Idyllwild California

Debbie and I came up to Idyllwild to try to escape the heat in the valley

This sign should be installed at all U.S. Consulates

Las Vegas Nevada

The old classic Las Vegas sign

Debbie and I are in Las Vegas to see Neil Diamond in his final 2012 show at the MGM.













Surprisingly good weather for this time of year. It was only in the high 90s!

Looking north down the strip from Tropicana

The arena filling up before the show

The arena at the MGM is a great place to see a major show.
The sound was perfect. Not too loud, acoustics were good as well, for a good sized arena

They gave out these funky little LED rings as we entered the arena, Debbie used them as elegant and stylish earrings! She may start a new fashion trend with the cosmopolitan crowd the visits Las Vegas...

Neil Diamond put on a fantastic show!
He played all his most popular songs, and played for over two hours straight!

Dallas Texas and Mansura Louisiana

The Dallas Texas skyline. This city has some very interesting buildings downtown, and they are lit up in a way that makes downtown Dallas very beautiful at night.

The Margaret Hunt Hill bridge is a very modern and unusual design by Santiago Calatrava that spans the Trinity River in Dallas. The apex of the arch is 400 feet tall.

The bridge is named after the daughter of oil tycoon H.L.Hunt.

Here are some shots of the new station in Mansura Louisiana.

Rocky's has some really good food! great service and atmosphere...

Deep fried alligator, Tennessee whiskey and a Sam Adams after a long hot day

Down in Louisiana they love meat pies, and Magees has the best!

Right across the street from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches

It ain't legal huntin' alligators down in the swamp, boy!
You can sure get lost in Louisiana bayou!

San Clemente Beach and Pier

 Debbie and I took a drive over to San Clemente to try to escape the heat a little. Strangely, it was only about ten degrees cooler there.
We had lunch at Casa Tropicana Bed and Breakfast Hotel on the beach. This is a really cool place with an intimate bar and restaurant. The food was really good, as was the service.

My First Granddaughter Is Born!

 Hailey Nicole was born on August 12th, 2012 at 6:57am.
She weighed in at 6lbs. 11oz., and 19" long

Mommy and baby are all doing great!

Big brother is excited to have a baby sister, and loves to hold her.

Providence & Newport Rhode Island, Seekonk Massachusetts

I am in the North East this week to train a piping crew to install UPP piping products at a warehouse chain store in Seekonk Massachusetts.

I found some time to visit the historic town of Newport, Rhode Island.
This is a really beautiful area, with many outdoor restaurants,cafes and the usual types of tourist shops and art galleries.

I had lunch at the Clarke Cooke House in Newport. This place is in a very old historic building and has great big windows that they open up to give the place an airy feel. It also has several tables out front by the side walk that is a pet friendly area for dog lovers.


I tried their white clam chowder.
It is very different from the clam chowder I have had on the west coast. It has a much thinner consistency with a generous amount of dill - Excellent!

The seafood salad has fresh crisp greens, with a vinegrette dressing and a generous portion of fresh mixed seafood on the top.
Very tasty!
I sat at an outside table so I could people watch.
The people at the next table over had their old dog with them (see upper left of the photo). He was a big hit with the kids that were there.

This is the dog water bar on the patio

Lots of restaurants and shops down here

I had dinner at the Iron Works Tavern a couple of times this week. It was a malleable iron mill from 1867 until a fire damaged the building many years ago, and eventually was converted to a restaurant/tavern.
This place is about a mile from my hotel, so I walked down there and back.
I had the Tavern Burger and a pint of the local craft brewed IPA, both are very good. The second time I had dinner there I ordered the baked cod on risotto with lump crab-  Absolutely freakin' outstanding!

The Holiday Inn Express hotel shuttle driver is a great guy and recommended that I try 
The Crows Nest restaurant. It's down on the water by the marina. It's a family owned and run operation with a big local following.

I sat at the bar and ordered the swordfish steak with veggies and pint of Sam Adams.
The staff is friendly and the locals like to chat up the visitors. A lot of Democrats up here in the north east!

Here is the the job site with the first two runs of pipe to the islands