tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74509090743726936802024-03-13T14:50:42.980-07:00GlobeHoppers...two adults and... wow this gets complicated: One working in the health field, one in the movie/TV industry, one future tradesperson, and one software engineer.Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00467041934863171489noreply@blogger.comBlogger1947125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-47483120869214811352024-03-03T12:24:00.000-08:002024-03-03T12:24:28.286-08:00The All Stars<p>Every year hockey takes a break from the regular schedule and the supposed best-of-the-best congregate somewhere for light-hearted competition and bragging rights. Well, there is money involved too of course, otherwise I guess no one would show up. A million bucks for the "winner" of various challenges. But... not everyone participates in every challenge, and some are more "I'm just here" rather than actually trying, so the winner of the million shouldn't crow too much. And every year the All Star weekend is different so there's no way to compare one winner to another. Cale Makar should have won it all, instead of Connor McDavid (again).</p><p>This year the All Stars was held in Toronto. How lucky is that? We decided to skip the 3-on-3 game, and instead spent our money on watching the Skills competition, and then going to the Convention center for the Fan Fest. By far the most fun was watching the mascots. At the end of the Skills the mascots took to the ice for a very silly East vs West game on ice. At the Fan Fest they played street hockey. The mascots just have fun... they lie down in net if they aren't turning the net around completely, pick fights, forget to play, etc. </p><p>We'll probably never go to another All Stars, so lucky we went in our backyard.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8i-SEl_KTNidaF2nM60cWronNUJTfGj3NKa3H8ZoBMHZaicB-HVDm_oISCl-6rC-8_cOIoYxucWiC6zSXnhikxtJU8rr_xJCrH6tBLDJoK8zSjHBzl5Cz7gysi05NDg2X2qfcCRE1L3M2mz0K4JaNDxC8-wV0FhhMXjT7ZU5LxXY0V7pjXD3p2C5B-U/s640/IMG_2833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8i-SEl_KTNidaF2nM60cWronNUJTfGj3NKa3H8ZoBMHZaicB-HVDm_oISCl-6rC-8_cOIoYxucWiC6zSXnhikxtJU8rr_xJCrH6tBLDJoK8zSjHBzl5Cz7gysi05NDg2X2qfcCRE1L3M2mz0K4JaNDxC8-wV0FhhMXjT7ZU5LxXY0V7pjXD3p2C5B-U/s320/IMG_2833.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv7xLEchpT6pjGPY-E7jVzCDsmZ8tuzL8zse_A8sVPpiCwFqxImAF9uvm7rpkriBGOnDE6WoacTLh7GLav2dlOeJhGBfDzGXtUppGo0MfWC-Nj60vBgISpvdm0WsQrnSxWl8nhpY21xyL98ps3_ga8CrnlWbp3RsIPbA2uYShXCtDSU3-khbzXLm4FBQ/s640/IMG_2841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv7xLEchpT6pjGPY-E7jVzCDsmZ8tuzL8zse_A8sVPpiCwFqxImAF9uvm7rpkriBGOnDE6WoacTLh7GLav2dlOeJhGBfDzGXtUppGo0MfWC-Nj60vBgISpvdm0WsQrnSxWl8nhpY21xyL98ps3_ga8CrnlWbp3RsIPbA2uYShXCtDSU3-khbzXLm4FBQ/s320/IMG_2841.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's Connor Bedard.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOamnNFmyRJgp2wBLk53RiVeCso6W1XgShf_7_whruiX-rlre-KhlUd8RI3PdxnBlS6sWRD_mT2iGiVmcZ0RJoSNyOxNFOUcfH3cCuGyq0YU6HrHCTnHld7oLEDUHt-s1qDqcvYgnQS9iJebktFK897pttiQuxlAaWth3380j2cxdMZ6wQ9I7a3WJ0aaM/s640/IMG_2869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOamnNFmyRJgp2wBLk53RiVeCso6W1XgShf_7_whruiX-rlre-KhlUd8RI3PdxnBlS6sWRD_mT2iGiVmcZ0RJoSNyOxNFOUcfH3cCuGyq0YU6HrHCTnHld7oLEDUHt-s1qDqcvYgnQS9iJebktFK897pttiQuxlAaWth3380j2cxdMZ6wQ9I7a3WJ0aaM/s320/IMG_2869.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6IpFJKKYuiu9-O35iRYGo6Yn2N0rl4Nv9EscGKPAztszKB8oF6HqstYlYl_yRooyjpoGaja3oXF4cA6RBJgO_ffPSLF_xUajOgQ0QRkeipwAzXFUVrCQGZJSGxiMTyye5poXqCrlgVYuKYB8T05THfesxlRxilY8gCugdmMRkFrJ5Yk-2ve3w6uEtQf8/s640/IMG_2875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6IpFJKKYuiu9-O35iRYGo6Yn2N0rl4Nv9EscGKPAztszKB8oF6HqstYlYl_yRooyjpoGaja3oXF4cA6RBJgO_ffPSLF_xUajOgQ0QRkeipwAzXFUVrCQGZJSGxiMTyye5poXqCrlgVYuKYB8T05THfesxlRxilY8gCugdmMRkFrJ5Yk-2ve3w6uEtQf8/s320/IMG_2875.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As realistic as it gets at the Fan Fest.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZMRT1B3XqVl0Sp_Qs1kg40crZ8HkTaCyv9T-7p9NeEPsKtJp3xWCxVbGT_EQZB4W-o-_XgcbWbpmfiLEjQ-TK0woFogc8Pw45PUKzHGYseL_uhq7vA7-B8MnKTXxOiIEzL45NRrVhFlvrNZtBx8yL2p10mZbhTgp74WQAUQnxUpKhV1EsMePNuoySN0/s640/IMG_2877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZMRT1B3XqVl0Sp_Qs1kg40crZ8HkTaCyv9T-7p9NeEPsKtJp3xWCxVbGT_EQZB4W-o-_XgcbWbpmfiLEjQ-TK0woFogc8Pw45PUKzHGYseL_uhq7vA7-B8MnKTXxOiIEzL45NRrVhFlvrNZtBx8yL2p10mZbhTgp74WQAUQnxUpKhV1EsMePNuoySN0/s320/IMG_2877.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />What are the chances it's a Gretzky?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xys4xg8Il_sgkfhegtGt1HDn8oY1yhtZ8qtGwSbo8_37f6Ki5V7CMcuF8W78Oa1WHYNu4ivWnF1bBcZZjJ0ewEnpaBaNpux7RXXziW08EdSP5RJAwtdESTG0LOptS6pF5ghUJ0i2qn3OTJJ1R-5V9h1qhi-PX0jWHc79ca1B_e786p9Bc5ezimtW2UU/s640/IMG_2892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xys4xg8Il_sgkfhegtGt1HDn8oY1yhtZ8qtGwSbo8_37f6Ki5V7CMcuF8W78Oa1WHYNu4ivWnF1bBcZZjJ0ewEnpaBaNpux7RXXziW08EdSP5RJAwtdESTG0LOptS6pF5ghUJ0i2qn3OTJJ1R-5V9h1qhi-PX0jWHc79ca1B_e786p9Bc5ezimtW2UU/s320/IMG_2892.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cheaters.</div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-90338488603465312992024-02-19T08:56:00.000-08:002024-02-19T08:56:22.053-08:00Last full day in Ottawa/Gatineau<p>I'm not going to go deep into the great divide between English-speaking Canada and French-speaking Canada, and then that oddball New Brunswick that is both English- and French-speaking, but suffice to say that there's a long history of why Canada is the way that it is. My paternal grandfather's side of the family is from French Canada so it's time to learn some.</p><p>The Canadian Museum of History is immediately across the main bridge from Ottawa. If you take both sides of the river together you get a decent sized city, but don't. Don't take the two sides of the river together. They are not one big town. Gatineau is part of Quebec and is French through and through.</p><p>Originally we'd talked about hitting both the History and the Canadian War Museum, but both were open from 10-4, so we opted to do the History since we'd already visited the Canadian Warplane Museum in Hamilton a few months ago. The most direct walkable bridge was closed for renovations, so we Ubered over and then walked our way home a little more roundabout. Even then, the return walk was only about 45 minutes and we passed the Canadian War Museum on the walk - not a big town.</p><p>But first, food. Across the street from the museum is a bagel place. These are not NY bagels in the slightest, but they are authentic. I can't even say <a href="https://www.mtl.org/en/experience/the-famous-montreal-bagel">Montreal style</a>, because that is a thing, as I've never been to Montreal and don't know, but... recommended.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9KuKYM3w31hUDbqNYiHx-uQLLFuuLAQa-iBPYaWVtAlkGo31lx5__z73ulKU_MToIF2wW4lNsvPa_wOphgX1uawLPyIzazDJM4XLzB3Np6IyKX7gothB2fGFhzA7zccnFhUffXR0qs119v5cRg0Doje3asaw2sv6qppbttOsf6eGQLgBR26QVdjrLjU/s4032/IMG_2802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9KuKYM3w31hUDbqNYiHx-uQLLFuuLAQa-iBPYaWVtAlkGo31lx5__z73ulKU_MToIF2wW4lNsvPa_wOphgX1uawLPyIzazDJM4XLzB3Np6IyKX7gothB2fGFhzA7zccnFhUffXR0qs119v5cRg0Doje3asaw2sv6qppbttOsf6eGQLgBR26QVdjrLjU/s320/IMG_2802.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl4-DQgkVEftOiCyZGXvEeBFpuh4CjJWnvKSZCmI6-CrKhFYfFoiwJJy51UUPWLCRgE03gFFMbGc5uo_chcHY9ZPkTHWWD5geASB15zZ-P2BMpAjLx4E3r1e-j3LSvjbuhYTbRiMBzJYDmQrOE27RUuTCh_921xGCUbm6yAM-JTe8me6OTXQget9rWKJw/s4032/IMG_2803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl4-DQgkVEftOiCyZGXvEeBFpuh4CjJWnvKSZCmI6-CrKhFYfFoiwJJy51UUPWLCRgE03gFFMbGc5uo_chcHY9ZPkTHWWD5geASB15zZ-P2BMpAjLx4E3r1e-j3LSvjbuhYTbRiMBzJYDmQrOE27RUuTCh_921xGCUbm6yAM-JTe8me6OTXQget9rWKJw/s320/IMG_2803.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>We took the museum backwards, starting at the top and at the end - the late 20th century, and slowly rewound the years to the bottom floor that showcased First People's homes, art, clothing, and totems. I'll say this, I don't really recommend this method as we did a lot of "who is this person?" or "what does that word mean?" only to find the introduction to said person or term in the next room. This was particularly frustrating with the whole French separatist movement and the various referendums (and OMG, did <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vive_le_Qu%C3%A9bec_libre">Charles de Gaulle really say that IN CANADA</a>?)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TY7SOGhLpJx0YO2K5DKP6t8eiBkvZRkVONTDH6SZcT0sBVoaOXnQOGQJ9C64q44-cKZIYn1gU3_53Kl-zVtRoS1mBNglLtQMzM1rwCYDVEp6G8X3CLTXuKwK7RZlDEGpgXDMWcNnZnh4KxdqHnZB666gJJO71iR9PAg7_Qhq_AmVxMOqHlqBBFc755w/s4032/IMG_2804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TY7SOGhLpJx0YO2K5DKP6t8eiBkvZRkVONTDH6SZcT0sBVoaOXnQOGQJ9C64q44-cKZIYn1gU3_53Kl-zVtRoS1mBNglLtQMzM1rwCYDVEp6G8X3CLTXuKwK7RZlDEGpgXDMWcNnZnh4KxdqHnZB666gJJO71iR9PAg7_Qhq_AmVxMOqHlqBBFc755w/s320/IMG_2804.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogpriPlDMCGi4ki1bj8zKX3fRHqi2N-b_nUF5bSowr3wlaRY4w5gyxVMR4yL1AA7obkMsqD-165B1wZvI5safCY4ns4ro3yInNtNVXWl5WvGAAbDgOtqlrfa9lot8ZW1bumd3uyb3_Qz7dGKmGsPedE_J9Q63cM8eBnkUOnq2lS5eKyFtBQ40KQVDNkw/s4032/IMG_2812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogpriPlDMCGi4ki1bj8zKX3fRHqi2N-b_nUF5bSowr3wlaRY4w5gyxVMR4yL1AA7obkMsqD-165B1wZvI5safCY4ns4ro3yInNtNVXWl5WvGAAbDgOtqlrfa9lot8ZW1bumd3uyb3_Qz7dGKmGsPedE_J9Q63cM8eBnkUOnq2lS5eKyFtBQ40KQVDNkw/s320/IMG_2812.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuBsaZ6-tZy7atVXd9nT4yheVXEo6seqzz3p3eenxOFnOAWyPDTGlqA-oilBzVPjMwpAze84ldyZ5DVVvURACea35UK8ej16PBwO1l3btB69IMqjCQypLvmZDEO2YrZrT6VCNbpOSFRycZj8Krkw80_A3j0eiaoWt27UWrDtyL9XQXpKX-xnOLdDf_Ps/s4032/IMG_2805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuBsaZ6-tZy7atVXd9nT4yheVXEo6seqzz3p3eenxOFnOAWyPDTGlqA-oilBzVPjMwpAze84ldyZ5DVVvURACea35UK8ej16PBwO1l3btB69IMqjCQypLvmZDEO2YrZrT6VCNbpOSFRycZj8Krkw80_A3j0eiaoWt27UWrDtyL9XQXpKX-xnOLdDf_Ps/s320/IMG_2805.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLktFQP6XEm2NAg7H20QueYe9EPUR5gtWWPiQ5XkVU81wpNJVqJTlJL15KEsjJ9-mDlHIJjyXDak4JOxOJ7wVHEMkECYfDRTRmmOhfBiLbl3V9ASL_u-yVm-x1jvzcg2yoqaB-9TKmU7Tnw2S16CwaozD8WSsquCiLjpb38DAJfIKv8FkYfX6uY0mgY70/s4032/IMG_2806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLktFQP6XEm2NAg7H20QueYe9EPUR5gtWWPiQ5XkVU81wpNJVqJTlJL15KEsjJ9-mDlHIJjyXDak4JOxOJ7wVHEMkECYfDRTRmmOhfBiLbl3V9ASL_u-yVm-x1jvzcg2yoqaB-9TKmU7Tnw2S16CwaozD8WSsquCiLjpb38DAJfIKv8FkYfX6uY0mgY70/s320/IMG_2806.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCxCU-qKTViQLNIudBpyK_FgveUr6n4PzaS0fvvgf5hjK0S1fn4PkNYO_Va7v33d6aqBnmtGRcw_-krGuf8pnFVy3fhSVWQZGGwaqjat7Syr_KUWpJiN46NNdCBZX2w-aURSHUwKnmL8GldqsvuJCFWMTF9NptSh3_BuFDD0lM_XycTaMrCzK4oCDknc/s4032/IMG_2809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCxCU-qKTViQLNIudBpyK_FgveUr6n4PzaS0fvvgf5hjK0S1fn4PkNYO_Va7v33d6aqBnmtGRcw_-krGuf8pnFVy3fhSVWQZGGwaqjat7Syr_KUWpJiN46NNdCBZX2w-aURSHUwKnmL8GldqsvuJCFWMTF9NptSh3_BuFDD0lM_XycTaMrCzK4oCDknc/s320/IMG_2809.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">U.S. History from outside the U.S.... always fascinating.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtdpBn565EzuMv31Ty47ZKM4x5sIwxjJAV0iBsNLGiw53Jzgb642tFqJSYUrXePg2Tet6gHpGBaO_t3sbNdELkYV4QCpT1xSmw5UfvbphaDpmr0m2sOcyQbeAs31DneTuQYLjARmZxyLDzzwAeHiqXzmkbbPe9kyEYp-NyA977Km-9jk1XTdaPCYSIXM/s4032/IMG_2811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtdpBn565EzuMv31Ty47ZKM4x5sIwxjJAV0iBsNLGiw53Jzgb642tFqJSYUrXePg2Tet6gHpGBaO_t3sbNdELkYV4QCpT1xSmw5UfvbphaDpmr0m2sOcyQbeAs31DneTuQYLjARmZxyLDzzwAeHiqXzmkbbPe9kyEYp-NyA977Km-9jk1XTdaPCYSIXM/s320/IMG_2811.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Canada seems to be acknowledging its history a little better than the U.S. The section on colonization discusses agreements broken, atrocities, and more. A heart-breaking section on the forced re-education of indigenous children, where the death of those children at remote schools from cold, malnutrition, and abuse was viewed as better than allowing them to be raised by their families, had exhibits under review for whether they told the story as truthfully as they could. The parallels between Canada, the U.S. and Australia should not surprise anyone as all three countries hail from the same pool of colonizers, with the same ideas about white colonizer superiority and methodology of destroying cultures not their own.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm63LokP7bDtpkYB2MvuTgnLCsDJBZ9bv64Mfig9XGxOx_W2ch2bdOaU_0T3rD-vrNGU5jzX0Ldce8lFlviLyVE2OkDM4OH8ZhPsdckEEKF5NGp6tLAylz_qfJBchog_c2Hbsf6wgYo8x7dAFeFTXjzKt4R5DgVClXLSxf2BLJnrUzxjG8MZpJFNSKEFQ/s4032/IMG_2815%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm63LokP7bDtpkYB2MvuTgnLCsDJBZ9bv64Mfig9XGxOx_W2ch2bdOaU_0T3rD-vrNGU5jzX0Ldce8lFlviLyVE2OkDM4OH8ZhPsdckEEKF5NGp6tLAylz_qfJBchog_c2Hbsf6wgYo8x7dAFeFTXjzKt4R5DgVClXLSxf2BLJnrUzxjG8MZpJFNSKEFQ/s320/IMG_2815%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJ_3ghyphenhyphen9qu5inQLqMoltVu5vUb09A_5pfM9eOI0UHf6PIX2YIrkYgEkd_JU3R-2WlN2-VXXNrCBl_Jo8OhqiYTVNXouMEg1UJf8Y1aPUTEFt7DvJ4CdIY6UecXEXfbbVBuCvWRKJz2C-3KtGCk-Orm4OltxcujeNLhBStIY8XXGkS7BZM2cdy8R3yxj8/s4032/IMG_2816%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJ_3ghyphenhyphen9qu5inQLqMoltVu5vUb09A_5pfM9eOI0UHf6PIX2YIrkYgEkd_JU3R-2WlN2-VXXNrCBl_Jo8OhqiYTVNXouMEg1UJf8Y1aPUTEFt7DvJ4CdIY6UecXEXfbbVBuCvWRKJz2C-3KtGCk-Orm4OltxcujeNLhBStIY8XXGkS7BZM2cdy8R3yxj8/s320/IMG_2816%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rEzXSQOYQ8cnCgN2CpBiWwvBrTM7VB3rLkTTdH_doTrekFHGOyfO9-4j1GMcxhCOZZwdnIAwLMGcPhBNBbmvnndlQBsjYR5BnfWYHwLlv1qQ7KkdjWAvhrnQAZbPdYV6JenV6_HasUXHD8pUsgsgX9yhuFfY-1LbZ-AqLiaYORYG4flaWiL7xrmbIfw/s4032/IMG_2817%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0rEzXSQOYQ8cnCgN2CpBiWwvBrTM7VB3rLkTTdH_doTrekFHGOyfO9-4j1GMcxhCOZZwdnIAwLMGcPhBNBbmvnndlQBsjYR5BnfWYHwLlv1qQ7KkdjWAvhrnQAZbPdYV6JenV6_HasUXHD8pUsgsgX9yhuFfY-1LbZ-AqLiaYORYG4flaWiL7xrmbIfw/s320/IMG_2817%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Embassy.</div><div><br /></div>The walk home crossed a bridge by the hydro plant, a river walk park, and past the Parliament. We made our way to the Byward area, picked up a beaver tail and considered getting poutine (we decided we're still going to wait until we get to Montreal... we have a poutinerie behind our building in Toronto, this is a hard decision to keep!)<div><br /></div><div>Ottawa was a fun trip and a nice introduction to train travel in Canada. The next time we go, we'll try to arrange a visit during <a href="https://ottawatourism.ca/en/see-and-do/winterlude">Winterlude</a>. Hopefully the Rideau Canal will be open too.</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-67828784751182545472024-02-10T05:12:00.000-08:002024-02-10T05:12:15.660-08:00Art in Ottawa<p>I haven't made it to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) or the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) yet, but while in Ottawa, I visited the National Gallery of Canada for all the art and then we crossed the "border" to the Canadian Museum of History on the Quebec side of town in Gatineau.</p><p>I'm still not at all knowledgeable about modern art but it often intrigues me into the "why?? no really, why???" questions. A metal box. A black painted canvas with a single strip of yellow. I like looking at it just for the brain exercise and confusion.</p><p>The religious pieces periodically grab my attention by how serious they take themselves. So much emotion in every face. Usually the detail is through the roof. </p><p>The period masters always stop me for a long while, the Monet and Van Gogh tribe of painters.</p><p>For still lifes, portraiture, or mythical scenes, I tend to focus on the edges and see what odd things the artist incorporated into the background. That's typically where you find the best lounging cats, hunted squirrels, or slinking demons.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTirn9P_wGsMHuhYRdgEM6HnVhu272oVRWFfsAlluB919EtLyPvO9szkk4-8P-UMvHEHm4uoizINWx8qU8-Gt8r2tSu_pHSJRU5Bleq2-4dX-OJQ6zqvEk2rW3QgI-IISLM16JaWtI-3Erz__I5GXcIovK9nOk6-C45elQ3z0BKTpEsAAH3GgB5VkXIo/s2016/IMG_2756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTirn9P_wGsMHuhYRdgEM6HnVhu272oVRWFfsAlluB919EtLyPvO9szkk4-8P-UMvHEHm4uoizINWx8qU8-Gt8r2tSu_pHSJRU5Bleq2-4dX-OJQ6zqvEk2rW3QgI-IISLM16JaWtI-3Erz__I5GXcIovK9nOk6-C45elQ3z0BKTpEsAAH3GgB5VkXIo/s320/IMG_2756.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVyq0XKl4tbpKWLWcmkIsrzxkBVRewJ02-WFnzb0OM8GNFZmitSEBbwdKY4GIDpiNgQ2RQkS1sh2Zfh9UWOrQkI_RLQyUa0LRV00mArr-27sdwdpa2WWm59DdeyhbsxRcgoj79gMwPLzz2qOZy_bRzDVwqbzcn9jwS8y3kwM2AzojOifidIv0-8Jx76I/s2016/IMG_2764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVyq0XKl4tbpKWLWcmkIsrzxkBVRewJ02-WFnzb0OM8GNFZmitSEBbwdKY4GIDpiNgQ2RQkS1sh2Zfh9UWOrQkI_RLQyUa0LRV00mArr-27sdwdpa2WWm59DdeyhbsxRcgoj79gMwPLzz2qOZy_bRzDVwqbzcn9jwS8y3kwM2AzojOifidIv0-8Jx76I/s320/IMG_2764.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKqL-Vcv8fZb1MysuUFCKLz3bp56Dvf-W2OXd5gQSC1mVoGnKSuKtjl6-2LwEvxsh8wLx0ZWzi3CzXzNrCwPWozYRG2pHkr13wJrtA_4w91jcY-PVqI-V-DJTO9g39QPSHA6tlVhZ2NsaO4nGc3BdSkgg6qv8vBmscc4BPgiF9BBCWwFhtm0dkUYNNTw/s2016/IMG_2780.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKqL-Vcv8fZb1MysuUFCKLz3bp56Dvf-W2OXd5gQSC1mVoGnKSuKtjl6-2LwEvxsh8wLx0ZWzi3CzXzNrCwPWozYRG2pHkr13wJrtA_4w91jcY-PVqI-V-DJTO9g39QPSHA6tlVhZ2NsaO4nGc3BdSkgg6qv8vBmscc4BPgiF9BBCWwFhtm0dkUYNNTw/s320/IMG_2780.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_ZZP6-1hJyBSydgVpLTrwgHa9Y83Psjqk9qSPJ5di_k729mpDnQd4mTr7Rfj_B4-2vZc8_wL_Vn6crTCQKMU02FIYanb4GL_44EoRNeCjSxq04FqRwsrUzxnE2nkHJ7rXsxnPO7KLCnRnr7gB0fHfXBYvLdOyb3ne2QkUQxYm0Y7-3olOYvmmTB96z4/s2016/IMG_2781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_ZZP6-1hJyBSydgVpLTrwgHa9Y83Psjqk9qSPJ5di_k729mpDnQd4mTr7Rfj_B4-2vZc8_wL_Vn6crTCQKMU02FIYanb4GL_44EoRNeCjSxq04FqRwsrUzxnE2nkHJ7rXsxnPO7KLCnRnr7gB0fHfXBYvLdOyb3ne2QkUQxYm0Y7-3olOYvmmTB96z4/s320/IMG_2781.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Peek-a-boo owl...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7phxJEk-ouGJO376MQV594JXUAItaIkBUJgZ1P_S_cpDQJZWhd-3mpa_k1HJVfgQ5lCmHrvgB5wdGNqmpE6I8rbRVGPiUrVXMXBFafP1ruZtVBkmJ22VaYCgkCElBV24lKf89VjGJ6KnKR4_840EsVYp6zX6BboJ-2C_mygjrCue1Dgvni028ZP64kLM/s2016/IMG_2782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7phxJEk-ouGJO376MQV594JXUAItaIkBUJgZ1P_S_cpDQJZWhd-3mpa_k1HJVfgQ5lCmHrvgB5wdGNqmpE6I8rbRVGPiUrVXMXBFafP1ruZtVBkmJ22VaYCgkCElBV24lKf89VjGJ6KnKR4_840EsVYp6zX6BboJ-2C_mygjrCue1Dgvni028ZP64kLM/s320/IMG_2782.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Like, who are these people/ghosts/demons?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnHB9VjFST9_bZHaIrgqVr5rEv4ibNZ-ug0jZch9FR5RVVa0Z3xcddaYry5EOA_Naj2NUAmS_IQDcmyu-JQpb1RHL_0xHupTZV72bIItNqebM1cvhzHgskeN7abDg3-EWjQFY-gP4WOGeJOfYNn1VPZZraS7kg-ba1CRuGHO0Em_iNQHFJ4dMwKHBwH0/s2016/IMG_2783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnHB9VjFST9_bZHaIrgqVr5rEv4ibNZ-ug0jZch9FR5RVVa0Z3xcddaYry5EOA_Naj2NUAmS_IQDcmyu-JQpb1RHL_0xHupTZV72bIItNqebM1cvhzHgskeN7abDg3-EWjQFY-gP4WOGeJOfYNn1VPZZraS7kg-ba1CRuGHO0Em_iNQHFJ4dMwKHBwH0/s320/IMG_2783.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Gingers and their devil bugs.</div><p>But really what I went for was the early Canadian artists, both the First Peoples and the colonizers as they moved around the northern landscape and painted, drew, and carved what they saw. </p><p>There was a "Group of Seven" (all men) who take up a lot of space in the museum. I could see why. Later, there were other official "groups" of artists that included women.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLjHrta7Mz5LwAzgx7H1Y_14HA_mXFZunmn6wsqKG6cicu8P47fHaE-LGbixCuX9KwcQqOufapPDNeTMwXg1aPOTAvTm9nuZ5PonCVY5Mk_vZQT0ChyphenhyphenSMLChnffneRQVhMyv40xig_PxeGjAmNDOS_rIwxRtx7goyu2rhZ9dzo2kv4-9EY4CPZDj_LCU/s2016/IMG_2757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLjHrta7Mz5LwAzgx7H1Y_14HA_mXFZunmn6wsqKG6cicu8P47fHaE-LGbixCuX9KwcQqOufapPDNeTMwXg1aPOTAvTm9nuZ5PonCVY5Mk_vZQT0ChyphenhyphenSMLChnffneRQVhMyv40xig_PxeGjAmNDOS_rIwxRtx7goyu2rhZ9dzo2kv4-9EY4CPZDj_LCU/s320/IMG_2757.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />J.E.M. MacDonald</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYmmgKWwhY3VV77e2s8YxTDE_UzopzOA_e3bPcOBfbowrFHc2hEINCXb0buhnmikzVblD_ZY8NjfNHCTg2h_o9908pKdNncxwWodS_g2K1G_ouMiPTFWJd1nunRTOftZqj-pl4MsQWQ1zvUvXmRxIHstuGrnpkYuNRIbDhY3Pm4TxapQp_Yf7czbgY4Y/s2016/IMG_2758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYmmgKWwhY3VV77e2s8YxTDE_UzopzOA_e3bPcOBfbowrFHc2hEINCXb0buhnmikzVblD_ZY8NjfNHCTg2h_o9908pKdNncxwWodS_g2K1G_ouMiPTFWJd1nunRTOftZqj-pl4MsQWQ1zvUvXmRxIHstuGrnpkYuNRIbDhY3Pm4TxapQp_Yf7czbgY4Y/s320/IMG_2758.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Lawren S. Harris</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EJPmjTKFBvOOTa7h2_P-igNOqrrcIfMk5QGba-jNEbLOQxjT9XJrBsMkN-PVPU3MeJpz5O7VDutvQVdsT9cRzYNvShilbdiMCytKlMUKXNmVJZnpsVi0gwxuLnQp_NOv6icinxXReK4l0X-sx4rVyGb7NP-mFQ5A6nxlpZZaj8cXBhxkDB7ibwRPbqU/s2016/IMG_2759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EJPmjTKFBvOOTa7h2_P-igNOqrrcIfMk5QGba-jNEbLOQxjT9XJrBsMkN-PVPU3MeJpz5O7VDutvQVdsT9cRzYNvShilbdiMCytKlMUKXNmVJZnpsVi0gwxuLnQp_NOv6icinxXReK4l0X-sx4rVyGb7NP-mFQ5A6nxlpZZaj8cXBhxkDB7ibwRPbqU/s320/IMG_2759.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Arthur Lismer</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVpZyu222WIcbTFpSKPDcqBYQuY6k3XRu8T47aZgWbQLWqTPTUBVABEAFObIIf74AD4oAPw8AOXua-5ACwVSpbuxYXpH5db3tm1Yeq_v6Ou3L15DjBPrEaj4JDwHJsVYzc5HEkq-uluuMwLDeZiuS8DS8kUluDjRqZp6WcEIbi-aHXfuWzw3ZLmOXkrE/s2016/IMG_2761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVpZyu222WIcbTFpSKPDcqBYQuY6k3XRu8T47aZgWbQLWqTPTUBVABEAFObIIf74AD4oAPw8AOXua-5ACwVSpbuxYXpH5db3tm1Yeq_v6Ou3L15DjBPrEaj4JDwHJsVYzc5HEkq-uluuMwLDeZiuS8DS8kUluDjRqZp6WcEIbi-aHXfuWzw3ZLmOXkrE/s320/IMG_2761.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Franklin Carmichael</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjI5_CC5KoNYG7zQwfvSU-pZTqgVeUloV9XTsiGrIIjOz2Mq1P2zlwQ6ZR4-wdgJX2xeJlgb8pyj3d0QMRie__hrvG5zPPPZsEPFnM4j_8YTtT9ASEALIxyJ_QitVsAbE1c2EquHo9Fg0Z5Qv5NRU_bvSrUd7NeIcnU6uAM-Y2nSw4uc9BSofdZy0njs/s2016/IMG_2762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjI5_CC5KoNYG7zQwfvSU-pZTqgVeUloV9XTsiGrIIjOz2Mq1P2zlwQ6ZR4-wdgJX2xeJlgb8pyj3d0QMRie__hrvG5zPPPZsEPFnM4j_8YTtT9ASEALIxyJ_QitVsAbE1c2EquHo9Fg0Z5Qv5NRU_bvSrUd7NeIcnU6uAM-Y2nSw4uc9BSofdZy0njs/s320/IMG_2762.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lawren Harris</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig44IdU15uYhGkqDvEE7_-HLf7XI4a8051z_yhwPHpUsI2KDTtZI0yfJzvV4dskiZYvLZ8OZwfSblbGC1DQu30IBX4CevSGlEKFwXkDKNl64vGOq5uBKucHxhftt5K6-tK4osRhoGsAJZrPmmjOa9quNVupaRIodJWlK-9Im9eIu54Jql9dHVXgvCLdF8/s2016/IMG_2760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig44IdU15uYhGkqDvEE7_-HLf7XI4a8051z_yhwPHpUsI2KDTtZI0yfJzvV4dskiZYvLZ8OZwfSblbGC1DQu30IBX4CevSGlEKFwXkDKNl64vGOq5uBKucHxhftt5K6-tK4osRhoGsAJZrPmmjOa9quNVupaRIodJWlK-9Im9eIu54Jql9dHVXgvCLdF8/s320/IMG_2760.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Tom Thomson</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDfCt524g92FDVp0cxSZfGuavyDWqELQUr9GUplekYHlJxJqaGDB45c5l3GWM0-lQE54JfdiZsHsl0u2JK52BXJQAQ5H2DuKnmJKBaxR15TFJRER-Ieq-vw2UIHQmkbrihBj0bbRzgZsH597mteFvuB4_mWuRGU4lYMzKt759o4BgYbXfE_XG6FXwUpE/s2016/IMG_2766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDfCt524g92FDVp0cxSZfGuavyDWqELQUr9GUplekYHlJxJqaGDB45c5l3GWM0-lQE54JfdiZsHsl0u2JK52BXJQAQ5H2DuKnmJKBaxR15TFJRER-Ieq-vw2UIHQmkbrihBj0bbRzgZsH597mteFvuB4_mWuRGU4lYMzKt759o4BgYbXfE_XG6FXwUpE/s320/IMG_2766.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />Emily Carr</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>The Indigenous People's art is always fascinating, even if I don't understand as much of it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpzbBpbYpFPjafPM2USUhrQKCcKLAZ6qEWfFAY9hd62dTUx1IsbsOjGmiFRHu1-5fzN85W1Wg8ceb9GeYdmoFLprkUZgrIf0UyHt9eg1PFEwEwhYDJds5KPclAs0cjsjIM6TEhwnPfRnAS_oNwp65ztVOUCKftamw8zSpmu1km9lnh5W99RliZSUuGys/s2016/IMG_2765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpzbBpbYpFPjafPM2USUhrQKCcKLAZ6qEWfFAY9hd62dTUx1IsbsOjGmiFRHu1-5fzN85W1Wg8ceb9GeYdmoFLprkUZgrIf0UyHt9eg1PFEwEwhYDJds5KPclAs0cjsjIM6TEhwnPfRnAS_oNwp65ztVOUCKftamw8zSpmu1km9lnh5W99RliZSUuGys/s320/IMG_2765.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanumuqWMwVMwXItZMOILDFYE8E_90rWZZDbsPN82lij7XFFoDXQzz8i2il_kb0JSPLh5Fi7t1K-wPqYZG7V0gEsfeF5aNVPtHRtQcOay0PVi3QWfbmMI0gOnKa7hX-TvjBgEjxwjNx-PRxOH0LgSFBAVdJqrhNK7lhrI9_ArHj83YDoGLBlX4Z1jibec/s2016/IMG_2770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanumuqWMwVMwXItZMOILDFYE8E_90rWZZDbsPN82lij7XFFoDXQzz8i2il_kb0JSPLh5Fi7t1K-wPqYZG7V0gEsfeF5aNVPtHRtQcOay0PVi3QWfbmMI0gOnKa7hX-TvjBgEjxwjNx-PRxOH0LgSFBAVdJqrhNK7lhrI9_ArHj83YDoGLBlX4Z1jibec/s320/IMG_2770.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAG6pL7bpDSzm7J9QQR77WVLzBGeEVGJyXiIDJsYF210KUA8vGedAjdubg2w8A0LDGIiCsITCIBMVNWvmtPH6hV41AZnqoMHKHBOJB59hydosyNoLMMasfRzrHCWJ9NgL9pgVlbggwqEX8LN1o5ITEUApK5IxOVmzYqhTdRJ-VktEu7F8hQnXRt3IoP0/s2016/IMG_2771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAG6pL7bpDSzm7J9QQR77WVLzBGeEVGJyXiIDJsYF210KUA8vGedAjdubg2w8A0LDGIiCsITCIBMVNWvmtPH6hV41AZnqoMHKHBOJB59hydosyNoLMMasfRzrHCWJ9NgL9pgVlbggwqEX8LN1o5ITEUApK5IxOVmzYqhTdRJ-VktEu7F8hQnXRt3IoP0/s320/IMG_2771.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The bear's like "You take my ice, I take your kayak"</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LCyOjH19cpok_P6LX7W1wM_VyWhpb3sV_UMToTcPqScQ6TZy_LinYkJv0kceOLH6kOJq5oExdulpL_fzlhel9MDZg9HAejYjxIG_aohIqrJanMoU65ozaciMaJ5nt59EmLLDbi_WxZTF_MSr33-xci6hENxbnMhY5DsqA4-6gdoZtP6r5bsfujjmOK4/s2016/IMG_2772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LCyOjH19cpok_P6LX7W1wM_VyWhpb3sV_UMToTcPqScQ6TZy_LinYkJv0kceOLH6kOJq5oExdulpL_fzlhel9MDZg9HAejYjxIG_aohIqrJanMoU65ozaciMaJ5nt59EmLLDbi_WxZTF_MSr33-xci6hENxbnMhY5DsqA4-6gdoZtP6r5bsfujjmOK4/s320/IMG_2772.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The four above are by Nick Sikkuark.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uRLx80Tn__2xJORPVpG9T5r-2vuzY32DYUdhB6sjHholF3_7Ufunf8EMm_mloWzUUDUppBxk8nOXHEbJCW25LQ4EvoVzGhbCaGnz6QhKpcnEflVvKoSnXWXXqgGIJVHjf0WQ8papsW-TiaZohcleOM8WmkrS2SmvsUaSNfXNQlgikmQz8AqqOOObsR4/s2016/IMG_2767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uRLx80Tn__2xJORPVpG9T5r-2vuzY32DYUdhB6sjHholF3_7Ufunf8EMm_mloWzUUDUppBxk8nOXHEbJCW25LQ4EvoVzGhbCaGnz6QhKpcnEflVvKoSnXWXXqgGIJVHjf0WQ8papsW-TiaZohcleOM8WmkrS2SmvsUaSNfXNQlgikmQz8AqqOOObsR4/s320/IMG_2767.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The gallery I went into was for Riopelle. The exhibit moved decade by decade. He did huge pieces and moved from massive swipes of paint to mixed media. I think the geese were my favorite of his.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gs7744VdVtkXOnZ1GESrTGk5z3LRIhM6kpvYS8236mEvgf6llSfVMi9RFY9c27EtnpUxtlu5NbK-ejNbiKPBBpwNe_VYJBP4xa9fvwG7N336ZyCFnrzFYoDDtXa8IjvhJWH9ogEoe8ILXbZy5IhOfOB0gaU5cbCB6yurNGGhyvzVxA39-sqTQW72H3s/s2016/IMG_2790.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gs7744VdVtkXOnZ1GESrTGk5z3LRIhM6kpvYS8236mEvgf6llSfVMi9RFY9c27EtnpUxtlu5NbK-ejNbiKPBBpwNe_VYJBP4xa9fvwG7N336ZyCFnrzFYoDDtXa8IjvhJWH9ogEoe8ILXbZy5IhOfOB0gaU5cbCB6yurNGGhyvzVxA39-sqTQW72H3s/s320/IMG_2790.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJxT88iobDqMiBNJ7TKrB6Ihagbc_fjeoYUTviMvxSyWp_dbUsY0YUO1cdjaURl3oQH1Z3caGraDYVepDAUp1xYj7zj1GgbS2roj7NUAaZr_3FcezortDoVO3Fokt5vIaUDZPdKOosHX4LaxyMZkg-t4NU6EGEUWRABICRuO7FQ_XfHXfStY8ok5KgHQ/s2016/IMG_2791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJxT88iobDqMiBNJ7TKrB6Ihagbc_fjeoYUTviMvxSyWp_dbUsY0YUO1cdjaURl3oQH1Z3caGraDYVepDAUp1xYj7zj1GgbS2roj7NUAaZr_3FcezortDoVO3Fokt5vIaUDZPdKOosHX4LaxyMZkg-t4NU6EGEUWRABICRuO7FQ_XfHXfStY8ok5KgHQ/s320/IMG_2791.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><p>But you know I can't leave a post without a hokey mention.....</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwn_B65I-ccoIgSn0oeg-rzgOFrAMRuXHsJwgOc0Q-Ws-npfEWbQrXNYNTqpait77moZk_H8Mrl77o2NtbIjnpVKUsqSD9nGklYyIQhSaoJRTwiGGram2Gy_O48dDSBKHvYj_X3vigaZw5QV_w-5hm0hu1qJkW_TwUPfSX_qY1utUl5eHB72zlV-EUHWU/s2016/IMG_2788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwn_B65I-ccoIgSn0oeg-rzgOFrAMRuXHsJwgOc0Q-Ws-npfEWbQrXNYNTqpait77moZk_H8Mrl77o2NtbIjnpVKUsqSD9nGklYyIQhSaoJRTwiGGram2Gy_O48dDSBKHvYj_X3vigaZw5QV_w-5hm0hu1qJkW_TwUPfSX_qY1utUl5eHB72zlV-EUHWU/s320/IMG_2788.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj9ZVYAoMxbjACcXSuRt2vfl1KXFp7bVt1rZxjXOs40iN3AqWXK7X_1Bx2Rq7Y-WTvWP5lnT2Jo4APhPQ-O6TFP4ZxIZQdwKrGhvOzJwx71KJXP9fEu-joQAiU3tncnfS3QUgWTDkUzd_gF4BUCJrqXJokTBcVmd75TcVjgSIW8vtbOnQIkitYMkHhcQ/s2016/IMG_2789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj9ZVYAoMxbjACcXSuRt2vfl1KXFp7bVt1rZxjXOs40iN3AqWXK7X_1Bx2Rq7Y-WTvWP5lnT2Jo4APhPQ-O6TFP4ZxIZQdwKrGhvOzJwx71KJXP9fEu-joQAiU3tncnfS3QUgWTDkUzd_gF4BUCJrqXJokTBcVmd75TcVjgSIW8vtbOnQIkitYMkHhcQ/s320/IMG_2789.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>There's a second large art museum in Ottawa, but I have to save some things to see next time, right?</p></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-18120352991390568972024-01-28T17:19:00.000-08:002024-01-28T17:19:30.996-08:00Our first weekender.<p>Ian had a trip to Ottawa for work and guess who tagged along?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21h-3FQv5h2KuxKPOeoTmMGAY7ITEawYlA9lz6_y8Yk7Df-yrkE8xQJxVt3f4qC39yo-FmiNp1nPnmf5hEGgAASvjut4gdMX9cGSEVtWG_SLbhH2EW222xjRn4FtXmGVCKyDnAPXJ_lb7aqbLtnb8LiI3L36wffRr1YwKQYVsSqq5NU2TM-CBshNQ5kY/s1280/IMG_2749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21h-3FQv5h2KuxKPOeoTmMGAY7ITEawYlA9lz6_y8Yk7Df-yrkE8xQJxVt3f4qC39yo-FmiNp1nPnmf5hEGgAASvjut4gdMX9cGSEVtWG_SLbhH2EW222xjRn4FtXmGVCKyDnAPXJ_lb7aqbLtnb8LiI3L36wffRr1YwKQYVsSqq5NU2TM-CBshNQ5kY/s320/IMG_2749.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPeV-m2Tcpgi1EYgTlNRRVoM0L_J1JXlK_ocYUd26C12izU4cb5M7At1ceojFYPULwk4wkG7LX8wYL0I21i9fyYAJ49Kiwq-d68AcjrtP5Yo2_zBo8l5Sg3mro4pHsacw5QlkV5zdjoLfTjDKhOTnBVBq0uYKD8KsBPobOsyrlI6P0qdgvSiB74Nc17Y/s1280/IMG_2792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPeV-m2Tcpgi1EYgTlNRRVoM0L_J1JXlK_ocYUd26C12izU4cb5M7At1ceojFYPULwk4wkG7LX8wYL0I21i9fyYAJ49Kiwq-d68AcjrtP5Yo2_zBo8l5Sg3mro4pHsacw5QlkV5zdjoLfTjDKhOTnBVBq0uYKD8KsBPobOsyrlI6P0qdgvSiB74Nc17Y/s320/IMG_2792.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>We took the train, which was awesome. Ian and I enjoy a good train ride, and part of the route to Ottawa goes along Lake Ontario. As soon as we left Toronto the banks of snow showed up and stayed with us all the way to Ottawa.</p><p>Ottawa is pretty. Our view included the Rideau Canal, the Arts Center, Parliament, some other government buildings, and the Fairmont hotel. It's hard not to imagine being at Hogwarts with the view.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3GibyShwLY7LxSjNeppDQZ4SHULa0xGu7CcUq2MTTjjfSX3RfjzKXgMlo0CcBglQjDp40upNWkHGJxYBp1HtbSRV0C9W2_0bL8QcD-BMGy-OvkJcnj6jEG2_dYTazaof02j9oVipVOZize5pthDHrPem2JYWwRWxjGQ7KznHLCvNOXZYEXmocvmHcTXc/s1280/IMG_2748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3GibyShwLY7LxSjNeppDQZ4SHULa0xGu7CcUq2MTTjjfSX3RfjzKXgMlo0CcBglQjDp40upNWkHGJxYBp1HtbSRV0C9W2_0bL8QcD-BMGy-OvkJcnj6jEG2_dYTazaof02j9oVipVOZize5pthDHrPem2JYWwRWxjGQ7KznHLCvNOXZYEXmocvmHcTXc/s320/IMG_2748.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPY859fIJ64iT5s847TiHSNLJ8WoLa_F4eJz6Bh6CLzEX_ZoHFtgUe-_ZLbdVX4NAosrGjcvO1OHfvLwEaW0LhKC0WhrutB_g0X6A3OYQUtC9W2I_haR2c2-29bIwbB8fIBUljP4hTtjvExbdIi0PZVZkikxIvK-VVQcyQuMEbk5G9aanHUqZCWxq1Ak/s1280/IMG_2755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPY859fIJ64iT5s847TiHSNLJ8WoLa_F4eJz6Bh6CLzEX_ZoHFtgUe-_ZLbdVX4NAosrGjcvO1OHfvLwEaW0LhKC0WhrutB_g0X6A3OYQUtC9W2I_haR2c2-29bIwbB8fIBUljP4hTtjvExbdIi0PZVZkikxIvK-VVQcyQuMEbk5G9aanHUqZCWxq1Ak/s320/IMG_2755.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>More later!</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-46815195983807361652024-01-23T13:39:00.000-08:002024-01-23T13:39:32.309-08:00Last Day Home<p>In January 2020 I started working (well I went to training and then started working in March 2020... we all know what happened next) in a Civil Service position in DC for Consular Affairs. An important note - the section was created specifically for Eligible Family Members of Foreign Service Officers who were back in DC for a couple years. When we moved to Pennsylvania in 2022 I switched to full-time remote. For the months back in the DC area in summer 2023 I went back to the office. It was a great arrangement. Unfortunately, when I was hired I knew that my job was a limited-term appointment. I haven't figured out the purpose of limited-term appointments, but there you have it, it was a two-year limited-term appointment with the option to renew for a second two-year term. I knew that come January 2024, I was out of a job.</p><p>One positive thing that came out of the pandemic was the transition to telework. I know it's being reevaluated now, and for some good reasons. However, the office I was hired into is, at its heart, a remote position. The name literally had "Remote" in its name because it was an office in DC that worked on cases in other countries. The pandemic made it work that much better as the State Department was forced to really amp up remote capabilities. The expansion of DETO, telework, and remote work was awesome and allowed me to work in PA even easier than it had before. </p><p>What didn't change was the four-year term limit.</p><p>Well, I should say that due to an awesome amount of work by our supervisors, it did change. With the recognition of how important the Remote office was, particularly during the pandemic when we continued processing visas while missions were closed globally, the wheels turned and in the beginning of 2023, the Remote officer personnel were transitioned to real Civil Service positions with no term-limit. This means they can keep their jobs as long as they want, while they are in DC but also bringing the job with them as they move to posts abroad or even just moving to other states to be closer to family. </p><p>But it didn't apply to everyone. </p><p>For some reason it only applied to employees with still valid NCE or Non-Competitive Employment status. Eligible Family Members (EFMs) earn an NCE after working 52 weeks at a mission overseas. It's good for three years, and the clock starts ticking the day you land in the U.S. It gives EFMs a leg up in the hiring process. Why did it only apply to those employees? I never got a real answer for that, but suffice to say that my NCE kicked in the summer of 2019 and expired 2022. By the time early 2023 rolled around my NCE had long expired and so even though I had been there the longest, folks who just started were now guaranteed a forever job if they wanted and I just watched the looming expiration date draw ever closer. </p><p>On a side note, even though I had proven that I could do my job remotely for a year, the vacancies advertised in the same section were all in-person only, so I couldn't even apply for my own job. Yeah....</p><p>I was a little bitter, but OK, because we were going to Haiti and I had already lined up a job there. It was a decision between trying to apply for remote job from some CA office or joining my new community and really being present. I went with the latter.</p><p>Then we didn't go to Haiti. So now I didn't have an onward job, and I'd run out of time trying to figure out a DC job that might allow me to jump right into remote work. ARG.</p><p>Toronto is severely understaffed. It's a problem in developed countries where the USG pays a certain salary amount, isn't flexible, and have you seen the cost of rent here?? Yeah, they can't hire people even with how understaffed they are. However I can't work in the consular section because... Ian. And I'm not really qualified to work anywhere else because consular work is very niche. There's something that might work out in the future (I'll let you know), but in the meantime I'm going to branch out into a position where I'll learn a lot and hopefully feel good while doing it. I'm nervous. I'm anxious. Yeah, I'm scared.</p><p>I've thoroughly enjoyed being home since we moved into this apartment on December 3, but this is the end of my quiet days watching the snow and enjoying all the homemaking. I was doing Ian's laundry... yeah, that's gonna stop! I crocheted a couple blankets. I made cookies. I organized shelves and cleared out junk, and watched some TV Ian doesn't like. I started reading again and I restarted this blog.</p><p>We'll see what keeps happening and what amount of brain space I have left over at the end of the workday (knowing myself... for the first few weeks - NOT MUCH). That's what I'm going to miss the most, and I know how lucky I am to have had this time so don't hate me because it's hard to give up.</p><p>*sigh*</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-31951038892913033962024-01-19T11:26:00.000-08:002024-01-19T11:26:50.855-08:00Houston<p>Crazily it's been almost a year since we went to Houston for what was a once-in-a-lifetime experience at NASA's Johnson Space Center.</p><p>But let me back up.</p><p>I've mentioned already that we had a fantabulous year in Pennsylvania. That was in no small part to the change in our work. I worked from home that year for my job in DC. Ian went to school. He's happy in school - learning, teaching, mentoring. It's a wonderful option in the Foreign Service that we truly encourage for everyone who has the opportunity. Here's the thing though... don't do it in DC. Sure, there can be benefits to doing the master's programs offered in the DC area (maybe you don't have to move again, maybe you have kids in school, maybe you just really like DC rent), but if you can and are open to moving to a different program - Do. It. Disengage from DC. Take a breath. Explore a new U.S. city. Find a new calm. Carlisle, PA and the U.S. Army War College were just what he needed after a year in Baghdad and 2 years on the Iraq desk. The halls of DC are supposedly great for visibility and promotion, but garbage for your mental health. He needed a break.</p><p>When choosing the program, we knew we wanted to go to Carlisle, with the other programs far seconds (Alabama, Rhode Island, DC...). We found a great apartment that could have been scooterable to the barracks if the roads were smooth. Across the street from a grocery store with a Starbucks. Walkable to the historic downtown. An easy drive to everything else we needed. It was quiet, it was calm.</p><p>When he was accepted into the program he had a choice as to which track he wanted, one of which was the Scholars program. The Scholars program front-loaded the curriculum at hyper-speed with the second half of the year devoted to papers and projects. A lot less class-time, a lot more home time, regular walks together for coffee in the morning, and lunch breaks. I started early and ended my work days at 3:30pm. </p><p>The one thing Ian didn't expect from his year at school was making friends. But he did - some really good ones he still chats with almost a year later. </p><p>Including one who invited us to Houston. Actually, she invited the class and we were the only ones who took her up on it. Seriously, who turns down a visit the Johnson Space Center? Who?? Not us. Not with an invite from an astronaut.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKxrhSEAvuithMVOJeDezjyNT7dND0caxCl2mph5NsMXWpIttp-Sx-5x7JwY-hzNeuC7zyusjgmLNCrDfUIKZAzYayzPvm1ixI8r_l5JI0nuDqBfBph4efDFclHh5ozgR8l1kTYjQewDnyPSLbWQDi4SRGw53scxlCzRdxCZymtwngO3fxg47Se3qyqo/s640/IMG_1463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKxrhSEAvuithMVOJeDezjyNT7dND0caxCl2mph5NsMXWpIttp-Sx-5x7JwY-hzNeuC7zyusjgmLNCrDfUIKZAzYayzPvm1ixI8r_l5JI0nuDqBfBph4efDFclHh5ozgR8l1kTYjQewDnyPSLbWQDi4SRGw53scxlCzRdxCZymtwngO3fxg47Se3qyqo/s320/IMG_1463.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OlxJ1cpdxKrThj3amNJCSOndO5ypwMnDedj7S7XdYdjx-UwvuZAatb4F_UoAdD14F38TZbM5CW5gElijfDzrdJ3S7DXkdBijGdlW9i9O-WUr4ddl0tvx7aENTzW_eOFdaeX3sp_jpx065-RHNNRbMYtsuGYt1anw_eZ2f79kkvW5kozHSfrFe_9edok/s640/IMG_1464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OlxJ1cpdxKrThj3amNJCSOndO5ypwMnDedj7S7XdYdjx-UwvuZAatb4F_UoAdD14F38TZbM5CW5gElijfDzrdJ3S7DXkdBijGdlW9i9O-WUr4ddl0tvx7aENTzW_eOFdaeX3sp_jpx065-RHNNRbMYtsuGYt1anw_eZ2f79kkvW5kozHSfrFe_9edok/s320/IMG_1464.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxQ7ACSrE7ST5B6WF4fabzOPxTO0nqmbPDqdYAJF2NmQaLJ2J0PFrGImBosfpLyLw3K_xTI2Q3dfufMRxtF2qxBXl_ejneYzemwVmVKy_wHuKOly5pSoHccHIPJCO8tmC7fevWNDbCO3m0T6S3WHGXQUFBPQBJpMdquIrsktCpFV7fbJQmgoEsvkjt7Q/s640/IMG_1465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxQ7ACSrE7ST5B6WF4fabzOPxTO0nqmbPDqdYAJF2NmQaLJ2J0PFrGImBosfpLyLw3K_xTI2Q3dfufMRxtF2qxBXl_ejneYzemwVmVKy_wHuKOly5pSoHccHIPJCO8tmC7fevWNDbCO3m0T6S3WHGXQUFBPQBJpMdquIrsktCpFV7fbJQmgoEsvkjt7Q/s320/IMG_1465.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>The visit was overwhelming and inspiring. We were given behind-the-scenes tours by her team from the ISS pool to the suit workshop. At the pool, two astronauts suited up to enter the pool and rehearse a space walk at the ISS. The pool is big enough for a submerged 1:1 duplicate of the ISS broken into several chunks. It's stunning.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWF-JZFIKKotP5uwXVZtjJQrmjflrUkQjK5LKq84MSof8Rf3X8T9K541_RYKEoF-loNI8mdt3mvRMnWLRHdi1Zhcz5G0Cx8SkEFKv02PrqXHp7p8gqGCn9cpS7MuyQNn09dY77fss96UTWzlUPym1RSfZ1zJXjAEavAN_6bdup7Cq_C79sa3ZYW0Pj2z0/s640/IMG_1468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWF-JZFIKKotP5uwXVZtjJQrmjflrUkQjK5LKq84MSof8Rf3X8T9K541_RYKEoF-loNI8mdt3mvRMnWLRHdi1Zhcz5G0Cx8SkEFKv02PrqXHp7p8gqGCn9cpS7MuyQNn09dY77fss96UTWzlUPym1RSfZ1zJXjAEavAN_6bdup7Cq_C79sa3ZYW0Pj2z0/s320/IMG_1468.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTiNNGQi-sq5HcE9MtA1qgDy0Y00YVHU4pc4vLQYYaoRHdLtW65fTgUHy48Jyw43D4j69pEHGwxsEgXi5BxHyrf99RbrTM8vs3Zu8qHh6v_73u9T75aVke6DKMXmwzB36YyKyfs9hVgDH1T-nmlZpYLc_38DfLULBonvp6bFhxxUUkC_ASohWRPhSvmE0/s640/IMG_1469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTiNNGQi-sq5HcE9MtA1qgDy0Y00YVHU4pc4vLQYYaoRHdLtW65fTgUHy48Jyw43D4j69pEHGwxsEgXi5BxHyrf99RbrTM8vs3Zu8qHh6v_73u9T75aVke6DKMXmwzB36YyKyfs9hVgDH1T-nmlZpYLc_38DfLULBonvp6bFhxxUUkC_ASohWRPhSvmE0/s320/IMG_1469.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu_Vh-itlMuoWZRC4WgMjzs8VaO2p6VJBCiNQ7r5etg3yfVihuT_89_VwZuTRxUTVZa8FWeBDgksZLlDwncynXwpjqFAcNzgsG_JqrngJenXcPJvA2aJ8wRICFuRsbVVtzbraZnEfoSC4cTQG9OnLVEa7qGW88aXVWSVxfxBIamR09Z4I-3HH6yVr6FU/s640/IMG_1470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu_Vh-itlMuoWZRC4WgMjzs8VaO2p6VJBCiNQ7r5etg3yfVihuT_89_VwZuTRxUTVZa8FWeBDgksZLlDwncynXwpjqFAcNzgsG_JqrngJenXcPJvA2aJ8wRICFuRsbVVtzbraZnEfoSC4cTQG9OnLVEa7qGW88aXVWSVxfxBIamR09Z4I-3HH6yVr6FU/s320/IMG_1470.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />LOVE the brutalist design.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYyfG13L1nRVcslU7-V1Hb2PZxp_8EfvNFKtc5Q4l3wKzjOMwErUlXCxk1KUWN7-y0SXQ0kzOPRGFYmS5OqJs88BNA8VZ-7Fwu44npYxc1dRetoZWm-OYCS08w-3toZcbFenGlpWjLBtyuxrjrsJl-r9HHRSOwocQKPRu6dG5oqhCRHTNxa8hAzAG0AM/s640/IMG_1471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYyfG13L1nRVcslU7-V1Hb2PZxp_8EfvNFKtc5Q4l3wKzjOMwErUlXCxk1KUWN7-y0SXQ0kzOPRGFYmS5OqJs88BNA8VZ-7Fwu44npYxc1dRetoZWm-OYCS08w-3toZcbFenGlpWjLBtyuxrjrsJl-r9HHRSOwocQKPRu6dG5oqhCRHTNxa8hAzAG0AM/s320/IMG_1471.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVLrhVG47D15YrWIUaCVSI-DjSnA0ALdPbvxGuI0RGdvtg-T1fG5MftiXIyPHTtMZCkMpAR47gpbzd3xtP_Z6lFVkwIpIFtZ7RHKzk3imATJf01Z7iKsmhIqLZBnxSG83-MYeqeHgvK2c_zNp5ClEuG37wrS1dqf8CK23VG46soJV9SL7KfnnyQyGPeE/s640/IMG_1472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkktAN1VCbypDCRvyl3EQUVnQzFjE48LtUPdbCrN4x0up0F7Uw_5D0pScp1aO2wPx9cG395fXQFy3pLDWt_MuaO1UXM4lZwzpChFot3if2WR1FphnHNSqDZ3Bwhb0yAToNZWxJ_0kMyiAqHn0oV0dA8JqS1yc6ij0SPfgW_x-dz0oY6mQY3jrs7mVScGo/s640/IMG_1475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkktAN1VCbypDCRvyl3EQUVnQzFjE48LtUPdbCrN4x0up0F7Uw_5D0pScp1aO2wPx9cG395fXQFy3pLDWt_MuaO1UXM4lZwzpChFot3if2WR1FphnHNSqDZ3Bwhb0yAToNZWxJ_0kMyiAqHn0oV0dA8JqS1yc6ij0SPfgW_x-dz0oY6mQY3jrs7mVScGo/s320/IMG_1475.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />"Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor not a...."</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphen-SEDYPhDUh9YV-n-XHg99L8UYXiBgAtcgUB2jMXkQUIjXIpKiIXX4E_9SuEZpy6NV-V-rsuQ5eIXq_kuUqJRYNL8tnEtQ-Eh4Hacpf1nfs9Fe1yWWAw9jOo8q5xZOWLJzONJ4pYPePalgk8DUyB6-cEqrjVCt_rSyMXzkbMy2X3Fp6cvBfdciiG9K0/s640/IMG_1476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKftUeNLYRW41FDq4NXR9MXPzWnq1bTbBpatlG4h5BtcYSgYXMJLGsy9DpVvAma6sr5tesnaYlSH4y1vYn0OzSnUgapFDT7vHhzFRt_eYs6pky1J27_Vdj6hd9MDX_sKYMufNZXLH8nEPekdiAeYu5ikkHb6Vcki7Nqxg6GlcEluIh-rmBvB5x5KQgaMk/s640/IMG_1497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKftUeNLYRW41FDq4NXR9MXPzWnq1bTbBpatlG4h5BtcYSgYXMJLGsy9DpVvAma6sr5tesnaYlSH4y1vYn0OzSnUgapFDT7vHhzFRt_eYs6pky1J27_Vdj6hd9MDX_sKYMufNZXLH8nEPekdiAeYu5ikkHb6Vcki7Nqxg6GlcEluIh-rmBvB5x5KQgaMk/s320/IMG_1497.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />The biggest pool.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Bbu3qGtq954IGUxwTOzBV5gjqV_d0gWXtP2hz4lLs7XpaHwx2IIxNsfLuoi1EPAPJNrfmT6Oc0aqe-Rcy7DOUEr82817Fkkazg7ZqecDwsd6PGflTYXWEbt1p62_ZZE7bAwCj5VxDZFjqBEn_boXBvbdf8DCqgj1IHDRngbLNaJl6d6X2xAEzQirFts/s640/IMG_1498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Bbu3qGtq954IGUxwTOzBV5gjqV_d0gWXtP2hz4lLs7XpaHwx2IIxNsfLuoi1EPAPJNrfmT6Oc0aqe-Rcy7DOUEr82817Fkkazg7ZqecDwsd6PGflTYXWEbt1p62_ZZE7bAwCj5VxDZFjqBEn_boXBvbdf8DCqgj1IHDRngbLNaJl6d6X2xAEzQirFts/s320/IMG_1498.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />If Adam Savage was there, you know it's awesome.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ebyQ5NHD2U-ugOU8_L5ilKWDYjGpI4qcgmTs05PC1-zcPpyzRRwDunIhuo5NKbnVis6OduVZB_1tmutSBrTwY84pZqXrBCrX408kl01E7jyuXmVq9sUYwWTsrZL050fQrcCpUAdfvV1BTwm_9J_J1Uaw8QV-7fq1LX9C-9Zqid-wHj0NmwETjim48Qk/s640/IMG_1499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ebyQ5NHD2U-ugOU8_L5ilKWDYjGpI4qcgmTs05PC1-zcPpyzRRwDunIhuo5NKbnVis6OduVZB_1tmutSBrTwY84pZqXrBCrX408kl01E7jyuXmVq9sUYwWTsrZL050fQrcCpUAdfvV1BTwm_9J_J1Uaw8QV-7fq1LX9C-9Zqid-wHj0NmwETjim48Qk/s320/IMG_1499.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3eEY9bog52rjoYPphh5GZybZ9BLIuAHfU8I18T6_gKhzJrYhFg3dLJ_hK9wmdtmHOpxz074aDlCqbPLF_Vz_25EBWxtes8-COBg7xBpzjIpnc2zhe1aeKdWU0YPmxPp4qCiK2uRNYIRzIW3T5hcrD4G0jecrq0gCThtzOFeOu24zU9uH-OaUqMaNK3M/s640/IMG_1500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3eEY9bog52rjoYPphh5GZybZ9BLIuAHfU8I18T6_gKhzJrYhFg3dLJ_hK9wmdtmHOpxz074aDlCqbPLF_Vz_25EBWxtes8-COBg7xBpzjIpnc2zhe1aeKdWU0YPmxPp4qCiK2uRNYIRzIW3T5hcrD4G0jecrq0gCThtzOFeOu24zU9uH-OaUqMaNK3M/s320/IMG_1500.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFX0LKslJrJ_6KHJdmlJjZVnIA7fh-IqB4CbKjujoVNSakDJK_Zm3KF4gaAeLC1qYWWxbjtLIoQXF5ThY0RPiQI0X8V4PAlDYBDtu50f-9SzS5KfSDtPzMRTvZICXni8oT5kgexeAXgA99lmqlzOz7H4kAzsYRsTAQNHKZyOiyRa67PjW-IY04CZATPZY/s640/IMG_1513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFX0LKslJrJ_6KHJdmlJjZVnIA7fh-IqB4CbKjujoVNSakDJK_Zm3KF4gaAeLC1qYWWxbjtLIoQXF5ThY0RPiQI0X8V4PAlDYBDtu50f-9SzS5KfSDtPzMRTvZICXni8oT5kgexeAXgA99lmqlzOz7H4kAzsYRsTAQNHKZyOiyRa67PjW-IY04CZATPZY/s320/IMG_1513.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Missions 58 and 59.</div><p>One of the highlights, beyond sitting in on her presentation to the JSC leadership - including Vanessa Wyche and a dozen others - was meeting the Flight Operations Director and getting coined. Just look at that giddiness! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPNlmSi9p1L_eKiNbUuLoyjR03k5BU2F-kegrBsDYV_CnYtLFFikoaWwUu6z7im271FxnRc-28dOFU92DCIRcx7zQ2Jw36E2ER2sDVfN0E2zPGWmSKyZLMwpcJBKer6vU6D3zhBOAQoJw9TQcDGoCtsqUvuhQQhRf1p7NUztyrJx4G96IQB7hg1IgRUQ/s640/IMG_1480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPNlmSi9p1L_eKiNbUuLoyjR03k5BU2F-kegrBsDYV_CnYtLFFikoaWwUu6z7im271FxnRc-28dOFU92DCIRcx7zQ2Jw36E2ER2sDVfN0E2zPGWmSKyZLMwpcJBKer6vU6D3zhBOAQoJw9TQcDGoCtsqUvuhQQhRf1p7NUztyrJx4G96IQB7hg1IgRUQ/s320/IMG_1480.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqYYsYEFepDNXCr13NAsUBOQ3KP4z84yOwIydy9it9GLYRaocYF4ZQzNw3kulmZFfQnt7jrDdl_p9ZpV5ecdzuB7JYD43ouzqAt502XFVdUwJXaVoNyFS0uBcn2ySBxQRhLKZXxx9YpPrXKeB0HcoCj8xzh0aPZZ1Rgm1IKY2w-yrBDzARu0sb4Ju82s/s640/IMG_1482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqYYsYEFepDNXCr13NAsUBOQ3KP4z84yOwIydy9it9GLYRaocYF4ZQzNw3kulmZFfQnt7jrDdl_p9ZpV5ecdzuB7JYD43ouzqAt502XFVdUwJXaVoNyFS0uBcn2ySBxQRhLKZXxx9YpPrXKeB0HcoCj8xzh0aPZZ1Rgm1IKY2w-yrBDzARu0sb4Ju82s/s320/IMG_1482.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With Flight Director Chief, Norman Knight</div><div><br /></div>More than all that, and we'd have loved to spend more time, we got to hang out with a friend and she is amazing beyond being an astronaut. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ2ME-JRdU-Hnr_Auaa6QEnukDwL_U4_2UYTK5MnhEhdEn9EvEAB4vxmmvBGHYmLLv77kPzAkyiYGaHpm6HmeUhGdCZUjTJ_Y4PAH6CHdIK5dejqBlEphuZlW0y72df8-sqUfx7AKZbt9Fv9ZUInkH67kYRtwZ7G3ha_byCKeAyPdpBfouIxSrKKqg2Q/s640/IMG_1492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJ2ME-JRdU-Hnr_Auaa6QEnukDwL_U4_2UYTK5MnhEhdEn9EvEAB4vxmmvBGHYmLLv77kPzAkyiYGaHpm6HmeUhGdCZUjTJ_Y4PAH6CHdIK5dejqBlEphuZlW0y72df8-sqUfx7AKZbt9Fv9ZUInkH67kYRtwZ7G3ha_byCKeAyPdpBfouIxSrKKqg2Q/s320/IMG_1492.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-exNvYjda7H6BhrB4Kn0dg5e1TEYDDBItGC_bLq1dLNRMsHrNZ0wN3cV8VrtG0RucgWOVyRf44inPdiWpm8EAKxSGZHvfbC42kOdSQXQxztaQPgBcOEOH3m-FK8qaTWsQ9chrNwYk-_MzHKirtYZD6TOUSmi7ouqAwPEhHAooYpg0fX4O_jAEU0H4I4/s1179/IMG_1516%20(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="1179" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-exNvYjda7H6BhrB4Kn0dg5e1TEYDDBItGC_bLq1dLNRMsHrNZ0wN3cV8VrtG0RucgWOVyRf44inPdiWpm8EAKxSGZHvfbC42kOdSQXQxztaQPgBcOEOH3m-FK8qaTWsQ9chrNwYk-_MzHKirtYZD6TOUSmi7ouqAwPEhHAooYpg0fX4O_jAEU0H4I4/s320/IMG_1516%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you Anne for a fantastic time in Houston on your home turf!</div><p><br /></p></div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-16990862192370853262024-01-16T07:56:00.000-08:002024-01-16T07:56:38.353-08:00HHOF<p>The Hockey Hall of Fame has been on our to do list for a while. I remember a couple years back, way before the possibility of actually living in Toronto, we talked about taking a road trip up here to go to the church of all things hockey. Yesterday on a U.S. holiday and when the temperature was a balmy 9ͦF we took the PATH and spent the afternoon gaping.</p><p>The museum is a bit of a maze and leans heavily on glass cases and info plaques, like any other museum. By the end I didn't really want to see another jersey or skate. By far my favorite parts were how hockey has changed since it's inception - at least it's formal inception, they acknowledge that as long as iced lakes exist there have been people sliding around on them kicking a rock or ball past their friends. The thought that goalies didn't have actual protective gear for decades is horrifying. The realization that protecting their faces was the last part to be considered is baffling.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_708bW1-oTkTgj6EZy43CXy5OGZUTKC04N65ejqnS5LH1S8F87kWZyLnPYDGTPzW2WkqQ5DWkBLJu8Xf_4vXl3ws0RW2KPq69pAa6ENd26gLH4DqnaWQzVAHrygaIzN2_OI51ogAH3FYvD6KUOEv28F97qPX9qwXlThDsq_KJNaEamn2KBWlpawRghM/s640/IMG_2693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_708bW1-oTkTgj6EZy43CXy5OGZUTKC04N65ejqnS5LH1S8F87kWZyLnPYDGTPzW2WkqQ5DWkBLJu8Xf_4vXl3ws0RW2KPq69pAa6ENd26gLH4DqnaWQzVAHrygaIzN2_OI51ogAH3FYvD6KUOEv28F97qPX9qwXlThDsq_KJNaEamn2KBWlpawRghM/s320/IMG_2693.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />Representation matters.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Xv-SerRMZ4NkKg6NQsl1EGqa5NyQfwQICO3P5Cq6evyTVQCdZq8GAz9UcRnaSmq4AbE0ByzyiRYefbUWB1ZLH9bwb9x6zYeYyIPUibT8A4zD-XeKGAOD-jlZzB_ItSubbqrBYGMZTmuYhDENtWVt_iD73OOIchMVlTd9u5FkZ5rKzt-LTUIXmI8UX9Y/s640/IMG_2694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Xv-SerRMZ4NkKg6NQsl1EGqa5NyQfwQICO3P5Cq6evyTVQCdZq8GAz9UcRnaSmq4AbE0ByzyiRYefbUWB1ZLH9bwb9x6zYeYyIPUibT8A4zD-XeKGAOD-jlZzB_ItSubbqrBYGMZTmuYhDENtWVt_iD73OOIchMVlTd9u5FkZ5rKzt-LTUIXmI8UX9Y/s320/IMG_2694.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These rings are enormous, while the earlier rings look <br />like what Josten's creates for colleges.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdiS-3elazU3flzkQVu5jUSq_KdrwRHg5al4HnHem9yLqmrDrYbI9E_P3CBmtuTwjvpqvig4aBBDnMkK9dCdENqRADrM6-ezSswlBMfiLX5aLospz-VpHUPsTYbxwnTeCIwzOVi5_kqPia2HdpcLOZw6-6fJgtqOJ9shkduU0crPYj24T-6qBfR8vPB7U/s640/IMG_2695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdiS-3elazU3flzkQVu5jUSq_KdrwRHg5al4HnHem9yLqmrDrYbI9E_P3CBmtuTwjvpqvig4aBBDnMkK9dCdENqRADrM6-ezSswlBMfiLX5aLospz-VpHUPsTYbxwnTeCIwzOVi5_kqPia2HdpcLOZw6-6fJgtqOJ9shkduU0crPYj24T-6qBfR8vPB7U/s320/IMG_2695.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Hey, let's make a hockey league!"</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtq-O1sTVsGflVB937ye3bCiLt3Z54b4CCal-yYMuK95EFG4YKhT6gYTTD3gq6mIAf35yQuZf00t9u0tB3dZm4imm5WUXMO7CVYvzc7e87-rf9UBLm3p1Vfy_n8-dp9XrP87xTyB_EqkDXE4F4GfIR54p8vccJJKOG4GmqCDUvoz7Dy9Hpi5h8UaWdys/s640/IMG_2696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtq-O1sTVsGflVB937ye3bCiLt3Z54b4CCal-yYMuK95EFG4YKhT6gYTTD3gq6mIAf35yQuZf00t9u0tB3dZm4imm5WUXMO7CVYvzc7e87-rf9UBLm3p1Vfy_n8-dp9XrP87xTyB_EqkDXE4F4GfIR54p8vccJJKOG4GmqCDUvoz7Dy9Hpi5h8UaWdys/s320/IMG_2696.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />I would never be a goalie.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8saIIyB-3qDkl9B1DNnmVhtjQF9YOyNJ-KM1VxLEg-6gYZHhbdwFzxI9sSMSsntwiuNaIuOqv2tYYBChf-bN3JQzgTF1T9MIByBmV8osfVED8nN47-SpbFrwL9S2vbtmymBaqeB4DV2T_eMGtSuJhwTrmjJX6RNmuCc3nQwmQVG6jQ7SC-6kXhtONRY/s640/IMG_2697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8saIIyB-3qDkl9B1DNnmVhtjQF9YOyNJ-KM1VxLEg-6gYZHhbdwFzxI9sSMSsntwiuNaIuOqv2tYYBChf-bN3JQzgTF1T9MIByBmV8osfVED8nN47-SpbFrwL9S2vbtmymBaqeB4DV2T_eMGtSuJhwTrmjJX6RNmuCc3nQwmQVG6jQ7SC-6kXhtONRY/s320/IMG_2697.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7K28l7vmc2Bi5lu7-FnwkcjtB_StA1GtHGunAsiajMvEM26g5hgG-3z1BPikc61FvbaVMUNDfPKj0XpmNZ3tzCguH_mNhKrD268rewyzAyE-egy1t5ffUuJHyi06f17YUVclqocSOwmmUyD67n1gjxzIqxy98Gu_mZHwz5j5-nApWf3ZvbzBERn1MuRI/s640/IMG_2715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7K28l7vmc2Bi5lu7-FnwkcjtB_StA1GtHGunAsiajMvEM26g5hgG-3z1BPikc61FvbaVMUNDfPKj0XpmNZ3tzCguH_mNhKrD268rewyzAyE-egy1t5ffUuJHyi06f17YUVclqocSOwmmUyD67n1gjxzIqxy98Gu_mZHwz5j5-nApWf3ZvbzBERn1MuRI/s320/IMG_2715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6JTgC3TY_HgepvNz5P-bjPQUoSN-h0BNK5dcjdseqdhunqstc7NH2-wPUzKYySH-xdXQwQluUDuQynCM-M8DAttoYjR5U3E0DzRBrI0RfcRxjZyTABwCaa4IM7RXJF9j10p6MUXujQ1dioeQ3cb7sh74IbnWgurywWg6huB__XPyM1W8G23VyodKunk/s640/IMG_2711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6JTgC3TY_HgepvNz5P-bjPQUoSN-h0BNK5dcjdseqdhunqstc7NH2-wPUzKYySH-xdXQwQluUDuQynCM-M8DAttoYjR5U3E0DzRBrI0RfcRxjZyTABwCaa4IM7RXJF9j10p6MUXujQ1dioeQ3cb7sh74IbnWgurywWg6huB__XPyM1W8G23VyodKunk/s320/IMG_2711.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg0CQSbAAWUV2oZ-3cgKswzzC4CKprBlsNfw6sDoviavILhP0hGdtmKW_GeJcShTlg57Cfx9CaiBC0TWugUyVd4FXn_wxEDKL1wt7YenA_0JSEWsR-dUGa6ubVJxWRJ6nETnoOxgsBgOTnnhy2rkyM5Q_CYcBrsJA1zwz_uXLFh5lLXCJhUJyFhGZRzw/s640/IMG_2712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg0CQSbAAWUV2oZ-3cgKswzzC4CKprBlsNfw6sDoviavILhP0hGdtmKW_GeJcShTlg57Cfx9CaiBC0TWugUyVd4FXn_wxEDKL1wt7YenA_0JSEWsR-dUGa6ubVJxWRJ6nETnoOxgsBgOTnnhy2rkyM5Q_CYcBrsJA1zwz_uXLFh5lLXCJhUJyFhGZRzw/s320/IMG_2712.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The stuff of nightmares. Why bother?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-25Dk3L_u_bS1_gz3l3Updu00XCLTzNjQ7dwV1pfVltC6SXoT2Yk6Fv06JFtU1ZpHJXjxnOu8n4bdF_gvohDZk0IME212777mytz3XR9-GiOBTIuqqoLg8hbc9xhn_hpoopS8qcodf8_t7V6dGYuXhPvEVlzqc-ms1kNdnfbK7YzSoE_VEra5zzcv1L0/s640/IMG_2713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-25Dk3L_u_bS1_gz3l3Updu00XCLTzNjQ7dwV1pfVltC6SXoT2Yk6Fv06JFtU1ZpHJXjxnOu8n4bdF_gvohDZk0IME212777mytz3XR9-GiOBTIuqqoLg8hbc9xhn_hpoopS8qcodf8_t7V6dGYuXhPvEVlzqc-ms1kNdnfbK7YzSoE_VEra5zzcv1L0/s320/IMG_2713.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKOeLQGXmoxRvZXP6midzbfU_SWAKKpL5K5lQJ1u7xiQuHHzq-WzrELBfkU5dap4WKyT_etwCtmlw0_3vbEPvxEBLdlI7uEAzChLlv5Yspn45Lp7t55cDe7e7fIXH3c3eL9BZ8FO0-avNiOcF79hHOwK6SnSHquG_ABZGy_ELuJhd17W3FDHpG1ZqaO4/s640/IMG_2714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKOeLQGXmoxRvZXP6midzbfU_SWAKKpL5K5lQJ1u7xiQuHHzq-WzrELBfkU5dap4WKyT_etwCtmlw0_3vbEPvxEBLdlI7uEAzChLlv5Yspn45Lp7t55cDe7e7fIXH3c3eL9BZ8FO0-avNiOcF79hHOwK6SnSHquG_ABZGy_ELuJhd17W3FDHpG1ZqaO4/s320/IMG_2714.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmJYFDknrzwXImShLvhjLL4cmy5UvxrinRa5RdGo66wg2faZlmWidvLKuEmciRac-plcP9mgpMJjnXDWdlSGAfcX9SgOCuLD2oJJQvgx0lgTjXCkz3rSU7EpVAtNXONfBD5oSiXqoxgfYTpGP_c7L4J-pLtUz_lYHBZxrjHxDDHREDv-j8JR65Aam1Pg/s640/IMG_2719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmJYFDknrzwXImShLvhjLL4cmy5UvxrinRa5RdGo66wg2faZlmWidvLKuEmciRac-plcP9mgpMJjnXDWdlSGAfcX9SgOCuLD2oJJQvgx0lgTjXCkz3rSU7EpVAtNXONfBD5oSiXqoxgfYTpGP_c7L4J-pLtUz_lYHBZxrjHxDDHREDv-j8JR65Aam1Pg/s320/IMG_2719.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There are 2 Stanley Cups. This is the permanent HHOF one.<br />The Presentation one periodically is at HHOF, and it leans a bit.<br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfFxbwqCbHQ1scSVwByWtzz7_t0BR_jBxshf6Bobdlr5DatJ2Xd99QuZftWOYWMUO4GCX78otkppOi-cSxVvep1okVC-mleEzVon-msqUiDiYVYcyHARsPrwH-qPMhyrR-YMRkd7RqsU9fFtJhIm7QyDRbJ6C-xfMJNvea22lA0MmhLcMpGMQyzfhwaE/s640/IMG_2720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfFxbwqCbHQ1scSVwByWtzz7_t0BR_jBxshf6Bobdlr5DatJ2Xd99QuZftWOYWMUO4GCX78otkppOi-cSxVvep1okVC-mleEzVon-msqUiDiYVYcyHARsPrwH-qPMhyrR-YMRkd7RqsU9fFtJhIm7QyDRbJ6C-xfMJNvea22lA0MmhLcMpGMQyzfhwaE/s320/IMG_2720.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOdbohWdmyTee5JZdS65Yd323bx0kwB96cjHrxn9fXMNRBymF2AQ_MWBcRbOeE_XynDhLHA6pwXNZeV6YdEDHWcyfg9XNyMhe8TrCy9vQ4DwMNzBuI4PfcAUoKu_pscTA4MQH0LMpHQDRM93cZef60l_rtgKiNhXpqGmlYw-zJJFYPaiS9hYbuTwI4Nw/s640/IMG_2721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOdbohWdmyTee5JZdS65Yd323bx0kwB96cjHrxn9fXMNRBymF2AQ_MWBcRbOeE_XynDhLHA6pwXNZeV6YdEDHWcyfg9XNyMhe8TrCy9vQ4DwMNzBuI4PfcAUoKu_pscTA4MQH0LMpHQDRM93cZef60l_rtgKiNhXpqGmlYw-zJJFYPaiS9hYbuTwI4Nw/s320/IMG_2721.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Original cup.</div><p>On the whole, a worthwhile afternoon. We'll go back with any kids who want to see it for themselves.</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-87651957874224085822024-01-11T10:53:00.000-08:002024-01-11T10:53:43.106-08:00Entertainment all around<p>We were lucky enough to find an apartment in the Entertainment District of Toronto. Within a few blocks we have the Rogers Center and Scotiabank Arena, Roy Thompson Hall (the Toronto Symphony), the <a href="https://tiff.net/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAwP6sBhDAARIsAPfK_wYSjLIVC5hYWf6fWNQArjFQKUyJdwstbqig1R0HxGFSZsAy52vAklAaAjNhEALw_wcB">TIFF Lightbox</a>, Princess of Wales Theater, the Royal Alexandra Theater (we saw SIX! here), the CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium, <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/data/parks/prd/facilities/complex/386/index.html">Roundhouse Park</a>, The Four Seasons Center for the Performing arts (ballet and opera), and a movie theater.</p><p>Add a few more blocks and we have the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Hockey Hall of Fame, Meridian Hall, Massey Hall (we saw To Kill a Mockingbird here), The Second City Toronto, and tons more little spots here and there - museums (I think there's one at the CBC building), comedy, and theater venues, etc. There are also a number of multipurpose areas like the Convention center, <a href="https://stacktmarket.com/">Stackt</a>, <a href="https://thewelltoronto.com/">The Well</a>, and <a href="https://harbourfrontcentre.com/">Harbourfront</a>.</p><p>Go a little further and there's Kensington Market, the <a href="https://www.thedistillerydistrict.com/about/">Distillery District</a>, <a href="https://thebentway.ca/">The Bentway</a>, and the whole of the Waterfront. Everything above is within a 5-45 minute walk.</p><p>When we were searching for a rental, we checked a number of neighborhoods, all of them urban. Each area had its pros and cons - different grocery stores (one was near a Whole Foods!), different entertainment, different commutes - and I know we would have been happy in any one of them and adapted to what it had to offer. We considered living along the lake for the awesome view, we checked out the area around a townhouse west of Spadina, we saw an apartment on the 70-something floor in Yorkville. Each building had different amenities and each street had a different vibe (while Yorkville is quite posh with lots of shopping there's not much affordable).</p><p>During the week, and even most weekends, we don't drive anywhere. There are trams, buses, and a subway system, but mostly we walk because this chunk of Toronto has pretty much everything we need - grocery stores, Staples, Michaels, restaurants, malls, bodegas, drugstores, a French bakery, the PATH. All that and we have a 9 minute walk to work. </p><p>The commute was top of our list, and we can see a sliver of lake which was pretty high on our list, but if you ask us what really sealed this building for us is the car elevator. This building has a car elevator. A. Car. Elevator. What sorcery is this? Drive the car into elevator, press the button, drop down to correct parking level. It's amazing and stress-free which I didn't expect living downtown. And even though we rarely take out the car we know it's secure and out of the elements. And there's a car elevator!</p><p>So far Toronto is proving to be a pretty good deal and I'm sure we'll keep discovering more fun things in the city and in Ontario as the months go on and the seasons change. I hear there's a tennis <a href="https://nationalbankopen.com/">Open</a> in August split between Montreal and Toronto, and the <a href="https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/ottawa-to-host-2025-iihf-world-junior-championship-2025-wjc">World Juniors</a> tournament is coming to Ottawa in December!</p><p>There's no doubt that whenever the kids visit there will be something fun to do.</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-34768585197444943272024-01-10T09:41:00.000-08:002024-01-10T09:41:29.522-08:00OK, one more hockey related post but with furniture.<p>When we arrived in Toronto the weather was delightful, reaching up to the 50s during the day and sunny. We walked a lot figuring out our temporary neighborhood and didn't have to wear the coats we'd judiciously bought back in Virginia. That didn't last long, the coats were necessary a few weeks later, but in the meantime it was cool enough to require a sweatshirt. Remember we were still living out of suitcases packed for a tropical island, so.... I wore the same sweatshirts a lot and my go-to was usually a bright red Washington Capitals sweatshirt even in the land of Maple Leafs. </p><p>We moved into our permanent apartment the first weekend in December and the weather was mild. Out came the sweatshirt. We received our shipments and most of what we requested arrived, including our bed frame and mattress. Woohoo! What didn't make it... the hardware to put the bed together. We bought the frame from IKEA at least a decade ago if not longer (I think it's longer, a lot longer), but did what made sense - went to IKEA for replacement parts.</p><p>The customer service area was packed and at a kiosk we requested a number to get in line, at least 45 minutes. Ian went off to the restroom and I wandered around when a woman stopped me and offered a spot on a bench near her and her spouse. I declined but then she asked if I was a Washington Capitals fan. Yup, my sweatshirt.</p><p>It's been a while since the conversation so I don't remember details, but we had a long chat about the Capitals, the Bears, hockey in general, and the Indigenous games (the Arctic Winter Games?) in Alaska in 2024, because once they asked us where we were from because of our <i>ACCENTS (<b>ACCENTS??!</b>)</i>, and why we're in Toronto, there was of course a visa question about traveling to Alaska for volunteering at the games. (Speaking of accents, we had dinner out on Christmas Even and our server also asked us where we were from because of our <i>accents</i>.... I'd like to inform all Canadians that we don't have accents - they do.)</p><p>The highlight of our interaction was the fact that she is Connor McMichael's great-aunt and they spent time over the summer with Connor and the Calder Cup. With pictures. What were the chances? No really... what?? It was yet another very cool and lucky connection to the hockey world.</p><p>We chatted until their number was called and took their seats for what looked like another hour of waiting. Until she came back and whispered that they told the clerk that we were their friends and had a quick question and she whisked Ian up to the counter so he could ask for our missing parts. A few minutes later they were done with their return and came by to say farewell. The mysterious Canadian rescue we didn't know we needed and just like that they were gone. </p><p>So, Shanna and spouse (sorry, I forgot your name!) thank you for being so kind and a joy to encounter.</p><p>We returned home with our IKEA loot and, bleh, the parts didn't fit try as we might, so we struck out on foot that afternoon and had no luck at three other hardware stores within a mile of our apartment. The next day we drove to Home Depot and, success! Back at home the four sides came together and then it was time for the stability bar in the middle, a simple "slide into metal brackets" before placing the slats and finishing up. It was then we noticed that someone had <i>removed the metal brackets</i>. They've never been taken off before, they lay practically flat against the wood except where the metal support slides in, why would anyone take them off? Why?? They were probably with all the other missing hardware. Frustration started to boil over. Searching online showed that the missing plate is no longer available and other plates had screw holes in different places. The bedframe was solid wood. We don't have a drill. </p><p>We looked at each other. This bedframe had served us well for probably 20 years, and after ranting about the stupidity of packers who don't tape hardware to the relevant furniture or replace them in the holes once the sections have been taken apart (that is something we absolutely love), we agreed we were OK with moving on to a new bedframe. So we walked over to the nearby <a href="https://www.structube.com/en_ca/bedcarme?pid=29427">Structube</a>, ordered a bed for delivery (four days later we put together a new stylish frame that had all its parts - woohoo! Do you know how hard it is roll off a mattress on the floor in the middle of the night when you're nearly 50?) </p><p>The next day we deserved a treat and actual groceries and went to Costco. Once again Ian disappeared (it's a big place, I think he got lost?) and a stocker came up to me and asked about my sweatshirt. Yup, same sweatshirt. I promise I wash it. A young person who then jumped into everything he likes about the Capitals, even though he's from... Poland. Ian joined and we chatted for a bit longer about the players and about cities in Poland we'd been to.</p><p>Hockey, and in particular the Capitals... bringing people together. LOL.</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-47558868889354513272024-01-09T08:14:00.000-08:002024-01-11T11:10:31.487-08:00Yes, more about hockey.<p>When we were in PA, we decided we had the time and space to travel to regional arenas to watch the Caps play. So not only did we see a heck of a lot of Bears games with our 1/2 season tickets, we also went to Boston for Caps/Bruins (Hi Jerry and Julie!), Columbus for Caps/Blue Jackets (Hi Nicholas and Taylor, and Taylor's parents!), New Jersey for Caps/Devils (Hi scary alleys!), Philadelphia for Caps/Flyers (Hi amazing entertainment complex!), and NYC for Rangers/someone (Hi Brian!). We're not bold enough yet to enter Penguins territory.</p><p>Now that we're in Maple Leafs land and Ian has to travel for work to a shocking number of NHL team cities, there's nothing we can do but arrange the visits around Caps away games. It just makes sense.</p><p>Our year with the Bears was a special one as I've mentioned before, not just for the Cup win at the end. As silly as it sounds, it connected us to the Caps even more - which is good when the Caps are playing as badly as they are. But the Bears are fun (and playing really really well) and if you didn't watch this year's Teddy Bear toss on January 8, go look for it. It's spectacular. They'll play the Toronto Marlies in a couple months so our hockey viewing continues to extend to the AHL, some ECHL (when we visited Becca and team in Atlanta we went to a Gladiators game) and perhaps the OHL (there are several OHL teams nearby, and the league includes the.... Erie Otters). The ECHL has some of the best team names... the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Florida Everblades, Orlando Solar Bears. </p><p>As the farm team for the Caps, we see a lot of familiar faces move between PA and DC. This year the Caps signed Connor McMichael, Hendrix Lapierre, and Aliaksei Protas, while periodically calling up Ivan Miroshnichenko, Dylan McIlrath, Hardy Haman Aktell, goalie Hunter Shepard, and others. As season ticket holders last year, we were initiated into the fun world of AHL events. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SCqzBBjATJUsmZLQjiz_wX7ykUhuUxkvd7hWqT5sH-mjPgXcWqbpIpAN6EJzgrbmQp7xDE_60Ar9wk-cJZUDx4oGmeso12mfL1hY6ZV1VD5DOiidWDI6J7llN3nYHwS2piwq9eljNb9BaRod6n57aM1JRr8KmBuRh_e1Q8tjbu2JV2V85R-OHgqx84o/s640/IMG_0825.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SCqzBBjATJUsmZLQjiz_wX7ykUhuUxkvd7hWqT5sH-mjPgXcWqbpIpAN6EJzgrbmQp7xDE_60Ar9wk-cJZUDx4oGmeso12mfL1hY6ZV1VD5DOiidWDI6J7llN3nYHwS2piwq9eljNb9BaRod6n57aM1JRr8KmBuRh_e1Q8tjbu2JV2V85R-OHgqx84o/s320/IMG_0825.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2XjHWJS_CV36fDrQ5Ee3KXHTpDcJ-GTB-60fqNXBT59EkkTkdI1MDqhGqGFM7fLiULtiXoiS33pasxGAFwcHrWGEifvpJ5keUl0nQdZUEFCgga-88mP0uQkl5Jxn968ITuUQLOXzXlltVpRX9PU5l4AkOYaOY-b8aELrx99JKi5lrtSUuwQA3ZSWdz0/s640/IMG_0826.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2XjHWJS_CV36fDrQ5Ee3KXHTpDcJ-GTB-60fqNXBT59EkkTkdI1MDqhGqGFM7fLiULtiXoiS33pasxGAFwcHrWGEifvpJ5keUl0nQdZUEFCgga-88mP0uQkl5Jxn968ITuUQLOXzXlltVpRX9PU5l4AkOYaOY-b8aELrx99JKi5lrtSUuwQA3ZSWdz0/s320/IMG_0826.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOoQpe5uyzsD4CLs9nZzhWy60P-FXTMG2hMUyOi4EWkd04nOfryfx1CjkJ5PC_wRIrrsBQLbVQx0rS8QZhEbaQPil7UfaKpzy_a44YeCrwe3-Pf60z7JpxYV7Z8x4d5qSM2cF0KVKQt6FT-T_MmcMEuu6qH2FcJ4-LE8vXtcIPetAs6qkVMbWhIi7kLM/s640/IMG_0827.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOoQpe5uyzsD4CLs9nZzhWy60P-FXTMG2hMUyOi4EWkd04nOfryfx1CjkJ5PC_wRIrrsBQLbVQx0rS8QZhEbaQPil7UfaKpzy_a44YeCrwe3-Pf60z7JpxYV7Z8x4d5qSM2cF0KVKQt6FT-T_MmcMEuu6qH2FcJ4-LE8vXtcIPetAs6qkVMbWhIi7kLM/s320/IMG_0827.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Oo-hpkH5SrJkaxV_0iSfxPjHFt5XGp2S0GMl_gCDiefIfp9Xrj9w8vpLmPfmgz4SjJuGlTA2U3v7hIeHC3_aV5Ce0kAj3HAbXC1Zs63ZY3DFHRB5MjzLldFZZHoMuTCQ7I3QIRblRndH3gdVU1rVmbTFUjXfOm9I8_pDd_nHc_mWvjzoRIwSnb-2L6I/s640/IMG_0828.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Oo-hpkH5SrJkaxV_0iSfxPjHFt5XGp2S0GMl_gCDiefIfp9Xrj9w8vpLmPfmgz4SjJuGlTA2U3v7hIeHC3_aV5Ce0kAj3HAbXC1Zs63ZY3DFHRB5MjzLldFZZHoMuTCQ7I3QIRblRndH3gdVU1rVmbTFUjXfOm9I8_pDd_nHc_mWvjzoRIwSnb-2L6I/s320/IMG_0828.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicW3dzc_FS-CdJUcQZYs4KH7Ct-Lbs9LysYOSYaR336HZL57abfRO-bGHl0gT3Cw8t7F7l8sdjDkoGc90goqNUUWdCKMODgEqbDyBRMtYicHoCZ3ce4yLiF-5brOUJzfqSlk-XKEFtyzrq6UoPyvTwvTKY10cozLQSXtpbAv0gYWmwus8EPu6dhhVGj1c/s640/IMG_0840.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicW3dzc_FS-CdJUcQZYs4KH7Ct-Lbs9LysYOSYaR336HZL57abfRO-bGHl0gT3Cw8t7F7l8sdjDkoGc90goqNUUWdCKMODgEqbDyBRMtYicHoCZ3ce4yLiF-5brOUJzfqSlk-XKEFtyzrq6UoPyvTwvTKY10cozLQSXtpbAv0gYWmwus8EPu6dhhVGj1c/s320/IMG_0840.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Coco!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhuUS-SFOaiiZShpOyvja4syJN-dIDc3svzQ1oMWn59ObM-uSl6g4b6ljTGS3N487VE3MEKIZ8yk6UfuPBFaVuqeVQB8Qt6idZhWIArl-jaw2vOFmzbwuiDfywvhICgP60gRWvqw62WbvQKKFwGjskyd_HAZB8cq7nswg2K0NWe9NFpD0W0h2lo37O94/s640/IMG_0841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhuUS-SFOaiiZShpOyvja4syJN-dIDc3svzQ1oMWn59ObM-uSl6g4b6ljTGS3N487VE3MEKIZ8yk6UfuPBFaVuqeVQB8Qt6idZhWIArl-jaw2vOFmzbwuiDfywvhICgP60gRWvqw62WbvQKKFwGjskyd_HAZB8cq7nswg2K0NWe9NFpD0W0h2lo37O94/s320/IMG_0841.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>The purple jersey is a Hockey Fights Cancer auction jersey. Julian Napravnik was a Bear from Bad Nauheim, Germany and knew all about the Frankfurt Löwen. He wasn't played much, but we felt like we couldn't pass up that connection. When the Bears had their annual signature night, all the players took up spots on the ice and signed whatever you put in front of them. Ian got a good chunk of the team to sign his jersey, including McMichael and Lapierre. Napravnik was released from his contract in Nov 2023 and returned to Europe. It's a good thing and I hope he gets more ice time.</p><p>When we moved out of PA and had some time in northern Virginia we picked the Ballston area specifically because it's the location of the practice rink for the Caps. Capitals practices are usually open to the public and players often go to the media area afterwards for signatures and pics. You also have to be careful on the top level of the parking garage to not run over hockey players as they go to their cars. You never know who you're going to meet or just see when you hang out in Ballston or Hershey. Players families, former players turned coaching staff, televised game personalities. Over the years we've seen a number of folks including Joe Beninati (there's a photo somewhere), half of the Joe B and Locker play announcer team we love to listen while watching on TV.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRBMty55UohEbsf8UAwjQJoCbyKk3yYqOszhB8CtYqKYMUVlSKmR_ggsmyEuTyrzgVOiNfV_x_dw1O3sfKzAjNXsJfurEnyb4U_8eP72lu_aHDLZ_lPB-PtAYstZbJH8oUNIp5RwROcxiyXyLDjRwiDKAt5mMZlqIcp4WzVkPYwUkyxWAQGjAJljBZdc/s640/IMG_1517%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRBMty55UohEbsf8UAwjQJoCbyKk3yYqOszhB8CtYqKYMUVlSKmR_ggsmyEuTyrzgVOiNfV_x_dw1O3sfKzAjNXsJfurEnyb4U_8eP72lu_aHDLZ_lPB-PtAYstZbJH8oUNIp5RwROcxiyXyLDjRwiDKAt5mMZlqIcp4WzVkPYwUkyxWAQGjAJljBZdc/s320/IMG_1517%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ian Oland - creator and writer at <a href="https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/">Russian Machine Never Breaks</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcIykIKIz9sXeNk0SExyG9K_7Dv6rlKktcCAKuVw50KpIScrfej48cLQ8nYUc8E00oPsdqE4jtxwBTEGcZ-hVYAUAJPl7tvxz2wS4hqMlKMyLmlvtnWHsqPOinEJPvm27187cBW9Fk4P5jTIPbONLGjBEaAbafmfXLhiN2DpqIbwQLVhWIOTBL5IXJK0/s640/IMG_1887.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="408" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcIykIKIz9sXeNk0SExyG9K_7Dv6rlKktcCAKuVw50KpIScrfej48cLQ8nYUc8E00oPsdqE4jtxwBTEGcZ-hVYAUAJPl7tvxz2wS4hqMlKMyLmlvtnWHsqPOinEJPvm27187cBW9Fk4P5jTIPbONLGjBEaAbafmfXLhiN2DpqIbwQLVhWIOTBL5IXJK0/s320/IMG_1887.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aliaksei Protas shared the Calder Cup with the fans <br />at the Giant Center in Hershey.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZ6yR1ka7orGtbqDt5OMqJqvDsGfynswhw1zaI8g72P1paqWoQTtO8gxFTwfN8lmorHxjxE3cGNHBjPxyalxInc5GaYqrPQee6gsr3IQkNbez4W9omDH3emTMtgygJIo7jI2Cc2Vb5INptSAo__dlYt4Z1auSQjVcphtseOTGzj7XlD-mc8oLV_R4cJ8/s640/IMG_1914.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZ6yR1ka7orGtbqDt5OMqJqvDsGfynswhw1zaI8g72P1paqWoQTtO8gxFTwfN8lmorHxjxE3cGNHBjPxyalxInc5GaYqrPQee6gsr3IQkNbez4W9omDH3emTMtgygJIo7jI2Cc2Vb5INptSAo__dlYt4Z1auSQjVcphtseOTGzj7XlD-mc8oLV_R4cJ8/s320/IMG_1914.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our hotel in Ballston hosted the Caps Development Camp <br />kids from Hershey and elsewhere.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1m5ptRH3ip7cq5iFXkHU7kD5K_5eBVzkIwXMmAkN85j5M4m4hXLNRI58rifCMGcrwRab3LJH_N2bn9Bjcre4d_wcwZ4Em-F1JMnd0ligoQHgnZcP4LrOQ0tQSb_ul4_qD7UFzPeR7IPRB5DI9H6HuCnHYpnKJ3I9wWMH5RhczA4eLYoDE9P8d7PSgYTM/s640/IMG_1981.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1m5ptRH3ip7cq5iFXkHU7kD5K_5eBVzkIwXMmAkN85j5M4m4hXLNRI58rifCMGcrwRab3LJH_N2bn9Bjcre4d_wcwZ4Em-F1JMnd0ligoQHgnZcP4LrOQ0tQSb_ul4_qD7UFzPeR7IPRB5DI9H6HuCnHYpnKJ3I9wWMH5RhczA4eLYoDE9P8d7PSgYTM/s320/IMG_1981.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We were only a little stalkerish.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfr-cKts6bk0cAprXQcP4JyTwq4P4vSVopO0btwDBUVe2gaRdIBGkBXYt_38nSth-7yj_275KqEgH4MO_WTYNTG13PSf9UvI6oDpH5x65OMMCHTWMzATYXNBNoaQioWZTNiWBan1dtp0kfAhr7h__opOaORyQbiIchRCk_LzORVN3jiiyHSTnwcMMW3U/s640/IMG_1973%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfr-cKts6bk0cAprXQcP4JyTwq4P4vSVopO0btwDBUVe2gaRdIBGkBXYt_38nSth-7yj_275KqEgH4MO_WTYNTG13PSf9UvI6oDpH5x65OMMCHTWMzATYXNBNoaQioWZTNiWBan1dtp0kfAhr7h__opOaORyQbiIchRCk_LzORVN3jiiyHSTnwcMMW3U/s320/IMG_1973%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Really, just a little stalkerish. <br />Alexander Suzdalev, Bogdan Trineyev, Ivan Miroshnichenko</div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTXLhEh53Cg9Np3t5xZ6MK8tevzgxM8BYpiKAiratNRMEbgDtpm4TifFg7EJJVxxV9RS95huv3VER4KUlHNIdwFnGuo0O8e0pyCYSvnAjnQo4Z2jTCydCV7A60IikWFcTf-lxG-zGjUEe4IwmUEG9MHR_U6-4YwhvV2qSPof9zGedcXaAB18LYcli6OM/s640/IMG_1942%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTXLhEh53Cg9Np3t5xZ6MK8tevzgxM8BYpiKAiratNRMEbgDtpm4TifFg7EJJVxxV9RS95huv3VER4KUlHNIdwFnGuo0O8e0pyCYSvnAjnQo4Z2jTCydCV7A60IikWFcTf-lxG-zGjUEe4IwmUEG9MHR_U6-4YwhvV2qSPof9zGedcXaAB18LYcli6OM/s320/IMG_1942%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ryan Leonard is currently playing for Boston College.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He scored in the Jan 5 USA-Sweden final of the World Juniors for gold.</div>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ0IPSjSUQyw4WFzeAhISPDHILq11S7nWBe1kBnh2C-WMbZ6htpZlYjpgGjYdk6B-4-O-1aBcr-YzBSqk2dDmsJ5MEUKUIu9UZyHtQWXbk5UFSdtPcVskcQMWgU7Fhpr74AkjcqiVeNtH__Z-KiAErQThXrnKLcrnG4srFcR8k-xrvs320teU6xciGX4/s640/IMG_1957%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ0IPSjSUQyw4WFzeAhISPDHILq11S7nWBe1kBnh2C-WMbZ6htpZlYjpgGjYdk6B-4-O-1aBcr-YzBSqk2dDmsJ5MEUKUIu9UZyHtQWXbk5UFSdtPcVskcQMWgU7Fhpr74AkjcqiVeNtH__Z-KiAErQThXrnKLcrnG4srFcR8k-xrvs320teU6xciGX4/s320/IMG_1957%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Todd Nelson is the Bears coach that led them to the 2023 Calder Cup.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1dp7e3BAsuxRcDNEMafBGOam8HN39b0HwoxUITmyMIRjHW0qbFU7zqBxLNwEBNfD4HC31mg7Vz_WNq3g7moE06VYQ1scJr_OfqKyLDySfvud2_VW-FiSGCHg9w2mR5M9c8l8nOhjkxkAlnAtfTrrCEZwqqdXxHIMNqYOXne-YN32hyphenhyphen58EFGljZx-Pqs/s640/IMG_2248.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1dp7e3BAsuxRcDNEMafBGOam8HN39b0HwoxUITmyMIRjHW0qbFU7zqBxLNwEBNfD4HC31mg7Vz_WNq3g7moE06VYQ1scJr_OfqKyLDySfvud2_VW-FiSGCHg9w2mR5M9c8l8nOhjkxkAlnAtfTrrCEZwqqdXxHIMNqYOXne-YN32hyphenhyphen58EFGljZx-Pqs/s320/IMG_2248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Braden Holtby is one of the greats we met in the Ballston parking lot.<br />Nicholas has a photo with him at a Washington Nationals game as well.</div><p>So, yeah. The Caps play all the Canadian teams and this year it looks like we'll see them in Toronto (the cost is... high) and in Vancouver and Calgary. Ottawa is an easy trip, but the Caps played there early in the season, so the next two years -- Montreal, Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg. Should be fun!</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-67925995123779514152024-01-05T13:06:00.000-08:002024-01-05T13:06:35.284-08:00The summer of 23... 2023<p>As you've guessed, this summer was a time of transition, with lots of quick changes seemingly weekly. It almost brought me back to spring 2020 when I started my job with the Remote Processing Unit in the Domestic Operations division of Visa Operations within Consular Affairs. Inside we call that CA/VO/DO. I had finished training and was just learning my job when the pandemic hit, but the pandemic led to global changes in visa adjudications. For weeks, the changes came at us almost minute to minute, for the class of visa we adjudicated to the exceptions to the annotations. We worked until we got new guidance, instituted the new guidance until something else replaced it which could literally come down 10 minutes later. It was an infuriating few weeks and months.</p><p>After writing that I realize that this summer was nowhere near as hectic as March-May 2020. It was a different sort of limbo. For one, I was alone and the other it was purely work related. This time Ian and I just did the limbo together, and thankfully we didn't have the kids stuck in the middle with schools and schedules. </p><p>One thing we scheduled early in the year was a family trip to Virginia Beach. We're all super-familiar with this beach, I've been going since before I knew Ian, but this time all the kids (minus one significant other) was over 21. While we had a rental house a few blocks from the sand, the kids were old enough to go and do whatever they wanted - alone, with a small group, with everyone. Some were caught in a rain storm, threw the football and frisbee around, walked on the boardwalk with Mokka, got snacks, got pedicures, and laid under the sun. Everyone played board games, watched movies, and played Hopper Jeopardy (thanks Jonathon!!). The only thing we asked each of the kids to do while there was make a meal one night during the week. Along with two meetups with the grandparents, a meal at a boardwalk restaurant and a BBQ at their home about an hour away, the kids did an amazing job feeding the clan. The person who struggled some with the week was Jonathon who a few weeks beforehand fell at the climbing gym and seriously injured his foot. He was still limping which wasn't ideal for not having an oceanside house. I'm really hoping it's not a permanent injury.</p><p>We traveled out to my parents' new home, the first time for all the kids to see it, and the first time my parents spent time with Taylor and Max. Speaking as, well, me... I had a fantastic time. I hope everyone else did too, but I know that the day is a core memory for me. Kat, Becca, Nicholas, and Jonathon are all so very different from each other but they each have so much in them that I treasure and adore. And there was so much to celebrate at this gathering. 2023 wasn't just any year. Because we hadn't had the opportunity yet, we included Jonathon's August 2022 graduation from university and Katherine and Erich's December 2022 engagement, and then also celebrated Nicholas's completion of 4 years with the Marine Corps in January, Becca and Max's wedding in April, all the birthdays including Ian's 50th in July, and my parents' 50th Anniversary in August. There's no reasonable cake big enough for that many good things. I want to interject here a huge thank you to all the family and friends who sent photo and video congratulations to Ian for his birthday video and a huge extra thanks to Max for video editing it all together. I think it actually surprised Ian and maybe made him a little at a loss for words. If I'd known how to make it work I would have done a big party or trip for his big year, but it was special in its own way.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2Sn5tq-usS6e8ySCPygFHpk3d5dQxJ0oqDkOWDrD9bLO-E8-L8htDKVtmIm6a6CBgxpu9vQJ_A6jPxn0Q_Y0H5PBnsj4FaVUTRVvD4nEdKtc0dAtHVpcHi82REcEwoJOgTTT7o0fZ5A_hyr9I23HBszQpcMS8EAdSXS36NvqQpideEWL1lagzyhTgKI/s1280/IMG_1769%20(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2Sn5tq-usS6e8ySCPygFHpk3d5dQxJ0oqDkOWDrD9bLO-E8-L8htDKVtmIm6a6CBgxpu9vQJ_A6jPxn0Q_Y0H5PBnsj4FaVUTRVvD4nEdKtc0dAtHVpcHi82REcEwoJOgTTT7o0fZ5A_hyr9I23HBszQpcMS8EAdSXS36NvqQpideEWL1lagzyhTgKI/w480-h640/IMG_1769%20(1).JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Love these weird and wonderful people.</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-37349664028174258962024-01-04T08:12:00.000-08:002024-01-04T08:12:40.233-08:00A year in PA<p>While we were in PA for Ian's schooling, can we really ignore that we chose PA for the Hershey Bears? The Bears are the farm team for the Washington Capitals. Since the Capitals won the Stanley Cup in 2018 they've struggled. Last year they didn't even make the playoffs and this year isn't looking too much better.</p><p>You can get a Master's through the State Department at a ton of different schools, but there's a special relationship with the military schools - the Army program in Carlisle, the Navy program in Rhode Island, the Space program in Alabama, several schools in DC, etc. Obviously the DC programs are the most popular. After all if you're already in DC, then there's no move required. The last time we considered the Master's program our sights were set on Carlisle because of the Bears, and this time it didn't change. Moving for a year is a hassle no matter what, but in return we had one of the best years of this Foreign Service career. Ian made some fast friends, he did exceptionally well at school, we loved living in small town Carlisle (rent was 1/2 that of Arlington), and we had a year of watching 20+ Hershey Bears games all the way to the Calder Cup final (the Stanley Cup for the AHL) and a game seven overtime win for their 12th Calder Cup. It was so nerve-wracking I couldn't watch and instead heard Ian's shouting from the living room. The final was played in California and we didn't go to the Giant Center's 1a.m. watch party, which, well.. do we regret that? Not really, kind of... maybe.</p><p>The Bears are on a tear again this year, so while we struggle watching the Caps lose over and over again, the Bears are the bright shining star of hockey. As of this post, they've had two 9-game winning streaks are are leading the AHL league in pretty much everything, with players in the top five of every category from goal scorers to shutouts. </p><p>Hershey isn't that far (~7 hours), and if it comes down to it, I'm thinking there's a trip involved when the Bears are in the playoffs.</p><p>*ROAR*</p><p><br /></p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-54741166479047904132024-01-03T13:13:00.000-08:002024-01-03T13:13:44.305-08:00First Post as Empty-Nesters<p>Since Ian returned from Baghdad in the summer of 2020 we've been empty-nesters, but the feeling is definitely a little different now that we're "abroad." The border is actually a thing! While we lived in Northern VA and then in Carlisle, PA, if we wanted to see family it was just a decision to make and either a drive or a flight. Last weekend we drove 90 minutes to Buffalo, NY and had to bring our passports. What kind of nonsense is this?</p><p>It's particularly weird because Canada doesn't <i>feel</i> different than the U.S. We live in a highrise in Toronto with a whopping 9-minute walk to the Consulate. There are markets and shops, restaurants and entertainment on every corner. We have to remind ourselves to drive the car periodically. The view from our balcony is a sea of buildings, a reflection of the CN Tower (yeah, we're facing north), and at one particular angle we can see some of Lake Ontario. Our apartment is delightful and small, perfect for two people. The building has a car elevator to reach the parking levels. It's only different for us in that we've never lived inside a big city. </p><p>This isn't Haiti. Haiti would feel familiar to us as a post. There are expected struggles. There's a house ready and waiting, and a built-in community. We'd both be working in familiar areas. Canada doesn't feel different, but settling in definitely is.</p><p>When we packed out of Carlisle in June, we were limited in our shipments. Haiti had created a carve-out for household goods shipped by air, because getting anything into the country by the port was proving nigh impossible. So we had roughly two thousand pounds of must-haves packed up and the rest crated for the warehouse. When Haiti went on ordered departure and we faced the same predicament as Baghdad, we made the hard choice to break our assignment and take a Now position in Canada. Don't laugh - it was a hard decision, and we still ponder the what-ifs.</p><p>In June we packed for sunny climes, a provided and furnished home, and lots of time and space. In August our Now position was to a wintry clime, an unfurnished apartment we'd have to find ourselves, and no job waiting for me. Thank goodness we hadn't sold our car already as we'd planned since another change in Haiti meant we could no longer bring a vehicle (they all go through the port). We had given our cat to my parents as he couldn't come to a country with no veterinary care.</p><p>September and October were all about changing our expectations. After all, we'd already been outlining R&Rs (we don't get any from Canada)! Instead, we flipped through our shipping manifest to see if we could find the winter clothes boxes on a list that just marked everything as clothes (apparently we didn't as it didn't come), and also hoped we picked the right cartons that included all the parts to put together our couch and beds (again a miss, the parts to put our bed together didn't make it). We shopped for coats as we expected an October arrival in Canada might require them. We reached out to a realtor to help us find a place to live. We heard our whole family's sigh of relief that we weren't going to Haiti.</p><p>We moved into our apartment on 3 December, after three different temporary places and nearly six months of suitcase living. In June we were so blessed to spend a week at Virginia Beach with all the kids and their significant others, as well as bringing us all together with my parents who moved down south in August 2022. It was such a special week that I treasure. But it was offset by our first ever holidays with not a single family member to share it with. The 2023 holidays were just the two of us. We're OK, probably better than OK as we're not in Haiti and causing everyone consternation, and our Christmas video chat with everyone was a balm for the heart. This is our new normal, but I think for both of us we were reminded that we don't want it as our all-the-time normal. We're already considering a road trip in the spring to see all the kids and my parents.</p><p>And you know, we may be empty-nested of offspring, but the cat can live in Canada so the cat is going to move to Canada. Come on you grumpy furball, it's time for your next adventure.</p><p><br /></p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-58911317265644366732024-01-02T09:15:00.000-08:002024-01-02T09:15:35.994-08:00Hi. Hey there. It's 2024.<p>Two plus years after the last post, and we're back? I need to update our tagline, obviously.</p><p>Oh, and hello from Toronto, Canada.</p><p>Since last we chatted in November 2021, we moved to Carlisle, PA for a year while Ian earned a Master's degree, planned to PCS to Haiti, and ended up in Canada just as winter settled in. That's the long and short of it for us. </p><p>A quick recap of the kids - Jonathon finished his time at Essex University, moved in with Becca in Atlanta, and works as a software programmer for an international company. Becca worked several projects until the strike in 2023, then got married and found part-time work until the industry opens up and starts hiring again. Nicholas finished four years with the Marine Corps and lives in Ohio while he plans his next steps. Katherine works at a hospital in Maryland and is engaged while she takes classes towards an LPN.</p><p>There's no way to fill in the two-year gap, but Toronto is a quiet place to live in the grand scheme so here's to bringing some new life to this blog.</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-31543590884908560172021-11-09T16:47:00.002-08:002021-11-09T16:47:37.312-08:00Family Time (minus 1) - September in the NC hills<p>Back in the spring we had an idea to plan a family gathering. We knew it was going to be risky. Four adult offspring in different states with jobs and responsibilities can be hard to wrangle. We picked a time that J was still in country, before N headed out to California, that R would probably be between projects, and K could take time off. It almost worked.</p><p>Unfortunately, the time right before N went to California ended up being the time he was in quarantine before travel. Thankfully, we also decided to have him visit us in VA the weekend prior to his quarantine period, but the time in the mountains just would not pan out. We tried, we really did. Because even though N is full-vaccinated and he might have been able to make a quick couple days with late night flights and hopes that no one would be looking for him while he was gone, it wasn't worth the risk to his military career. Understandably so. </p><p>Instead, we spent one of our evenings with N over facetime, propped up on a floor lamp facing the TV and group JackBox on the screen. It wasn't perfect, but hopefully it broke up his quarantine boredom and it helped a fill the Marine shaped gap in our trip a tiny tiny bit. We had to accept that missing him was just going to be part of the trip.</p><p>The rest of the week was very loose. Everyone arrived when they were able. They brought significant others if they could. The house had plenty of rooms for everyone to have space to get away from the others. A movie room, a pool/game room, a firepit, a yard, a nearby trailhead, cubbies and hide-a-ways. Coffee was had on the deck in the morning, smores were had by the fire at night. Scrabble, Code Names, poker, Settlers of Catan were open to everyone and anyone could play or not. The only thing I asked was that everyone participate in making meals. Bec and Max made vegetarian tacos, K and Erich did vegetarian and meat lasagnas, Jonathon created fancy ramen bowls, Ian and I did omelets. And of course there was a night of leftovers. </p><p>But really, the week was meant for everyone to just destress. Nothing, even if there was some unintentional stress, was meant to be stressful. Mornings were lazy. We planned only 2 days of something outside the house - one day to go to Boone and complete an escape room, and another to go to the Banner Elk metropolis for an easy brunch. A quick note on the escape room - we do not recommend it. The room was OK, but the owner/game master was of the mindset that only he was the clever one and any team that escaped was not to be commended for their success. He was so dismissive before we even entered the room because we paid for two consecutive times and he was doubtful that we mortals could win in groups of 3 and 4, rather than all going in as a group of 7. Trust me when I say that the room was linear and there was not nearly enough for 4 people to do, much less 7. Anyway, the owner was not amused, and his form of "pride" seemed to come from stumping people and beating them, and not from folks having fun and escaping. ANYWAY...</p><p>The house was amazing. The getting there was harrowing for someone with a fear of heights, speed, tight turns, narrow roads, and darkness rolled into one. But the being there was awesome. Becca brought the Mokka, who got to bark at the woodchucks in the yard, the deer along the street, the echoes of other dogs barking, and then basically just lay in the sun outside for hours between pleading starvation. Some of us went for a short hike at the nearby trailhead. Most of the time was spent talking and playing games. There was a lot of pool. We just hung out, and hanging out with your grown "kids" is a lovely thing. I don't care how different we all are - and boy are we different - they are each and every one fascinating and fun people. They are fun to talk to. </p><p>They also have vastly different paths and plans, their memories are different, they see their world through different past experiences, hurts, and joys. Having the time to talk to them one on one and in groups, and more than that, knowing they are talking to each other without a parent around, really touches me. Our family is close in some ways and not close at all in other ways - and *newsflash* I'm and only child and I just Do Not Understand siblings. Siblings confuse me. I don't get how they are so different, nor do I understand how deep past hurts and misconceptions run and how those same things shape them. I understand that those things DO shape them, but I don't understand WHY they run so deep and more than that, are so long-lasting. I haven't experienced it, so I can never truly understand how my children feel towards each other and how they have formed each other. </p><p>I had a dog as a kid.</p><p>I'll add one more note that every time there are discussions with the childrens, I learn something. Mixed in with their hopes and trials is usually something about how I've failed them. That's OK, I have, I own that. As a parent you can't <b>not </b>fail your kids. Some of those failures were biggies with long-lasting repercussions. They are mistakes I cannot fix. It's a reality, it hurts, and their disappointment, frustration, anger, and struggle, hurt too. I love my kids especially for being able to tell me when and where I've screwed up. Do I get defensive? Yeah, sometimes that's a knee-jerk response that pops out, but I'm trying really hard to take what they tell me and study it. I made mistakes and a lot of times I didn't notice, and you can't get better if you don't even know you did it, so I thank my kids for showing me where I went wrong in parenting them - because what I did I did out of some sense of it being the right thing and as they've taught me, often it hurt and I didn't even know. I can't go back, but when they tell me what's weighing on them we can all go forward.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XTgvpPpv2OzdY2ZaVM5PTEBTWibFJthwvBljcPPEQtebRPONHNFe19FsodkNnzjHBM6enKUOpVCfSbsc7S5Y9jcH58jcRKRnnvxxOFrs_dKgAMPfy0L1fyjy6Jxfy0kma6BJFVUl_aM/s2016/IMG_6224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XTgvpPpv2OzdY2ZaVM5PTEBTWibFJthwvBljcPPEQtebRPONHNFe19FsodkNnzjHBM6enKUOpVCfSbsc7S5Y9jcH58jcRKRnnvxxOFrs_dKgAMPfy0L1fyjy6Jxfy0kma6BJFVUl_aM/w400-h300/IMG_6224.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>My kids are awesome. They are who they are, and I'm thankful they are my family.</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-64097395382254015282021-06-26T15:27:00.003-07:002021-06-26T15:27:59.088-07:00TV<p>I will confess that we watch a lot of TV. Pandemic, heat, everything can be delivered - even though things are opening up and our whole family is vaccinated, we're very aware that we live by a packed shopping mall (that we walk through to get to the metro) and take an ever busier metro system (where masks are required), work in offices with some folks who still aren't vaccinated, and COVID variants are coming stronger and faster than we're prepared for... so, staying home is still where it's at. Ian has a new personal project, I have a couple books I'm working on as well as a few projects, Jonathon does his thing, and we all enjoy the view of the outdoors from the comfort of home - I guess it's a lot like reverse winter, huh. Oh right, and we had a cicada season that no one really wanted to be out and about it. They are quite the fliers, it surprised me that we had them on our balcony 11 floors up. But now they are gone. Seeya BroodX in another 17 years.</p><p>So, TV.</p><p>I tried "The Sopranos," I really did, because Ian though I'd like it if I gave it a few episodes. I gave it a whole season and after just about every episode I reiterated just how much I didn't care about a single character. I watched, I asked questions, but I just. didn't. care. Sorry, Tony. I'm pretty sure I'll never watching "Breaking Bad" for the same reason.</p><p>On the other hand, he encouraged me to watch "Deadwood" and I'm hooked. What a great show to sink into with its scene setting, acting, and stories. The characters are wonderful and several are based on real folks which makes it that much more intriguing.</p><p>Jonathon suggested we try "Twin Peaks." Neither Ian nor I watched it when it was first on in 1990, and... wow, it's weird. Just plain weird. From the bird in the intro (a varied thrush, we looked it up) to the limited and odd music themes, to the odd cadences of speech, it's just all weird. Thankfully we've finished the first 8 episode season and have now plowed into the second 22 episode season. That's it though, so the weirdness won't last too long.</p><p>We've restarted the new "Battlestar Galactica" - always great. It still holds for acting, storyline and effects.</p><p>And our weekly fun, "Loki," now that we've seen "WandaVision" and "Falcon and Winter Soldier."</p><p>Which brings me to the MCU... we've tasked ourselves with watching the MCU movies in timeline order from Captain Marvel to Spiderman Far From Home. One movie on Saturdays and one on Sundays, so.... a lot of weeks, and it was a lot of fun.</p><p>There you go. Pretty much caught up. </p><p>Stay inside, wear a mask, be safe.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-50003010245077397192021-06-23T14:12:00.005-07:002021-06-23T14:12:45.310-07:00We bought a house in May<p>It's not a stunner, but as we told Rebecca (who we co-bought the house with since she'll be living in while in Georgia), the outside is a blank slate for upgrades.</p><p>I'd put a photo up, but folks can reverse search images so I'd rather not post the address for those who do such things :)</p><p><br /></p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-15910862969975568302021-06-13T16:01:00.000-07:002021-06-13T16:01:32.331-07:00Last month was our 25th milestoneI'd already written a third of this and then magically deleted it, so that was fun.<div><br /></div><div>All to say that in May we celebrated our 25th anniversary, and it was awesome.</div><div><br /></div><div>Originally our plans had been to do an all-inclusive in Cancun, but as the time drew near (we'd scheduled back in November) we realized this pandemic was still going strong and leaving the country wasn't a great idea. So after more thought we settled on an area we'd seen on TV for the Outdoor Classic (ice hockey).... Lake Tahoe. Booking our flights there routed us through Atlanta, so we were able to visit with Becca both ways for a bit too.</div><div><br /></div><div>All during this pandemic we've been up to Maryland a few times to see K, been to NC a couple times to see N, and seen R a couple times in Georgia. No luck getting to the UK to see J, and he didn't make it home even for Christmas, worried about the quarantining both ways or possible last minute country closures. He is scheduled to come home for the summer tomorrow... cross your fingers it all goes well. First on the scheduled... vaccinations. Ian and I were both vaccinated back in January, but still mask up when we go indoors with crowds (we live next to a mall) because of these highly contagious variants making their way over. But vaccines still matter, so he's going ASAP.</div><div><br /></div><div>So we made it to (south) Lake Tahoe on a Saturday, for a week of relaxation. Our anniversary fell in the time between the closure of winter activities and the opening of summer activities - no people! Several things were closed or limited hours, but that's right up our alley anyway. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4r8HTEV859FHfW59MkfQH-uRjx36747gXxa2RYXfKm8Uq7RYVH19PWuCgkyCvSeOqn-1XXgiGnoRvSdo2ub6wtm94kzpDfkVydlaEaq9bWVEHiCoaiIK1ravXL4DZsLDvO87ZFzGwXA/s640/IMG_5992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4r8HTEV859FHfW59MkfQH-uRjx36747gXxa2RYXfKm8Uq7RYVH19PWuCgkyCvSeOqn-1XXgiGnoRvSdo2ub6wtm94kzpDfkVydlaEaq9bWVEHiCoaiIK1ravXL4DZsLDvO87ZFzGwXA/s320/IMG_5992.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Tahoe is not a secret, but it was completely new to us who usually hit the beach for our vacations. On Sunday we checked out the little town that's split by Stateline Road between Nevada casinos and hotels on one side, and a California ski village with shops and restaurants on the other. Monday we drove around the entire lake, with stops at the 1960 Olympic Games village in Squaw Valley (currently undergoing a name change for obvious reasons... which meant that there were no souvenirs to be had that didn't have SQUAW all over them), and then the Donner Memorial Park in Truckee.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3WlRZGUUoecnD_J3M3xeF8HDCt1CFkPr42Et3cwhiA6cnXj__ADSrnWq17aws_OxsD70ARiZaFadr5yof8q0eIyOlndEUDTQlW5whjLrWw3lRXU0IyUdD5CN6Txc99m-6M1Ar59R4gw/s640/IMG_5931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3WlRZGUUoecnD_J3M3xeF8HDCt1CFkPr42Et3cwhiA6cnXj__ADSrnWq17aws_OxsD70ARiZaFadr5yof8q0eIyOlndEUDTQlW5whjLrWw3lRXU0IyUdD5CN6Txc99m-6M1Ar59R4gw/s320/IMG_5931.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sad remaining snow.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmk_fUIQP84qij69XQcgqLMF3OCZsurtxdQbFqb0ML9wuKWyGMFoPDcjDZCbsb9PM6GlkWR0VBQRzReV5AiKL3sRRlClVwTtjZB97oVV2V-Ifj1fupOezXXuRA5XX6Pw78MjeoIpraADs/s640/IMG_5935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmk_fUIQP84qij69XQcgqLMF3OCZsurtxdQbFqb0ML9wuKWyGMFoPDcjDZCbsb9PM6GlkWR0VBQRzReV5AiKL3sRRlClVwTtjZB97oVV2V-Ifj1fupOezXXuRA5XX6Pw78MjeoIpraADs/s320/IMG_5935.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These cones are massive.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0kXPKCkpzt2Xc-TrEtSMHSuJm0s17OjXLCXx3KSF1jOQRYqoHL7WL8IY7HL3IznXL0TG1vLfEI8Jism2geeY5HsMn_z85u581YXAtYK7kuYqGe1lUGIsJalW-Mbk4W2530NdhWyOrSM/s640/IMG_5934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0kXPKCkpzt2Xc-TrEtSMHSuJm0s17OjXLCXx3KSF1jOQRYqoHL7WL8IY7HL3IznXL0TG1vLfEI8Jism2geeY5HsMn_z85u581YXAtYK7kuYqGe1lUGIsJalW-Mbk4W2530NdhWyOrSM/s320/IMG_5934.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not many countries in the 1960 winter Olympics</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LRdiqwFlSbTizS4xCNuC7Ed6ngj_XKYQ-_8Y0i4Id2_ewgB8kdrYlnZ9RwcXLCKW7hF_smL5KndUasL5B1ZrxHgyuQQ5K_J7MrXHw-rfDJ_1qDJPMlLMRe3CJbU3_Q-dJZO_Hq9DJt4/s640/IMG_5936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LRdiqwFlSbTizS4xCNuC7Ed6ngj_XKYQ-_8Y0i4Id2_ewgB8kdrYlnZ9RwcXLCKW7hF_smL5KndUasL5B1ZrxHgyuQQ5K_J7MrXHw-rfDJ_1qDJPMlLMRe3CJbU3_Q-dJZO_Hq9DJt4/s320/IMG_5936.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZioqmVVVuexcd3kUHt-tDWIzraT1FcGoN0ByFEIZfl-nrwthjSCWG-ig6HzsRYWJzjt0DtG9bzsqdywcRDqNWwMpFGZBH4JK4T5HEnJemFRk4Isg3iOynTQSUifsu6D_DPhJi8-x4-4Y/s640/IMG_5937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZioqmVVVuexcd3kUHt-tDWIzraT1FcGoN0ByFEIZfl-nrwthjSCWG-ig6HzsRYWJzjt0DtG9bzsqdywcRDqNWwMpFGZBH4JK4T5HEnJemFRk4Isg3iOynTQSUifsu6D_DPhJi8-x4-4Y/s320/IMG_5937.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZ_lmtgMIY-eWiRwPsCXHhr4-27Mp3r5rz0-2O0ER0MM1S9PJPqxdrIpo4osMsATaj01BvmoMVgrb_sKhcS6qVb4qFXZQWubibYodC3gOYNrMbwxVJsMSwfhl0NJj7r_urqSbMv8IfBs/s640/IMG_5938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZ_lmtgMIY-eWiRwPsCXHhr4-27Mp3r5rz0-2O0ER0MM1S9PJPqxdrIpo4osMsATaj01BvmoMVgrb_sKhcS6qVb4qFXZQWubibYodC3gOYNrMbwxVJsMSwfhl0NJj7r_urqSbMv8IfBs/s320/IMG_5938.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When the Donner's were traveling, the snow was THIS high.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnDAaSf8Yz05ne7HzElJOjaC7nlgQ7Q4n8iWPRFLzWnCa-YKA27Cpgw9bVWqN-Rmac_q45IwuL-8wDF54dzC94s4zsfWnXoXM3hOqhbc4g3T5M1zbdVGT3BAsa90VP1s_48faojCrSMU/s640/IMG_5939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnnDAaSf8Yz05ne7HzElJOjaC7nlgQ7Q4n8iWPRFLzWnCa-YKA27Cpgw9bVWqN-Rmac_q45IwuL-8wDF54dzC94s4zsfWnXoXM3hOqhbc4g3T5M1zbdVGT3BAsa90VP1s_48faojCrSMU/s320/IMG_5939.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRu1I1uBl50tg6A1qa_WRGr5kcRZMUMaDuAFYF_lIkW3wtBI562-hIbqq1FR27H-w9U8k8iIrk-mE0q060bL51cb66JoDbjP73vGKXfhzQH73hv1yZVfI4h4imMlVTgPmkFgR8gMqc98/s640/IMG_5940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRu1I1uBl50tg6A1qa_WRGr5kcRZMUMaDuAFYF_lIkW3wtBI562-hIbqq1FR27H-w9U8k8iIrk-mE0q060bL51cb66JoDbjP73vGKXfhzQH73hv1yZVfI4h4imMlVTgPmkFgR8gMqc98/s320/IMG_5940.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><div>On Tuesday, our anniversary, we decided that the weather would allow us to take on what so many people go to the Tahoe and the Sierra's for... hiking. So we're not real hikers, obviously, but the Eagle Falls hike was nearby and super easy. So easy in fact that we decided to go ahead and take our time up to Eagle Lake, into the Desolation Wilderness.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONUVgTzPPtOxKJ00Zb7L88tEmKGPvhorDDq6m1n4pFPvjrGyoa4MOTRD7JD7OG14da6CW5Yq9mS0_a5Ah8yIfCwqcqao5ygqA2vyEqy8E0KTcST_ePmxuvOh4tW0tBk3m2X6X5z4jiyY/s640/IMG_5981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONUVgTzPPtOxKJ00Zb7L88tEmKGPvhorDDq6m1n4pFPvjrGyoa4MOTRD7JD7OG14da6CW5Yq9mS0_a5Ah8yIfCwqcqao5ygqA2vyEqy8E0KTcST_ePmxuvOh4tW0tBk3m2X6X5z4jiyY/s320/IMG_5981.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div>Desolation Wilderness is beyond the normal bounds of the park authorities, and usually requires registering with the park rangers before entering. Eagle Lake is a natural and easy destination, but the trails continue on for miles beyond to more lakes and higher peaks and if you don't know what you're doing (like us) you don't go there. But Eagle Lake had an obvious, if slightly more challenging than Eagle Falls, path and we didn't have anywhere else to be, so off we went. Huffing and puffing and taking breaks, the only person who got hurt was me (on level ground, I might add, and here we are weeks later and my ankle is still a little off), and it was a delightful time.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>On the way up...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIMhXA1bXi8HHQMKIBgV8LNFpq09Z_uJij1q6cvIZ4htaQPZnBPv6TAOZvrZHcYhMup_itzqz2ag3tjTvuysc02v1fkRBg0xKdloe3DZapUsq9aHp6fnYHjZc-kNwX1vfSooiCscLIjc/s640/IMG_5950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIMhXA1bXi8HHQMKIBgV8LNFpq09Z_uJij1q6cvIZ4htaQPZnBPv6TAOZvrZHcYhMup_itzqz2ag3tjTvuysc02v1fkRBg0xKdloe3DZapUsq9aHp6fnYHjZc-kNwX1vfSooiCscLIjc/s320/IMG_5950.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy2P9CZr_I95gqCu0sHHAWXiDrzBeHSMzXditdxNoRfvtuHu_r3PevpztiezJpvEUytY0Tt1pZK52G9bl7vZ3OHaoP_CZLFl9a1I_I0phSthbhENCG6rxGtVRUh7qY-hGOWslrmoxanA/s640/IMG_5952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy2P9CZr_I95gqCu0sHHAWXiDrzBeHSMzXditdxNoRfvtuHu_r3PevpztiezJpvEUytY0Tt1pZK52G9bl7vZ3OHaoP_CZLFl9a1I_I0phSthbhENCG6rxGtVRUh7qY-hGOWslrmoxanA/s320/IMG_5952.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdG7g1Sltb8Lv1NaZAUaSJOuGXnkMM6qf5KSMSEceUBiNIxeHQTrglXv7GSRabyiA3EuJoH8z1UWPYHN11XP5BRm8w8ONaMA-jTS9y7NzNtUiFon-PT6RiT0_B5wrGEA4g4CWMVozxGo/s640/IMG_5953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdG7g1Sltb8Lv1NaZAUaSJOuGXnkMM6qf5KSMSEceUBiNIxeHQTrglXv7GSRabyiA3EuJoH8z1UWPYHN11XP5BRm8w8ONaMA-jTS9y7NzNtUiFon-PT6RiT0_B5wrGEA4g4CWMVozxGo/s320/IMG_5953.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNLQlamQ1O8o1W79rIG59RpO9dyhFU-uOoGjfRh8Jm46w8Ko6LVLtFC_IPEyJjxngWEsM-3OH3bpnAREMm_M6Id5hdVIxUniVmtkKtDu_eO1EgmpoD4YgS7anTxjsPUIAi8ECNNoyp4Q/s640/IMG_5954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNLQlamQ1O8o1W79rIG59RpO9dyhFU-uOoGjfRh8Jm46w8Ko6LVLtFC_IPEyJjxngWEsM-3OH3bpnAREMm_M6Id5hdVIxUniVmtkKtDu_eO1EgmpoD4YgS7anTxjsPUIAi8ECNNoyp4Q/s320/IMG_5954.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0BoPkxYiKy_wkOsnrHlUiHyLvJwchmF7FRGbTsrDGP-QivxkOmFGRFVE2wUjM-0ya7lGdzB_LygatIRhEx_2aVz_0i6H4s3uHvJRoOLNkjJlTCYGR3YRPA7cUs9c-NrZ8lXIBSm2-v4/s640/IMG_5960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0BoPkxYiKy_wkOsnrHlUiHyLvJwchmF7FRGbTsrDGP-QivxkOmFGRFVE2wUjM-0ya7lGdzB_LygatIRhEx_2aVz_0i6H4s3uHvJRoOLNkjJlTCYGR3YRPA7cUs9c-NrZ8lXIBSm2-v4/s320/IMG_5960.JPG" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtttGpglrq8ljpF0yOhzAoQz5Bca4J9kYtTld6bRiTwphRuCWC6Af_rNMc1oRn8dWyYY_8Oe1us2SSlc6UlRLGOuVKQbX3wP8wBnVVY9KfxodjvGT8qY8FvxBB13Zm0CJoPw0fqye6BI/s640/IMG_5967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtttGpglrq8ljpF0yOhzAoQz5Bca4J9kYtTld6bRiTwphRuCWC6Af_rNMc1oRn8dWyYY_8Oe1us2SSlc6UlRLGOuVKQbX3wP8wBnVVY9KfxodjvGT8qY8FvxBB13Zm0CJoPw0fqye6BI/s320/IMG_5967.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Flat" ground</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN5nuhJHbAfhZ4D-8qbM0CRAfepSE5uvPUY6xe9Q_AHxnPoqu0CRohuq28B_QJfQtAlw4d7G_gGWafSMmZMjTtYlyGEucqXjvhUfceXfqGOQTQ_2LG8qEnYv2YUSmaV5g8tm_B18vsI0/s640/IMG_5969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN5nuhJHbAfhZ4D-8qbM0CRAfepSE5uvPUY6xe9Q_AHxnPoqu0CRohuq28B_QJfQtAlw4d7G_gGWafSMmZMjTtYlyGEucqXjvhUfceXfqGOQTQ_2LG8qEnYv2YUSmaV5g8tm_B18vsI0/s320/IMG_5969.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cwPGgQCAMX2p-RIBnUyPd6iio1eK4OHDrjkfmKTj3wfZz1ToA13rVKsxQSN-oOAG0q8Ain1pNVkmJMD7rTBOURm6UeV_Ph2_fQR24XrLuGw-g4evP0m17fof-k6YC5PGqPaEYlnDANg/s640/IMG_5970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cwPGgQCAMX2p-RIBnUyPd6iio1eK4OHDrjkfmKTj3wfZz1ToA13rVKsxQSN-oOAG0q8Ain1pNVkmJMD7rTBOURm6UeV_Ph2_fQR24XrLuGw-g4evP0m17fof-k6YC5PGqPaEYlnDANg/s320/IMG_5970.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4CCQgTLaHdcfdw29O9TOwmlwkStMICyz-xbh02zoboY16wTomIPNExQLbzt6d9cViUBwx8XeNIzOjFuj0wm7WBcR1xm0MMf4SmJ7Ny1DlDZaguNlo9Ne2UVhsfVx2040IjNzibMLBOU/s640/IMG_5971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4CCQgTLaHdcfdw29O9TOwmlwkStMICyz-xbh02zoboY16wTomIPNExQLbzt6d9cViUBwx8XeNIzOjFuj0wm7WBcR1xm0MMf4SmJ7Ny1DlDZaguNlo9Ne2UVhsfVx2040IjNzibMLBOU/s320/IMG_5971.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifx7KJgYEdW-w9uacaKAIJLPt86asO0Xfn4u1FcitfYT5ALOpNIIooPyqs74d46zUoDTKguNnJRO5wO-sUS2cFay4u5jpJXRWmsKhUuugBpOJAo3k4iKCON1152jlN8X9UG_nrI4c88gM/s640/IMG_5972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifx7KJgYEdW-w9uacaKAIJLPt86asO0Xfn4u1FcitfYT5ALOpNIIooPyqs74d46zUoDTKguNnJRO5wO-sUS2cFay4u5jpJXRWmsKhUuugBpOJAo3k4iKCON1152jlN8X9UG_nrI4c88gM/s320/IMG_5972.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>The Lake was lovely and a great place to take a snack break.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYhOhjYcJi86IpHMH3iaWEYCOWwMf3rzbI-2q_gWX5S_Hcdvp3wyUaMgTu_ZZwMIbZdA2tVJJrI_41IaCq76wTUQoSRN2iPosS5fh7jCnPW1cwdM79QqsBOcrlLUKiNmx25WMilxuPbs/s640/IMG_5973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYhOhjYcJi86IpHMH3iaWEYCOWwMf3rzbI-2q_gWX5S_Hcdvp3wyUaMgTu_ZZwMIbZdA2tVJJrI_41IaCq76wTUQoSRN2iPosS5fh7jCnPW1cwdM79QqsBOcrlLUKiNmx25WMilxuPbs/s320/IMG_5973.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj490IduuS4MwoHbG8znzDC2t53bLEv5PLv1QT0jUaXNBoHtgZg7UEQyRCP3TAGGCabKq6zgr3mYGsz2JzZ1q3ZiAKbPUBSrrve3AErzGjor0ZXC8ZKrCXDmifoq2dGTfgamfN2T__dkdw/s640/IMG_5974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj490IduuS4MwoHbG8znzDC2t53bLEv5PLv1QT0jUaXNBoHtgZg7UEQyRCP3TAGGCabKq6zgr3mYGsz2JzZ1q3ZiAKbPUBSrrve3AErzGjor0ZXC8ZKrCXDmifoq2dGTfgamfN2T__dkdw/s320/IMG_5974.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7hR60kzEGro-oBSlaCzApYAjhFEVK3cnvOqC0ROehdmDiXGEWaU25R8iGCodTxTdljgWC_GNUtY0nRDWZXha25CtLez-swo3bduRFlLhTFWGIY_QUrND3p0PplueqgjwWLJ1YH4pigs/s640/IMG_5977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7hR60kzEGro-oBSlaCzApYAjhFEVK3cnvOqC0ROehdmDiXGEWaU25R8iGCodTxTdljgWC_GNUtY0nRDWZXha25CtLez-swo3bduRFlLhTFWGIY_QUrND3p0PplueqgjwWLJ1YH4pigs/s320/IMG_5977.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmjSJ2PHfP3bNMg3aNgkQCi63zjhBBoEHJSPuQeDoLGg4puBnxuNlCgO8wZ1GzyLBEfBLHUz1S7n-sC4dTPqU0dLN-4cmEBajDJ-j8gc44OQRX9rxHoXpX0lVDSXBhA_3VaTDwVdCMn4/s640/IMG_5978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmjSJ2PHfP3bNMg3aNgkQCi63zjhBBoEHJSPuQeDoLGg4puBnxuNlCgO8wZ1GzyLBEfBLHUz1S7n-sC4dTPqU0dLN-4cmEBajDJ-j8gc44OQRX9rxHoXpX0lVDSXBhA_3VaTDwVdCMn4/s320/IMG_5978.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS54ufhSv_cmaoFxdZPDRMg0mKjqTRuIHcxvrKBDwhO8Ja6irkN5au38jk7tOryicdd9AjgBHMblw5K2x_rc_hnNWdQgZBV6FPP6U4-2NYqEWGj4Zofy2dB0HroR2pByPdyqwdvCUpehs/s640/IMG_5979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS54ufhSv_cmaoFxdZPDRMg0mKjqTRuIHcxvrKBDwhO8Ja6irkN5au38jk7tOryicdd9AjgBHMblw5K2x_rc_hnNWdQgZBV6FPP6U4-2NYqEWGj4Zofy2dB0HroR2pByPdyqwdvCUpehs/s320/IMG_5979.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGb-ZteW9CrKkRE9Osrw3-BuInMtbaLXnfKseo5dCF2SYrwUWiYHI0__DwZruyZyw21eJZoxRf2Lp336oVPIN0CtZ1i6-5DZqwNMhQICZmboXEhaJvk9cxye8TFmEjTVhh0GS2bmQPRk/s640/IMG_5980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGb-ZteW9CrKkRE9Osrw3-BuInMtbaLXnfKseo5dCF2SYrwUWiYHI0__DwZruyZyw21eJZoxRf2Lp336oVPIN0CtZ1i6-5DZqwNMhQICZmboXEhaJvk9cxye8TFmEjTVhh0GS2bmQPRk/s320/IMG_5980.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>We were wiped and ready to get some lunch and return to the hotel. The afternoon was lazy with some time in the outdoor hot tub to proactively treat the sore muscles to come - and it worked. We weren't sore the next day when we took on a couple escape rooms, played in a casino hotel arcade, and attended a live performance magic show. If you're in Lake Tahoe, check out Puzzle Room for some escapes that are fun and affordable.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thursday we completed a third escape room before going to an early dinner at Sage Restaurant in one of the hotels. This was our official anniversary dinner and we'd wanted a view of the sunset over the lake. For a number of reasons, it wasn't a perfect dinner, and that included the lack of a sunset due to a snowstorm blowing in over the lake. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjfOBJSCsPPwVOuEt8hnGLKGXjNeQRbTHH8aywudZyKusYTXtjcb7jz3j2KutAxNEAilVqL17ZHqG7pLbG-oX2apekSBOVOxIj_gpHZRbjEcDN19DfxfoIp-nWWTv_IHvQZfafARYW0g/s640/IMG_5994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjfOBJSCsPPwVOuEt8hnGLKGXjNeQRbTHH8aywudZyKusYTXtjcb7jz3j2KutAxNEAilVqL17ZHqG7pLbG-oX2apekSBOVOxIj_gpHZRbjEcDN19DfxfoIp-nWWTv_IHvQZfafARYW0g/s320/IMG_5994.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6IJFGtJ4LxiJiTLuyZlx9Uq0Dsa8biM2x9IXK4L4bu0I4OcyWLQLcNFLm3sXr8ULCtR5VxUkGsgVqSF8kgZL-3C7ziEHXgAefFLuchSu1J3ltgUwCG712DjxmfRPChFptgm6mI5VFgg/s640/IMG_5995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6IJFGtJ4LxiJiTLuyZlx9Uq0Dsa8biM2x9IXK4L4bu0I4OcyWLQLcNFLm3sXr8ULCtR5VxUkGsgVqSF8kgZL-3C7ziEHXgAefFLuchSu1J3ltgUwCG712DjxmfRPChFptgm6mI5VFgg/s320/IMG_5995.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtp96m2joW3d6GLaOXk9iyQKAQA6YAjqUb4ajjvRg6v1PgOpCXm0MjhlHhL6Niu6vYw6pKx3G02UmHp0uqPWdd96c3oyC3RSPK49faVUecV19OJwAFVOjO3Um-WNuYC_U83njLoKjbyp4/s640/IMG_5999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtp96m2joW3d6GLaOXk9iyQKAQA6YAjqUb4ajjvRg6v1PgOpCXm0MjhlHhL6Niu6vYw6pKx3G02UmHp0uqPWdd96c3oyC3RSPK49faVUecV19OJwAFVOjO3Um-WNuYC_U83njLoKjbyp4/s320/IMG_5999.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqaGPUnQnFEU9t0E6XpS4ioBcEk4SPI0F74ybo1A2X5UJFDOPewp6I4kBzJ6BJqshCKuEctows1Yg9zIzKFnkc1f1ink8LBzqCBqO9EYUQhAxQNG7ptXmZZinE7zlEV0MKIdbIsX5kuM/s640/IMG_6003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqaGPUnQnFEU9t0E6XpS4ioBcEk4SPI0F74ybo1A2X5UJFDOPewp6I4kBzJ6BJqshCKuEctows1Yg9zIzKFnkc1f1ink8LBzqCBqO9EYUQhAxQNG7ptXmZZinE7zlEV0MKIdbIsX5kuM/s320/IMG_6003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Over the course of the week we had every season and it was kind of delightful to also have snow, even the next day when signs popped up on on our drive out of Tahoe that said the road was treacherous and cars should be equipped appropriately. We did make it over the ridge and the downward stretch towards Reno was completely dry and deserty. Since our flight was early Saturday morning we'd decided to overnight in Reno across the street from the airport, but with time on our hands we checked out one of the local casino hotels and did... yes, one more escape room at the GSR.</div><div><br /></div><div>Throughout the week we'd grocery shopped for some snacks to keep in our suite, we are not against spending time together indoors watching movies, reading, snacking, and enjoying the fireplaces while on vacation. We did go to a few restaurants. Base Camp Pizza (get the Thai chicken) was good with nice outdoor seating, Kilani's was excellent for the food if not the decor, Sage was fine but for the price it should have been better, Creative Crepes were good (though do plan to give them time as they only have 2 crepe pans and each is made fresh), and a couple times at Joe's Sports Bar to watch the Capitals lose in the playoffs.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a fantastic time for both of us, and we're reminded once again how much we enjoy traveling and especially traveling together.</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Anniversary, love. Let's do something fun again next year. Or in June.</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-26904506209537128592021-01-17T18:00:00.002-08:002021-01-17T18:00:39.754-08:00OK. So what do we do when we're now in double "lockdown"?<p>Pandemic and... post-insurgency military presence? *sigh* </p><p>We watch TV. A lot of TV. Eventually there will be no TV left to watch.</p><p>"Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults" - We both assumed this would be a crazy, over-the-top documentary, even knowing the ending before it started, but it was so much not that. It made us both sad.</p><p>"Murder on Middle Beach" - A documentary made by a former SCAD student about the murder of his mother. It's a story we hadn't heard and while we'd hoped for a better resolution, the story is compelling.</p><p>"Lovecraft Country" - filled with mystery, monsters, and science fiction, and set in segregated 1950s USA, this one really entertained. We recommend it (yes, there's sex and violence and some language) for being so different and well-told.</p><p>"Mr. Robot" - a great series that hadn't been spoiled for us so we didn't see the ending coming. It's a mind-bender and a lot of fun to watch in a sort of "alternate now."</p><p>"The Masked Singer" - what's not to love?</p><p>"The Masked Dancer" - I was curious, Ian indulged me.</p><p>Yes, more 90-Day Fiance. Does it get old? Yes, yes it does, but it's also mindless and we do other things while it makes noise in the background.</p><p>But guess what, <b><span style="color: red;">hockey is back</span></b> and with the funky scheduling there is So Much Hockey to watch! Yay!</p><p>Pandemic related stuff:</p><p><b>Food:</b> We've started a Blue Apron subscription for 3 meals a week. The program supplies all the ingredients and the recipes, and it's so nice to avoid the "what's for dinner?" especially on work nights. We've really enjoyed it and are slowly learning some cooking techniques as well. Some of the recipes have been amazing. I'd say 2 or 3 have kind of missed the mark. We make our meal choices several weeks before they are delivered and it's been a great adventure in new foods and flavors. It's also great to keep us out of the grocery store, so now we're investigating whether grocery delivery make sense for us.</p><p><b>Fogging:</b> Our glasses fog when we're masked, like everyone else. We tried NerdWax and found that it just doesn't cut it. First off, it has to be applied every day. Just be aware. Then, it doesn’t prevent your glasses from fogging, it just fogs.... differently. Normal fogging is opaque, still happens over time. But if you’re only walking into the store, this can work for you because the first minute or two, it really seems to work - the glasses fog some and then immediately unfog with each breath, which is nice. But after a few minutes, the moisture gathers not so much as fog but as a watery film that is just as hard to see through as fogging. Everything goes wobbly, like if you open your eyes while swimming underwater. Wipe it off a couple times, and eventually, you’ve wiped off the NerdWax.</p><p><b>Vaccine:</b> Due to weird situations with the deployment of the vaccine, somehow the State Department received a number of vials and those who wanted were able to get it beginning Dec 29. I had my first on Dec 29 and Ian on Dec 30. Ian had minimal reaction, I had a pretty sore arm for 24 hours. I had my second shot on Jan 15 and was pretty uncomfortable for 24 hours with a sore arm, headache, fever/chills, upset stomach. Ian's second isn't scheduled for a bit yet.</p><p><b>Game:</b> We've done a boxed escape room game (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/EXIT-Mississippi-Enchanted-Family-Friendly-Cooperative/dp/B08BWYNNTV/ref=asc_df_B08BWYNNTV/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475752241626&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9044793898941343871&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008163&hvtargid=pla-1041183171264&psc=1">Exit</a>) and a boxed mystery game (<a href="https://store.huntakiller.com/hunt-a-killer-hawthorn-junction">HuntAKiller</a>). A few tips - If you play the Exit game, photocopy all the pages prior to playing the game. The reason? It's one-time use, and it felt SO wasteful after a 1-hour game to just throw it all away. After completion, I looked through to see if there was a way to kind of rebuild it, but no. So - make copies of all the pages in color. and sort of rebuild the book (the one we did was only about 8 pages) before you play. Having said all that, the game was fine. The puzzles were similar to basic escape room puzzles and there wasn't really a story. For HuntAKiller we chose a "premium" all-in-one box (rather than a current monthly subscription or an older subscription that's boxed) and truth be told, it was just OK. The biggest issue we had was there was no real starting place, we didn't know who we were in this game world. While there is a bag of stuff to filter through and some on-line clips to watch (for us, they were about the town we had just moved in to), that was it. And at the end when we'd figured out the puzzles and made a guess, there wasn't a way to figure out if we were right without being told the final answer. Unlike an escape room where if the key doesn't fit you try something else, in this if you guessed the key the only way to know if you were right was if the answer was handed to you. We didn't care for that. Thankfully we were right, but still, ya know?</p><p>That's what's up with us. How about you?</p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-27378553079501240442021-01-06T17:29:00.000-08:002021-01-06T17:29:16.893-08:006 DAYS<p><span style="font-family: arial;">SERIOUSLY.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">6 days.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">6.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hold. My Beer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We talked about this.</span></p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-52887061840478479402021-01-04T12:09:00.005-08:002021-01-06T17:30:59.773-08:002021 arrived. <p style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Hello 2021</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">2012: GO</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">2013: OUTSIDE</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">2014: CHANGE</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">2015: SIMPLIFY</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">2016: MINDFUL</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">2020: PACE</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">2021: BREATHE</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">If I'd known what 2020 was going to be like, Breathe would have been last year. But now that we've been holding our breath for nearly a full year, it's a good reminder that that is, well... unsustainable. We're all turning a little blue.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">So - Breathe. Yeah. Good word.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Now that's out of the way.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif"><i>Here are some ideas for how to start this year off, some thoughts on how to make the next few months, or even year, a little better right off:</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Learn your <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Type-Kit-Eldoncard-Micropipette/dp/B000FSOCR4">blood type</a>. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Make your <a href="https://medium.com/literature-lust/what-you-need-to-know-about-being-well-read-de35adb4a032">To Read</a> list for the year.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Clean out your Inbox and your saved items folders.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Buy/Make a new face mask. (You deserve it.)</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif"><a href="https://health.gov/news/healthgov-blog/201803/spring-clean-your-medicine-cabinet">Clean out your medicine</a> boxes. <br />Store your expired meds, unsafe for flushing, for the next <a href="https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/">drug takeback day</a>.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Dump out your ice cubes.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Buy a succulent.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Hand wash your sweaters.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Replace lightbulbs that are burned out, or ones that aren't. <a href="https://www.techhive.com/article/3129887/best-smart-bulbs.html">Maybe use these</a>.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Clean out the tray under your toaster.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Run your coffee pod machine with a cleaning cycle.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Snip the vacuum brush roller clean, and wash the vacuum filters.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Launder your kitchen and bathroom mats.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Vacuum under your couch.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">Turn/flip your mattress.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">I realize that it's been a while. You understand. What with the election and the pandemic, my sleep was disturbed and trying to read didn't transport me away like TV and movies and Animal Crossing did. Now with brighter skies ahead, there's definitely a glimmer of calm seeping in to my brain and reading is back on the menu. I'll finish <u>A Promised Land</u>.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">The holidays were special this year. My youngest was in the UK by choice, even if it was a forced choice by restrictions, lockdowns, and quarantines, and called in by Messenger. My Marine was given 48 hours leave. My Marvel kid drove to Jax, NC to pick up the Marine and then made their way here. She stayed with us the longest and her best friend joined the day after Christmas for a few days. Our oldest came down for the holiday afternoon with her SO. My parents called in over Messenger. It was as right as it could be with games, gifts, laughter, annoyances, food, and more togetherness than we've had in a long while.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">So here we are.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span face="arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif">2021. May it never say "hold my beer."</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-8179520890384357612020-08-29T14:25:00.001-07:002020-08-29T19:21:13.079-07:00On to SeptemberJonathon came home from the UK on 10 June and started teleworking on 15 June, he's been keeping himself busy while social distancing and earning the monies, while Ian enjoyed his decompressing homeleave time. A couple weeks ago Ian started working again, and goes into the office a couple times a week with me. We scooter in on those days with our brand new electric commuter scooters. It takes roughly 25 minutes from door to desk. The pandemic continues though, and while we're getting out more on our scooters it's a good thing we enjoy spending time at home. With the hot and muggy summer days it's not hard at all to sit in the A/C and watch a lot of TV and movies.<div><br /></div><div>On that note...</div><div>We've watched: The Third Man, Midsommar, My Inconvenient Truth, Chinatown, Apocalypse Now, Alien, 13th, Jaws, Apocalypse Now, RoboCop, Shutter Island, Inception, Bonnie and Clyde, The Hospital, Dog Day Afternoon, the doc The Jinx, a doc on Galaxy Quest. Some of those were rewatches.</div><div><br /></div><div>TV shows have been a little less diverse. I convinced him to try "Castle Rock," a series that works in season 1 until the very last episode, but we'll still try out season 2 at some point. "Ramy" was OK, Ian enjoyed it more than I did. "Picard" was really good. A totally different feel to other Star Trek series, but definitely the right creative move. </div><div><br /></div><div>There's been a lot of 90-Day Fiancee, coupled with 90-Day: The Other Way and 90-Day: Happily Ever After? I definitely need a break from all that "reality" TV. We do recommend "Travel Man" with Richard Ayoade, "Upload," "Modern Love," and the new "Unsolved Mysteries." And of course, QI. At the times we need background, you can't go wrong with Dr. Who.</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, a lot of quiet downtime at home, amidst the continued bread baking and dinner making. In May, my last grandparent passed away and I've spent a bit of time on ancestry.com building what I can of our family lines. Some old photographs and documents have surfaced from my grandmother's items and I'm slowly creating a history - a superficial history, granted - for my kids. </div><div><br /></div><div>Animal Crossing and The Witcher books and walks to Starbucks take up the rest of my quiet time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Katherine came down for a few days, Jonathon stayed with her for a few days, then Becca was here for about a month with Mokka. Nicholas is still in Norway and we look forward to seeing him soon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take care of yourselves. </div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-16259463465539422142020-05-31T13:10:00.001-07:002020-05-31T13:10:34.985-07:00Not even 6 months in to the year.It's been a week. Like opposite sound waves that cancel each other out, it's been a week of great highs and extreme lows. When you sit in the middle you're not sure what to listen for or what direction to turn.<div><br /></div><div>What a week. But what else should I expect from 2020.</div><div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div><div>My last grandparent died yesterday. My favorite grandparent, my Babcia, who never had an unkind word to say to anyone, who loved her family above all else, who had nothing but smiles and food for everyone who knew her. She was steadfast and reliable and lived a life of challenge and loss and laughter and history. She was easy to love and she will be so, so missed.</div><div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div><div>We've spent a lot of time watching the news. There are a lot of thoughts in my head, but they are mine and they have no place speaking over the words that those marching and protesting voice and what they live daily. Words are what I have and they are insufficient and have no purpose but to make me feel better. And this trauma is not about me.</div><div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Ian came home Wednesday night. He's home, he's home for good. It's a wonderful thing. It was a long 11 months, 11 months we hadn't planned on being apart, with about 7 weeks together in those 11 months, which sounds great, and was great, but still.... 11 months. But now he's home, and home is good. The sun is shining, the weather is gorgeous, we have some great food and each other and a cat.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div><div>The launch yesterday was a shining spectacle of ingenuity. Kudos. We watched liftoff and then again today for the docking and hatch opening and it really is an accomplishment to be proud of. We've been watching "For All Mankind."</div><div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div><div>And the brightest moment yesterday, 5/30/20, was Rebecca's graduation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Summa cum laude with a BFA in Production Design... she has worked fiercely for her degree, cultivated relationships, earned recognition, and pushed through uncertainty and every challenge thrown at her. We all see what's ahead - more uncertainty, more challenge, more work. Her industry is exploring how it can reopen with new safety guidelines and she will process through it together with the rest, and we'll be there to assist as we can. We can't restart Amazon or Netflix or any part of the entertainment industry but we can help her with other things as needed. </div><div><br /></div><div>---</div><div><br /></div><div>Several horrible things.</div><div><br /></div><div>--- </div><div><br /></div><div>Several great things, and we need them, all of them. These huge things. And the small things, the tiny things, the minuscule things. The birds at the bird feeder, the puffy clouds, the hand holding, the Starbucks, the comfy couch, the clean water, the lack of rockets, the ability to stay safe at home. </div><div><br /></div><div>We are lucky and we are privileged, and we will not speak above the voices that need to be heard. We will use our votes and our funds to do what we can to amplify the voices that do matter.</div>Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-78674121224256906592020-05-31T09:11:00.001-07:002020-05-31T09:11:27.299-07:00Yesterday - 5/30/20: In the Foreign Service we don't say Goodbye<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We say... See you soon. Happy onward. Or Until we meet again. We are blessed by the people who cross our paths, enter our lives, become part of our family, some who make a huge impression on us by their goodness and kindness, who make us laugh and have wonderful stories to tell, and who we truly truly love.<br />
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In the Foreign Service there are no Farewells to those we love. In my life, there are no Farewells to those I love.<br />
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So to Babcia, our Babcia...<br />
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Until we meet again. I love you.<br />
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7450909074372693680.post-61029380453891455022020-05-18T17:36:00.001-07:002020-05-18T17:36:27.168-07:00Happy Anniversary to my one and only<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
24.<br />
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It was a beautiful day 24 years ago that I had the honor of marrying the guy...<br />
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who then traveled the world with me...<br />
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raised 4 awesome kids with me...<br />
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who makes me laugh...</div>
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and think...</div>
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and just love spending time with him...</div>
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This is the first time in 24 years we haven't spent our anniversary together, and hopefully it will be the last time we're apart. When we were going to Baghdad together, I didn't even think about it. When we ended up not going together, he scheduled his final R&R to coincide with our anniversary and Becca's graduation. Then, well, the rest is history. Today is the day and he's not here, and what choice do we have but to be OK with it all? We video chatted. I told him I loved him. And I miss him. But like all the things this past year, I do what I need to do, he does what he needs to do. Have there been moments of emotional frailty? On my side, I'll admit yes. Thank goodness for my kids, my job, my home - all sources of comfort and normalcy.</div>
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We make plans for when we do reunite again. Next week? June? I don't know. </div>
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But it will happen and I'll be ready and waiting.</div>
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Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389287002127876888noreply@blogger.com2