Rochester Minnesota...oh what a relief it is.

We have spent the week in Rochester Minnesota and what a relief it has been in several ways.  First off as we have mentioned and many of you across the country have experienced too we have been burning up. 

The weather here in Rochester Minnesota has been fabulous! Now I do not want to start a big controversy or anything but I imagine you have heard the big head line about how "9000+ Heat records were broken in July."  Did you believe it?  Check it out for yourself at NOAA.   I counted about 40-50 maybe.  Do you suppose the media likes to sensationalize sometimes?  It has been in the 70's and 80's here all week with a few showers in the night time.  Just wonderful relief.  We actually had a chance to fire up the heater when it hit the 50's over night!

The next greatest relief is the change of scenery.  We no longer look out at the walls of the "Fall out shelter" but to some very nice meadows of the RV park we found.

 We are all by ourselves in a big ol' meadow surrounded by trees.  There is the river beyond the trees for Brodie to play in.  We have an often overhead display of a of the Canadian Snow Geese flying by. It is quite different then living on the frontage road of I-40 and watching the diesel trucks going by for our entertainment.  Check out the view out my back door. 

The final relief we have felt is the chance to meet my colleges.  This is a video of the first time I have gone to "the office" in what I would estimate seven to eight years.  I was amazed my employee badge still allowed me into the buildings after all these years.  I was even more surprised I could still find it, Not the office, my employee badge!

For those that do not know me personally, I have been telecommuting and working at home for about 15 years now.  I have a team that is spread all over the country and my boss is here in Rochester.  I have been looking forward to the chance to make it to Rochester to finally spend time face to face with my manager and others I work so closely with on an every day basis.  It was an awesome week.  I was able to spend several hours of real quality time with Kin, my manager.  It was time that can not be replaced or replicated on the telephone.  Then to add to that blessing,  I was able to meet and get to know four others that I work with on an almost daily basis.

Scott, Mike, Jason, and Brian are all members of my extended team.  They all bring different personalities and skills that I only now just realized make up the whole.  It was such a great experience to see how they work and interact with such professionalism and enthusiasm under the pressure and loads we deal with. I learned a ton while under their wings for this week.  Heather and the entire team went to lunch together on our last day here.  She was able to meet and greet them also.  Now she too can put a face to a name as I talk about many of the people I work with.  What a blessing to be on the road.

We are now preparing to head west across the northern United States.  We have some fairly important unscheduled business in Arizona so we have to make a detour.  So those of you that are in the area we will see you soon for just a short time...Lord willing.

XL living on the road and loving it
Steve and Heather