A few weeks and I’ve been bad about writing – my apologies.
Things are going in a whirlwind right now with everything I have piled on my plate. I’m not complaining, just rationalizing the reason for not keeping the blog updated.
Two weeks after Thom and I arrived back in the States, we were off to Mexico on a family vacation with my parents, my brother, his wife, and their little girl, Lucy.
The flights were pretty uneventful on the way there – just the way I like them! We had worked out an arrangement with our friend Nadine to have her drop us off at the airport so she could use Thom’s truck for the week while she did job hunting (unfortunately, the lay-off has hit close to home with some of my friends). An early flight puts us at the airport around 6:15 AM and we arrive in Puerto Vallarta around 4:00 on Saturday afternoon. Upon getting to the airport, we walk through the “Shark Tank” where all of these people are trying to get us to use their car service while others want us to go on their tours and perhaps people wanted us to buy a time share at their resort. Luckily, Todd (my brother) had provided us with information about the shark tanks that we knew to walk through and politely decline their offers. Into the car we go which was arranged for us through our time share we were going to visit…through some parts of town we thought were pretty run down and all of a sudden, we are at the hotel/resort. I’m amazed that we are there within 30 minutes and haven’t even really left the area that seemed to be run down, but our hotel…wow. What an entrance! The bell boy immediately grabs our suitcases, tells us to check in, and then he will help us along. We do all of that, get our room keys and we’re off to our week in the sun. We walk through part of the resort to room 3611…we open the door and see that there is wine and a fruit basket on the table with someone’s name typed there. Odd…but interesting. I continue on to see where I’m going to be staying for the week and walk to one of the bedrooms…I see a suit case with a name matching that on the table and a light goes on – “we aren’t in the right room!” We tell the bell boy who straightens it all out and on our way to room 4611 this time. The rest of the group is waiting for us on the balcony, already enjoying the cervezas from the stocked fridge in the room. That was interesting, and thankfully, the only flub that was made for the week.
Setting our stuff down in our room, taking a look around, and greeting everyone….it was time to grab a bite to eat. This resort was beautiful! 3 pools – one with a swim up bar, one with a water fall, and one for little kids. Too cool! The resort was right on the beach too, so we were bound to be relaxing by water all week long, and that’s just what we did. We did take one day to go to the town to see what it’s all about, see where we are, etc. So we hopped on public transportation (a bus) to find this place called “Old Town”. Well, we never did find it, but we did get off at the city part where the Boardwalk was. It was neat with lots of people doing sand sculptures and people milling about, but it wasn’t anything like Playa del Carmen – quaint with boutiques. No, this was more of a city where
people live and work! Todd, Emily, and Lucy go their separate way back to the hotel while mom, dad, Thom, and I go on to see what else we can find in this city. The bus ride was not comfortable I’ll admit. On the way to the city, I was sitting in the back of the bus next to mom on one side, and a rotund little guy on the other side. This little guy was sleeping on the seat and this bus had no suspension, so whenever we went over a bump, you felt it…I felt him falling onto me too! Oh well… We didn’t stay in the city for very long – just long enough to buy a souvenir, let the boys try some tequila, then head out on the bus again…which took us to some parts of town where no one could really tell us how to get to a little part of town we were searching for, so we kept on riding the bus. Eventually, we made it back to the resort where we said we wouldn’t leave unless we had to. Trying every fruit flavor of daiquiri was accomplished and we enjoyed the food that was 
non-stop! We took one day to go "swim with the dolphins" which was a cash sucker upper for tourists. Luckily, this was included with our all inclusive, so it ended up being totally worth the experience! I got to dance with the dolphin, kiss him, make him do tricks, and learned about the dolphins and the trainers. We all walked past the $25 pictures that we could have purchased, so unfortunately, not too many to share on that! Throughtout the week, I did take in some yoga classes, a massage, and a pedicure as well. That was SO relaxing.
During our stay in Mexico, the “Swine Flu” – aka “H1N1” – was getting tons of coverage and we were getting tons of emails and phone calls from work, family, and friends. Needless to say, the hype around it blew it way out of proportion and we were all ok – especially since we did stay on the property of the resort. We did notice a decline in the number of people that were staying at the resort over the course of the week. We aren’t sure if it was the flu scare or if our timing was just that good that we picked a week when people weren’t on vacation. We are thinking it’s the latter. The week after Easter and the week before Cinco De Mayo --- the US travelers are probably done with travel and those from Mexico weren’t on vacation yet…and we were right…their Labor Day (May 1st) actually showed some activity at the resort and you could see that more people were coming to stay for the next week. Our timing was perfect!
The resort --- it was beautiful. Lots of great plants and animals, including resort cats, iguanas,
and peacocks! Lucy was interested in all of them and had lots of questions to ask about them. Lucy, my 2 year old niece, is just amazing! I couldn’t believe all that she already knows including her alphabet, letters, colors, songs, animal sounds, etc. She educated me on a few things over the course of the week and I’m anxious to see how much she develops between now and the next time I get to see her! I loved the time I got to spend with her. Emily and Todd told us their plans for baby #2 that is in Emily’s tummy right now…due in September. I won’t reveal any of that…that is for them to do! I’ll just say that I’m happy to buy more pink stuff!
This family vacation was unlike any my family has ever taken together before. Growing up, we always did the hockey camps as our “vacation”. This was awesome! This time, we stayed put, spent time together, and just relaxed together. I loved it so much!!! Saying good-bye at the end of the week was really hard to do because I just enjoyed it so much with all 7 of us together. I am not too big on Puerto Vallarta as a vacation destination unless you are doing an all inclusive like we did. I can compare it to Playa del Carmen and Tullum and recommend those 2 places for vacation over PV. Don’t get me wrong, PV has a lot of neat aspects including “mountains” and a different feel to the beach, but if you want super fine, white sand, a spot to snorkel, cute shops…head to Playa. Even that said, I still think this was the best family vacation ever!
Reese was in good hands when we went on vacation at the Pampered Pooch Playground. This was her first time spending a week without us and without a family member, so this was a test for her. We received an email from the owners of the kennel that she was not eating and therefore, they were going to take her home with them that night to see if they could get her to eat and see if she would sleep well. Wow – they let her sleep in their bed, just as if she was at home! They even made her a celebrity at one of their events that they were attending where she was giving out autographs! Reese was exhausted for the next week after we got home – I think she got a lot of love and attention, but was still glad to have us back!
Up next? I’m training for my marathon on May 31st . Thom and I are going through our Marriage prep stuff with the church, and I’m also training for the Minnesota Border to Border race with my buddy Paul. Life has not slowed down for us since getting back. If anything, I feel like I have a ton more to get accomplished in the next few months and I am constantly on the go. I will keep writing more here…although it may be sporadic, I’ll do my best to keep everyone updated.
On a sad note, upon our return from Puerto Vallarta, my brother and sister in law lost their dog. Rufus was a great Basset hound and my first nephew. He will be missed dearly. Grab a tissue if you wish to read on the memorial my brother wrote about his fantastic dog and buddy – Rufus J. Powell.
I’ll miss him dearly!
XO,
KP
"Rufus is a very sweet boy who gets along with everyone."
That was the description on the Guardian Angel web site in the summer of 2000, when we were considering adopting a dog. We looked at his (pathetic) picture on the web site and fell in love.
We adopted Rufus on September 3, 2000, and he quickly became the center of our lives. "Mr. Man," "RJP" (yes, he had a middle initial, "J"), "Ruf," or whatever you called him, he was a hit wherever we took him. His distinct Mickey Mouse marking on top of his head and sweet disposition, his Hush Puppy good looks, and his trot/waddle drew people in. He loved the belly rubs that he received from any man, woman or child willing to give one. His loving personality even managed to win over our mothers, neither of whom were particularly fond of dogs.
Rufus was a stray in Peoria County, then became a big city dog in Chicago. He quickly adjusted to his leash and absolutely LOVED walks in the city, with the variety of scents and aromas that the city environment provided, despite the broken glass that would get stuck in his paws from time-to-time, and in the winter, putting up with the salt and snow. He would disappear beneath snow drifts as he bounded through a winter landscape, and emerge on the other side, tail wagging and nose pointing forward. "Charge ahead!" he seemed to say.
After we moved to Indiana, it took him a while to get used to the concept of a "backyard" with all the room he wanted to roam and sniff. Somehow, it wasn't the same without the leash. So, despite the custom cedar fence we put in for our doggy, we still took long walks to the park and through the neighborhood. Perhaps it was the attention he got on the walks that was the driving force - because he loved to lounge in his "sun spots" in the yard as much as anything.
We often wondered if Rufus was feline, not canine, because he seemed to have 9 lives. Maybe 10. He survived an attack by a pit bull (thanks to the wonderfully baggy skin around his neck), his ear was mauled by a black lab (and restored to near perfect condition by a terrific vet in Indianapolis), he survived innumerable terrifying thunderstorms, and he was tolerant of a new baby who has grown into an energetic toddler. Sadly, he was not able to survive the dreaded bloat. He survived surgery and seemed to be on the rebound, and we figured that his typical Rufus-style tenacity would bear him through yet another trauma. Unfortunately, it was too much for our little guy.
Rufus J. Powell left our lives today. He leaves us enriched by his love, soaked by his slobber, and saddened by his loss.
The last line on the discharge report from his vet, before he was readmitted for complications from surgery, were "Rufus is a very sweet boy."
Indeed.
We'll miss you little buddy.
Things are going in a whirlwind right now with everything I have piled on my plate. I’m not complaining, just rationalizing the reason for not keeping the blog updated.
Two weeks after Thom and I arrived back in the States, we were off to Mexico on a family vacation with my parents, my brother, his wife, and their little girl, Lucy.
The flights were pretty uneventful on the way there – just the way I like them! We had worked out an arrangement with our friend Nadine to have her drop us off at the airport so she could use Thom’s truck for the week while she did job hunting (unfortunately, the lay-off has hit close to home with some of my friends). An early flight puts us at the airport around 6:15 AM and we arrive in Puerto Vallarta around 4:00 on Saturday afternoon. Upon getting to the airport, we walk through the “Shark Tank” where all of these people are trying to get us to use their car service while others want us to go on their tours and perhaps people wanted us to buy a time share at their resort. Luckily, Todd (my brother) had provided us with information about the shark tanks that we knew to walk through and politely decline their offers. Into the car we go which was arranged for us through our time share we were going to visit…through some parts of town we thought were pretty run down and all of a sudden, we are at the hotel/resort. I’m amazed that we are there within 30 minutes and haven’t even really left the area that seemed to be run down, but our hotel…wow. What an entrance! The bell boy immediately grabs our suitcases, tells us to check in, and then he will help us along. We do all of that, get our room keys and we’re off to our week in the sun. We walk through part of the resort to room 3611…we open the door and see that there is wine and a fruit basket on the table with someone’s name typed there. Odd…but interesting. I continue on to see where I’m going to be staying for the week and walk to one of the bedrooms…I see a suit case with a name matching that on the table and a light goes on – “we aren’t in the right room!” We tell the bell boy who straightens it all out and on our way to room 4611 this time. The rest of the group is waiting for us on the balcony, already enjoying the cervezas from the stocked fridge in the room. That was interesting, and thankfully, the only flub that was made for the week.
Setting our stuff down in our room, taking a look around, and greeting everyone….it was time to grab a bite to eat. This resort was beautiful! 3 pools – one with a swim up bar, one with a water fall, and one for little kids. Too cool! The resort was right on the beach too, so we were bound to be relaxing by water all week long, and that’s just what we did. We did take one day to go to the town to see what it’s all about, see where we are, etc. So we hopped on public transportation (a bus) to find this place called “Old Town”. Well, we never did find it, but we did get off at the city part where the Boardwalk was. It was neat with lots of people doing sand sculptures and people milling about, but it wasn’t anything like Playa del Carmen – quaint with boutiques. No, this was more of a city where
people live and work! Todd, Emily, and Lucy go their separate way back to the hotel while mom, dad, Thom, and I go on to see what else we can find in this city. The bus ride was not comfortable I’ll admit. On the way to the city, I was sitting in the back of the bus next to mom on one side, and a rotund little guy on the other side. This little guy was sleeping on the seat and this bus had no suspension, so whenever we went over a bump, you felt it…I felt him falling onto me too! Oh well… We didn’t stay in the city for very long – just long enough to buy a souvenir, let the boys try some tequila, then head out on the bus again…which took us to some parts of town where no one could really tell us how to get to a little part of town we were searching for, so we kept on riding the bus. Eventually, we made it back to the resort where we said we wouldn’t leave unless we had to. Trying every fruit flavor of daiquiri was accomplished and we enjoyed the food that was 
non-stop! We took one day to go "swim with the dolphins" which was a cash sucker upper for tourists. Luckily, this was included with our all inclusive, so it ended up being totally worth the experience! I got to dance with the dolphin, kiss him, make him do tricks, and learned about the dolphins and the trainers. We all walked past the $25 pictures that we could have purchased, so unfortunately, not too many to share on that! Throughtout the week, I did take in some yoga classes, a massage, and a pedicure as well. That was SO relaxing.During our stay in Mexico, the “Swine Flu” – aka “H1N1” – was getting tons of coverage and we were getting tons of emails and phone calls from work, family, and friends. Needless to say, the hype around it blew it way out of proportion and we were all ok – especially since we did stay on the property of the resort. We did notice a decline in the number of people that were staying at the resort over the course of the week. We aren’t sure if it was the flu scare or if our timing was just that good that we picked a week when people weren’t on vacation. We are thinking it’s the latter. The week after Easter and the week before Cinco De Mayo --- the US travelers are probably done with travel and those from Mexico weren’t on vacation yet…and we were right…their Labor Day (May 1st) actually showed some activity at the resort and you could see that more people were coming to stay for the next week. Our timing was perfect!
The resort --- it was beautiful. Lots of great plants and animals, including resort cats, iguanas,
and peacocks! Lucy was interested in all of them and had lots of questions to ask about them. Lucy, my 2 year old niece, is just amazing! I couldn’t believe all that she already knows including her alphabet, letters, colors, songs, animal sounds, etc. She educated me on a few things over the course of the week and I’m anxious to see how much she develops between now and the next time I get to see her! I loved the time I got to spend with her. Emily and Todd told us their plans for baby #2 that is in Emily’s tummy right now…due in September. I won’t reveal any of that…that is for them to do! I’ll just say that I’m happy to buy more pink stuff!This family vacation was unlike any my family has ever taken together before. Growing up, we always did the hockey camps as our “vacation”. This was awesome! This time, we stayed put, spent time together, and just relaxed together. I loved it so much!!! Saying good-bye at the end of the week was really hard to do because I just enjoyed it so much with all 7 of us together. I am not too big on Puerto Vallarta as a vacation destination unless you are doing an all inclusive like we did. I can compare it to Playa del Carmen and Tullum and recommend those 2 places for vacation over PV. Don’t get me wrong, PV has a lot of neat aspects including “mountains” and a different feel to the beach, but if you want super fine, white sand, a spot to snorkel, cute shops…head to Playa. Even that said, I still think this was the best family vacation ever!
Reese was in good hands when we went on vacation at the Pampered Pooch Playground. This was her first time spending a week without us and without a family member, so this was a test for her. We received an email from the owners of the kennel that she was not eating and therefore, they were going to take her home with them that night to see if they could get her to eat and see if she would sleep well. Wow – they let her sleep in their bed, just as if she was at home! They even made her a celebrity at one of their events that they were attending where she was giving out autographs! Reese was exhausted for the next week after we got home – I think she got a lot of love and attention, but was still glad to have us back!
Up next? I’m training for my marathon on May 31st . Thom and I are going through our Marriage prep stuff with the church, and I’m also training for the Minnesota Border to Border race with my buddy Paul. Life has not slowed down for us since getting back. If anything, I feel like I have a ton more to get accomplished in the next few months and I am constantly on the go. I will keep writing more here…although it may be sporadic, I’ll do my best to keep everyone updated.
On a sad note, upon our return from Puerto Vallarta, my brother and sister in law lost their dog. Rufus was a great Basset hound and my first nephew. He will be missed dearly. Grab a tissue if you wish to read on the memorial my brother wrote about his fantastic dog and buddy – Rufus J. Powell.
I’ll miss him dearly!
XO,
KP
"Rufus is a very sweet boy who gets along with everyone."
That was the description on the Guardian Angel web site in the summer of 2000, when we were considering adopting a dog. We looked at his (pathetic) picture on the web site and fell in love.
We adopted Rufus on September 3, 2000, and he quickly became the center of our lives. "Mr. Man," "RJP" (yes, he had a middle initial, "J"), "Ruf," or whatever you called him, he was a hit wherever we took him. His distinct Mickey Mouse marking on top of his head and sweet disposition, his Hush Puppy good looks, and his trot/waddle drew people in. He loved the belly rubs that he received from any man, woman or child willing to give one. His loving personality even managed to win over our mothers, neither of whom were particularly fond of dogs.
Rufus was a stray in Peoria County, then became a big city dog in Chicago. He quickly adjusted to his leash and absolutely LOVED walks in the city, with the variety of scents and aromas that the city environment provided, despite the broken glass that would get stuck in his paws from time-to-time, and in the winter, putting up with the salt and snow. He would disappear beneath snow drifts as he bounded through a winter landscape, and emerge on the other side, tail wagging and nose pointing forward. "Charge ahead!" he seemed to say.
After we moved to Indiana, it took him a while to get used to the concept of a "backyard" with all the room he wanted to roam and sniff. Somehow, it wasn't the same without the leash. So, despite the custom cedar fence we put in for our doggy, we still took long walks to the park and through the neighborhood. Perhaps it was the attention he got on the walks that was the driving force - because he loved to lounge in his "sun spots" in the yard as much as anything.
We often wondered if Rufus was feline, not canine, because he seemed to have 9 lives. Maybe 10. He survived an attack by a pit bull (thanks to the wonderfully baggy skin around his neck), his ear was mauled by a black lab (and restored to near perfect condition by a terrific vet in Indianapolis), he survived innumerable terrifying thunderstorms, and he was tolerant of a new baby who has grown into an energetic toddler. Sadly, he was not able to survive the dreaded bloat. He survived surgery and seemed to be on the rebound, and we figured that his typical Rufus-style tenacity would bear him through yet another trauma. Unfortunately, it was too much for our little guy.
Rufus J. Powell left our lives today. He leaves us enriched by his love, soaked by his slobber, and saddened by his loss.
The last line on the discharge report from his vet, before he was readmitted for complications from surgery, were "Rufus is a very sweet boy."
Indeed.
We'll miss you little buddy.
