OKC to Chicago...and on to Denver, by way of Kansas

Well, it's been awhile since I have posted anything. And while some may say that no excuse it the world will cover my lack of posting for my audience of maybe four, let me offer some insight.

I had to go to a weekend conference, come back on Sunday night, and then leave Tuesday morning for a 10-hr drive to Colorado. And the week before? We'll, my brother-in-law was installing central air/heat in my house and I was helping after my last day of work on Tuesday...(I'll write a quick blog on that later).

(Roxy knows when I start packing, that I will be gone awhile - her passive-aggressive way of telling me she's not happy, or at least plans to go with me...which she did to Colorado, not Chicago)

Last weekend I had to go to a conference in Chicago. I flew out Friday afternoon (got delayed and stuck at the airport for 5 hrs) and instead of getting into Chicago at 7:30 pm, I got to the airport about 12:30 am, had to track down a shuttle to my hotel, and check in. Unfortunately, though I had a reservation, they didn't have a room available...so after a while, I was given a nice handicapped room. I think I crawled into bed around 1:45 am - and since I got there too late to register for the conference, I had to be at the morning registration at 6:30 am, showered and in uniform. I have never slept so good as I did in this "miracle bed." And the view was amazing from my 35th floor room.

(The view by day)

(and by night)

The conference was less than amazing - I took a few naps, drew an elaborate mosaic on my 5-page notepad I got with my $23 non-refundable conference fee...(still really irritated about this whole last minute, nothing on paper, cash conference fee.) Anyway, Saturday night some of us who were in the same training class in GA, met up and did the quick Chicago touristy thing.

We headed out to a local hot spot for dinner, took a group photo on "The Magnificent Mile," and then decided to hit the John Hancock Center (they let us in free) to see the view of Chicago from the observatory. The amazing view spans up to 80 miles and 4 states. I'm not sure how many floors it is, but I know we went to the 96th floor to check out the bar/restaurant with the live music. And since the tallest tower in Chicago is the Sears Tower at 110 stories, it's between 97 and 109...

(This is looking down on skyscrapers...)

(And it just keeps going...)

(And you could see the Sears Tower - the one with the pink lights)

So the girls decided to "shoot down" Chicago instead of paying a dollar to view it...(and yes we were sober, and cheap).

(Wendi [not my sis] and I apparently had 50 cals - and I was "lobbing it")

(Taken in front of the green screen at the observatory...notice it's magically daylight now)

Then I got home Sunday afternoon, after flying standby on a 4pm flight instead of my scheduled 8:50pm flight - yea!) . Monday I unpacked and repacked; Tuesday I trucked out on my 10-hr drive to CO. I've only been here since Tues night, so this will be brief - more to come later.

(My home for the next few months)

(You can kinda see the mountains - it's been real cloudy this week)

(The living room/office area - and Roxy)

(The office/kitchen/door area)

(My king size bed in it's own little room with the bathroom - notice all my clothes not put away - I had NO hangers...store trip #1 of 4 this week)

(The bathroom area)

So now you see where I have been lately - and where I will be camping out for a while. If you happen to come through Colorado this summer - shoot me line. I've got a king bed and couch that folds out into a queen in a separate room...