Party at The Bird

The Phoenix Rising, affectionately referred to as The Bird, had its Christmas Party this past Sunday, Dec. 2. Great food and great drinks were a’plenty. Below are some pics from the event!

Thanks Craig and George we all had a GREAT time!!!

Vegas Vacation Recap, Part IV

After Wupatki and Sunset Crater we headed straight for the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. I have flown over it many times and seen countless photographs; however, neither does it justice. You really can’t fathom it until you stand on the ridge. It literally goes on as far as you can see stretching out across the horizon. It is 277 miles long, 6000 feet deep at its deepest point and 15 miles across at is widest!

After spending the day at the Grand Canyon, we made a bee line to Vegas! The drive to the hotel was indirect, to say the least, due to some bad Google Directions. We finally made it downtown about an hour and a half later than we should have. We checked into the Four Queens then meet up with David’s parents, his niece and her boy friend. Then we headed out for the Black Jack tables.

Saturday we checked out of the Four Queens and into the Golden Nugget. We then promptly headed back to the Black Jack tables at the Four Queens. In summary, Friday night was good, Saturday morning was fine but Saturday afternoon was BRUTAL! Neither of us could win a hand! Things began improving Saturday night. Sunday was fair. David ended up doing quite well. I did less well, but did come home with money in my pocket.

Monday we decided to head back to OKC. We stopped for a minute at the Hoover Dam. Wow! What a big chunck of concrete! We drove all the way back to Santa Rosa, New Mexico on Monday. Got up early Tuesday and hit the road. We made it back to OKC around 4:30 Tuesday afternoon.

Vegas Vacation Recap, Part III

The last site we visited on day two was El Morro National Monument. El Morro means “the headland” or “the bluff”. The 250 foot tall massive sandstone bluff was formed largely by ancient sand dunes. The soft sandstone made it easy for travelers to carve pictures, names, dates and messages. Some of the inscriptions date back hundreds and hundreds of years.

On day three we headed to Wupatki and the Sunset Crater Volcano in Arizona. Around 1100 a series of eruptions brought the dormant San Francisco Volcanic Field back to life. Even though the field has been dormant for 800 years a working seismograph at the Sunset Crate Volcano visitor center is continually monitoring the area.

Sunset Crater Volcano



The Lava flow

More lava flow



even more lava flow

In addition to the volcano we saw pueblo ruins. The people who built Wupatki and other pueblos here were ancestors of the Hopi, Zuni and other puebloan peoples of today. Wupatki is the largest pueblo in the park. It was build around 1100.

Next update - The Grand Canyon and The Hover Dam

Vegas Vacation Recap, Part II

After spending the first half of the day in Albuquerque, we set off for New Mexico’s ”Land of Fire and Ice” the Bandera Volcano and Ice Cave. Located in the heart of El Malpais (the badlands) the Bandera Volcano erupted around 10,000 years ago. It’s lava flow is nearly 23 miles long! The crater is nearly 1200 feet wide at the top and roughly 750 feet deep. We walked up the Volcano Trail to the lookout point. The elevation there is 8122 feet above sea level – 250 feet below the rim. David disputes this, but I am convinced that due to some odd topographic trickery, the walk both to and from the lookout point is up hill!

The Bander Volcano

Dann and David on the lava flow

On the lava flow

At the lookout point

The Ice Cave, located below the volcano, never gets about 31 Degrees. Melting snow and rain water runs into the cave and freezes. Currently the floor is about 20 feet thick. The oldest ice dates back over 1100 years!

Next update - El Morro National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki.

Vegas Vacation Recap, Part I

Well, we have been back from Vegas for just a bit over a week. It has been crazy trying to get caught up. Even thought I am still playing catch-up, I thought I would take a few minutes to update the old blog.

David and I left for Vegas around 5pm on Halloween night. On the first night we drove to Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Thursday morning we headed for Albuquerque. We spent the first part of the day in “Old Town”. This is the original part of Albuquerque. We had lunch outside on the patio at the Church Street Café. This café is located in the oldest house in Albuquerque.

The architecture and decoration in Old Town are heavily dominated by Latin and Native American influences. These three business seemed to “stick-out” a bit among all the southwestern flair.

Part II coming soon...

T Minus 5 Days And Counting...

T Minus 6 Days And Counting...

T Minus 7 Days And Counting...

T Minus 8 Days And Counting...

Yet Another Odd Story

I don't even know what to say about this....

MAIDEN, N.C. -- Authorities say a South Carolina man who mistakenly lost his amputated leg when it was sold in a barbecue smoker at a public auction will get the appendage back.

John Wood had been battling to regain custody of the leg from Shannon Whisnant. Whisnant found the leg in a barbecue smoker he purchased at an auction of Wood's belongings last week.

Whisnant initially gave it to police, who subsequently turned it over to a funeral home when it became clear it was not the result of foul play.

But Whisnant, who put a sign on the empty smoker charging adults $3 and children $1 for a look, wants it back.

"He's making a freak show out of it," Wood, of Greenville, S.C., told The Charlotte Observer. "He wants to put money in his pocket with this thing."

Whisnant tried unsuccessfully to get the leg from the funeral home. He has consulted with a lawyer and decided his best move was to persuade Wood to share custody and profits.

"It's a strange incident and Halloween's just around the corner," Whisnant said. "The price will be going up if I get (a stake in) the leg."

Wood, who is heading to Maiden to pick up his leg, said the two men can meet, but he is not interested in using the leg to make money.

"I just think it's despicable," he said. "I don't mind having the 15 minutes of fame, but I'm not looking to really profit off this thing."

Wood's leg was amputated three years ago after an airplane crash. He had been keeping the leg so it could be cremated with him when he dies.

Capt. Tracy Ledford of the Maiden Police Department says Wood, of Simpsonville, S.C., has arranged to pick up the leg.

Fun With Latin

Here are a few fun phrases in Latin.

Vescere bracis meis - Eat my shorts.

Re vera, potas bene - Say, you sure are drinking a lot.

Noli me vocare. Ego te vocabo - Don't call me. I'll call you.

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione - I'm not interested in your dopy religious cult.

Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabris, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam. - I have a catapult. Unless you give me all of your money, I will fling an enormous rock at your head.

Balaenae nobis conservandae sunt - Save the whales.

Sic hoc adfixum in obice legere potes, et liberaliter educatus et nimis propinquus ades - If you can read this bumper sticker, you are both very well educated, and much too close.

Re vera, cara mea, mea nil refert - Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.

Diabolus fecit, ut id facerem! - The devil made me do it!

Credidi me felem vidisse! - I tought I taw a puddy tat!

Si fallatis officium, quaestor infitias eat se quicquam scire de factis vestris - If you fail, the secretary will disavow all knowledge of your activities.

Te capiam, cunicule sceleste! - I'll get you, you wascally wabbit!

Certe, toto, sentio nos in kansate non iam adesse - You know, Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.

Me transmitte sursum, caledoni - Beam me up, Scotty .

Oprah Helps Tornado Victim

This is about one of the funniest Oprah skits I have ever seen. Coleton, please to be mad because we are making fun or your hero.