Vacation Cereal Chicken Strips

The Brave Astronaut Clan is on vacation this week - so there is sure to be some vacation cereal in the beach house - probably Cap'n Crunch or maybe Fruit Loops.  Maybe if SoBA and LBA and their friends don't eat them all, we can make these this week.  From the Pioneer Woman.

Cap'n Crunch Chicken Strips
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients 

• 12 whole Chicken Tenders (strips) 
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour 
• 2 whole Eggs, Beaten 
• Salt And Pepper 
• 2 cups Cap'n Crunch Cereal 
• Vegetable Oil, For Frying 
• Ketchup, For Serving 

Instructions 
Put the flour in a shallow bowl and add some salt and pepper. Put the egg in a second shallow bowl. Crush the cereal in a third bowl, leaving a few larger chunks.

Dip the chicken strips first in the flour, then the egg and then the cereal.

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the strips in batches until golden brown and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes, turning them so they don't burn. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with extra salt. Serve with ketchup!

Road Trip

The Brave Astronaut Clan is heading out for some much needed vacation time.  No, not to Vacationland again this year - we're staying a little closer to home, but still beach bound.

I have always wanted to drive cross country and hit all the sites along the way.  Some day, I will do this.  I have wanted to do this for years.  And hey, you can't tell me that science is wrong.

According To Science, This Is The Perfect And Best Road Trip You Can Possibly Take
(via shareably)
Be honest with yourself: at some point you’ve probably thought about going on a cross-country road trip. Whether it be driving across Canada, United Kingdom, United States, or wherever you’re from, it’s probably crossed your mind at some point.

Luckily, for those in the United States, the “perfect road trip” has finally been planned.

According to the algorithm - it hits all the biggies.  Those that I would be able to take off this list (as I've already been there) - are in bold.

1. Grand Canyon, AZ 
2. Bryce Canyon National Park, UT 
3. Craters of the Moon National Monument, ID 
4. Yellowstone National Park, WY 
5. Pikes Peak, CO
6. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM
7. The Alamo, TX (can you see the basement there?)
8. The Platt Historic District, OK 
9. Toltec Mounds, AR 
10. Elvis Presley’s Graceland, TN 
11. Vicksburg National Military Park, MS 
12. French Quarter, New Orleans, LA 
13. USS Alabama, AL
14. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL 
15. Okefenokee Swamp Park, GA 
16. Fort Sumter National Monument, SC 
17. Lost World Caverns, WV 
18. Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, NC 
19. Mount Vernon, VA 
20. White House, Washington, DC 
21. Colonial Annapolis Historic District, MD 
22. New Castle Historic District, Delaware
23. Cape May Historic District, NJ 
24. Liberty Bell, PA 
25. Statue of Liberty, NY 
26. The Mark Twain House & Museum, CT 
27. The Breakers, RI 
28. USS Constitution, MA 
29. Acadia National Park, ME 
30. Mount Washington Hotel, NH 
31. Shelburne Farms, VT 
32. Fox Theater, Detroit, MI 
33. Spring Grove Cemetery, OH 
34. Mammoth Cave National Park, KY 
35. West Baden Springs Hotel, IN 
36. Abraham Lincoln’s Home, IL 
37. Gateway Arch, MO 
38. C. W. Parker Carousel Museum, KS 
39. Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion, IA 
40. Taliesin, WI 
41. Fort Snelling, MN 
42. Ashfall Fossil Bed, NE 
43. Mount Rushmore, SD 
44. Fort Union Trading Post, ND 
45. Glacier National Park, MT 
46. Hanford Site, WA 
47. Columbia River Highway, OR 
48. San Francisco Cable Cars, CA 
49. San Andreas Fault, CA 
50. Hoover Dam, NV

Have a Magical Day!

On this date sixty years ago, Disneyland opened.  At the time of the opening, the park sat on 160 acres of former orange groves in Anaheim, California, and cost $17 million dollars to build.

Now that the Brave Astronaut clan is getting ready to take an honest to goodness vacation - coming soon! - Mrs. BA and I are thinking about a trip to warmer climes, specifically Florida.  Now Walt Disney World is an obvious destination - but neither Mrs. BA nor I are big fans of the Mouse.

Several years ago, we both attended a professional meeting "on campus" at the Dolphin Hotel.  Every time you got someone from the front desk on the phone, they closed the conversation with "Have a Magical Day." 

Going to Disney World would be fun and both LBA and SoBA would have a ball - though all I would really want to do is go to the Hall of Presidents.  And it requires the economy of a small country to take the family there.  One-day tickets start at $100 each!

If / When we go to Florida, we are more likely to head to Legoland.  That's just fun for everyone!

The Brave Astronaut Summer Vacation Plans

I have been itching to get the Brave Astronaut Clan up to Maine for vacation for several years.  I spent nearly every summer growing up at my grandmother's house in Owl's Head and it was always a great time. We will be heading "Down East" in early August!  From BuzzFeed

24 Reasons Everyone Should See Maine Before They Die
Maine’s state motto is simply “Dirigo,” which means “I direct” in Latin. Well, if you’re into beautiful places, I direct you to go check out Maine sometime.

1. Acadia National Park 
2. Nubble Lighthouse - you know the Brave Astronaut has a thing for lighthouses.  This state is one of the primary reasons why.
3. Cadillac Mountain - from its summit, you can be one of the first people in the United States to see the sunrise.
4. Owl’s Head Lighthouse - I used to walk there from my grandmother's house.
5. Kennebunkport, Maine 
6. Sand Beach on the Great Head Trail - also in Acadia
7. The Wonderland Trail in Acadia National Park
8. Otter Cliffs - there's a lot to see in Acadia
9. Bass Harbor Lighthouse 
10. Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park - this is very cool.  LBA and SoBA will love it.
11. Jordan Pond - also in Acadia, there is also a great restaurant.
12. Pretty Marsh - a great place to picnic
13. Deer Isle, Maine 
14. Marshall Point Lighthouse 
15. Old Orchard Beach - you can hang out with all the French Canadiens, who like to vacation there.
16. Moosehead Lake 
17. Freeport, Maine - two words, LL Bean.  And it's open 24 hours a day.
18. Pemaquid Point Lighthouse - somewhere I have a picture of blurry rocks and surf, snapped as I slipped on the rocks and slid toward the ocean.
19. Camden, Maine 
20. Baxter State Park 
21. Bethel, Maine - for the skiers among you
22. Monhegan Island 
23. Mount Desert Island 
24. Ogunquit, Maine 

And of course . . . lobster (unfortunately the Maine Lobster Festival runs from July 30 to August 4 this year - ending right before we get up there).  Eat lobster at a more responsible price than what you pay for it to be shipped out of the Pine Tree State.

Vacation Cereal Ahead!

Today was the last day of school for LBA and SoBA.  In August, the Brave Astronaut clan will head north to the wilds of Maine for our first real summer vacation in some time.  A while back, LBA and SoBA asked for some sugary, cereal at the grocery store (yet another reason why I don't like to go to the store with them).  I explained that we tend to eat just a few cereals on a regular basis and that cereals like Cap'n Crunch and Fruit Loops were clearly considered "Vacation Cereal" and not to be consumed except on special occasions.

So, there is certain to be the purchase of a "vacation" pack of small cereal boxes in the near future.

To help with the selection process, BuzzFeed very kindly rated 27 cereals from worst to first. My comments in italics.

27. Grape-Nuts - Post
Cerious talk: What is there to say about Grape-Nuts? You don’t even go into eating Grape-Nuts thinking that it’s a good idea. You know from the get-go that it’s not going to be pretty. I mean you’re basically spooning ROCKS into your mouth. But we all make mistakes, and we’ve all made the mistake of eating Grape-Nuts. Sure it has “100% of your day’s whole grain” and sure grapes are good, and maybe nuts are good, too. But TOGETHER? No. No, Post. This is where we draw the DAMN LINE. You eat Grape-Nuts when you literally have nothing else to eat and even then you STILL regret it.
Never a cereal I would willingly eat

26. Wheaties - General Mills
Cerious talk: Anyone who has ever eaten Wheaties has probably questioned why the HELL this is the food choice of Olympians everywhere. Let’s be honest, Wheaties are wack. They are plain as hell. You might as well eat cardboard for breakfast, it would probably taste the same. And I think we’ve ALL felt the disappointment after eating a box of Wheaties, not suddenly turning into an Olympian, and realizing we just ate cardboard for breakfast.
I am the Brave Astronaut - not the Brave Athlete. I never was into the Wheatie.

25. Raisin Bran - Kellogg's
Cerious talk: Like WHO THE HELL at Kellogg’s thought to take BRAN FLAKES and throw raisins in them? Like TWO WHOLE SCOOPS OF THEM!? The only redeeming quality about this cereal is the fact the raisins are covered in sugar. At least this cereal promotes bowel movements so you can get it out of your body as fast as possible.
Um, I admit to liking Raisin Bran.  So do the boys. We just don't talk about the fact that they're bran flakes - or that I put sugar on the cereal. and use whole milk.

24. Special K - Kellogg's
Cerious talk: Special K is the equivalent of a wet blanket… in your mouth. You eat it thinking it’s going to be great because of all the commercials and then you find yourself thinking, “This is it???!!!!” It’s a major letdown and no amount of freeze-dried strawberries could make up for it. And to make matters WORSE, you’re hungry again in 20 minutes. NO THANKS, SPECIAL K.
Not one I'm interested in either.

23. Rice Krispies - Kellogg's
Cerious talk: Eating Rice Krispies is what we imagine eating air to feel like. It’s nothing. These little rice krisps dissolve in your mouth leaving you with the flavor of sour milk and broken promises. They draw you in with their cute mascots, but that’s about all they have going for them. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the fact that these little babies can be turned into Rice Kripsie treats, they might’ve been dead last.
A popular selection at the Launchpad, this one deserves better.

22. Cheerios - General Mills
Cerious talk: You know what doesn’t taste good? Baby food. You know what babies eat a lot of? Cheerios. Cheerios are the cereal you mundanely eat over and over again hoping that the next handful will somehow taste better than the last. But the problem is that it never does. It never tastes better. It always tastes the same. And it always tastes like a letdown.
Still used daily at the Launchpad in snacks for LBA and SoBA

21. Corn Pops - Kellogg's
Cerious talk: Have you ever been eating an ear of corn and thought, “Wow, I would love some of this with milk.” If you have, maybe Corn Pops is for you. As far as cereals go, this is subpar AT BEST. Little to no flavor, weird texture, and no sense of fulfillment after eating. Basically, it’s not the WORST but it’s certainly not the best.
Corn for me, is savory, breakfast cereal, it's not.

20. Chex - General Mills
Cerious talk: Chex is gluten-free. That’s all it has going for itself. If you’re on that paleo diet, eat this. If you aren’t, UPGRADE YOUR BREAKFAST.
Chex is what you eat when you don't have Life. And it makes a fine snack mix.

19. Trix - General Mills
Cerious talk: Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids with low standards. There’s nothing quite fulfilling about this cereal. You have so many expectations when it pours out into your bowl, but those damn flowers and watermelons (I don’t even know if that’s what those are) are a cerious letdown. You can have ‘em, rabbit.
The lowest on the list of the vacation cereals.

18. Honeycomb - Post
Cerious talk: How true is this statement: “Me want Honeycomb”? Because sure, it seems appealing, but this fluffy comb-shaped cereal falls flat when it hits the milk, just like it does when you put it in your mouth. It’s good if it’s all you have, but you don’t ever want this to be all you have.
I went to C.W. Post University and still am not interested in this cereal.  I'm pretty much a Kellogg's man.

17. Cookie Crisp - General Mills
Cerious talk: Listen. We’re all here for a sugary cereal. BUT SOMETIMES, it can be taken too far. Cookie Crisp is what your mom let you eat when she finally gave up. If you have Coooooookie Crisp for breakfast, you should’ve just eaten an actual damn cookie.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I've eaten cookies for breakfast.

16. Cocoa Pebbles - Post
Cerious talk: Cocoa Pebbles are fine. Like whatever. They get super soggy real quick, and let’s face it, you’re just trying to get to the chocolate milk. If you’re in the market for a chocolate cereal, it’s better to go with Cocoa Puffs.

15. Apple Jacks - Kellogg's
Cerious talk: Apple Jacks is what happened when Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch had a baby and it came out looking like neither of them. Sure, it has its moments of deliciousness, but overall, the flavor gets boring after a while and the colors are ANYTHING but appetizing.
Eat an apple before the Jacks

14. Quaker Oatmeal Squares - Quaker
Cerious talk: Oatmeal Squares is what happens when your dad starts dating again and his new girlfriend starts infiltrating your cereal cabinet. We get that oatmeal helps reduce cholesterol, but if you have bad cholesterol, you probably shouldn’t be in the cereal game. NEXT.
This has also appeared at the launchpad - we don't mention that it's good for you.

13. Honey Nut Cheerios - General Mills
Cerious talk: Honey Nut Cheerios is the hotter, younger sibling of the Cheerios family. It tastes way better than the cardboard alternative, and it *can* help lower cholesterol. With that said, it’s still a little plain and is a cereal for those who can’t afford another cavity. Bee happy, bee healthy.
We tend to stay with the original - though the multi-grain Cheerios have appeared of late.

12. Honey Bunches of Oats - Post
Cerious talk: Honey Bunches of OHMYGOD why does this taste so good? This cereal is unexpected. We’ve all seen the commercials and thought, “Yeah, they pay those people to say it’s good.” But do they? DO THEY? After eating HBOO, you might not think so anymore. Shit is GOOD. The only way it could be better is if the crispy flakes didn’t get soggy within four minutes. Post, work on this will ya?

11. Fruit Loops - Kellogg's
Cerious talk: This bright ring-shaped cereal is a little on the basic side, but it’s a classic cereal that isn’t going anywhere. It’s the Julia Stiles of cereal: No one has a strong opinion about them, but no one hates them.
Another prime vacation cereal candidate

10. Krave - Kellogg's
Cerious talk: Although this is a newer cereal to enter the breakfast game, it’s one we don’t ever want to be without again. Sure, it has a dog food appearance, but once you put it in your mouth, you’re transported to chocolate euphoria.
I've seen it in the grocery store, I've contemplated buying it, but haven't pulled the trigger, yet.

9. Frosted Flakes - Kellogg's
Cerious talk: Like that anthropomorphic tiger says, this cereal is pretty damn gr-r-reat. Like whoever at Kellogg’s thought to just dip corn flakes into frosted sugar deserves a Nobel Prize. Breakfast game-changer-r-rrr.
The original vacation cereal.

8. Cocoa Puffs - General Mills
Cerious talk: Cocoa Puffs is the supreme chocolate cereal. Its chocolaty puff balls are seriously addicting and when you’re finished, you have a whole FUCKING BOWL of chocolate milk. You know it’s an addicting cereal when you have a crazed bird as your mascot who needs just one more bowl to survive.

7. Lucky Charms - General Mills
Cerious talk: Lucky is pretty damn lucky he added those charms to his cereal, or else it wouldn’t have even made this list. The dried marshmallows are what MAKE the cereal so enjoyable. Let’s just cut to the chase and make the entire cereal ALL marshmallows so we don’t have to manually pick them out ourselves.

6. Cap’N Crunch - Quaker Oats
Cerious talk: If you start your morning off with Cap’n Crunch, you’re doing something right. It’s fuckin tasty and when you add those berries to the mix, you’re going to have the best day of your lif — OH WAIT, NEVER MIND BECAUSE YOUR MOUTH IS NOW FUCKED WITH SCRATCHES. Would’ve been in the top five, but your palate never fails to bleed when you eat this one. Thanks Cap’n.
Possibly the #1 "vacation cereal" for LBA

5. Frosted Mini-Wheats
Cerious talk: Frosted Mini-Wheats is THE cereal you’d wanna settle down and start a family with. It has a sweet side but is also loaded with fiber and whole wheat — BEST OF BOTH CEREAL WORLDS. Oh, and don’t even get me STARTED on the other flavors. Omg.
Another cereal that is part of the regular Launchpad lineup

4. Cinnamon Toast Crunch - General Mills
Cerious talk: It’s the taste and orgasm you can see. This cereal is basically wheat rectangles covered in cinnamon-flavored sugar. If you want more from a cereal, you’re pretty fuckin' ungrateful.
This is in the top five of LBA's Vacation Cereals and it has crossover appeal, it has appeared at the launchpad.

3. Reese’s Puffs - General Mills
Cerious Talk: Not only is Reese’s the best candy like, ever, Reese’s Puffs is just as equally mind-blowing. It’s exactly what you think it is: candy for breakfast. You were the popular kid if you pulled this bad boy out of your cabinet the morning after a sleepover.
Nope.  If I'm going to eat peanut butter cups, I'm eating peanut butter cups.

2. Life - Quaker
Cerious talk: Life is LIFE. Not only does this Quaker dude make BOMB oatmeal, he magically found a way to make such a simple cereal into a tasty DELICACY. Not to mention every flavor of this cereal is the shit.
I'm moved that possibly my most favorite cereal in the world is #2 on this list.

1. Fruity Pebbles - Post
Cerious talk: Of course Fred gets fucking pissed whenever Barney steals his Pebbles. These colored rice flakes are THE BEST it gets when it comes to cereal, not to mention the greenish HEAVENLY milk you get to reward yourself with once you’re done. One cereal to rule them all.
Sigh

Oklahoma - #46, November 16, 1907

First of all, a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to all those out there in the United States.  The Brave Astronaut clan is likely sitting down to our Thanksgiving feast at the beach.  I hope wherever you are, you are enjoying good food, friends and family.  Now on to today's State of the Union - we are down to the final five!

We have arrived at the final five states of the Union (to date) and the first of the states to be admitted in the 20th Century.  When the area was still a territory, on April 22, 1889, the first day homesteading was permitted, 50,000 people swarmed into the area. Those who tried to beat the noon starting gun were called “Sooners,” hence the state's nickname.


In April 1995, the state capital, Oklahoma City, was the site of the worst act of domestic terrorism in American history, when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, killing 168 people, including 19 children. McVeigh was sentenced to death and executed in June 2001 and Nichols was sent to prison for life without the possibility of parole.

The current Governor of Oklahoma is Republican Mary Fallin. Both Senators for the Sooner State are Republicans, Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn. The Oklahoma Congressional delegation has five members, which is also now completely Republican after the retirement of the 2nd District's Dan Boren.

• 1st District - Jim Bridenstine (R) (Representative-elect) / outgoing Congressman - John Sullivan (R)
• 2nd District - Markwayne Mullin (R) (Representative-elect)
• 3rd District - Frank Lucas (R)
• 4th District - Tom Cole (R)
• 5th District - James Lankford (R)

Facts

• State Capital (and largest city) - Oklahoma City
• Date of Admission - November 16, 1907
• Area - 69,898 sq mi (20th) 
• Population (2011 est.) - 3,791,508 (28th) 
• State Motto - "Labor omnia vincit" "Labor conquers all things" 
• State Nickname - The Sooner State
• State animal - bison
• State bird - scissor-tailed flycatcher
• State flower - mistletoe
• State song - "Oklahoma!" (duh)
• State tree - redbud
• State vegetable - watermelon (isn't that a fruit?)
  
• State University - The University of Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State Archives
• Oklahoma Historical Society 

Links

• ok.gov - the Official Website of the State of Oklahoma
• The Tourism site - Travel!Oklahoma
• Wikipedia 
• 50states.com entry for Oklahoma
• InfoPlease entry for Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State Guide from the Library of Congress

Prominent Oklahomans - (here's a few lists to peruse, one and two - a lot of astronauts from Oklahoma!)

• Johnny Bench, baseball player
• Poet John Berryman 
• Country singer Garth Brooks 
• Astronaut Gordon Cooper 
• Author Ralph Ellison 
• Jim Rockford himself, James Garner 
• Astronaut Owen K. Garriott 
• Country singer Vince Gill 
• Dick Tracy illustrator Chester Gould 
• Woody Guthrie 
• Boy Band - the Hanson Brothers (Ike,Taylor, Zac)
• Composer Roy Harris 
• This is Paul Harvey - Good Day!
• Actor Van Heflin
• Author Tony Hillerman 
• Ron Howard 
• Karl Guthe Jansky, Radio Astronomy pioneer
• Actress Jennifer Jones 
• Diplomat Jeane Kirkpatrick 
• Astronaut Shannon Lucid 
• Mickey Mantle 
• Reba McEntire 
• Olympic Gymnast Shannon Miller 
• Journalist Bill Moyers 
• New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan 
• Singer Patti Page 
• Brad Pitt 
• Ira Leonard Rosenberg, you may know him as actor Tony Randall 
• Evangelist Oral Roberts 
• Will Rogers 
• Co-creator of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In Dan Rowan 
• Professional Whistler (!) Robert Stemmons 
• Prima ballerina Maria Tallchief 
• Jim Thorpe 
• Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn 
• Cherokee Nation Chief Wilma Mankiller 
• Actress Alfre Woodard

A Beach Thanksgiving

So the Brave Astronaut clan has taken itself to the beach for the Great American Holiday. We found ourselves devoid of family obligations - Mrs. BA's family held a "fake" Thanksgiving this past Sunday and we were not interested in joining the crushing tide along the New Jersey Turnpike (not after an 11-hour trip last Christmas, which we hope to avoid next month) to go to NY to see my father. We are "vacationing" in a friend's condo on the beach block in North Ocean City (it is practically Delaware - we are two blocks from the state line).

Even though it is just the four of us, I still wanted to have a traditional Thanksgiving. There had been talk of all sorts of downsizing (turkey breast) or alternate menus (seafood), but I decided to go with the regular menu. So today we will have a turkey, now properly defrosted and brined, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry, and green beans. There will be pie and ice cream for dessert. I'm sorry Mom, but the pearled onions will not be on the table - don't be mad. I'll make sure they appear at Christmas. The turkey is small and there will be leftovers, which will be good as we don't have a menu plan for Friday or Saturday. We are heading home on Saturday, so maybe everyone gets turkey sandwiches in the car.

Today of course started with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and sure to be followed by some football. Tomorrow or Saturday we are thinking about a trip to the outlets in Rehoboth. I am tempted to go there tonight for "Midnight Madness" as all of the stores will open at midnight with crazy sales. But the tax-free and the already low prices prevalent at outlets will help whenever we go. Mrs. BA and I should be able to get a jump on Christmas gifts for the boys.

The beach in the off season is an interesting place. Driving in on Tuesday night (made in record time- beat that you New York bound people), we turned onto Coastal Highway and could have stopped and unloaded in the middle of the road as there was not a soul to be seen. The condo building is also empty except for us. We may think about ice skating here, perhaps make use of their pool, too. Another destination we have in mind is this to help push us in the appropriate direction for the Christmas season.

I wish all of you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving. I hope that you are spending the day with those you love and that you all have something to be thankful for. I am of course, extremely thankful for my family and I am very glad to be with you and am thinking about those that I am not with and look forward to spending time with them soon.

Sorry I Can't Come to the Blog Right Now . . .

I have escaped wild, wacky Washington for a weekend respite at the beach. I had no desire to be in DC this weekend with the masses descending upon the city for a rally. So through the benevolence of a great friend we are staying in a very nice condo (where we have stayed before) in the ocean block and will recharge our batteries with some sun, sand and surf.

LBA will start Kindergarten on Tuesday - something I still can't quite wrap my head around yet, and SoBA will finish out his second week of "vacation" at my MIL's house. Here at the beach the wi-fi is spotty (I think we are glomming off some adjacent condo building - the Econo Lodge across the street reserves its signals for guests, the lousy warts) and it is not clear how much access we will have to the "tubes" this weekend. But in a way, that may be just as well, because that is also a break one needs now and again.

I am going to use the time away to work on my book, which I have been working on for several years, but sort of feel might be coming to a conclusion. I have a few gaps to fill yet, but with luck, I could start shopping it around in the next year or so. Want to publish it? Let me know.

I will actually do some reading this weekend, too. I am going to try and avoid the TV as much as possible. I watched a little Nationals baseball tonight, but that seems to have the same ending each evening, so there isn't much point in watching that, either.
Tomorrow is planned to be a full beach day - hopefully we will see how much salt water I can avoid swallowing in the surf. With Hurricane Danielle swirling far out in the Atlantic, there are forecasts of heavy surf and rip currents. My kind of beach time!

So while I frolic in the water with my family, here's a little graphic that has been sitting in my Google Reader, waiting for me to share it with you. Enjoy, and we'll talk next week!

It's Almost Here - Everything!

Next week at this time, I will be in the middle of the Annual Meeting of the Society of American Archivists (SAA), which is being held this year here in Washington DC. As is often the case when SAA meets here in DC, this will be a joint meeting with the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators (NAGARA) and the Council of State Archivists (CoSA).

There will be lots to do and I have a pretty full schedule of sessions and events that I will be attending. As most of you know, I usually bring a group of attendees to a local baseball game and this year is no exception. With SAA's help, I have 175 people attending a Washington Nationals game on Saturday evening (want to come? let me know, I might have an extra ticket). It is the highest attended event in the history of my planning and executing these events. I hope that all will have a good time.

Following next week's festivities, LBA will enter his final week of daycare, before starting Kindergarten at the end of the month. I am not sure about how I feel about this, although I think it is safe to say that Mrs. BA is a little unsure about it. I just can't believe that he is all of a sudden old enough to be in Kindergarten. We shall see how that all plays out.

Before that, we will hopefully get away for a few days of relaxation. If that plan falls through, we might initiate the "staycation," lounging at the pool and taking some day trips out of the DC area. Stay tuned.

At work, I am working hard to make headway in my various work responsibilities as I will be working in another division for most of the fiscal first quarter. It is sure to be exciting and challenging and I am looking forward to the experience.

I still haven't forgotten about you all, my faithful readers. I know the recipes get a little boring, but rest assured I have a number of things sitting in my Google Reader feed that I am hoping to get out to all of you soon. Stay with me and enjoy the ride. It hopes to be an exciting fall.

Watch Where You Step

Growing up on Long Island, I had the opportunity to be close to beaches - the Long Island Sound was fifteen minutes away and the Atlantic beaches were twenty minutes away. One summer day I was swimming in the water off Robert Moses State Park and I saw a bill float by - it was a five dollar bill. Bonus! I brought it out to my blanket and set it aside and returned to the water. Minutes later another five dollar bill floated past me. It wasn't the equivalent of money growing on trees, but finding ten bucks in the vast Atlantic was a nice return on the day.

I spent most of my summers in Maine and swam in the chilled waters of the North Atlantic. One day, while wading in the water at my grandmother's house, I stepped on a ray fish. Definitely not the same experience of finding money in the water. On a few summer occasions, we spent our vacation on one of Maine's many lakes, where the swimming was fine, but walking on the mushy lake bed was a little disconcerting.

From kottke recently, I spotted this article where New York Magazine mapped the floors of the waters around New York City. I shall not be swimming in those waters anytime soon. Or ever. Beginning today I will have the advantage of swimming in the waters of the Delaware beaches, and that will present its own set of adventures.

Going on Vacation

Is everyone listening? Good. I don't want any confusion. I will be away later this week, but I have a few posts in the can ready to go so no one misses me too much. I will be at the beach with unknown Internet access.

Sort of like this guy:

There's Just No Reason

As most of you know, the Brave Astronaut family had a mini-beach weekend last weekend in Wilmington, NC. On Sunday, we packed up and headed home. I was not feeling well so Mrs. BA had to do the bulk of the driving. We left Wilmington around 2:30 in the afternoon. From Wilmington, it is about 6 hours of driving time. So with a stop for dinner and some time for the boys to run around, we hoped to be home by about 10:00. [cue laughter]

We encountered a stray thunderstorm in Wilmington which delayed us right at the outset. We did OK on I-40 and then on the bypass up to I-95. We were only about 1/2 hour behind schedule when we stopped for dinner and some exercise for everyone. We piled back into the family truckster and crossed the Virginia border from North Carolina. We even managed to do OK on the I-295 jog around Richmond (most of this is from a hazy recollection as I fitfully dozed next to the saintly Mrs. BA, shouldering the yeoman's task. Then we reached the merge with I-95. That's where it all went to H E double hockey sticks. From south of Fredericksburg to just outside of Washington, we crawled. For. No. Reason. There was no accident, no rain or weather, just a Sunday afternoon on I-95 in the Commonwealth. We pulled up in front of the Brave Astronaut launchpad at nearly midnight. 9 1/2 hours after we left.

So it seemed somewhat absurd to read this. I've ranted about traffic in the DC area before. I've even proposed solutions. They are introducing a variable speed limit system on the Beltway. We already have one of those, it's called normal traffic. So with lots of new construction projects in the pipeline here in DC, how long until we are back to walking to work on the roofs of the stalled cars on the roads?

Getting Away From it All

Today is one of the biggest travel days of the year around here. I will be staying home to celebrate the Feast of Turkey with Mrs. Brave Astronaut and her family. But don't worry about me, I'm heading to my father's next week to divest him of his belongings as he prepares to move in with his new girlfriend.

On the subject of travel, I spotted this in the New York Times Magazine several weeks ago and thought it might be a nice place for the "old archivists rest home," which is a subject of some discussion around the work lunch table. Clingstone, a home built on top of a rocky outcropping in the middle of Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island is a rather rustic, remote getaway. Of course, it does sort of give new meaning to the phrase, "getting voted off the island." We may have found a solution to our problems anyway. But we would need to come up with the money to pay the taxes on this house until we were ready to occupy it. Maybe we could rent it for the Obama inauguration. Anybody want to go in on a ticket?

Believe me it has occurred to me to rent out the Brave Astronaut manse and make some money. But then again, I wouldn't miss the event for the world - and already I have reservations from friends looking for floor space that weekend. I'm assuming that Ed guy from Pittsburgh is out.

While I am likely never getting a vacation again, I lived vicariously through this site, which chronicles famous trips, including a few that didn't end so well for the people involved. And of course, if you are getting away, remember don't leave home without this (courtesy of the Smithsonian - the American History Museum has reopened as of last week!), via kottke.
Finally, I hope that your travels, if they include air travel, don't include your needing to reference this checklist:

• How to land a 747

What I Did With My Summer Vacation

C'mon now, we all had to do it. Those bored and burned out teachers made us write that essay at least once in our school careers, yes? And I would be remiss if I didn't catch you up on the events of last week at the beach. Besides, there's nothing worth watching on TV tonight, right?

We left for the beach on Tuesday evening, getting there in a nice easy manner. We had a quick dinner and then went down and played in the surf. LBA greatly enjoyed that part of the day. Wednesday we got up and headed down to the beach in the morning to play in the water some more. The weather was very cooperative and we had a great time splashing, building sand castles (which were quickly dismantled by LBA). For dinner that evening, we headed to an Ocean City landmark with some friends. I have to say the White Pizza was outstanding. But don't bother with the calamari appetizer. Wednesday evening, I went to bed with a bit of a sore throat, but thought nothing of it.

On Thursday, I woke up not feeling any better and when heading out to buy the morning paper, picked up a thermometer, where I learned that my fever was pushing 102 degrees. Guess I was sick. I probably should have headed to urgent care at that point, but instead opted for talking to a nurse on the phone, who walked me through a series of diagnoses over the phone, scaring me into thinking that I might have Scarlet Fever or Meningitis. Oh goody.

By Friday, I was no better and sent the BA family off to play with friends, while I rested in the morning. I felt a little better in the afternoon and we all headed up to Rehoboth Beach, for Thrasher's Fries, soft serve, and arcade games. The soft serve was probably the best as it made the razor blades in my throat easier to swallow. The time had come to seek medical help. Evidently people get sick a lot at the beach, for you can come across an urgent care center every few blocks in Ocean City. I finally chose this one. There was little suspense or surprise when they discovered that I had come down with a raging case of strep throat.

The doctor decided to treat with steroids (including a shot in the butt to get me started) and anti-biotics, as is the best way to attack strep. However, when the doctor noticed my wrists and the healing patches of poison ivy still evident, she upped the doses of steroids, for evidently, if you introduce steroids to a body coming off a case of poison ivy, the poison ivy can come back even worse. So I'm on steroids for three weeks. There go the Olympic time trials. I also scored some pain killers (yeah, baby) and something known as viscous lidocaine, to help numb my throat. While it may seem like a lot of pharmaceuticals, it helped me to salvage the last two days of my vacation, which was really the only important thing.

In addition to my own health woes, Mrs. BA had her own issues on vacation. On the above mentioned trip to Rehoboth, we parked the car at a metered space ($.25 for 10 minutes!) and Mrs. BA emptied her wallet of quarters so we could park. in the confusion of then getting LBA out of the car, her wallet was inadvertently left on the roof of the car. Needless to say, it is no longer in our possession. We had had to go through and cancel credit cards and she's in the market for a new wallet, if you are looking for a gift for her. And does anyone want to go to DMV for her?

And now, in closing a few statistics:

• Number of "Summer" days (Memorial Day - Labor Day): 99

• Blog posts this summer (since Memorial Day, May 26): 73
• Number of president posts and recipes posted over the summer: 14 and 15, respectively
• Number of posts containing the tag, "summer" (I need to work on my tagging): 2
• Number of "memes" posted: 6
• Number of quizzes posted: 3
• Number of obituary posts this summer: 3 (Harvey Korman, George Carlin, and my cat Minnie)
  
• Number of iPod shuffle lists: 2

• Number of parties and events held or attended this summer: 8 (A baby shower, the Ford's Theater Gala, Red Dawn Movie Night, the Annapolis Rotary Crab Feast, the Fourth of July festivities in Annapolis, a picnic for LBA's daycare class, Little OSG's first birthday, and another toddler birthday party)
• Number of baseball games attended this summer: 6?
• Number of football games attended this summer: 1 (Go Giants tonight!)
• Number of movies attended this summer: 2 (Indiana Jones and Get Smart)
• Number of beach vacations taken: 2 (June and the most recent strep vacation)
  
• Number of rounds of golf played this summer: 1.5 (oh, how sad)

• Number of work days this summer: 68
• Number days taken off this summer (including sick leave): 10.5
• Number of dentist appointments this summer: 3
• Number of eye doctor appointments this summer: 3
• Number of doctor visits this summer: 1 scheduled, 1 urgent care

A Much Needed Vacation, Missing a Meeting, and Watching a Convention!

Written earlier for posting on Wednesday August 27, 2008

I've talked about vacation here before. Normally at this time of year, I would be on a "work vacation" at the Society of American Archivists Annual Meeting. This year the meeting is taking place in San Francisco, California. Those of you who are there, I hope you are all having a good time at the baseball game tonight. I'm sad not to be there, but I am making up for it with a few days "R&R" at the beach.

And here's some vacation tips that found their way into my Google reader, from Marginal Revolution, citing this post on this blog:

1. Start packing early - Doesn't everyone? I have been known to lay out clothes several days in advance of trips.
2. Keep a list - these tips are clearly for someone else. Who doesn't make lists?
3. Spend money where it helps - well sure. Duh.
4. Pack almonds - snacks are an essential with a three year old. He needs them just for a short car ride. But unfortunately, for now, no nuts. Cheerios, raisins, fine. But she recommends the snacks for the grown-ups, which is a good idea as well.
5. Return a day early - sure it's hateful, but becoming more and more necessary. I would love to stay at the beach through Monday, but we'll be back on Sunday.
6. Unpack right away - Again, who are these tips for? Mrs. BA, did you get all these?
   

We are also approaching Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of summer. This means that school children around the country are running for cover. In New York, where I went to school, the first day of school always took place on the Wednesday after Labor Day (remind me to tell you someday about when I got my first teaching job). Back at the end of June, Time magazine had an article on "A Brief History of Summer Vacation." As a somewhat responsible adult, I long for the days of summer vacation, where one had not a care in the world, and the only worry was to go to the ocean beaches or the ones on Long Island Sound.

Unfortunately, the article points out, summer vacation has not always been around and it may even be endangered yet again. In the days leading up to the Civil War, school operated on two calendars, neither of which had a summer break. This was largely as a result of the agrarian economy, which permitted students to help with the harvests in the fall and the spring plantings. Students living in cities operated under a 48 week school calendar (that's only four short of a full year, people), with a break each quarter. The good thing was that school was not compulsory!

In the United States, school years average 180 days although schools in Asia, specifically South Korea and Japan hold their students in school for 220 and 243 days, respectively. When the "summer break" gathered steam (around the turn of the 20th Century), it was believed that it was in the best interests of the medical and mental health of children. Keeping them out of school in the summer months would cut down on heat-related disease and give their brains a rest. However, that rest has led the United States down a path where we are consistently behind in math skills and graduation rates.

So as we sit back and enjoy the final few days of "summer," think about those lazy, hazy days of summer and remember that we have had it pretty good. I can't complain about not being in San Francisco (I've already done enough of that) and I will relax tonight and tomorrow night while watching the Democratic ticket accept their nominations for Vice President and President. We are under 150 days until we get a new president!

#34 - Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953-1961

I'm off tonight for a few days of rest and relaxation at the beach. I have a few posts scheduled to keep you up to date while I am away as I am not sure what my connectivity will be at the beach. Happy Labor Day weekend to all and enjoy the Democratic Convention!

Dwight David Eisenhower came to the presidency without having held an elective office. A career military man, Eisenhower was Commander of NATO Forces in Europe when Republican party officials came to him in Paris to persuade him to run for President in 1952.

Born in Texas, but raised in Abilene, Kansas, Eisenhower received an appointment to West Point. When World War II broke out, Eisenhower became Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe and oversaw the invasion of North Africa and the D-Day invasion in June 1944. After being elected President, Eisenhower presided over the truce signing in 1953, ending the Korean Conflict.

Domestically, Eisenhower is credited with the establishment of the Interstate Highway System. He also created the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, now divided into the Departments of Health and Human Services and Education. Eisenhower appointed five justices to the Supreme Court, including the nomination of Earl Warren as Chief Justice. During his administration, NASA was also created.

In September 1955, Eisenhower suffered a severe heart attack. He spent several weeks in a hospital and doctors pronounced him healthy enough to return to work in February 1956. He was reelected in November of that year. He retired from the presidency to his farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and died at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC in March 1969.

The Facts

• Born October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas
• Died March 28, 1969 in Washington, DC (age 78)
  
• Party: Republican
• Wife: Mamie Eisenhower
  

The Election of 1952

• Dwight Eisenhower / Richard Nixon (R) - 34,075,529 (55.2%) / 457 EVs
  
• Adlai Stevenson / John Sparkman (D) - 27,375,090 (44.3%) / 73 EVs
  

The Election of 1956

• Dwight Eisenhower / Richard Nixon (R) - 35,579,080 (57.4%) / 442 EVs
  
• Adlai Stevenson / Estes Kefauver (D) - 26,028,028 (42%) / 89 EVs
  

Trivia

• Eisenhower was the first US President born in Texas.
• Born David Dwight Eisenhower, he was known as Dwight. It is alleged that upon his entrance to West Point, the names were switched to their established order (see also U. S. Grant).
• Eisenhower's religious background was with the Jehovah's Witnesses. Twelve days after his inauguration, he was baptized into the Presbyterian Church. It was Eisenhower who engineered the addition of "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance and the adoption of "In God We Trust" as the official U.S. motto.
• Eisenhower reportedly wanted to be a professional baseball player. He did not make the West Point baseball team and said years later, "Not making the baseball team at West Point was one of the greatest disappointments of my life, maybe my greatest."
• Between his service in Europe during World War II and taking command of NATO forces, Eisenhower was the president of Columbia University.
  
• During his 38 years in the Army, he lived in 27 different homes.
  
• Eisenhower ordered National Guard troops to escort students into Little Rock (AR) High School to enforce integration laws.
• During the Eisenhower administration, the 49th and 50th states of Alaska and Hawaii, were admitted to the Union.
• Eisenhower left office under the regulations of the newly passed 25th Amendment, prohibiting presidents from serving more than two terms. He also was the first beneficiary of the Former President's Act, entitling him to a lifetime pension, staff, and Secret Service protection.
  
• Camp David, the presidential retreat, is named for Eisenhower's son.
• Eisenhower was featured on the silver dollar coin from 1971-1978. His presidential dollar coin will be issued in 2015.
• A devoted golfer, the Eisenhower Pine at Augusta National Golf Club, is named in his honor. Eisenhower frequently hit the tree when he played there and campaigned to have it moved or taken down. The request was never fulfilled.
  

Links

• White House biography
• Biographies of both Mamie and Dwight Eisenhower (from the Eisenhower library)
• Eisenhower biography (from the Eisenhower Foundation)
  
• Wikipedia
• Britannica
• C-SPAN biography
• Internet Public Library biography
• Miller Center biography
• Military biography (from the Center for Military History)
• Character Above All Essay on Eisenhower by Stephen Ambrose
• Eisenhower's D-Day message to the troops (from footnote)
  
• Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library
• Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (I've been to a party here!)
• Dwight Eisenhower Memorial Commission (trying to build a memorial to the President on the National Mall.
• The Military and State Funeral of Dwight Eisenhower
• The Presidential Papers of Dwight Eisenhower (from Johns Hopkins University Press)
  

What to do at the beach

[written on the DSL line for the house at the beach where Mrs. BA's family has descended for a week at the beach.]

The Brave Astronaut family has headed for the Delaware shore for a long weekend. LBA will get the best part of this deal as he will spend the entire week out here hanging with his cousins. Mrs. BA, and Son of BA and I will have to return home on Monday night due to a lack of annual leave.

But tomorrow is Father's Day and I will be getting in a little golf. And I'm given to understand there will be crabs for dinner.

I had actually started a much longer post about beach-related items, but it fell by the wayside as we tried to get ourselves together for our beach weekend. I'll try and work on a summary of stuff next week. After Monday's recipe and Tuesday's president of course.

I will however close with condolences to the Russert family. Tim Russert is the reason I started watching "Meet the Press." This election and the future will not be the same without him.

Back from the Burg of William

The Brave Astronaut family has returned from the Fall 2007 MARAC Meeting in Williamsburg. You can see some of the "business" highlights here on this blog (now that he has finally updated it!). Of course, for the lighter side of things, you can go to ADR's blog.

Since my last post, I had my session on Friday afternoon. It was well attended and I think it went rather well. The other sessions I went to were good as well. I attended several sessions at this meeting on the strength of a really good program with a wide variety of topics covered. I am on the Program Committee for the next two meetings, to be held in May 2008 in Chautauqua, New York and in November 2008, right here in Silver Spring, Maryland. For the Chautauqua meeting, I am responsible for getting two sessions off the ground. Stay tuned to see how they develop.

Friday night's reception took place at the Swem Library at the College of William and Mary and a good time was had by all, including Little Brave Astronaut and my MIL, who was a great help during the meeting so Mrs. Brave Astronaut and I could fulfill our professional duties. After the reception, we accompanied Ralph and Alice (you know, the Honeymooners) to their new favorite Williamsburg haunt, the Blue Talon Bistro. This evening marked the fourth night in a row for them visiting the restaurant and the second time for ADR. At several people's urging, I kept the number of our group low (Lord knows I have a problem doing that), but we got bumped up by ADR and his party of four. So we were ten for dinner and we got split into two tables of five. But the meal was amazing, from the escargot to start, the braised beef entree, and the burnt sugar ice cream for dessert.

Saturday, the final day of the conference was more sessions, the morning business meeting, discussed on Geof's blog, and once the conference wrapped up, it was once more into the pool of the time share. After a brief dip (I will say here, that the pool was very nice, but it was an indoor pool, not necessarily a heated one), we met up with the Honeymooners yet again and the Sweetest archivist and her family for a take out dinner at the recommended Pierce's BBQ.

Sunday morning dawned early and we checked out of the time share and enjoyed one last meal with the Honeymooners at one of Williamsburg's many pancake houses. Then we hit the road, eschewing the outlets for a direct trip home. We opted for a different route, avoiding I-95 and the anticipated Washington Beltway traffic around the Wilson Bridge. The route took us through the Virginia countryside and through the middle of Fort A.P. Hill. We also traveled backwards up the escape route of John Wilkes Booth, passing first the Garrett Farm, then the Mudd Home. We crossed the Potomac over the Nice Bridge (easier than Booth did), and then up through Southern Maryland. We also had the opportunity to visit the birthplace of George Washington, which we also passed on. The batteries in my camera were dead. We will have to return with a plan next time.

Off to Williamsburg - MARAC Fall 2007

Later tonight, the Brave Astronaut family will head out of town to Williamsburg, Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia is celebrating its 400th anniversary and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference will turn 35 at the meeting. The conference will be a good one and the Brave Astronaut will be a featured speaker on Friday afternoon.

Wednesday will be a fun day for the Brave Astronaut family. I will head to the links with Special K's AH for 18 holes here. You had your chance there, Ed in Pitt. Mrs. Brave Astronaut will likely head for the pool where we are staying. After the conference (Saturday afternoon and Sunday on our way out), we are hoping to go here and here. This place might be on the list as well. Mrs. Brave Astronaut will be bringing her laptop, so I hope to keep you all updated on the progress of the conference. But there will certainly be a recap on Sunday when we return.

Of course, Wednesday is Halloween and I am not sure if we will be in costume on the course, but we could dress up as really good golfers. That would be the best costume, if you catch my drift. We are bringing a costume for Little Brave Astronaut, but we might have to try and find some colonial garb for him to wear. After all, he will need something to talk to the therapist about.

But Halloween leads me to two stories. Tonight at 8:00, this show will be on the air. It is hard to believe this program is older than I. Were we not on the road, I would be watching. Last night, Peanuts creator Charles Schulz got the American Masters treatment from PBS. This on the heels of a new biography of the cartoonist. In the immortal words of Charlie Brown, "I got a rock."

Second, I am reminded of countless trick or treating times growing up in New York. I used to have the neighborhood sectioned off and could cover the entire neighborhood in about two hours. The candy haul was amazing. And in today's world, inconceivable. I used to go out by myself, getting around while it was still light out (the older kids would appear after dark, usually dressed as "hobos," looking for the free candy. At least they tried.

Now, parents walk with their children for we live in a far different world than the one of my youth. And of course, I have to eat all the Reese's peanut butter cups my son would get so he wouldn't have to get the epipen chaser. There was a chart in Sunday's Washington Post that reveled what your candy choice says about you. It also featured the comments of Steve Almond, who wrote this book. I might have to read it.

So, according to Almond, based on my candy preferences, my "Halloween Candy Personality" says either I do "well in groups but somewhat pompous. Prone to fancy costumes and arcane weapons. Wears hats in public that are ill-advised" or I am a "generous soul. [I] understand the salty in life, as well as the sweet." I evidently am also a "Sicko. Truly Demented. Plastic people living plastic lives." Well, that's not very nice. Happy Halloween.

A Wisp Weekend

We've returned from our "last vacation ever." Mr. and Mrs. Brave Astronaut had long standing plans with Mr. and Mrs. "Ed" (no, not the horse - good friends who live in Pittsburgh) to get away for the weekend, no kids, just two couples, and some golf. I had a gift certificate which was set to expire at the end of October, so we didn't want it to go to waste.

So Friday, Mr. and Mrs. BA headed out of town and made a stop in Hagerstown here. Mrs. BA needed some maternity wear and I used the opportunity to go to the Black and Decker outlet and buy this and this. Then we continued on and arrived in Deep Creek Lake after a quick lunch here. Gotta love the Peanut Buster Parfait.

We rendezvoused with our friends and decided a dip in the resort pool was in order. Then we showered and changed and headed out for dinner. I had done some research and we all decided on this wonderful restaurant for dinner. Despite being far from the Chesapeake, we had really good Cream of Crab soup and we all had various forms of steak (I had the prime rib).

The next morning we got out and explored the area, finding our way here. We wandered about the trails and saw the waterfalls and then headed back for some lunch. Arriving back at the hotel, it was determined that we had enough time for Ed and I to do this. Nothing like careening down a mountainside on a scooter wondering if you will fly off the track. I must have enjoyed it, because it was reported by several people that my cackling could be heard all down the mountain.

Then it was golf time. Let's just say that Ed beat me (as he usually does) and I didn't break 100. It was a nice course and we had a good time. Isn't that all that matters? Then it was time for dinner (it's always about the food, in case you haven't noticed). We had a really good dinner (did I mention I overate?) and since we overate at dinner, we had to go here for dessert. There was some doubt on the part of Mrs. BA that I didn't know where it was, but I have a nose for ice cream places.

Back to the hotel and we all retired to our rooms for one more night of slumber without baby monitors and slept the sleep of four tired adults (we might have been in bed by 10:00). As Sunday morning dawned, we checked out and put McHenry, MD in our rearview mirrors and headed here for breakfast before going our separate ways and heading home to our children and [gasp!] work tomorrow. Mr. and Mrs. BA stopped here on the way home to see the interesting rock formations, while Mr. and Mrs. Ed reported they were stopping here.

The BA family is going to head over to the new digs this afternoon and get an idea of where the furniture will be placed by the movers on Tuesday. I am bringing a full load of stuff of odd items that is easier for me to move than leaving it to the professionals. It can be noted that this post was written as LBA finished up his afternoon nap. There will be a period this week where the posts will likely be sporadic as the moving frenzy ramps up, coupled with the fact we won't have Internet access until Thursday evening.