I've been everywhere man...

Its seems like I have been everywhere, but home lately.  I was counting all the flights/trips I have made in the last few months, and I am beat. I have been in Wyoming, Colorado, Louisiana, Washington D.C., Virginia, and California in the last month.  Heading to Costa Rica in a week, then back to Louisiana, Midland, and Louisiana!!  Toss in a few weekend trips to College Station and San Antonio and I have only been home for a total of one week in the last two months!! Please note this is not me complaining, just explaining my absence in writing.

I am not sure where I left off so I will start with my D.C. adventure.  A good college friend of mine moved to D.C. last November and I have been promising to visit for months.  I finally had the time and flight miles to make it happen.  Friday Aug 3rd, I hoped on a plane and headed up north, the flights were uneventful and I arrived just in time for dinner and HH.  After I got checked into my hotel I met up with Jonathon and some of his friends for dinner and a night on the town.  We were all pretty beat from the long week so we called it an early night.  The next morning Jonathon and I headed out to do all the touristy stuff we could do.  We walked around for miles checking out the Washington Monument, the capital, the old post office (best view of the city), Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Einstein, Georgetown and a few other sites along the way.

Rooftop bar at the W

After hours of walking, sweating, and sunburning we met up with some of his friends at the park for a picnic dinner/wine club meeting.  That evening we went out and did a little salsa dancing which was quite a blast.  Sunday we were up early to drive to Virginia to float the river.  Now floating the river is a big deal in Texas and my favorite thing to do in the summer, but I wasn't sure how these Northerner's did it.  Turns out its pretty much the same concept just on a bigger river!  After the float we all got cleaned up and met at Jonathon's house for dinner and game night.  We played Cards against humanity which was quite a hit!

Monday I didn't fly out until 5 so I decided to hit all the museums in the mall.  I went to the Smithsonian Castle, the Air and Space Museum, History and Science Museum, the American History Museum, and I trekked down to the White house.  It was a whorl-wind tour, but I got to see everything and quite enjoyed myself.

Air and Space Museum

Museum of History and Science

Hope Diamond

Tuesday it was back to the grindstone with lots of work to catch up on, thankfully the week flew by and it was "hello weekend time"  The crossfit girls and I spent the weekend using our groupons that we had purchased a while back.  Friday night I met up with some college friends for dinner and a night on the town.  It was a fun night and I scored a date for this Friday...so we shall see how that goes.  Saturday morning it was up early for crossfit, then brunch at Mia Bella's with the girls.  Saturday afternoon/evening was spent catching up on rest, studying for the GMAT, and watching some movies with friends.  Sunday after church I met the crossfit girls for an afternoon of rock climbing.  Now I have to admit, I am not very good at rock climbing, but since I have been doing crossfit I can see a marked difference in my strength and ability to climb.  I had much more fun this time than I have in the past.  After rock climbing we were starving so we continued the party at Blue Fish for sushi 

After dinner I ran home and packed for my trip to California for our annual products meeting.  Bright and early Monday morning I was off again.  The meeting went extremely well and overall the trip was very productive.  I hit the ground running Thursday, once I landed I picked up the girls, went and played sand volleyball and then hit book club/wine night.  Friday after work I ran home did laundry packed and headed to CS to pick op Christy for our weekend river float to celebrate Tommy's birthday.  More on that in the next post

Until next time...
Tory
    

Hello August where did you come from

Apperently its already the middle of August, I am not sure how that happened or where it came from.  The last few weeks have been crazy as always, tons of traveling for work and pleasure.  This is the first weekend I have been home in over a month! 



   Several weeks ago I went to Ft. Laramie, WY for work.  We were implementing a new program at that terminal so I went along to facilitate the training and learn how to use the program.  It just so happened that weekend was Frontier Days in Cheyenne and  every hotel had been booked a year in advance.  Let me tell you folks this is quite a big deal up there, apparently its the largest outdoor rodeo in the US.  The only hotel available was the local Bates motel we are talking rent by the hour, trucker/meth addict heaven.  Now normally we do not stay in places like these, but my coworker booked it and didn't realize how bad it was.  It was bad, beyond bad for starters you couldn't run the air and the blow dryer at the same time because you would short the circuit.  I am sure the place had never been cleaned, the TV didn't work, I had an adjoining room with no lock or door handle on my side.  Close your ears Mom and Dad....lets just say I drank a lot to aid in sleeping, slept with my clothes on on top of the "sheet/comforter" and left the lights on just in case oh and I didnt show the two nights we were there!!  GROSS We were supposed to be there three nights, but we check out early to go to Denver and stay in a nice hotel!  Since we were there during Cheyenne days we had to check it out.  I really like the outdoor aspect to the rodeo because that how it should be, but it didn't hold a candle to the ridiculousness that is the Houston Rodeo.  It was very entertaining to watch the people that attended the event.  Friday morning we headed back to Houston and I have never been so happy to be home in my life. 

Downtown Denver

   That weekend a group of my friends and I headed down to San Antonio to enjoy a little river floating.  Floating the river is one of my favorite things to do in the summer, there is nothing more relaxing that sitting in a tube floating down a lazy river, enjoying and adult beverage.  Friday night we met up with some friends to have a BBQ and then go two stepping.  We called it an early night because we to float the river early.  The next morning we packed up a couple of coolers with jello shots, beer, and vodka lemonades and headed to the river.  It was a wonderful relaxing float, we floated for about four hours and then got out to eat some lunch.  That evening I met up with the crossfit girls for one of the girls bridal shower (in San Antonio) after the bridal show we went and explored downtown.  The next morning we had brunch at a great little spot and hit the road back to Houston.

Jello Shots

Sunday afternoon it was unpack and repack for my trip to St. James, LA.  My intern joined me on this trip so he could see the facility. I was there to get more footage for the E&I tech video.  It was a quick two day trip, but I will still very tired from traveling. I had Wednesday and Thursday at home and then it was time to pack for my trip to DC, this trip was for pleasure! 

   A good friend of mine moved up there last year and I had promised to visit him, but never found the time.  It just so happened all the pieces came together and I was able to take a long weekend and go up to DC.  He had  the whole weekend booked up so we were able to do tons of stuff.  I will tell you all about it my next post.  As of now I need to get off and start packing for my trip tomorrow.