Post #4 - Daytona Day 1

This is the view from my condo. Yes I'm bragging. No I don't care if you "hate me just a little" as Kt said. :-)



This is the sun coming up this morning on the ocean (no I wasn't awake yet).



This is about how light it was when we went for our 3mile run/walk down to the pier and back. My shins hurt but my asthma did awesome - woohoo!!



This is the tiny lizard in the stairwell who wanted to go with us on our run but I was afraid the birds would eat him so I told him no!

Post #3

This is the "tank" that they have the EMT's, fire personnel in during the launch in case of disaster.... the closest safe distance is 3.5 miles b/c it has the power of a small atom bomb.......


This is the actual shuttle Discovery waiting for liftoff --- the middle tank is the big external fuel tank - it holds millions of pounds of fuel and explodes after it's empty. The two on the sides are the rocket boosters that are discarded in flight and recycled.



This is hot cranky Mandy who is bus-sick, has a bad migraine and wants to smack the little boy who won't shut up in the bus seat in front of her admiring the space shuttle. :-)


This is the Vietnam-era Huey helicopter WITH the M-16's still mounted that is flown in the area during the launch for security.

Post #2 (please read in order!)

This is the facility that has the "clean rooms" for working on space equipment and the astronauts living quarters before they leave - they were there already but obviously we couldn't see them.















This is a very hot "me" at the KSC - I think that's the space shuttle in the background....











This is the very tall, 5 football fields in size one story (seriously!) bldg that they assemble the rockets and space shuttle in. Fyi - to get the shuttle out - they open the bottom 3 doors --- the new Aires Rocket that'll be the next thing to go to space --- they open ALL doors and have 6' clearance!!!!!'




This is the "crawler" that moves all the shuttles, rockets etc from the above bldg to the rocket pad. It moves at .9 mph and is self leveling w/in 1/8 of an inch and can put the rocket on the right spot w/in 1/8 of an inch. Each tread on the crawler weighs 1 million pounds!!!!!!!

We will start at the beginning....

This is outside the lego store in "Downtown Disney" - it was raining but the dogs didn't seem to mind... We also hit the Ghirardelli store where my poor husband discovered that all other chocolate doesn't compare!! He's now hooked on the milk and milk/caramel squares!











This is on the way to the Kennedy Space Center (from here on out known as KSC b/c I'm tired of typing it!) The runway is RIGHT on the other side of the interstate......very creepy!



















Guess who I made drive all the time!! Poor thing - I got REALLY carsick on the way to the condo after the KSC - he had to pull over so I could try to throwup in some hotel's parking lot....














Arriving at the KSC - see next post for more pics....

Oh, well yeah, I'll just shut up now.....

I went to take a cold shower to cool off after our run last night. I had pulled back the curtain to get in and saw a black spot in a spot where there is not supposed to be a spot. Attempting not to panic, I turned around, put my glasses on and sure enough....it's the type of spot that has 8 legs and is just waiting for me to get in so it can scare me to DEATH. Stupid spot. Being the hysterical spot-hater that I am I yelped for my poor husband. He came running (good husband!) and said WHAT!!!!!!?
I pointed out the deadly spot and told him to try the bleach spray on the side of the tub. He stood up, picked the bug REPELLENT off the cabinet and turned back to the tub.
Me: "Um, that will just make him mad...THAT WILL JUST MAKE HIM MAD!"
Husband proceeds to smash said spot into smithereens and rinse him down the drain.
Me: "Oh. Well yes if you use it that way it does work....Thank You!!"

My "niece cats"

They were all very good to love on me and take turns on my lap while I was at Kt's. Todd and Camry posed well for their pics. Dolly was "too good" for the camera!

More pics from party in IA

These show Aunt Betty and Martha playing a game where you threw the beanbags into holes....I find it hilarious that their "poses" look so much alike! Poor Aunt Betty was FREEZING! She came up expecting 90+ and it was a balmy 75ish instead. Her thin Phoenix blood couldn't take it!



























This is an advertisement outside a wagon factory in IA - so cool!






















Ok, is this not the UGLIEST CHICKEN EVER?!??!?! The family that hosted had several of these running around - no idea what was wrong with them. Mom and I are assuming they got picked on too much but no telling for sure!

Aunt MaryLou's Party

Mom w/ her favorite thing - a lap-full of cats! :-) She shared with me which was very generous of her!

















Valerie, Gpa and friends.


















Gpa, Martha and Dale

















Aunt MaryLou and Uncle Don - they were both VERY surprised!

Annoying!!

When I recite my phone # do people think I say '417' first for my HEALTH?? WHY do people insist on ignoring the area code then calling Josh annoyed b/c I'm not answering my phone?? NO DUH Sherlock, dial the right # and I'll be happy to answer!!!!!!
The landlord didn't give the area code to the dishwasher repair people, thus they couldn't come today b/c they couldn't reach me! Then the LANDLORD neglected to dial the area code and when I didn't answer (gee ya think?) he called JOSH complaining that my phone didn't work. GRRRRRRRRRR! I am so tired of this? Why is this so hard to understand?

Well I was going to post some pics of the trip - some from the party for Aunt MaryLou etc, however the camera just got on the plane w/ my husband headed for KC again. I told him not to delete anything so you'll just have to be patient :-)
I'm getting ready to start all my laundry - woohoo right? :-) My fridge is BARREN! Literally a few pieces of bread and that's it!!!!! So I'm headed to the grocery store too!

P.S. Guess who called Josh's phone today? Sheri from my old job (apparently those letters I typed w/ my phn # and email address were too much trouble to dig out, they just had his # handy.) I called her back and they had lost a file I worked on for DAYS for them (the BCBS spreadsheet I was having to do while Kt was here.) Now this is the same job that told someone I had done NO work while I was there the last month and deleted all the files I'd worked on out of spite (even tho in reality I worked hard and made a reference sheet of where to find ALL documents I had typed for them.) I looked, didn't still have the file in my email so said "Sorry, no luck. Bye!" The guts of some people!!!!!

heehee

I have a 1/2 grown bluejay flying around my back porch. He landed on the railing and sat there huffing and fluffing his feathers (was shedding bits of tree - must have barely missed hitting one.) He was aiming for my roof - but he wasn't quuuiiittee sure he could make it. He'd huff and spread out his wings ..... and then pull them back and shake his head. Then spread his wings again...give a tiny hop.....and fold them back and shake his head. Finally about the 6th time he actually took off - and from the "THUMP" I heard it must have been a hard landing but I don't see him so he must be ok. Hilarious to watch tho!

Maid of the Mist pics

He's having a good time I PROMISE!! He just hates having his pic taken! (He suffered for 2 for my camera, bless his heart.)

Mayfields at the MOTM boat - enjoying their "mist bath" - not a big deal since it rained on and off all day.

More pics

This is at Devil's Hole - you can see the river - the waves are at least 2 ft hight and the current is UNBELIEVABLY fast. The jetboats that run the river need all 1600 horsepower to make it thru the class 5 rapids. They can go as far as the class 6 rapids, then have to turn around b/c it's only a 50/50 shot of surviving the class 6. YIKES!
This was on the way up the 310 steps. Poor Brenda and Jackie were having a rough time, it was humid for NY and it's quite a work out.


























Jackie - before and after the Maid of the Mist ride!

Pics

July 3rd at the falls at night. The falls were lit up by the colored lights. Beautiful and then even more fun when they started the fireworks.

Brenda and Jackie on the Devil's Hole Trail. Notice the smiles - I didn't exhaust them so bad they couldn't smile (of course we hadn't taken the 310 steps back up yet. As you can see in the next pic, it's quite a climb up....

Pictures

This was a station-wagon style Mini we thot was interesting - mostly for Kt. :-)




Jackie at Hard Rock Cafe























Jackie and I at the Mountie statue - notice the matching jackets?? Yeah, we came to the falls for the fireworks and promptly started whimpering that we were cold! So we had to shop and find something to keep us warm!























Jackie and I.