New Yorkers FINALLY head to NYC

After several years of thinking about it - I finally remembered to BUY TICKETS in September to go down to NYC for the day and see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Show. This has been running since 1933 in Radio City Music Hall. We left Albany at 7:30am via the MEGA-Bus. This is a double decker express to NYC. Just 2-1/2 hours and VOILA - you're there. The girls got to sit in the very front row on the 2nd deck. It's like being in the drivers seat with no stearing wheel. WHATTA RIDE!
Ingrid's bird's eye view of the Lincoln Tunnel.

Grace likes to STAND on the subway - - - - we'll, in the morning anyway!Grace got her wish - to see the Statue of Liberty. Altho from afar - it was a beautiful day down in Battery Park.

There is even a building in NYC called the "GRACE BUILDING". It is adjacent to Bryant Park.

Here is the patron filled lobby of the Radio City Music Hall. I can't believe we finally did this trip. Everyone is very excited!

Even if we did have to go up to the 3rd Mezzanine. The show was great. David got lucky too because even tho still jet-lagged from just returning from Europe - all those Rockette leggs - 80+ of them, DID INDEED keep him awake thru the whole show. There were even two movie clips for which we had to use 3D glasses. Quite a place.

After the show, Grace finally started to understand why they call this "the city that never sleeps". We had dinner at 9:30! Mostly because we had walked ourselves stupid before the show and never sat down for a whole meal. For Ingrid that meant "CHEESECAKE"! Also, because we were tired and the train to Albany didn't leave until 11:50. It was a long day, but we're so glad we made the trip.

A view of Times Square (I think) - from 50th and 6th Avenue. It's Saturday night in NYC!

HAVE a HAPPY THANKSGIVING Everyone - - - - - -

Lunch Options In Leipzig Plant

OK - this is different. These are words directly from David's e-mail describing a UNIQUE cafeteria where he is in Germany! "They have a tiny little cafeteria, it seats 24 people total. We were asked to pick out what we wanted an hour or two before lunch, there were pictures and each had a stack of cards with it. You take a card from the one you want and write your name on it. When we went in for lunch, they were ready. Exactly like an old fashioned TV dinner, in the foil tray. It is what everyone ate." I know it's blurry - but here is a close up of one of the 'selections'. Today he asked what was special about the ones that this audit team was given to choose from. He was told that they were the more expensive options. They said "GUEST" at the top. He has no idea what the price actually is, but did say they aren't "bad".....

Davids Last Three Weeks

David started off his travels on November 2nd with a 3-day trip BACK to Ohio. Not to Columbus for 6-sigma training this time- but to Newark for an Energy Audit. He's on a team of 12 that is auditing all 15 plants around the world on a crazy 3-week schedule to look for 5% energy savings NEXT year. So - Newark Ohio was his destination. Not too exciting. An hour out of Columbus, and a population of 45,000. Headquarters for several large businesses - including the Momentive plant.....
and this lovely structure -- the Longeberger Basket Company Headquartrs. HOW OHIO!!! OMG. It's a BUILDING!

Well - he got home late Friday night (11/4) and was then off Monday (11/7) afternoon to Europe. This first stop - The Netherlands. A much classier destination I assure you. His first stop - Rotterdam for another plant Energy Audit. This is a picture of a bridge they call THE SWAN over a river in Rotterdam - it's just beautiful.

When the audit was done, he spent the weekend in Amsterdam. Here is a picture of one of her canals. Imagine skating on these. They are all over. He got to spend a day seeing the sights and enjoying some local cuisine.

Sunday - November 12th - found David jetting off to Leipzig, Germany. This city was once behind the iron curtain. Having been bombed heavily during WWII, when the curtain opened in the early 90's this city was devistated, having not been kept up during the Soviet occupation. David said that the Germans taxed their citizens an extra 2% to revive these classic old cities - and it has seen quite a revival. It has a population of 500,000 and is looking quite nice these days. David hasn't gotten to sight see much as he is at the plant by 7 - and the sun doesn't come up until 8 - and works until after dark. He did get this picture of the OUDE KIRK. It was constructed in 1303 - and he did get inside, but no pictures were allowed. Not sure if it is THE ONE, but this was Bach's city. He was once cantor at one of her churches. Imagine!

That is the only picture he's sent from Germany. The other he sent is this: the streets in the old part of Amsterdam.... quaint..... He returns Wednesday evening. We're all ready. Just ONE MORE trip that we know of this year- the 1st weekof December - back to the lovely state of Ohio - his 7th trip there this year.

Chicken Excitement

David left for the Netherlands yesterday.... It was not an easy parting as he just got home from Ohio midnight Friday and we had a crazy weekend. He'll be gone for 2 weeks in Europe, then home for 2 and back to Ohio for a two-weekend zinger the first week of December. (translation - the bastards are making him fly out Sunday to start meeting Monday am - and a mandatory session the following Saturday - THUS - two freakin' weekends are trashed for the family)

The night before he left we caught all the pullets (this years chicks for you non-chicken folks) and trimmed their wings. We've had lots of issues lately with a few of them flying over the fence & nets and getting out. Problem was - one of our pretty little silver spangled hamburgs was already OUT - and this little teenager decided not to come home for the night. A real renegade - rogue of sorts this bird is.... Double thie issue: the girls named these two really pretty white egg layers after themselves - so losing one would be very very sad indeed.....

Well, yesterday morning before David left, she was back. But we knew better than to try and catch her. This pair is VERY small and VERY fast. The only alternative to try and keep her from flying out was for me to tackle this by myself with the girls after dark once everyone gets settled into the coop. So - last night - we did! It was quite a crazy 10 mintues with just us girls here. Here is the story and pictures to prove our antics!!!
We went out at 5:15 (nice and early with daylight savings just past). Grace held the flashlight - Ingrid wielded the scissors, and me the damn bird. Her frantic wing flapping got me in the face while I was getting her off the perch. This breed is VERY FEISTY.

We got her all done (wing clipped, leg band ID bracelet on - orange) and then one of the kids saw a gray freakin' band on her other leg. We did the wrong damn bird. I thought I had looked so closely at this pair that I could easily tell them apart by the coloring and condition of the tail feathers. GUESS NOT. So........ Ingrid took OFF the new orange band, and we started over. I got the 2nd bird from the nest box. The first had been tail towards me on the perch - she was a LOT easier to catch... anyway, I got her and she's fine.

We repeated the whole process in the garage where there is plenty of light. And so, now its REALLY done. The original hamburg still has a gray leg band, and two trimmed wings. The other has an orange band and ONE trimmed wing. I love this picture. I'm wearing work gloves - holding the bird steady and pulling her wing out. THen there are the little pink-painted fingers with the scissors - wearing a Carhart!! What a great combo!