Yesterday was spent traveling from San Diego to Oroville, California. I flew from San Diego to Sacramento, then drove an hour or so north of Sacramento to a little town called Oroville, with a population around 15,000. The terrain here is much different from San Diego. There I was right on the ocean and there are mountains all around. Here it is quite flat and brown. Lots of orchards and crops. It is definitely a farming area.
Yesterday afternoon I drove about 15 minutes out of town to the Oroville Dam, which turned the Feather River into a lake. I drove across the dam and back. Apparently I was just around the corner from the visitor's center which has a documentary about the area. I should be finished about 4 today, so I think I will drive back up there and check it out.
After many routine weeks of my usual travel routes, it has been fun this week to go somewhere different.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Phone Story
Once I was checked into the hotel last night, I started to make some phone calls only to discover my phone did not have reception. Actually, two bars were lit up, but none of the calls I attempted went through. I couldn't even get text messages to go through. I decided it was the reception here in the hotel and that I would be able to get better reception today.
This morning I was up and at it by 5AM. I got a considerable amount of work done before I had to go to the site for the training at 9:30. Still no phone. I finally thought to check and see if I was receiving e-mail......nothing. Then the light bulb came on and I pulled the battery out and re-booted the phone. It worked fine. The last time that happened was in New Orleans when the girls couldn't find me.
Then my slide clicker quit working just after the noon break. I hate to have to stand in one place and talk, but since I had to click from the laptop, that is what I had to do. I asked the facilitator if they had any AAA batteries, but they did not. Then I took the batteries out and re-installed them and it worked fine for about 15 minutes and quit again. I repeated the process and got another 15 minutes. It was sort of like shaking the toner to get a few more copies.
This morning I was up and at it by 5AM. I got a considerable amount of work done before I had to go to the site for the training at 9:30. Still no phone. I finally thought to check and see if I was receiving e-mail......nothing. Then the light bulb came on and I pulled the battery out and re-booted the phone. It worked fine. The last time that happened was in New Orleans when the girls couldn't find me.
Then my slide clicker quit working just after the noon break. I hate to have to stand in one place and talk, but since I had to click from the laptop, that is what I had to do. I asked the facilitator if they had any AAA batteries, but they did not. Then I took the batteries out and re-installed them and it worked fine for about 15 minutes and quit again. I repeated the process and got another 15 minutes. It was sort of like shaking the toner to get a few more copies.
San Diego
Left Kansas City yesterday afternoon to go WEST. Flight was on time and uneventful, which would not have been the case had I been heading EAST. The San Diego airport is right on the harbor, and it is very pretty. Lots of sail boats and yacht type boats anchored around in the water. It was a pretty afternoon and temperatures were mild. I am so glad we are on the downside of summer.
I was first class for the first leg of the flight, which was good because it was a regional jet and there is quite a bit more room in first class than coach. The second leg of the flight I was in coach, but is was a big plane, so I wasn't scrunched up anyway. I tried to read, but kept falling asleep!
I am now awake and it is 4:30 AM. I can't seem to go back to sleep, which always happens when I'm in the Pacific time zone, so I will just get a little report writing done before I head out to work.
I was first class for the first leg of the flight, which was good because it was a regional jet and there is quite a bit more room in first class than coach. The second leg of the flight I was in coach, but is was a big plane, so I wasn't scrunched up anyway. I tried to read, but kept falling asleep!
I am now awake and it is 4:30 AM. I can't seem to go back to sleep, which always happens when I'm in the Pacific time zone, so I will just get a little report writing done before I head out to work.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Lazy!!
I can't believe it has been over a month since I have posted. The truth of the matter is that not much has been happening with regard to travel.
BUT, I head to San Diego this Sunday afternoon, and for the next several weeks I will be in all four corners of the US map, so surely something entertaining will happen.
Stay tuned.
BUT, I head to San Diego this Sunday afternoon, and for the next several weeks I will be in all four corners of the US map, so surely something entertaining will happen.
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Significant Changes
Saturday was spent at Ocean's of Fun with Mira and Griffin. They are so much fun in the water. I was watching Griffin at the Pirate Ship while Brooks took Mira to some big slides and Hillary had a Pina Colada with Charlie at the adult pool.
Griffin tried to ignore me while he played. I watched him on the Pirate Ship slides and whenever he came down a slide in front of me, he looked the other way as if he hadn't noticed me. After a while he moved down to a different area with slides and shallow water. I moved to an area which provided some shade and a clear view of which ever slide he decided upon which to play. During this time he never looked my way. He then started up some steps to the top of a slide. About 2/3 of the way up he stopped and looked around. He took a few more steps, then started back down with a distressed look on his face. I jumped up and headed toward him. Once he saw me he stopped and said, "I didn't know where you were!!" I replied, "I always knew where you were." and hugged him. He went ahead and went to the top of the slide and slide down. Then he came to me and said, "I need to go get Sully and go home."
I found Hillary and Brooks and told them Griff was ready to go home. Mira was not, but I did not have a car seat. Hillary and Brooks took Griff home ( and picked Sully up from Grandma Lana). I played with Mira. She found a little friend with whom to play on the slides. I got a kick out of watching them hold hands on the slides and laugh all the way down, then splash into the water.
We also played in a bigger pool where she climbed on rafts, slides and floating snakes. She is amazing. The swimming lessons this winter were worth every penny as she has no fear about getting her face wet, understands about holding her breath, and swims by kicking her feet and using her arms. When the summer is as hot as this one, appreciation of the water is a good idea.
Brooks came back and had a beer with Charlie, then took Mira to some more pools and slides. I finally reclined on a lounge chair at the pool, had Charlie get me a frozen Martguerita, and watched the people and tattoos. I was ready to go home. I still needed to finish laundry and packing to I could head out Sunday AM.
I left Kansas City at 6 AM Sunday morning when it was 83 degrees. I arrived in Montana around 2PM and it was 80. From there, the next three days continued to get cooler. Tuesday afternoon was their employee recognition dinner and picnic. It is usually held outside in the Pavilion, but it was too cold and they moved it inside. Ummmmmmmmm..................................................
This morning I left Montana at 6 am and it was 55 degrees. Five hours later I landed in Kansas City and it was 99 degrees according to the readout in the rental car.
Tomorrow I am headed to Des Moines, Iowa and back again......then will have four days off.
Griffin tried to ignore me while he played. I watched him on the Pirate Ship slides and whenever he came down a slide in front of me, he looked the other way as if he hadn't noticed me. After a while he moved down to a different area with slides and shallow water. I moved to an area which provided some shade and a clear view of which ever slide he decided upon which to play. During this time he never looked my way. He then started up some steps to the top of a slide. About 2/3 of the way up he stopped and looked around. He took a few more steps, then started back down with a distressed look on his face. I jumped up and headed toward him. Once he saw me he stopped and said, "I didn't know where you were!!" I replied, "I always knew where you were." and hugged him. He went ahead and went to the top of the slide and slide down. Then he came to me and said, "I need to go get Sully and go home."
I found Hillary and Brooks and told them Griff was ready to go home. Mira was not, but I did not have a car seat. Hillary and Brooks took Griff home ( and picked Sully up from Grandma Lana). I played with Mira. She found a little friend with whom to play on the slides. I got a kick out of watching them hold hands on the slides and laugh all the way down, then splash into the water.
We also played in a bigger pool where she climbed on rafts, slides and floating snakes. She is amazing. The swimming lessons this winter were worth every penny as she has no fear about getting her face wet, understands about holding her breath, and swims by kicking her feet and using her arms. When the summer is as hot as this one, appreciation of the water is a good idea.
Brooks came back and had a beer with Charlie, then took Mira to some more pools and slides. I finally reclined on a lounge chair at the pool, had Charlie get me a frozen Martguerita, and watched the people and tattoos. I was ready to go home. I still needed to finish laundry and packing to I could head out Sunday AM.
I left Kansas City at 6 AM Sunday morning when it was 83 degrees. I arrived in Montana around 2PM and it was 80. From there, the next three days continued to get cooler. Tuesday afternoon was their employee recognition dinner and picnic. It is usually held outside in the Pavilion, but it was too cold and they moved it inside. Ummmmmmmmm..................................................
This morning I left Montana at 6 am and it was 55 degrees. Five hours later I landed in Kansas City and it was 99 degrees according to the readout in the rental car.
Tomorrow I am headed to Des Moines, Iowa and back again......then will have four days off.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Montana
I arrived home from Michigan around 6 PM on Friday the 22. Charlie picked me up at the airport and the temperature, as cited by his truck, was 98 degrees.
YUK.
We stopped at Hy-Vee to buy a couple of steaks and other groceries. I planned to fix a gourmet dinner of steak, baked potato and salad. Note, the steak was to be grilled on George Foreman, NOT the wonderful gas grill that is new to my patio. It was entirely TOO hot to cook outside.
Charlie told me that my house had been comfortable when he was there watering and feeding the cat the day previous. We arrived at my house, and I carried the groceries in as Charlie retrieved my luggage. I thought it was a bit hot in the house and checked the thermostat to discover it was 92 degrees in the upstairs. When I went outside, I discovered the air conditioner unit was not running AT ALL. I called an air conditioner business and arranged for a visit on Saturday morning, then went to Charlie's where the air conditioning DID work. The dinner plans were scrapped. By now, I had no interest in cooking. I ate cheerios and Charlie had a salad and toast!!
Saturday AM the service man arrived and the difficulty was determined to be a piece called a 'capacitor'. Same problem Molly and Ben had experienced. My fix was a bit pricier than theirs, but at that point, who cares? I just wanted a cool house.
After a fun Saturday afternoon with Mira and Griffin at Ocean's of Fun, I headed to Montan this morning (Sunday). It was upper 80's here. I went from the airport to the movies to see the new Julia Roberts/Tom Hanks movie "Larry Crowne". Both the movie and popcorn were good.
This Montana gig is always fun. Good people and good geography.
YUK.
We stopped at Hy-Vee to buy a couple of steaks and other groceries. I planned to fix a gourmet dinner of steak, baked potato and salad. Note, the steak was to be grilled on George Foreman, NOT the wonderful gas grill that is new to my patio. It was entirely TOO hot to cook outside.
Charlie told me that my house had been comfortable when he was there watering and feeding the cat the day previous. We arrived at my house, and I carried the groceries in as Charlie retrieved my luggage. I thought it was a bit hot in the house and checked the thermostat to discover it was 92 degrees in the upstairs. When I went outside, I discovered the air conditioner unit was not running AT ALL. I called an air conditioner business and arranged for a visit on Saturday morning, then went to Charlie's where the air conditioning DID work. The dinner plans were scrapped. By now, I had no interest in cooking. I ate cheerios and Charlie had a salad and toast!!
Saturday AM the service man arrived and the difficulty was determined to be a piece called a 'capacitor'. Same problem Molly and Ben had experienced. My fix was a bit pricier than theirs, but at that point, who cares? I just wanted a cool house.
After a fun Saturday afternoon with Mira and Griffin at Ocean's of Fun, I headed to Montan this morning (Sunday). It was upper 80's here. I went from the airport to the movies to see the new Julia Roberts/Tom Hanks movie "Larry Crowne". Both the movie and popcorn were good.
This Montana gig is always fun. Good people and good geography.
HOT
From Indiana I headed to Waterford, Michigan where it was still unseasonably hot. I had an evening on my own and decided to explore. That is a good idea when I have a GPS, but not so good when I don't. I left the facility and turned RIGHT. Had I turned left I would have been on familiar turf, but I thought that by turning right I could see some new territory and at least find enough familiar streets to find my way to the hotel. Not so.....
I just kept driving and listening to a Harlen Coben book and moving farther and farther away from where I needed to be. I thought I would surely find a sign and arrow pointing to a highway I recognized, but when I saw the arrow to I-75 I knew I was headed in exactly the wrong way. I just didn't know how to get headed back the right way.
I had to give up and pull into a parking lot to checked out the address and then retrieved my computer from the trunk. I booted it up to open my mapping software. OH NO!!! I am about 30 minutes south of where I need to be!! It was actually a very interesting adventure into the unknown. The point at which I decided I needed technical support was Bloomfield Hills, which is a country club area that puts Mission Hills in Kansas City to shame.
I safely arrived back at the hotel and by that time was so engrossed in the book, I spent the evening with ear bubs and finished the book in time to sleep.
I just kept driving and listening to a Harlen Coben book and moving farther and farther away from where I needed to be. I thought I would surely find a sign and arrow pointing to a highway I recognized, but when I saw the arrow to I-75 I knew I was headed in exactly the wrong way. I just didn't know how to get headed back the right way.
I had to give up and pull into a parking lot to checked out the address and then retrieved my computer from the trunk. I booted it up to open my mapping software. OH NO!!! I am about 30 minutes south of where I need to be!! It was actually a very interesting adventure into the unknown. The point at which I decided I needed technical support was Bloomfield Hills, which is a country club area that puts Mission Hills in Kansas City to shame.
I safely arrived back at the hotel and by that time was so engrossed in the book, I spent the evening with ear bubs and finished the book in time to sleep.
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