Friday, September 17, 2010

Retirement Ceremony

As my brother was presented with each award for all the stuff he has done. A professional photographer took pictures so Allan and whoever presented each award looked toward the center of the room so the pro could take their picture. Then the presenter would just say "Your sister" and my brother knew to just turn so that I could also get a picture.

I was surprised to get roses presented to me. Which is why he was starting to laugh cuz he knew I would be surprised. I got them for being his biggest cheerleader. I'm sure someone got his whole speech on video because I don't remember it all.
Now I hope to get them on the plane to bring home.
Allan & 3 of the kids: Amber, Quinn & Matt

Randommess in DC

The above picture is outside of the Holocaust Museum. It was also the place where I would wait for my brother for 2 afternoons.
I bought 3 shirts from this vendor


Found this homeless guy just around the corner from the American History Museum. He seemed content doing something on his laptop.

I bought an H-U-G-E eggroll from 1 of these vendors. These vendors are EVERYWHERE.



Parking meters sure have changed.




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Thursday, September 16, 2010

Art in D.C

I didn't go into the museum but I did get to wander around the sculpture garden for a bit on 2 different mornings when my brother dropped me off at 7:30-8:30. Seeing as DC doesn't seem to open anything else until 10am.


Last day for this exhibit was 9-16-2010, so I went in to see his stuff. Not sure why it was so special; it was all black & white photos of mostly himself, his family & friends from the late 50's-70's. I also looked at some Impressionist paintings...I still seem to like the French artists the most.











Wednesday, September 15, 2010

A place to rest & relax in D.C.

I went through a Butterfly Garden, on the way towards the Natural History Museum. Hard to believe that in the middle of this busy city full of political offices and history sights that there is such a relaxing & peaceful spot.

This is my favorite spot to sit down..I also loved taking lots of pics of the 3 trees clumped together by the bench.




This is next to some museum & sculptor garden (will look the name up later)


Tuesday, September 14, 2010

My first day in DC

Because I woke up late this morning, we didn't get to see as much as we could of.


I'm in front of the Jefferson Memorial & was cracking up over my brother using my camera.
We walked around some pond or (whatever they call this body of water). I was slightly surprised at all the ducks & geese around. The tall building to the left behind trees is the Washington Monument.

After 25 years of traveling around the world with the USAF, my brother still claims residency in NH.



Well here I am...and by the time my brother took this picture, my legs were feeling the effects of all the walking.


Wednesday, September 8, 2010

I'm legal again

My cost for new license
Finally after over 6 years, all the court fines are paid...all $1480+.
Now after getting that fine paid off, the court had sent me a letter to
take to the DMV and get my license reinstated. I went to Flagstaff for
a couple days last week but
forgot to bring the paperwork with me, so I didn't even bother to go into
the DMV office.

But this week I was packing for a trip to go visit my brother and as I
was looking for my old "suspended" license, I realized that I couldn't
find it anywhere. About the only thing I use it for is ID to get on planes.
Well I had to go down to Flagstaff again last night so I could get to DMV
the minute they opened. I brought with me my old expired NH license from
yrs & yrs ago, my social security card, my work ID badge, Visa debit card,
and the paperwork from court. Well I didn't need any of the ID at all....
they never asked to see it. I didn't even have to take the eye test even
though I now have glasses.

$24~Shuttle down to Flagstaff
$20~1 night at hostel
$25~DMV
$24~shuttle back to Grand Canyon
======
$93...is what a license really cost me

Then of course there was money spent on breakfast & lunch
I had to spend extra money just to take this extra trip down to Flagstaff, just
because
#1: my room is such a mess I can't find anything
#2: I'm scatterbrain and can't think of everything, the first time I go to Flagstaff.


Now, I can daydream about getting a passport

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Planning my next vacation

Well I was a little surprised to get an invitation to my brother's retirement ceremony that will take place on the 17th. Even a bit surprised that my managers were so willing to play 'switch-a-roo' with the schedules and give me so much time off so I could go.





So I will fly out of Phoenix on the 13th and arrive in Washington DC late that night. The round-trip tickets cost $240.88 and my brother said he will pay me back for my flight. My sis-in-law & kids will get there on the 16th. It was funny when I gave my brother a list of stuff I wanted to see while I was there: Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, White House, National Zoology Park, National Arbutrium, a museum and maybe the library of Congress & the Vietnam Wall Memorial.

My brother's response was: you sure don't want much :0)



Now History & politics was never my favorite subject in school and touring capital hill was never on any list of must-do things in life, but what the heck...why not enjoy it at least once.



Planning vacations can be frustrating...trying to figure out shuttle schedules, connecting flights and arrival times that are ok.

But Vacations away from home can be fun...time to do something different, explore a new location, eat at new restuarants, recharge near the water, and just relax with a baby brother. oh wait...do either 1 of us know how to relax???



Well he told me to pack light so, I will have the backpack for my camera & laptop & books to read while waiting to change planes in Atlanta,GA. I will also have 1 small suitcase for clothes.

Seeing as this trip is for my brother and it is in Washington DC, I needed some dressy clothes.

The small suitcase makes it seem like I'm packing to much as I usually just like taking the backpack.
So at this moment I am more than half-way packed up for this trip now.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

It's September~and more changes

Shower & laundry are done for work and it's not even 4am yet. Actually I work today & tomorrow then have 2 days off, go back to work 2 days and then have Wednesday off.
Crazy work schedule!!

With such a crazy schedule I am thinking of going on a smooth river raft trip this week...but who knows as my plans change everyday or sometimes every hour. But the weather should be good for a river trip on Wednesday...partly cloudy and around 90 degrees at the river.
A smooth-river raft trip is something I have been wanting to do for the last 3 years but for some reason or another, I have just not gone yet.
.

What in the world am I waiting for??? There will never be a perfect day to go...a day where I have $$ to spend on leisurely things like this, or a day where I have nothing more important to do, or a day when I am not to tired, No day with perfect weather all day long, or whatever.
All I know is that I don't want to leave the GCNP for any reason and then later say "geez, I wish I had done that river trip", instead I want to look back on my time here and be able to remember a river trip as a day worth every second.

Besides if Amy Tacey could do all her adventures while going through cancer treatments...then I really have no excuse at all.
And besides, I need some new spots to take more pictures. I will just have to figure out how to protect the camera from water while I am taking pictures.


As I was typing this, I could feel myself getting excited about doing something new & different. So even though Brenda has to work on Wednesday; I will still go by myself. So while I'm off for the weekend I will clean my room a bit & then Wednesday will be my big day.

Labor day is also coming up...the last official holiday of the Summer season. Wonder how slow business will get after that. Also when I got back to the canyon yesterday, I learned that I didn't get the concierge job that I had applied for because they gave it to someone with more front desk experience. I just have to wonder how the hell do you get the experience if nobody will give it to you. So for now I will stay at the cafeteria....good thing I like my early morning schedule and I like seeing most of my co-workers.
******************************************
*~EDIT~*
Had to edit this after getting home from work.
Like I said, my plans can change by the hour and something came up beyond my control. So the river trip I mentioned above will just have to be postponed until sometime in October.

I checked my mail during my break at work and I had an invitation to my brother's retirement ceremony on the 17th of September. After 25 years in the USAF, he is finally retiring. So luckily my manager did a last minute switch-a-roo with next week's schedule and told me I could have a week's vacation and the first 3 days of the following week; so I'll be off from the 13th-25th.
Luckily all this is while our international kids are still here.

So I guess I'm going on a financial diet until after this trip...meaning I'll be scraping for pennies until next month.