNDcmdas0c6yNJ2qZM8Ef0g2IlNtcp49lV7zE8hvrPUE6ihDS9nw2a3D3A41aK8du9iNGsccl8RD4ma2sh6k-QLVFrHnTZCPSZAf-ct_s/s1600/DSC_0361.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobGkjC1KjGbotOY-uNt45S7JYs42hn9NCVkyNDcmdas0c6yNJ2qZM8Ef0g2IlNtcp49lV7zE8hvrPUE6ihDS9nw2a3D3A41aK8du9iNGsccl8RD4ma2sh6k-QLVFrHnTZCPSZAf-ct_s/s400/DSC_0361.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483172605612928066" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This picture is especially interesting. It's at least eight miles from Watertown to Sackets Harbor, the nearest town on Lake Ontario, but that has to be what this body of water is in the distance.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfGzF2d_wMf0shh20qE1bMc4gZhDbRvas7BPUuz18VCprh9wUcxQv3zVH-n0gpRrS8MmVMhIwvQbbcPkXLAlxJgS4w-rYLcpZv1_j4vyY9EEtVZA_vOjHxM993lKTIE29ErHSEzXKWKE/s1600/DSC_0360.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfGzF2d_wMf0shh20qE1bMc4gZhDbRvas7BPUuz18VCprh9wUcxQv3zVH-n0gpRrS8MmVMhIwvQbbcPkXLAlxJgS4w-rYLcpZv1_j4vyY9EEtVZA_vOjHxM993lKTIE29ErHSEzXKWKE/s400/DSC_0360.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483174826388291698" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /></div><div>This church is on the public square. It would be more beautiful without all the street signs, but too many main roads converge at the square. For those of you who were at MSU before maybe 2005 (or even earlier???), think 5-points/malfunction junction, only bigger. If you don't know where you're going, you're in big big trouble.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicquT4VCCOL2MOehv6cGw8pPMQxZavONqVNOFRSyCqzjzOZg-DmInRYyBOOxK-t00VgxeMplVrD9xQ7r6jYHpyKMb5WhO7Fu8_vOHIgLqhcK0eZ22mlMcFjZdkGFcs3ffLPedJFemZks/s400/DSC_0363.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483178295806826498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div>This statue is at the top of a large (maybe 25' across) fountain in the center of the square. The fountain is lit up at night and is really very pretty.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgxQ1lL_uwdNk0ba98QkfA1ct6FRA3wBKkf745cnGI-HifSg25fykrhKxzJ-cawnHbQCe6bGV2mqJrHwh-wnp6SL1wJqxUdoH7Cx2z6e5qnXgDsIQh0i-JuFxguCabl2OMaAW-OchK_M/s1600/DSC_0367.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgxQ1lL_uwdNk0ba98QkfA1ct6FRA3wBKkf745cnGI-HifSg25fykrhKxzJ-cawnHbQCe6bGV2mqJrHwh-wnp6SL1wJqxUdoH7Cx2z6e5qnXgDsIQh0i-JuFxguCabl2OMaAW-OchK_M/s400/DSC_0367.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483178304226980562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div>There are two soldiers and a plaque on another large statue in the square.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1ejxH5_NBw8RAjWq0r05Vpzk70eHnHcKHeKBRVFwyVsVPxxjy9pFyuenF4uet_3D2etgp3I41IIx1g5zZIdWG0y-kS1UxzrUJP7RWKAuozejraYLPan4FBPiALbpEaiRFqqya8M6-h8/s400/DSC_0369.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483178312610059474" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKa_KW7t998ta76-6phmFaGyyRH27ERFChkLeHY2wIymYNmFXUoSZALbpRcdwvFWg4KxG0HD9LAhWksFYJJWzfI3qS_ZMF5FpilsHOmL2FN4Hn_XHxZ9Xwi4BkkyWQz9A1fJe0Ino0_k/s1600/DSC_0373.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKa_KW7t998ta76-6phmFaGyyRH27ERFChkLeHY2wIymYNmFXUoSZALbpRcdwvFWg4KxG0HD9LAhWksFYJJWzfI3qS_ZMF5FpilsHOmL2FN4Hn_XHxZ9Xwi4BkkyWQz9A1fJe0Ino0_k/s400/DSC_0373.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483182105791648818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px; " /></a>The plaque reads "Mr. and Mrs. George Cooks Memorial - In grateful memory of the soldiers and sailors of Jefferson County who fought or fell in defense of the Union and the Freedom of Man". You don't see that in the South very much.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIstCYzXWDkWGvAOjqnHM8YOHtXky8Adr9rbQQx9oLTQdkB3JXOph3XZ4OLHajxitCqYTFca6045Ib2dOw9kCJjopnYTqXGmMJEcoMRH_kGB52SEo6qgGAEvRh7EQFbMC-86INWS4MNk/s1600/DSC_0372.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIstCYzXWDkWGvAOjqnHM8YOHtXky8Adr9rbQQx9oLTQdkB3JXOph3XZ4OLHajxitCqYTFca6045Ib2dOw9kCJjopnYTqXGmMJEcoMRH_kGB52SEo6qgGAEvRh7EQFbMC-86INWS4MNk/s400/DSC_0372.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483182095000252194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Stones are used to build just about everything - bridges, houses, fences, or tunnels.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3__XHg4-otUUHuyTciqrvpUJ_XPwdkrKuuPhdB6DGJjIFrD8m6M7HdcVTG_ABybuNaJ-Y1aYJNGaeXXvnlE1z50VYM7dT_6v3Fvc0I88Ivc-MuL09ZOgCtSSeqMPZctPVp2gdtkFWpHA/s1600/DSC_0375.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3__XHg4-otUUHuyTciqrvpUJ_XPwdkrKuuPhdB6DGJjIFrD8m6M7HdcVTG_ABybuNaJ-Y1aYJNGaeXXvnlE1z50VYM7dT_6v3Fvc0I88Ivc-MuL09ZOgCtSSeqMPZctPVp2gdtkFWpHA/s400/DSC_0375.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483183543156277602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a>The Black River is the water for which Watertown is named. The water powered factories and mills that paid to build the whole town. After industry collapsed several decades ago, the town was struggling to survive. Then in the 1980s the 10th Mountain Division of the Army was reactivated and located here at Ft. Drum, and that brought money and people here and the town started revitalization.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhhvB45PUZQT5FhrD3f4wahxVgyTJoPz3zOcNXYGF9Rc4GK5OReiB7lXixuuwnuZIY8WKibaqWTB27v3thiCTddVYY-W9FrQnxsk4R4Hr6anfsPmThFe3NZSQtoYJNmjEVyO8eOPtWAg/s1600/DSC_0376.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhhvB45PUZQT5FhrD3f4wahxVgyTJoPz3zOcNXYGF9Rc4GK5OReiB7lXixuuwnuZIY8WKibaqWTB27v3thiCTddVYY-W9FrQnxsk4R4Hr6anfsPmThFe3NZSQtoYJNmjEVyO8eOPtWAg/s400/DSC_0376.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483183534607155602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">I'm debating going around to take pictures of houses in town. I don't want to be the creeper outside who looks like she's casing your house, but there are so many beautiful Victorian houses here I might just have to do it. I hope you enjoyed the brief tour!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">~Shellaine~</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgxQ1lL_uwdNk0ba98QkfA1ct6FRA3wBKkf745cnGI-HifSg25fykrhKxzJ-cawnHbQCe6bGV2mqJrHwh-wnp6SL1wJqxUdoH7Cx2z6e5qnXgDsIQh0i-JuFxguCabl2OMaAW-OchK_M/s1600/DSC_0367.JPG"></a></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgxQ1lL_uwdNk0ba98QkfA1ct6FRA3wBKkf745cnGI-HifSg25fykrhKxzJ-cawnHbQCe6bGV2mqJrHwh-wnp6SL1wJqxUdoH7Cx2z6e5qnXgDsIQh0i-JuFxguCabl2OMaAW-OchK_M/s1600/DSC_0367.JPG"></a></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgxQ1lL_uwdNk0ba98QkfA1ct6FRA3wBKkf745cnGI-HifSg25fykrhKxzJ-cawnHbQCe6bGV2mqJrHwh-wnp6SL1wJqxUdoH7Cx2z6e5qnXgDsIQh0i-JuFxguCabl2OMaAW-OchK_M/s1600/DSC_0367.JPG"></a></span></div></span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-40314863431740766252010-06-08T00:33:00.000-04:002010-06-08T10:16:32.565-04:00Lake Placid<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></u></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-klxHs_7k4T9K_nI4mPcmfm5nP5aC3qmoC-YTflpgzOPAvaEcB0aUacNwhB4_kfzwDiJQEiorpNY4ouyhaqWulzNZtijq_98e8TjJJ-cuje12_3QnvgDWhVbkA9GpU593m-S9lVmjvY/s1600/DSC_0259.JPG"></a>I know I'm waaaaaaaaaaay back-logged on my story line-type blog posts. It's just so much easier to write the one-picture short kind. <div><br /></div><div>This post is the story of Nathan's and my trip to Lake Placid in March, about three days before he deployed. We had originally planned to take a four-day weekend and go on a real trip somewhere, but then on Friday before he ended up leaving on Thursday, he came home from work and told me he just found out he had only six days instead of three weeks before D-day. (I think of his deployment date as D-day. Weird?) We had time to take one overnight trip at that point. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now about Lake Placid...it's this world-famous skiing town from the 198*mumblemumble* Olympic games. Yeah, I'm a big history buff. Get over it. This was the Miracle on Ice Olympics. Does that help?... So Lake Placid is this skiing town, or in warm months it's great for water sports. When we went, it was about 35 degrees and raining. Bad for skiing, very bad for water sports. We pretty much just walked around the town. Here's the story in pictures.</div><div><br /></div><div>This should have been my first clue that Nathan's GPS *might* have taken us a bit off track...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-klxHs_7k4T9K_nI4mPcmfm5nP5aC3qmoC-YTflpgzOPAvaEcB0aUacNwhB4_kfzwDiJQEiorpNY4ouyhaqWulzNZtijq_98e8TjJJ-cuje12_3QnvgDWhVbkA9GpU593m-S9lVmjvY/s1600/DSC_0259.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-klxHs_7k4T9K_nI4mPcmfm5nP5aC3qmoC-YTflpgzOPAvaEcB0aUacNwhB4_kfzwDiJQEiorpNY4ouyhaqWulzNZtijq_98e8TjJJ-cuje12_3QnvgDWhVbkA9GpU593m-S9lVmjvY/s400/DSC_0259.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480263208912323474" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /></div><div>It's a little hard to see, but this section of roads is riddled with pot holes and is covered in dirt from water running over it. I couldn't have been happier to finally get back on a real highway. Also, notice the 90-degree curve in the road. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtI0Ll1hJZ3qPK6Rr0txSRWzw9tTqNp46-1trAgnedf2QymyKJa14LaHz7dPhKqLuioDNByWhJPjDUQ8VZZbX1knPGU-wyP3nEOomXC0f1OieDUSbtETTZ2GH35X9nVvVF2Kz_vIvnzYg/s1600/DSC_0258.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtI0Ll1hJZ3qPK6Rr0txSRWzw9tTqNp46-1trAgnedf2QymyKJa14LaHz7dPhKqLuioDNByWhJPjDUQ8VZZbX1knPGU-wyP3nEOomXC0f1OieDUSbtETTZ2GH35X9nVvVF2Kz_vIvnzYg/s400/DSC_0258.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480263201063819602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We stayed at a Courtyard Marriott. Not the cushiest of hotels, but when they heard why we were coming, they gave us the nicest room in the hotel. Our room had both a fireplace...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31nXrikDZKf7jxEaPx_rEzhQ-fyvMeZB9u_sDAeSATQtxZ55-6lYnh8aJif3UsbOQbOMkgKW9ZSVbpOUDt85g9kOxF3-9KdFHqGcavdPOTP0frn20QTxiGu7J7iXLdN5athoR5l2kwjk/s1600/DSC_0263.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31nXrikDZKf7jxEaPx_rEzhQ-fyvMeZB9u_sDAeSATQtxZ55-6lYnh8aJif3UsbOQbOMkgKW9ZSVbpOUDt85g9kOxF3-9KdFHqGcavdPOTP0frn20QTxiGu7J7iXLdN5athoR5l2kwjk/s400/DSC_0263.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480265350820625026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a>AND a jacuzzi. It was nice :-) </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3IvllBlcsT4c6wIDWnm6vmC-1rnJrXXmt7EeeFY4iby_8BnCv1rt_KJdu6uVKwnNW-URiax8mzhJ3kOOOy_9LbBku8K5Vz3eIW-xT8PYFMWpr4k9-I6tBD7_5_WuRxC1P0pJz7QI6EI/s1600/DSC_0265.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3IvllBlcsT4c6wIDWnm6vmC-1rnJrXXmt7EeeFY4iby_8BnCv1rt_KJdu6uVKwnNW-URiax8mzhJ3kOOOy_9LbBku8K5Vz3eIW-xT8PYFMWpr4k9-I6tBD7_5_WuRxC1P0pJz7QI6EI/s400/DSC_0265.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480265345625376082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We ate at this little restaurant called Jimmy's 21 overlooking the lake. Since we went a little early and it was something like a Tuesday night, we got the best table closest to the lake.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEVxMjJCXjdqU3-Bx06kzO4gtUBUeoMfPmwiwFgYOmzqXvMHGgoEoJ3W_InWXVq6tMg6Z6qy1Wv7HuetpYzDxrUL0Gp80T-3j5YHyz0rvfSzxeW2cTpaAAsMXFFqcYVgJhdWZLEde7ao/s400/DSC_0266.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480267530538522962" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>This is the view looking out over the frozen lake into bad bad weather rolling in. Only, the entire town (including that cute little strip of shops) isn't actually built on Lake Placid. It's built on Mirror Lake. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TZKzNNGLdjXXXnef9FJNim19oZsQXOO3Q7RZ2XMqS0IETU6gzmDvxvDLAmOAHaIorDn___gyhR-GdFFMpjWmN43aCo9a8paod83XqSeij1yeumvqDaPx_qIQq9SIAmRbofEu2PbydLw/s1600/DSC_0273.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TZKzNNGLdjXXXnef9FJNim19oZsQXOO3Q7RZ2XMqS0IETU6gzmDvxvDLAmOAHaIorDn___gyhR-GdFFMpjWmN43aCo9a8paod83XqSeij1yeumvqDaPx_qIQq9SIAmRbofEu2PbydLw/s400/DSC_0273.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480269226084879762" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">THIS is Lake Placid...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMW7S3PzySOgN0GrlA1Va5BWNIqDBgS4Wn0WSiZVB9s_5qmHQvry1sjIp_6NN2wfCYaGDqTkrhdBwlM2VNg7Q6x74d80XAIEMeiz65ed2ZF_0LfoFmaagjhlsQ35zzDPDZ_2TEv3ufac/s1600/DSC_0276.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMW7S3PzySOgN0GrlA1Va5BWNIqDBgS4Wn0WSiZVB9s_5qmHQvry1sjIp_6NN2wfCYaGDqTkrhdBwlM2VNg7Q6x74d80XAIEMeiz65ed2ZF_0LfoFmaagjhlsQ35zzDPDZ_2TEv3ufac/s400/DSC_0276.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480273764454158178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div>There wasn't much actually ON Lake Placid except houses and this public boat launch. Well, there was this cute little couple, too. They didn't seem afraid of us at all.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0L0C8DqzasRW7c3zCk6tAB25s6gJAdCO2Igj-s8IM1BlvIBL5T3r-S9r6zQd-qEEHR-I1iCEaj0-M_aBwqbWB3xPB7BR1sMCl58u44F5YG15_8xu9lywR-5mYGszwVPE5JZvFW5n4_M/s1600/DSC_0281.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0L0C8DqzasRW7c3zCk6tAB25s6gJAdCO2Igj-s8IM1BlvIBL5T3r-S9r6zQd-qEEHR-I1iCEaj0-M_aBwqbWB3xPB7BR1sMCl58u44F5YG15_8xu9lywR-5mYGszwVPE5JZvFW5n4_M/s400/DSC_0281.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480273774395112690" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMW7S3PzySOgN0GrlA1Va5BWNIqDBgS4Wn0WSiZVB9s_5qmHQvry1sjIp_6NN2wfCYaGDqTkrhdBwlM2VNg7Q6x74d80XAIEMeiz65ed2ZF_0LfoFmaagjhlsQ35zzDPDZ_2TEv3ufac/s1600/DSC_0276.JPG"></a></div><div>I can't even imagine swimming in that water. My fingers were going numb just taking pictures. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's pretty much the end. We spent a lot of time in shops and in restaurants, but there wasn't a lot to take pictures of there. We couldn't take pictures of the Olympic village, because it has been turned into a prison since the Olympics. It was too cold to walk around the area where hockey was played, too. Maybe we should go back when the weather is better :-) </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEVxMjJCXjdqU3-Bx06kzO4gtUBUeoMfPmwiwFgYOmzqXvMHGgoEoJ3W_InWXVq6tMg6Z6qy1Wv7HuetpYzDxrUL0Gp80T-3j5YHyz0rvfSzxeW2cTpaAAsMXFFqcYVgJhdWZLEde7ao/s1600/DSC_0266.JPG"></a></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-69904238683185263652010-06-06T03:00:00.000-04:002010-06-06T13:46:59.950-04:00Back to the Daily Grind! Or the Three-Days-a-Week Grind...<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsDhYzYg_66Nr1bWpbfGBsbzfAUB_zzN405X3RMZa0aNMnkVSEsSSNDsF4OweCAwc56ZdP-8dBtjN93_lrSjXDNe41idDTUYmaGKR7l8ppg64zpD1L0cCjUpC6_l7FqAdN96y7cLUSFk/s1600/NCAHC.JPG"></a>I started my new job on Thursday. I work part time, so Thursday, Friday, and a half day on Saturday. It's at this awesome place - <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsDhYzYg_66Nr1bWpbfGBsbzfAUB_zzN405X3RMZa0aNMnkVSEsSSNDsF4OweCAwc56ZdP-8dBtjN93_lrSjXDNe41idDTUYmaGKR7l8ppg64zpD1L0cCjUpC6_l7FqAdN96y7cLUSFk/s400/NCAHC.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479553403918279106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 203px; " /></span></div><div>Look them up on facebook.</div><div><br /></div><div>They don't have any pictures of the outside of the building on <a href="http://www.northcountryanimals.com/index.html">their website</a>, but it looks like a giant log cabin. If you look at the virtual tour, you'll see how much space there is inside and how clean it is. It doesn't smell like "vet clinic". You probably all know the smell. This is the cleanest clinic I've ever been in. The maintenance man even told me that if I ever do smell the "vet clinic" smell, tell him because it means he missed a spot and he's not doing his job as well as he should.</div><div><br /></div><div>Including me, they now have seven vets. They're all really good, and they all seem glad to have new grads around (I count as a new grad because I've never done general practice before, and they hired another vet that graduated last month). </div><div><br /></div><div>They see lots of exotics and wildlife. The practice takes care of the local zoo's animals, and they're one of the only practices in the area that will take in wildlife. In the two and a half days I've been there, they've seen a macaw parrot, a falcon, a gosling, three bunnies (smaller than your hand), and an owl. They did surgery on a fox earlier in the week. </div><div><br /></div><div>They also have <a href="http://www.aahanet.org/">AAHA</a> certification. If you've never heard of this, it's a certification given to hospitals that meet standards of excellence. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think I'll really like working there :-)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655557095800397624.post-71734803629859208422010-06-01T14:33:00.000-04:002010-06-01T14:49:34.645-04:00My Littlest Nephew<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj753I9-gy7sHz6y_jAbUb3jR1SnmnBz_X3XL3QCLC1H9rLQi_dBs7xMDFJzZEs1MEjmIHMABY786hnC1qdrBFqNkmBOweMTMcWRvTAv6NV0qm0tZWuVf786vMSIW761V3JTHqYI_FuAzk/s1600/DSC_0425b.jpg"></a>During my trip home last month (Last month? Already? Guess so...) I got to see my littlest nephew playing with my dad quite a bit. He's definitely a grandpa's boy. He loves cars, playing outside, and getting dirty. My nephew Luke, that is. Well I guess my dad, too... Aaaaaaaanyway. It was super bright outside and I'm OBVIOUSLY still learning to use my camera, but these turned out okay. It helps when your subject is just stinkin' cute. It makes you look better.<div><br /></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZm-xwJ0Ri1ltBeBMseJJo5nJ8QmhAQHlEX4TWwqdVKP6VV_9_07l3zPzyoLn9imZ0DL8GYYcot3k6XwEEntTdLV2qIs-sAf6scb9VLDWTopunptj6mbQXC0xv_81xshnyy5QAcKjhC4/s1600/DSC_0410.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZm-xwJ0Ri1ltBeBMseJJo5nJ8QmhAQHlEX4TWwqdVKP6VV_9_07l3zPzyoLn9imZ0DL8GYYcot3k6XwEEntTdLV2qIs-sAf6scb9VLDWTopunptj6mbQXC0xv_81xshnyy5QAcKjhC4/s400/DSC_0410.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477877221216877250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj753I9-gy7sHz6y_jAbUb3jR1SnmnBz_X3XL3QCLC1H9rLQi_dBs7xMDFJzZEs1MEjmIHMABY786hnC1qdrBFqNkmBOweMTMcWRvTAv6NV0qm0tZWuVf786vMSIW761V3JTHqYI_FuAzk/s1600/DSC_0425b.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0kn73MlQOUOu-kESpizNfpK7m9a_ZlaglQjcOzL2-_h51RmTTtH_lhsY19bIv8b0ZDIlTwPuHLE1Op14UiWB4d8kgzZz9bRJ3ionjBQc11bhjY9hK2g77czg39r_zEzA9H59n-zLBUk/s1600/DSC_0412.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0kn73MlQOUOu-kESpizNfpK7m9a_ZlaglQjcOzL2-_h51RmTTtH_lhsY19bIv8b0ZDIlTwPuHLE1Op14UiWB4d8kgzZz9bRJ3ionjBQc11bhjY9hK2g77czg39r_zEzA9H59n-zLBUk/s400/DSC_0412.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477877229745049890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZm-xwJ0Ri1ltBeBMseJJo5nJ8QmhAQHlEX4TWwqdVKP6VV_9_07l3zPzyoLn9imZ0DL8GYYcot3k6XwEEntTdLV2qIs-sAf6scb9VLDWTopunptj6mbQXC0xv_81xshnyy5QAcKjhC4/s1600/DSC_0410.JPG"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj753I9-gy7sHz6y_jAbUb3jR1SnmnBz_X3XL3QCLC1H9rLQi_dBs7xMDFJzZEs1MEjmIHMABY786hnC1qdrBFqNkmBOweMTMcWRvTAv6NV0qm0tZWuVf786vMSIW761V3JTHqYI_FuAzk/s400/DSC_0425b.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477877243028554930" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I really want to pinch his cheeks, but I don't ever want to be the cheek-pinching aunt. That's not a good reputation to have amongst the children in your family. It makes them avoid you. Then before you know it, they'll start to think you're old and that you smell funny. And they'll worry about getting lipstick prints on their faces from you. And all because you just had to start pinching cheeks. Glad I'm still holding out on that one. Whew! :-) </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1