Iowa State Fair 2009

Yes, it is in "the book," and I have already checked it off my list. This was my second trip to the fair.

The weather was beautiful. The picture is of a cow carved out of butter. It is almost life sized. Ick! I don't actually like butter, but it does make a cute picture.

The crowds were not too bad. It was a good family day - the last one for months because Andy is back at college now.

We started with the bunnies. Jill wanted to bring one or more home, but we have too many pets. They were cute. I didn't realize there were so many varieties of rabbits.

Next stop was junk food - cheese curds and fry bread taco. And then on to chocolate chip cookies.

We rode the sky glider, which gave us a great view of the entire fair. We skipped the midway (rides and such), and then had roasted corn and mountain dew.

We walked through the animal barns - goats as far as you can see.....pigs - they were all sleeping... horses.....cows. Did you know that goats don't like to be bathed? We heard the worse noise ever, and it was a goat crying in the bath. Poor thing.

We went through the Cultural Center to look at the art.

It was a good day. Looong drive home though from Des Moines, IA to St. Paul, MN.

DC and Maryland, August 2009

This is another business trip, but I am having fun too -- dinner with friends and a nice (hot) walk around Dupont Circle.

Today we drove to the US Fire Administration offices. They are in an old college campus near the Maryland / PA border. It was a nice drive and the campus is lovely. (The meeting was good too.)

I haven't really blogged about my non-travel life, but I will - a little - now. I am glad to be in DC druing this particular week because Andy is at home right now packing all of his stuff to return to the University of Iowa. (Go Hawks!) I hope this year will be easier than last, but I am still a little sad. It helps to not be home, but perhaps that just delays the inevitable. I wish him the best of luck -- and I know he is happy there, but it is still hard on me that he isn't home.

Airports

I've been to many airports.

I play trivia almost every Tuesday night. This week they had a question about the number of airports in the US. I got the question correct.... in part because I travel lots.... and in part because the TSA is one of my clients. They know all of the US airports.

This reminded me that I was going to do a blog post about airport codes. DH thinks it is strange that I can instantly recall these from memory.

MSP - Minneapolis / St. Paul (home)
AMS - Amsterdam
LAX - Los Angeles
LAS - Las Vegas
DFW - Dallas Ft Worth
PDX - Portland, Oregon
SFO - San Francisco
MIA - Miami
LCY - London City
LGW - London Gatwick
LHR - London Heathrow
LGA - La Guardia
NRT - Tokyo Narita
DCA - Washington National
IAD - Washington Dulles
BWI - Baltimore Washington
MDW - Chicago Midway
ORD - Chicago O'Hare
SEA - Seattle - Tacoma
YVR - Vancouver
YUL - Montreal
DTW - Detroit
STL - St. Louis
DEN - Denver
PHX - Phoenix
SLC - Salt Lake City
CDG - Charles de Gaulle Paris
JFK - John F Kennedy
MCO - Orlando, FL
ATL - Atlanta

Yep....I need a new hobby. Or, I should have been a travel agent.

I have a good story about when DH's brother wanted to fly to Charleston, SC for a long weekend, but ended up with a ticket to Charleston, WV instead. I've been to both, and I prefer SC! I didn't know these until now, but their codes are: CHS for Charleston, SC; and CRW for Charleston, WV. Please.......don't anyone else make this mistake.

Paris for my 30th birthday

My first trip to Paris!! I spent the weekend of my 30th birthday in Paris. (I'd rather not reveal the date, but I guess context is needed - 1996.) It was just long enough to give me a taste of this awesome city. I remember being very tired and jet lagged, but tried to see as much as possible.


(Never buy new shoes before a trip like this.)

I went to a bakery every morning to get a fresh baquette. I love bread, cheese and wine. The French have a good thing going!

I went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I didn't want to come down. I could have spent the whole day there, except for the fact that I was craving a crepe. It was a good crepe.

I went to the catacombs - and I don't need to ever visit that again.

I also really enjoyed walking through Jardins de Tuileries. I spent an afternoon in the Louvre; which isn't enough time - but again, just enough to give me a taste.

I knew before I arrived in Paris that I would love it and would want to return.......often.

Probably the best birthday present I ever gave myself.