still in the hotel, trying to figure out how a family of five + 2 cats can live life in 2 rooms. Could be up to 2 months like this. We bought a hot plate today so that we could venture beyond microwave cooking. I'm longing to actually cook a real meal, never mind actually eating it.
El Gato loves bags. He seems to have settled in to life in one room pretty well as long as we're around.
Hoping maybe to get a few evening shots over on post tonight for my shot of the day, but if not, this might be it.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Army Medical Department Museum
Me: "Come on, let me get a picture of you in front of the Combat Medic statue."
Teenagers: "No way! Why [blah, blah, blah, resistance, other forms of dis'ing the old man]"
Me: "Fine, maybe later. Come on, I want to show you what I do"
Little K: "What do you do, anyway?"
Me: "Come on, I'll show you."
later...
Me: "Now how 'bout that picture?"
***
The Army Medical Department Museum is on Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and is open to the public. It is well done, mixing national history with the history of the Army Medical Department. If you come to the museum, you can learn the history of the Department and it's component branches (Medical Service Corps of course is the most interesting - no bias there).
The final push
We made it to San Antonio on Thursday afternoon. The final push started after a night in a Lake Charles, Louisiana motel.
Traveling with pets is hard - on them and on you. Poor cats were locked up in their crates for most of the day every day we were on the road. As soon as we got to the hotel, Big Boy (The D.C.) began to explore.
Good thing this motel actually allowed pets - since Big Boy promptly found the window and stuck himself in it.
Life on the road is pretty intimate. We aren't used to having a big house, but we aren't used to living in a single room, either.
Traveling with pets is hard - on them and on you. Poor cats were locked up in their crates for most of the day every day we were on the road. As soon as we got to the hotel, Big Boy (The D.C.) began to explore.
Good thing this motel actually allowed pets - since Big Boy promptly found the window and stuck himself in it.
Life on the road is pretty intimate. We aren't used to having a big house, but we aren't used to living in a single room, either.
Up early the next morning to pack the car. The kids were exhausted - too late to bed, too early up for too many days.
The final pack-out on the road - trying to cram all that stuff back in was like a jigsaw puzzle each morning.
Luckily we had Woodman with us - he was read to go as soon as we got out to the cars.
It's hard to imagine traveling anywhere without Woodman.
It really was a great trip, all things considered. Glad to finally be here.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Day 7 - Zombie Killing in Huntsville
Lazy day today - we considered going to a local water park, but we decided we'd had enough water and sun and could use a break. So we opted for some indoor fun instead. We headed down to The Bridge Street in Huntsville, an outdoor mall.
The ladies did a little shopping, including visiting The Chocolate Crocodile, a candy and coffee shop where the girls bought various treats for themselves, including chocolate and caramel covered apples.
Lunch was at Red Robin, which was nothing to get excited about, but sometimes it's nice to eat in a familiar chain when you've been gone from the familiar.
After lunch we went to The Station, a mixed function amusement center that featured bowling, billiards, an arcade, bar, and restaurant. Something along the lines of Dave & Busters if you are familiar with that chain.
The girls decided to play in the arcade rather than bowl, and they really cleaned house on the tickets.
Even Kandie and Terry bummed a few tokens and got in on the act:
The well-dressed zombie killer is sporting a colorful paisley purse this summer:
(sorry for the poor quality images - shooting with Kandie's cell phone today)
The ladies did a little shopping, including visiting The Chocolate Crocodile, a candy and coffee shop where the girls bought various treats for themselves, including chocolate and caramel covered apples.
Lunch was at Red Robin, which was nothing to get excited about, but sometimes it's nice to eat in a familiar chain when you've been gone from the familiar.
After lunch we went to The Station, a mixed function amusement center that featured bowling, billiards, an arcade, bar, and restaurant. Something along the lines of Dave & Busters if you are familiar with that chain.
The girls decided to play in the arcade rather than bowl, and they really cleaned house on the tickets.
Even Kandie and Terry bummed a few tokens and got in on the act:
The well-dressed zombie killer is sporting a colorful paisley purse this summer:
(sorry for the poor quality images - shooting with Kandie's cell phone today)
Day 6 - Huntsville, Alabama
We said sad farewells to the W.'s and hit the road for the next leg of our trip - visiting the K. family in Huntsville, Alabama. The K. family had been our neighbors in Virginia, but the Army moved them to Huntsville last summer.
We rolled in to Huntsville in the late afternoon and had a nice reunion with our friends. Terry and Ian cooked us a delicious dinner, including snicker apple salad which was completely amazing!
Ian and I rode their bikes down to the Tennessee river, which was about two miles from their house, touring around Ditto Landing,
admiring all the boats in their slips. I was surprised at the number of houseboats that obviously were occupied for more than just an afternoon cruise - many hooked up to satellite dishes attached to the dock!
After the sun went down the K.'s neighbors across the street lit off a post-4th of July fireworks show
and gave the kids sparklers:
We rolled in to Huntsville in the late afternoon and had a nice reunion with our friends. Terry and Ian cooked us a delicious dinner, including snicker apple salad which was completely amazing!
Ian and I rode their bikes down to the Tennessee river, which was about two miles from their house, touring around Ditto Landing,
admiring all the boats in their slips. I was surprised at the number of houseboats that obviously were occupied for more than just an afternoon cruise - many hooked up to satellite dishes attached to the dock!
After the sun went down the K.'s neighbors across the street lit off a post-4th of July fireworks show
and gave the kids sparklers:
Day 3-5 - Strom Thurmond Lake
Day 3-5 of our trip we stayed at the Pointes West recreation area. Up-and-at-'em first thing each morning out onto Kathy and Keith's ski boat.
Tubing was the hot activity - getting towed behind the boat on a canvas covered inner tube.
Yeaaaahhh! Kandie was totally cool the whole time, right!
This is not your father's inner tube!
Nicole and Lexi had a blast! We couldn't pry them off the tube, but the lake could!
We went morning till night...
Drew showed us his wake boarding skills, which is a lot like snow boarding on water...
His orthodontist is giving away an iPad to the patient with the best "tooth brush" picture - so we tried to help him out:
It wasn't all go-go-go - we took some time out for unmotorized water sports too:
Good friends and good food! Calzones by sunset:
We had yummy desserts every night - but the last, special night, we had Kathy's homemade tiramisu!
When we first met the W.'s 18 years ago, we used to go out to Olive Garden together. It was the first time any of us had money, so we were really excited to not only be able to go out to eat, but be able to get dessert! Tiramisu was Kandie's and my favorite dessert - so this was a special treat to celebrate how long we have been friends.
The only draw back to staying at Pointes West was no wi-fi - which is why I'm just catching up today.
Tubing was the hot activity - getting towed behind the boat on a canvas covered inner tube.
Yeaaaahhh! Kandie was totally cool the whole time, right!
This is not your father's inner tube!
Nicole and Lexi had a blast! We couldn't pry them off the tube, but the lake could!
We went morning till night...
Drew showed us his wake boarding skills, which is a lot like snow boarding on water...
His orthodontist is giving away an iPad to the patient with the best "tooth brush" picture - so we tried to help him out:
It wasn't all go-go-go - we took some time out for unmotorized water sports too:
Good friends and good food! Calzones by sunset:
We had yummy desserts every night - but the last, special night, we had Kathy's homemade tiramisu!
When we first met the W.'s 18 years ago, we used to go out to Olive Garden together. It was the first time any of us had money, so we were really excited to not only be able to go out to eat, but be able to get dessert! Tiramisu was Kandie's and my favorite dessert - so this was a special treat to celebrate how long we have been friends.
The only draw back to staying at Pointes West was no wi-fi - which is why I'm just catching up today.
Day 2 - Strom Thurmond Lake, Appling, GA
We rolled in to Pointes West Army Resort on the shores of Strom Thurmond Lake in Appling, Georgia in the late evening on Day 2 of our journey to San Antonio.
Our friends the W.'s had reserved two cabins right on the lake, and had even stocked our fridge for us with our kids' favorite stuff - what great friends!
(view from the porch of our cabin)
The cabins were rustic and a little run down, but who cares when you can throw a rock from your back porch into the water! Really they were a bargain - $85/night for a three bedroom cabin with a full kitchen and bath. Unfortunately you have to be military to get them, but if you're DOD and you're in the area, they're well worth it!
Our friends the W.'s had reserved two cabins right on the lake, and had even stocked our fridge for us with our kids' favorite stuff - what great friends!
(view from the porch of our cabin)
The cabins were rustic and a little run down, but who cares when you can throw a rock from your back porch into the water! Really they were a bargain - $85/night for a three bedroom cabin with a full kitchen and bath. Unfortunately you have to be military to get them, but if you're DOD and you're in the area, they're well worth it!
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