Happy birthday tomorrow to my brother. He knows who he is. I won't make any jokes about his age, since I'm older--as he constantly reminds me and anyone else who happens to be around. His hair is whiter, though. ;)
We are back from our vacation. Decided on the way that we can't really call it home, so it's now Base Camp Ajo. More in a bit about the job and upcoming relocation.
Vacation was a lot of fun punctuated by a lot of driving. We made a big loop, starting out by spending three nights in Las Vegas. It's about a six-hour drive there from here, and we arrived tired. Budd usually likes to be relaxed about getting started on the road, hates to be rushed. But as I went about a leisurely morning getting ready, he informed me that he wanted to be on the way by nine a.m. That was at about 8:30. Obviously that didn't happen! We pulled out about 10 and arrived in Las Vegas just in time for rush hour.
We stayed on Fremont St. at the Golden Nugget. Over the years we've come to enjoy that area more than the Strip, and there's no question it's more affordable. The Nugget is a 4-star hotel, and I think the room rate was about $64 plus tax. We were quite happy with the room, which was on the 21st floor. One of Budd's favorite silly things to do is bounce in any elevator he gets into. I'm always telling him to stop jumping in the elevators...but one of the days we were there he got in by himself to go get something out of the car. As I napped, I woke occasionally and wondered what was keeping him, but it never occurred to me that he was stuck in the elevator just above the 16th floor, a result of bouncing it too much. He was there about 20 minutes. One of the maintenance men who responded had to climb on top of the car to reset the brake system. Budd could hear him telling the other one that he couldn't tell which button to push. Budd called up "Don't push the one that says 'free fall'!" and heard both men start laughing. A few seconds later he was on his way again. But I still had to restrain him from doing it again each time we went up or down.
For those who have never been to Fremont Street, it is quite an experience. In fact, it's called The Fremont Street Experience. Millions of lights embedded in a canopy that covers two blocks show video every half hour or so, accompanied by a deafening music track. Queen was the featured artist while we were there, so 'We Will Rock You' and 'We Are the Champions' are still going through my head. Along with the light and music show, it's a great place to people-watch. Among the tourists strolling the mall are performance artists, people in costume advertising the casinos and other businesses along the street, and kiosks where vendors try to engage one in conversation in order to make a sale. Most evenings there are live entertainers at each end of the mall, in the middle, and sometimes at odd intervals along the way, all competing for attention. On Monday night we had tickets to a singer/comedian/impressionist who made me howl with laughter. We found a club just outside the canopy that had a blues jam on Tuesday night, usually a night when all the live entertainment is 'dark'. We were most impressed by a man who had to be in his 70s at least. His couple of songs were exactly the right combination of blues and rock to get us up off our chairs.
Wednesday found us on our way to Salt Lake City, another six hour drive, not counting stopping time for food or gas. We rolled over the Point of the Mountain pass right at rush hour, again, and took some time to find our hotel. This one we wished we hadn't found, as it was dirty, smoky, noisy and altogether unacceptable. Unfortunately we didn't realize the extent of the problem right away as we just dropped our luggage and went to visit the kids. At midnight the fire alarm went off, fortunately before we were asleep or it would probably have given us heart attacks. We checked out the next morning after securing a room at the Hilton Garden Inn in Sandy. For essentially the same price it was 100% better, and we highly recommend it.
We spent the next four days visiting with the kids and doing a little essential shopping. Budd had surprised the girls and me with gift certificates to Elase Academy Spa, so we got thoroughly pampered with pedicures, manicures and more. In turn, the kids pampered Budd and me with hugs, laughs and food. Heather served an elk steak dinner with corn on the cob that Matt provided. Laurie and her husband Mike, known to the family as Huggy, took us out to Olive Garden on Sunday night. We spent so much time either with the kids or resting that we didn't get to see any friends, but we'll make sure to do that next time we're in town.
We had intended to jump up to Montpelier, ID to visit with Budd's brother and his wife, but that plan got scrapped when we learned that my sister-in-law had pneumonia of a type that is contagious. Before our trip was over, we learned that my brother-in-law had also contracted it. Fortunately, both report that they are doing better now. We were disappointed not to be able to see them this trip--it's been way too long.
From Salt Lake we travelled on Memorial Day to Grand Junction to spend a couple of days with Budd's mom and stepdad. I want everyone to know that I have the sweetest mother-in-law in the world. We have missed her so much, so it was wonderful to get to spend that time with her and visit. We also got to see Budd's sister and most of her family (missing only our niece, but we did see her little boys) on Tuesday for a family barbecue. My sister-in-law is helping raise her two grandsons, and I have to say she is amazing. Those boys wore me out, and all I did was watch them play! They are so cute, and full of energy.
On Wednesday we started the last leg of our trip, back through Moab toward Mexican Hat, UT where we spent the night. We paused in Moab where we visited Budd's other sister and got to see one great-niece and her baby, the other great-niece's toddler and a great-nephew. I also got to have lunch with two dear high-school friends who have remained in Moab. Donna and Judy (sisters) always catch me up on the news from the rest of the old gang while Budd and his sister get to spend some one-on-one time.
On the road again, we passed through Bluff, UT, where Budd spent some of his most memorable childhood years. We cruised around town for about 15 minutes (enough to cover every street, lol), and then headed south. I've never been south of there past the turnoff we took last winter that led us to Chinle, AZ, so it was new scenery that rolled by for the next 45 minutes as we passed the Valley of the Gods and entered the San Juan River valley where Mexican Hat is located. We stopped to take pictures of the rock formation for which the town is named, and then drove on into 'town'. Town consists of a gas station and three or four hotels, one trading post and two restaurants, one of which serves nothing but giant steaks. The hotel where we were registered turned out to be owned by a distant cousin of Budd's, but we didn't get to see him as he was out of town on business. Neither of us wanted a giant steak (well, Budd wanted one but conceded he probably shouldn't have it), so we went to the other restaurant, which we suspect was the cause of his food poisoning. The rest of the evening didn't go well at all.
Next morning, it was with trepidation that I went back to the same restaurant--the only choice for breakfast. Budd was in no shape to eat, so I found some Pepto Bismol tablets at the gas station C-store, but couldn't find ginger ale anywhere in town. I was at the wheel when we shook the dust of Mexican Hat off our heels and took off on the last long leg of the trip--7 hours to Ajo. Plans to stop in Phoenix for groceries were scrapped, but Budd was able to take over driving duties by the time we reached a pull-off opportunity in Monument Valley, just a few miles short of Kayenta. By the time we arrived in Ajo, we were both too tired to do anything but unload the car and drop everything just inside the living room door. I went out to get milk, eggs, bread and something for dinner, but forgot to take the water container.
Friday (yesterday) was the day designated for Budd to sort out all the conflicting information he had been receiving about his job situation while we were travelling. He spoke first to the AO at ORPI, then tried to call the regional IT director to get some information that the AO here wanted, only to find out that the regional person will be out of the office most of this month. There is an acting regional director, so Budd then tried to call him, learning that he will also be out of the office until mid-month. So our plans are still very much up in the air, as we don't know when Budd is expected in Denver. At the moment it looks like that can't happen because of logistics until mid-July at the earliest, so both of us will be back to work as critical-hire temporaries on Monday--me to finish my appointment, and him to start a new 30-60 day one.
In a funny twist to the end-of-vacation saga, I was sorting laundry and Budd was reading, still recuperating from his illness, when the front door opened and a real estate agent, client in tow, walked in yesterday morning. I had mentioned to our landlady that we would probably be leaving by the end of July, and told her we'd be happy to cooperate with showings if she wanted to list the house for sale again. Because of a development in town wherein Homeland Security is exercising imminent domain over a mobile home park, she did go ahead and list it. I hadn't called yet to tell her we were home, and the agent was waiting to talk to us before putting up a sign, so we didn't know it was listed. After an awkward moment or two, we allowed the showing, warning them that the house was a mess because we had just returned from vacation. I really hope for the sake of the owners that the house will sell, but it may mean our having to move again before we leave town. Of course we wouldn't want to stand in the way of a sale--those are too far and few between here.
On that note, I'd better get in gear and get the place ready for future showings...it's still a mess. So much for three days of rest before returning to work, lol. Oh well, 12 days of someone else doing the cooking and no 5 am rise times was enough rest for me. Time to get back in the saddle.
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