Somtimes, in the early part of monsoon season here in the Phoenix area, if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute. It’ll change.

By now I’m sure you’ve heard of the gigantor dust storm that hit us Tuesday evening – 50+ miles wide, over a mile high in spots – well, with that came a little bit of relief from the heat. We haven’t been over 110 since then, and this morning it’s downright chilly – the thermometer on my back porch says 87 right now – almost enough to make me put a sweater on![sarc=OFF]

At any rate, a little busy this morning – off to pick up a box of bags for the store, and then to Discount Tire to get a slow leak fixed on the Camry’s right front tire.

Yesterday, TMBWitW went in for an MRI of her wrist – she is seeing a specialist today to decipher the image – and since she had gone through an MRI before, with a particularly nasty set of migraines, she asked our regular doctor for a mild sedative so she could make it though the enclosed machine (an open machine would not have given the detailed image needed). She took both tabs, and fell asleep in the waiting area. And the prep area. And the Xray area, where the contrast dye was inserted. And in the wheelchair waiting to get into the MRI. And, of course, in the MRI itself, in the wheelchari on the way to the car, on the way home, and after I managed to get her into bed. She woke up for a bit after I came home from church, to eat a sandwich and drink a little soda, but she’s been asleep since then. Next time, she’s only taking one of the tabs.

Gotta book – things are starting to open up around here. Hope you have a great Thursday!

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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Good news, America – we’ve made it to another Birthday!

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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220! I gotta cut out the soda … again …

So – Friday morning dawned overcast in Anaheim. With it came the buzzing of my phone – TMBWitW is messaging me that she is on the way – 0630 and on the road. I message back, asking her to drive safely, and roll over for a short nap. I woke up about 0700, rollout, shower, get dressed, and decide that a long walk to get away from hotel conference food is in the cards. My walking takes me north on Harbor Boulevard towards the Mouse Eared Main Gate and a certain high-volume arched restaurant right across the street. I order and eat, taking my time, and people watching as the crowd surges in and out on it’s way to the park. I start walking back to the hotel and just enjoy the weather – about 72, slightly overcast from the marine layer, with the sun starting to burn off the haze.

Back in the room, I settled in for a marathon of American Chopper. Knowing that my wife will never set any land speed records (especially with her right arm in the shape it’s in) I even nap once in a while. I’ve got the sliding door open, and I’m enjoying the fresh air and cool weather. She calls around 1000, letting me know she’s napping in Indio. An hour later, she’s back on the road. I talk her in by phone once she is close, and my family joins me around 1330. TMBWitW promptly lays down for a nap (sore and tired – bad combination!) and I take another Deacon’s nephew to meet him at the Park.

When I get back to the room, TMBWitW is on the verge of a power nap – so I take MEG and head for Redondo Beach. We spend a few hours building a sand castle and chasing the waves, splashing, and having a good time. Sorry, no pictures – I was concentrating on keeping an eye on my fearless daughter, and didn’t want to run the risk of dropping a camera in the ocean.

The next morning, I pack the car, we check out, and we hit the Santa Ana Zoo. There is an adoption event going on – mostly German Shepherds. We get in, wander the zoo, ride the “canimal” and even the train. On the way out, we pass a kennel with a sweet little black lab puppy – he looks about nine months old – and it’s everything I can do to keep moving toward the car without adopting him on the spot. We hit the road, and head back for Phoenix. First stop: Mighty Mikes for dinner, then home and my own bed. Whew!

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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Just before the trip to Anaheim, I join Twitter. Not sure how it’s going to work out. I initially joined to find out how it worked, in order to help Kidstop get going on Twitter. In the process, I’ve ended up following a lot of other tweeters.

Sunday at the opening session of the ASTRA conference, I end up following Graham David, the opening speaker. Over the course of the Academy and two days of Marketplace, I ended up following more industry twitter leads.

(i think i may have found a way to start catching up on industry information, compared to the boss – but i know that i will never be able to match her knowledge about this industry. i can only keep learning as much as possible.)

After ASTRA, The Good Toy Group meets and buys for the winter catalog. All the vendors who were selected to be in the catalog are in a private buying session, and orders are placed by the stores. This is another day and a half. Thursday, the room looks like a warehouse with the items I am bringing back to the store, the boss is catching a ride to the airport, and instead of waiting for my wife and child to arrive any minute – they are sitting at a parts store in Phoenix while a mechanic friend tries to wrestle the inoperable piece of alternator off the engine block to replace it with a working version.

Family vacation delayed for lack of equipment. I am frustrated because I’m not there to help. She is frustrated because she ends up spending eight hours in a parts store with our daughter. My cousin shows up, and he and I go to dinner without my family. It’s good to meet Bob, bad that my family couldn’t make it. The thresher shark at the Dana West Yacht Club is delicious.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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OK, I’ve been back since Saturday evening – and I am still trying to process everything I’ve seen/heard/learned. The ASTRA Conference and the TGTG catalog buying event sure left a lot of information floating around in the head.

Had a great time with several blogging friends (Gawfer, Political Pistachio, and Prying1) at Chronic Tacos in Corona – very sorry that more weren’t able to make it. One in particular (a certain Marine who just transferred back stateside but wouldn’t be actually stateside until a week after the meeting) I was really looking forward to being able to see (but his sister and her son did), and another (American and Proud) who’s schedule just would not cooperate.

Gotta run – more later.

Chat ya later…

Thank you for stopping by, In GOD We Trust, God bless you all, don’t buy or breed cats or dogs while homeless pets die (spay, neuter & adopt a pet, one by one, until there are none), Wear Red on Fridays, and support Warriors for Innocence!

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