Vacay - Or Was It?

You know it's going to be an interesting vacation when, five minutes into the trip, your car starts acting funny. Funny, as in RPMing up to 3,000....4,000 and NOT shifting. Good thing I had built in extra shopping time into the trip before Amber's orthodontic appointment.

A quick drive back into town to our car dealership revealed that we were NOT in for a quick fix. We loaded everything into a rental car (warning: Arkansas charges a 22% sales tax on rental cars), learned that the extended warranty on our broken car had expired, and hit the road again, a little gloomy. However, I kept telling myself it could have been worse - we had been back and forth to Conway (a three-hour drive one way) twice in the prior week...and the roads between here and there are isolated. A break-down on those trips, or further into our vacation, would have been horrible. Oh, and the trip to Conway was to take Amber to choir camp, where she worked hard and had a BLAST:

She's the one in the front, on the left. I still don't know why I pay for jeans that look like they have been molested by a werewolf.

Amber had not-so-good news at the orthodontist. Remember those stubborn baby teeth? Well, by not falling out, they have diverted the paths of her adult teeth. She will need oral surgery to remove the remaining baby teeth, cut open her soft palate and attach metal handles to her upper canines so the orthodontist can move them into place. I don't know what they will plan for her twelve-year molars that never erupted. Poor thing.

BUT, I keep telling myself it could be worse - she can survive this. My pocketbook may not survive, but she will.

Speaking of my pocketbook - one of my air conditioning units at the office building took a dive. Sigh. Sometimes it's great owning your own company.

When we arrived in Mountain View, AR....it was raining...but our cabin did have a view of the river:

The worst part about the cabin? No cell service. I thought Amber was going to have a coronary. Every so often she could get a text message thru, if she contorted her body behind the living room futon. We had to drive two miles into town to get service.

The next morning, when we DID drive into town before visiting the caverns, I got a fun little text message telling me my office building back home had flooded. Try focusing on vacation after THAT little gem.

Oh well, at least our adventure was NOT going to be ruined by rain, since we were going into Blanchard Springs Caverns. Check out this formation that resembles a ship:

It was a fascinating tour - my photos didn't do the caverns ANY justice. I was completely amazed. We took the "Dripstone" tour - which took us through the most highly decorated level of the caverns, after an elevator ride 216 feet down into the earth.

I was impressed with the lighting, which was done by a man who usually assembled lighting for opera houses. It made the caverns all that more beautiful. Once again, I was in awe at the wonderous beauty of our earth, and remembered how tiny we all are in the face of its majesty.

Roger had never seen this level of the caverns before, so he was impressed, too. He even got to visit a music store in downtown Mountain View, and joined a "pickin'" session with several other musicians. He must have spent an hour there, while Amber and I poked thru galleries and found treasures here and there.

Our last stop before leaving town was this rock:

That's Roger, standing underneath. Years ago - like over 17 years ago - his best friend took a photo almost identical at this very spot. It was neat to find this again, and almost two decades later, take a similar photo...which we then emailed to his friend.

We are back home - and have taken care of all the office flooding. It wasn't as bad as I had imagined, and Roger did a lot to help clean things up. Amber came back to a new cheer coach for the varsity squad - her coach from last year - which made her very happy. Shorty missed us terribly, but having Lucas house-sit definitely eased our minds about the care of our three animals. He did, however, start a new trend by allowing her to sleep with him in the guest bed. So guess who is sleeping with us now?

Tell me about your vacations, if you had one this summer!

Random Miscellaneous Tigger Thoughts

I know I've abandoned this blog, it seems. It's always on my mind. However, with the instant gratification that is Facebook (yeah, I've abandoned Twitter, too), coupled with the addiction of Farm Town, my online presence has metamorphisized, and my writing skills have suffered.


So, if you want to know what I've been up to in the last few weeks, here it is, in random, stream-of-consciousness fashion:



We have a new guitar player in our band. And remember BND? Band Name Discussion? Well, we are officially changing the name from 7th Wave to one of our original picks - Searching for Signals. With the guitar player change, it seemed like a good time. And I like that name better anyway.



Shorty the Doxie Pin is doing VERY well, and if I could make her a house dog, I would. She has already learned the "sit" command, and I need to review Dog Whisperer episodes to figure out how to stop her from "happy piddling" on my tile floor whenever she sees me. Any tips are appreciated.



Oh, and she has really bad breath. Which is a trademark Dachshund thing. But she doesn't smell like a dog anywhere else, which makes her nice to cuddle. Until she yawns.



The Offspring is evidently going to need orthodontic work. I guess it's not good to be 15 1/2 years old and have over 8 baby teeth still in your mouth.



We took The Offspring to choir camp on Monday in a town three hours away. Left her in a dorm on the third floor that had NO air conditioning. We drove the three hours back as quickly as possible, just so I could sit in a 2 1/2 hour cheerleader parent meeting with the high school cheer coach and the superintendent of schools. Grueling.



We have acoustic band practice tonight to work on harmonies. I have to make up harmony parts for songs that have no existing harmony. Our next gig is a 60's/70's part in a show September 12th.



We are going to Blanchard Springs Caverns in Mountain View at the beginning of next week. I've lived in Arkansas for 17 years and have NEVER seen them! We rented a cabin on the river...I'm ready to GET AWAY.



The upstairs A/C unit went out at my office. I have a new unit now. One thing after another, you know?



Oh, and the A/C unit in the downstairs part of our home failed this week, too. NOT good with temps reaching over 100 degrees...but it was a simple fix, and we are cooling just fine now. Who knew that A/C units needed condensate drains? LOL!



Really, any tips on how to keep the puppy from piddling with joy - I need them.



I'm evidently a Facebook Junkie. OMG...if you're not on it already...GO.

I'm actually excited about going to a Target store on Monday. I haven't been in one since I left Texas in 1992. I'm pathetic.

STILL haven't settled the insurance claims for the tornado damage to our old home. I got enough to pay off the mortgage...but still not enough to cover the damages. I plan to dig up the azaleas and hydrangeas and move them to our new home. As well as some of that gorgeous St. Augustine grass. Basically, I'm going to rape the landscaping.

We are planning a trip to Canada next year. I need to work on getting passports NOW.

I've lost 15 pounds since last October. Only 15 more pounds to go, but I'll settle for 10. Is getting back to high school weight a stupid goal?

The Offspring broke her toe, right before cheer camp. But she is healed. And their squad did AWESOME at camp - we were so proud! But oh...the season has just begun.

I splurged and bought a bunch of new underwear at Victoria's Secret.

We also splurged and bought new equipment for the studio. Roger now has wireless capabilities for his electric guitar, so he can run around. We also have new spot monitors, and big Mackie speakers that sit on very sturdy stands. Oh, and we're going with ear-bud monitors that hook into some complicated board that I don't understand.

Oh, and most importantly, I really miss you guys. I'll be back from vacation next Thursday at the latest!

NaBloPoMo Day Ten - Fun Monday, in Honor

Day Ten.

It's FUN MONDAY again, and this week's hostess is Janis, who wanted us to show our support and salute to the veterans who have served our country so well.

One of the most stirring things I've done in my life was visit Arlington National Cemetery in D.C. I was so overcome with emotion, I had to visit twice during my week-long stay. What struck me during my first tour was the vast number of headstones, just rows and rows of them...I had no idea how many were interred there. Here is a glimpse of that experience:
Please visit Janis' place, and enjoy the other tributes.

Back from LA

So, I made it back from LA in one piece...though I'm not sure LA will be the same without me.

The worst part of the trip? The possibility of not getting out of Little Rock on time. We were all on the plane, ready to fly to Memphis, when the pilot mentioned a wee problem. Some light was on that shouldn't be on - a malfunction of sorts. We were already on the tarmac, so I figured someone could hit a button, get rid of the annoyance and we would be on our way. No such luck.

After idling for a while, we were sent back to the gate, b/c evidently this is a SPECIAL LIGHT that only the GROUND CREW can fix. Too bad they took away our hammers during the security screening, or I would have saved ground crew the trouble.

Those with connecting flights (yes, that's us) were told we might want to exit the aircraft. After dealing with a few people at the terminal who were NOT so gracious about rebooking our flight and/or getting us to LAX, I was about to lose it. Finally, we are back on the plane, with no way to make our connection from Memphis to LA. Can you believe that they couldn't even book a flight out of DFW to LAX? Not after 6PM? Yeah - they were just wielding their power. Luckily, the airline held our connection, since there were 14 of us they didn't want to buy hotels rooms for that night...and we made it to LAX, albeit a tad late.

It didn't matter to me at that point, b/c after our ordeal in Little Rock and we were FINALLY on a plane to LAX, I found some in flight therapy:

Yeah, that's four drinks. You know, the planes are LONG, and who knows when the flight attendant might be able to return with that magical cart of beverages? It could be an hour or more, and I was NOT going to run out of therapy.

One day, we made our way to Santa Monica Pier, and just HAPPENED to wander onto a movie set...and just HAPPENED to see Eddie Murphy:In all my trips to Southern California, I've NEVER been that close to a celebrity. I could have TOUCHED the man, if I had wanted to be escorted out of the area in handcuffs.

Oh, and yes, I got to hold hands with Matt Damon:And as an added bonus, I took a train from downtown LA to Laguna Beach to see my mom and dad on Father's Day:I'll have more to tell about my adventures in coming days...but now, I gotta catch up on work and REST!

LA Twitters

Well, the Tigger is headed to the West Coast - wish me luck as I join the rest of the crazies! At least I'll feel right at home. I know I have been a bad blogger, and one of my Mid-Year Resolutions is to start blogging more regularly. However, I CAN'T blog while in LA! There is a solution, for those who need their Tigger Fix, and that is TWITTER. See that in the sidebar? Yeah, instant updates. I plan to Twitter the entire time I'm on this trip. I'm traveling with five other women, one of whom has NEVER FLOWN BEFORE. And she's older than me - can you believe it? Should make for some GREAT Twitters!

So...if you miss me, check the sidebar, and I'll be twittering away while I'm gone. Feel free to run amuk in the comments, and respond to my twitters.

Off to LA, and Laguna Beach!

It's Fun Monday List Time!

***SCROLL DOWN FOR LATE ADDITIONS!!!***
It's Fun Monday! I'm adjusting my Hostess Crown after watching the Super Bowl...but I'm ready for Monday! Here was the assignment this week:

Have you heard of The Bucket List? Well, that's what I want from you! Make a list of things you want to do before you die. It must be at least five items - and you can make it as long as you desire. Photos are optional. And let's hear about some of the wackiest, most bizarre to-do's on your Bucket List!

I actually got this idea from The Offspring. She compiled a list and shared it with me. Some answers shocked me, while others made a mom proud. Her list follows, with MY comments in yellow.

1. Understand the meaning of life, and find out who I am. (Uh, you're MY kid, Sweetie - nothin' you can do about that.)
2. Get married.
3. Make history somehow - at least become famous. (Hopefully not for a crime.)
4. Streak, get a tattoo, and get a lip ring. (Uh...WHAT? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?)
5. Visit Japan, the U.K., Las Vegas, Germany, revisit Chicago, revisit Washington D.C., revisit California. (Can I go?)
6. Write a book.
7. Become devirginized. (You ARE trying to give me a heart attack.)
8. Go to college. (Can you wait to get devirginized until AFTER college?)
9. Make a movie.
10. Own a stripper pole. (Get the paramedics - STAT!)
11. Meet a famous actor.
12. Own a ferret. (Not in MY house, you're not!)
13. Fall down some stairs. (Sheesh - why did I put stairs in the new house?)
14. Join a band.
15. Save someone's life. (You could start by saving mine - and by not throwing yourself down a flight of stairs.)
16. Create a clothing line. (You're thinking about modesty, right?)
17. Model. (Not with that stripper pole, I hope.)
18. Go to a rave. (Do we need to have that "say no to drugs" talk again?)
19. Fork a yard. (Better than toilet paper.)
20. Sneak out. (Uh...can I have the date and time of this event?)
21. See a ghost. (I will be skipping this one, thanks.)
22. Create a new drink.
23. Have one kid. (I hope you're considering that marriage thing FIRST.)
24. Save an animal.
25. Have a party on wheels.
26. Learn German and French.
27. Dye my own hair.
28. Build my own house. (Copycat.)
29. Go hunting. (And you were going to SAVE an animal? I'm confused.)
30. Vote. (Do this a lot, Sweetie.)
31. Skinny dip - again. (YOU ALREADY DID THIS? I'm never going make it to your 18th birthday.)
32. Get involved in a music video. (Go for production - and leave the stripper pole at home.)
33. Sing in a band.
34. Stay up for a week.

I can't cheat, and not follow my own rules - so here is MY very short list:
1. Live long enough to see my grandchildren be born.
2. Pay off most of my debt.
3. Teach my daughter the important things that will carry her thru life, long after I'm gone.
4. Attend at least ONE Super Bowl game.
5. Be in a financial position to create a better life for many other people, around the world.
6. Drag my husband to his first professional football game.
7. Travel to Europe (hopefully WITH my daughter).

Now go visit the long list of participants this week:
1. Swampy
2. Arkansas Songbird
3. Susan at A Slice of Life
4. Deb's Valentine Patch
5. Lil Mouse
6. Kitten
7. Mamalang
8. Straight Up and Slightly Dirty
9. La Vie en Rose
10. From the Planet of Janet
11. Kila, momto3cubs
12. AOJ & The Lurchers
13. Pete, at Holtie's House
14. Ragracers
15. Raising3Saints
16. Summit Musings
17. Three Dog Blog
18. Carrie and the Koehmstedts
19. Myanderings
20. Nikki
21. Eclectic Blog
22. Lady K
23. Ms Cellania
24. Beckie, at Give it a Try
25. Tales of a Southern Doll
26. The Rotten Correspondent
27. Sauntering Soul
28. Robin at Pensieve
29. Lisa's Chaos
30. Karmyn R, at Dreaming What Ifs
31. Jenn, at Simply Not So Simple
32. Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
33. Sallad Says...
34. Rob
35. Alix at DC Days
36. Lisa, The Food Snob
37. -Ann, For the Long Run
38. Candid Karina
39. Fianna
40. Sayre Smiles
41. Junebug
42. Robocop
43. Bermudabluez
44. Pamela
45. Jettie
46. Gattina
47. Ooh, A Shiny Pen, who has volunteered to host next week!
48. Ped Crossing
49. Andre Veloux
50. Welcome to Mi Vida Loca
51. RDH Mom
52. Mama Speak
53. Retrohipster
54. ari_1965
55. Nekked Lizards
56. Return of the White Robin
57. The Prytz Family
58. Hootin' Anni's
59. Karisma
60. Cynthia
61. Swampangel65
62. Robin, My Two Blessings
63. Patience-please
64. Ellen B.
65. Nancypants
66. Lana G.
67. Joy T.
68. Sirdar
69. Jenni, at Prairie Air
70. Schmoop
71. Serina Hope
72. Megnificent
73. Colours of Dawn
JUST ADDED:
74. Min, at Mama Drama
75. Mariposa
76. Tiger Lamb Girl
77. Heaven in Belgium
78. Detroit, at Serving Him
79. dog face girls
80. Tracey

This may be the biggest Fun Monday EVER!

Rockin' Blogger - Now With Concrete!

Okay, I'm delinquent in my response for this GREAT award...no prepared speech to pull out of the bosom of my evening gown, no teary-eyed gazes of adoration to the crowd, and I think my tiara is a bit askew. But I'm truly grateful to Shauna for it. Choosing five more people for the award that haven't already been chosen is a tough call - here goes!

1. Marnie, because this chick rocks Canada.

2. Claudia, because this chick rocks photography school AND cars.

3. Mocha Momma, because this chick rocks school AND great writing.

4. Lawyerish, because this chick rocks the courtroom.

5. Julie, because this chick rocks house-building.

Now, you five ladies are supposed to choose five more - but heck, I know there are so many that have already won this award, it may be tough. I'll forgive you if it slips your mind.

Speaking of house building...two things we didn't know we had to have immediately: water and electricity. Hey - I'm not moving in for a while, so what gives? I found out that they have to mix the concrete for the blocks on site, and guess what? You have to have electricity for the builders to cut wood. Guess the bandsaw is SO last decade. Since I had to work this morning - REAL work - Roger got the water guys in gear and marked the spot for the new meter:
Would you believe that this cost $715? Not the paint, mind you, but setting it all up so they will put the meter in. And guess what happens then? I get water, which will start my bills.

They actually brought concrete trucks out to the site today, and filled up my mole holes. Too bad I didn't have time to get an actual game going. I KNOW we could have found people to hide in the holes so I could whack them with a stick.Remember the curvy rebar from the last post? All covered up now, with stair-stepped concrete. It was almost dry this afternoon.I have to go out of town for a Rotary gig tomorrow, and then up to Conway on Friday to pick up The Offspring from choir camp. Luckily, nothing much will be done on site except the setting of the electrical box, and Roger got that lined out today.

Looking forward to Fun Monday!

Memorial Monday

During my D.C. visit, one of the most moving experiences was my trip to Arlington National Cemetery. As we celebrate this Memorial Day with our fancy grills, coolers full of beer and the blessed day off from the daily grind of our jobs, I realized that I will never again "see" this holiday in the same way. Even living with a Vietnam-era veteran on a daily basis has not made me appreciate the meaning of these holidays as much as walking through Arlington (sorry, Rog).

Believe it or not, witnessing the somber wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns brought me almost immediately to tears. Here, the Tomb Guards begin the ceremony:The Tomb sarcophagus is placed above the grave of a soldier from World War I. Three white marble slabs that are flush with the plaza mark the graves of unknown soldiers from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Advances in DNA techniques led to the identification of the Vietnam War Unknown. He was United States Force First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie. Lieutenant Blassie's remains were returned to his family on Friday, July 10, 1998, and were buried in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, the following day. It has been decided that his former resting place on the plaza will remain vacant.I've often seen photographs of Arlington's rows of headstones. Similar to the one below, they only show a minute portion of the over 300,000 people buried there.While on a tour bus during my first visit to the cemetery, I shot some footage of the rows and rows of headstones. They seemed to go on forever. I couldn't figure out how to edit this video properly (neophytism), but approximately halfway through this clip, you will see what I mean about the vastness of the cemetery. Words cannot express my thanks to all those who have given so much in service to our country, as well as to those who continue to serve, every day.

Spy Games

Julie at Another Chance Ranch is hosting this week's Fun Monday, and her assignment was to post "your best spy camera photo and the story behind the photo."

(If you read The Pioneer Woman, and yet don't know Julie, I'll boil it down for you. Remember the movie "Beaches?" As Oklahoma ranch girls go, Julie is the Barbara Hershey to Ree's Bette Midler.)

Now, I knew going into this assignment that the Spy Queen, aka the Horny Redneck Christian Woman, aka Vicki, was going to rule hands down. I'm not sure if it was that knowledge, the fact that I pored thru dozens of photographs this weekend, or Matt's self serving boob contest that led to my photo choice. But I came to the realization that the best spy photograph in my possession was actually taken OF me and my husband.

In 2003, we took a "mini-vacation" in Eureka Springs, AR, in addition to our regular vacation. We just needed to get away for a few days, and drove a short jaunt up to the Northwest corner of the state for some fishing, shopping, dining, etc. It's tough to schedule a good time for a family portrait, so when I spotted the "Old Tyme Photo" studio, I dragged Roger and Amber inside. Our last photos were made in 1997 at Judge Roy Bean's studio, so it was definitely time for an update.

We had the traditional family photos made, and then shots of us individually. Amber quickly got tired, and the photographer wanted to take a few of us as a couple. As his assistant left to help Amber change out of her clothes, the photographer worked to adjust the flash umbrellas. Now, if you know Roger and me, you know that we tend to goof around and pick on each other quite often. Well, here we were, all gussied up, and me looking like a saloon tramp.

Roger did what came naturally, the photographer had been "spying," and this photo was the surprising result:

D. C. Salivations

One of Swampy's best tips in preparation for my D.C. trip was to suggest that I take in the tapas at Jaleo, located at 480 7th Street NW in the heart of Downtown. Tapas, according to the Jaleo site, are "the traditional small dishes of Spain, the small plates of this and that served at bars and cafes across the country." Basically, they are appetizer-sized portions, and though I wasn't brave enough to try the blood sausage or the squid offerings, I was satiated beyond my expectations after dining here.



Earlier today, I found the actual recipe for patatas bravas, which when topped with a bit of crumbled bleu cheese, was my favorite.

We had quickly discovered that the restaurant located at the Watergate Hotel, called "Aquarelle," was aqua-expensive for aqua-not-much-food. Like you see pictured to the left, it was a lot of plate, some sprigs of stuff, and a dribble of sauce...all yours for $17.50. Welcome to fine dining in D.C. Nothing against the accomplished chef - a LADY chef, at that - but when I pay that much for a meal, it had better be enough to fill me up. Luckily, the full-stocked bar made up for my lack of food, and KM didn't mind me partaking of a wee bit of liqueur.

According to one of our tour guides, there are 68 Starbucks locations in and around Washington, D.C. It was VERY convenient to slip in and get a "pick me up," anytime the need arose.

The Front Page restaurant, located in Dupont Circle, was a place we stumbled into as weariness set in. I had warned KM that Dupont Circle had a more "alternative" feel - and she passed me a few wide-eyed looks as their representatives passed by our window. I felt more like an educational tour guide, as I have close friends from all races and persuasions. All this to say that the Page One burger was really good, and priced well for lunchtime.

I love eating out - and if I'm on a vacation, I REFUSE to eat at an establishment that has a franchise close to my home. I want something totally different, and preferrably, a restaurant that serves alcohol. Living in a dry county makes me long for real tablecloths and libations with a meal. So, I have to know - where are your favorite places to dine? Who knows...I may go on an eating tour!

Bumming on the Metro

Before I left for D.C., I was told it had one of the best transit systems in the country. They don't allow any food, drink or smoking in their Metro stations, which keeps things clean. I know this photo is fuzzy, but here you can see how many folks commute during the 5 o'clock rush hour on the Metrorail. This was taken at Metro Center, where three separate lines meet.

Early in our trip, my traveling buddy, KM, had seen a homeless man scouring the trash for food. I had literally overlooked him, having reverted back to my "city ways." I learned growing up on the outskirts of Houston that you don't engage the bums - no eye contact, no looks of pity, no offerings of help. KM felt horribly sad for his plight and amazed that he would actually eat leftovers from the trash. My response must have seemed harsh: "Don't give him any money, because he'll just buy booze with it."
During our walk to the hotel each evening, KM would point out these poor souls as they bedded down. The impressions of their bodies would remain visible in the grass each morning. One indigent fellow changed her perspective, however, as we boarded the Metro on our way to a mall in Pentagon City one evening. While waiting for the Metro to leave, we hear loud expletives. Every other word is the f-bomb or some maternal variation thereof. Luckily for us, the offender boards our car...spilling the contents of his trash bags all over the floor - RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. I play nonchalant - looking straight ahead, emotionless. KM's eyes widen, and she whispers, "We need to get off NOW."

As batteries, vials of liquid and cigar tips roll around near our feet, F-Bomber is still cursing a blue-streak, interjecting the statement, "DON'T YOU BE LOOKIN' AT MY M*****-F***IN' BATTERIES!! YOU WANNA F***IN' START SOMETHIN'? I'LL START SOMETHIN' RIGHT THE F*** HERE, M***** F***ER!!" I'm still playing it cool, as the train pulls away and F-Bomber decides to return to our area of the car to retrieve his m*****-f***in' batteries that KM is DEFINITELY not looking at. She and I both are statues as he bends down to pick them up, giving us a final "DON'T YOU BE LOOKING AT MY M*****-F***IN' BATTERIES!!" before returning to his seat. KM is whispering that WE NEED TO GET OFF AT THE NEXT STOP, and I'm trying to convince her to play it cool - as I'm realizing that F-Bomber is not really talking to anyone but the voices in his head. The screaming expletives are continuous, and I faintly hear the sound of the Metro driver call for Metro Police to meet us at the next station. As we are about to stop, KM jumps up, ready to bolt the second the doors open. I notice two other passengers ready to exit, and watch as they simply get off the car and onto the adjacent car to continue their trip. We follow suit, and sit where we are facing the car containing F-Bomber. KM is concerned that he will see us, realize we avoided him, and come back there to finish us off. We both notice a poor young girl, seated right in front of F-Bomber, still enduring the expletive rant that is also audible in OUR car. Of course, we reach our destination, and F-Bomber gets off as well. Luckily, Metro Police have been observing him, and detain him for a quick search and questioning. I'm not sure what they did with this man - after all, do they really have jails full of guys like this? Probably not.

The next day, KM seems relieved that we have lived thru the experience and is actually hoping for another glimpse of F-Bomber. We never did run into him again, but did see this lovely creature outside Union Station, pictured above. (I didn't take these photos of bums - that's another rule of mine.)

And, don't be lookin' at my m*****-f***in' batteries.

Foggy Bottom

So, back to more about my trip! In case you didn't know, there are several "areas" of D.C., one of which is Foggy Bottom. This is where our hotel was located, on the Potomac River, on the West side of town. This is a historic district, with lots of "rowhouses," like those pictured here. Foggy Bottom is also home to The George Washington University, and I was pleased that it meant we were also close to their Medical Center.
During our "Monuments at Moonlight" trolley tour, one of the passengers fell and hit the pavement in front of the Lincoln Monument. As he was reboarding the trolley, he had blood streaming down his face and a goose-egg-sized hematoma sprouting on his forehead. Our trolley driver took a quick detour to the hospital, and delivered him to the emergency room.

Each day, my buddy and I would walk from the Watergate Hotel to the Foggy Bottom Metro Station, which was just a few blocks away, nestled in between the university and the medical center. We always met college students and young medical students, and some pretty hot young doctors! But even more fascinating were the rowhouses. They had tiny little lawns, no bigger than 3 ft x 3 ft in most cases. I was also surprised that most folks in the area had dogs, judging by all the barking we heard as we passed by. I wondered what it would be like to live in a house like this - stacked up three stories, with neighbors right next to me. I hadn't lived like this since my college dormitory days. I also can't imagine living like that again, seeing as I feel cramped on our 66' x 150' lot and my excitement about our new house to be built on 2 1/2 acres. I joked to my friend that the yards were so tiny that residents would only have to use scissors to cut their grass. No room for lawnmowers! Well, the very next day - guess what we saw?!?!?!?







Yup! Can you see them?
I snuck this photograph, b/c I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. This lady had no clue that I was spying and giggling, all at the same time.

Here's a close-up of her hand, just to prove it.

Crazy, huh? I still think my husband would want a new weedeater for this task.

Photos! Photos! We Have PHOTOS!

Some smart folks out there! Yes, indeed, the quotes I posted last were from the World War II Memorial. This is a photo of the memorial, featuring a wreath laid by the group with which my daughter was traveling. My friend and I made it to these memorials much later in the day than the kids and were touched to see their wreaths, everywhere we went.I have FINALLY posted all the photos from our trip. Well, all the ones really worth looking at, for now. Amber took more photos that I haven't been able to upload yet - mostly of her trips to Gettysburg and Jamestown-Colonial Williamsburg. I have to consult with her first before getting accurate descriptions.

I was honored that two of our photos were chosen to be part of this flickr group. I immediately started crying at the Vietnam Memorial. I didn't expect my reaction - I was overwhelmed by the raw emotion that poured forth when I realized just how many lives were changed and ended forever by that war. You hear numbers of fatalities in excess of 58,000, but it's not the same as seeing the thousands of names on The Wall.

I just can't post all our photos on this blog, or I would blog about D.C. for an entire year. So check out the entire set here.

Back from D.C.

Yes, I made it back with The Offspring, all her body parts, and all our luggage. I am still recuperating from the trip, and trying to catch up on work. Plus, I have major allergies from the explosion of cherry blossoms - but oh, the trip was so magnificent. I have much to share. For now, here is a photo taken by The Offspring, for you to enjoy:

A Musical Tag! *** UPDATED 11:00PM CST ***

I wanted to participate in the Fun Monday assignment, but with my trip to D.C. starting tomorrow, I just don't have time to flesh out what my "perfect world" would entail. Love and understanding - yeah, but how interesting would a world be without conflict? I DO know that each and every day MUST include music, and appropriately, I've been tagged by Claudia - definitely sealing my spot as the slowest runner in the blogosphere. But this is harder than most, b/c I'm supposed to "come up with 7 songs I am currently enjoying." Like Claudia, I'm thinking ONLY SEVEN?!?!? Tough for a musical junkie!

(As you can tell, there are NINE songs on here as of late - so I failed another assignment.)

But what better way to leave you before I go on my blogging vacation? If you take time to check out all seven offerings, one per day - you won't even realize Tiggerlane is gone.

The first offering is typical "pop," introduced to me by The Offspring. It has a horribly catchy melody, and I was cursing her for an entire day at work b/c I was singing it to myself incessantly. It's a little naughty, and the first people that came to mind when I heard this song were Matt and Matt. The song is performed by Say Anything, and the title is "Wow, I Can Get Sexual, Too."

Lily Allen is one of my new favorites, and another discovery by The Offspring. This is the title track from her album "LDN," and this song makes me just want to bounce around the living room like a perky sprite.

If you read this post, then you already are familiar with this song. It's by Hellogoodbye, the band I'm currently obsessing over, as you can see from my new musical section in the right hand column. (Major thanks go out to Dan for being patient with The Neophyte and making that section possible!) The title is "Here in Your Arms." It reminds me of the more innocent days, when making out as a teenager was like the most AWESOME thing EVER!

Lenny Kravitz is one of my favorite musicians, and this track from the movie "Blue Crush" is entitled "If I Could Fall in Love Again." Lenny is sexy as hell, by the way.

Bloodhound Gang's members are actual friends of the boys from Jackass, and this is one of their tamer videos, "Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss." I think I've been in this club.

You may not have heard of Shiny Toy Guns, but I spin this track at least four times a week. Driving rock mixed with techno, with a beat you can dance to, here is "Le Disko."

Lucky number seven is another group discovered by The Offspring, called Mindless Self Indulgence. She says I'm totally uncool for saying their name, b/c they are known to her as merely "MSI." The video for "Straight to Video" is a little odd, especially since I've never before seen a male blow-up doll. However, it's a good song.

Many of you will be surprised that I didn't include anything by Prince - my favorite artist of all time. He hasn't released anything in the last month, or it would be my current obsession. If you haven't picked up anything since his purple days, you have missed out on some great tunage.

Now, as a musician and an artist, I am compelled to keep an extremely open mind. That means putting aside judgment and taking the music and lyrics for what they are - and not being hypercritical of the message. This next song is a bonus, but it is VERY controversial. However, Nine Inch Nails has never been anything BUT controversial - and this is one of their best songs ever. I understand exactly what Trent Reznor is saying here in "Closer," but the more sensitive among you SHOULD NOT WATCH this video if you are easily offended. Or even if you are NOT easily offended. This is raw, sexual song, and some of the images are quite graphic. This is the undedited version, not seen on MTV, containing brief nudity and the f-bomb, in its literal use. However, Reznor's conflict is evident in the line, "My whole existence is flawed/You bring me closer to God." You've been warned.

That whole video reminded me of the movie "The Cell."

UPDATED SECTION:
If you feel you got robbed, having to miss out on that last video b/c of content, let's see how open-minded you REALLY are. The Offspring was singing this to herself, and I about fell over. After watching it, I freakin' CRACKED UP! So, yeah, I'm a sicko, after all. This is from The Whitest Kids You Know, and it's called "Hitler Rap." Enjoy.

I won't return until April 2nd and will NOT have access to a computer or email - so wish me luck in D.C.!

Blogiversary! (Did I spell that right?)

A whole year! And looking back, I find it typical that my first post mentioned football.

A big trip is creeping up on me, so I'm scrambling to make arrangements - or at least figure out a plan. The kid was invited to this leadership forum in Washington D. C. I have never been there, and there's no way I'm putting her on a plane alone. Another mother and her son will be traveling with us, so there's some security in that fact. I've been pricing hotels suggested by the forum staff - and let me tell you, they are PRICEY. I'm in a time-crunch, too, as we leave March 26th.

Have any of you been to D.C.? Any warnings about crime-ridden areas, where I might not want to stay? We have to fly into Dulles, and all the hotels suggested by the forum folks are in Alexandria and Arlington, VA, which makes me think that is close to where the offspring will be staying.

Any suggestions will be MORE than appreciated! Embarking on this trip, I feel a lot like the guys in this video:

Pre-Vacation Headaches

Just an innocent suggestion such as, "Why don't you come to visit us?" by the parental units has caused me endless hours of online research and late night/early morning grief. If the parental units lived, let's say, in Tennessee - this might be as simple as hopping in the car and showing up. No, the parental units have chosen the beautiful California area of South Laguna Beach as their retirement haven, meaning that I have to trek across the country to see them.

Before you ask, I love my parents dearly. I am their only child, and our daughter is their only grandchild. I haven't been to visit them in six years - and yes, that makes me a horrible person. But you have to understand my reluctance to travel such a distance on VACATION. The stress of the airports, the lugging of luggage (I just now figured out why they call it that), the hotel rooms, the rental car - all the work involved in keeping everything running smoothly for the husband and child. It's exhausting. This, after working the entire week before. It's worse than work.

The parental units? Happily retired. But you know, at the ages of 65 and 70 - much too frail to travel (?), and let's not forget the thought of leaving the dog for a week (Precious). Not gonna happen. Much easier for the daughter to lug her clan across the country - and what exactly IS there to do in Arkansas? Besides, don't you wanna stay at a cool place like this?

At least I have chosen my flight and booked the hotel room. We're staying at a lovely resort, if you'd like to come visit. It's apparently one of the only hotels in the state of California that does not crucify smokers on the gates of the entrance. (At 1:30AM on Saturday morning, after spending hours online looking for hotels that welcome cancer-stick addicts, I briefly thought of asking Roger not to smoke during the trip. Then I came to what senses I had left. He was going to see the IN-LAWS, for goodness sakes. What was I thinking?)

Wanna come smoke it up with us? Here is the link to our fabulous hotel. Oh, and it's not just breathtaking because of the views...don't even talk to me about the PRICE. That will literally take your breath away!