Dude, Where's My Car?

Today I lost my car.

On Wednesday afternoon I parked my car in a ramp at the airport and headed to Dallas. I neglected to grab one of those little reminder papers, thinking I would surely remember where I had parked. I looked back as I entered the elevator and made a mental picture of the floor number and the parking aisle.

After an uneventful flight home, I was looking forward to being able to go home mid-afternoon and relax a little bit before picking up Lucy. I headed to the Gold Ramp, which required me to take the tram. I didn't take the tram the day I left, but didn't think much of it because I came in on a different airline than the one I flew on the way out. I was pretty sure it was the Gold Ramp, because something in my head was noting that it was a ramp in which I usually don't park, and I usually park in Green.

Once I arrived at the Gold Ramp, I tried the 4th level because I remembered being just above the skyway, which is on the 3rd floor.

Car was not there, and something didn't seem right. I stopped to think, and realized the rows didn't line up right. I remembered parking in a row which drove away from the entrance door, and was offset just to the right. These rows were set up the opposite, so I was definitely in the wrong ramp.

By this time, confidence in my memory was shot and I had no idea which of the other 3 ramps contained my car. I settled in to do a little detective work, using my phone to look at an aerial view and remembering how I drove into the ramp area. That didn't help; not enough detail. My phone was dangerously low on battery and no outlet in sight, so I was hoping it would hold out long enough for me to figure something out. All the while I was semi-frantically searching, I heard the same intercom announcement, over and over again:

Welcome to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. You have parked in the [insert color] Ramp. Please take a ticket. It will help you remember where you parked your car.

I'm paraphrasing, but I'm pretty sure I got that last line right. The voice was mocking me.

Finally,I found a layout of the parking ramps on the airport website and figured out that along with Gold, the Red Ramp was set up the same. Two down, two to go. Blue and Green.

I got back on the tram to go back to where I started. Since I was convinced I had parked "differently" than I usually do (i.e. not Green), I tried Blue. Multiple levels of Blue. I definitely got my exercise, as I knew I had parked towards the end of the row on the right. So each level, I pulled my suitcase and carried my computer bag down the row. At one point, I finally thought to pull out my car keys and push the alarm button. Eureka, I heard it! But it sounded like it was coming from the adjacent ramp.

The Green Ramp.

Where I always park.

So, over to the Green Ramp. I was positive I had parked one level above the skyway, because I had a picture in my mind of looking down at the skyway from my level. So I tried Level 4 first. Walked all the way down the row. Nope. Pushed the alarm button. Closer! Must be one floor up. Nope!

Thank goodness the ramp is only 7 levels, the 7th being the roof which I knew wasn't right. I couldn't tell where that damn alarm was coming from. At one point,  I couldn't get it to turn off, so the alarm was blasting and by that time, I would have fully welcomed a security car swinging by to give me a lift. No such luck. I even asked another guy in the parking ramp where he thought the horn was coming from. He didn't know.

In desperation, I tried Level 3, the same level as the skyway.

There was the Ford Fusion, parked exactly where I didn't think it would be.

I must be losing my mind. Lesson: grab the damn paper. Or at least take a picture of it.

All Over Creation

I'm tired. I've been on the road A LOT lately, all over this great state of Minnesota (and some Iowa).

Thursday 7/24, I went to Winona for some day meetings and a public meeting in the evening.

Weekend 7/26-27, we traveled to the Alexandria area for a wedding.

Monday 7/28, I left early in the morning and headed to Bemidji. Meetings during the day, public meeting in the evening. At least I got to stick my toes in the Mississippi headwaters again.

Tuesday, 7/29, traveled to Grand Rapids for more of the same. After that meeting, drove to Brainerd.

Wednesday 7/30, rinse and repeat in Brainerd. After that meeting, drove back home.

Thursday 8/1, got up, packed, and we headed on vacation to Battle Lake.

Sunday 8/3 drove home.

Monday 8/4 had a night meeting in Minneapolis. Over 200 people came. At least I could sleep in my own bed.

Tuesday, Wednesday - pretty quiet.

Thursday 8/7 night public meeting in St. Paul.

Friday morning 8/8, traveled to Okoboji, IA for the weekend.

Sunday 8/10, drove home.

This week I'm not going anywhere.

Oh wait, except for Saturday...Lucy and I are driving to Des Moines.

THEN I'm not going anywhere...for awhile.

A New Hobby

While we were on vacation, we stumbled upon a number of large statues/monuments, and snapped Lucy's photo near them. We've decided to create a photo book for her, and collect other similar photos on our future travels. Got any suggestions?

Chief Wenonga - Battle Lake, MN

Otter Statue - Ottertail, MN

Black Coot Statue - Ashby, MN

Big Ole - Alexandria, MN

Fall Visit

This weekend Lucy and I went to visit Mom and Dad in Storm Lake. We had seen them a fair amount over the summer, but hadn't been to SL since Easter, so it was about time for a trip.

We got in around 7PM Friday night, and Lucy promptly claimed Grandpa for playtime downstairs. I caught up with Mom, and then later stayed up too late catching up with Dad...some much needed conversation with my parents!

Saturday was a busy day once we got going. Later in the morning, we headed over to Justin's because he has kittens! He recently rescued a stray cat and a couple days later, realized she was pregnant. Now he's got two cute, stripey kitties he's going to have to give away (he swears he'll be able to do it...he already has 3 cats and a dog). We all enjoyed seeing them, and Lucy got to hold one with Grandma's help.

After Justin's house, we headed to my aunt and uncle's apple orchard near Akron, SD (three states in three days, WHEW!) I had never been there before, and it was high time for a visit. It was a little chilly, but we had a good time picking and tasting apples, having a hayride, and seeing the whole operation. They've got a great little spot!

After the orchard, we made a slight detour to my brother Jason's house to visit. We got to eat supper with them and the kids played in the backyard. Lucy really enjoyed the 4-wheeler ride from her cousin D. He was feeling pretty studly himself, I think!

Sunday we went to church and got to have Mom's lasagna for Justin's birthday lunch (or is it dinner? - inside joke). Lucy was convinced she did not like the "bazagna," but after explaining it is pasta, sauce, meat, and cheese, she discovered it was OK after all. She's eaten it before, but is just going through a picky phase, I guess. Anything that isn't a peanut butter sandwich is subject to suspicion these days.

Lucy fell asleep within 15 minutes of getting in the car to head home, and I had a nice quiet couple of hours driving before she woke up and we sang our hearts out to "Popular" from the Wicked soundtrack over and over again. The whole weekend was a much-needed break from everyday rigors, and Lucy got some great one-on-one time with her grandparents (and me with my parents). Quality time with two of my brothers was the cherry on top. Always a treat to go "home."

Summer Weekend Warriors 8/29: Des Moines (Part 1)

This long holiday weekend was so packed I have to split it into 2 parts!

Friday afternoon, Lucy and I headed to Des Moines for our annual get-together with some of my high school/college girlfriends and their kids. 14 kids and 6 moms, are we prolific or what? Kids ages 10 years to 5 weeks old. I think this might be it, but you never can tell with this bunch!

As you might imagine, this photo is nearly impossible to take...

Aside from the 4-hour drive down being one of the longest of my life due to constant (and repeated) questions from an excited 4-year-old whose Daddy had let her nap for an hour already that day, it was a fabulous trip. We spent Friday night in Newton with friends Amy and Broc and their two boys. Lucy enjoyed playing with light sabers and of course their dog, Gus.

Goofing around before bed.

This old boy is 13 years young!

Saturday morning we headed to Des Moines to meet up with everyone else at Monkey Joe's, a bounce house place. It was just too darn hot and humid to try and do anything outside, so this seemed like a good alternative. It was pretty loud in there, but the kids seemed to enjoy it and the moms got to catch up a little bit.

I'm pretty sure my kid was one of the reasons the staff kept coming on the  PA system
to remind kids they were supposed to go down the slides "feet first."

(Semi-) managed chaos!

After bouncing, we went to a nearby restaurant where we had a separate room reserved to have lunch and let the kids run around. Dana and her crew brought along some fun activities for the kids. The mustaches were especially entertaining!

Just look at this crew! And that's not even all of them!

Guess I'll be teaching my daughter the fine art of
waxing the upper lip sooner than I thought...

Lucy was quite at home with the dress-ups!

Saturday night was spent with the Houghtons, and more fun ensued...

The kids put on a show and even made tickets and wristbands.

Ironman and two princesses. I'm still not sure what the plot was,
but there was a lot of dancing so that was OK with me.

Gardening in PJs/princess attire

 Girls, we really must try to get a picture of all of US, and not just all of our kids. I only got 1/3 of us in a photo. Next time - was great seeing you all!

Mom's Weekend Away

I spent this weekend in Clear Lake, IA with five of my dearest and longest-known girlfriends. We wanted to get together for a 35th birthday celebration of sorts, a milestone which each of us has celebrated or will soon be celebrating. This trip has been on the books for almost a year, and it lived up to my expectations in every way.

We...
got pedicures
sat on the dock
mixed our own drinks
brainstormed 3-year-old birthday gifts
drank some fruity drinks on a bar patio
played cards
shared photos of our kids
shopped downtown
gave Facebook tutorials
drank some beer
took walks by the lake
ate a steak dinner
played online Price is Right
gazed at the stars
ate birthday cupcakes
slept in
showered without little hands banging on the door

Most of these things have a story attached to them; I can't even begin to tell you how much we laughed. There are also a few other things on the list that I can't tell you, because you know - what happens in Clear Lake, stays in Clear Lake...or possibly Mason City :) Most of the time was spent lounging around and chatting, with a drink typically in hand. I was reminded that every once in awhile it is okay to reconnect with old friends and reminisce...and to remember who I "used" to be, before I was a wife, mom, career woman..and how we have all so successfully transitioned into our chosen roles in life. I was also reminded what an outstanding group of friends I have, and how lucky I am to have these ladies in my life. They know me well, and although we don't see each other as often as we might like, when we do get together it feels like we were just together yesterday. Old memories are sweet, but new memories are even sweeter (and funnier, in some cases!) Love you, ladies!

So I Always Wondered...

...what would happen if someone lost their wallet containing all forms of identification before needing to get on an airplane.

Unfortunately, now I know.

Today I woke up in Memphis, TN at 5:00AM. I got myself ready and about 5 minutes before I was to meet a colleague and go to the airport, I reached into my bag for my wallet. It was not there. It was also not in my coat pocket, on the floor, in the garbage can, shoved in the couch cushions, under the bed...

You get the idea.

Somewhere between the span of 10PM and 5AM, my wallet disappeared somewhere in the hotel. The last time I saw it was to retrieve my frequent flyer card for the desk clerk to print my boarding passes. My wallet was in my coat pocket during that time. Following that, I have no clue what happened. I can only surmise that perhaps it fell out of my pocket and a) ended up somewhere tricky where it has yet to be found, or b) someone took it. Retracing my steps and a check at the front desk yielded nothing.

So off I trucked to the airport to see what my chances were of getting on my flight with no ID and nothing else with my name on it but a business card. A call to my company's travel agent indicated that the decision was really up to TSA, and that a police report might help. The Memphis police were very courteous, but thought otherwise. I couldn't prove it was stolen, so there was no need for a report.

So anxiously, I approached the woman in the security line who would normally take a look at my ID and my boarding pass, and explained my situation. Naturally a supervisor was called. He was incredibly nice and the process was as simple as me writing down my name and address, and him calling some magical person on the phone. That person asked me my age, if I went by any other names, who else lived at my residence, and then my birth date (presumably to double-check my age answer). After that, I endured a thorough pat-down, search of my luggage, and swiping of my hands and bags to test for explosives. After that I had the green light to head home.

The relief was quickly followed by the next task - following up on all of my lost items. I was envisioning someone wreaking havoc with my bank card and credit cards. Husband helped me out by canceling our shared credit card, checking my bank account online, and texting my phone numbers for my other cards so I could make calls on my layover in Atlanta. Luckily, at that point, nothing was compromised.

So I'm out $50 in cash and will be spending some time over the next few days ordering replacement credit cards, insurance cards, membership cards, drivers license...and have learned a few lessons along the way. For one, I didn't need to be traveling with all that stuff. I should've lightened the wallet before I left. Second, I should keep one card and a little cash in a separate bag in case something like this happens. A copy of my driver's license would probably also be helpful. Third, keep better tabs on my damn wallet!!

All in all things could have been a lot worse, and I was so very lucky to be able to get on the plane. I had more trouble getting out of the parking ramp at the airport in Minneapolis, with no money and no ID! (they finally decided, after about 45 minutes, that I was who I said I was, and they could bill me). I am back home and while it's a huge PITA to track all of this stuff down, I'm so grateful for the kind people who helped me along the way.

Des Moines, Baby (ies)

Last weekend Lucy and I took a girls' trip to Des Moines to visit some friends. We met everyone for lunch and then hung out at Family H's house. It was a lot of fun! There were 9 kids between 5 families, and as always, it was cool to see all of the ages and stages. We had everything from 3 months to 6 years. With the 3-month old, a 7-month old, and Lucy at almost one year, we had a visual of just how much a kid changes in a year. It's really amazing to see it like that. Of course Lucy had a little trouble knowing what to do with the advances of an "older" man...17-month-old B was very interested, but Lucy wasn't having it.


The kids had a blast playing outside, and Lucy spent what seemed like forever just playing in the mulch and dirt. A little tomboy perhaps?

And here's my girl again, getting more grown up every day. I let her face forward for the first time in the car. I know it's a couple of weeks early, but she's almost 5 pounds over the weight minimum, and it just made sense. She did really well in the car yet again, and seemed to enjoy the ride more when she could see Mom and look out more windows. I'm so lucky she's a good little traveler. Can't wait for the next trip, thanks ladies and kiddos!

Vegas, Baby

A few months ago my dear Husband suggested that we take a trip, just the two of us. He thought Vegas might be fun, so I said sure. We didn't have much of a plan for the trip. We just knew we wanted to see a show, go Downtown, and relax. We managed to accomplish all three. For a gambler and a non-gambler, I think we did pretty well. I don't mind wandering around by myself, which I did a couple of times while Hubs was bringing home the big bucks. His itch for gambling also played well to my need to catch up on sleep. If he was much of a partier, I would have been a sorry companion. I was in bed by 10PM most nights!

The trip was certainly not short on interesting experiences. Here are a few things I learned:

*Each cab ride is an adventure. Our very first cab ride, the driver was playing a game on his phone while at a stoplight. He didn't even attempt to hide it by turning the sound off. This little distraction also prevented him from noticing the po-po that pulled up right next to us, who proceeded to give him a nice warning buzz when he broke out of that light like a bat out of hell.

*Massages are wonderful. OK, I didn't learn this on the trip. But I remembered it. On Monday I was treated to an 80-minute massage in the hotel spa. It.was.FANTASTIC. Like many of the things that require me to take time for myself, I was talked into it by Husband. He's cool like that.

*Be careful what you ask for. I wanted to see a Cirque du Soleil show, and our concierge fsuggested Le Reve. Husband politely obliged. I don't know if it was the total lack of storyline or perhaps the fact that the men were wearing less than the women, but he was not a fan. Days later I'm in still awe of it, but not even sure if I really liked it. Researching it when we got home, I discovered it was not an official Cirque show at all; rather it was created by someone with Cirque experience. Not a big deal, but a bit disappointing...and now there's probably no way in hell I'll get Husband to go to a real Cirque show.

*People don't dress up for shows. Regarding the above "experience," I expected the price of the tickets sort of dictated that this was not Casual Friday. Not so. You could even order tubs of popcorn and 22 oz sodas from the concessionaire. It just seemed weird to me.

*Downtown Vegas is awesome. This was my first time Downtown, and I loved the feel of it. The casinos weren't as crowded, and Husband and I bellied up to the bar for video poker and video blackjack (respectively) to take advantage of the free bar service. Husband was on the downside of his winning streak, so we didn't stay long, but it may have been my favorite thing that we did.

*Slots can be fun. I'm the relative non-gambling half of this pairing, and I've never been a big fan of slots. Put your hard-earned money into a machine, and piss it away on total chance. Not my cup of tea. However, upon returning from Downtown, I was still feeling the mojo so I went down to play slots in our casino home (Harrahs). Pulling $90 out of "Penguin Paradise" on a $20 investment may have prompted a change of heart.

All in all, a good trip that allowed Husband and I to spend a little quality time together, get some sun, and get away from the daily grind. What do you think, could this be us in 20 years? :)

For the Love of a Good Window Seat

I recently returned from a 2 ½ day work trip to Oakland, CA. The actual work aspect of the project was quite positive and productive, but other aspects of the trip were both mentally and physically exhausting. The travel out there was cumbersome (flight delays, near-missed connecting flights, motion sickness, lost luggage, 40-minute train ride, rain, etc.); the schedule was demanding (along with a 2-hour time difference); and it was my first time away from Lucy overnight.

Thankfully, my return flights (connecting through Denver) were much better. I was functioning on very little sleep, but I was actually pretty coherent for most of the flight and took advantage of my window seat. I love a good window seat; I always find it fascinating to piece together parcels of landscape from above, or even to just stare at the clouds. Occasionally I have been lucky enough to see something particularly special - once flying to North Carolina I watched a lightning storm parallel to my plane; flying to Montana one year on the 4th of July I watched multiple fireworks displays from above.

I did fall asleep once on my flight to Denver (it was at 6AM, after all), and as I awoke I peered out the window and was rewarded with a view of snow-capped mountain peaks poking through a blanket of clouds. I have seen mountain views from above before, but this was spectacular. The pale orange of early morning light illuminated the eastern faces and left the western faces dark, reinforcing the definition of the uppermost ridges. As the cloud cover diminished, the light spread and a complete snow-covered oasis of peaks and valleys was revealed. The landscape appeared untouched – just pure wilderness. It was simply breathtaking; a perfect example of the camaraderie between God and Mother Nature. I don’t know about you, but I think my version of heaven looks exactly like that beautiful view.

Of course my own little slice of heaven on earth is in the presence of my baby girl, who did just fine without me these past few days, but was also very excited to see me. I guess that’s just about perfect too.

Travelin'

I'm in Dallas. Just thought you all would want to know. Actually, I figured some of you were getting sick of seeing that Hawkeye logo, and to that I say too bad. Go cry in your red and gold beer.

I am down in the great state of Texas for some training for my company. I flew down in a tiny regional jet, only 4 seats across and only about 3 inches taller than the top of my head. I also sat next to a mildly crazy lady, who randomly blurted things out (even though I was clearly reading or trying to sleep) like:

"I was just at my nephew's wedding in Winnepeg. He married a Vietnamese. It worked out well."

"Are you much into reflexology?"

"I like to wear hats, this is my favorite hat."

O-kay.

Aside from that, the flight was pretty uneventful and I arrived here about 8:30PM. From our training agenda I'm guess I won't be seeing much outside of the American Airlines Conference Center for the next 3 days. Cheers.

Off to Where the Tall Corn Grows

I'm off to Iowa today for my annual trip to catch up with my girlfriends and go to the Iowa State Fair. Here's me last year trying a "Monkey Tail" (frozen chocolate covered banana). I predict trying a new concoction on a stick for this year. Any suggestions?

Big Sandy

Husband and I just got back from a two-night stay at Big Sandy Lodge and Resort in McGregor, MN. It's about 2 hours north of the Twin Cities. The lodge was fine, although by Friday it was getting a little too full of overly-tanned cocky teenagers in speedboats, overly-tanned dads walking around with their Hawaiian shirts open, and overly-tanned moms stumbling around in their swimsuit wraps after a few too many margaritas. For this trip, it just wasn't quite our scene. We'd go back, but will definitely try the off-season, or at the very least go in the middle of the week. It would be a fun place to go with a group of people.

The main objective of the trip was to fish, and Big Sandy is a beautiful lake in which to do it. The lodge had large dock and access basically right out the door, so that was convenient. Unfortunately the fishing (at least for us) wasn't that great. We caught several of what Husband called "stinky baby Northerns," none of which were keepers. Our first time out I did hook into a nice perch, but didn't set the hook right and failed to get it in the boat. We saw no panfish and no walleye, which is typically what we're after. Despite no fish for the freezer, it was relaxing to sit in the boat, watch the birds, and get some sun. I'd say that's much better than sitting at work!

(More pics on my Flickr page - link to the right)

North Shore Adventure

We are back from 3 days on the gorgeous Minnesota North Shore. We covered a lot of ground in a short time; there is so much to see and do! We were lucky in many respects; for one, the weather was gorgeous. Although rain was predicted, we didn't see a drop until Friday afternoon on our way home. It seemed luck followed us on our daily journeys too - for example, a bald eagle hovering directly overhead as we pulled into a beach; a man offering ice cream coupons as we headed to a boat tour where we were planning to get ice cream.

Overall we had a really good time, and I think Brandon enjoyed the trip. He had never been to the North Shore before, and none of us had been as far north as we ended up going. It was an adventure and I was happy to see that Brandon was up for the challenge. He even did a little exploring on his own, around the campground and the beach in the mornings.

We definitely wore ourselves out; lots of walking and hiking. We ended up leaving a little earlier than planned on Friday due to the weather, but we had packed a lot in to the time we were there. When we arrived home we continued the "vacation" by going to see the new Batman movie (more on that later), and then I went to pick up our beloved Buddy from boarding at our vet. We missed him, and I think he missed us too...although he made quite a few new friends at the vet! All of the techs had to come and tell me what fun he was and what a pleasure it was having him there.

Today, despite the busy week we've had, we're not relaxing much. There is yard work to be done, and we're having people over for Brandon's birthday tomorrow, so there's plenty of cleaning going on too! Though tonight we are taking it easy.

Below is a summary of the things we did on our trip. Photos are also available here. Enjoy!

Wednesday
Duluth:
-Walking around Canal Park
-lunch at Hell's Kitchen
-Maritime Museum and watching the Lee A. Tregurtha go through the aerial lift bridge
-Tour of the S.S. William A. Irvin, followed by ice cream
Checked into Burlington Bay Campground in Two Harbors
Roadside stop near French River to check out the beach
Hiking and exploring the beaches and waterfalls of Gooseberry Falls State Park
Dinner in Two Harbors
Campfire time!

Thursday
Headed north on Highway 61, North Shore Scenic Drive
Split Rock Lighthouse
Hiking at Tettegouche State Park
Grand Marais - Sven and Ole's Pizza, Trading Post, explored coast/beach
Grand Portage National Monument
Canadian border
Hiking in Cascade River State Park
Silver City tunnel and trail (saw peregrine falcon)
Back to the campground, with brats over the campfire

Friday
Souvenir shopping in Two Harbors
Skyline Drive and Enger Park and Tower in Duluth
Homeward bound!

Florida Retreat

Thursday night I left for Florida to attend some training for work. I was in class on Friday, and made the decision to stay an extra day (the projected 80+ degree temps helped). I had never been there, so wanted to get the chance to at least see a tiny slice of what Florida has to offer.

My training was held in Orlando, so when I was done on Friday afternoon I went back to the airport to pick up a car. I stayed in a hotel southwest of Orlando, and spent a couple of hours that evening driving around the city a bit. I called it an early night because it's difficult to navigate in the dark; but also because I was traveling alone and not quite sure of my surroundings. It was nice to hole up in the hotel room and watch a movie, then go to bed.

I got up Saturday morning and made the drive down to the Tampa/Clearwater area. There were storms in the forecast, but the drive down was sunny and beautiful. I drove past all of the exits for Disney World and all of the other attractions (another time perhaps) and kept heading southwest. Going to the beach was the one thing I wanted to do, and I had the entire day ahead of me.

I arrived at Clearwater Beach around 10:30AM, and as I pulled into the parking lot it started to sprinkle. The sun had disappeared about a half hour earlier, so I knew it was coming. I walked out on the pier and watched the seagulls for awhile, hovering behind a post to get out of the wind and rain. After awhile I decided I was going to walk down on the beach anyway. I got off the pier and took my shoes off and went down to the water's edge. Despite the weather this was my favorite part of the whole trip. It was fun to walk along the water and pick up a few shells, draw a few things in the sand:

I wished I could have walked up and down the beach a little more, but the wind and rain got to be too much - thunder and lightning and the whole thing. I ran back to the car, totally soaked. I waited for about 20 minutes to see if it would stop, but no luck. It kept raining for the next hour or so, and then off and on after that. I tried to occupy myself by doing some random shopping and getting some lunch, then decided to head back to Tampa to drive around a little bit. I accidentally stumbled across the stadium where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play. My brother is a huge Bucs fan, so I took a photo. After that I decided to head back toward Orlando.

On the way the rain let up, and I saw a sign for Hillsborough River State Park, so I took a little detour. It was a nice little park (though I have to say the state parks in Minnesota are better than this one in particular) and I had time, so I stopped to do a short hike. It was kind of a surreal experience...I felt like I was in the jungle! The vegetation is just so different - ferns, cypress trees and hanging moss...humidity and mosquitoes that attacked immediately if you stood still. I emerged from the "jungle" into a picnic area inhabited by a large group of people. As I was looking off to my right, a large bird flew across my path. I followed it with my gaze, and immediately to my left were 2 vultures sitting atop a covering over 2 garbage cans about 10 feet away. Ew. I don't know if you've ever seen a vulture up close, but they are not attractive birds. Considering they feast on rotting flesh I wouldn't expect anything too pretty. They seemed to be the staple though, because I noticed them quite a lot after that. I saw them up to 20 in numbers hanging out in ditches or atop billboards.

The sun did return just before I reached Orlando, and I took the long way via International Drive, which is a more touristy area with a lot of shops and restaurants. I returned my car and headed to the airport, road-tested and bone weary. Despite the rain I'm glad I spent the extra day, and I'm sure the beach and the cities themselves appear even more glamorous in the sunlight!

Counting Blessings

The blogs have been a little light lately, I know...not a whole lot going on. I did just return from a brief trip to Washington D.C. for work. This was my first big company event, so it was nice to meet some new people and learn more about the company. We have an olympic theme going into 2008, and our keynote speaker on Friday afternoon was Devon Harris, a member of the infamous Jamaican bobsled team (inspiration for the movie Cool Runnings). He gave a very inspiring speech and it was a great cap to the day and half we had there.

Additionally, between the end of my meetings and my return flight home, I had some time to get together with my cousins Jeremy, Lorena and Mackenzie. We don't get to see each other too often, so it was so great to catch up. Mackenzie is a year and a half old, and such a bundle of energy! She didn't quite know what to think of me at first, but by the end of our time I got a "cinco" and a hug and kiss. I also enjoyed talking with Jeremy and Lorena, and discovered that Jeremy has his own mortgage company. He offered to let us bounce ideas off of him as we look for a house. A happy coincidence!

While at the airport I also had a nice chat with my dad, and learned that my grandma is able to return home from the hospital today! Such a blessing! She has had to spend a lot of time away from home over the past couple of weeks. We are glad the doctors found a way to treat the problem, if not entirely diagnose the cause. We are hopeful that everything stays in check and she is on her way to a full recovery.

I'll leave you with a backyard visitor we have had lately. There have been up to three at a time, snacking on the seed the landlord leaves for the little rodents. Kind of fun to see.

Want Some Chowdah?

Well, I returned from Boston lastnight! Kristy and I had a great few days in Beantown. Enjoy my full photo tour here, but below is a little itinerary with links to more info if you're interested, followed by some general observations.

Friday, Nov. 9th

Granary Burying Ground

Lunch at Durgin Park Restaurant at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Walk around the marketplace, visit to Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall

Boston Common

Public Garden

Dinner at Fajitas and Ritas with our friend Steph

Saturday, Nov. 10th

(we slept in a bit on this day!)

Lunch and shopping in Prudential Center with Steph and her daughter Olivia

Walking tour of Beacon Hill

Dinner at Artu in the North End (fabulous Italian food)

Pastries at the infamous Mike's Pastry

Sunday, Nov. 11th

Boston Duck Tour

Snacks at Prudential Center

Train to Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Back to Boston for walking tour of the North End

Paul Revere Mall

Old North Church

Copp's Hill Burying Ground

Paul Revere Home

New England Holocaust Memorial

Drinks at Bell in Hand Tavern (oldest continuously operating tavern in America)

Dinner at Union Oyster House (oldest restaurant in America)

Monday, Nov. 12th

We intended to make a quick visit to the harbor before we had to go to the airport, but our transportation did not work out. So it was just a traveling home day for us!

Boston is a very interesting city; a mix of old and new not just with its buildings, but also with its people. It's much more diverse than I imagined, with active Irish, African American, Italian and Chinese communities, but also more recent Mexican, Vietnamese and West Indian populations. At first blush it might seem quite a contrast to the stiff, wealthy country club ladies...but in actuality Boston is an academic city with Democratic politics that really do follow in the footsteps of its Revolutionary founders. It's a city very proud of its history, and they have made it very easy to find landmarks by making the city very walkable and the transit system easy to use. The Freedom Trail literally leads you to various landmarks by a red line marked in the sidewalk; all you have to do is follow it. A person could spend days and days combing through all of the history here - we only experienced the tip of the iceberg.

Overall our experience with Bostonians was extremely pleasant. People are pretty tolerant of tourists and were very friendly giving directions, snapping a photo, pointing us in the right direction for the subway, or just making general conversation. Often we did not even have to ask; someone approached us. The Boston accent is fabulous, and we really got a kick out of listening to people talk. There seems to be no letter "r" in the Boston vocabulary...such that words like "chowder" sound like "chowdah" and "apartment" sounds like "apahtment." We especially loved when people could guess where we were from, because of our "accent."

Speaking of the chowdah, the food was fabulous. I'm not a big seafood fan, but I did have some clam chowdah. The best was by far at Union Oyster House, where we also tried scrod, a traditional New England fish that we found out is just a really unappealing name for baby cod. The Italian food in the Italian district was, as you might expect, excellent.

Overall, the best part of the trip was that Kristy and I got to spend a lot of quality time together, talking and laughing and just catching up. I could sum it up in one conversation, had Saturday night as we were walking back to our train stop after a leisurely Italian dinner, with Mike's Pastries in our hands:

J [scarfing a cannoli]: "Do I have powdered sugar on my face? Because I don't want to look like an jerk on the train."

K [looking at my face, while holding her toffee bar]: "No. Do I have anything on my face?"

J [looks at her face] "No." [double take] "Wait, yes! There is a big chunk of chocolate on your cheek!" [wipes off, wild giggling ensues]

Thank heavens for girlfriends!

I'm Going to Boston!

Just booked a ticket tonight for Nov 9-12. It feels good to have a nice little trip to look forward to. Best part, I had enough frequent flyer miles, so the flight cost me only $7.50!

Life is good. If anyone has tips for places to explore in Beantown, please send them my way.

San Diego Recap

I'M BACK from San Diego and would like to share a summary of my trip. First of all, the overall purpose - the conference. From an academic standpoint, my two favorites were a session on the "Greenest City in Europe," Freiburg, Germany (read more about that here); and learning about the AltWheels Festival held in Boston, MA. From an entertainment standpoint, the last day luncheon speaker, Joan Embery, was hard to beat. If the name sounds familiar, you probably have seen her on The Tonight Show with both Johnny Carson and Jay Leno. She brought a few animals with her and just was a very engaging speaker overall. She tied into transportation by talking about some of the challenges that are faced when transporting animals - from an elephant getting restless in a trailer during an L.A. traffic jam, to a Macaw parrot screeching bloody murder from the carry-on beneath the seat during take-off. She also showed some of her clips and bloopers from The Tonight Show, and the late great Johnny Carson. It was highly entertaining.

My down time was limited, but I did get some sight-seeing in while I was there. I arrived Tuesday evening and took a walk down to the bay, which was a pretty short walk away. I admired the ships that serve as museums, the cruiseliners, the sculptures, and ate at "Tony's Fishette."

Wednesday morning I walked to the downtown area, where my company has a local office. I met some of the people there, then continued walking through downtown, the famous Gaslamp Quarter (unfortunately didn't take any photos here), and along Harbor Drive until I made it back to the bay. It was there that I fell in love with a huge sculpture of a navy seaman kissing his girl goodbye...and the sun finally came out for awhile so I could see that famous blue San Diego sky. Wednesday evening after a reception at Balboa Park, I ate at a great restaurant in the Gaslamp Quarter.

Thursday - conference all day and scholarship fundraising dinner at night!
Friday after the great Joan Embery program, I caught the trolley to Old Town, which is a state park/historical site representing the birthplace of California, or the site of the first Spanish settlement in the state. There were many shops reflecting this influence. I did a little shopping and a lot of walking, then headed back to the hotel to catch my shuttle to the airport.

There are a ton of things to do in San Diego, and it would be a great city to go back and visit. I didn't really get to see a true sandy beach, but I'll save that for next time! Overall I had a wonderful time. You can check out my photos from the trip here.

Sunny San Diego

Actually it's not that sunny (they're in what they're calling a "May Gray"), but still a beautiful city. My first time to California, so I'm getting a kick out of the palm trees! And of course the bay is pretty amazing. I had some time this morning, so took some time to explore by foot. My feet are sore but it was worth it! I will have more time on Friday afternoon before I head home. Photos to come this weekend!

The conference officially kicks off tomorrow, but we had some leadership meetings today (I am the current president of the Minnesota Chapter of Women's Transportation Seminar). I have met a lot of great people already and gotten some great ideas to take back to my chapter.

Just wanted to say I made it!