I scanned this about 3 weeks ago when I was still at Wolf’s Haven, going through a box of photos I’ve been trying to get scanned for a couple of years. It’s a photo Ann snapped of Mikey and I when (I think by looking at Mikey) he was 6 months old and was one of the many times I had stopped by their home to visit my first grandchild. Ann may remember the occasion and his age much better than I do, but it is always a good memory for me.
He’s always been my little Superman.
After spending the past 11 nights at the only hotel brand available when I arrived in Little Rock, I was able today to move to a hotel brand that I am always more comfortable staying in. We almost always stay wherever room is available when we first arrive, but as time progresses we all try to move to our preferred kind of hotel, if possible. I was glad to be able to make my move today on my day off.
My view isn’t great, but it is nice to now be in a room with a full kitchen, unstained carpet, comfortable bed, high-speed internet and be close to our office. The welcome from the front desk was much warmer and friendlier than the one I received at the previous hotel and they have a nice workout room, pool and hot tub.
View from my window across this hotel’s roof looking to the hotel next door.
Oh, and a Cracker Barrel restaurant is right next door (even though they’re one of the few CB’s that don’t serve onion rings, darn it).
Despite spending the past hour ironing my shirts for the remainder of the week, I just feel much better and much more comfortable being here.
Before the car crash last Sunday, I was doing what I do in Vilonia, AR where an EF4 tornado the previous Sunday had destroyed much of the downtown area and was responsible for the deaths of 16 people in the region.
An aerial view of the devastation in Vilonia, AR. The white arrow indicates where the FEMA MRIC was parked and where the press conference took place.
DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, Arkansas Governor Mike Bebee, Senator Mark Pryor, Rep. Tim Griffin and former President Bill Clinton joined local officials in a tour of the damaged area and a press conference near the FEMA Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) on the main street of Vilonia.
Here are some other photos:
Some of the crowd gathered for the press conference.
Former President Clinton speaking to reporters. Afterward he would graciously pose for photos with townspeople who were affected by the tornado.
So, last week I mentioned that I found two photos behind a photo of me at the age of one. The first photo was of me and my father when I was four. I’d seen that photo before, but had no idea it was tucked away in the frame.
The second photo was one I had NEVER seen before; a picture of my mom when she was 6 months of age. I was completely flabbergasted when I turned it over and read the note on the back. My mom as a 6 month old infant. It was pretty incredible!
And here it is:
Driving back from the VIP tornado damage tour earlier this afternoon, a truck pulled out in front of me as I was driving on the way back to Little Rock. We hit my driver side front fender to his passenger side front fender and spun around on the 2 lane highway until we were both facing the same direction crossways of the highway.
I had some cuts on my left hand, but nothing that required stitches. My left arm and right knee were banged up and bruised and the impact of the airbag has left me feeling like I’ve been heart-punched by the legendary Ox Baker. However, that is preferable to fracturing my sternum or having arteries ripped off my heart by impact with the steering wheel. A very nice lady who identified herself as a nurse who was passing by stayed with me until the paramedics arrived. I thanked her, but wish I had gotten her name.
The driver of the other vehicle was ok, but his wife had a shoulder injury that required her to be taken to the hospital. When I was finished with being treated, filling out reports and thanking all the first responders and shaking their hands, I went over to the driver and asked him how he was. He said he was ok and that he was sorry that he “…just didn’t see you man.” As I told him, the important thing is we all walked away from it.
I’m back at the hotel room, sore and resting.
I spent most of yesterday either preparing to fly or actually flying to Little Rock, Arkansas. Got the call Wednesday afternoon around 3pm and 24 hours later I was enroute. Here’s a video showing how the clouds looked like cotton candy as we were approaching Little Rock around 7:15 pm local time.
And here’s a photo showing the sun warming up the tops of the clouds with a soft yellow radiance.
By the time I landed, got my rental car and got checked into the hotel it was after 9pm, but I still needed to unpack, iron some clothes and wait for an almost 1 GB download to finish on my phone. That download was maps for the GPS/Navigation app I downloaded for my iPhone so I no longer have to drag a separate GPS device with me when I travel. I’m all for anything that lightens my luggage load. 🙂
Up early this morning, breakfast in the hotel restaurant and then got myself checked in, met by supervisor and some co-workers, then returned to my hotel room to work the rest of the day. I’ve been fielding calls and emails while working on some briefing documents.
I think I’m going to sleep soundly tonight. 🙂
The plan right now is that we will tour the damaged areas tomorrow, finish preparing for a large tour of the damaged areas by officials and dignitaries that takes place on Sunday, and then provide a presence during those tours when they actually take place on Sunday.
We always hit the ground running on these events.
Here’s a parting shot of an area of my desk here in the hotel room, notebook filled with call and email notes, and using my favorite kind of pen which my wonderful mother-in-law keeps me well-supplied with constantly.
Today is the National Day of Reason. If you’re a humanist, atheist, freethinker and/or secularist, then this day offers you an alternative to the government-sponsored observance known as the National Day of Prayer.
Here are 7 ways you can celebrate the National Day of Reason.
You may remember this photo from last week’s Throwback Thursday post. The photo, as you can see, came from a frame that included a pair of my shoes when I was one year old that my mother had bronzed. And yes, it desperately needs to be cleaned and polished.
When I removed the photo above from the frame to scan it, I was surprised to find two other photos hidden behind it. The first was the photo below, taken of me with my dad when I was four years old. To the best of my knowledge this is the only photo I have of the two of us where I am this young.
I mentioned that I found two photos hidden; next week on Throwback Thursday I’ll post the other photo, which is one I had never seen until that day last week.
