Tonight we went to the farm to do a little fishing, see the horses, and check in on our nearby lot where we hope to have a home there sometime next summer. Oh yeah, some firefly catching was to be done as well.
A beautiful night. Enjoyed some family time, caught some fish (including this 3 lb. 1 oz. largemouth which the girls seemed both fascinated and disgusted with at the same time), and enjoyed the outdoors.
Recently, Angie and I the opportunity to attend the Spring Mequoda Summit (web conference) out in Napa Valley, California. It was something we were both looking forward to since we’ve always wanted to visit Napa but didn’t really want to go enough to “plan” a vacation to go there. Also, we have some dear friends who live in Simi Valley, about 40 minutes north of Los Angeles. So we figured we could lump some work and vacation together and make a week of it.
On Tuesday, April 8th, we flew from Louisville to Oakland, and then took a rental car from there to the Silverado Resort in Napa. My co-worker Mark was with us (his wife to arrive late that evening) which made it a nice thing for us to do together, outside of the office. Upon check-in we, went to our separate rooms for a little post-lunch nap. Having caught the 6:15am flight out of Louisville that morning, we were quite tired by the time we all got settled in. There is a 3 hour time difference between KY and CA, so while it was early their time (noonish), it felt a bit later to us. Anyway, about 2 hours later we rejoined for an evening at Cole’s Chop House in downtown Napa. The food was fabulous, and upon reflection, the best meal of the trip for me. (I should note here that the company we work for (Sound Mind Investing) only provides a daily per diem based on some data table Dad found on the web, so be aware that most of the places we dined at were mostly paid by us as individuals, not our company. These were fancy restaurants, so the company meal per diem made only a dent in the total meal cost.)
Having a full belly and feeling a bit weary (the jet lag was taking a toll on Angie), we headed back to the resort for bedtime. Mark still had a long night in front of him because he had to drive back to Oakland (an hour away) and pickup Cindy from the airport. Well worth it but I know it was going to be a tough morning for him the next day.
Day 2 and 3 were similar days. Mark and I went to a sponsored breakfast, then attended conference seminars from 9 until 5 with a few breaks thrown in. It was exhaustive as we took lots of notes and were focused the whole time. This was great material and we couldn’t absorb it quick enough. In the evening on both days, we’d grab the wives for a doubledate out in the valley. During the days we were in conference, the girls spent time getting pampered, touring the area, and even did some horseback riding through Napa, so it was a very nice break from their normal routine. In the evenings, we’d pick a place to eat and with the help of our navigational friend (Senior Viello Garmin), we’d make our way. I can’t recall the name of the restaurant we ate at on Day 2, but on Day 3 we went to The Farm at Caneros Inn. The food was good but not great (too expensive for what you get) but the atmosphere was fantastic. A very cool place to go.
A couple of noteables, I turned 38 on the 9th (Day 2), so it was a great birthday to be eating dinner on an outdoor patio looking over vineyards while enjoying clear skies and 80 degree weather. With it being so cold and rainy back home, it was a nice way to usher in Spring.
On Day 3, in-between meetings I had to run back to the room to grab some medicine. In my haste to get back to the conference, I smashed my leg against the glass coffee table in front of the couch in the room. It was clear with white legs and blended perfectly with the carpet underneath it, so in my clutziness and lack of picking up the table in my peripheral vision, I nailed it. Thankfully, nothing was broken, in fact, it didn’t swell until late the next day. More on that later.
The conference ended at the end of Day 3, so we had scheduled a wine tour through Napa for part of our Day 4 (Friday). Booked through California Wine Tours many weeks in advance, we got picked up at 11am. Our driver was Brigid (pronounced “bridge-id”) who was fantastic. Loads of fun, knowledgable, and even a Conservative (imagine that, out in California!). She and Angie talked quite a bit and it was great having her with us along for the ride.
We toured 6 wineries that day, from Pine Ridge to Beringer to Mondavi (the largest). All were unique in their own way and all have a great selection of wines to try. We also saw the famous Culinary Institute of America which, among other things, has a massive collection of corkscrews.
Our favorite was Grgich Hills (pronounced “Gerr-Gich”). Not sure why but that’s what we liked the most and what we bought to have shipped home. Actually, you can’t ship wine to KY so we had it shipped to our friends about 30 minutes away in Indiana. (They promised they wouldn’t drink any, we’ll see.) Helped by a friendly guy named Hank, we tried quite the variety of wines. Lots of fun. At the wineries, I usually only liked about 50% of what we tried (Chardonnay, Cabernet) and didn’t like the others (Zinfandel, Fume Blanc).
I took lots of pictures along the way. Unfortunately, you get lots of people you don’t know in them, but what’s a guy to do? The most notable winery was this castle we visited. It was a replica of a castle (drawbridge too) and was very interesting. You’d think I’d remember the winery’s name but I don’t. The building made a much bigger impression than the vino.
Time was running out so we headed back. Said our farewells to Brigid and went back to the room to pack up since we were getting picked up at 6:15am the next morning for our transportation back to the Oakland Airport. Why no rental car? Because Mark and Cindy left on Friday to head to LA for a Dodgers game that night, and some sight-seeing on Saturday. So we had to rely on Evans Transportation back to the airport.
Saturday we got up waaay early, checked out and headed to the airport. We got there almost 3 hours early but couldn’t help it since we were at the mercy of the transportation company’s route schedule. So, we had a lousy breakfast in the airport while we waited to board our 45 minute flight to LA.
We arrived in LA, got our rental car and headed to Simi Valley to hook up with our dear friends Mark & Michelle and their new additions. The McKinney Clan has been expanding over the past couple of years. A few years ago, they adopted Jaxon (from Taiwan) who’s now about 2 1/2 years old. And more recently, they adopted Levi (from Vietnam) who’s a smiley little 6-8 month old (Mark & Michelle may correct me in the comments below. Not because their “those” kind of people, but because they’re proud of their smiley little man.). We spent the day with them and that evening, we drove to some part of LA I don’t recall, although I did pick up that just about every city within 30-45 minutes of LA is considered “LA”. We had a great dinner and enjoyed checking out this active area of this part of the country. And a special thanks to the McKinney’s for getting a babysitter so we could enjoy some time “kid free”. Hopefully they enjoyed the break as well. (Note that their kids are wonderful, it’s just nice to have adult conversation sometimes without kids distracting you.)
The next morning, we got up early and headed to Discovery Church where Mark is Executive Minister. This was real thrill for us. Even though I listen to the worship service podcast each week (get it here), there’s something different and more special about being there in person. An even bigger deal is that this is Angie’s first time getting to see the finished building. Last time she was out here, we met in a movie theater, and they had just purchased this gutted building. And even though I saw most of it completed 2 years ago when I came out here to go to Yosemite with Mark for a few days, Angie has never seen it. So it was special time for us to be there, in person, worshipping in a church whose people we love and support.
Hung out in Simi for the rest of that day, spending more time with our friends. The next morning we drove down Irvine, CA, about about an hour and fifteen minutes south of Simi. Along the way, we detoured to Pasadena so that Angie could spend some time with her Aunt who just recently moved into a nursing home there.
From Pasadena, we made our way to Irvine to hook up with Hugh Hewitt. We met Hugh a few years ago when he came to Louisville to be the speaker at the Young Life Banquet that I was in charge of. I’ve been a fan of his radio program for years, so it was real treat to get to hang with him while he was out here in Louisville. Since then we’ve stayed in touch, and we arranged to have dinner while we were out there in California. We met up at the studio and got to sit in on the last hour or so of the day’s 3-hour program. (*If you were listening, you’d have heard us very briefly - and I mean “brief” - chat on air during the 3rd hour, April 15th program.)
After the program, the 3 of us grabbed dinner at Vessia’s, a nice Italian restaurant locally owned and operated which Hugh said may not be around when the lease is up due to the high lease cost. Hugh’s wife was going to join us but couldn’t come because of a gas leak at their house (yikes!). We hung out and caught up for about 2 hours before heading back to Simi. Hugh’s a Godly man so I count it a blessing to know him.
Upon our arrival back in Simi, I was greeted by Mark and Michelle’s Bible Study group who sang “Happy Birthday” to me which was quite the surprise. Since my birthday was on the 9th, Michelle had arranged for a double birthday celebration (Mark’s is the 23rd) so there was a cake and they, complete strangers to me, even brought me birthday cards! How cool was that? Thanks Discovery, that was very kind.
We got up early the next morning to say our farewells and head to LAX. It was sad to leave but a real blessing to us to have gotten to spend the time we did with them. Thanks to the beauty of email and IM, it’s easier than ever to stay in touch, but it really is extra special to spend time together person, and more so now with the addition of Jaxonian and Leviathan (some of the various nicknames I came up with for the boys).
Arrived back in Louisville around 10pm, and we were very much looking forward to getting back home and seeing our girls. We knew they’d be in bed but we still wanted to check in on them and see their cute little faces.
All in all, a great trip. I could have done without the shin incident, which by the way, developed into a hemotoma and some 2 ultrasounds, 1 xray, and who knows how much in medical expenses (the bills are on their way I’m sure). The bruising is all down my left leg and looks like a second knee but I feel fine. I guess one year older and another slew of medical issues. So… expensive and painful mistake on my part. It will eventually go away on its own (6 weeks they tell me). There’s a picture below, which doesn’t do it justice. The video footage we took captures it muchos better.
A special thanks to our friends Mark & Michelle for their hospitality, Discovery for lovin’ on us while we were out there, and to Hugh for making time in the schedule to catch-up.
Pictures below.
(Click on the first thumbnail and the picture will load on the screen. Then, to change pictures, put your mouse over the upper-right or upper-left of the photo to see the “next” or “previous” photos in the set. No need to close it each time and click on the next thumbnail.)
Merry Christmas!
Another year has come and gone and lots of life happened in-between, from a few birthday parties, a couple of trips, and even meeting the President (see posts from earlier in the year down below or via the monthly archives at right).
The girls have grown up a little more and are more fun than ever. Angie and I are doing just fine and our cats Simon and Nigel are still with us. Although, “Mean ol’ Simon” (as Reagan calls him) refused to have his picture taken, he’s got a bit of a grinch heart.
As we reflect on the birth of Jesus this Christmas season, we are reminded of how truly blessed we are. To have the family we have, the friends we have, and the security of a loving Savior, we truly lack for nothing.
We hope you all see Jesus in this Christmas season and have a blessed time with your friends and family. And we wish you a wonderful 2008.
Here’s a link to the HD version* of the Prince Caspian teaser trailor.
*You need Quicktime to view it.
Hopefully, this movie will be as good as The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe.
Check out this guy. He’s an amazing guitar player. As a guitarist myself, I can really appreciate his ability. What a gift he has.
A dreary rain-spitting day in early November would be normal for me. But not today. Last night around 10pm, my friend Brad called with an unusual invite: How would you like to go see President Bush tomorrow. My response: Are you serious? For real? Can I bring my camera? And a couple minutes later we got word back that Angie could come also.
My initial thoughts were that we, along with a thousand other folks, would be in proximity of President Bush and maybe, just maaaybe, we’d get to see him up-close. So, although I was excited, I wasn’t sure how excited to be about the opportunity. No matter. Camera in tow, I met up with Brad at the appointed location and time, Angie met us there as well and we drove on to the Ky National Guard base on the rim of the Louisville International Airport. After our identity was checked at the gate, we found a parking space and headed inside.
We were told where to go, scanned for contraband a second time, and proceeded to the conference room where we were to sit tight with the other visitors until the appointed time. What was unusual about this was that this, being a military base, was full of military folks and their friends. Not just the usual supporters or protestors. These folks were in the service, proud of their duty, and were there to meet the man under which they served. How blessed we were to be a part of it.
While waiting out in a balcony area next to some vending machines, a General scooted by me on his way to the soda machine, and introduced himself. General Storm he announced, and reached out his hand. Me, somewhat shocked that he was taking the time to make my acquaintance, took his hand and I introduced myself. Here’s a 2-star General introducing himself to me, a civilian, like I’m a guy who showed up at his party. We spoke for about 15-20 minutes, just the two of us, and I got to ask him about his life experience, Iraq, his tour of Air Force One that afternoon, and about politics. He was a big fan of the Presidents and was honored to get to meet him again. When we departed he gave me a little coin with his name on it and his business card. He said something like “It was a pleasure to meet you. Here’s a little something for a like-minded fellow who’s got a good head on his shoulders.” I paraphrase but honestly, it was something like that. I was the humbled one yet he made me feel like I was doing him the favor. Very impressive.
We got the call that it was time to line up. So we did as instructed, headed out to the runway and took our positions behind the rope. The Secret Service are very serious folks and we were told to keep our hands visible and don’t brush up against the rope. We did as instructed of course. They told us President Bush sometimes shakes hands, sometimes does not, it all depends on what he feels like doing on a given day so don’t be disappointed if he walks by, waves, and heads to the plane.
But President Bush is not a typical “mightier than you” person even though he is. He stopped and shook hands with everyone. He posed for pictures, signed autographs, had his Secret Service folks take pictures of him with families, the whole deal. He made time for us all. As approached me and Angie, I have to admit I was nervous. What do you say? Will I be able to speak? Normally I don’t get celebrity dumbstruck but he’s not a celebrity, he’s the President of the USA. He came to Angie and held out his hand to her and his left hand to me. He looked at Angie and she told him that she prays for him all the time and that it was an honor to meet him. President Bush responded “That really means a lot to me, thank you.” He then came to me, reached out his right hand and he leaned in as I spoke “President Bush, it’s a real honor to meet you. Thanks for all you do. May God bless you.” He was honestly maybe a foot and half away from me staring me straight in the eyes and he said something back like “Thanks” or something, I don’t know, I was so focused I didn’t hear him exactly. I did notice that my hand was about half away around him in “man hug” mode like I am with my Dad or a friend I haven’t seen in awhile and I realized I breached protocol. Regardless, he took the time, was sincere, and he made us feel like we were the special ones. He had a humility about him. It was surreal to say the least.
He shook another hand or two then headed to the plane. It was pretty cool watching him board Air Force One like I’ve seen him do dozens of times on TV but this was different. For me and Angie anyway. This was momentus. I never felt more patriotic and I had to fight back the tears. How proud I am of our country and of our current President and the men and women in uniform who serve at his command.
Later in the car, Angie said “Did you notice how close he got and how he looked at you?” and I said I did. It was almost as if he had met me before and he was trying to place my face. I told Angie it might have been because of my short hair, maybe he thought I was military and was given me real time and attention. Who knows. It was remarkable.
Special thanks to Brad for the invite. A day I truly will always remember. And I can’t believe we didn’t bring the camcorder. It slipped my mind completely. Nevertheless, here’s some photos of this historic day in the life of the Pryors.
Interesting side note: While we didn’t get our picture taken with the President, we were given a card by the Secret Service to with the information on how we could have a picture of us with him sent to us. Apparently, many of the photographers there on the “other side” of the rope work for the administration so they take pictures so that we could get our moment on film. When I get our picture, I’ll post it here. I’m looking forward to seeing it.
