Morning coffee with Ruby

Meetings and con call's sometimes take a life of their own, and many times it is not a positive thing. Sometimes I wonder if the whole government work force isn't on Paxil or Zoloft or Prozaic, the way everything seems to be always a negative slant, instead of positive. Drama Queens abound!

Uglee day...and tiring

and this kind of stuff always seems to pop up around holidays...making the urge to get away even more pressing!

doodles on airline napkins

Yes, I do draw on just about everything I can lay my hands on..and this is yet another jab at the airline snack boxes. Coz while i was deciding what i was going to get when the plane was loading up, I was also watching the people loading on the plane [as well as the airport]...I believe the reports on America's obesity rising.

Travels with Ruby..Airline Sanck Boxes

In case you didn't know, you barely get any kind of food on an airline trip these days. But they do offer you 'wonderful' snack boxes, for $5 apiece, same price as an adult beverage. So the choice is Drink or Eat ..hmmm . But you know you have been on the road too much if you know which airlines' snack is the best, and which one of the offerings is most nutrional, yummy or yuky.

John and Marissa's house...and the boyz!

This is Cody, and John. Cody is as much a mooch as Thrash, but of course Cody can get up on the counters and score his food. But this nite, everyone was feeding him, so all he had to do is beg.



And this is Cowboy. He is normally a bouncy dog, but when I petted him and talked with him, he laid down and rolled over on his back. Marissa said she never saw him do that with anyone. Can I becoming the new Dr Doolittle? They are both the sweetest doggies, next to Thrash of course!

Even when it rains, there is always good

Two nights ago we were on our way to John S's house to have some burgers and chill out. And for me to play with their dogs, Cody and Cowboy. It was raining very hard, as is want this time of the year in the Springs. As the rain passed from the mountains going east, I saw the most gorgeous rainbow I had ever seen. So bright and brilliant, the pix don't do it justice. Rain does bring good things!

The view from John and Marissa's deck...it was fabulous!

Living Life thru a Windshield

So after lunch in Boulder we all hit the road in our cars for Colorado Springs. Turned out to be about a 2 hr drive, included stops for accidents that backed traffic up around the Springs. But it occurred to me as I was again driving back thru Denver, looking at the mountains, the city, the flatlands , and Invesco Field [home of the Denver Broncos] that I had been taking pictures of my trip while driving. No stopping to enjoy, just living thru the windshield. A portal to other worlds and places, none of which I was stopping long enough to enjoy.



The Denver skyline from I 25 going south.

Boulder Colorado...on the road again

This morning left for Boulder, and this was the view out my car window. I didn't take a picture of the traffic...geez, it seems like i can never get away from it!



After our discussions and stuff, we went into the town of Boulder for some lunch. It's a college town, eclectic and neat. Stopped in a Italian resteraunt and had a great salad! That's a bottle of
San Peligrino water I am holding. sparkly water that you pay for.

It was a good thing these are not my shopping pals, or I would have gone broke in Boulder!

Golf Balls in Aurora CO

This is where I was today......


And of course while driving in and around the Denver area, stuck in traffic and reading a map, I look up and see this...Lamborghini of Denver. Wow..wonder if they take credit cards?

On the roadyet again...

so the Raider Croc's are on the road... their first visit to a United REd Carpet Club Room. Chillin' out waiting for my flight..





the sky and the almost rain , on the road from the Denver airport to Aurora CO..

Hilton Garden Inn has a high zoot chair in the room, a Herman Miller...ohhh..my back is thanking them!

just random scribbles while on the phone

Traveling..

One thing all this traveling has made me realize, middle seats sux and having someone in there that is not considerate sux worse. I almost acted out this Ruby cartoon!

Last Pix from Alaska

After our meetings and video teleconferences on Elemendorf AFB in Anchorage, we were going over to do some site surveys and stopped to see these eagles. They can not fly nor be let loose, so they are kept and well fed. They are part of a little park and memorial to an air crew that crashed there at Elemendorf a while back. I was talking to them but they ignored me, except to pose majestically for my camera.



We also stopped to check out spawning Salmon in a stream close by. The major run upstream had abated , but if you look close those dark things in the water were salmon. Some of these fish are HUGE!


Lastly, a picture perfect day and warm temp's along with a view of mountains left a lasting impression as we left the Air Base and headed for some food and the airport to catch a red-eye flight back to the lower 48 [states]. The prospect of 9 hrs on a plane all total was not enticing, but it was time to come home for sure.

Back at Fairbanks and the Alpine Lodge

Can you believe this pix was taken at about 10 PM? As I post this now, it's about 10:45PM and still light out.

alpine Lodge is where we stayed...nice and new with a great gift shop!

Why am I smiling? I finally got me a salad! Too much food this trip !

The river boat just passed on by all of us while we were munching on Salmon salads and Halibut. As you can see, the day or night as it actually is, was gorgeous and warm. What a difference from the start of our trip. The place was called Pikes Landing, and what a place to eat and look out on the Chena river and get ready for a 6 AM flight to Anchorage and another day of work. Poor me, huh?

Clearwater saloon and eating establishmnet

the first time we went to the Clearwater, and stuffed ourselves with good food [I had a Halibut and crab wrap] it was still a bit crummy day, but that didn't stop me from taking photos..the one on the left is off the deck out the back, watching the river that is practically in the backyard of the place. a peaceful moment.

Ft Greely and the team

Here is the team I have been traveling with and leading...one pix of work the other of play. We are outside one of the buildings on the Missile Defense Complex at Ft Greely, Alaska, getting ready to go in and do what we do. The rain had stopped and the sun was struggling to come out. The complex is surrounded by beautiful mountains, but the clouds did not clear enough for me to get a good shot. Then backt to the Clearwater for some specially prepared Salmon and birthday celebration for one of the team....

boy were we full after dinner, but not that full that we couldn't smile and pose!





























The next day after our meetings and outbriefs, we said goodbye to Ft G, our military quarters where we were staying. The sun came out, it was a warm day and the sky was BIG...on our way back to Fairbanks.

It's colddddd and rainy.....

well, here i am in Alaska and there is no sun to be found, only rain and rain and rain. but great King Crab and Salmon! more to come, but not the sun.

because you can never get enough of cute pix

Contemplation...."when are we going for a boat ride?"
Mother and son, the special man in my life!