Quick Update

I have been informed by my roommate that I need to continue posting items.  But, after almost 20 years of writing a weekly missive in a variety of platforms as technology has evolved, my enthusiasm for putting up posts is way down.

First up was a trip to Madison.  Jo has joined the Chemistry Department board and I tagged along to help build some shelves in Kathy's garage.  I spent the morning looking at a potential property in Madison that might work, but we aren't in a big rush to buy anything and then tackled my garage project.  As usual, I constructed a set of shelves that should survive the next Armageddon unharmed.  If you can't over-engineer something where is the fun.  Jo had a great time at her board meeting reconnecting with her long dormant science roots.  Maybe her next job will be back in a lab somewhere...

Right after the quick trip to Madison, I headed out to Albuquerque several days of warm weather and a visit with the parents.  Although we had dust storms for the first couple of days, the temperature was warm and the sun popped out by the end of the trip.  We enjoyed some local theater although the Irish based play was a little on the slow side and most importantly, I got my fill of excellent Mexican food.  A trip to the local casino ended as usual for me with the casino getting all the money.  Although it was only two dollars since I'm not exactly a high stakes player.  We caught up on several movies in the evening and I finished three books while I was there.  A great trip!

Back home to the continuing cool weather I spent some time getting a few things planted in the garden beds, mostly lettuce, spinach, and an early crop of beans (hopefully).  Now just need the temperatures to stay above freezing.  Jo and I attended a Red Cross fund raising event to help support her work on their board and then had a visit by Kathy and John.  We headed over to the Great Lakes Distillery for their tour and a little sampling of the spirits.  Nice tour with a great tasting at the end although it left many of us a wee bit tipsy.  Afterwards, Jo and I headed across the street for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and to give the alcohol a little time to metabolize before getting in the car.

Next up was a long weekend vacation in San Antonio.  We had originally been planning to see Italy again, but with Jo's knee status being uncertain we opted for a more local trip.  We stayed right by the Riverwalk and enjoyed several dinners there.  We took in most of the local sites, including the Alamo, Natural Bridge Caverns, Mission Concepion, and the King William historic houses.  We also visited with Jo's aunt and uncle who live nearby and she hasn't seen in almost 30 years.  Lastly, we managed to find time for some serious spa relaxation and to take in a movie.  We both came back refreshed although missing our trip to Rome. 

That is all the events for the last few weeks.