Month: August 2009

Rena and I have paid-home-trip each month. To get to Portland, OR from San Luis Obispo, CA by air, San Francisco Airport is the natural place for us to make connecting flights. Therefore, Donald and us take full-advantage of this situation by gathering at the SF airport, and having dinner together, chatting.

Yesterday, we did just that and had a lot of fun together. This year, fortunately, we see Donald more often than any other year after his high school years.

But, I can never figure out why sometimes the long layover in the airport costs much more. And sometimes, it costs less. On the high end, it is about $150 difference per ticket between 1 hour compared with 3-4 hour layover. I kind of figure it has to do with the outbound traffic patterns from San Francisco to Portland, OR. during evening hours at summer time. What is it? Really, I just don’t know.

Oh, when I was on the plane yesterday, a lady flight attendant came by and served us drinks. She asked us whether we would like to have some wine/liquid. I said “No Thanks”. The guy, sat next to me with the military uniform on and, evidently, just coming back from Iraq, lamented that he won’t spend $6 dollars for a drink. The flight attendant smiled at him and said “it is on us” and gave him two bottles of liquid. Several minutes later, she handed over another two. Just before landing, she gave him a gift bag. It had 10 bottles in it. He drank two right away and put all other bottles into his numerous pockets on his uniform.

I wonder how the flight attendant could expense it. She must have a way. This instance couldn’t stop me thinking about everyone’s bail out money out there and the proposed government sponsored public health care option. It is the Obama-nomics grinding its gears.

Another subject, when we woke up this morning, Mom went to our yard right away and found several gigantic squashes. She planted them several months ago. It grew to its gigantic sizes even without Mom around for almost two months. Has she a remote green thumbs? I think so. Too bad, I took several pictures with my phone but didn’t know how to download it into my computer. I will figure it out and show you next time. They are really big.

She also picked a lot of blackberries grown in the protected public natural drainage area along our backyard. They were big and delicious.

Well remember I mentioned that I was getting my own office? Well, it looks like I’m not moving anytime soon. The fiscal year is coming up at the end of September and the PTO is trying to make their budget this year, so office moves have been temporarily suspended. I heard it costs a couple hundred dollars to move someone, mostly for the IT work that needs to be done, but also they have someone move a few boxes for you too. I had even started cleaning the “new” office, dusting the furniture and wiping down walls. Sigh.

Just looking thru some photos of mine on my computer. I came across some funny photos of Vince playing with my Macbook’s camera. This is one we took with Johanna and Felix and of course, Vince.

Today, during our noon time walk around the plant, we saw a helicopter flew over and started power washing an electric Transmission Tower close to the nuclear reactors.

I checked with one of electrical engineers here. The reason is to wash away the dirt accumulated between insulators (ie., ceramic rings) so they will not become conductors. But, he said, it is very unusual using helicopter though. He also said, his dad used to wash a lot of transmission towers in California deserts. Maybe, I just didn’t notice that for the past zillion years.

Oh, the helicopter is back and Mom just went out 🙂

Yesterday afternoon, Edda fell a few more times than usual and bonkered her head on the floor. I’m hoping it was because she was exhausted from the trip to the Mall and not anything more serious. Edda falls sometimes, but most of the time she can avoid hitting her head and so the helmet is not part of her normal everyday attire. When she fell 2-3 times within an hour yesterday and seemed at bit dazed, Jeremy went ahead and slapped on the bike helmet. Wearing a helmet inside does nothing for Edda’s cute factor, even when it’s orange and covered in Dora pictures. (Also, perhaps we could remember to take it off while eating at the table. I think the chance of a head injury while strapped in a chair and eating a banana is quite low.)

Last night, Jeremy’s college roommate, Alan and his family arrived. So today, we went back to the National Mall for Tourism – part deux.

Here we are at the Metro – somehow I liked these photos the best from the day. At the Metro, we are not yet hot, not yet exhausted from walking for miles in the 90 degree heat.

We went to the Natural History Museum and the kids had a nice time.

After the Natural History Museum, the kids headed home with Jeremy (all three. I know, I can’t really believe it either.) The rest of us, we went to an art museum and then we trudged to the Capitol and then to the American Indian Museum. Then we headed home. I am so tired, I’m looking forward to going to work tomorrow, so I can recuperate from the weekend.. Ha!

Edda went to the NJ Rett Clinic today with Jeremy. Her appointment was in the late afternoon – so they just got home 45 minutes ago. Her appointment went fine, she’s doing well, we are all happy.

Nicholai, Vince and I headed down to DC to see the museums. It was so incredibly hot – it was a wonder we all didn’t melt. I decided that I need a gem like this. What would I do with it? I’m not sure, it’s just so pretty!

Vince’s Sponge Bob Square Pants ice cream was melting faster than he could eat it…

We have a full house this weekend. Two sets of visitors who are overlapping as well as a trip to NJ to the Rett Clinic. Our first visitor is Nikolai, a visitor from Germany, who is a distant cousin of Jeremy’s. He’s in the US for 5 weeks, spending most of the time in upstate with Kiki and Kappa – he’s swinging by DC to do some sightseeing. We went to dinner and out to ice cream.

Here’s Edda doing her pirate imitation – Arrrr!

Gold’s Gym was doing a class outside and Vince pretty much did 50% of the workout. Lots of lunges and pushups.

And look. We finally did it! We cut a hole in the ceiling to figure out the plumbing problem. We are such chickens, such lame DIYers. What can I say, it took us months to decide to cut a hole in the ceiling, it’s a wonder I can even manage to decide what to have for lunch.

And what you all are waiting for – it’s a complete mess. I don’t know what that blue goop it, but there is a huge leak at the joint. We are trying to figure out the history of this, but I think we’ll need to take out both more of the ceiling and get a plumber.