Update

I've been pretty busy this week, so this is the first time I've had a chance to post anything. Mel and I had a fun trip to Omaha last weekend. We went to the zoo on Saturday. On Sunday we did some shopping and drove around Council Bluffs. One place we stopped was at the Squirrel Cage Jail. All of the cells of the jail are located in a three-story cylinder with only one point of access per floor. The jailer used a crank to rotate the cells so they could all access the door. The jail was built in 1885 and closed in the 1960s. On the Fourth, we went to the fireworks in Cedar Rapids with some friends of our from North Liberty. They were pretty cool, but it made for a long night since I had to be at work at 8:00 the next morning.

I've been home alone the past couple of days. Mel went to her sister's house in Ankeny to help with a garage sale and to spend some time with her niece and nephews. She should be returning within an hour or so. Thursday night, I took Homercles out to dinner for his birthday which was yesterday. Several years ago we started the tradition of taking each other out to dinner for our birthdays. It gives us a chance to get together and to eat out. We also went to see War of the Worlds. It was a good movie, but there was one part that made Homercles and I feel a bit cheated.

I was able to get out for a bike ride today. I rode a little over 22 miles. I would have continued further, but my rear tire was not properly inflated so I was worried about damaging the wheel. Also, I just didn't feel safe taking tight corners. The rear of my bike was skidding because of the low pressure. I've been worried about getting in good enough shape for RAGBRAI, but I think I will manage just fine.

Tonight Mel and I are going to meet my mother and my grandparents for dinner. This is the weekend that the American Legion has their steak fry in my grandparents' town. It should be a good dinner. Hopefully the guys grilling the steaks cook them properly. They aren't very consistent when it comes to how well done they cook them.

Road Trip

I got back from my business trip late Wednesday night. I have to say that traveling for business isn't going to be too bad. Hopefully I don't have to do it too often though. It is really nice to be able to go to my own home when I am done working. One good thing about traveling though, as long as I am going to the Twin Cities area, is that it will give me a chance to visit my sister. She lives in a suburb of Saint Paul, so as long as our schedules allow it, I'll be able to see her.

This weekend, my fiancee and I are going on a trip to Omaha. We're leaving once I get home from work. We are planning on going to the Henry Doorly Zoo and doing some shopping. I've been to the zoo a few times. I don't remember when I was there last, but it was probably around twenty years ago. My grandparents used to live in Council Bluffs and I did my student teaching there, so I also plan on giving Mel a tour of the places I know in Council Bluffs. I'm not sure how exciting that will be, but we'll probably end the tour at one of the casinos there.