pre Christmas

This is us kids at pre-Christmas. We are Chris, Amy, Myself, and Beth. Since Beth's family has spread like seeds in the wind, everyone got together the week before Christmas for the holiday. No more fights with Claire's other grandparents over holiday custody...
Things went very well, everyone had a good time, only one breakdown (amazing how eight cooks can spoil a Jello creation), and all this in four days.
River Falls was pretty cold, and I was glad to get home Tuesday morning, thanks to NWA being nearly 3 hours late!
Christmas was at my Stepmother's families place, a good time, too, but exhausting. Loud folks-- and lots of 'em.

Friends

Before I forget! I want to add a little link to Buzz and Kevin... both of whom have been slightly influential in my decision to start this.

Jungle Gym

This is my attempt at swinging from the Banyans, September '04. This is an old cemetery on Diego Garcia. Forgive my sacrilege.
Photo came from Pat Smith, we biked down to the cemetery south of the airfield one day. There are a few coconut rats that were wandering in the jungle on our way from dg1 to the lagoon.
We spotted a sea turtle in the lagoon. A british lady told Pat he was 'cheeky' when he asked for a cigarette. We had to look that Briticism up later... That was also the day we found a rare bird nest in an old leper village.

-Dan

Inauguration

Happy New Year!
I am moving to blogspot to replace the fees I had been paying for hosting a site I rarely updated and no one read.
I plan to post images and ideas encountered while I travel for work and leisure.
I will try as much as possible to keep clients and my employer confidential, those of you who know me may be able to garner more information than strangers, but I very likely trust you a bit more, too.
Today is the friday before New Year's Day. I have the four day weekend (as I did last week!) and am hoping to make the most of it. I go back to work Tuesday, a local job about 30 miles from home, and should be back from the dusty trail by noon at the latest. Maybe I can get a few local pictures for that.
I live just south of Tacoma, WA, USA. I travel 2 to 3 times per week for work... I added it up to between 130 and 140 flights last year--I was unemployed for a few months, and drove whenever it made sense. I moved here at the request of my employer, since I lived in Minneapolis before, and it was incredibly expensive to get a flight out of there.
I remember a few years back seeing a local news special on how much cheaper it was to drive to Des Moines, pay to park, and fly back to Minneapolis to get on the same ultimate flight to Disneyworld... I guess it was true. Though I dread the thought of flying southwest, I enjoy the price pressure they bring to markets (the Southwest Effect).


Highlights from 2005: Seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time, early May
Moving out west again, Mid July
Buying my first home, Early July
Having Beth out here to share it with me, mid August
My brother's wedding, July
Ben's Wedding in Saint Louis, May
Spotty's Wedding in San Clemente, October
Taking Beth to Hawai'i, September

-Dan