Feeling good about that one

That is the maple stump; the one I was not sure about taking down.

The darkest areas are just wood mush.

New back yard

You saw it here first.

Bye bye birch

This birch tree, which I am allergic to, and the maple in the
background will be gone today.

We'll replace them elsewhere in the yard, and have a larger garden.

Land ownership is fun.

Not so subtle warning

From Sixth and Fife Ave comes this warning:

Last post note

Caption contest!

Postcard that is needed around here

Books over first class

Just a few minutes to board.

Nixed the upgrade option and spent half the amount on books for the
family.

The bonus? One is by GK.

MN and GK and tacomachickadee all in one day, great things. Great,
great things.

Minnesota sunrise

Here is the view over my shoulder this morning.

I am just a bit shy of six hours away from being in my own time zone.

What have you seen for the last two hours?

My view:

Delays

I am told that there is a weather delay at O'Hare, and airtraffic
control issue with one of their three runways for landing... United
has put us on the runway since noon, there was no prior announcement
of these delays, so I am unable to reroute my path to MN.

Free market? Phht. Captive monolopy.

Bye bye PA

I am waiting' for the class based seating system to permit me to board.

Ah brotherly love.

Well the airport at least.

Nice, quick flight.

1.5 hours to find the next gate...or those pieces of the Triforce.

I'm heading home

Thus begins 7 hours of travel to get 1/2 way home.

But it is to go home...back to family and childhood memories.

In a way it is both too soon and too late.

Thank you

For the memories.

I will miss you, Grandpa.

Laundry-lanch! Another trip ... maybe two

Mount Laundry was scaled yesterday. Sans a sherpa. We started about 6 a.m. and are just now mopping up the last few sort and folds.

It's been like that around here since Grandma passed away in January. There are still some bags to unpack, or at least some things hiding in bags that we need to find. Laundry has been done between those times, but some was hiding hither and tither.

I head out tomorrow morning for the other Washington.

I've never been there.

It'll be the farthest east I've traveled (sans the jaunt to Russia ... the Golden Ring around Moscow ... which, ironically covered more national capitals and principality capitals of Russia well before me going to DC). I've been to Philadelphia, PA, but that's about it.

Coming back will be interesting, though. Mom tells me that two days ago, or thereabouts, Grandpa decided that it was time to stop eating. He's 91, he served in WWII ... was on the beaches of Normandy, and did a tour through France. He married Grandma when my mom was about the age of my eldest daughter.

His favorite prayer:

I Jesu navn gar vi til bords,
Spise og drikke pa ditt ord.
Deg Gud til aere, oss til gavn,
Sa far vi mat i Jesu navn
Amen.

It's a Norwegian table prayer. I'm blessed to have it above my table. I don't know how to say it, but I know he liked it.

When I was about my daughter's age (!), Grandma and him took us in. Me, my three brothers and my mom. There was something about a mortgage not being paid in the course of my parent's divorce, so we moved the hour, hour and 1/2 south to live with them.

For the past 32 years, I could pick up the phone and dial the same number ... even to this day, and get him on the phone. I haven't recently, because he is hard of hearing.

All I can do is pray.

Pray that he is loved.
Pray that he as done good work.
Pray that he will find peace soon.

Happy Birthday, Joel

In tribute to you ...

Yup. Busy.

Caucus. Convention, and other things inbetween.

Good year. Great year.

Oh, and I'm working now.