No rest for the weary !  Diane and I showed up at Earthkeep at about 10 this mornign to help prep Fluffy the wonderbus for her first real public performance since coming back from Burning Man.The clouds were up thanks to the work of Marie, Gizzo, Aaron and Duane..  I stareted testign the electronics   and software for the lights and the electrical system  for the poofer. while  i did that, diane, amey  and marie started doing the cable management under the bus. Duane, Aaron and rebar findhed the physical assembly. The idea was to assemble as much of Fluffy as possible in the sorta heated relative comfort of Earhtkeep.. then drive Fluffy fully clouded to the burlignton water front in the morning. If we could do that, it will become soooooo much easier to show fluffy to local folks iat all sorts of events !

Our good friend James showed up from Boston area to help. James has been very helpful to me  in the design of our fire system and its safety plan. 

The big test was to drive Fluffy fully cluded up to rout 7.. If it could handle the stepp and potholed road int earthkeep . anything else should be easy !>. We knew we only had a few inches of exrta clearwence.. but it worked !

 

It worked !.. Now back tot he barn for a little more testing including runnign the lights !

 

Looks like its ready-ish.. Duane and aaron are meetign here tomorrow at 9 and beginging the slow drive to BTV. Dianw, James and I would be meeting therm there. 

We were pretty beat on the way home.. we stopped to buy groceries and picekd up some yummy indian food at ‘aromas of India’ in tafts corners.. our new favorite place to eat !!!

 

busy day.. we’re bone tired.. but happy

 

nite all, nite sam

-me

We woke up and got a workout in .. then spent some good time with mom. We took a walk across the third street bridge that had just reopened after 3 years of repair. It was a glorious day !

 

Then it was time to go.. I said goodbye to the picture of my Dad.. I love that picture and miss my dad so much ! I love you Pa !

Then we were off !

The flights back from PLS to BTV were easy .. We got hoem just before 10 pm. Our freinds Jen and teim had kindly dropped our car off at the airport..

It was soooo nice to be back in our house. First thing I did was to try the ginger jelly that Gabe had made for me. I love ginger jelly and its so hard to find. Gabe found a receipe and made me some ! my guilty pleasre is a spoon of peanut butter and a spood of ginger jelly. I put Gabes to the test and it was DELICIOUS !

OK.. ealry day tomorrrow

nite all, nite sam !

-me

As always, mom was a wonderful host. She’d put out my placemat from when I was a kid.. and my teddy bear

First order of business was to give mom the wonderful pictures that max and becky had sent.

Mom took us on a lice long walk in the riverwalk building. It’s a beautiful restored 19th century office builidng of some sort.. Someone spent a mint getting it restired.. but it always feels empty.. still all sorts of things to see.. like this neon sign of a riverboat and a cool analog syntehsizer store !

 

We had a nce lunch at a place around the corner.. then headed over to my suster mar and brother in law john’s house.. Super good to see them !!!

 

We gat caught up on what was goign on in their family and what the kids were up to. Theo has taken up ice fishing.. look at ehat he caught (and released)

After a good long visit we headed hime with mom… we ended the night at a thai place aroudn the corner from moms place.. it was really , really delicious.. 

I love where mom has settled !

 

nite all, nite sam

-me

We woke up early and packed all our stuff. we had 5 bags of luggage !!!>. a new record for us. We checked out of the airbnb .. and headed to max and becky’s to drop stuff off and say goodbuy to the twoa nd four legged family

The ride to Albequerque was very easy. I droped of george and doreen at their checkin, then diane at ours and took the car back to the rental office. THat saved us luggin all that luggage !

After checkign in, diane and I met up with george and doreen for a quick fairwell.. then headed to our respective planes

The flight to MPLS was easy.. we stopped in Denver.. the scenery on the way was really amazing

 

We had a bit of time to explore the denver airport.. ..   this is as close as we’ve gotten to a voodoo doughts.. the one in portaland is always too full to visit !

 

From there is was a quick flight to msp and my moms.. We got there late, but not so late we couldnt use the hot tub !

I do love traveling..

nita ll, nite sam

-me