Thanksgiving Travel

Max over Ruby (Max/Ruby)

Traveling up to Tallahassee for the next few days to visit daughter #2. She's been out of school since she graduated in late May, working at both the Brogan as well as a free internship at FSU's Master Craftsman studio. It's what she wants to do as an artist.

We're going up to visit her at Thanksgiving, as this will be the first (probably of many) Thanksgivings she won't be coming down to stay with us. I've taken the week and split off the first few days to travel and visit since she'll be busy working.

The Labs are coming along as usual. Max is all of eleven now, and Ruby is a big three-year-old. Still, Max is the alpha male and does as he wills with sweet young Ruby, even using her rump as his pillow on the way up. It looks a little sexist until you realize that Ruby will often sleep next to Max, resting her head on his back. In some ways they both still behave like litter-mates, even though their births are years apart.

I'm still nursing the left knee. The pain has died down and I can get a fair amount of work done even though the overall medical problem hasn't been addressed and won't be until Tuesday of next week. As a consequence it feels good in the morning when, then gets progressively stiffer and sorer as the day progresses. My wife drove part of the way up I-75 to allow me to stretch out my left leg. I drove all the other stretches. I can drive a fair amount since it's my right foot that needs to manage the brake and accelerator pedals, and so far nothing's gone wrong with it.

Late supper in Tallahassee

When we got to Tallahassee it was late and dark. We checked into the motel, dropped off the baggage and the Labs in the room, then headed out to meet our daughter and her current boyfriend for supper.

We met them both at El Tapatío, a small and inexpensive Mexican restaurant on Monroe, right before 319 splits off towards Thomasville. I'd never been there before, but both daughter and boyfriend have been there a number of times. It's one of those affordable places you remember romantically in your later years through rose colored glasses.

Being late at night, tired, and with my knee in a nice throbbing condition, I sat at the table with everyone like a silent bump on a log. Everybody talked animatedly except me. I paid for everyone's meal, and both daughter and friend thanked me for paying for their supper. At least I wasn't a complete jerk.

The next two days are going to be a whirlwind of helping our daughter get some chores done around her place. I'm going to get her two new cheap tires for her Volvo, and I'm also going to get her an electric weed whacker and work a bit on clearing some brush around the back of her rental. And take her out for a few family meals. Then head back down to Orlando on Wednesday. Daughter #1 is house sitting while we're away.

Technical

Once again playing with the KT E-1 with the Sigma 30mm. Same post-processing MO. I don't know why Iv'e fallen so for the E-1. It is the most irrational thing I've ever done with regards to photography equipment.