TRAIN TRAVEL

Cindy tells me today of a nightmare vacation of one of her co-workers.

Seems she, her mother, and her son planned to take the train from Indiana to Washington State. In theory...this sounds like it could be a great vacation. Travel by rail through some beautiful parts of America to a beautiful state...enjoy time there...and then travel back by another route to see other beautiful parts of America.

Sounds like a fun...relaxing...enjoyable time. Instead of the above...this is apparently how it went.

When arriving at the local Amtrak depot...they were told the train 'may' not make it in. So they were placed on a 'bus' to be driven to Chicago (about a 2 1/2-3 hour trip) by bus. When the bus arrived, the passengers were loaded on and the bus promptly backed into something, preventing luggage of the passengers to be loaded on it. Another bus was brought in and passengers and luggage were put on it and headed to Chicago. Shortly after getting out of town, one of the passengers realized they left their train tickets on 'the other' bus. The bus driver pulled over, contacted the depot, found an employee to find the first bus, find the tickets of the customer and then drive them up to the awaiting bus on the interstate.

At this point...would you be thinking that 'maybe' you made a mistake in planning this trip? Still, they went on and apparently things went reasonably well from Chicago to their destination in Washington. After a relaxing time there and finally needing to take the train 'back' to Indiana...they were told that the train left at 1am and they would ride it to the next stop, then get on a bus for a 3 hour bus ride to the next stop and get on the train there...if it was there...or they would then have 'another' 6 hour bus ride to their next destination.

Instead...asked for a refund...rented a car...and DROVE home to Indiana from Washington state.

This conversation made me ask Cindy...why don't we (the United States) have a 'high-speed rail system' ? Let's get America back to work, by building a rail system that would get us to-and-from major cities in a timely manner. We certainly need to get people to work! Why not serve two functions...get people working...and create a means of travel that would benefit many?

I think I would enjoy train travel if it was efficient. Wouldn't you? They have them in Europe...in fact my brother, Dave, is going to be taking the Eurostar next month as part of his travel as he and his wife travel from Stockholm-to-Paris-to-London. Apparently, they are trying to get one started in Dave's state of California, but the project seems to be going nowhere.

I guess Cindy & I, like Dave, will have to travel to Europe to ride one. Unless America gets started on it here pretty quickly, it wouldn't be done in my lifetime anyway...we'll HAVE to travel outside of America to ride one...if that's what we want to do.

Too bad. I think it's a WIN-WIN if we could get it going here.


Dan

WHIRLPOOL

Whirlpool.

I don't know if I could ever hear that word and not 'visually' think..and see...the Whirlpool plant in Evansville, Indiana. The huge manufacturing plant on the north side of Evansville...where refrigerators were made since the mid-1950s...just can't be missed as you enter the city. Once you near the city limits, you can't miss seeing Dress Regional Airport on your left...and just past the airport...the huge, squared, deep blue exterior building known as Whirlpool. Since I was a very young boy, I knew we were in Evansville when we drove by the easily recognizable building.

While living in Owensville as a young boy, we made many trips to Evansville. Sometimes I went with dad when he was getting something for the hardware store where he worked. My guess is, if his store didn't have it for their customer, he headed to the much larger city to get it. (Now that's...customer service. Rather than the customer driving to the 'big' city to get what they needed, the little store sent an employee to get it for them!)

But the main reason we went to Evansville (and in the process...driving by the Whirlpool plant) was to see my mom. Mom spent most of my 'growing up years' in the State Hospital there, so we would go visit her...or bring her home for short stays and then return her to the hospital.

My brother, Durward, also lived in Evansville for a while when I was small, and I stayed with him and his family for a time. Again, in that trip there and back, we had to drive by...the Whirlpool plant.

Yesterday, the Whirlpool plant closed. Like so many other businesses over recent years, the plant closed and moved its' production to Mexico.

I suppose the building, even though closed, will sit unoccupied for years and slowly deteriorate...until the city finally gets enough money to raze it...finally removing it from the landscape where it has sat for almost all the years of my life.

Even if that happens, I will still 'see' it in my mind, when I make that drive to Evansville and drive by 'that spot' where Whirlpool used to sit.


Dan

BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ

I had a chance to see an old movie again today...Birdman of Alcatraz. Made in 1962, the movie is in black and white. It is based on a true story...of Robert Stroud, played by Burt Lancaster. It also stars Karl Malden and Telly Savalas.

I recall seeing the movie, for the first time, back in the 60's. It is a fascinating...true story and I was quite intrigued. I've seen it several mores times over the last 40+ years and been re-intrigued each time.

Now with Google, we can find more information about subjects than we would probably ever know otherwise...certainly from 40 years ago.

Just like all movies 'based on facts'...they are unable to tell 'everything' about a person or event in 2 hours. The benefit of the internet allowed me to find a little more about 'the birdman' (Robert Stroud) than the movie shared.

The movie ends with Robert Stroud still alive. He died the following year...1963...interestingly for us trivia buffs...on November 21, 1963. (The trivia being that the next day...was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy).

If you have a day when you want to watch an 'old'...interesting story...rent the movie, pop some popcorn and enjoy an old flick.


Dan

NOT COMPETITIVE? YEAH RIGHT!

If two of my daughters read this article, and were to meet this 'expert' on the street, I think they could kick his ass. Well...I guess it's just the heading of the article...'cheerleading is NOT competitive'...that just reads wrong.

Julie and Joni were both cheerleaders in high school and both were active on the cheerleader/dance squads. Both were in competitions that qualified them to attend the cheerleading finals in Orlando, Florida. Julie's squad, I believe, finished in the top 10...in the country.

Both of them practiced, and practiced, and practiced long hours...every day. They were in great physical shape. They were dedicated to their sport. For someone to tell them it wasn't 'competitive'...would be a dangerous remark.

Sometimes...people who think they are 'experts'....aren't.


Dan

PIRATE CONVENTION

According to this San Francisco article, they held a Pirate Festival yesterday in Vallejo. I wish I could have taken my little pirates from Disney...cause they woulda 'fit right in'.

Aarrgh !

Dan

BE THANKFUL

Today I was reminded to not complain...and to enjoy the moment...no matter what that moment may be. If I'm having a good day...be grateful. If I'm having a bad day... remember...someone else is probably having a worse one.

This mornings paper showed the obituary of a mid-fifties year-old husband and wife. Seems yesterday someone pulled in front of their motorcycle and they were unable to avoid a collision. I thought about their children...who maybe as recently as the night before...was laughing and having supper with them...and the next day...they're both gone.

Today...at the end of the day...I was planning on coming home and enjoying the start to the weekend. Just minutes after leaving, my pager went off...instructing me to come back in to the hospital. Seems a doctor asked for a STAT test to be done on his patient. When I went to the room of the patient to talk to them, I found he was just admitted and was visiting with his wife and children. He appeared in no distress, walking and talking easily. I explained the test that the doctor wanted me to perform and as I was doing so...the doctor walked in. He told the patient that he had bad news...but he wanted the test that I was about to start, to begin fighting the disease as fast as he could. The man's son asked the doctor how long his father might survive without immediate intervention. The doctor told him...'maybe, six weeks'.

As I performed the test on the man to get the results that would start the immediate intervention...I was reminded that I had NO REASON to complain that I would have a late start to my weekend. I can't imagine being on the receiving end of those words...'maybe, six weeks'.

Tonight...I will think about the husband and wife and their children...And I will think about the man and his family and the challenges they face. Neither of these situations are ones that people should have to face...but they do...everyday.

My problems are insignificant.


Dan

THOSE SALES PITCHES

In the span of about 90 minutes this afternoon, I ran...indirectly...into 2 sales pitches that caught my attention.

The first was on Mason's and my way to his ballgame. Between our house and the ballfield...is one of those pizza joints that sells cheap pizza for $5. It's one of those places that you can't sit at a table inside to eat...you just drive up, ask them to make the pizza you want and then take it home to eat. But from my perspective...for $5...you get pizza that tastes like $5. So I don't care to go there...or eat any of their pizza.

But the sales pitch I was mentioning...is they, almost daily, have one or two or three guys outside at the streetside...waving signs that advertise...'Pizza for $5'. The guys that wave the signs must get a couple bucks an hour...or all the $5 pizza they can eat...to try to distract the drivers going by in hopes they'll pull in and buy a few to take home for supper. I assume it's effective advertising...but it...and their product...is of no interest to me.

The second sales pitch came on our way home from the game. We drove home a different way than the way we took to get there...and we passed near a house where a little girl was sitting on the corner selling her lemonade. 'Lemonade...25 cents!'...she yelled loudly as she held up her little sign as I and several other cars passed by.

None of us stopped for lemonade!

Then...as I continued to drive home...I began to giggle as I was reminded of a Flip Wilson or Bill Cosby skit from years and years and years ago. I don't recall for sure which of the two it was...but the story was funny to me then...and still made me giggle this afternoon.

The gist of the story was this: Flip was selling lemonade from his lemonade stand when he was a little boy. His sign said...'ALL THE LEMONADE YOU CAN DRINK 10 CENTS'. Well...a fellow stopped by on a hot day and he was thirsty and he said to Flip...'that sounds good. I'll have a glass of your lemonade. Here's 10 cents'.

So Flip takes the mans 10 cents and gives him a glass of lemonade. The man was thirsty and drank it down and found it to be delicious. He decided he'd like another glass...and since the sign said 'all you can drink for 10 cents'...he handed his glass back to Flip and said, 'that was real good. I'll have another glass'.

Flip said, 'that'll be 10 cents'.

The man said, 'but your sign says all you can drink for 10 cents'.

Flip says, 'you had one glass...and that's all you can drink for 10 cents' !

Hearing that little girl yell 'lemonade...25 cents'...took me back to an older time.

I giggled.


Dan

STORMS WRECKING HAVOC

Storms moved through our area yesterday evening...setting off a frenzy at our house.

Mason and I were at the ballpark getting ready for Mason's game. It was dark and ugly to the north of us but looked just fine to the west. Lightning was in the distance but seemed just 'heat lighting'. I hoped it would pass by...but. They decided to cancel the game so we hopped in the car and were on the way home when daughter Julie called to say 'get home' cause it's coming.

Meanwhile, granddaughter Anna was on her way into the storm, unknowingly, as she was on her way to horse riding lessons. Shawn (son-in-law) got hold of the babysitter who was driving Anna there and told her to turn around and come home. It was a few nervous moments as the storm arrived...lightning struck all around us...and rain came down in buckets. But she did get home.

The kids headed to the basement...the storm ran its course...and we all survived.

I see an article in the paper that says, in Ohio, a structure didn't survive. A character sung about on Bob & Tom...Big Butter Jesus...was struck by lightning and burned. I'm sure it will be rebuilt.

Here's the article...and here's a song about it...by Heywood Banks...a frequent guest on B&T.


Dan

THE RETURN TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE

For those of you who've been following along...you know that in an April blog , I wrote about a visit to the Social Security Office. Today, I had an opportunity for a return visit. It wasn't AS BAD this time...because I walked away with what I went in there for...but it WAS another adventure.

Just like my prior visit...I walked in the front door...punched a screen on the computer and out popped my 'number'....110. No sooner had it printed...that I heard...'number 93'.

Oh...this could be a loooooonnng visit. But I was determined to get this project scratched off my 'to do' list.

Just like before...a 'soap' was on the in-house TV...followed shortly by Dr. Phil...and I still HATE both of them. I wonder if they both get a government rebate if their shows play on 'SS' network?

Anyway...I kept myself distracted so as to not think of all the numbers to go before 110 was announced...and Dr. Stinkin' Phil was over.

I was amazed at all the younger people in the waiting room. 20-somethings. Quite a bit overweight...but still young. Are they here filing for disability...because they're overweight? Oh please..!!

But I digress...they are nearing triple digits and finally...100 is called. At least they're getting in the neighborhood.

I get my papers in order...as I hear the people behind the desk ask every person...'I need your number slip and your ID'. So I have my papers all ready...my number slip...my ID...Mason's ID...Mason's birth certificate...the court document for custody...the application form I filled out in advance. I am ready.

Number 111...!!!

111??? Hey...I think you missed me...I have 110. Was I so busy getting everything in order that I missed it...or did you skip me? I swear they skipped me...but I couldn't make a big scene...I mean after all...they COULD make me draw another number...and listen to another half hour of Dr. Stinkin' Phil and who knows what's on after that?

The kind man who had number 111 backed away from the window and said, 'you go ahead'. I thanked him profusely...for saving me from jail time for making a scene. He was real nice...gave me a guilt trip AND an anger trip for him being so nice...and them for skipping me.

But I'm to the window, handing over every ID as it's asked...every paper he needs...I give it to him...'do you have the ap'....I hand the application to him before he can even finish the sentence. He thanks me for coming prepared...prints off my receipt that I've been there and says I'll be getting the replacement card in a week. If I still don't have it in 2 weeks...give him a call.

If I don't have it in 2 weeks...I AIN'T going back. I'll just shoot myself.


Dan

TOY STORY

Toy Story 3 will be coming out this Friday...in '3D'. The Pixar group has done some fantastic movies over the years, and this one should be no exception.

The original Toy Stories are some of my favorites. Surely most of you have seen them, but if you haven't...shame on you...you should. You particularly should before you go see '3'...because it will mean so much more. Andy...the young boy in the movie...whose toys come to life...will be going to college. '3' is about the reactions of the toys to the fact that 'their Andy'...has grown up.

In our recent visit to DisneyWorld, we continually ran into references of Toy Story. The grandkids got pictures taken with Buzz and Woody and the Green Army Men and Mr. Potato Head. Those characters and many more...are a part of the fabric of those kids...and millions more just like them...as much as Mighty Mouse and Woody Woodpecker and Tom & Jerry are to my generation.

It will be a fun movie for them to see...and I'm gonna like it too.


Dan

ARLINGTON...A MUST SEE

Any visitor to Washington DC, owes it to themselves to visit Arlington Cemetery.

It has so much history, an entire day could be spent there just seeing 'some' of it. One place that is a MUST SEE is the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. It is a special ceremony, very moving and very impressive. To see the respect given by and the dedication of the soldiers who guard this sacred spot...can bring a lump to your throat.

This article is sad. There are apparently a few people who DON'T have that type of respect and have done a disservice to some fine men and women of our country and their families. I'm confident it will be straightened out, but that doesn't ease the pain for those involved.

Hopefully, they'll fix it quickly, and put into place a system that will never allow such a thing to happen ever again.


Dan

NCAA PUNISHES THE WRONG ONES

Again in the sports news, the University of Southern California football and basketball programs have been cited for rules violations.

And again...the school pays the penalties...and the coaches and players who should be held responsible...seemingly get off with no charges.

Indiana University is still suffering from the violations that occurred several years ago under their basketball coach Kelvin Sampson. Maybe IU deserved some of the penalties they got...because Sampson left Oklahoma University...where he was accused of the same wrongdoings...to come to IU where he repeated them. IU should have known better. They're smarter than that...or I thought...anyway. Maybe IU deserved it...but Sampson seems to not have any penalties...outside of he's not to coach college basketball for 'x' number of years. He's still getting paid to help coach in the NBA.

Kentucky coach John Calipari broke rules at 2 colleges that he coached at, Massachusetts and Memphis...and the schools received sanctions. Amazingly...Calipari left the schools...just prior to the sanctions given by the NCAA. Now he's at Kentucky...being paid the highest salary in college basketball. Makes me wonder what's important to Kentucky fans. He's apparently a good coach...he does win games...but at what cost? Hopefully UK fans won't get too attached to any trophies Calipari helps bring to the university...because the NCAA might take them away after he's left for 'the next place'...because he knows he broke some rules again to win that trophy.

Maybe the student/athlete should be penalized as well. In some cases...the USC case above...the players involved went on to the professional level...making millions of dollars...while again...the school is paying the 'real' price.

The NCAA sanctions committee isn't doing their job in my opinion.

Let them go after the 'millions' of dollars the coaches are paid...and the 'millions' of dollars that the players are paid after they've moved on from doing their damage to the university they just left behind.

Hit 'em in the pocketbook. If 'they' know there is a real price to pay down the road...maybe they'll think twice before breaking the rules.


Dan

CAR WASH CRAZY

Cindy & I swapped cars today...hers was in need of a 7500 mile checkup at the dealer so I drove it to work today and then stopped there after work. They did their thing and then I came home with it.

The weather was nice outside so I thought I'd wash it for her while I had the time and energy. Grandson Owen came out and wanted to help me. Little did he know...'other' people washing my cars drives me crazy because they 'just don't know how I like it done'. But I let him help me anyway. I gritted my teeth and sighed heavily the whole time.

I'm guessing a few of my readers are either like me about car washing...or know someone just like me.

There's just a certain procedural way to wash a car and I can't seem to get my wife...my children...and now my grandchildren to catch on...and it's all I can do to just let them help...and then do it over after they go inside.

Know someone like me? Remind you of anyone?

First...you wet the car down, knocking all the dirt off and loosening up the bug guts on the front of the car so they'll come off a little easier. Next...you use a car wash soap, make some good bubbles in your bucket, get your rag good and wet and sudsy...and you start on the top of the car then work your way down. You don't do the windows, jump over to the hood, then go the back, then to the passenger door. You're going to miss spots that way. You methodically start at the top and work your way down, covering every part of the car.

Equally, when you rinse off the soap...you start at the top. Water 'runs down'! So you start at the top...rinsing the suds down as you go.

Some might call me OCD. Some might call me crazy. Cindy calls me.....well...I can't print what she sometimes calls me.

(She loves me anyway.)


Dan

FLORIDA COAST MEMORIES

I dislike writing about bad news...as we all get it enough already. But I just can't stay away from the gulf oil disaster. In a blog I wrote in May I wrote that the spill would be the worst man-made disaster...and I don't believe I will be proven wrong.

Now...the president is looking for someones ass to kick. I think it's too late for that.

According to the article and my thoughts...'the blob' is pretty well going to ruin much of the Louisiana coast. We've been to Gulf Shores, Alabama for a great spring break with our kids 10 years ago. It was ravaged by a hurricane since then that pretty well destroyed the beaches. Over time, they were rebuilt...but now...they are likely to be destroyed again.

Near the panhandle of Florida, just off the coast, is an island strip call St. George Islands. Cindy's family and her and I have been there several times. The last visit there was just after her dad was diagnosed with cancer. We had a wonderful family time as we grieved, worried and celebrated his life...all at the same time. The oil is heading that way...and I'm sure it will get there, and ruin those beaches that we walked up and down 100 times.

One of Cindy & my favorite places is the lower gulf coast of Florida...Ft. Myers Beach/Naples area. We have been there numerous times and love the area. We even desired to spend some of our retirement years there when that got here. My guess is...the oil will find its' way there too...and they are some of the most beautiful beaches we've seen.

All of those memories...may just end up being that...memories.

I'll hope for the best. But my optimism is waning.


Dan

THE BOWLER IN ME

Reading this article reminded me of some high school memories.

I was a bowler in high school with a couple of my buddies, Barry 'Hog' Brown, Mark 'Morg' Morgan and Steve 'Tree' McCoy. None of us ever had the bowling skills of the guy in the story...but just reading it took me back nearly 40 years.

Steve worked...forever I think...at Ft. Sackville...one of the bowling alleys in Vincennes. Several of us frequently stopped by, particularly on the weekends, to see how Tree was doing. He ran the front desk...getting people set up to bowl...getting their shoes...answering the phone...and the frequent runs to the back of the alley to free a stuck pin or bowling ball. Tree did it all with a great attitude, a grin on his face and a contagious sense of humor.

Mark worked at Schmidt Auto...an auto parts store...ironically just a block down the street from Ft. Sackville. Working with Morg at the store was Ray Lemon, a fellow who was quite a few years older than us...but the five of us formed a bowling team that bowled weekly over several bowling seasons...sponsored by Mark and Ray's employer...Schmidt Auto. We, on more than one occasion, were called something else...that rhymes with 'Schmidt'. Lovingly of course...in a teasing manner...by a roomful of men...all who took their bowling more seriously than we did.

I believe there were a dozen or so teams in our league. We were never at the top of the league...and never dead last...but I think only the team with the four 90-year old guys and the blind team were the only ones we finished ahead of !

Tree and Ray were good bowlers...Ray having bowled for years...and Tree with the obvious advantages of bowling whenever he wanted...for free. Hog, Morg and I brought up the rear for our team...Morg more in the rear than Barry and me.

One night...around Christmas time...the bowling alley was having a special contest during one of the games...with the winner receiving a 'bowling ball' as a Christmas gift. Fortunately for me, it was 'that game' that I seemed to put all the pieces together. What made it equally exciting for me, was that, probably the best bowler in the league, was also having a good game. It was neck-and-neck down to the last ball...and I won by a matter of a few pins! (I think I bowled a 236).

I was so excited...I was looking forward to going up in front of all the teams to accept my 'new' bowling ball. When I got up to the counter...I was handed a box about 3" x 3" in size. I opened it up and it was 'a Christmas ornament' ...in the shape of a black bowling ball.

You might guess my disappointment. I'm not sure if that stupid ornament even made it home that night. If it did...it was probably in a million pieces.


Dan

FENCES

Cindy & I have lived in our current house for 18 years. It is in an old established neighborhood that is now probably 40 years old, with all ranch homes, except 1 tri-level. The lot sizes range from about a quarter acre to ours of nearly 2/3 an acre.

Most everyone, at least in our nearby group of homes of maybe a dozen or so, are the owners who lived here when we moved in.

One of the things we liked, when we got here, was the open back yards that the homes on our side of the street shared. You could walk from the back of our house, through the neighbors back yards to the next street down...probably the length of a football field...without any obstructions except an occasional storage shed. Not that we did it all the time...but you could make that trip if you wanted. If you were doing dishes and looking out the window over our sink, you could see all the way down to the next street...looking at those neighbors flower gardens, and bird baths, and the squirrels and rabbits running through the yards.

This was in contrast to the new neighborhoods being built up. Not only are the yards not much bigger than the houses that sit on them, they usually have a fence around what yard they do have.

Much like the 'open' look inside a home that I like...where there are fewer walls and you can see from room-to-room...I also like that 'open' look in the neighborhoods, without fences blocking the view of things.

But alas...my desire...and reality...differ.

Several years ago, one of those new neighbors, 3 houses down, moved in and built a fence around their back yard...putting up the first wall to block the neighborhood view. In the last 6 weeks, new neighbors have moved in next door to us. While we were away at Disney...they put up a fence enclosing their back yard.

I don't have hard feelings against them. They have a little boy just a few years old. They will be able to let him step out the back door and play in their yard without wondering if he'll roam off somewhere...or someone getting to him.

But it is one of those things that we so enjoyed...now gone by the wayside.

Sorry to see it gone.


Dan

A FEW THINGS I LEARNED AT DISNEY

After our return from Disney, I'm recalling a few things I learned while I was there.

1. GO WITH THE FLOW. We had a few special things we had to do at specific times. For the most part otherwise, we just came to a mutual agreement of what to do next...and did it. And if that didn't work, we made a quick revision and did the next obvious thing.

2. KIDS WILL AMAZE YOU. As the week wound down, Cindy asked the grandkids what they liked best. More than 1 responded...the swimming. (It reminded me of the many Christmases with our own little girls and then our grandchildren...when they got as much, or more, enjoyment out of the boxes that the gift came in...than the actual gift itself). Out of all the parks and all the rides and all the characters...the simple act of swimming was as much fun as any of it.

3. RESERVATIONS vs. DROP INS. Before leaving for the trip, we heard from many folks to have our meal reservations made well in advance for some of the restaurants. We chose not to...because we didn't want our time to be so structured that we 'HAD' to be certain places at certain times. Probably the best meal we had the entire vacation came about because we just went into the park to find something...the first place we 'thought' we wanted to go was busy...so we just kept looking and strolled upon a place that served the best and most food we could eat. It was truly the best meal there...and we would never have thought to go there if we had 'planned' it.

4. FANTASMIC vs. ILLUMINATIONS vs. WISHES. Each park has a special fireworks/laser show that is good and worth seeing. 'WISHES' was more than I could have expected. It is the night show at Magic Kingdom. Find a spot in front of the castle...and enjoy the show. The fireworks linked to the music that they play...was breathtaking. Cindy even broke into tears at the finale...it was THAT good. See all of them that you want...but DO NOT miss 'WISHES'.

I'll think of more...but gotta go for now.


Dan

BACK FROM DISNEY

I have stories to tell...and I'm not sure where to start.

We got in, in the 'early hours' this morning. Cindy & I were up early...her to starting the laundry and straitening the house...me to looking through the mail and getting the bills paid 'on-line' that needed to be paid.

The 8 days at Disney flew by...about as fast as the 100 days leading up to our leaving!

In my previous blog...I mentioned that I was looking forward to seeing the grandkids faces as that jet took off (their first time on a plane) and their faces as they saw the Magic Kingdom for the first time.

Neither disappointed.

The grins and wide eyes as that jet lunged forward down the runway was fantastic. They couldn't contain their excitement. And we have a profile view of Anna (caught by our camera) as she rounds the curve at the entrance of Magic Kingdom and looks down Main Street...seeing Cinderella's Castle for the first time. It was something Walt Disney would put on his wall...with the caption..."this is exactly why I built this place"...above it. That picture will go in a frame to be proudly displayed for years to come.

As I write, the grandkids are playing in the house...Julie has headed to work to brag to her workmates...Jaime & Shawn have headed to the store to restock the groceries...Joni & Ryan haven't checked in yet...maybe still in bed.

Tomorrow...a few of us head to work...just for a day to ease our way back into the work world. We'll have a few baseball games to get the boys to. I'll need to mow. We'll need to get pictures developed. We read NO newspapers and watched very little TV while on vacation so I know very little of what happened in the world during the last week. We saw on the TV in the airport that the oil spill is still going on and that Dennis Hopper died. Outside of that...I'll have to hear about it from others or not worry about it.

There's lots to do after returning from a vacation. Most of it 'work' that we haven't done for the last week. There's also lots of 'rememberin' that I need to do so I can get you some stories.

I look forward to it. Hope you do too.


Dan