The Southwestern Family Road Trip

 It's been many years since I've driven across the Southwest.  Earlier this month me and Ash, Theron, Oli, and our friend Vanessa drove to Albuquerque for the annual conservation meeting.  Ozge and I had a booth for IVS and Ashley had a booth for PACCIN.  We rented a mini van and filled it to the brim with display furniture, products, and snacks.  Note to selves, Cheez-Its are delicious but no substitute for real food.  On the way back we GOT OUT OF THE CAR and ate food.  It was fried but it actually made the trip easier.

 Here is Oli taking a load off.  I can tell it's when we first got there because the decorative pillows are still in place. 

 Here's a shot of the IVS booth.  This was the first year we took credit cards at the booth.  It was nice to see repeat customers.  It was also great being able to bring our clothing rack and 2 grid display stands without the worry of shipping. 

 This is Ashley at his booth educating everyone to the amazing resource that is PACCIN.  Next to him is our friend Liz who has launched a non-profit called Indigo Arts Alliance that makes grants to people, not just conservators, to help fund professional development. 
Booth sitting occupied two days but we had help and were able to get away during that time to see talks, and the day after our booths closed there were still sessions going so we were both able to attend presentations we wanted to see.  It was amazing how fast the time went.  We didn't really have a chance to see much around Albuquerque.

On the way back we decided it was better to get out once in a while, not just at the gas station.  We stopped at the dinosaur, Indian, petrified wood trading post. 

 Theron refused to stand with his back to the dinosaurs.  Inside the trading post he got himself a piece of petrified wood and a necklace with a "mood" tipi pendant.

 In spite of all the cheapy tourist souvenirs there was actually a room of the good stuff and a nice selection of kachina dolls by artists I know, having been recently immersed in the subject, are well respected.  Outside there were these interesting pieces of glass and larger chunks of petrified wood.

 We stopped at one place that had interesting sheet metal statues - I don't have a picture, maybe Ashley took one. 

 Here's Oli being a good dog.

And misc, this is a quilted notebook cover I made as a graduate present for a student I helped with her thesis.

 Oops, the back is rotated - oh well.

While driving through Arizona we sang along to the Eagles song about standin' on a corner.  Yay for satellite radio.

Back From Milwaukee

Wow, that was fun! Milwaukee is so cute - there's really good food, nice people, and we all agree it seems a very live-able place. Plus, anywhere is fun with Em. The Inherent Vice Squad reception Thursday night (Cafe Disco) was great - we had delicious food and a nice crowd. The girls went to the liquor store and got some local brews - a nice sample box of New Glarus beers only sold in Wisconsin. I walked to a grocery store called Metro Market on someone's recommendation and found beautiful food. I wonder what the maids thought because we didn't let them in until Friday. Until then we just met them at the door asking for more towels, a knife, and 20 hangers.

Liz made us the cookies and we gave them out as party favors.

Oz cuts up the mixed rye. In front of her are cheese curds, mozzarella strings, cheddar and summer sausage, all local. And oh so delicious. I brought cheese home and Theron's been walking around laying claim on the rest of the curds and declaring his love for "Wisconsin cheese".

Some products out, getting ready for the customers. The laptop is there because we live-broadcast on Ustream.

When you have a camera going people start doing things they wouldn't ordinarily do.

Professional ladies with good jobs turn out to have dance moves and hand gestures to I Saw The Sign and I Like Big Butts.

After Cafe Disco Emily and I walked back to her hotel and stopped at a greasy spoon for real food. It reminded me of when Em and I would wander around the Lower East Side looking for french fries. I had a BLT. The waitress asked if I wanted butter or mayonnaise. I hesitated. She says, "Oh, girl, butter AND mayonnaise is SO good!" so that's what I got.

The next day during break Em and I went back to the cheese store and the sausage store. Then I tried not to cry as I packed my bag and she walked me to the lobby. I kind of still feel like tears are there, but it's nice to be home. It's a good home.

Part 2: Ace Hotel, Palm Springs

We splurged and stayed a night at the fabulous Ace Hotel. We had a room with a patio - perfect for the Oli dog.

There are two salt water pools, which believe me, spoil you completely. You'll be dread to go into chlorine ever again. They also have coed wet and dry saunas.

You can't believe how comfortable the beds are.

The rooms have record players. We had one record in the room, Lena Horne at the Waldorf Astoria. We played it.

There were also very comfy robes and a walking stick with a wrap.

This picture was taken about 5 seconds after we got in the room and Theron made himself comfortable.

Dogs are allowed pool side but not IN the pool. Well, Oli couldn't stand it. Before we could stop him he had done two laps. We're not really rule breakers, plus we hope to go back someday, so we took some pictures and escorted him back to the room.

That was one happy dog using his webbed toes for what they were made for. Oli's nickname is The Trompler, and you haven't been trompled till the Trompler gets you in the pool. On land, 70 lbs of muscle take a running leap and hold you down with black and white paws. In water you watch in terror and excitement as the Trompler aims his black nose at you like a torpedo.

The food in the restaurant was superb! And it was someone's birthday so the lovely hostess sang Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart. If you ever go, say it's your birthday - this will make you so happy.

It was a mini vacation worth every single penny.

Part 3: On the Way Home

You say ci-CAY-da, I say ci-CAH-da

Vacation in Oklahoma at Lake Tenkiller. You forget, living near the Pacific Ocean, that there are actually warm bodies of water, not pools, where you can swim and swim without worry of sharks or jellyfish. Wild places but friendly places.

Places where a little boy can learn about skipping stones, roasting marshmallows, decide un-roasted marshmallows are more his type, use a slingshot, fish but NOT KILL THE FISH, and learn to exist with dirty, wet, or dirty and wet feet for days on end.

A place where cousins can somehow make playing video games a participatory activity with lots of shouting and laughing.

A place where you can find baby birds sitting on the ground. Where there is spotted: deer, brown bunnies with white cotton tails, cardinals, great blue heron, a water snake, a red fox, scissor-tailed fly catchers, little fish that like to nibble moles and nipples, and one squashed armadillo.