AMERICA . . . MY HOME SWEET HOME

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA . . . GOD BLESS AMERICA . . . GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES . . . PROUD TO BE AMERICANS!

FRIDAY SKY - PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, CALIFORNIA

It was a madhouse at the grocery store when I went there after work to get a few items.  Almost everyone loaded up their carts with bread, milk and whatever we thought would keep us from starving as we prepared for the first big snow storm of 2014.  (Alisa, I am sure you remember the rush to the grocery stores before the snow from when you used to live here in STL.)

Just like at Christmas/Easter or any other “rush hours” of shopping for the major holidays, I was the only smiling person with a few items in a small cart.  Everyone looked so anxious and ready to kill for that last load of bread or jug of milk which might not fit into their overloaded large cart.

I thought these photos from our road trip, driving along California Pacific Coast Highway, would sort-of keeping us warm during this “deep freeze”!

I DID IT (FALL SEMESTER COMPLETED)

December 10, 2013

I did it … all the assignments were submitted and all the Final Exams were taken – freedom !!!

How did I do?  I believe I did good - the grades are most likely in the mid-to-high 90s for all the classes.

It has been a long and winding road since I began the program in October 2012.  (Actually I started the journey after I was thrown off the bridge in June 2011).  There were so many times I thought I could not handle the coursework, especially this semester juggling work and school - at my old age, it was not easy.  (Just like climbing up to the top of the arch and wonder how you were going to get back down!)

Now I could sit back and relax – well, not really.  I already finished reading chapter 1 of Employment Law (Spring 2014 semester) – I can’t wait for school to start again!!!!

(Arches National Park, Utah – July 2013)

THE LONE SAILOR (SAN FRANCISCO, CA)

To our servicemen and women - Thank You and Blessings to you and your family.

GO CARDS!!!!

These photos were from the 2006 World Series (the Cardinals eliminated the Tigers).  We were at Game 1, the First World Series game at the New Busch Stadium.

 Busboy, I am posting these photos for you.  Thanks for thinking of St. Louis.  May the better team win!

 Friendly wager, anyone?

WE WERE GOING TO SAN FRANCISCO, BUT

Thursday, July 4, 2013 – We left Sequoia N.P. at around 1:30 p.m., stopped for lunch in Three Rivers, CA.  We also filled up the gas tank before getting into San Francisco since it would most likely be expensive in SF.

From Three Rivers, we continued to follow CA-198 west, I-5 north, I-580 west (Bay Ridge/San Francisco), I-80 west, and finally US-101 north all the way into San Francisco.  We were stuck in traffic for about 20 minutes, waiting for our turn at the toll booths.  Unlike in Los Angeles where vehicles only need to have 2 people (we were there in 2010), in SF, cars must have 3 or more to use the carpool lane.  We thought we should take a chance, got into the carpool lane, and if we were to get caught by the nice highway patrol, we could say that we have three – Ralphie, TOTA and Benjamin!

We had no problem getting to our hotel, right on Lombard Street.  The hotel cost a little more compared to others but we were glad to pay more for the free parking.  If you are in SF, definitely consider staying at a hotel with free parking, even if you have to pay for a safe parking spot for your vehicle, it is worth it.  Just like NYC, SF has good public transportation and the routes are accommodating – no need to drive because good luck with parking.

We selected the room in the back of the building instead of the one with balcony overlooking the street.  It would have been nice to “people watching” from the balcony but we would be out and about doing tourist things.  There was a small safe for valuable stuff, just enough to keep the iPad, the Bose, iPods and a few extra dollars we did not want to carry around town.

We walked across the street to a restaurant that was recommended by the hotel clerk.  After we were promptly seated at the table, the server disappeared and did not come back.  The people from the table next to us said that they were there for almost 25 minutes and no one came back to take their order.  They left and we followed them out the door!

It was already 7:30 p.m. so we went to a corner deli, got two sandwiches, took the food and drink backs to the hotel room.  Later, we walked down to the waterfront and watched the fireworks.  The crowd was very orderly, and even a few questionable looking characters were well-behaved.  (I admit that I was nervous being outside at night among large crowd on our first day in an unfamiliar big city like SF, but the City law enforcement did a great job at directing traffic and kept the flow of people moving.)

We had a wonderful 4^th of July – seeing General Sherman and his family, watching the fireworks, celebrating Independence Day and grateful for the Blessings to be living in this great Nation.  God Bless America and the men and women who serve and protect our Freedom and Liberty.