Our stuff got here yesterday. If you were a fan of the first season of Survivor- imagine Sue Hawk but manlier and you will have a pretty good picture of the truck driver who brought our stuff. She brought with her a couple of recently graduated high school kids who she picked up in Salt Lake City. I just have imagine of a bunch of teenagers standing on a street corner waiting to be picked up by burly truck drivers. I felt kind of bad for them all when her giant truck wouldn't turn onto our street so they had to park at the end and walk all our junk up to the house.
Anyway, the kids did a fantastic job of loading and setting up everything. They were infinitely better than the guys on the other end. They apologized profusely for nicks and dings that weren't even there fault. They were also pretty funny. I walked into this conversation:
Dude 1: Do you drink?
Dude 2: No
1: Are you Mormon?
2: No
1: Then why don't you drink?
2: I don't know...
(I walk in)
2: Your husband is so cool.
Me: Why is that?
1: He drinks beer.
Me: LOL, yeah sometimes.
2: You don't see alot of that around here especially on the front porch.
Me: Yeah, I tell him all the time we are going to get kicked out of Utah.
1: No you won't but you don't see that alot.
2: By the way, you aren't like most of the women we move. You aren't a bitch...I mean, sorry....
Me: LOL...thanks?!
So I guess we are the cool kids now since we drink. Basically, Kevin had walked over to talk to the neighbors- we have already talked to our neighbors more in the last two days than we did in over a year in Florida- and the guy handed him a beer so he drank it. Apparently, that makes him cool. He laughed and was happy that that is all it takes to make him cool in Utah.
Stay tuned for stories on fancy equipment, gas, and purple mountains majesty!!!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Ogden- The Sin City of Utah
Last night we stayed in Ogden- only 45 minutes away from the new house. As we were driving around looking for dinner I could immediately see that Ogden was the outcast town. Bars, "Adult" stores, pictures of scantily clad girls on posters, dance halls that looked like strip clubs (although I don't think they were but all the windows were painted over), late night entertainment options. Very salacious for these parts!!! So anyway, were tried to go out to a Mongolian BBQ but it was closed- in fact most everything was closed. We ended up driving through a canyon to the number one rated restaurant in Ogden. It was basically an old farmhouse that had been converted into a restaurant and the waitress made fun of Dr. HokieKev for not eating his veggies. Instead of dinner rolls, they gave you cinnamon rolls. Anyplace that gives you cinnamon rolls is alright by me even if they did fry my chicken instead of grilling it as I had ordered. The place even served wine and beer including such microbrews as Polygamy Porter.
Anyhow- on the drive back tot he hotel we saw a motorcycle gang complete with do-ragged women. Dr. HokieKev commented that strange things happen in the west. I mentioned that Logan didn't seem all that strange and he said that was because it was so conservative. I am SO getting kicked out of Utah. Seriously, the first thing I plan to do is put up the wine rack from our first anniversary that still lives in its cozy Pottery Barn box. After a little searching, I have discovered that there are 5 wineries in Utah and one makes Reisling so I will also be able to fill up said wine rack. I have several pieces of clothing and at least one bathing suit that will probably be scoffed at should they ever make it out of the closet. Especially the bathing suit, it may have to wait until trips to Florida to visit Kevin's mom. No one seems to mind it there. Weddings should not be a problem as the debauchery tends to occur after several drinks and drinking is not a real big thing in these parts so I should be okay with that. We probably won't be invited to any anyway because they are usually in the Temple and non-Mormons can't go into Temples. Kevin is happy about that one- weddings really aren't his things.
I will leave you with the last set of pictures from our trip. These are from Kansas and Denver. The Utah sign is in there as well. We missed Wyoming because it was hidden behind a work zone. Damn work zones!
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah
Work Zones traveled through: 34
Cheapest gas seen: $3.77 in Kansas
Baseball Games attended: 3
Next Stop: Back to our house, hopefully meeting our stuff
Anyhow- on the drive back tot he hotel we saw a motorcycle gang complete with do-ragged women. Dr. HokieKev commented that strange things happen in the west. I mentioned that Logan didn't seem all that strange and he said that was because it was so conservative. I am SO getting kicked out of Utah. Seriously, the first thing I plan to do is put up the wine rack from our first anniversary that still lives in its cozy Pottery Barn box. After a little searching, I have discovered that there are 5 wineries in Utah and one makes Reisling so I will also be able to fill up said wine rack. I have several pieces of clothing and at least one bathing suit that will probably be scoffed at should they ever make it out of the closet. Especially the bathing suit, it may have to wait until trips to Florida to visit Kevin's mom. No one seems to mind it there. Weddings should not be a problem as the debauchery tends to occur after several drinks and drinking is not a real big thing in these parts so I should be okay with that. We probably won't be invited to any anyway because they are usually in the Temple and non-Mormons can't go into Temples. Kevin is happy about that one- weddings really aren't his things.
I will leave you with the last set of pictures from our trip. These are from Kansas and Denver. The Utah sign is in there as well. We missed Wyoming because it was hidden behind a work zone. Damn work zones!
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah
Work Zones traveled through: 34
Cheapest gas seen: $3.77 in Kansas
Baseball Games attended: 3
Next Stop: Back to our house, hopefully meeting our stuff
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Putting on the Ritz!
We spent last night in Denver at the Ritz Carleton. WAY different from the Courtyard Marriotts we have stayed in most of the trip. The bellboy almost busted his face trying to beat us to the door so that we would not have to open the door for ourselves! The front desk knew Kevin's name before he even got up there to check in and the valet whisked the car away before we had time to blink. Kevin and I decided that we didn't have enough entitlement issues to be staying at this hotel but oh well! We went up to our room- with the BEST bed I have EVER slept in- to change and throw our stuff down before heading to lunch with Marta and her husband.
After a quick stop in Ann Taylor LOFT, where I quickly decided there was nothing I needed which very rarely happens and is a shame because I have a coupon that expires tomorrow, we headed over to the ESPNZone to meet our friends. We ended up going to lunch at a local brewery and chatting for a while before picking up our tickets to the baseball game. It didn't even take much convincing to get Marta and Francesc (which I probably spelled wrong and am sorry) to join us. It was her first baseball game and little did she know what a treat it would be. We were sitting in Center Field in the special seats that allowed you to go onto the field for the fireworks and the very first pitch was a home run right behind where we were. If you see SportsCenter from this game you can clearly see Kevin jump out of his seat. The game would go onto have something like 9 home runs and last over 4 hours. By the end, I was just ready for fireworks and sick of the obligatory people that always seem to be right around you at baseball games. They include: WooHoo girl, Talk about something totally unrelated for the entire time girl, people that come in the middle of the game, and smelly man. Sometimes you also get: Annoying kid, drunk guy/girl, fighting couple. Lucky for us, the last three stayed away.
After the game we were trotted onto the field for the fireworks. On the field we were joined by 11-year-old hoochie girls and several glassy eyed toddlers. The fireworks were pretty neat and my new fancy camera got some good shots which will be posted eventually. It took a while to get out of the stadium but at least we didn't have to wait for a train and instead were able to walk back to the hotel where our bed and been turned down and chocolates had been neatly placed on the pillows. Kevin took full advantage of the 24 hour room service menu and ordered up some post game milk and cookies bringing our junk food count for the day way up. The cookies were incredibly good as they should have been for $16.
If you ever have the opportunity to stay at a Ritz- just do it. The beds there make whatever price you pay completely worth it (and by the way, they just opened and were running an insane special and that is the only reason we stayed there). Seriously, I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud. Between the feather bed, the down comforter, and the smushy pillows there was no reason to ever get out of that bed. And, as Kevin will atest, I tried my best to take the bed with us. I also refused to get out of it until it was almost time to checkout at noon. Best- Bed- Ever!
Today, we spent the whole day driving. I slept through most of Wyoming but was awake long enough to notice that Wyoming is the mountainy version of Kansas. There is NOTHING there! We are in Ogden, UT now which is only 45 minutes away from the new house. Hopefully, our stuff will arrive on time and we will be done with hotels for at least the rest of this week. All other stories from tonight will have to wait as Kevin needs this computer for some football related madness. At least this time, he waited until the car was stopped!
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah
Work Zones traveled through: 32
Cheapest gas seen: $3.77 in Kansas
Baseball Games attended: 3
Next Stop: Our new house!!!
After a quick stop in Ann Taylor LOFT, where I quickly decided there was nothing I needed which very rarely happens and is a shame because I have a coupon that expires tomorrow, we headed over to the ESPNZone to meet our friends. We ended up going to lunch at a local brewery and chatting for a while before picking up our tickets to the baseball game. It didn't even take much convincing to get Marta and Francesc (which I probably spelled wrong and am sorry) to join us. It was her first baseball game and little did she know what a treat it would be. We were sitting in Center Field in the special seats that allowed you to go onto the field for the fireworks and the very first pitch was a home run right behind where we were. If you see SportsCenter from this game you can clearly see Kevin jump out of his seat. The game would go onto have something like 9 home runs and last over 4 hours. By the end, I was just ready for fireworks and sick of the obligatory people that always seem to be right around you at baseball games. They include: WooHoo girl, Talk about something totally unrelated for the entire time girl, people that come in the middle of the game, and smelly man. Sometimes you also get: Annoying kid, drunk guy/girl, fighting couple. Lucky for us, the last three stayed away.
After the game we were trotted onto the field for the fireworks. On the field we were joined by 11-year-old hoochie girls and several glassy eyed toddlers. The fireworks were pretty neat and my new fancy camera got some good shots which will be posted eventually. It took a while to get out of the stadium but at least we didn't have to wait for a train and instead were able to walk back to the hotel where our bed and been turned down and chocolates had been neatly placed on the pillows. Kevin took full advantage of the 24 hour room service menu and ordered up some post game milk and cookies bringing our junk food count for the day way up. The cookies were incredibly good as they should have been for $16.
If you ever have the opportunity to stay at a Ritz- just do it. The beds there make whatever price you pay completely worth it (and by the way, they just opened and were running an insane special and that is the only reason we stayed there). Seriously, I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud. Between the feather bed, the down comforter, and the smushy pillows there was no reason to ever get out of that bed. And, as Kevin will atest, I tried my best to take the bed with us. I also refused to get out of it until it was almost time to checkout at noon. Best- Bed- Ever!
Today, we spent the whole day driving. I slept through most of Wyoming but was awake long enough to notice that Wyoming is the mountainy version of Kansas. There is NOTHING there! We are in Ogden, UT now which is only 45 minutes away from the new house. Hopefully, our stuff will arrive on time and we will be done with hotels for at least the rest of this week. All other stories from tonight will have to wait as Kevin needs this computer for some football related madness. At least this time, he waited until the car was stopped!
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah
Work Zones traveled through: 32
Cheapest gas seen: $3.77 in Kansas
Baseball Games attended: 3
Next Stop: Our new house!!!
Friday, July 4, 2008
We're Not In Kansas Anymore...
We left Kansas yesterday after meeting my friend Mandy for lunch in Junction City. Lunch turned into major catching up and we didn't arrive in Denver until after midnight mountain time. Everyone kept saying Kansas was SO flat- well, I was disappointed in how not SO flat most of it was. Once we got out to the really western part it did become very flat and you could see for tens and tens of miles at a time. As the sun went down, you literally could not tell where the earth ended and the sky began. We missed the Colorado sign because it was too dark and apparently western states have not grasped the concept of lighting their signs. So anyway...here are the pictures we took in St. Louis.
In other news...
Apparently, there is a muscle in between the two halves of the rib cage. Apparently, this muscle is important for doing things such as sitting up from laying down. Apparently, this muscle also has a role in coughing and sneezing. Apparently, I pulled this muscle. I noticed it in St. Louis but still have not figured out how I did it since I hadn't been to the gym for several days. At least now it is only mildly annoying. Before, every time i sat up, sneezed, or coughed it felt like a thousand firey knives were stabbing me between the ribs. I don't recommend pulling this particular muscle as it not too fun.
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado
Work Zones traveled through: 21
Cheapest gas seen: $3.77 in Kansas
Baseball Games attended: 2
Next Stop: Staying in Denver another night
In other news...
Apparently, there is a muscle in between the two halves of the rib cage. Apparently, this muscle is important for doing things such as sitting up from laying down. Apparently, this muscle also has a role in coughing and sneezing. Apparently, I pulled this muscle. I noticed it in St. Louis but still have not figured out how I did it since I hadn't been to the gym for several days. At least now it is only mildly annoying. Before, every time i sat up, sneezed, or coughed it felt like a thousand firey knives were stabbing me between the ribs. I don't recommend pulling this particular muscle as it not too fun.
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado
Work Zones traveled through: 21
Cheapest gas seen: $3.77 in Kansas
Baseball Games attended: 2
Next Stop: Staying in Denver another night
Fun with Hotel Employees
We had an eventful day yesterday. We ended our visit with the Schrock's in Lawrence (It was nice to have a couple of home cooked meals) and headed towards Denver. We then stopped in Junction City, KS to meet Ann's friend Mandy for lunch. It was good to see her as she is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and Ann and her had not seen each other for several years. Needless to say there was a lot of catching up to do and all of a sudden it was 6:30 PM and we had not ventured more then two hours from Lawrence. Unfortunately we had to move on (I think to the relief of Mandy's husband that was patiently awaiting her arrival at home) and head towards Denver. As per tradition with our trip we did not have a hotel reservation or any clue where we were going to stop. My goal was to drive as far as possible as safe as possible (all the while fumbling with the GPS to see where the next town with hotels was). After passing town after town and getting closer and closer to Denver I finally said to myself that I was feeling pretty peppy for that time of night and that we were going for it.
The next step was to find a hotel in the Denver metro area. As a good safe driver I pulled up the browser on my phone and saw that there was a Courtyard for 89.00 near the airport. Then in another safe driving practice picked up the GPS and programmed it into the GPS. Luckily the hotel was 10 miles outside of the city in the right direction so we shaved some time off the long drive. This is where the fun begins.
Ann and I pull up to the Courtyard by Marriott at 12:15 AM mountain time (2:15 AM for people on the east coast) and I tell Ann to stay in the car while I check in. I go up to the counter and this is what ensues:
Guy at Courtyard (GaC): Hello, Are you checking in?
Kevin (K): I am hoping to check in. I don't have a reservation.
GaC: Well all we have are king size beds.
K: Well shucks, My wife and I usually don't like really big and comfortable beds but we will have to make due...
GaC: Well our rate tonight is $159....
K: (smoke starts fuming out of my ears) Your website says its 89 for the night.
GaC: Well I'm not sure about that.
K: I can show you on my phone.
GaC: Let me try to log into the computer... um... um
K: Here it says 89.
GaC: Ohhhh yeah.. here it is... 89... I can honor that for you...
K: Thanks... (smiling as muttering obscenities to myself).. Have a good night...
So we got the room and rested and will be meeting Marta and her husband for lunch and then taking in fireworks and a baseball game a Coors Field tonight. It should be fun and I'll check back in soon.
The next step was to find a hotel in the Denver metro area. As a good safe driver I pulled up the browser on my phone and saw that there was a Courtyard for 89.00 near the airport. Then in another safe driving practice picked up the GPS and programmed it into the GPS. Luckily the hotel was 10 miles outside of the city in the right direction so we shaved some time off the long drive. This is where the fun begins.
Ann and I pull up to the Courtyard by Marriott at 12:15 AM mountain time (2:15 AM for people on the east coast) and I tell Ann to stay in the car while I check in. I go up to the counter and this is what ensues:
Guy at Courtyard (GaC): Hello, Are you checking in?
Kevin (K): I am hoping to check in. I don't have a reservation.
GaC: Well all we have are king size beds.
K: Well shucks, My wife and I usually don't like really big and comfortable beds but we will have to make due...
GaC: Well our rate tonight is $159....
K: (smoke starts fuming out of my ears) Your website says its 89 for the night.
GaC: Well I'm not sure about that.
K: I can show you on my phone.
GaC: Let me try to log into the computer... um... um
K: Here it says 89.
GaC: Ohhhh yeah.. here it is... 89... I can honor that for you...
K: Thanks... (smiling as muttering obscenities to myself).. Have a good night...
So we got the room and rested and will be meeting Marta and her husband for lunch and then taking in fireworks and a baseball game a Coors Field tonight. It should be fun and I'll check back in soon.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
St. Louis and Serial Killers
Last night Kevin was watching CNN and they were discussing the difference between a serial killer and a killing spree. Apparently, they had just caught some guy that had gone on a weekend long killing spree and AC360 didn't quite understand the difference. So I peaked my head up from the computer and asked Kevin where said killing spree occurred.
Him: Right around here.
Me: No, seriously.
Him: Seriously, he was at Busch stadium last night.
Me: Interesting.
And guess where we were last night.....Busch Stadium. Guess it was good that we didn't go for the mile and a half walk through random streets!!! I did see a picture of the guy and I think I could take him. Most of the targets were people over 80 and kids and he was using some sort of blunt force to the head. We probably would have been okay but I guess it is never good to chance it will a killing spree going on. It is probably also good that we were unaware of said killing spree until AFTER they caught the guy!
So, anyway. Today we made our way to the National Transportation Museum. Basically, a little boys dream as they had TONS of trains and a few old cars. We walked around for a while and took a few pictures. There really wasn't that many exciting things occurring but in this installment of things that make Kevin giggle: a sign on the side of a train saying "DO NOT HUMP." He giggled over that one fore some time.
After the museum, we headed out to Kansas to meet up with Kevin's friend and his family. We got a tour of the University of Kansas in the hot plain state heat. I was trying my best to find Coach Mangino, figuring he would be hard to miss but alas our meeting was not meant to be and I had to settle for pictures in the Basketball Lobby/Shrine. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of seeing the wonder that is the KU football coach, let's just say he is large and in charge.
After a lovely dinner, we hung out with Steve and his family and watched his two boys (4 and 5) run around acting crazy. For some reason I think Kevin and I have some effect on crazying up other peoples kids although we were assured that they "are always like this!" Nevertheless, we had a great time. I think we kept Steve and his wife up a little later then they were used to as we did not head to bed until around 2 in the morning.
Most of today was spent in the car. Most of tomorrow will be spent in the car. The stories from in the car are far less interesting.
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri
Work Zones traveled through: 18
Cheapest gas seen: $3.77 in Kansas
Baseball Games attended: 2
Next Stop: Somewhere between Lawrence and Denver
Him: Right around here.
Me: No, seriously.
Him: Seriously, he was at Busch stadium last night.
Me: Interesting.
And guess where we were last night.....Busch Stadium. Guess it was good that we didn't go for the mile and a half walk through random streets!!! I did see a picture of the guy and I think I could take him. Most of the targets were people over 80 and kids and he was using some sort of blunt force to the head. We probably would have been okay but I guess it is never good to chance it will a killing spree going on. It is probably also good that we were unaware of said killing spree until AFTER they caught the guy!
So, anyway. Today we made our way to the National Transportation Museum. Basically, a little boys dream as they had TONS of trains and a few old cars. We walked around for a while and took a few pictures. There really wasn't that many exciting things occurring but in this installment of things that make Kevin giggle: a sign on the side of a train saying "DO NOT HUMP." He giggled over that one fore some time.
After the museum, we headed out to Kansas to meet up with Kevin's friend and his family. We got a tour of the University of Kansas in the hot plain state heat. I was trying my best to find Coach Mangino, figuring he would be hard to miss but alas our meeting was not meant to be and I had to settle for pictures in the Basketball Lobby/Shrine. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of seeing the wonder that is the KU football coach, let's just say he is large and in charge.
After a lovely dinner, we hung out with Steve and his family and watched his two boys (4 and 5) run around acting crazy. For some reason I think Kevin and I have some effect on crazying up other peoples kids although we were assured that they "are always like this!" Nevertheless, we had a great time. I think we kept Steve and his wife up a little later then they were used to as we did not head to bed until around 2 in the morning.
Most of today was spent in the car. Most of tomorrow will be spent in the car. The stories from in the car are far less interesting.
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri
Work Zones traveled through: 18
Cheapest gas seen: $3.77 in Kansas
Baseball Games attended: 2
Next Stop: Somewhere between Lawrence and Denver
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Missouri, The Mississippi, and Two Girls Named Mary
We spent today in St. Louis. Our day began at the Budweiser Brewery. We figured we should get the tour in before Anheuser-Busch is bought out by MBev- not murrbev- and they stop the tours. I have taken many a brewery tour in Williamsburg as the brewery was the only place in Busch Gardens that was air conditioned. This one was actually guided though and ended in a hospitality suite full of free beer. It also happened to be the only one I have taken since I was legally old enough to partake in the festivities at the end. I don't drink beer so I waited for the several dozen children on our tour to vacant the soda machine before I got my Mountain Dew. I haven't drank soda in almost three months- well until the last three days when I have consumed enough to float away. So anyway, the tour was pretty interesting. They take you through the whole process of brewing, bottling, and packaging the beer. Apparently, the fillers can fill 1600 bottles of beer each minute. And they have these giant casks things where they beechwood age the beer that would take you 127 years to drink if you drank a case a day. I also learned that Budweiser was the first company to pasteurize stuff- even before milk- and they survived the depression by making some drink out of cereal called Bevo. But once again, I do not drink beer.
After a rousing rendition of Ice Ice Baby in the brewery parking lot, we headed over to the fancy mall to waste some time before my interview. (Seriously, how can you not bust out signing any song with Word to yo mama in it) I coveted the Swavorski Crystal Champagne Flutes (because they are amazing and I do drink champagne) and got a piece of Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. I love the Cheesecake Factory but barely ever make it to the dessert part so this time I just went straight for it. My interview was at 3:45 and I think it went pretty well. I was kind of thrown for a loop when the guy asked me what my former students would say about me as an advisor but other than that the questions weren't too weird.
After that funfest was over, we changed for the Cardinals game and headed over to the Gateway Arch. The Arch is right next to the Mighty Mississippi which is currently swollen- if not completely flooded. We got some great pictures of signs almost completely underwater. They will be posted tomorrow with the rest of the St. Louis pics. I don't know what it normally looks like but today it was insanely dirty. Tons of logs and trees and other such not indigenous to a river type things were floating down it. I certainly was not ready to go for a swim and I love water. Getting to the top of the arch was interesting. I don't think they have changed the technology since it was built in the 1960s. They even described it as part amusement park ride, part elevator, and part tram but the view from the top was worth it. You could see for miles as it was a very clear day. I managed to take some lovely pictures of the turning movements on the roadway below for Dr. HokieKev. He likes things like that.
After the Arch, we went to another Cardinals game. They lost tonight so people booed. I had CrackerJacks. We trekked forever to find a Metro stop that didn't have a three hour wait and Kevin was scowled at by some women for pushing us both onto the train. Apparently, these women have never tried to ride the T in Boston after a Red Sox game during the Boston Marathon. We could have fit so many more people in that car. We are now back in the hotel and I just finished enjoying my Cheesecake- YUMMY! Kevin is listening to Sen. Robert Byrd's dogfighting speech to noone from a while ago. If you haven't heard it it is definitely worth YouTubing- poor guy is barely alive and screaming at the five people that bothered to show up to the Senate floor that day.
And about the two girls named Mary. Most of you know that my sister's name is Mary. Some of you also know that I have a very good friend named Mary. Both are also Mary H- although, technically I guess one is Mary Bev. but who is hung up on technicalities. So anyway, they both make comments and both show up as Mary. This is confusing to all involved. I don't know who is posting what- although I can kinda figure it out- and it looks like one Mary is posting a way lot and possibly needs a hobby. This isn't the first time this has been confusing so I generally refer to them as Mary the sister and Mary the twin. Sometimes UVAmurr and murrbev- either way! I am now assured at least three people are reading this and maybe mildly amused by our antics as we travel out west. I am also seriously considering heading back to Illinois to drill for oil.
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri
Work Zones traveled through: 18
Cheapest gas seen: $3.81 in Georgia
Baseball Games attended: 2
Next Stop: Probably Lawrence, KS a day early but only time will tell
After a rousing rendition of Ice Ice Baby in the brewery parking lot, we headed over to the fancy mall to waste some time before my interview. (Seriously, how can you not bust out signing any song with Word to yo mama in it) I coveted the Swavorski Crystal Champagne Flutes (because they are amazing and I do drink champagne) and got a piece of Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. I love the Cheesecake Factory but barely ever make it to the dessert part so this time I just went straight for it. My interview was at 3:45 and I think it went pretty well. I was kind of thrown for a loop when the guy asked me what my former students would say about me as an advisor but other than that the questions weren't too weird.
After that funfest was over, we changed for the Cardinals game and headed over to the Gateway Arch. The Arch is right next to the Mighty Mississippi which is currently swollen- if not completely flooded. We got some great pictures of signs almost completely underwater. They will be posted tomorrow with the rest of the St. Louis pics. I don't know what it normally looks like but today it was insanely dirty. Tons of logs and trees and other such not indigenous to a river type things were floating down it. I certainly was not ready to go for a swim and I love water. Getting to the top of the arch was interesting. I don't think they have changed the technology since it was built in the 1960s. They even described it as part amusement park ride, part elevator, and part tram but the view from the top was worth it. You could see for miles as it was a very clear day. I managed to take some lovely pictures of the turning movements on the roadway below for Dr. HokieKev. He likes things like that.
After the Arch, we went to another Cardinals game. They lost tonight so people booed. I had CrackerJacks. We trekked forever to find a Metro stop that didn't have a three hour wait and Kevin was scowled at by some women for pushing us both onto the train. Apparently, these women have never tried to ride the T in Boston after a Red Sox game during the Boston Marathon. We could have fit so many more people in that car. We are now back in the hotel and I just finished enjoying my Cheesecake- YUMMY! Kevin is listening to Sen. Robert Byrd's dogfighting speech to noone from a while ago. If you haven't heard it it is definitely worth YouTubing- poor guy is barely alive and screaming at the five people that bothered to show up to the Senate floor that day.
And about the two girls named Mary. Most of you know that my sister's name is Mary. Some of you also know that I have a very good friend named Mary. Both are also Mary H- although, technically I guess one is Mary Bev. but who is hung up on technicalities. So anyway, they both make comments and both show up as Mary. This is confusing to all involved. I don't know who is posting what- although I can kinda figure it out- and it looks like one Mary is posting a way lot and possibly needs a hobby. This isn't the first time this has been confusing so I generally refer to them as Mary the sister and Mary the twin. Sometimes UVAmurr and murrbev- either way! I am now assured at least three people are reading this and maybe mildly amused by our antics as we travel out west. I am also seriously considering heading back to Illinois to drill for oil.
States visited: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri
Work Zones traveled through: 18
Cheapest gas seen: $3.81 in Georgia
Baseball Games attended: 2
Next Stop: Probably Lawrence, KS a day early but only time will tell
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