A Few Busy Days - Mon., Sept. 16

Has it really been a WEEK since I last wrote? I guess that's what happens when your days are filled with work.

Last Monday I was scheduled for a Pap smear because it has been a few years since my last one. Appointment was at 10:30 a.m. I was scheduled to go to work at my temporary job at noon. Waiting room: like a holding cell. The waiting room TV was set to inane judge shows and the waiting room full of people were being babysat by the idiot box.

At 11:30 a.m., I tapped on the reception office window and asked when I could expect to have my exam as I was supposed to be at work by noon, but that my temporary job was a half-hour drive away. That lit a fire and they had me in an exam room in a couple of minutes and said they would rush to get to me. I put on the exam gown and waited, and waited, and waited. At noon, I got dressed, walked out to the receptionist. I told her I had to go to work, that I was losing income sitting in their office waiting. I told them I would call back to reschedule.

Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday, Snelling placed me back at the insurance agency as receptionist and office assistant.

Wednesday I had a 10:30 a.m. appointment at the same doctor's office to go over previously done lab work; at 11:30 I was scheduled for an echocardiogram. Once again, the waiting room was wall-to-wall people with folding chairs set up in the middle of the room to hold everyone. The TV again had a "judge"-type show: more soap opera than legal procedural.

At 11:40 a.m., I was called back for the echocardiogram, pretty close to on schedule. After the echocardiogram, it was another ten minutes or so before the doctor came in to talk to me about previous lab results. Apparently I have a kidney stone. So far it has not bothered me. All I can do is monitor the situation.

Thursday through Saturday, I worked in the RV park office. Friday night Bob took me to Random event center because the food truck du jour had crepes. I love crepes. For dinner, I had a chicken enchilada crepe and a side salad. Later for dessert, Bob, Randall and I shared a peach cobbler crepe. The chicken enchilada crepe was the best.

Beers on tap at Random.

Live music.

Business picks up at the bar.

On Sunday, we Volksmarched 11K (6.8 mile) on Riverwalk South.  Here are the morning's photos:

Stairs inviting exploration.

San Fernando Cathedral at Main Plaza in San Antonio.

Beginning of 8:30 a.m. Mass.

Entrance procession.

Mass entrance processional.

Crepe myrtle roots

King William District historic home.

King William District.

Lion down on the job - King William District

What kind of flower is this?

Entrance to La Villita Village from the Riverwalk.

My kind of food truck!

Amaryllis??

Water lily flower.

Zachary Flag Plaza - Institute of Texan Cultures.

Weeds of some kind??

One of these is not like the others.

Waterfall whirlpool.

Waterfalls - base of Tower of the Americas, San Antonio

Entry to Hyatt Regency Riverwalk.

Progress on Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.

More pretty flowers...these are on a tree.

River taxi on the San Antonio River.

So that was last week.

This week I am working Monday and Tuesday at the insurance office. Wednesday I have my re-scheduled Pap smear.

Thursday and Friday I work at the RV park office. Saturday early morning I fly to Portland to spend ten days with family and friends. If you are in Portland and would like to meet up, let me know.

Bob is doing well. He is back at MPS Construction as the oilfield service start-up company he worked for didn't last long. MPS is where Bob is much happier working. He will hold down the fort while I'm away.

In Oregon, my family and I have plans to go to Hood River and do the Fruit Loop Tour through the apple and pear orchards. They should be in season right about now. Cold, fresh apple cider anyone? Mmmm. I'm sure we'll find time for a day at the coast. I want to take mom and my sister to The Oregon Garden and maybe the Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel.

Good times ahead! Yay for more travel.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week.

I'll post more as I have time. Travel Bug out.

Waterfall Withdrawal - Mon., Sep. 9

In the south, is that waterfall with drawl? Sorry, bad pun.

Ahhhhhh...just the thought of waterfalls makes us relax. We hike to waterfalls everywhere we go. Thank you to Sherry of the blog In the Direction of our Dreams for inspiring me to write this.

Our favorite places for waterfall hiking/viewing:

1.   The Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper in Alberta, Canada

• Bridal Veil Falls
• Tangle Falls
• Sunwapta Falls
• Athabasca Falls
• Johnston Canyon (two waterfalls)
• Maligne Canyon 

2.   Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Bridal Veil Falls

Wahkeena Falls

Multnomah Falls

Horsetail Falls

• Bridal Veil Falls
• Multnomah Falls
• Horsetail Falls
• Triple Falls
• Ponytail Falls
• Punchbowl Falls
• Tunnel Falls
• Metlako Falls
• Latourell Falls
• Elowha Falls/McCord Creek Falls
• Shepperd's Dell

3.   Silver Falls State Park, Trail of Ten Waterfalls, Oregon

• South Falls
• Lower South Falls
• Lower North Falls
• Double Falls
• Drake Falls
• Middle North Falls
• Winter Falls
• Twin Falls
• North Falls
• Upper North Falls

4.   Hwy 138 between Glide and Crater Lake, Oregon

• Toketee Falls
• Fall Creek Falls
• Clearwater Falls
• Watson Falls
• Wolf Creek Falls
• Cavitt Creek Falls
• Susan Creek Falls
• Little Falls
• Fern Falls
• Whitehorse Falls
• Clearwater Falls
• Lemolo Falls
• Warm Springs Falls
• Steamboat Falls

5.   The Blue Mountains west of Sydney, Australia

Abseiling at Empress Falls (not us)

Impressive Empress Falls

• Queens Cascade
• Wentworth Falls
• Leura Falls
• Gordon Falls
• Bridal Veil Falls
• Katoomba Falls
• Minnehaha Falls

6.   Southern Highlands, Australia

• Fitzroy Falls
• Belmore Falls
• Twin Falls
• Carrington Falls
• Nellie's Glen
• Upper Minnamurra Falls

Belmore Falls

Upper Minnemurra Falls

7.   Waterfall Way, Australia

• Dangar Falls
• Newell Falls
• Shepperd Falls
• Wollomombi Falls
• Dangars Falls (different from Dangar Falls!)
• Crystal Showers

8.    Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
9.    Yosemite National Park, California
10.  Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington
11.  Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, TN

Ruby Falls in a cavern in Chattanooga, TN

 12.  Southern North Carolina

• Dry Falls
• Glen Falls
• Whitewater Falls
• Looking Glass Falls

Dry Falls

Glen Falls

Looking Glass Waterfall

Whitewater Falls

13.  Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina
14.  Vancouver Island, British Columbia
15.  Yoho National Park, British Columbia

It's getting late. You get the idea. We're crazy about waterfalls!

Travel Bug out.