Yes, it has been several months since my last post. I admit that I am lazy. It isn’t the thought that I don’t have ideas to expound upon, or that I don’t have time. I am lazy, or at least that is what I said in a recent survey as I logged into to write this post.
Much of my life has changed since that last post. I still work but think more and more about retirement. Since that last post, I have taken two weeklong vacations, in what has been about three months. Oddly enough, both were trips back east. No procrastination there. Planned weeks, even months in advance, budgeted and paid for.
Daughter has been off to college now for a little over two months. That was some time away from work. Of course, we had to make some fun time for son so that he wasn’t left out of this life changing event for all of us. To accommodate this change, I assumed the morning duties for feeding the horses (soon to be only the horse, but more about that change in a moment). This didn’t cause a significant change in my schedule, as I was always awake early. Just less time to procrastinate getting ready for work.
Of course, son is now 16 and the fact that his older sister is not around, introduces change in his life and how he handles school, work around the house, etc.
My first trip was planned for late August through early September as a return trip to New Jersey. The purpose was to catch Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band playing at the Meadowlands. And while I was there, connected with my friend from college and visited places that I checked out when I was there two years ago for Pearl Jam and the Sea Hear Now concert festival.
So here it is. I offer you Change, in pictures…
I originally planned to see the September 3 show, but, as fate had it, and luck on the part of my friend, managed to see the September 1 show as well. Some overlap in the song selection, but well worth the added expense of the extra ticket.
All I can say is that when I am 73, which is over a decade away, I hope that I look that great and can move that well. Outstanding performance. Played all of the old stuff, some newer things, and after 3 hours for each performance, I was happy to have been there.
And in typical nerd fashion, I also went to the beach, if only for a little while. No swimming, but sand and surf. No shorts. No tan. Just some quiet, barefoot in the sand and water. Water was warm but there were no lifeguards and so there was no swimming. Some people just relaxing in chairs.
The second trip, which just concluded a few days ago, was for Fall break. The local school has changed the calendar here and now has more breaks as they take longer to complete the school year. In this case, we took son to New York City for the week.
Ate too much food, visited the 9 11 Monument and Museum (right when they had their first pool jumper) and the MET, to name a few places (besides shopping). All illustrated in the photos below…..
Yes, I left New Mexico to see Native American Pottery in addition to the silver pottery from the middle 1700’s from America.
LEGO Steve from the New York City trip. One of the few souvenirs that I purchased. The other was a replica of the Wall Street Bull, and some books from a real bookstore.
Along the way, there were a few smaller trips. Took daughter to college, went to Amarillo (for work) but had a field trip to the Cadillac Ranch. All captured in pictures…
The picture above is the family, walking to our cars to say goodbye after we dropped daughter off at college. She is in Colorado so it’s only a seven-hour drive.
I painted the Zia on the car at the Cadillac Ranch. Found it interesting that there is so much paint on each car. Doubt that it is there should I return after a few months.
And finally, we said goodbye to Ruby, who left for a retirement ranch in southern Colorado, only 6 hours from here. I end this post with some photos of packing Ruby up for the trip.
And just like that…she was gone. Roman misses her very much and so we have had to spend some time consoling him. Our last report indicates that she has made friends and loves the open fields of the ranch.
Until next time.
TheMcKeeSpot. 