I returned back to Phoenix on Friday evening, Feb. 5. Saturday, after laundry and some errands, I drove to Tucson for some shopping and to donate three units of platelets at the Foothills Red Cross donor center. I then drove back to the Desert Botanical Garden for my shift as an evening volunteer for the Bruce Munro exhibit.
Sunday was more work around the house, then in the afternoon I drove to the airport and picked up Ben and Martha as they arrived for their previously scheduled vacation. The three of us spent time together until I left Wednesday morning, enjoying our time walking, shopping and dining. I was able to do my online classes, usually in the mornings before they got up - I am very glad we got to spend the rest of our time together.
Early (4:15 a.m.) Wednesday morning I was picked up by Super Shuttle and driven to the airport. My flights went well, I got my rental car and drove to the Parascando's home in South Burlington. Mike is off doing some of his reserve time at Langley AFB. Bridgette drove me and the boys to the Rotisserie Restaurant for dinner, where I was able to treat them to dinner. Thursday, I drove to Johnson State where I had several meetings and spent the day going to meetings and getting ready for class on Friday.
Friday I drove to Montpelier where I met Val at Capital Grounds at 8:00 for coffee and breakfast; we had a great chat about life and my future involvement in EDP classes. I then drove to CCV for the 9:30 meeting of the Assessment of Prior Learning meeting - we got through all eight portfolios in a little under four hours. I then drove to Johnson for my Federal Tax class - all went well except for a couple of students who were MIA. After class, it was back to the Parascando's home in South Burlington where Bridgette made a great dinner of salmon, rice and broccoli.
Saturday, I was up early and drove back out to Johnson to speak at the Criminal Justice Careers seminar. I had a great time and it appeared that the students enjoyed my presentation. Then it was back into Burlington (it is about an hour drive each way) for my afternoon flight - that was delayed for more than an hour because of the high winds in Newark and Burlington, causing wind chill factors in the minus 20 to minus 30 range. I still managed to make the connecting flight in Newark, but did not expect my luggage to make it with me. The overnight flight to Amsterdam was on United and was just fine, as was the Sunday morning flight on Lufthansa to Munich. I had a four plus hour layover in Munich, so I stayed in the Luthansa Senator Lounge (with Star Gold status with the Star Alliance, I get in free) and did my classes, email and some recreational things (mostly online crossword puzzles). I was pleasantly surprised with my flight from Munich to Wroclaw - I not only had ample leg room in the exit row seat, they do not allow luggage under the seats in those two exit rows. This made the flight much more comfortable than expected.
Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised that my checked suitcase made it with me. I found an ATM and got some Polish money, grabbed a taxi and was in my room at the Best Western Hotel Prima before 5:00 p.m. I unpacked, took a shower and then went out to dinner - I found comfort food at a small nearby restaurant: a plate of carbonara and a half liter of beer.
It was a successful week and now the next phase of the trip begins.
Sunday was more work around the house, then in the afternoon I drove to the airport and picked up Ben and Martha as they arrived for their previously scheduled vacation. The three of us spent time together until I left Wednesday morning, enjoying our time walking, shopping and dining. I was able to do my online classes, usually in the mornings before they got up - I am very glad we got to spend the rest of our time together.
Early (4:15 a.m.) Wednesday morning I was picked up by Super Shuttle and driven to the airport. My flights went well, I got my rental car and drove to the Parascando's home in South Burlington. Mike is off doing some of his reserve time at Langley AFB. Bridgette drove me and the boys to the Rotisserie Restaurant for dinner, where I was able to treat them to dinner. Thursday, I drove to Johnson State where I had several meetings and spent the day going to meetings and getting ready for class on Friday.
Friday I drove to Montpelier where I met Val at Capital Grounds at 8:00 for coffee and breakfast; we had a great chat about life and my future involvement in EDP classes. I then drove to CCV for the 9:30 meeting of the Assessment of Prior Learning meeting - we got through all eight portfolios in a little under four hours. I then drove to Johnson for my Federal Tax class - all went well except for a couple of students who were MIA. After class, it was back to the Parascando's home in South Burlington where Bridgette made a great dinner of salmon, rice and broccoli.
Saturday, I was up early and drove back out to Johnson to speak at the Criminal Justice Careers seminar. I had a great time and it appeared that the students enjoyed my presentation. Then it was back into Burlington (it is about an hour drive each way) for my afternoon flight - that was delayed for more than an hour because of the high winds in Newark and Burlington, causing wind chill factors in the minus 20 to minus 30 range. I still managed to make the connecting flight in Newark, but did not expect my luggage to make it with me. The overnight flight to Amsterdam was on United and was just fine, as was the Sunday morning flight on Lufthansa to Munich. I had a four plus hour layover in Munich, so I stayed in the Luthansa Senator Lounge (with Star Gold status with the Star Alliance, I get in free) and did my classes, email and some recreational things (mostly online crossword puzzles). I was pleasantly surprised with my flight from Munich to Wroclaw - I not only had ample leg room in the exit row seat, they do not allow luggage under the seats in those two exit rows. This made the flight much more comfortable than expected.
Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised that my checked suitcase made it with me. I found an ATM and got some Polish money, grabbed a taxi and was in my room at the Best Western Hotel Prima before 5:00 p.m. I unpacked, took a shower and then went out to dinner - I found comfort food at a small nearby restaurant: a plate of carbonara and a half liter of beer.
It was a successful week and now the next phase of the trip begins.
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