When we went to Spokane....

We stayed in this hotel! 

All expenses paid,

 pretty great hotel and great location in downtown Spokane.

We were on the 8th floor. With a great view of the Spokane River.

What did I tell you? Great view! 

The only downside to staying on the 8th floor,

 was if you rode up in the middle elevator, 

it was a little nauseating. 

Our hotel was wedged right between the convention center,

 and performing arts center.

And a block away from Riverside Park.

I love Riverside Park!

This is a slide! And a happy part of my childhood memories.

(I managed to use the branches to hide people, this was never sans people)

And the garbage goat! 

Push the button on the wall and hold garbage under it's mouth,

 and the goat "eats" it. 

Joseph was at "boot camp" and I went exploring. 

Or swimming, or reading...

I was at Riverside Park.

While taking these pictures I had an adventure.

I was taking pictures of little waterfalls,

 and I saw this homeless looking old man,

 and he was fishing off of the Spokane power tower.

It cracked me up. His line was soooo far down! 

So I snapped a picture. 

A few minutes later, that man yelled at me.

I was still on the bridge but pretty far away.

Also I was near a Grandpa with his grandsons,

who stepped defensively in front of me when the homeless man yelled at me.

I turned to look at him

and saw this...

He had caught a fish, and so I took another picture,

 and gave him a thumbs up.  

And continued on my way.

It was a funny adventure!

I laughed pretty hard. 

Joseph had a good time at bootcamp.

It was comprised of 14 people, and 5 vocational counselors from DSB.

4 people there were completely blind,  

the rest were varied levels of legally blind,

all semi-employed or un-employed.

I sat in on the last day and it was wonderful.

Joseph has been given new insight and tools to keep up his job search,

network, and how to sell himself to an employer better. 

He has been busy, with his "homework" since returning home. 

It was a mini-vacation, 

(when we were together)

We had fun, 

ordered room service 3 times

ate at a crazy expensive, dress for dinner- type restaurant (in the hotel)

still all paid for, we did really well sticking to the food vouchers 

and the last night we ate in the bar at the restaurant,

you don't have to "dress" for dinner, and it was half off.

We learned that drunk people are really loud, and really really friendly.

At least the people at the hotel were.

Overall it was an awesome experience for Joseph,

 and a welcome break from our live's stresses,

it should have been longer!

much longer.