We had a good flight from BWI (Baltimore, Maryland) to MIA (Miami, Florida), then on to ANU (Antigua).  We caught a van that took us directly to the resort.  That was one crazy ride!  As soon as we got to Sandals we were served hot towels to clean up with and champagne to sit back and relax with while we waited to be shown to our room.  Classy.

We had a beautiful Garden View room over looking the small pool for the surrounding room’s convenience.  First thing we did after settling in and changing into our swim suits was to grab a bite to eat at a restaurant right in the sand.  Barefoot by the Sea.  It was great!  We hung out with this nice couple from Michigan and got to know each other a little bit.  After lunch we hit The Big Pool.  Adam went right out to the swim-up bar and acquired us some drinks.

The entire resort was just beautiful.  All the pools were clean and a crisp, cool blue.  The buildings and private bungalows were all painted in different Caribbean pastels and the landscaping was overwhelming, but well kept.  A jungle of beauty.  There were lizards and birds galore, one of which landed on my coke can while I was sitting out on the balcony.  It took a sip of my syrupy, sugary drink, looked up at me, then took off.  I found out later that it’s called a Bananaquit.  Very cute little guy with black wings and a bright yellow belly.

On our second day Adam and I had a couple’s massage at Sandals Red Lane Spa.  It was heavenly!  I’ve had several massages before, so let me tell you, this was fantastic.  It was Adam’s first massage and he just loved it.  We were pleasantly relaxed for the entire rest of our stay.

Along with relaxing in the sunshine, lazing around in the pools, sipping our drinks, and swimming in the bay we also found time to do some activities.  We went to The Cricketer’s Pub to watch the Penguin’s vs. Red Wings game 5.  It was awful!  The Penguins played like crap!  (But we won the cup in the end, ha!).  We took a snorkeling trip which, we both agreed, was kind of terrifying, but the Captain of the boat said that it was rough waters out there for first timers and that we did well.  We also went kayaking.  This mostly yielded some hilarious pictures.  The most fun we had was sailing a hobie cat together.  It’s a small catamaran.  Two hulls, a trampoline in the middle, a rudder, and a 30 foot sail.  We were chased from the shore out into the bay by a storm!  It rained while we sailed out toward a marker buoy, but cleared as we came back in.  It was our first time sailing anything and we did it by ourselves!  I can’t wait to do it again!

A few other highlights from our trip would be dancing together in private on the look out tower with Reggae playing in the distance, having wine delivered to our room, having breakfast, lunch and dinner by the blue-green sea, visiting the adjacent casino and blowing $26 bucks, and watching Adam compete in a dance contest in order to try and win me a diamond necklace.  Too funny!

On our way home we were delayed for 2 days due to a flight cancellation.  American Airlines was very helpful and put us up for two nights in hotels in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami.  They also paid for taxi fair and meals.  We ended up having a good time in Puerto Rico and Miami too.  Then back home to real life… relaxing by the pool.

Enjoy the pictures if you haven’t already seen them!

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We met some of Jane’s fellow Floridians there on The Mall.  They asked us how long we’d been there and we told them, “Since 8am.”  They were shocked!  They said they’d been on The Mall since 4am!  Yikes!  Maybe Jane and I were extremely lucky to have so little travel and wait time, but mostly I think it was just preparation.  We didn’t have tickets to see the Inauguration.  It’s a free public event!  We just didn’t happen to be sitting in the folding chairs right underneath the podium.

Here are some more pictures from our adventure.

This experience will last me the rest of my life.  Besides the obvious, it was a clear gorgeous day, albeit in the low 20’s, every one’s mood was great.  The crowd was just so calm and happy.  It was surprisingly quiet when the Jumbo Screens and speakers weren’t on and people weren’t being announced.  I think the crowd’s only downfall was boo-ing George Bush.  It was disrespectful.  Granted, he’s not my favorite person, but we need to respect the office he’s held the past 8 years and recognize that his job was never an easy one.

After President Obama finished his strong and pleasing speech Jane and I skipped out.  We weren’t sure how we were going to get home, thought it best to hightail it out of The Mall, and the rest of the crowd was dispersing so we pretty much needed to move with the flow of people anyway.  We waited around on 13th St. for about 20 minutes for our bus back to her place, but none were showing up.  We ended up walking 4 (yes, FOUR) miles (yes, MILES!) down Interstate 395 (which will probably never happen again in the history of the world) and over the Potomac in order to get back to Crystal City.  It was all worth it.  The cold, the endless standing, the miles we walked… all worth it.  I am so very glad that I went to the Inauguration!

I look like I’m crossing Abbey Road in that picture.  Cool.

I also took several video clips of my adventure today.  I kept having to delete some to take the more important clips, but I think I got what I wanted.  I hope you enjoy watching my video as much as I enjoyed creating it!  I had to cut out all my “commentary” so this isn’t quite what I put together, but this is as good as it’s gonna get for ya!

I want to thank Jane for being a kindred spirit.  She’s brave, adventurous, and as crazy as I am.  Thank you, Jane, for sharing such a special day with  me!

I also want to thank my husband for supporting my decision to attend.  Not all significant others would be so generous or trusting.

And a BIG THANKS to Kim!!!  Your parka was the BEST!  I felt perfectly at home in the cold today.  Never once did I shiver or get a chill.  Thank you!

Congratulations to President Barack Obama and his family, Vice President Biden and his family, and to our Nation for such a joyous day.

God Bless

Lily and Giles sitting pretty for mommy on Christmas Eve.

I haven’t got a lot of energy left tonight.  But I wanted to post pictures for you.  I’m sure I’ll edit this post later.

Here’s how I feel.  Actually, all of us feel like this.

Obviously Giles had a toy OVERLOAD.  LOL  So cute with Lily’s Bobo and Rudolph.

Check out the pictures.  Enjoy.  Merry Christmas!

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AND I HELPED!

We ended up making 300 Peanut Butter Balls on Saturday, then on Sunday we made 244 Spice Cookies and put the gift baskets together.

While we baked and talked all the dogs, Lindsey’s girl Abbie and boy Mason, and my little monsters Giles and Lily, played and ran around the house, barking and clacking their nails across the hard wood floor.  They had such a good time!  They all like each other.  Cavaliers usually know their own kind and get along immediately.

P.S.  I didn’t take any pictures of the Peanut Butter Balls so I’ll give you a good idea.  They were the size of ping pong balls and taste like Heaven smothered in sugar.

Sam

Yeah.  Sam is pretty rude.  They need to respect me. A “lively” dog should not be “restricted” to a home with a fenced in yard.  It should be offered exercise , which again, we are willing to provide.

Cesar Milan, if you come across this blog, I hope that you might be able to address this issue via your show.

I’m so mad right now.  It’s no wonder so many dogs end up being euthanized.  It’s a damn shame!

I had J.D. over the weekend while his dad was out of town.  I’ve told you about J.D. before.  He’s my little maniac lover.  He was very well behaved the whole time he was here, but on Monday he, Giles, and Snickers had a pee fest all over my carpet.  I mean ALL OVER.  I’ve been steam vacuuming for days!  Thank God for the Bissel.

I did learn a little more about J.D. while he stayed with me.  Mostly he became even more adorable every day.  He slept with Adam, Giles, and I in the bed every night and it turns out he’s a burrower.  He gets under the covers and curls up right next to my butt!  Kind of tickles, but was so sweet.  He would also sleep with just his head on my shoulder while I was reading on the couch.  I love the way his ears smell.  I gave them lots of kisses and he soaked them all up.

Here are some photos of J.D. I captured over the weekend.

Lately Adam and I have been spending a lot of time with our neighbor across the hall.  We’ll just call him Bob.  Bob’s dog Bandit is the beautiful 100 German Shepard I’ve probably mentioned before.  I’ve come to know Bandit better lately, but Bandit’s affections are clearly devoted to Bob.  Bandit rarely, if ever, takes his eyes off Bob.  I’m working on gaining Bandit as a walking buddy.  I’ve walked him several times, but he’s still in his crate most of the day every day.  If Bob would just get me a copy of his key and trust that I will lock up then Bandit and I will walk happily ever after.  And he won’t suffer hip problems at a young age.  So, Bob, if you’re reading…. let’s get on with it!

Here are some pictures I took of Bandit over the weekend.  They’re very grainy and there is motion blur, but oh, Bandit looks so much prettier without the harshness of my point and shoot flash.  Anyone interested in donating money for the real thing?  A Digital SLR.

Adam and I slept in until 2 o’clock today.  Oh, blessed sleep!  It was great.  When we finally rolled out of bed we decided to have breakfast at Bob Evans.  It’s the closes and ONLY restaurant anywhere near our hotel.  We both had the Homestead Breakfast.  Eggs, sausage, homefries, sausage gravy and biscuits, and we shared a couple of buttermilk hotcakes.

After we filled up our bellies we stopped at Wal-Mart to get a few beauty products for me and new socks for boy.  Went back to the hotel and got ready for the rehearsal.

Chris’s wife, Tiffany, and I were asked by Allison’s aunt to set up the reception hall with her.  5 minutes later she left, said she be right back, and we didn’t see her for an hour and a half.  Then when she finally did come back after the rehearsal was over she told me that I didn’t do the flowers correctly.  I thought, “You’ve got to be kidding me.  Do it yourself next time.”  Whatev.

Had Pizza and Pop at the Madison Fire Dept. afterward.  Got some great pictures of the boys (TehDevs.net).  And Allison, myself and Tiffany (TehWives!).  =D

Going to party again tonight in the hotel.  Cheers!

Adam Kinder + Christine Crawford = happily married 07/29/2007

That was easy.  My life has been full of family, friends, and travel lately.  And did I mention dogs?  Tons of dogs.  I believe I’ve recreated myself as a dog walker.  Mr. Giles has more friends than I do.

Adam and I painted our bathroom recently.  It’s a Beher paint called “Lemon Poundcake”.  It’s so bright it gives me a headache when I’m trying to do my make-up.  We need some dark furniture to even things out.  We’re painting the bedroom next.  I’ll post pictures when everything is done.

I recently spent a week in Pennsylvania.  I stayed with my friend Jess and her daughter Hannah.  We took Hannah to Idlewild Park in Ligioner, PA and had a blast.  Tons of pictures.  We also took her to the Pittsburgh Zoo.  Jess and I saw The Counting Crows and Maroon 5 in concert at the Post Gazette Pavillion and got each other caught up on our lives.  I also drove up to Erie and stayed with my Dad for a couple of days.  We went for a walk on the North Pier where Admiral Perry organized his attack on the Brittish during the war of 1912.  The next day we rode bicycles in the same area.  Afterward we went to the Pepsi Pavillion on the bayfront and met up with my cousin Michael, his girlfriend Chelsea and her daughter Lilly, and their friends.  It was a really beautiful sunset.

Since I’ve been home I’ve done nothing but clean and walk dogs.  Ollie, Peanut, Bandit, J.D., Brady, Snickers, and don’t forget Mr. Giles.  Tomorrow I’ll be helping a neighbor pack up her condo.  She’s moving back to N.C.  Isaac and Monica are coming over to Kim’s and we’ll be BBQ-ing the rest of Labor Day weekend away and kissing summer ‘08 goodbye.

I’ll be back tomoz to let you know if I’m going to make enough money packing Kathy to buy a new Schwinn.

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