35 Years and Where I can be Found

Rachel arrived home in Rochester last night having survived another cross-country trip with her volunteer group made up of college students on spring break. They traveled to Atlanta, Georgia doing volunteer projects along the way.

She sent me the photo to the left the other day. They'd ordered 52 pizzas for 4 buses of 160 students. I don't know for sure but I think they needed more.

She was proud to have managed to get by with just deodorant and one shower in the first five days. If she was typical of the general population on the bus, I'm not sure that even 52 pizzas could overcome their stink. But she was no doubt thriving in that bohemian environment. I'm looking forward to hearing in detail about how the trip went.

Tammy got a packet of information in the mail yesterday from Stony Brook, NY where Rachel will be attending college next year at Stony Brook University on Long Island for at least the first semester. They're planning a trip in August to move her out there. I think the plan is for them to drive a rental car there and have Tammy fly back. I'd like to go but I think I'll probably stay behind and tend to the pups. We'll see.

I received a certificate and a pin this past week for 35 years of government service. 4 years with the Navy and 31 years with the FAA. Considering that pins are given out for every 5 years of service, I can say with full confidence that this will be the last one I'll receive. Maybe I should frame both my 35-year certificate and my furlough notice and hang them side by side.

Our porch and deck project was put on hold because of the weather (read—lots more snow!) and because of our lack of a plan for our future deck. I didn't feel comfortable moving forward until we came up with something more than just a 20' x 22' square.

Karen to the rescue!

I expect that Joe will probably be able to begin work sometime in the next week or two. He figures it will be a 6-8 week project.

I got in some nice rides on my Mukluk over the weekend and I have some sore quads to show for it. I made my way back down to the Minnesota River bottoms where I enjoy myself most. It's simply unlike any other riding I've ever done and I love it. The panoramic photo to the left is looking down over the area I'm speaking of. Look beyond the snowline. That's where I can be found. Smiling.



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