20120328 - Long Road

20120328 - Up for a fantastic bfast overlooking the falls.  Then we went shopping at an outlet mall for shoes and stuff.

One last look at the falls as we head across the boarder (without incident :-)  Back in the states and more shopping for a 'special jacket for D...  Got it done and a quick stop in NY to see a fabulous canoe sculpture (J was the only one to view it with me).


We drove and drove, passing an Indian, and fighting the wind all the way.  We stopped by a McD's where we got to walk over the highway.


More road time, all to get to the World's Largest Bronze Scottsman (again J is the only participant :-).


On the way to dinner we made sure to drive past the 'Road sign Wall & Garden' in PA.


We made it to dinner for J at the original Quakersteak and Lube so he could taste original buffalo wings and check out the motorcycles (it was motorcycle night ).  More road time and a stop for gas and hot chocolate.  More road and finally to Gma&paB's and our Lilly.  Good to be back in OHIO.

20120327 - Finished Five in One Year

20120327 - Up in the am to this spectacular view!  The hotel restaurant we had breakfast in overlooked the falls which complimented the made to order omelets and vat of bacon nicely :-)

We pulled ourselves away from the bacon and headed to the Daredevil museum and an IMAX movie that told us the history of the area and the Falls.  After this we went to Journey to the bottom of the Falls, something I have always wanted to do but have not in previous trips.  D&J were the only ones brave enough go down with me.  It was really neat, the tunnels back behind the roaring wall of water and then the platform next to it where we could see back in behind the water.











In the car and down the road to the Chocolate and Souvenir Shop where we bought a couple of pounds of fudge and goodies for the boys and 'girlfriend'...  On down the road a bit further and we came to the 'Whirlpool' where the millions of gallons the go over the falls every minute have to make a sharp right turn.



A bit further and we found the power dam on the US side.  D said I have had enough of your dam walls :-)



Down the road more to the famous flower clock, but at 42 degrees the flowers weren't blooming just yet...















Further north and a bit chiller we came to Fort George.  It said 'Closed' but D&I went in anyway :-)  we found a drummer in full period costume that told us the history of the fort, it's connection to Ohio and to stay as long as we wanted and to stick around to be extras in the movie they would be filming later...  We walked all over, it is quite a feat of engineering considering it was built in the last 1800's and D liked the cannons and big earth walls and pointed wood walls.


Further North to Lawrenceville for lunch and then to another fort right on lake Ontario that had really cool buried rooms and tunnels.





L had to pee really bad, but DJ&I had to touch the water from lake Ontario to complete the goal of touching all five Great Lakes in one year, that we started on vacation last Summer.






Now working our way west a bit to see the locks and while waiting for a ship to enter J&I found our one and only geocache of the trip.  Then a HUGE ship pulled in.  It was really cool.  We chassed the ship to the next lock, but it would be another hour before we would see progress so we headed south towards the Falls.


Back in falls territory and time for more fun.  DJG&I did G's favorite vacation activity, putt-putt, at Dinosaur Adventure.  G was a bit scared of the dinos and especially the cave.


After golf we all went to Ripley's Believe it or Not for the tour and had a lot of fun, especially the shadow wall where we posed for fun action shots.

All vacationed out from a busy day we got a snack at a Burger King overlooking the lights of the strip at the Falls.

20120326 + Finally Foreigners

20120326 + All up at the Farm and had a good bfast. We loaded up, said goodby to Gma&paW and headed North. Our first stop today was around Cleveland at the "Flintstone House". The boys and I loved it, L not so much...









We then kept going and stopped in Westfield NY at a little local restaurant, Calarco's that had excellent food and a jukebox that fascinated the boys.









Stop 3 was in Eden NY to your the Kazoo Factory. It was really cool and everyone got a kazoo (not my smartest decision ever...).





Finally we made it to Canada and G woke up, just as the Boarder Patrol asked if the boys had any guns... "WE GOT AIRSOFT GUNS!" in his normal soft voice... It made the office chuckle, thankfully, and we were allowed to enter.  We made it to Niagara Falls, got checked in to our 30th floor Falls overlook room (WOW!) and then headed down for a closer view. The boys really liked it and snapped many pictures.

The best part was when J set his gloves on the railing so he could use his finger to take a picture and the wind sent it into the Falls and down the abyss... Hahahaha   We then walked 87.52 miles in strong 22 degree winds to the main strip where we found a Rain Forest to have dinner in.  A shuttle ride to our hotel later and we were swimming in nice warm water. All boy to sleep without fuss :-) A good day!

090320 - Week of exhaustion...

090320 - Up, packed, nice bfast and then to C w/ P for the last day of this testing... it went by pretty fast. Andre and I jumped in a cab and headed to the airport. We were there early and customs was empty so I made it through fast. I got to an early flight and they got me on! YIPEE, 4 hours of my life back!!! and NO Chicago flight!!! Flying home over Lake Erie I got to see Jacobs field, the Cavs and the Browns stadium. I watched out the window until I could see home! That horse shoe shaped landmark I don't mind flying over! I landed and started calling, but no one answered... I grabbed a cab and made my way home, meeting everyone there. Grant saw me getting out of the cab and thought I was brought home by the police and had LOTS to say about it... J was at soccer practice with the fam and Gma&paW. Everyone had a snack and played. I helped L get the boys to bed and then worked a couple hours before bed. Lilly looks like I feel...

090319 - Up bfst w/ Andre. In to C w/ P, there all day & night... Andre and I went to the Dr. for him. It was a bit of an experience... As we were in Canada we were subject to the Canadian Medical/Socialist Medicine... We were taken to a walk in clinic where we were surrounded by people that were next to or already dead... Our escort walked in and right past all of the people waiting, past the counter and down the hall... Andre and I waited and then our guide was back, saying 'follow me, follow me...' We walked out suddenly and down a hall and to a door held open by a trash can... we entered and were suddenly in a storage area for the clinic. in a few minutes a nurse came in and got us and took us straight away to a room... I went with Andre to help translate, good thing... The Dr. came in and checked his throat, ears, lungs and started writing a prescription. This happened all very quickly, I mean 3 minutes or less... I slowed things down a bit, asked the Dr. if Andre would be fit to fly tomorrow. The Dr. looked at Andre, asked him if he had insurance (Andre said 'yes') and the Dr said 'yeah you'll be fine'. HUH? what does Andre having insurance have to do with his ability to fly and his head not explode? Oh well, we got the prescription and headed back into work... D went to his pack meeting with Jeff and Cole. almost through this week...

090318 - J did not have school today, but parent teacher conferences. L reports that it was all good! More P @ C from me... rough day for the P project manger... Andre sick but in. Howdy called me to give me the scoop on his baseball tryouts; he did great! Jack is taking his juice, Grant is being bad, L is holding up ok.

090317 - Up met Andre for bfast. Then into the big C all day. Worked all day w/ P, Andre headed out @ 6pm to get some rest. Dinner w/ Andre, exhausted...

090316 - Up met Glenn & Elizabeth, into the big C. worked all day a bit stressful, especially with out Andre, he stayed in the room still sick... but I felt like such crap that I didn't really notice. Had a near brush w/ death: Glenn choked. He told a joke, took a drink of water, thinking about his joke he started laughing and then choking... I mean he started shaking, turning purple, foaming at the mouth and nearly fell out of his chair. Jeremy and Elizabeth gave him the Heimlich until he spit it up and started breathing.... This was very scary... After things settled down and the fright was gone we lightened it up a bit. Saying that if he had died it would have been ruled a suicide, it was his own joke after all... After work we headed to a Japanese steakhouse for dinner. Back to the hotel, called L and then met Andre in the lounge to give him an update. To the room and out like a light...

090315 - Up and completely exhausted. LD&J to church, G and I vegged out. Boys home and I am trying to watch them and get ready for this trip. L out shopping to prepare for the long week ahead. DJG&I shot bb gun out back, played some kick ball. JG&I dropped of D at a friends b-day party and G didn't want to leave his big brother there. Home and more kick ball, dinner, kickball, then to the sick L and the boys took me to the airport to head for Toronto. I don't remember the take off and was woken up by the landing... To the hotel and dropped off some medicine to Andre who has been sick for several days. And GREAT, now my stomach is doing flip flops....

080716 - Whoa!

080716 - Back into Celestica, more intense workshops today, lasting into early evening. Out for fantastic dinner tonight. It was so good I even ate all the vegetables! We had to do a lot of walking from the car to the restaurant, so I hitched a ride on a buffalo!

080715 - Up & into CLS w/ the P team. It was good to see some old friends again. Had a long intense day of workshops... Out for a pretty good dinner w/ the team.  L doing good w/ the boys & doesn't sound too stressed out about vbs, yet...

19920101 - Happy New Year from Niagara Falls

19920101 - Spending New Years Day with my buddy Joe Dixon at Niagara Falls.