Pictures from "Quite a Storm"

Here is a set of pictures showing the damage done by the storm. Amazing nobody was hurt, and the house and my Dad's car wasn't damaged.

If you click on the picture, you will see the picture full size.

Quite a Storm

Here is an email I got from my parents. Seemed like last Friday was one heck of a storm. Power was out for basically four days as well as 6 trees were destroyed. My parents live in southwestern Michigan in a small town called Sister Lakes.

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Hi Everybody, Ya, Wahoo Yippee We have lights. They came back on about 9:00 tonight. I guess that's not too bad. Only in the dark since Friday noon. They still haven't come to take care of the trees so guess that's the next project. Sandy called tonight and they don't have lights but are getting close as some American Electric Power people were there talking to them tonight. When I saw all of the power repair trucks going by our house tonight I really felt like cheering.

P S to Tim: Hopefully you know what I am talking about. A very strong storm went through on Friday about noon and we lost the big tree in the front yard. Plus three pines (Sure didn't cry about them), the oldest crabapple tree and part of the maple tree in the back yard. Nothing hit the house or Dad's car. Two pine trees came down close to it. One in the back and one on the side of it. So since then we have been hauling water from the fire station and going to bed early.

Hope to talk to all of you soon. Love to all, Mom

Power Walking Benefits

8 lbs lost so far... though my eating habits and gym workouts probably are helping with that.

The real benefit will hopefully be seen in mid July when I get my cholesterol checked again.

Airport Fairy was smiling on me

Back in good ol' San Jose for a week.

Thought today was going to be a crazy flying day for me because of the weather in the Midwest.

My flight out of HPN (White Plains, NY) to ORD (Chicago, IL) was delayed for a little over an hour. Leaving me with 15 min layover in Chicago.

The time was 3:15 pm when I got off the plane in Chicago, the time that my flight to SJC was supposed to take off. I had already resigned myself to catching the next flight in 4 hours, but I figured I would "power walk" to the gate just in case. Of course, my arriving gate was halfway across the airport from my departing gate.

One screen listed a new departure time of 3:20 pm (and it was that time)... the next screen I passed didn't list the flight, therefore I stopped in the bathroom for a small detour.

I continued my walk, the next screen listed 3:25 pm (and it was that time), but I just kept striding. I made it to the gate and I believe my luggage was already on the flight because when they heard my name, they were able to slide me onto the plane. Before they heard my name, I was not going to be able to get on the plane.

I had the same experience on my flight to CT... like I said the Airport Fairy was looking out for me. Nothing like getting off one plane and immediately on the next.

The other interesting thing about this flight is I sat next to a San Francisco 49'er by the name of Matt Stanely.

I wouldn't have known who he was.. but the lady sitting in the row had asked him questions like "Where do you work?" "What do you do?" Seemed like a good guy.

BTW: the BirdCam is functioning again.

Bowling Machine Tim

Friday night I went bowling with Tracey. We ended up bowling 6 games. She won the first 4 games, two of them by more than 20 pins, and the other two by roaring back at the end.

The best game of the night for me was the final game. I ended up bowling 156. Not bad considering the only ball that I could find to fit my hand was 12lbs. Also I was amazed that my thumb was able to hold it together for all of the games. Usually by game two, it is already losing skin. The ball must have fit very well since that didn't occur until mid game 6.

I will be headed back to CA tomorrow and then headed back to CT a week later for another 9 days.

I wasn't as successful in working out as I hoped though I did walk on a regular basis, usually to get dinner. I was pretty successful though in eating healthy. Still hoping that when I get my cholesterol checked again mid July that it will be significantly better.

The other bit of news is that I finally did pick the flooring for the house. I expect the flooring to be installed the week of June 14th. It will be great to finally get that project taken care of. The next will be painting of walls, new furniture, and backyard.