Going to Europe!

No, not me... My friend Jay.  He leaves in 15 days and is going for 6 weeks.
My biggest take away from this... I want his job.  And he should be so happy to not have my job.
http://jaygoestoeurope.blogspot.com/

Of course, we shouldn't forget - Mommy is going to Europe - Germany to be exact in the not so distant future as well.  Hey maybe we can get her to create a blog of her own... Nah - we'll just post her gazillion pictures here.

oops recap

my goal is to make a monthly recap out here but have kind of lost track of that..
i have been posting lots more on the triathlon site since the triathlon has been my main focus these days...
http://www.anewtriangle.blogspot.com/

i suppose the bermuda blog will get some attention soon too but that's about a month away

Change in Plans

So Sunday was going to be a drive to Greenville to check out Falls Park.  I had seen it written up in the USAir mag on one of my many flights.  I never think to go to G'ville to visit, to check it out...  So I decided this might be a good thing to check out with my mom's visit.
However life sure can throw some curve balls at you.
Last week at this time, I was preparing for my mom's visit.  Clean the house, get food in the fridge.  She was busy packing up her stuff and getting ready for the ride down.
Now, I am sitting in her back room getting ready to head out in the cold to go get a bagel and check out the inlet.

LYNX Blue Line

On weekends when Spencer is not working, we try to head on out for a walk somewhere.  Usually we end up at McMullen Greenway.  It is a good walk for the purpose of walking.  But last week we did more of a walk for the purpose of site seeing.  And we took the light rail into town.

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/CATS/LYNX/home.htm
My mom and I have done this in the past.  I keep saying I am going to do it more often but never get around to it.  Spencer had never taken the light rail before so it turned out to be a good diversion from the norm.
We got on at the 485 station and rode all the way to 7th Street.  That's kind of like the whole line.  A good little ride with some people watching and scenery.

Surprised to determine that the last light rail ride was actually 2008 - wow time sure does get away from me...    http://edblholidaygreeting.blogspot.com/2008/04/tourist-in-city.html

And yes, the fruit does go on the grill

I bought a packet of chicken last week.  Enough chicken to eat chicken for the better part of the week.  So I decided that was an easy place to start for cooking for my mom and I during her visit.  Friday being a work day we didnt go all that crazy with the fixins.  Grilled chicken.  Grilled pineapple.  Lettuce.  Strawberries.  It was tasty.  Although I must admit I did snack on a bunch of her travel snacks after the fact.  Could have avoided that.

Ham Soup

Remember at Easter I made a ham.  Well instead of torturing myself through the leftovers - not a big ham fan - I boiled down the bones, made some broth and froze it.  I also froze the leftover ham.  And then I bought some multi coloured beans and anticipated making some soup in the future.

Now why not split pea you ask???  >>>ACK<<<  I have never been a fan of split pea soup.  I like peas but there is just something about it. 

So I soaked these multi beans and proceeded with some sort of soup.

AGAIN - not too sure what I did with it.  I did add onions and carrots and yellow peppers (and maybe some organic fire roasted tomatoes) but not much else in the line of veggies.  The leftover ham had a sweet quality to it which I though enhanced the flavor of the soup.  I gave some away to friends.  I think it was well received.

Fish Cakes

I know I said I would try to remember what I do to the food before I cook it or while I cook it so I can duplicate.  Easier said than done...

This was frozen cod, thawed and then partially cooked in the microwave.
I mixed it with chopped onions and peppers and egg.
Let's see some whole wheat flour and perhaps corn meal (I just bought both of those so I think they are getting frequent use in  the ktichen). 
I wish I could recall what else I put in there to hold it all together.
Google some recipes I know that's where I get most of my direction.

They seemed kind of runny once I got the patties together.  So I coated them with bread crumbs and then baked them.  Yes, baked them.  I dont like frying.  No, not for the health aspect but more from the burn aspect.  To get a good sear on a fried food such as a fish cake you really need to have hot oil and I just dont want to be splattered with hot oil.  So baking it is instead.

So I lied about the food photos

I seems I am taking more pics of food these days and posting than I am training for the next triathlon in a few weeks... 

i think that is all the food shots for now

one last picture

this one is for joanne.. she keeps talking about this cake and i feel bad as i was not as impressed and am not sure what changes i will do going forward to be impressed... 
it is a yellow cake with lemon curd, a filling of ricotta cheese and cream cheese - gosh i cant recall now what that chees mixture was - and raspberries...
it was slippery
so some cool whip covered up the flaws
and it tasted good
but i think it could have been better

More versions of fruit

I had been concentrating on ways to eat just fruit.  And squash came into the mix.  This was healthy except for the amount of olive oil I think I used in the roasting process. 

This mix was squash and zuchini with apples and green beans.  I forget what else ended up in the mix but MAN was it tasty.

realised i still had some food photos to post

Most diets harp all the time low carb low carb low carb... And it always involves some sort of quiche with veggies. But I decided I was just too tired with the veggie combo. I had enough of spinach and mushrooms and brocoli. So I decided to try to switch it up some. The comobination I came to was strawberries, bananas, and almonds. It was tasty.

Happy Mothers Day

This year my mom wasnt in town for Mothers Day.  I know she was last year.  Cant recall if that is the usual visit or not.  I think it is always sometime in May.  Today, Spencer and I took the light rail into town and walked around.  He had not been on the light rail before so it was fun.  Well as fun as low key mass transportation can be.  Definitely not s subway or T experience.
We got off at 7th Street and meandered up and down the streets - Tryon, Church, College - and took in some of the newer buildings and museums.  As always I brought my camera but havent downloaded them just yet.  I will soon.  I am interested to see the comparison of the buildings being built and the end product.
It made for a long day.
Now off to bed as it is another one of those crazy early weeks.

would you believe there is still more?

i need to go to bed
maybe i will get around to more tomorrow

Fruit Fast

Maybe I have blogged about this on the triathlon site.  I guess I should start a food site.  This really doesnt do justice to recapturing each year in a few brief blogs.  This is an extensive summary of my nutritional intake over the course of the winter.  And as always I get obsessed with the concept of a fruit fast.  You heard me correctly.  Eating fruit and only fruit for a certain number of days.  If you break it down, lots qualifies as fruit.  And when you challenge yourself to eat only fruit you find ways to be creative.

This is a concoction that I stumbled across last year.  You see I don't own a juicer but one of the easiest ways to consume fruit is in juice variety.  I also think the pulp helps with fiber intake.  So I have resorted to peeling my fruit and pureeing the heck out of it in the blender.  This beautiful pink ensemble is grapefruits, raspberries, vanilla, cinamon. 

I have alos used oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe.

I stay away from bananas.

no pics but...

In my bean/legume quest I did also venture to make my own hummus.  And using that as a guide I made black bean dip a week later.  Both came out good.  I will try them again.
The next attempt will be a multi-bean soup with ham from Easter.  It is in the freezer calling my name.  I hesitate because if it comes out tasting too much like split pea soup I will be upset.
I will keep you posted.

Lentils

Definitely going backwards through the pictures.  I started with lentils in my bean/legume quest.  They are tiny.  I suspected as I got back on this dried bean band-wagon I should start with something easy.  So lentils it was.  PLUS - when in doubt you can pretty much soak/cook to death and they still taste yummy.  So I made lentils.  Around the same time my friend, Tara, posted a recipe for meatballs.  Can't say that I have ever made meatballs.  Well I can buy the frozen variety and throw them in the corckpot with jelly and chili sauce but to actually ball them up from raw meat?  Can't say I have ever done that.  But now meatloaf, I can do.  And so I did.  It made for a good few days of foods.  Almost healthy if that old persons harris teeter (as I like to call it) hadn't gone and had meatloaf mix in the butcher area.  Oh well, low fat turkey breast probably wouldnt have been as tasty.

Did somone say soup?

Somewhere in February I decided I would stop buying canned beans/legumes and try to reconstitute them from scratch.  I had some success with it at a younger age and then I lost the knack and prepared some really nasty meals with hard/dry/tough beans.  This winter I was more successful.  I even threw some in my soup.

I think this was navy white beans with chicken and spinach.  Would have been wise of me to save the recipe.  This isn't the largest pot I own.  I inheritted a big yellow pot from my dad.  This 5qt deal makes plenty.  I could practically wash the dog in the other one.

I also made some brocoli soup.  This was towards the end of February.  I was getting ready to head out on my first trip of the season.  I had a whole lot of brocoli in the fridge and some other veggies.  I decided to cook them down, puree and call it soup.  This I remember as being YUMMY even without any cream or cheese ingredient like you normally see in brocoli soup.

I also made a tomato soup.  That one did not warrant any pictures.  I have made it before.  I think of it as being healthier than the canned variety.  Ironically it is also sweeter.  It calls for orange juice.  I DO have this recipe.  It is in one of my Silver Palate cookbooks.  To give it some protein I added some black beans.  Overall I would call it belly-fill.  Tasty but doesnt really leave you wanting more or overly full.  I say all this because I found some of it leftover in the fridge at work yesterday.  I hadn't missed it or been tempted to finish it.  It's a once a winter type of soup.

Mac N Cheese

Was it the Superbowl that we watched at Robert & Catherine's?  I remember I talked to Beto.  And he said bring macaroni.  And then clarified the macaroni and cheese.  So I scrambled on line and found a really good recipe.  Again - dont remember it - just google it...  It's the one with sour cream in it.  How could it be bad.

Stuffed Mushrooms

I remember these were good.  I dont remember why I cooked them.  Maybe I brought them to someone's house for something?  Damn - what was in them?  I think it was a type of cheese.

and then there are all these food pictures

i have been cooking a lot over the winter and taking lots of picutes of what i have been cooking
if only i had thought to write down the recipes as well

Just found more snow pics... thinking I am going backwards through the file.

It was a nice quiet morning.  The little guy got up early that day.  And it was so quiet and peaceful.  The hush in the snow.

Then we went to Raffaldini

There was that girls day out for wine tasting

I took pictures there as well.  Oh and they were on the camera.  This stop was at Shelton.

No biking in the snow...

Pansies in the Snow

Too bad they overheated and dried out just this past weekend...  But they looked so good in the midst of the snowstorm...

Oh look at that..

I am filtering through the pictures that so easily were transferred from the camera...
Let's see what that last few months included...

Updated Beach Blog with Charleston trip...

Last of the travel...

Today begins the last of my travel for work.  Most of the ramblings (or as Tara calls them - rantings) will be on the beach... because by Friday evening that is my objective - the beach...  In the interim I am here for work. 
So this afternoon MGV dropped me off at Hertz to pick up my rental car.  We both chuckled as Andrew wa there already.  He was on the phone, eating his lunch.  She got fed up with Andrew months ago.  I am a die hard as I like the corporate discount and the Continental miles...  Today he told his buddy (I cant imagine it was work related) on the phone to hold on.  Proceeded to act like he was pulling up my reservation to tell me they had no cars.  HUH!?  Oh and we tried to call you but there wasn't a number on file.  BULLSHIT (profanity is for Neil's benefit) They called me the last time I rented to double check everything is OK.  You mean to tell me my info is not on a old file somewhere?  What about teh email confirmation?  That comes via email.. you couldn't try to reach me by email?  They were going to try to get me a car within the next few hours....  So I walked out and walked back to the office.  Oh I should thank Andrew on the triahtlon blog for helping me get a small workout in this evening...
MGV put me in touch with Enterprise and they put me in a sportin' Hyundai Tiburon (doesnt that mean shark? ugh)...  I will be doing some additional research and I beleive I will be using Enterprise from now on.  Not as convenient but I am just fed up...
Did you know for every good experience people tell 2 or 3 people... But in a bad experience they tell 11 to 12.... this is my attempt to apply that theory.
Made it here in good time.  Ironically the hotel has me named as "Guest of the day"  Name on a plaque in the lobby and candy in my room.  And I made it in time for the Carrabas Manager Reception.... 
Work will be nice... hanging with KP even better....

Quick bread

I made a whole grain buttermilk quick bread last night with dinner. It was really good. I used caraway seeds instead of the other spices/herbs suggested. It was really easy and tasty.

Canola oil spray
1 cup whole-wheat flour, sifted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. finely minced fresh oregano, basil or thyme leaves
1 1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray the interior of an 8-x-4-inch loaf pan with oil spray.

In bowl, combine all dry ingredients and fresh herbs, but save the sesame seeds for later.

In separate bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, honey and oil. Stir into flour mixture until just blended. Spoon batter into baking pan. Sprinkle sesame seeds over top.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool slightly on rack. Turn out bread and cool completely on wire rack. Serve immediately or store wrapped in plastic wrap or foil.

Makes one loaf of about 12 slices.

Per slice: 129 calories, 3 g. total fat (<1 g. saturated fat), 21 g. carbohydrate, 4 g. protein, 2 g. dietary fiber, 250 mg. sodium

pictures

today's goal is to try to get all the pics on my camera on to my external hard drive using my new computer and ultimately posting some to the blog... i got a funny pic last night that needs to not stay on the computer

Leek and Brie Tart

I used brie instead of camembert.  Probably a lot more than the suggested recipe...

Leek and Camembert Tart Bon Appétit
April 2003

This beautiful appetizer boasts a delicate balance of leek and cheese flavor.

Yield: Makes 8 first-course servings

1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
4 leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup whipping cream
4 ounces Camembert cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out each pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 12-inch square. Stack squares and roll to 15-inch square. Using 14-inch pizza pan as guide, cut stacked dough into 14-inch round. Crimp edge of dough to form 1/4-inch rim. Transfer to pizza pan or baking sheet. Freeze 10 minutes.



Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and 1/4 cup water; cook until leeks are tender, about 15 minutes. Season leeks with salt; set aside to cool. Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; add Camembert and stir until melted. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Whisk in egg, cayenne, and nutmeg. Set custard aside.



Sprinkle Parmesan over crust. Spread leeks over. Drizzle custard over. Bake until bottom is golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.







Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Leek-and-Camembert-Tart-107902#ixzz0kN46eWHd

Third Times a Charm

So my mom left for AZ yesterday morning.  When she got to the airport her flight was delayed due to the fog.  It wasnt the first time in the pat few months where the weather has interferred with her travels. 
At Christmas she had to deal with some snow on her way here for a visit.  As I recall she got as far as NC when it started to snow pretty bad and ended up staying just in the south of the border instead of making the trip in one day.  Truth be told the two day trip does seem far more appealing these days.
Her trip tp FLA was the same.  Snow storm.
And then this time the fog.  Funny thing about this trip.  Her flight to Houston was cancelled.  She ended up on a flight to Dallas.  Then her new flight from Dallas to Tuscon was cancelled.  She ended up on another flight at the other end of Dallas airport to get to Tuscon.
I am thankful that my trips have not been that eventful this year.
I am home for another 10 days.  I am going to try to make the most out of it.

Happy Easter

When I first made the plans to be in MKE this past week I had also looked into flying to NJ.  I have done that in the past and it wasn't a bad round trip way to travel for work and go to NJ for a few days.  Unfortunately over the years the flights changed and I didn't find anything convenient.  So instead I will be hostessing Easter dinner here this afternoon for a few friends.  My mom is on her way to AZ.  That is if the fog ever clears at the airport.

I was thinking back over other Easters in the process.  Aaah, the luxury of the new laptop to sit off and just purge the brain for a little bit.  What's the Story Morning Glory playing on Grooveshark helps as well....

Shall we go to St. Thomas for Easter?  Actually we did this a few times when I was younger.  Second grade...  was that the year I got swimmer's ear?  I still religiously use ear drops whenever I swim.  It is an odd step in transition.  I think that was the year I got a hollow chocolate easter egg from one of the stores on the island.  The Easter bunny shopped locally instead of packing it ahead of time.  The next year we left on Easter.  I got a stuffed lamb in my basket and it came along for the trip with us.  I beleive "Lamby" is still upstairs in a bag with some other stuffed animals.  That was the year I got sun poisoning.  And then there was the high school trip to Puerto Rico.  We took a day trip to St. Thomas.  No ailments that time.  But I did make up for it with some mono when we went over Christmas a few years later....  Let's change venues...

In middle school I think we stayed home more often.  My mom (or should I say the Easter bunny) took to creating scavenger hunts for Easter morning.  There would be a clue in my basket and all sorts of good things hidden around the house.  It must have pissed my dad off that she spent a good bit of money on Easter presents.  Just saying mom....  After that there is a bit of a void...  I do remember making an egg shaped cake one year to take to my Uncle's.  I suspect I celebrated Easter with Jen when I was in Bermuda.  And then that brings us to the Charlotte years.

The first year here in Charlotte.  I just moved here.  I just met Maya and her friends.  Angie & I decorated eggs.  Oh that reminds me I have some Easter decorations in the closet that she gave me all those years ago.  Hmmm - wonder if I can yuck them out before company arrives.  We went to that restaurant that is now Cantina over on East for dinner.  Z was working there.  And then he and I went to a party at a friend's parent's house.  Although I think the true scenario was the parents were away and their home was far more condusive to entertaining with a pool table, pool and hot tub than anyone's apartment at the time. 

Year two - that was the pot luck year.  And I think it has been odd varieties of here and there every since. 

Happy Kite Day

Every year I say I am going to make a kite.  I never do.
I always say I am going to get some friends together and celebrate with a tall black and coke.  I never do.
So happy kite day anyways.

http://www.markcarey.com/bermuda/bermuda-kite-flying-on-good-friday.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bermuda_kite

March Madness #4

Welcome to Milwaukee.  Note to self - keep late March as the "ideal calendar" date for this visit.  I know it was unseasonably warm at almost 80d this past week but it was so much nicer than the Winter visits where it is dark and cold!
Besides the warm temps there really isnt anything too exciting to say about the visit.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Oh well...

Now on to April.  I am home (well at least no overnight trips) for 14 days.  Best make the most of it.

March Madness # 3

Well I am still in the midst of this one. I am sitting in the lobby area of The Cabot Lodge in Ridgeland MS. The have a popcorn and cocktails complimentary hour. I hardly ever get here in time to take it all in but I lucked out this evening. There a few older couples that seem to be regulars, a few people here on their first - a little overexcited for the complimentary hour when they checked in ahead of me, and a really interesting group of women - they are signing as they speak. I so want to join their conversation.
Anyways, I am at the end of day 3 of 4 on this trip.
It started on Sunday a morning flight from Charlotte to Jackson. My observations from Sunday - they were conducting a Catholic Mass in the airports business center. Who knew that would be the religion of choice for the airport. It was snowing in Jackson when I arrived. Again who knew. And the drive to Memphis was long and uneventful.
Work Monday didn't really have any highlights. Just taking in Americana.
I had dinner at my favorite little restaurant in Greenwood MS. One of these days I will saty longer and go to the Viking Cooking School.
Tuesaday was slower than normal. Something to adress before I head back out in the fall.
The drive to Jackson from Greenwood was beautiful. I stopped at a swanky shopping center on the way. And now I find myself here.
I have one more day and an early evening flight home.
It will be nice to be home. A shame it will only be Thursday.
Next week will be the next trip.
On an aside I am glad I gave up Facebook for Lent and have been ttraveling it keeps me away from the health care reform banter.

March Madness #2

This was a day trip.
Nothin exciting to comment on. Let me see... Nope nothing to say

March Madness # 1

So the first of my travels had me in Canton, GA. We have a client there and I visit every few years. Don't worry others go in my stead the rest fo the time. This visit was more interesting in that through the wonders of Facebook I had connected with cousins that live there. So the night of my arrival into town we all went out to dinner. It was neat to try to fill in the gaps of family. It was wonderful to hear the description of my grandmother through the eyes of cousin Patsy. And I chuckled at the story of Grandpop hiding some money in Kevin's room when they would visit. That sounds like something he would have done. It was a nice visit. I am hoping to get them together with my mom the next time she is in the area.
The other interesting tidbit about this trip was the weather. It SNOWED the second day I was there. I drove all around to client locations in the snow. It was fun I suppose. I ended up staying an extra night to avoid driving in the mess.

Feeling Sorry for Myself

I have decided the only reason I will feel sorry for myself today is the realisation that I have misplaced my gym lock.  I know I usually leave this type of commentary to the triathlon blog but TODAY is the different day.  I packed up my bag with all the things and gadgets I needed - pants, top, long sleeve shirt, vest, earphones, heart rate montior, pedometer, watch, even a towel.
I made sure my BlackBerry was charged so I could run along with the Stereophonics or David Guetta (I know an odd mix) while I rambled around South Park.  It was going to be 70d today so I figured go to the little gym, change quickly, and hit the pavement. 
I worked late in preparation for a meeting tomorrow.  One I am not going to or really in charge of but we don't need to get into that right now - it will probably come back to haunt me later.  Decided to start to pull all my personal essentials together, only to realise - no lock.  I pilphered through the bag.  Still no lock.  EEEEeeeeerrrrrRRRR!!!
So I came home instead.  I tore through everything.  The gym bag.  Flipped couch cushions.  Rumaged through my closet (OH havent hit up the hall closet yet - there's an idea).  Crawled around on the floor.  Junk drawer.  And other random piles - why I thought it may be in the "taxes" pile I am not sure.  Still no lock.  Readers of the other blog may remember that I misplaced the bike lock a while back as well.
SO - I have decided two new locks with be purchased tomorrow.  Oh and listen to this rebellious adventuresome nature - I think I will actually leave the office at lunch, get a sandwich at Subway in the mall, AND go to Dicks Sporting Goods to get the locks.  Just call me crazy.

And I have decided - having to part with my money because of some forgetfulness on my part - is a perfect reason to feel sorry for myself.  And what better way to pay tribute to my father as we all know it's his voice I will hear when I shell over the $$$.  And if I walk out with new swim goggles - well that's just an equal representation of my mom...

MARCH Madness

And so begins the month of March and I will be inundated with travel.
Yesterday I drove 5 hours to come to Canton GA.  The highlight of the car ride was having dinner with family that I haven't seen in years.  I will be here for a few days.
Then I am off to Mississippi.
Then Milwaukee.
Then Moncks Corner - although I continue to want to call it Charleston to make it feel more exciting...  but really it's not....

Jewelry party

This weekend I went to a jewelry party with KP.  I have been to home cooking parties.  I have been to home candle parties.  I have been to home decorating parties.  And home clothing parties.  I have never been to a jewelry party.  It was kind of neat.  Unfortuantely it would have been far easier to part with my money if I had my closet with me to try out the jewelry with my various tops and jackets.  Oh well.  I guess it is better to keep my money.

Winte tasting

Last weekend Catherine and her friend Shelby and I went to a couple of the NC vineyards to taste some wine.  It started with a nice lunch at Shelton Vineyards.  It was a nice rich lunch of bison meatloaf and mushroom studel.  I surely felt it later.  We did a little wine tasting there.  Nothing too much.
From there we went down to Raffaldini and tasted about 6 of their wines.  I enjoyed their variety of red wine more so than their red.  We ended up purchasing a bottle of wine, sitting outside on the patio, and looking out over the mountains.  I had just said a few days earlier that sitting off and looking out over the mountains had not appeal to me... but it was a nice afternoon.  And wonderful to finally get out in the fresh air.
It was a nice outing for the otherwise snowly February.

Snow

February has brought lots of snow for my little part of NC and a whole lot of other places.  I have taken some pictures in the quiet hours of the morning of the snow undisturbed.  Of course I need to download the pics and add them here...  Maybe over the weekend.
I thought I would find something other than the snow to speak about for the month of February but it is looking like that is not the case.  Well I could talk about work but that will just stress me out...  And that already happened once today... I realised I had 2 appts yesterday, and I will have one a day every day from tomorrow through next Thursday.  Then I get a break for Friday and I am back in the mix of meetings for the following week.  Enough to make you a wee bit mad.  It's not the meetings that are bad it's that there is no time available for prep work.  So it's fine for the people scheduling.  They get breaks but when it is all filtered through to me I get no breaks.  So that's why I didn't want to think/talk about work.
So the snow.  The snow has kind of played on my memory banks...  Where to begin...
Well Valentines Day weekend always reminds me of my dad.  If you were to round out weeks and days etc, you could say that Valentines Day weekend is the last time I saw him alive.  I was in NYC for business and extended the trip to see him.  It was a Friday morning when I arrived into the city.  A car picked me up at LaGuardia and took me to a meeting in White Plains.  While in the meeting everyone spoke about the approaching storm.  I really didn't beleive that there was a big storm approaching.
At the end of the day another driver took me and our client back into the city.  To this day we talk about that man's crazy driving.  He dropped me off at Penn Station so I could catch the train to Shore Points.  I think that was the last time I was in the city.  I like trips like that.  They are on someone else's dime and they make the city seem so user friendly.  When you know those drivers etc cost and arm and a leg.  From there I lugged myself through the station to wait for my train.  Come to think of it that station holds lots of great memories as well....  LOOKOUT I am about to digress...
I remember taking the train into the city to go to a car show.  I don't think that was the first time but it is my first recollection.  My mom, dad and Terry went on that trip.  And then I fast forward to all the concerts in MSG.  Those were always fun times.  OH I lied - I was last in the city for The Police concert.  I remember calling BDA from the station to say I passed the Series 7.  I remember the time I met Lesley and Milton and Chrissy in the station for a few days in the city.  Some great memories.  This time it was just about getting the train home.
Deb called me while I was on the train.  We had a good chat.  She is always a good listener.  And helped me put things into perspective on going to see my dad.  In retrospect I can't lie that I wasn't nervous to see him.  And I think Stacey picked me up in Red Bank.  I think that was that trip.
The story of the snow was becoming more ominous by that point.  And I wasn't settled in at my parents home for very long before it was decided that I should rearrange my flight or risk being stuck in NJ for a whole lot longer than planned.
So the very next day my mom drove me and my dad up to the airport to drop me off.  And that was that.  I got on the plane having spent less than 24 hours with them and headed back to NC.  I remember every single step and every single thought from that mini-van to inside the building but I reserve them for myself.  So snow in February that's what I think of.
Let's hope March comes in like a lion and quickly turns to a lamb.  I could use some sunshine.

congrats mom

making the ride out of lorton and away from the snow to florida without the auto-train
i knew you could do it
yay warmth!

Observations from the road - second hand

My mom is on her way to Florida.  She made plans to take the auto-train a while back and she is supposed to leave tomorrow.  As we all know there has been a snow storm in the NJ to DC area.  She has been watching it for the better part of the week and had plans to stay just north of Baltimore in an attempt to get a little head start on the storm.  That was up until yesterday morning.  Yesterday the media went really above and beyond with the hype (rightfully so I think).  And Amtrak cancelled some routes.  So she did whatever it was she did and got herself to a hotel near the train station.  She arrived in good time yesterday before most of the storm hit.  And now she is on night 2 at the hotel.
Ever since my dad passed away I have encouraged her to write things down memories, current events, just stuff.  I find it to be a nice release (hence this blog) and I thought she might get something out of the task as well.  So I asked her has she been writing all this down.  She said - not really - just her woes....  So here is my interpretation of the situation...
She had her car packed ahead of time.  This is nothing new.  The packing routine in my mom's world is a project.  And I dont think this is a new routine.  I think it has always been this way as I know I have a few (just a few) of the same tendencies with packing. 
I would say that the alarm was set.  But in reality she was probably awake before the alarm.  She still gets excited for trips like little kids get excited for Christmas.  I am envious of her that she still has this enthusiasm.  I think with all my travel for work I have lost a bit of that.
And she had her hotel provisions - water bottles, snacks, etc.
The drive itself is not a new one so there wasn't much preparation in that.  Just get on the road and make sure you know where you are staying at the other end.  And for that I believe Amtrak connected her to the convenient hotel.  Not the marginally convenient but very comfy bed Hampton Inn I lined up for her last year.  (Last year there was a snow storm on her way home and she got delayed in VA).  And unlike myself - she still has a deal with Sirius radio she was all set for trekking down the road.
And now she is just hanging out at the hotel.  I think this is where I find more humor than the woes.  Imagine all these people stuck in the hotel just waiting for the train to leave.  As of yesterday, her train was still all set for tomorrow.  As I write this that is no longer the case.  She is now on Tuesday's train.
So in the world of the imagination - I suppose the people hunkered down in the snow at the hotel could take a Shining/Agatha Christie spin...  but in reality it seems far more comical than that...  For some reason people always talk to my mom - well let's be honest she does a good job of always talking to them too.
There is some man that seems to be hanging out in the lobby and commenting to people who pass. 
There are the people who think the complimentary buffett at breakfast is more of an all you can eat feeding frenzy.
The woman coordianting people to clean off cars and the parking lot.
I can just iamgine what an exercise in people watching it would be.  If I was there I would so be in the lobby sitting in a corner writing writing writing down all that I observed. 
Instead I am writing just a blip from the comfort of my couch.  Got my hair cut today.  Had a nice lunch with a friend I havent seen in a while.  Did some grocery shopping.  And now am attempting to make a white bean and spinach soup.  I am very curious to hear how the next few days of hanging out at the hotel are. 

Observations from the road

I am not one to talk too much about work or too much about politics.  I don't talk about work because ultimately someone thinks I can give them a stock tip or help them time the market.  Not really my approach to things.  Or I can bore them to tears.  I don't talk much about politics because I feel that instead of talking about the government and what they should be doing, we should take that time to do something ourselves - we may find we are more productive...  But this week work and politics overlapped to make me reflective.
I did not watch the Presidents address the other night.  For one reason I find his delivery - no matter what the message - annoys me.  I find myself thinking - dont' they give classes on public speaking, surely someone could train/coach/teach him to refine his delivery?  And then I start thinking - Sam Seaborn and Aaron Sorkin could write a better speech, maybe they should be added as speech czars to Mr. Obamas staff.  The other reason - that really warrants more importance... I need to get up early on Thursday to go see a client.  By early I mean, the alarm went of at 4:45am and I was on the road in a rental car by 6am.
Ad that's where it all overlaps...
I was on my way to see one of the longest clients I have dealt with for my company.  When I interviewed this was the company they used as an example to discuss what my job would look like.  Funny - I was truly naive as to the client's industry before that time - call it a girl thing.  I was going to their plant.  Yes, a manufacturing plant...  At least 6 times a year, if not more, I find myself spending a day or 2 on-site in manufacturing plants that are still here in the US.  You think that is a novelty...?  You don't think the people I meet with don't understand what a novelty it is as well.  So off I go (leaving sick dog behind) and 3 hours later I arrive at their doorstep. 
And I am always awestruck by the experience...  I have been going to this location for years now so I go unescorted through the back door and into the plant.  It is a big building and there are shelves of stuff running down aisles after aisles all the way to the ceiling.  There are products for distribution.  There are parts for production.  There ARE areas that sit empty that used to hold products and/or people for a line that is no longer here in the US.  And I find myself in a back room with an internet connection to my laptop and a poor cell signal.  Today we are going to talk about the importance of saving and some other basics.  By the end of the day I will have heard amazing stories from everyday Americans.  I will saddened to hear some of them have family members on their way to war overseas.  Others have stories of volunteer work that make my donations of cash to the foodbank seem lazy.  There are young people eager to learn about this thing called planning.  There are older people thinking this is the year they will retire.  All of them have a sense of pride for who they are and what they do.  Most of them work hard for the money they make.  And I feel blessed that I have a job where I can try to help them put some of those pieces together for their future.
I never expected that to be the case when I took this job.  There are other aspects of this job that I thought were so interesting when I started.  Would really challenge the mind.  Really force me outside my area of knowledge.  I never thought that the days on the road talking to stranger after stranger would bring the best satisfaction.  If only everyone had the opportunity to spend some time with everyday America.  Then maybe we wouldn't focus so much on DC but maybe on our own backyard.

Snow Day

I guess I should document that we did in fact have some sort of wintry mix this month.  I have to say I was quite surprised at the results.  They said a storm would be moving in Friday night - around 6pm.  I took that as a valid excuse to forgo swimming.  Around 4:30pm yesterday someone commented that it was already snowing.  I had to laugh - I saw maybe 2 or 3 flakes after truly straining my vision out the office window.  My co-worker from Boston and I had a good laugh.  And then some 15 minutes later he came by my office to say it was in fact snowing.  Sure enough - there were more flakes coming down.  So I packed up my desk and along with everyone else the hit the roads right at 5:00.  I could have screamed once I was out on the road from the parking deck....  There were so many cars.  I seriously think everyone saw that first flake and ran for their car.  It was quite beautiful the snow coming down... and it was beginning to accumulate along the landscaping.  Would you beleive by the time I made it to the second Target - not too sure on the mileage there - we'll say 20 minutes down the road at tops - the roads were ecompletely dry.  And as far as I could tell, no precipitation started around my house until the early morning hours.  So now there is some sort of frozen tundra outside my back door.  The roads are frozen, the car is frozen shut as is the garbage can, and the little guy and I struggled to maintain our footing on his potty runs... but I am not sure if it is an accumulation of snow with sleet on top or if it is just an accumulation of sleet.
I took some pictures.  I will download them shortly.
Other than that we have stayed in today.  Oh and fretted over his ear infection and potential other ailments.  And eventually hung some red neck curtains (that would be make shift curtains push-pinned over the windows to keep the cold out) as it is supposed to get down to 13F tonight.
A fun way to end January I suppose.  We were supposed to go out for dinner - restaurant week in Charlotte - but the drive just isn't worth it.  Some are walking to the Mexican restaurant.  I am making lentils and some butternut squash soup.

Haiti

I figure if I am going to chronicle the year I suppose I need to note the earthquake in Haiti. I have been sucked into the news on Haiti both Wednesday and Thursday night. It just sucks me in.
I had a work associate that did some ministry work in Haiti a few years back. I was familiar with state of their nation as a result of his preparation to go there. But it wasn't until the other day's news that I learned it is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. Most citizens were struggling to provide for themselves in the first place. How sad.
The cynic of politics and media has many thoughts on the subject but I will leave it at just the shock of it all right now.

Something new for the new year

Here's one that comes as a surprise but then again maybe not. FrAngie have invited me to a republican dinner this evening. And I am going. I try not to get too involved in politics. I find the act of politicking in todays media driven environment to be disappointing and more about fame than about governing. So I usually lay low. But then there is that side of me that some may recall (Dave, when you read this Deb will confirm this to be true) that I took a whole bunch of poli-sci classes in university. And I even did an intern through the state government. So there is a part of government that does interest me. So I decided to embrace that long lost interest and go to this dinner. As for the republican aspect? Well we all know I am not a democrat even if I am not a card carrying flag waving member of the republican party. I am looking forward to this evening. Definitely something new for the new year.

Happy New Year Happy New Decade

Wow, think about it... There is so much that has happened over the past year. Well that was my goal - to do a bunch of cool things in my 40th year. And I think I did OK. Didn't do all the things I was hoping to do but I did enough.
Highlights of the year?
That snow storm way at the beginning of the year when I had to be to the airport to go to Wisconsin. That was memorable. I generally don't go too far from home when the weather acts up down here. But there was no way we could use a stranded excuse for a client in Wisconsin.
The trip to Myrtle Beach was a pleasant surprise as well. I was trying to go somewhere convenient. I didn't think it would be all the exciting but it was nice.
Walking to Cooper River Bridge ranked up there.
When my mom visited over the Spring we did a lot of local sight-seeing that I hadn't done before. Brattonsville and those shoal lily?
The two races I competed in. watch out for 2010...
There may be more but that is what comes to mind so that must be the best.