Jesus has Piddies

We were visiting the Hill Cumhora LDS Visitor's Center, and there is a big statue of Christ, the Christus room, the 2 missionaries were talking of Christ. So we were brought into this room and Egon runs up to the statue and stares at it. He points and says "Jesus! That's Jesus!". Then he reaches out to touch it "Jesus has piddies" he said as he touched Christ's toes. Then the audio of Christ's words came on, sounding like it was Christ's voice, and he jumped back and looked all around trying to determine where the voice came from. He looked at the statue, then heavenwards in awe and confusion.

After the audio played all the little children came up to crawl at Christ's feet. We had to tell them they shouldn't climb the statue.

Our Week at Family Camp

Our Week Day at Family Camp

Last summer when my autistic son refused to stay at scout camp because he had to sleep in a tent and eat food made in their dining hall, I did some research and found they had a family camp with cabins we could sign up for. I was excited because then we could just bring Galen (our autistic son) to his troop everyday so he could join them in earning merit badges and doing all other fun camp things while still being able to sleep indoors and eat mom’s cooking.

So six months after we made family camp registration, our family packed up the van and spent 3 weeks in a national park-hoping camping trip (mostly in Utah and Arizona). We even got Galen into a tent (that took 3 nights) and hiking on trails. And two weeks after that we again threw our camping supplies in the back of the van and headed off to Family Camp.

We drove the 2 hours to the middle of nowhere, dropped our 12 and 14 year old scouts off to join their troops and continued down the road for the Family Camp. It took 25 minutes to get to the Family Camp from where the troops were staying, down a long and winding road. Then we met the director, handed our health forms over, all of which are supposed to be signed by a doctor. Did I mention that meant 6 Camp Physicals just for Family Camp?, Yeah, we are a family of 9.

Then we were directed to our cabin and told our cabin councilor would come along and share all the rules with us, and they handed us the paper wristbands that we were supposed to wear all week so that the Family Camp would know we belong there. Of course these wristbands are the kind used in water parks and fairgrounds to show you paid for entrance that day. We went to the fair on Saturday, and had wristbands just like this. My toddler chewed hers off in ½ hour.

We emptied our van into the cabin and I let my husband park the van and hike the ½ mile back into the cabins. By then I had already had to pull the knife that is part of the cabin’s supplies out of my toddler’s grip and turn off the stove. The stove’s controls were on the front, right at toddler level. Our cabin counselor came and ran down a list of things that makes camp more fun (an interesting euphemism for nicely requested rules. Of course our 9-year-old with a mood disorder saw right through that.)

Interesting things about the family camp cabins, they have a kitchen sink with hot and cold water, a couch that pulls out into a double bed and 4 bunk beds, but no toilet or showers or baths. The nearest facilities was an out-house down a little trail. When we were on our national park trip, our 4 year old, who we are currently trying to potty train, did a really good job keeping dry. We also managed to be close to restrooms with flush toilets and running water for each of our campsites, which he was constantly running off to, but whenever our bathroom stop included an outhouse or pit toilets, then he refused to use them and would rather go in his pants. Of course some of those out-houses looked like they would be happy to eat anybody under 8 , sucking them in in one swallow, to go swimming forever in the lake of urine and poo. So I could see why he would refuse.

It wasn’t a large surprize that the toddler’s diaper was nasty and leaked all over. I bathed her in the kitchen sink and started a dirty diaper bag (that we set outside the cabin for odiferous reasons).

After we settled into our cabin we hiked off to the lakefront and spent 25 minutes in an orientation of the rules, buddy system, buddy boards and boat cabin before we even set foot in the water. By that time, our 9 year old (with a Mood Disorder, and a learning disorder) was already throwing a fit because there were too many rules for him to remember. We had to keep on top of Clay (our 9- year-old) because he began throwing sand and rocks. But he eventually calmed down and went in the water, where he became unhappy because it was too shallow in the area he was allowed without passing any sort of swim test. His main complaint at this point was that he couldn’t even remember what he was supposed to do for his swim test. So he and the 4 year old, 2 year old and 7 year old all played in the shallow water.

I decided that because we could only take out any boats with someone who classifed as a swimmer, that the week would be more fun if I took a swim test, so I went and got my suit on. Upon my return I requested a swim test for both me and Clay. After jumping in the water and being shocked with the cold, I started the 6 laps that were required, but because I need to wear my glasses to see anything, I usually have to swim with my head out of the water. After 4 laps of the side stroke, surprised at how out of breath I was, I stopped to catch my breath. When I didn’t feel caught up in my breath after a short break, I gave up wondering if I played too hard this weekend  (if dragging kids to a parade and a fair and then packing for a camping trip is playing).  or was just out of shape. Clay didn’t pass his swim test either. He touched bottom too many times in his required 2 laps, he wasn’t very happy about that, but did try again, which he also failed. We cheered him for trying, and trying again, because that is a big accomplishment for Clay.

When the toddler begin to get shivery, we pulled the kids out of the water to head back to the cabin. One of the staff felt he had to tell us that Clay had been throwing sand and rocks, so we apologized, recognizing that they had no comprehension that not engaging the anger issues is often the best approach to defuse the bomb that Clay was becoming.  At no time did Clay pose a threat to himself or others, but he did pick on his siblings a little (we were on top of that too).

I checked the activity board, that afternoon they would be making postcards and offering swimming lessons for those who would want it. Tomorrow they would offer sailing lessons, (for those with swimming qualifications), an unspecified fitness class and another craft project. On Wednesday they would be doing more swimming and crafts and so on the rest of the week. So the scouts were doing archery, wood carving, riffle shooting, high ropes courses, video game design and the Family Camp does crafts and swimming, all with many rules to follow. Yikes. I started to miss the hikes and activities at the national park, that were parent led, and available whenever we wanted them, I also felt jealous of my scout boys.

We hung around the cabin through dinner time, made a nice spaghetti. But I bumped the stove when I reached grab and glass and it turned on and melted the  plastic bag that was on it. After dinner we decided to go for a walk and find the shower house, with laundry and flush toilets! About a block down from us and behind the row of cabins sat 2 shower houses and a brick storm shelter that doubled as a game room. My kids had fun playing fussball while I perused the bookshelf looking for interesting games and books. Finding nothing too interesting, I wandered over to the shower house and used the flush toilet in a little closet and looked that the layout of laundry facilities; 1 washer and 1 dryer in each bath house, and a laundry sink. The showers were tucked into the toilet closets, I am not sure if there was enough room to actually get in and out of the shower, I never had to try and find out for myself. We all used the flush toilets, but Reuben (potty training 4 year-old) refused to.

Before we made it to the lodge  Reuben was smelling stinky and and obviously wet himself, but I had neglected to bring the diaper bag on the walk, so we let him live with it until we got back. Down at the lodge the councillors were singing (yes, literally they sing activity announcements) about the religious meeting that was going to happen down at the group fire pit. We had just found a box labeled “yard toys” with badminton rackets and birdies with a net already set up.

Badminton was the most fun, teaching the kids how to serve, attempting to volley the birdie, even though the net was set up under trees and powerlines (and the birdie kept getting stuck in the tree, and knocked off its course by the power lines.) After badminton and time watching fish on the dock we wandered back to our cabin, and I had finally figured out how to get Reuben clean, because I felt they would frown upon us dumping a poopy bottomed boy into the lake (and they allow no access to the lake when the beach is closed). I realize we could wash him in the laundry tub, like we have often done at home, when he was smaller. So I got all the stuff to bath Reuben and we went back to the bath house (14th block of the day with toddlers in tow for those of you counting), and that is when I found out it only had cold water in the laundry tubs. So I double checked all the shower stalls to see if there was any chance of an actual bathtub, and ended up scrubbing the poo off the butt and legs of a 4 year old boy in a laundry tub, who was screaming, because the water was nearly freezing.

Some of the kids begged to go home, nothing new, we survived the last trip, and I didn’t let my optimism for it die no matter how hard they begged (and they learned to enjoy most of it too), but I had to admit to Mike, that maybe this wouldn’t work out, but we would sleep on it and see if we couldn’t get Galen to join his scout troop for some activities tomorrow (and maybe even for us to find something interesting to do). As the day finally waned we did our scripture study and family prayer and tucked the kids into their beds. Then we went to the kitchen/ living room, pushed the table to the counter and had just enough room to lay down our king sized air mattress that was so awesome on our last trip. The mattress set up with not even an inch to spare between the table, that was pushed up to the counter, and the couch.  We didn’t use the pull out of the couch because a double is just too small for the 3 of us.

I held off until the last rays of sun were shining before setting off on the hopefully last trip to the outhouse before morning. Then brushed my teeth and snuggled in for a well deserved good-night’s sleep.

Clay did come out of his bed several times to stand at the foot of our mattress, finally I woke up enough to ask what he needed, he said he couldn’t sleep. My bladder had awoken me, and I had already started dressing to go to the out-house again, and asked him if he needed to go too. He said yes, so we went. At this point the out-house that is snuggled off a short trail in the woods, might as well have been up a 50 foot climbing wall as far as accessibility was concerned,and there are no lights inside of it, so you better hope you have a flashlight. or you will be groping around in the spider infested outhouse in the dark. And there was quite some nice specimens of wolf and daddy long legs hanging around (literally) in there. That must have worked for Clay because slept the rest of the night.

Naturally, our toddler, who is still nursing refused to take to her crib and insisted she stay physically attached to me all night. And then the air mattress must have sprung a leak (at a seam most likely) because it kept deflating in the night, and it turns out that I wake up when my hips or shoulders press against a hard floor at night, of course moving off the air mattress to deflate it requires waking the toddler/baby, but the husband was already awake.  We re-inflated it 3 times. Then the toddler/baby and I moved up to the couch to sleep. The couch is only 4 feet long. At first the cushioning felt good, but then the crick in the neck and the cramping of the legs get you. I was up and dressed before 6 am. I had given up on sleep and also on this trip. We were not going to managed this trip if I couldn’t sleep.

So I made muffins, and packed up, and as the children got up they were mostly happy to hear that we were going home. By 8:30 we were finishing cleaning up and headed up to the lodge to let the staff know we would be going. They were just getting done with a morning meeting and made check out painless, handed us back the health forms, the ones that were supposed to have doctor’s signatures, and did a quick cabin check.

We then called our boys and troop leader to let them know we were not staying. Luckily, both the 12 and 14 year old scouts were having a great time.

After the 2 hour ride home, I put away the food and slept for 4 hours. All the kids crashed before 10:30 tonight, I look forward to more sleep. I don’t like to give up, I don’t do it easily, but while lying in my own bed, all that ran through my mind before I fell asleep was “There is no place like home, there is no place like home, there is no place like home.” And I clicked my heels together 3 times.

Make new plans, and think twice about the old?

When you make  new friends you can keep the old.

Hotel reservations are not always the same way, even though we may feel attached to them like an old friend.

This week Mike and I made plans to head the Autism Conference of MN. AUSM has and awesome conference, dealing with a lot of timely issues for us. Like starting Galen's transition into adulthood and some behavior/emotional things we are dealing with with Clayton.

We have also just spent 2 weeks at the Mayo with Clay and Ian. Clay was ran through a series of Psyc tests and Ian just had his normal button change and yearly update visit.

Our family is also moving forward on a extended (like lots of family) family trip to Disney World this fall.

And naturally , not only do our financial budgets not allow us to do it all, but our emotional and personal energy budgets not allow us to do it all.

It is kind of a bummer though, as I have given up a plan for a trip that feels a lot like and old friend. In December we decided to go to Nauvoo, ILL (a very nice church historical site) and hang around there for several days after we saw the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the Twin Cities.  The plan seemed to work and was very affordable.

I love Nauvoo, I spend a whole semester there studying church history in college and have always wanted to take my children back there. I have yet to see that Temple, that I just knew would be rebuilt, and thought it would mesh real nice with the study of Church History and and Doctrine and Covenants this year.

But, alas, one can not do everything at once. Not only will I be about 35 weeks pregnant, but I will also have just finished school semester and a lot of traveling (for me) this spring. Then of course, we will have the baby this summer and then 6 weeks later head off to Florida.  There is just not time and energy (or money) for everything.

Like wise, during the time frame of the trip to FL, there was an opening in a midwifery class that I have been interested in. My SIL (also an aspiring midwife) is planning on going and asked me if I was too, but the new baby puts a fairly big crimp on educational plans, which is one reason why we are going to FL this year rather then next year. Next year, I plan to be taking lab classes again, because my aspiration to midwife will continue.... (I plan to become a Dr Midwife (hold a Doctorate in midwifery).... and someday I will go to the Farm and take their course, because I believe they hold lots of good information that med school does not offer, that I can then use in my work settings.

Yup, we can't do everything at once. The most important question for us is what is the most important thing to be doing now? (and then do as many of them as you can do well with your time and energy and budget constraints).

And for me, that is still Mother and Wifehood.... followed by my educational path.

I have learned that nothing brings as much happiness as my babies to me. Even when they start to grow up on you (le sigh). So I would rather have this baby now and love her up right. Life will provide time for me to do everything else it has in store for me.

Eternally Pregnant

this is the phase of pregnancy that the feeling of being eternally pregnant kicks in. Pregnancy started so long ago, the belly has been huge forever, only now its so huge that you can't eat, sleep, breath or walk, and there is no end in sight.

The value of room service, bell hops and valet parking finally make the expensive hotels seem worth their money.... only you don't want anything they have on their menus. All you want is a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And that is why is spend even more money to get the executive level is for that there is a staff person there who tries to cater to your every need, and you can get your pb&j unless she has gone off duty at 11pm, after stuffing you with fresh baked cookies and milk. sigh

And now I am home again- after playing my own bell hop- not so fun when it involves waddling up and down 3 flights of stairs with several toddlers. And I miss the cookies and milk, but most of all housekeeping.

But at least at home when I waddle to the bathroom every hour all night long, I can take a nice big drink of the water from the sink. It may keep me peeing, but it also keeps me from being one dried out pea pod in the morning. I shouldn't rattle when you shake me.

We went to a valentine's dinner tonight- it was a fundraiser for RReal (non profit that helps install solar heating in energy poverty situations) the food as fabulous. There was also a wine tasting section. We, of course, put our glasses upside down and just enjoyed the incredible food- but as the wines were being described as to their "nose" and flavor (sweet, fruity, peppery with a hint of vanilla). I thought I ought to sniff it.

My nose is so good I can smell if some one used non-organic soap half a house away- in fact soon after we were married Mike put on some aftershave after showering and I couldn't stand being in the same room as him, which was kinda challenging because we only had a 1 room apartment- I sent him back in to shower again- this time with no smelly soaps or creams. So I sniffed my dad's.

Ekkk! My eyes crossed and I just about fell to floor. I have never smelled anything so revolting or nauseating in my life. How can anybody even imagine putting that stuff in their mouth? It was so smelly I don't know if I could even bring myself to strip furniture with it.(and I had just spent the day staining the floors on my new house- I know smelly!)

My brother said that must be a sign that it was a good wine. I have 5 kids- so I think I know a good wine- and that was not even in the same category.

Magic is in the air

or at least the aroma of a wonderful chocolate birthday cake. After I let Shanny taste that magic by spoon she followed me around with her little mouth open.

Wow- have we been busy lately. Every weekend for the last 2 months has been booked. This week my kids learned a lot about the cultural formalities that surround them. They attended a very traditional Lutheran funeral (complete with hotdish, rolls and red jello for lunch) and then a wedding.

This week we hope to tone things down again and get back into home making and family routines.... try to get that bedtime thing happening :)

Emotive Minnesotan

I was not raised to send greeting cards and hand written notes at every occasion. I was not raised to rejoice loudly and vocally. In fact interpersonal conversation involving anything I truly felt or thought was not highly encouraged. Most of this is part of my Minnesota cultural heritage. Emotion expend too much energy when we have to keep warm (at -60) and chop the fire wood.

Often times our attempt to share our emotions end up as a few brief words describing what we see or did rather then our feelings on the matter. One could almost think our emotions are covered in a parka- they show forth once a year for those 3 brief days of summer.

So how do we show forth our feelings? Those of us raised in MN have learned to read the body language through the parkas.... but that does not help those of us who feel the need to express.

I have found that even most of the time that I can not adequately express my self through prayer, but to praise or cry out in agony of soul I needed an outlet. So I had to learn to dance. I had to learn to sing.

And so, as my family gathers at the bedside of my Aunt Katie (and I am stuck at home, with hyperactive, bored and autistic children) I will dance for her. My dance will be one of joy of her part in my life, it will be one of sadness for the family as we will all greatly miss her, it will be one of hope and praise in the beauty of the atonement and resurrection and the promise of eternal families. It will go on until my resources are exhausted and my heart pains are sung out, until the sorrow is swallowed up and replaced with joy.

For Aunt Katie I wish I could share it and have those witness it feel it too.

Re: Noodles

this must mean you are enjoying the cabin and beach today.. awesome.. that scruntchy face is terrible.. a good one to torture her with many years hence..
today has been a nice quieter day.. I am very tired again.. even though I already had a nap.. and now a nice supper of ham, bubbles and squeek and duck egg... very tasty and then a sticky pudding that was awesome..
The day started out with a parade, cool weather, and then a day in the trade show part of the event.. I bought a few pashima scarfs... with Rotary logos on them.. very pretty and a warmer pullon.. thingy... so all in all a very nice day.. went swimming last night... and am now ready to sleep again. I think..
nothing really exciting.. have met lots of nice people.. chatting here and there.. that is what it is all about...
tomorrow will be a long day.. up early for the first session of the conference... then a tea.. and then some wait time.. and then a renaissance festival at a real restored castle.. so.. it should be fun...
so tell me more about your day.. and what everyone is doing.. etc..
love ya lots
MOM

Raya Newbold wrote:

Sent from my iPhone

Shaken, not stirred

Yup, I have been shaken, but not stirred.

I happened upon the fate to send a deer flying tonight, and the experience literally left me shaken. My mind was calm, but my hands were shaking as I tried to get my cell phone to work.- Which it did not- battery was exhausted. Silly phones, they need to learn to keep a charge for a week at a time.

Anyways, the front drivers side corner of my beautiful blue pruis was smooshed in enough to keep the tire from wanting to move- so the car is still sitting upon the scene that occurred 1/2 mile away from home. Nobody but the deer was hurt and I am not sure how bad the deer was hurt. At first I thought the thing was instantly dead- but then it started to move it's head, and then it started to move it's back and it managed to get itself sitting upright. We called the sheriff's department and they are in charge of the deer.

Ewan, who was with me, is thinking they will bring the deer to an animal hospital- I didn't have the hart to tell him how they would "take care" of it.

home

There has been lots of songs dedicated to the wonderfulness of coming home. I would be tempted to write one, but now that I am home I have so much else to keep me busy.

Well, we dragged Ian out of the hospital, against his wishes yesterday. He really liked the morphine more then the Tylenol with codeine. But he survived the trip anyways. He is now safely tucked on our couch watching the Land before Time. Earlier he played the computer- that required sitting up and doing something.

Great big slobbery baby kisses to all those who helped my Mom with her surprises for us. It is really nice to have a big working fridge- very nice fridge - and a washer that works. I haven't done a load yet- but will real soon. THank you, thank you , thank you.

Poisoned Apple

What is more effective then the wicked queen's poisoned apple?

An organic apple eaten by a kid who has nothing nothing but Popsicles all week. 2 bites was all it took to send him into a deep sleep. (ok, I know I am giving no credit to the morphine that kicked in... but morphine doesn't figure into fairy tales.)

The took the dressing off him this morning. He has an incision center on his belly and the trap door off to his right.

right now I am waiting on the nurse to come and train us. We are also hoping Ian stops hurting and starts eating. Once we get him moving he will have a fast recovery, but until then life is slow and we wait.

almost completely, but not totally unlike a pillow

The pillows they have here- probably have no right to bare that name. It is almost completely unlike a pillow. It isn't soft like a pillow, it is only vaguely shaped like a pillow, it doesn't smell like a pillow. It definitively doesn't support like a pillow. In fact the only reason I would even imagine that it is marauding as a pillow is the fact that is comes in a pillow case that match the rest of hospital linens for quality, or lack there of.

The Doc's assistant came in to see how Ian was doing. He is running clear enough right now that surgery is a go at 7ish tomorrow morning. Then he informed us that we will have a clinic office visit on Monday to follow up on the training of the c-costomy... well, there goes my weekend.

to market to market

to buy a fat hog.... or at least get another surgery.

Let's see Ian is being prepped for his tubes and lines, meanwhile he is in the play room waiting for the numbing cream to kick in. Then he gets a tube down his nose (NG) and the go lightly will be dribbled directly into his stomach for the next several days. After that- with in minutes he will get an IV with antibiotics as prep for the bowel surgery. Remind me to feed him lots of live yogurt next week.

Shannon is asleep on Ian's bed. The nurses will be bringing in a crib for her. That will be nice to leave our portacrib at the hotel.

Clay and his kitty are Grandma's side kick the next few days. The boys are off to school, but of course Galen forgot his back pack when he packed for Grandma's.

Amy is hoping to join us here this week and have a new baby of her own, although unless the baby is really sick she and him will be at the other hospital.

That is all I know for now. It is amazing that i have to use words on this blog. I have no easy way to deal with pictures on my portable computer.

Home again, Home Again Jiggity Jog

Well, after a nice little 13 hour trip today, We are home again, with a much longer trip scheduled in our near future.

For those of you unaware our trip today started just about 30 hours from a return home from another little trip.

And our next trip is destined to last 5-7 days.

That means I am now taking bids on my dog, kids and house cleaning. . .

Ian's surgery has been scheduled for next week. They plan to clean out his bowel to a point that it is running clear before they put the c- costomy in. And then he will have a few recovery and watchful days in the hospital before they send him home.

Jiggity Jog

perfecto

I am sorry. I have taken no pictures of Shannon today, even though she wore a very cute little pink bubble with a turtle attached to it. I spent all day driving my kids crazy. You see, turn about is fair play.

I brought my oldest boys to Italian Camp today. After a nice little 2.5 hour trip. They got to show off their passportos and choose a namo Italiano. Galen at this point was looking downwards and muttering that he wanted everyone to speak English. But with enough coaching he ended up with the namo of Galileo and Ewan choose Vittorio. Rochester, who also is at camp with them instantly picked up on the non-verbal cues and choose Italo for himself.

Then we had to go through all the signing in including nurse's check, painting namo tags and customs- looking for anything in English.

Grandpa Nathan helped Galen settle into his bunk and make his bed. By the time we were ready to leave Galen and Ewan felt comfortable enough to kiss me good bye and then run off to play.

I can't wait to hear more about camp. I hope it is a shear and utter blast for all involved.

world grain production has fallen short of consumption in
seven of the last eight years....

Just when it seemed that things could not get much worse,
the United States, the world’s breadbasket, is planning to double
the share of its grain harvest going to fuel ethanol—from 16
percent of the 2006 crop to 30 percent or so of the 2008 crop.
With this enormous growth in the U.S. capacity to convert grain
into fuel, the world price of grain is moving up toward its oil equivalent
value. This ill-conceived U.S. effort to reduce its oil
insecurity has helped drive world grain prices to all-time highs,

Although attention commonly focuses on energy use on the
farm, agriculture accounts for only one fifth of the energy used
in the U.S. food system. Transport, processing, packaging, marketing,
and kitchen preparation of food are responsible for the
rest. The U.S. food economy uses as much energy as the entire
economy of the United Kingdom.30

The 14 percent of energy used in the food system to move
goods from farmer to consumer is equal to two thirds of the
energy used to produce the food. And an estimated 16 percent
of food system energy use is devoted to canning, freezing, and
drying food—everything from frozen orange juice concentrate
to canned peas.3

The most energy-intensive segment of the food chain is the
kitchen. Much more energy is used to refrigerate and prepare
food in the home than is used to produce it in the first place. The
big energy user in the food system is the kitchen refrigerator, not
the farm tractor. While oil dominates the production end of the
food system, electricity dominates the consumption end. With
higher energy prices, the modern food system that evolved when
oil was cheap will not survive as it is now structured.36

From an agricultural vantage point, the world’s appetite for
crop-based fuels is insatiable. The grain required to fill an SUV’s
25-gallon tank with ethanol just once will feed one person for a
whole year. If the entire U.S. grain harvest were to be converted
to ethanol, it would satisfy at most 18 percent of U.S. automotive
fuel needs.57

The price of grain is now keyed to the price of oil.

Although there are no alternatives to food for people, there
are alternatives to using food-based fuels. For example, the 4
percent of U.S. automotive fuel currently supplied from ethanol
could be achieved several times over—and at a fraction of the
cost—simply by raising auto fuel-efficiency standards by 20
percent

predictions or history?

as the world oil crisis deepens
and the property values of suburban homes plummet.”71
The food sector will be affected in two ways. Food will
become more costly as higher oil prices drive up production and
transport costs.

As oil costs rise, diets will be altered as people
move down the food chain and as they consume more local, seasonally
produced food. Diets will thus become more closely
attuned to local products and more seasonal in nature.

Air transport, both passenger travel and freight, will suffer
as jet fuel prices climb, simply because fuel is the biggest airline
operating expense. Although industry projections show air passenger
travel growing by some 5 percent a year for the next
decade, this seems highly unlikely. Cheap airfares may soon
become history.7

Sea World

In San Antonio, we enjoyed the river walk, but the whales at sea world, took the cake. (and the cheesecake and the brownies)

I see Turtles

We visited the turtle recovery institute and got to feed the turtles. Then the next day we had to leave. Even though it took the bus 4 hours to come.

More Beach Days

I love the beach. So did Clay, Galen loved the water, and all liked the sand.

Beach Days

Days at the Beach in South Padre Texas.