Nephew back from Iraq

My sister called me yesterday to let me know that my nephew, Ken, was in Wisconsin for de-mobilization and would be flying out of Minneapolis/St. Paul airport today.

I went to the airport this morning expecting to have to have him paged. I also thought I'd stop at the Armed Services lounge. My cell phone rang as I was driving up the airport parking ramp. I fumbled the phone and disconnected the caller.

My phone rang again as I was parking and was able to answer it. It was Ken. He was in the Armed Services lounge.

It was incredibly great to see Ken. I hadn't realized how anxious I was about his being over in Iraq until I got to see him back over here.

Bald sparrow evidence

Here is the evidence.

We had some spitting snow today so if these sparrows migrate, they better get going.

A Halloweeny weekend

Saturday Christine, Kay and I went to the Trail of Terror in Shakopee.

As you can see from the shaky, blurry photo, it was indeed scary.

Actually the hay ride this year was longer but not as scary. Its neat to ride a wagon through the woods at night though.

The haunted house which they now call a maze was fantastic. Scary as all get out and so much fun.

Sunday was pumpkin carving at JT and Linda's. Big crowd of adults and kids and lots of pumpkins and food. A really nice break from working again this weekend.

Home - for a while?

Home again. Supposedly there isn't any more travel money from the client so I might get to be home for a bit.

Woke up in the middle of the night with little Miss Uno curled up next to my chest and Mr. Frankie wedged up to my feet. I was stuck in the middle of them. It was nice.

More about birds

I don't know if they are gackles or grackels or cackles or what. Thousands of birds were roosting in the trees, on top of buildings and in the parking lot at the restaurant we went to last night.

It was so Alfred Hitchcock, The Birds.

A real bald eagle

On the car rental bus shuttle from the Dallas terminal to the car rental system, saw a real bald eagle in the air.

The after picking up my car - a Mazda 3 - and on the way to the client office, saw a large hawk perched on telephone wires.

So, Bunny, I've been seeing a lot of birds lately. Real or fictional - you decide.

Back to Dallas

Dallas again this week.

Saw the "bald-headed" sparrow again today. I tried getting a picture with my phone camera but he was too far away.

Pontiac G6

Or at least I think it was a Pontiac G6.

Not a very comfortable car to drive. Difficult to see out of. The back end is high making it hard to see vehicles behind you. I could not get the steering wheel in a comfortable position and the wheel itself feels too big for the interior. To get it low enough made reading the speedometer impossible.

The transmission shifted smoothly like most of the other GM vehicles I've driven. The window controls are in an odd place on the driver's arm rest. Kept hitting the door lock when I wanted the window.

And I big pet peave of mine...no interior trunk release. You have to use the button on the key fob and I just don't find that convenient.

Follow what I'm announcing...if you can

After you return your Hertz rental car, you take the Hertz shuttle bus back to the airport terminal. Pretty standard.

There are two terminals at Atlanta airport - South and North.

So the announcement on the shuttle goes something like this: We will be arriving at the South Terminal. This bus makes one stop. The South Terminal is for Delta, AirTran, etc, etc. If you have a ticket or boarding pass for these airlines, get off here. Also if you have a boarding pass for any other airline except American or are going to Terminal T or want to walk
but are not handicapped or like to eat dinner before your flight but don't want to get too stuff....you can also get off here....or wait until the North Terminal.

And it just went on and on.

I got off.

Outrageous Fortune

One of my favorite movies is Outrageous Fortune starring Bette Midler and Shelly Long.

While waiting for my flight in Atlanta these two ladies go up to the gate agent and it reminded me of the scene from movie where Shelly Long and Bette Midler go up to the airport ticket counter and pretend to be Russian immigrants.

They put kerchiefs over their heads and speak with Russian accents. The ticket agent calls their bluff but goes ahead and helps them because of their originality.

Anyway I didn't even hear the women at the gate desk but it made me think of that scene and smile.

Reconnected with college roommate

My college roommate, Lewis Jeffries, is from Atlanta. I googled his name and got his phone number.

I had dinner with Lewis and his partner, Paul, last night. It was fantastic to reconnect with someone I knew over 30 years ago.

Atlanta IBM campus

The Atlanta IBM campus is located near the Buckhead area of Atlanta. There are some enormous homes between the IBM office and the hotel. I'm talking ridiculously big.

But there are also lots and lots of trees and beautiful lawns.

The IBM campus is big. There are at least two buildings which are actually connected but because there are so many trees and this is built on a hillside, they seem far apart. The building I'm in straddles a lake.

But like so many of these IBM facilities it is nearly empty. I went up to the 5th floor to look for a soda machine and it is completely empty. No people but the furniture is still there.

Rose and Amy - missed opportunity

My early morning flight on Monday from Minneapolis to Atlanta on Delta was extremely uneventful except for the fact that almost the entire plane was filled with the Army lacrosse team.

Oh, Amy and Rose, you would have loved it! I'll just let everyone use their own imaginations.

Finally a new destination

Atlanta, Georgia

Because of some IRS rule having to do with expense reimbursements I cannot travel to Dallas, Texas for more than 10 days a month now that I've been going there for over one year. The team wants to work together so we chose Atlanta. One team member works there and another lives in South Carolina so less travel overall.

I haven't been to Atlanta since college when the marching band would go to Georgia Tech football games.

Uptown goings on

Gas is down to $2.89.9!! Shot down while I was in Dallas.

The Calhoun Square parking ramp has a new level with another one on the way. They are making pretty good progress.

And today I saw that the demolition of the south section has started. Where Lotus-to-GoGo was is now gone-gone.

Home - chatted all the way

Had a very nice woman as row companion on flight home last night. We chatted the entire time and had so much in common. Made the time fly by...get it?...fly by!

Supposed to be going to Atlanta next week. Same project just meeting in a different city so fewer people have to fly.

Perfect North Texas weather

The last couple of days have been beautiful here in Dallas/Irving. Not that I get outside much because of working but it is most most pleasant.

A sign that this project has been going on too long...I saw my second Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog release. I actually I missed most of it but the project managers happened upon the outdoor runway show and called me out.

I remember last year it was very very hot.

TSA middle name is Security?

Going through security today in Minneapolis, the TSA x-ray tech pointed and asked if the brown roller-bag was mine. I asked if he meant the grey one?

He told me to remove the bottle of lotion in my bag next time. I said there wasn't any lotion. He just repeated himself.

If there really were lotion, why didn't he have my bag checked manually? Why don't I ever feel like we're really secure?

First Class Upgrade

Another packed flight from Minneapolis to Dallas on American Airlines. I have got to get out of the habit of arriving at the airport just in time for the flight.

I strolled up to the gate ticket checker and was rejected. The other gate attendant recognized me as "Alspaugh" and handed the first class ticket. Sweet!

Dallas

Back again. Some rumors that we might have to go to Dallas every week until the project goes live. And that could be a few more months.

I sure hope we don't have to travel every week.

Twin Cities Marathon

My neighbor, Mather, runs the Twin Cities Marathon so I walk over to Dean Parkway to cheer on him and all the runners.

Thank goodness he saw me cause I would have missed him. There are some 11,000 runners and they come along in huge bunches.

It was raining pretty good while I was watching and even thunder showered. During my walk back home, it poured. By the time I got home I was drenched. But it was all worth it to cheer on Mather and the rest of the runners.

First frost

They predicted frost for this morning. I didn't believe it would really happen. But looking at my bedroom window onto the roof of the porch and there is frost.

I hope my geraniums are okay.

A miniature bald eagle?

At coffee the other morning a sparrow looking for crumbs landed on the sidewalk. He looked like a little bald eagle with his totally white-feathered head.

I didn't get a picture. Bunny doesn't believe me. If I see him at the coffee shop again, I'm going to try to get proof.

Furnace time

Getting rather chilly. Had to turn on the furnace. And bring the house plants in from the front porch.

Can those frosty crystal-coated tree days be far away?