Baltimore Training Class

I just got back from a great training class in Baltimore. They were stimulating in class and we always had a wonderful time after class.

Shenandoah Valley, Rain and Shine

I went through the Shenandoah National Park on October 25 and 26, with the 25th rainy and foggy in the mountains and the 26th sunny and clear. I enjoyed both days and the park was beautiful both times. The lightening-struck tree above is the same place on the two days and, I think, gives some idea as to how different the same places were on the two contrasting days. In some ways I enjoyed the rainy day more. The limited visibility forced me to concentrate on the small scale, the close-up, because the vistas were shrouded in fog. Of the two photos above, I prefer the foggy day shot.

There were still some wonderful, grander views on the 26th when it was clear.

So you can look at the photos above and see for yourself. For me, both days were beautiful and I find the contrast in the two sets of pictures to be fun. Don't be afraid of a rainy day!

Becky's Kids

I had a nice visit with Becky, Mike and family this weekend. It's always nice to be loved and welcome. These are all on the swing set at their new house. Great house and nice, big yard.

Touring Vermont-Covered Bridges

In all fairness to the Granite State, the covered bridges shown below are equally divided between Vermont and New Hampshire, with 2 in each state and 1 that spans the Connecticut River and connects them. But we spent most of our time in Vermont, so they get the nod on that basis. Mom and I spent the day today playing leaf peeper. We fell into collecting covered bridges by accident. The first one we found, near Brattleboro, VT, we found only because we took an unintended turn. Most of the rest were also serendipity, including a sixth bridge I found 2 weeks later on a separate trip to Virginia.

The second bridge, also in Vermont, was the one in the most questionable condition. I've lost track of exactly where we were, but it was some where near Manchester.

We found the third one because I saw a sign on Highway 12A in New Hampshire that said Covered Bridge #23 was down this little dirt road. We wound around about 3/4 to 1 mile down a narrow lane and found this bridge, still in regular (if infrequent) use and in good repair. This is between the towns of Cornish and Clarendon. I would say that this was my favorite bridge, still practical, not ornate or a tourist attraction, but functioning still a link in this small country road. There are houses on both sides of the stream the bridge spans.

Bridge #20 (our fourth of the day) was this long span across the Connecticut River between Cornish, New Hampshire and Windsor, Vermont. Notice the outrageous cost ($9,000)!. I enjoyed the sign reminding riders to walk their horses across the bridge or face a hefty fine ($2). While I was taking these photos a young man emerged from the bridge on his skateboard. I think it safe to say that the builders of the bridge never imagined that.


A mile or so down the road from bridge #20, we saw a sign for bridge #22, so we followed that arrow and found this bridge. It was getting late in the day and the sun was fading fast, but I think I got some decent photos of this last bridge, also near Cornish, New Hampshire.


Finding covered bridges wasn't something we planned as part of our day, but it ended up being fun. If we'd set out to hunt them, I would have gotten a map, made a plan and maybe we'd have missed the joy of the unexpected.

Talking about unexpected, bridge number six is one I stumbled upon in Virginia! I was driving the Shenandoah Valley on October 25th to see the mountains and the battlefields, and there was a sign for a covered bridge. I drove not too far down a farm country road, there it was. It's a beautiful bridge over a small stream (in local parlance, a run) near the town of Mount Jackson (Yeah, that Jackson), VA. I was in Baltimore for a 2 week training class (inflicting training on others) and rented a car for the weekend. More photos on my drive along the Blue Ridge in a separate post.

Tagged reply

I've been told that the convention is to post the response to one's own blog, so here it is, with "Thanks" to Becky:

3 Names:

Jim, Grandpa (my favorite), Dad

3 Restaurants:

The Double Muskie (Girdwood, Alaska)--this is on the same little dirt road as Ted Steven's remodeled house, the house that (with any luck) got that obnoxious old coot out of the Senate and into a pleasant prison cell; Louisiana (Baltimore); Thai Siam (Seattle).

3 trips this year:

Philippines/Thailand, Baltimore, and Philippines again
3 pets:

Lady, Max, Sputnik

3 things I did yesterday:

Fly from Seattle to Boston, take pictures of my grand-nieces, talk to my mom

3 things I ate today:

Turkey sandwich at Panera, Frank's Lasagna (pretty good), bagel

3 fears:

John McCain elected and then dies (SHUDDERS!!!!), continuing financial collapse, delays in dealing with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)

3 things I will do today:

Drive to Long Island, take my mom to get her car at the mechanic, go to bed soon

3 favorite Holidays:

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Fourth of July

3 favorite drinks:

pass

Addenda: Mom's car wasn't ready. The number 3 restaurant may change at any moment. It may not be coincidence that numbers 1 and 2 are cajun. I really think I need to visit New Orleans. I will be visiting Bangkok in a couple of weeks and maybe then a native Thai restaurant will be added.

Lura is SIX!

We had a birthday party for Lura today. She will be six tomorrow.


She cleaned up on Barbie--Mariposa Barbie from Grandma and 3 Fairytopia Barbies from Grandpa, along with a DVD of the Fairytopia movie.

Sam and Ammon pooled money they'd earned on their paper route to get her a My Little Pony set.
Grandpa and Grandma from Ohio couldn't be there, but sent a great looking coat, very warm with heart buttons

Uncle David and Aunt Wendy were at the party and so were Uncle Gary and Aunt Sarah (accompanied by Murray), Grandma and Grandpa. Gary and Sarah came up with cash (which is just as good as money). David and Wendy are paying for another year of riding lessons, which Lura just loves. We ate some great sandwiches and then cake and ice cream.

All in all, a great party.

IMPORTANT LETTER PLEASSE HELP

This letter, which I got from another website, pretty much sums up my thoughts on bailing out Wall Street. These are the guys who are always complaining (or, in the words of Senator Gramm, whining) that middle class Americans don't have their houses in order. They're the literati of the world of finance. We just don't understand these complex things. Now they need our $700 Billion to rescue them from their greed and incompetence. And we're supposed to trust a minion of the most incompetent, dishonest, greedy and manipulative government in the history of USA with all this money, no questions asked. That's $2300 for every man, woman and child in the country. I may have fallen off the turnip truck, but I didn't land on my head.

Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transactin is 100% safe.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Yours Faithfully Minister of Treasury Paulson