The day started at at 4am. Showered, shaved, dogs petted and feed, and out the door at 4:45.

Arrived at Terminal D parking and found a spot right away at area J5 (I tell you that mostly so I won’t forget where I parked).

Got through airport security without have a visual violation by the full body scan polaroid. Dang it…and I wore clean underwear just for those guys today.

Boarded the plane at 5:50. At 6:15 – our scheduled departure time – the captain comes over the PA mumbling something about a cooling fan for the navigation system was not working and the whole unit would need to be replaced…not once, but twice.

We pushed away from the gate at 8:00.

Pulled out the nifty wireless, noise-canceling headphone I have, only to discover one ear bud has gone missing….bummmmmer. Those replacements are cheap, it’s the shipping and handling charges that more than double the price.

Did I mention my Queen and Princess – Mackie and Zoey – did the day spa thing yesterday. Mackie is always shy after a haircut and it takes a few days before she tolerates any kind of picture taking. Zoey, on the other hand, is please to oblige at any time. Both of them like their hair cut in the summer. Something about black hair (coats) in 103 deg heat just isn’t right.

I sat down in Row 13 seat “F” – had the whole row to myself. Don’t remember the last time that happened. Made me think that perhaps I should be more superstitious with the row number I sit in next time.

Plane was half full – nice flight. Actually started reading “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” – have done that since high school, maybe junior high days. Enjoyable read. I love my iPad2 – iBooks lets me highlight text…you know that can only mean more blog quotes from Twain for you guys.

You know, sitting in coach this trip was actually enjoyable. Not only did I have the whole row (both sides of the aisle) to myself, nor did I have an obnoxious kicking of the seat back from behind or a lean-back guy in front of me, it was having seatbelt belt to spare after buckling up. I didn’t have to worry whether I needed to ask for an extension belt. It certainly makes being on this tonnage-loss program much more digestible.

Hey! It is OFB TR’s birthday! I texted him early this morning with birthday wishes – hope I woke him.

I have 3 paid Apps on my iPhone. One of them is “Relax M.P.”. I listened to brown noise and a haunting flute the entire trip. It’s great for concentrating on blog post ideas and masking baby crying and pointless conversations.

Arrived in Washington DC on 30 minutes late. The MetroRail is great and convenient when attending the American Society of Landscape Architects Advocacy Summit 1 block from a train station in Alexandria VA.

Checked into the hotel and went for a hike. Walked around Historic Old Town Alexandria today. Temp was 103, heat index 10 or so degrees higher than that. Humidity was way out of reach. Sweat through my shirt and had a sweat streak on the back of my pants from water(sweat) rolling off my back in down between my cheeky- minkeys.

Had a welcome reception for the conference in the hotel tonight. It was well attended. Visited with and had dinner with a fellow Texas friend, and a few new friends from around the country. What tomorrow brings will be new introductions and “advocacy” advice I’m sure.

You know earlier I said I lost one of the ear buds for the wireless headset??? Well imagine this: I’m standing around at the reception this evening and get to feeling a rock or something in my shoe. Yup, it was the missing ear bud. It must have popped off at the airport. you know, “remove you shoes and place in the bin”…I did, then snatched off my headset and put that in the same bin with the shoes. I must be living right….

Dinner at The Yacht tonight – I gave in to the baked spicy (not really) lump crab meat in a mayonnaise sause with grilled vegetables. No wine, no dessert. Sometimes I hate being on a tonnage-loss plan…that is until I’m able to walk a little over a mile back to the hotel (and uphill) without huffing and puffing. Still worked up a sweat (but not like this afternoon).

Nick’s last day at work. Bummer I missed him and his root beer float see-ya-later party. He will be missed. the office got him a parting gift – a skateboard with everyone signing the thing. He’s off to ed-u-ma-cate new landscape architects at OK State this fall. So long Nick!