Borrowed Out.

I got back from Mexico, and two days later I left for New Orleans.

  

I was able to play with the family for two days before I had to leave.  We tried to fit as much fun into those days as we could.  Chelsea and I stopped by the flower shop to pick Crystal up some flowers.

Zach wanted to get Bob out and handle him.  They are both getting so big.  

The drive to New Orleans was less than uneventful.  First day having a nice Drive.  Stopped for gas in Moab.  Clear skies and highways, nice driving day.  Into New Mexico I go.  The roads are nice, and driving is easy.  Then the weather changes for the worse.  It got cold fast and I was driving into a really strong headwind.  Decided to stay the night after only driving 10 hours of my 29 hour drive.  Stayed in Moriaty, New Mexico at a Motel 6.

The next morning I woke up for a nice drive, but it was a little snowy.  Blowing snow across New Mexico on I-40, and then I hit Texas.  Driving across Texas is bad enough without having to deal with bad weather. I hit a snow storm with snow packed roads and Texas drivers.  I am just Glad it was a Sunday morning.  Every vehicle that I saw off the road was a pickup truck.  I don't know if people are ever going to figure out that just because you have a 4X4 you still can't stop on ice.  

I made it through Texas alive and unscathed.  I took all of the daylight and then some to get across the state, but I got away from Texas.   

Finally in Louisiana!  I still had a 3 hour drive to get into New Orleans.  Easy drive.  Sunday night, Monday morning.  I made it to the hotel at 2am.  Found out that the railroad forgot to make me a reservation, oops.  I had to find a different Hotel for the night.  Next morning I get to Change hotels and meet the bosses at work.  that was a fun day.  I showed up an hour early, really would have enjoyed the extra sleep.  Had the meeting and away we went.  

Hotels in New Orleans have been interesting.  I have been in 4 different hotels, and one of them twice.  I think I have the best option now.  

I have a Kitchen.  I am very excited about that.  All the borrow outs I have been on, I have never had a kitchen.  It even has a little oven and dish washer. 

Little living room.  It has two of the big chairs.

Bedroom with a King size bed.  

The bathroom has a jetted tub.  Also I have a closet.  

The view from the door into the courtyard is great.

It was worth moving around for this hotel.  Big and cozy.  

I still haven't seen any alligators or snakes.  I will.  Everybody has said that they are getting ready to come out.  They have lots of opossums and other rodent type animals.  More insects that bite and draw blood then I care to play with.  Time to buy some Deep Woods OFF.  I don't like to be the one that keeps all the mosquitoes in Louisiana alive.  

I am waiting till Crystal comes down to do the fun stuff.  Swamp Tours, Voodoo Tours.  We might have to take a plantation tour also.  

More to come.  I really need to use the camera more.  

Back to reality

I am back from vacation and time to get back to reality.  Well, railroad reality.  I am going to borrow out and see some of the country that I didn't think I would get to see for a really long time down the road.  I am headed to Avondale, LA.  The only other time I was in that part of the country I was about 4 months old.  I really don't remember a whole lot from the trip, just what people told me and pictures.

I am excited and scared.  I am excited to go and see other parts of the country.  I am scared, because I am leaving my family for a while.  They mean everything to me, that is why I am going.  A little time away really makes for some nice vacations with them.  I hope the memories we make on the vacations makes up for the time that I miss.  They are growing up so fast, and I miss a lot anyway.  I work a little extra early in the year, and I get to have some extra time off the rest of the year.  Crystal is very supportive and I really need that.

It is going to be a 30 hour 1,800 mile drive.  I am going to see some of the most beautiful and desolate areas around.  I have to drive across Texas.  Not really looking forward to that.  I am guessing I probably should wear my "I messed with Texas" shirt.  Texas is a state that makes me really love the rest of the country.  Some of the people in Texas make it hard to like that state.

I am going to end up in Avondale, LA.  Just south of the Big Easy.  I am going to be in New Orleans for Marti Gras.  I am really going to try to take a little trip into town.  This might be the only chance I ever get to experience this.  I will post later.

My First Blog

It is going to be difficult to blog tonight because my cat is sitting on my hands.  

It is almost time to go on vacation.  It is the first real kid free vacation that Crystal and I have ever gone on.  We tried to go on a vacation without kids once, but Zach decided to hitchhike in Crystal's stomach.  I am really excited, and a little worried.  I have only left the country once, and that was going to Canada, and that is just like the United States without all the crime. We also got to play with different money.  They also use the metric system.  That is how you know you have left the country.  Everything makes sense.  Signs are posted in km and you buy liters of gas.  I got a passport last year so we could go to Mexico.  I have never had a passport.  Vacation has always been away from people in the mountains, or the desert.  I wouldn't give those vacations up for anything.  I love getting out in nature and not seeing anybody else. Back to Mexico.  Crystal the planner has been researching our destination (Akumal, Mexico) for months.  She has found more things to do than you could fit into a year.  I want to snorkel and she just told me I might be able to learn to surf.   

One think you will learn about my blog, if I keep blogging.  I have random thoughts, and I have know problem throwing them in to the story at any time.  That is me. 

This is going to be the first of I hope may blogs to come. It is late and time for bed.  

Happy reading.

Brandon