Life On The Planet

Random Wyoming

(All photos taken with Butterfly's digital from the van on I-25.)

Wyoming defies description, so I won't attempt to describe it. The photos will speak for themselves. I will, however, tell you three things I know.

1. I really want to come back some day.

2. You could drive for hours in Wyoming and never see another living being.

3. They have one REALLY LOONEY road construction flag person. (Nothing a couple years in therapy couldn't hammer out, I'm sure.)

Now, I give you, WYOMING via the van...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow, YELLOWSTONE!!!!!

Twisted Melody

I make it back to Memphis after a long day of taking Sal to camp. My leg is cramping. My back is in spasms. But it doesn't matter. My favorite Police song is playing, and I'm almost home.

Though I've tried before to tell her...

Of the feelings I have for her in my heart

I'm fifteen minutes from stretching out on my sofa. I may just be able to con someone into rubbing my back. I can almost feel the pillow under my head. I'm singing at the top of my lungs. Oh, joy. Oh, happy, happy day!

Do I have to tell the story...

Of a thousand rainy days since we first met

And then I see a guy standing on the side of the road. I'll spare you the details. Suffice to say that from this day on, whenever I hear "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," I'll think of this song instead...

Thanks, Mister. Thanks a lot.

Big Time

Last year Sal was a counselor-in-training. A grunt. A nobody. He slept in a tent just like the one below.

(I've slept in one myself. I don't recommend them for three nights, much less five weeks.)

 
But now he is the real thing. He is... Staff!!!! He sleeps in a cabin. He has arrived.
Not too shabby, Sal! But that doesn't mean you're too important to call your mother! Often!!!!!

Road to the Ozarks

Sal snapped some cell phone pix on the way to camp.
(Enjoy the scenery and his lovely finger!)

 

More camp stuff to come.

Driving Green - The Homeschool Way

Most homeschoolers I know drive their cars forever. A homeschooler in a new car? Fuggetaboutit.

According to Scientific American, driving your car (as long as it's well maintained) for a longer time before buying a new one is the green thing to do.

So, you see, my mini-van isn't just green. It's GREEN! 

Please excuse me while I go and hug a tree.

Home

The trip home went well for most of us. Aussie Kim and I listened to The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life on CD. The kids mostly slept, played with their electronics and complained that we were listening to The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life on CD. Margins of safety in investments have limited appeal to the fourteen and under demographic. One highlight of the trip was paying $1.99 a gallon for gas in Jackson. $1.99! Oh, happy day.

This morning, Tiger got up and said, "What are we doing today?"

"Math," I told him, "and spelling, and Greek..."

I could be wrong, but I don't think he's happy to be back.

Blog Breaks, Louisiana, Halloween & Driver's Ed

I've been enjoying a pleasant, though unplanned, break from blogging. After Sal and my folks got back to Memphis from Korea they had a day of rest. Then we all piled into Mom and Dad's minivan and headed south to Louisiana. Home, sweet home. Does the sight of Live Oaks give you the warm fuzzies? It should.

The kids had asked to spend Halloween with my folks. They live on a dead end road, and Halloween in their neighbor hood is pretty much a giant block party. (Very kid friendly with none of the scary stuff.) Obi-Wan and Lady Liberty raked in the loot. Sal decided he is too old to trick-or-treat, but he is definitely not too old to swipe his siblings' candy. The Hayleys (of momandkidsathome fame) came over, as well as some of The C.F.O.'s relatives. They're the ones who visisted us during Gustav, so it was nice to see them during a non-hurricane related event.

Earlier in the week, we went to visit my aunt and the farm. Dana, over at Principled Discovery, had a post recently about homeschoolers and driver's ed. Sal will probably be taking driver's ed. in the spring, however this week he had an old fashioned driver's ed. course at the farm. He drove the minivan around the barnyard. I figure he's the third generation to learn to drive there. Hey, it worked for the rest of us! The good news for my parent's minivan - no more cattle in the barnyard means cleaner tires. Eww.

One last thing, yesterday was my grandmother's birthday. Now, I'm not going to tell you how old she is because, well, I value my life. HOWEVER, I will say the her next birthday is going to be a big one!!! Happpy Birthday, Grandma!

I have to get ready to hit the road. Aussie Kim is picking us up on her way back from Houston. Think Thelma and Louise with five kids. And furniture from IKEA. Woo-Hoo. Boy, do we ever know how to travel!

 

 

 

Having Fun In Korea (I don't think he misses me.)

Here are some shots sent by the merry travelers.

These are taken at a Korean Folk Village. (As one of my friends put it, "A kind of Korean Williamsburg.")

Isn't fall beautiful there?  Apparently, there were entertainers at the Folk Village.

 
Look at this fellow! Wait...is that Sal...? Nah. It couldn't be.

Or could it? 

One thing is for certain, we'll never be able to keep him down on the farm now!

To Pass the Time...

and to amuse myself while I await news from the weary travelers, I give you Random Shots From My Camera. Only, Sal took my camera so it's really Random Shots From the Stuff Sal Downloaded From My Camera, but (like this sentence) that's way too long. So, Random Shots From My Camera it is.

Photo by Butterfly. Golf work and Photoshopping by Sal.

The road home from Boy Scout camp. I was certainly headed in the right direction.

Salamander, A Self Portrait. Please ignore basket of laundry. The maid needs to be fired. Forever. Through the wench out! Sack her...please.

Random blurry cat photo. I have oodles more just like it.

We HEART the hammock.

And finally...

Go celebrate, and I'll catch you later.

Flight Status

Sal and my parents were delayed on the ground in Memphis waiting for "maintenance" issues to be resolved with their plane. Comforting words. At any rate, they are now in the air and should make it to Minneapolis in time for their connecting flight to Tokyo!