October 23, 2009
Confusing Buffet Lines With Bread Lines
A fellow cruise ship passenger on a shore excursion in Cozumel.
He also had "commie" tattooed across his belly.
August 20, 2009
Outside My Window
Every evening ths spider spins a web, every morning it takes it down again.
July 08, 2008
Nearly Perfect Park
The park has the regular things you would expect to find: picnic tables and pavilions, playgrounds, walking trails, and an adult softball field.
But a park just isn't complete without a torpedo.
Jeffersontown Veterans Memorial Park where there is also a M60, a Huey, and a couple of anti-aircraft guns "guarding" the entrance.
There are also memorials that speak of honoring the service and sacrifices of those who served God and country. The machinery of war takes my mind away to foreign lands but the memorials make me feel very anchored to the land I'm standing on. And very grateful.
June 25, 2008
April 15, 2007
Lowry Park Zoo: Harrell Discovery Center
Our flight home on Friday wasn't until 5:00 so after we checked out of the hotel we spent some time at Tampa's zoo. These are a couple of photos I took in the Discovery Center.
There were some interesting animals and animal-related exhibits in the Discovery Center, including a drawer with samples of animal poop (sorry, no photo of that). It also had the added benefit of being inside...something we all appreciated since we got sunburned on our trip to Egmont Key. After a couple of days of rain our enthusiasm for sunshine got the better of us and we forgot to apply sunscreen frequently enough.
April 13, 2007
Dolphins!
It rained all day Tuesday but on Wednesday we had perfect weather for a trip to Egmont Key. The captain of the ferry we took did an excellent job of attracting dolphins which played in the wake of the boat.
March 11, 2007
A Promise
A promise that the total suck that is winter will soon be over.
July 12, 2006
Roy G. Biv
The only camera I had with me was the one in my cell phone but even if the quality isn't the best, a rainbow is always worth sharing.
July 09, 2006
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
Our original plans for Friday were to have breakfast, check out of the hotel and go to the Museum of Science and Industry before leaving for home. We did the first two but our museum visit was delayed because it was closed until 1:00 for the Bush press conference.
I had found out earlier that morning that he would be at the museum but hadn't realized the whole place would be shut down. Considering the security check and wanding we went through to get into the restaurant, I should have figured that there was no way they would want to go through all that with the number of visitors the museum gets, especially with an announced presidential visit. But I had asked the hotel concierge if he knew of any problems in visiting the museum that morning - he didn't even know that Bush was going to be there. I also mentioned that we were going to a police officer outside of the restaurant. Neither said anything about it being closed until the afternoon.
So, we had one failed first attempt to visit followed by a couple of hours getting lost driving around Chicago. I would have been content to head home but I had promised that we would go there before we left so we waited. We were able to get in (to wait in line until it opened) when we returned at about 12:30.
I'm glad we waited. We got to tour the U-boat, see a giant model train layout, learn about coal mines, and see Sue the T-Rex:
This is part of a sign near the U-boat exhibit. I took a picture of it as a reminder that there was a time when designating information as classified really meant something.
People understood that war was, well, war. The ship that captured U-505 was part of Hunter-Killer Task Groups. A similar group now would probably be called "Protective Dolphin Pod" or something equally vague and, most importantly, PC.
The tour's interesting but I couldn't stop thinking about the Twilight Zone episode "Judgment Night" during it.
July 08, 2006
Best Breakfast Ever
Before we left Chicago this morning we went to Lou Mitchell's for breakfast. As soon as we got out of the taxi I knew this was going to be a very special breakfast. It wasn't the diner's reputation for good food that got me excited, it was seeing the men in suits with curly wires coming out of their ears.
I had heard on the news this morning that the president was also in Chicago, what I didn't know until we arrived was that he was coming to the same restaurant for breakfast. When President Bush came in he stopped to say hello and shake hands with every person in the restaurant. I think what I said to him went something like, "a buh buh buh, uh, nice to meet you too." I'm sure the grin on my face was equally idiotic. Not one of my better moments.
We were asked not to take photographs inside so the best I have to offer is a photo of the president's limo.
June 30, 2006
June 19, 2006
June 17, 2006
Sunbathing On a Hot Day
A polar bear at the Louisville Zoo.
May 05, 2006
I May Have Seen You There...
The kids had the day off from school for that most important of holidays, Kentucky Oaks Day. (What were you expecting, Cinco de Mayo?) The Oaks is a race for fillies that is run the day before the Run for the Roses. It's like a Derby Day for locals (all of the fun with fewer celebrities and tourists) so everyone should have been at the track or preparing for tomorrow's parties. At least that's what I was hoping. Instead it seemed as if they were all at the Louisville Zoo. I think it was the largest crowd I've seen there other than when they have their annual Halloween Party.
Some of the animals we saw -
