Is sweaty a meteorological term?

I love to garden. Sadly though, this year, my garden is non-existent. It's a pathetic collection of 15" tall grass, poke weed and prickly nettles.

With all the events of the summer I only hoped my perennials would survive. They did for a while but now are miserably overtaken with my weed collection, and it's not even weeds I can sell for a profit.

Today it was time to do something about this mess so I started early. By 10 am I needed a glass of water, so came in to cool off.

I decided to check the temperature. 85 degrees F, not bad at all. But then I checked the humidity. Also 85. Hmmm. That could explain why my clothes are soaked through and my feet feel like I've walked through a mud puddle.

Last year was not like this. The past 10 months have been unusual, with more extreme weather than has been recorded in decades. Although, truthfully, summer in the southeast is usually hot and humid.

Personally, I like the humidity. It's healthy to get a good sweat going, clean out your pores and get rid of all that toxic buildup in your system, especially for desk junkies like me. I enjoy a good sweat. It feels great to get my hands dirty, have sweat drip in my eyes, while seeing the pile of weeds grow to surpass three feet in height.

Today's forecast, sweaty, with chances of heat exhaustion. But you'll feel Oh So much better in the morning.

UPDATE: I checked the temperature at 5 PM CDT and it was 94, but oddly the humidity had dropped to 51. Not bad, especially right before an evening shower.

Boston Boat

As I said earlier, I'm not fond of official social events. The best part of the social event in Boston was the bus ride and walk to the dock. We stopped to get a photograph of part of our group.












Am I always the smallest person?
I don't feel small when I'm with them, but when I see a photograph, I realize why they always make me stand in front.

These are some of the nicest people I have ever worked with. The fellow in the red shirt is not a staff member but he's an important content contributor and friend to many people on the team. I guess I'm glad I went, just for the photograph. It proves I do actually have a job and work with people.

Bye-Bye Boston

I barely knew I was in Boston this week. Of all the cities we traveled to for the conference, Boston has been the most hectic. Except for short morning walks with my friend Jenni, I didn't get to see the sky until Tuesday evening, for the company harbor cruise.













The people I work with are awesome. I could spend 12, 16, even 18 hours a day working with many of them (and have on occasion) without growing tired of them. But ask me to join them in a social event and all the rules and feelings change. That's when things get weird and I want to crawl into a cave.

I really don't like social events. In Steve's words regarding my feelings in this matter, "Party is a four-letter word." He's right. Social functions are the most uncomfortable and annoying activity I ever have to take part in. I'd rather do something useful, or have something constructive to talk about. Small talk often makes me want to vomit. If I'm required to attend a social event, you may as well just shoot me and put me out of my misery.

After the harbor dinner the dancing started. Good thing no one expected me out there. It would have been hideous - a lot like Elaine of Seinfeld.

I managed to find my way out to the deck and took some nice shots of the Boston skyline. Finally, something worthwhile to do, and I even discovered a few other people who feel the same way.

Boston view

Another great hotel view, this time of Boston Harbor.

Looky the babies

I know you've all heard this before, and you're probably sick of it. Well, before you puke, can I just share this with someone?

I can't help noticing the resemblance between myself as a baby, and some of our own babies. Neither Ethan or Alyssa ever looked anything like me. But Bonnie Rose did for a while, and now Alora....

See for yourself. This old photo is me at 6 1/2 months. Alora is that same age today, and I noticed her resemblance a couple of weeks ago. I had a bit more hair by this age, but not much.

I'm sure the resemblance won't last (or maybe it will!) but I just have to gloat over it while I have the chance. Proof that I did put some ingredients into the pudding - even indirectly.

I don't mean to be so big-headed about this. I guess I just can't help myself, or don't want to.

Is it just my imagination, or wishful thinking?

Ruby Falls

Every tourist spot has a history, something that made it famous, along with someone to capitalize on that find. The man who discovered Ruby Falls wanted to do just that, so began a digging hole. This man, Leo Lambert, had heard local legends concerning the caves inside Lookout Mountain and wanted to build an elevator to take tourists down to see them. So he started digging. The year was 1928.
Lookout Mountain is made of solid rock, mostly limestone. Once the drills reached the caverns, Lambert started to explore. He found the waterfall which falls 145 from the ceiling deep within the cave. It's not a broad waterfall, but it's constant. Geologists today still aren't sure of the source of this water, but they theorize it comes from rainfall that seeps into the ground.

The space inside the cave was tiny, no more than 2 feet high in many places, so Lambert ordered dynamite to blast out a path for people like me to walk (instead of crawl). The limestone they blasted out was carried out one bucket at a time, and used to build the Cavern Castle you see pictured here. It's been 80 years since tours began here, and still this cave sees an average of over 3000 visitors every day. There's only one way in or out, a single elevator. It's a 1/2 mile hike once you go the 1,120 feet underground, just to see the falling water, and it's lovely.

This cave is totally touristy, even though pure stone. Beneath the limestone overhead, flat-screen televisions are mounted into the rock. Audio stations with recorded narration appear periodically, and colored lights have been installed to enhance the otherwise colorless - yet spectacular, rocks.

The entire cave is solar powered, the panels mounted on top of the picnic awning. On Fridays and Saturdays, couples take a date to the cave's lantern tour, the tour guided with only one lantern, until reaching the water, where guides hoist the lantern to the top of the waterfall ceiling for an unusual cave experience. The Family Trust who still owns the cave is smart, combines a little modern technology with a lot of the cave's history. Somehow, it works.

There are other things to do here if you arrive before 5 pm. What I'd really like to do is the zip-line in the woods outside the cave.

I'd come again. Maybe they'd even let me wear a headlamp.

Next stop...Rock City?

Driving through the mountains at night isn't usually a good idea. Luckily I was wide awake with a good book, not to mention driving in circles a time or two, due to tipping over my GPS and accidentally entering a via point. Steve says I must have taken my GPS instruction from Charlie.












I drove to Chattanooga and arrived late Sunday night. I say late partly because I left at nearly 10 pm and partly because I forgot they are on Eastern time. Driving in circles didn't help much with that either. I got to sleep much later than expected. It was actually the wee-hours of Monday.

Chattanooga has a population of 155,000, making it Tennessee's fourth largest city. Wow. That sounds really tiny, having just returned from (a) Chicago and (b) Los Angeles.

Nice place, Chattanooga. Hilly, with lots of nice cliffs in places. Rolling hills, tons of trees, a lot of pine. Yum, I love the smell of pine in summer.

The main reason Chattanooga exists is because it is easier to get through the mountains and across the Tennessee River here than it is anywhere else, at least in the southeast. I bet Daniel Boone came this way.

Just like most modern cities, there's an aquarium, Discovery Science museum and other city-type attractions. But one thing this area has that others don't is the rocks. Just look at this view!

Rock City is the most famous. It's a large rocky area and rock garden, famous since 1823. Next there's Lookout Mountain, just minutes from Chattanooga, and Ruby Falls - America's highest underground waterfall, located inside Lookout Mountain. My house is 3 hours from here and haven't seen any of these places yet.

I know... pathetic. Typical, but true.

Death by red rock candy

Gramma has this bowl displayed on her entry table. Me, loving rock candy as a kid, immediately picked it up and smelled it. "Where'd this come from?" I asked, taking a big whiff. "Smells like cherry. But it makes your fingers red, I wonder what it tastes like."

You probably know that I'm not really one to read instructions - until absolutely necessary. The problem with that is, sometimes reading a label can save your life. You can't read the label on an item if you're dead.

Dad, taking the bowl of rocks from me, turned it over and read, "DO NOT HANDLE" and more importantly "DO NOT INGEST."

"Don't eat that," said Dad. "It is NOT rock candy."

Who makes stuff like this? People without kids, I guess. It looks like rock candy, it smells like rock candy, but the label on the bottom clearly says "Choking hazard," along with a number of other warnings in minuscule lettering. Did I mention that this label is also on the bottom? Most people can't read the bottom of a container like this unless lying on the couch, holding it over their head. Who's going to do that?

Thanks, Steve, for saving my life.

Happy Birthday Dad

As requested by our family patriarch.

Happy Birthday Dad!! Papa!! Hubby!!

Balloon man

We have our very own balloon man. He greets our customers at the door and makes them balloons as they register for the conference. He also does magic tricks and makes the kids all smile.

I hate him.

Night time luxuries

Last night dad and I were in California Adventure and watched Disney's new water show there called World of Color. My company bought us all Fast-Passes and we got to stand right up front. It's a lot like Fantasmic in Magic Kingdom, spectacular as only Disney is able to do.













Tonight I was tired after a 12 hour day teaching, so we ate in. Dad says he never had room service till he started hanging out with me. Room service brought us a lovely meal that included shrimp over gluten free pasta and a flourless cake.












I think I'm in heaven.

Or maybe just Disneyland.

The happiest place...

What's not to love in this decor? Every time I stay here it always amazes me how lovely the furnishings are and how well Disney keeps its theme going no matter where you are in the resort.

If I get this excited about the room decorations you can imagine how silly I am about the park.

I'm really looking forward to bringing all the grandkids to a Disney resort when they get big enough to enjoy it. I don't care if they're old enough to remember it, enjoying it will be enough for me. I just hope they end up loving Disney as much as I do.

Togetherness

I learn a little wisdom from everyone. From Steve I've learned to be firm not timid, and to stop apologizing all the time. From him I've also learned a little about being a better listener as well as when it's a good idea to tune things out.

From William I've learned about language. Not just the formality of it or how to use it to communicate, but how language has physical characteristics, how to see the language others try to use, not just hear it or read it. People talk with their eyes, their hands, their bodies. A good example of that is how William uses his puppy-eyes to convey his uncertainty about my - or Michelle's - behavior. Those eyes say (probably) a lot more than he'll ever communicate in words.

From Katie I've learned about the importance of family. I enjoyed joining the Coleman family so many years ago and having all that interaction but I didn't really learn the importance of family until I gained Katie as a daughter. Katie taught me that family should have a high priority - not just loving them and knowing them, but accepting each person and their differences, with goodness and blemishes included, then making the effort to create a closer bond with each of them. Katie places a high priority on proximity of family members, something I hadn't regarded so crucial until now.

Having the kids together this week I've remembered some of these tidbits. Seeing my daughters and the four grand-kids together reminded me how wonderful it is to have a bond with each other. Having never been close to family myself growing up, I was reminded how it always left me feeling alone in the world, never really belonging to anyone. I never had the chance to know cousins, aunts and distant relatives. Even my sister and I were separated before she grew into her teenage years. In that situation I learned something too; how to be alone.
It's not something I want my children or their children to learn quite as well.

That's why these pictures are so precious. This togetherness is something I want to keep going. I hope it works out that we can. It's a gloomy life when a person must grow up isolated and alone.

Big meanies?

Are we meanies because we gave Bonnie Rose a lemon, one of the first items other than momma's milk she's ever put in her mouth? Baby doesn't seem to think so. We gave her one the other night at a restaurant and she seemed to enjoy it, even though she closed one eye, winced, then shivered. This time I think she's a little more prepared.

Ending the summer road trips

We've had a lot of road trips the last few weeks. Bonita Rose has been a trooper, sitting in the car seat and playing with her toes, sleeping and watching the lights outside. She may have grown a little tired but her demeanor didn't show it the way ours did.













Each time we reached a destination she out-shined both Michelle and me, acting far less tired that we did, ready to kick and play while we were ready to be vegetables.

Tomorrow will be time for the BIG road trip - the one back to China. She'll miss her chair and her Nana peaking over the seat cushion at her, making her giggle. I'm going to miss her silly smile and wonderful laugh. Maybe she'll be ready to take this BIG trip back soon to see me again. It'll will be far harder to teach Bonnie Rose the proper way to blow raspberries using Skype - but I promise, I'm going to do my best until she returns. I just hope it's sooner rather than later.

Yummy eats

Every day of my life when I'm home I eat chicken Caesar salad for supper. On the road I do my best to find the same meal, since I know it works for me and rarely makes me ill. It's not boring really, I enjoy that meal. However, when I get a chance to enjoy specialty foods (gluten free in particular), I take full advantage of it. I've especially enjoyed these foods with Michelle, since she has the same limitations.

In Chicago we took a taxi across town to enjoy a pizza parlor that served gluten free pizza. It was not a special gluten free place but a real, Italian Pizza parlor with all the right ingredients, with normal pizza parlor prices.

What a treat to be able to order any topping on a deep-dish, Chicago style pizza. I ordered my favorite - Canadian Bacon and Pineapple, and Michelle had black olives, pepperoni, and sausage. Not that you care what we were eating, but it was such a rare occasion, I just had to spell it out.

Before we left for Chicago I bought some bananas, nice green bananas with a crisp texture that makes your teeth sort of squeak. But the bananas quickly changed from the preferred green color to a ripe speckley brown, far too sweet and mushy to eat. So I made banana bread in the bread maker, gluten free bread that Michelle and I could both enjoy. It became our road-trip food, and first day's breakfast at our fancy Chicago hotel. Yum!













Today we had pancakes; Katie's 3-2-1 pancakes made of cottage cheese and eggs. Michelle got us some special syrup - Jack Daniel's Maple syrup from Apple Barn General Store in Nashville.

Nothing like good food, especially with good company.

Baby's teething

Some things just make a person feel better. Like a frozen mocha on a hot day. Nanas are good for making babies feel better.

I promise, I didn't let her drink any of it, I was just letting her sooth those sore gums as her second top tooth was trying to come in.

Nanas (and Papas) really are good for soothing discomforts. Word of caution - Parental guidance, when Nanas are present, may be advised.

Hotel view

I love a nice view. Thus, from our hotel window we can see the river.

Chicago

I think Michelle and Bonnie Rose are happy to be on American soil. Especially seeing the flag, which flies every place in Chicago.
I've never been to Chicago. I know that sounds strange, especially since I grew up only 3 hours from here, and I've flown through the airport here at least 287 times. But this week is the first time I've actually been to the city, and I'm so amazed at what a wonderful place this is.

It helps that I've had lovely company. Michelle, baby, and I have had fun wandering around in the evenings exploring the city and its high points. Last night we went to Navy Pier, Chicago's number 1 tourist spot. It's like one gigantic and permanent county fair, full of great places to eat, see, and things to do. Like take a boat ride.




























We took a river boat tour of the city architecture and at the end enjoyed a wonderful fireworks show, the first fireworks Bonnie Rose has ever seen. She was entranced, enjoying both the flashing splashes in the night sky and the noise.

We ended the day relaxing with a nice Irish coffee. Even Bonnie Rose enjoyed this part of the evening. Wonderful day and night for us all.

Roadside cutie