skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Saratoga Springs is gearing up for 6 weeks of horse racing. The weather is about as nice as it gets here (low 80s midday, low 70s at night). I prefer some 90s in my day as you all know well, but I will not complain until it drops below 62F.
I'm spending this week settling into the place and trying to develop a routine for work. My household belongings, beyond that which fit in the Celica, will be arriving on Thursday. But I still need to get a bed this weekend. The house is going to be a great fit for the training program and location here. The drive only about 12 minutes and traffic is not an issue! I've tried to spend my 2 free hours per day being productive, running through the middle of town or organizing things at the house.
Depicted in the photograph is Broadway, the main avenue through town. My house is only 4 blocks from here. Really, a mile in any direction would take you right into the forest. There are small hills under town center which make for an interesting jog or walk. Everywhere you look right now, there are restaurants and pubs filling up as Saratoga Springs grows to about four times the population for the racing season.
The wedding and reception were spectacular to say the least. Every few minutes that pass, I find myself in awe of the fact that my little sister is now a married woman! The celebration of the love that she and Nick have found was absolutely perfect. Every effort put forth by family and friends to make it happen was for a wonderful result. From walking down aisles, to vows, to reception toasts and dances, I never saw anything short of unmistakable happiness in eyes of those two. And afterall, that is what it is all about!
The trip back to Texas was recharging. It came with all the now familiar exciting moments of reuniting and the tears of reseparation. But in new ways, it seems to happen everytime I return, I rediscover the idiosyncracies of my loved ones that are so difficult to imagine on a day-to-day basis from so far away. Whether it's Mom's proud look in her eye, or sister's joke, or friends' smiles, to say that being in their presense was recharging would be an understatement.
Nick and Jessica, I'm so happy, proud of, and excited for you and your lives ahead. I am truly blessed to have you both in my life and I want you both to always know that you have me in your corner at any turn in your life. All I ask is that you please let me know that you are doing okay from time to time. I am always a phone call away.
From Charlotte, North Carolina at the International Airport
After 6 months of roaring fun in Power School, only 4 hours separate me from flying across Eastern Texas into Austin. I've been waiting for this day for many weeks. In the same fashion that I've been living for entire year, it's going to be an exhaustingly engaged 10 days, whether it's work or play!
There hasn't been much downtime since last Friday when I graduated with my peers from Nuclear Power School in Charleston, SC. I am reminded of how much I dislike moving. From the packing to cleaning to saying goodbye, it's just no fun. Getting on the road is usually where it starts to get exciting, finding new territory and beginning new. Unfortunately, this trip came with a little twist in the form of Pawlee spontaneously jumping out of the passenger window of my car on I-95 while I was cruising at 72 mph! Long dramatic story shortened, she survived it and I found her in the woods 30 minutes later able to walk! I took her to the vet, had her checked out, and I'll be dammed if she isn't as good as new a day and a half later. Her pads were roughed up and some claws ripped off by the pavement, but she was running up and down my new stairs over and over just last night. Unbelievable!
Saratoga Springs looks like a very inviting neighborhood. It's by far the smallest community in which I've lived. I'm excited to meet everyone. We'll see how much time there is for anything outside of work come the 14th. Probably not much as that will become focus number 1. But for now, it's off to Texas!
