Richmond and McLean, VA

I was scheduled to arrived Richmond nearly midnight Friday night after a few days in Vegas.  Several of us have gathered here this weekend to honor Gabby and Tyler and celebrate the upcoming birth of baby Naomi with a Baby Shower being thrown by their Sister-in-Laws Samantha and Gina.

    Gina and I a chance to share a room for one night prior to the Shower.  I got a kick out of seeing our signatures side by side agreeing to not smoke nor harbor any pets.

The Shower 

 

 

 

Samantha and Gina did a great job putting everything together and it was a wonderful idea Gina had to decorate letters for Naomi's room.  It was fun to do.

 



And although we couldn't be with Sara Schleutker today we were all thinking of her and wishing her the happiest of birthdays. 

I also had the opportunity to meet with family (I got to meet Gabby's older sister Kristen who took this beautiful picture of Tyler and Gabby)



and caught up with Scott, Vicki and Tim Horseman as well as Scott's sister Susan who I hadn't seen in likely 20 or more years. 






Also had a chance to check out some local sites including the Governor's mansion,

and The Jefferson Hotel

 

 

and checked out glave'kocen gallery where favored artist Matt Lively regularly shows work, and then stopped by the Fine Art Museum to check out Picaso's "Chinese Chest of Drawers"

 

 

All in all a great weekend.  We then headed to McLean, VA where I got to spend an entire week.  It was the most relaxing and happy time doing just day to day stuff with beloved.  Frank's daughter Sarah came to spend the weekend and it was so nice to spend some time getting to know her. 

 

Before leaving town we went to Wolf Trapp to catch Diana Krall's concert and met up and picnicked with neighbors Scott and Ivana Brubaker.  What a treat to be able to see this venue and performance and spend time with such great company.

 

 

I look forward to every moment spent together.  Each one means so very much to me.

 

 

Moving Van Arrives in Charleston and Las Vegas, NV

The movers finally showed up on Saturday July 11th around 2:00 in the afternoon.  I've felt very hobo-like since Memorial Day weekend (almost 7 weeks earlier) when the household in Houston was broken down and boxed up to do repairs and then never put back together.  Although the movers showed up in Charleston 9 days later than what I expected, I was glad to see the 2 guys they sent to unload and set up.  Typically for insurance purposes they will not allow the customer to help with the unloading but I knew from the packing process that if I didn't pitch in they were going to be at it for 24 hours, as was it took the 3 of us 12 hours, and then I kicked them out at 2:00 am.

As expected boxes were everywhere and it would be days before it began to look like a home rather than a warehouse.  Gina and Jake particularly were invaluable to me over the next several days/weeks as he took care of box removal, general repairs, clean up, organization, purchasing of necessities and handling Xfinity set up.  As I began to work through each of the rooms there was mountains of stuff as expected, in each to deal with. 

 

 

And then when I didn't think I could bear to leave the mess, I had an early morning flight a few days later to Las Vegas for a meeting knowing I wouldn't be back home for another 12 days.  Luckily for me most of that time was spent with loved ones and I couldn't have been happier. Early morning view from my first business trip flight out of Charleston.

 

Connecting through Miami.  (I'll need to get used to this stop but the flowers and sign on the wall make it nicer.)

 

Then on to Las Vegas.  The food at the Cosmopolitan Hotel never disappoints.

 

Gorgeous view from my room.

On the road again, life is back to normal.

Carriage Ride, Jake Birthday, House Closing, new baby announcement, Woodland Hills, CA

Closing on house was delayed a few days so we used the time to further explore the sites in Charleston starting with a carriage ride that went throughout the "South of Broad" area. 

 

 

And then it was finally time to close on the house.  Sooooo excited.

 

 

 My wish is for this place to be a home to family for many years to come.

 

 

Super cool house warming gift - looking forward to learning to play.

 

 

 

And then Happy Birthday to Jake; he and Gina announced they are expecting their first child end of January 2016.  What an awesome gift.

 

 

And then to wrap up the week a quick business trip to Woodland Hills.  I got to try a Smash Burger while I was there. mmmm

 

 

My cup runneth over.

Fourth of July week

We started off the week with our first walk (skip, hop, jog, dance) across Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge which is a cable-stayed bridge over the Cooper River that connects downtown to Mount Pleasant (where I'll be living).  It's 2 1/2 miles each way so I was impressed we made it all the way over and back.  The bridge opened in 2005 and created an 8 lane roadway where previously there had been two obsolete cantilever truss bridges.  It's quite beautiful and a great landmark for Charleston.

 

Then Sue had to leave to go back home so a big Thank You to her for making the trek 1/2 way across country with me with a Goorin Brothers hat.

Frank and I stayed at Indigo Inn in downtown Charleston the next few days in town while waiting to close on the house, and it was a good launching pad for checking out all the downtown restaurants and meeting up with family.
 

 

We had the opportunity to connect with Anne Gray and her boyfriend Will and meet her friend Caroline.

 

Man of my dreams.

 

Friends

 

Then first 4th of July in Charleston with my family and Frank and Gina's Mom Joanne!  Starting off with a nod to Sue by stopping off to pick up provisions at Trader Joe's for the cookout and game of cornhole at Jake & Gina's.

 

Then what looked to be a wash out for fireworks ended up as the best fireworks show ever held at my soon to be new neighborhood in I'on in Mt Pleasant.

Welcome to Charleston and hope to be closing on house soon.  (Where's that moving van???)