A Month of Travels

The first of October found us in Salt Lake City for the Send Out Cards National Convention, and gave us the opportunity to visit Mike's family for a week.  It was great to see everyone and just made us wish we could visit more often.  We hadn't been back in over a year.  On the business side.. The convention was good.  This company has such huge potential and is on the verge of explosion!  Just the motivation we need to take this to the next level.  Read that blog if you want more info at http://sendarealcardblog.blogspot.com/.

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Returned home from Salt Lake just in time to collect my Mom from the Pueblo train station, and head off on a 3900 mile adventure with 12 alpacas.  Mostly driving, some visiting, but I don't think we ran out of things to talk about until about mile 3658.  Spent two days getting to Indiana where we dropped off the two bottle babies at their new home, and Escudero at his new home. 

 









At the second ranch we spent the night.  Day Three we drove to Spartanburg SC, and delivered the other 9 to their new home, before heading to my Uncle Charlie and Aunt Cordie's house in Fletcher, NC.  We visited them for two full days, and three nights...  Drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway, saw some great local art,  enjoyed some fabulous food, and played a few hands of Mah Jongg.  What a nice visit.. Also wish I could do that more often.  Only one mishap - if you could call it that, we blew out a trailer tire somewhere before Cookeville, Tennessee. Because of the double axle we did not even know it until we stopped form lunch, and there was nothing but shreds left of the tire.  Luckily on Sunday afternoon at 4:15 pm we found a tire store open and we replaced the tire (plus one on the other side) and were on our way.  We finished the trip with two nights in Waxahachie, TX, visiting my parents old stomping grounds and visiting lots of friends.  Dad flew to Dallas for those two days and drove home to Albuquerque with us.

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We arrived in Albuquerque an hour before I had to head to the airport to fly home because Mike and I were enrolled in a 3-day Rich Dad training on Stock Market investing...  Something else we might be interested.  We learned a ton, and learned that we have a ton to learn.  If we go that route, it will be something Mike is going to pursue.. I think I am tapped out.

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After a day of rest I headed for Las Vegas.  I spent the week here (where I am currently awaiting my return flight) at the TRIRIGA international users Conference.  I hadn't been here in 3 years, and so it was like I was being resurrected from the dead for most people, who didn't know I was still actively pursuing TRIRIGA contract work.  It could prove to be a very important trip for me.  While in Vegas I stayed with our Boise friends who now live in Vegas, although the wife component was out of town for the week.  Her husband, Mike, and I caught up over dinner last night and today went out to the newly opened bypass bridge over Hoover Dam.  (http://www.hooverdambypass.org/)  Mike has watched this construction every step of the way, so it was thrilling to be one of the first over the pedestrian bridge.  They did a nice job, and it is worth getting out to if you have the chance. 

Besides catching up with old TRIRIGA colleagues, I also spend a couple evenings visiting Dan London, one of my best friends in High School, whom I'd lost touch of some 25 years ago.. That was great!  Also had lunch with an old Weller Architects employee of mine, Lonnie Cumpton, whom I hadn't seen, nor spoken to in 15 years.. So interesting week.

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Today I am heading to Albuquerque.  I'm spending the week decompressing and visiting the kids.  Sara has a Halloween project she needs some help on, and it will be nice to see Kelsey.  Both of the girls seem to be doing well this year.  Not much news to share, which sometimes is a good thing.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  It's just the beginning of the Holiday season!