Well, Fred and I just returned from our trip to the Shenandoah Mountains which are actually an extension of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. We left on Monday afternoon and rode to Front Royal VA where we spent the night. We awoke Tuesday morning bright and early ready to take off only to discover our bikes covered in frost and the temp of 31 degrees. Brrrrr.... So I made Fred wait until 10 am to leave when it was a balmy 41 degrees. I put on all the clothes coats and leather I own (and I own alot of leather!) and I could have fallen off my bike and just bounced. We rode up the mountain where it was brightly sunny (the only saving grace of the weather) and about 38 degrees. Fred says to me "It's not that bad-kinda like snowmobiling" Bullshit! Anyway we rode until we found coffee and chili and then rode on to meet Mike and Julie and the kids at the Loft Mountain information center. We had some more hot drinks and finished up the Skyway and then left Mike and Julie on their way back home and went on down to Lexington VA where we found another hotel with a bar and restaurant. We slept almost instantly when we hit the bed and then rode about 200 miles home today. Rode one of the top 10 motorcycle roads we have ever ridden, route 56. The foliage was spectacular and the road was an awesome climb up and over the Blue Ridge Parkway and down the other side. It followed a river complete with waterfalls. Although it wasn't sunny, the colors seemed more vivid and the leaves were falling in the road and then there was a mist from the clouds on the mountain top. OK I was freezing but it was definitely worth it. We are definitely going back there-when it warms up! Now we work for a couple of days and then have a weird week next week of working on one off one, the bain of a night shift exhistance. Good time to get caught up on all the election crap and watch our retirement savings disappear. Hope all is well where you are and send me some good baby girl names for Krys. Not really liking Vanessa but have to come up with something better! Bye Ya'll!

OK well Fred and I are home again. It seems Mary Washington hospital hired a bunch of travelers in anticipation of a increase in census. However their census has decreased and Fred and I have yet to receive a full 36 hour paycheck in the 6 weeks we have been here. They cancelled us tonight (at least together!) and most of the weekend. So we are talking to our agency and trying to work it out as we feel we are guarenteed hours and should be getting paid whether we work or not. At the very least we should be getting our housing and per diem paid as we are still required to live here and have bills. So we are waiting for a copy of our contract and an answer from them. In the meantime we are going to the movies. And suffice to say we are the most informed people you ever wanna meet on the news and the election. I have been devoting some time to doing some phoning for Obama here in Virginia. REally am impressed by the man and really think it is time for a change from the status quo. That is my commercial for him and I will leave the subject alone except to encourage everyone I know to VOTE as it is the most important thing you can do as an American. I had to jump through some hoops today to vote absentee in Missouri but I think it will be worth the effort. Fred and I are leaving for the mountains on Wed. It is supposed to be the peak of the fall foliage in VA this week and It has certainly cooled off this week so it should stimulate something. It will require lots of leather and polartec and coffee. Our friends Mike and Julie will be joining us one day for a picnic and will also be loving on Jack for us while we are gone. We are also starting to look for assignments for winter and we are still looking for Fred's packet from Arkansas so he can take his test. If he doesn't get it taken before Mid November, we are looking at somewhere in TX or Louisiana. We'll keep you posted on that topic. Thats all for now! Gotta go get ready for my movie!

OK we have had a week of fun. At least for me. Fred had to work and do ACLS recertification so his fun has been limited. I, on the other hand, did get to go to the mountains on my motorcycle and meet my mom for a few days of fun. I rode out on monday afternoon and rode on the Shenendoah Skyway to my mom's condo. It was a beautiful fall weekend and the foliage was just peaking so I had a blast. Took Mom and her friend NOrma up there the next day and we did a hike down to a beautiful waterfall. Problem being then we had to hike UP to the car. About a mile straight uphill! We made it in time to see a young deer eating just on the other side of the road. Never did see a black bear but we are going back next week on the bikes. We are off next wed, thurs, and fri. Jack is going to go stay with his buddy, Bear, the butt sniffing wonder. Julie assures me she will put Bear in the basement if he gets too "familiar". I also got to see "Nights in Rodanthe" with my friend Julie. Another Nicholas Sparks killer tear jerker but a satisfying chick flick experience. I was supposed to be working tonight but I got put on call. Our agency assures us we will get paid anyway so I am not sweating it too bad. OK I am going to go and put some photos on of the Shenendoad Mtns. Check them out!

OK we finally got out to see a little of our new city by going on the trolley tour and hearing about the history of the city. We learned that George Washington grew up across the Rappahanock River from downtown Fredericksburg on his families farm. His mother's name was Mary and she is the woman that our hospital is named for. We learned that James Madison practiced law here for a few years and that both Jefferson DAvis and Abraham Licoln made speeches from the steps of the courthouse and Jeff Davis had a much bigger audience. For those of you who are unaware, Davis was the president of the Confederacy after the south seceded from the union. Saw lots of interesting architecture with many houses in town built in the 1700's. And of course we found an Irish pub and had a little beer to make the tour more entertaining. We may be old but we are not dead! Now we are watching football after our friends left to put their kids to bed. We had our friends Mike and Julie over for dinner and threw some burgers and brats on the grill and Julie made a blackberry cobbler. MMMMmmmm... WE got settled in our new RV park and are enjoying having our modern amenities back. And I am enjoying the thought that my mom will be in VA only a week from tonight. Wahooo! Yep, I am a little homesick. Anywho, we will now be able to post photos on the internet without an hour or two delay so hopefully you will have some more to see on our site! Go Chiefs! (I know they are sucking but I can still show some love!) Gin

OK We have changed RV parks now and get full services-cell phone, internet, and satellite dish. What a relief. I feel like I have been cut off from the world for a month. Add the 2 week trip to Canada to that and I have really been on another planet practically. It has been a challenging month but things have worked out ok. We are working at the hospital and have completed orientation and are working on our own. We had a few challenges yesterday when moving but make it here allright and then completed our setup this morning. I am watching football and emailing this afternoon and then Jack and I have to go to the store while Fred takes a nap. He didn't sleep very much last night as he was snoring pretty loud adn I woke him up to turn him over and he couldn't go back to sleep. Afrin helps with the snoring for him and earplugs for me. But we weren't unpacked yet and he couldn't find the afrin sooo....I shop better without him anyway. Emailing some old friends here in the area trying to catch up for a visit. I have alot of friends I used to work with at Looker in Key West that live in Baltimore and one in Annapolis MD so hopefully we can meet up and catch up over some beers. WEll, as the Chiefs are catching an ass kickin from the Panthers I guess I will go and run to the store. Not much TP left in the trailer. Could be an emergency..... More really soon.