365-2 | Peaches Prattlings

{September 7, 2014} Who doesn’t know Michael Jackson and his music!?!?!

Ok, I should say, who, under 15 years old, and I may be stretching it here, doesn’t know Michael Jackson or his music?

I am sitting in the command center doing one of my go-live shifts and we started talking about music, which led to talking about Michael Jackson and one of the guys doing support said he wasn’t familiar with Michael Jackson, WHAT? He only knew one or two songs because they were performed by the marching band in high school. Really?

Come one, who doesn’t know Michael Jackson..who doesn’t at least know Thriller? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA. Just to name one! Or Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five?

How many tributes can they do? How many songs can they put in movies? How many…how many…how many? It’s Michael Jackson!!

Ok, rant over, I just had to get that out.

{September 6, 2014} Go-Live

Last night I mentioned that I was taking a nap before I had to go back to work and I would explain more tomorrow, here it is today!

As you may or may not know, I am a software trainer and for what I am working on now and when I was in Ann Arbor, I should share the life cycle of a project. At the start of the project, there is a week for orientation, badges, getting to know you and stuff like that. The next few weeks, hopefully 6-8 weeks of T3, Train-The-Trainer, this is where the trainer learns the application so that they can turn around and for the next 6-8 weeks, depending on the number being trained, there is End User training.

After End User training, there is Go-Live, where they flip the switch and “go-live” with the application. And this is where I am sitting right now.

The go-live or “flipping the switch” usually happens about 4:00 in the morning and that’s when it’s “All hands on deck” and everyone is on-board for support. You will have 24/7 support for at least two weeks, that means someone has to be there twenty four hours a day, 12 hour shifts.

Last night, my first shift was 3am-7am, after that I was able to go back to the hotel for a few hours of sleep and up again to go in 6pm-6am and here we are at about midnight, with six hours to go. I am on this shift for a few days, have a day off, then on again, but this time 5am-4pm and so it goes.

When it is jumping and people have questions it’s great, lots of activity, when it’s quiet and things are going well, it’s really quiet.

So, here I sit, writing to you telling you what my life is going to be like for the next few weeks.

{September 5, 2014} These sheets are too tight!

Yes, I said these sheets are too tight!

I am staying at a Hilton in Louisville and while I love that they make the bed every day, these sheets are tucked in way too tight!

This fabulous housekeeping staff could give the military a run for its money!

I practically have to rip the sheets off to get under the covers and if I don’t, you can bet that it doesn’t look like anyone slept in the bed the night before!

That being said, I’m going to take a nap before my 3am shift at the hospital (for work) More on that tomorrow.

Good night.

{September 5, 2014} New places

I know I’ve talked about some of the trials and tribulations of traveling for work, but there are some terrific advantages.

One of them being, I get to try new places to eat and maybe do some touristy things. I know I talked about a few of the restaurants I went to in A2, Ann Arbor, for those of you not ‘in the know’ [I promise, A2 is EVERYWHERE around that place!

Well, here I am in Louisville, KY and there is a whole new world of places to try! I have asked for recommendations from people that I’ve met and so far, they’ve been great! I also like driving down the street an finding a new place which leads to another new place which leads to another and so on!

So…PM and I have found that! We’ve had a great time discovering new places! He knows he’s not KLS or KNOB, but it’s been great getting to know him and explore the city and all it has to offer together.

So far, I think we’ve done pretty well trying new places almost every day. Here is where we have been to date:

Gordon Biersch, a microbrewery and restaurant. It’s a chain, one that I frequented and enjoyed in Atlanta and PM had never been there. Once was good, twice, in a row…what? We went with the team, a welcome to Kentucky kind of thing. Ok, but that’s it, new places from now on!

We went to lunch at Wild Eggs, it was wild and we had eggs. groan. We also found Earth Friends Cafe, they had some vegan friendly dishes, the vegan Philly Cheese steak was AWESOME! Ok, that place I will go again! Safier Mediterranean, another place for lunch, is tasty and inexpensive and within walking distance to the office, so it gets lots of points. The baklava was yummy!

Decca was fun and interesting, the decorations were fun and the food…FABULOUS! I love anyone who can do magic with broccoli! The last three restaurants we’ve tried this week were The Grape Leaf for lunch yesterday, great hummus and baba ganoush, how can you go wrong there? I also had yummy lentil soup and a giant fatoush salad! Yum!

Last night we went to Sway, which is off the lobby of the Hyatt, where PM is staying this week and it was fabulous! Our server, Jean, made the evening, we became fast friends and I was so happy to pass on to her, as a tip, the $10 bill I had found earlier that day! And last, but definitely not least..today for dinner we went to Harvest, we had seen it several times and tonight finally went in. A wonderful creation with spaghetti squash, mmmm.

The great thing about these restaurants lately is that the staff has been terrific and the kitchens very accommodating to my needs as a vegan. Nothing bad to date! What can i say, I’m spoiled and i like me that way!

I have a list..who knows where we will go next! Stay tuned!

{September 4, 2014} We have a 2nd grader in the family!

EJS started second grade today! What? When did that happen???

Where does the time go? I am going to get sappy, you’ll just have to deal with it!

All over the country, mostly in the northeast, students went back to school this week. In the south, they went back to school last month, traditionally in the north and northeast, the day after Labor Day. You know the drill, pictures all over FaceBook of kids dressed and ready for the first day, some with signs, some not.

For my very wonderful, funny, smart and fantastic niece, yes, I am biased, EJS, started school today, second grade to be exact. I saw pictures posted on FaceBook, two of them, one with just her and MGS and the other with her sister and dad. Such great pictures!

Ok, here comes the sappy…I remember the day I met EJS for the first time, she was one week old, eight days to be exact [at least I think it was eight, could have been seven]. I saw her and held her in my arms and I was in love! And here she is seven years old and starting second grade.

When i got to their house on Friday, I opened the door and she ran and jumped into my arms, how much longer am I going to be able to pick her up? Who cares, I hope she does it for as long as she wants to and I can at least lift her off the ground a little.

Today, I got a call from EJS! She was calling to tell me about her first day of school. “We didn’t do any learning, we just got to know each other” and tomorrow is going to be a new day and the next step towards a great year. She likes her teacher and classmates, how can you go wrong there?

I want to wish EJS and everyone starting school this week a very good and successful year, whatever your grade. It’s going to be a great year!

{September 2, 2014} Travel Day

Travel days can be exhausting!

People who don’t travel for work often think that it’s a simple process. Book the flight, show up at the airport and get to where you’re going and you’re done.

Here’s the reality.

Go to the travel portal or wherever you book travel, find the shortest distance to get where you need to go, connecting or no connecting flight? If there is a connector, how long will it be? Will there be enough time between flights to get to the next gate, is it across the airport, same terminal? Do I have time to grab a bite to eat? Will my connecting flight be on time? Will weather delay it? Will I be delayed taking off? Will people on my first flight wait while I get off the plane so i can make my connecting flight?

You finally make it to your destination may have just taken six hours or more of flying time. Get to your final destination, then you have to wait for your luggage, when is it coming out? go find your rental car, is it ready?

Get your luggage in the car, get to your hotel or office first? If it’s the office, you had to travel in your work/business clothes, fun. Then you finally get there and it’s anywhere between 11am and 3pm. Don’t forget you started off between 4 and 6am because don’t forget you have to get to the airport an hour before your flight, so that means you had to leave at least an hour before that.

So…as much as I enjoy traveling for work, sometimes it’s a bit taxing, hence the reason I try to travel on Sunday afternoons. No pressure to get anywhere in a hurry and I can get to work easily the next day.

Still love traveling for work! Don’t knock it until you try it!

{September 1, 2014} Pool day!

A day of rest? What’s that?

Today I did actually sleep in, until almost 9am! Wow! Did I do something good to deserve this treat? What is it they say…I need a vacation from my vacation!

We all got motivated, did coffee runs and had breakfast, then it was make lunches, pack up the cars and head to the pool! It’s been over a month since I sat in a pool, outside. I’ve been to hotel pools, but they’re all inside, this was great!

We were at the pool maybe three minutes and we were already getting pulled in! “Hurry up! I wanna swim!” EJS has been taking swimming lessons and has improved so much over the last year! She even took her test to get her the band to allow her in the four foot deep section without an adult! Next will be the test for the nine foot deep section of the pool.

We all splashed and played and had a great time, breaking for lunch then getting back in, not right away, took a break and then went back. Took another break later, read a little of my book, started to doze off and then it was time to go home. Oh yeah, a little FaceTime with GES somewhere in between, since she had stayed home to get some work done.

Back home, we showered and got dressed and did some work around the house and then ACS’ friend, JR, came over and we all went to dinner at a local Irish pub, it was fun and entertaining.

On the way home, stop at Petco to pick up stuff for the cats, some toys and scratching posts. Oh! Papa, or my dad as I know him, worked out a deal with EJS to help with the cats: food, water, litter, every day and each week, she will get $3, sounds fair to me! I’ll definitely be getting in on this action ! Thanks for thinking of it dad!

Home for bath, games and bed. RG came over to chat for a while, it was great to see her! Finished packing and now I’m talking to you!

Good night dear friends, I have a very early day tomorrow, back to Louisville!

{September 1, 2014} A country fair and lobster fest!

How does one follow a day at the beach? With a country fair and lobster fest, of course! Didn’t you get the memo?

The day started way too early, 7:30 to be exact, is there a pattern here? The bad part wasn’t the time, just the fact that I fell asleep at 3:30am! Party, Party, Party!

We got motivated and out of the house about 10:15, which was only 15 minutes later than planned, go us! We loaded the girls into the convertible again, they were ready for it, sweatshirts on this time, still continued to bundle up, windows up, top down and we were off!

We were meeting ACS’s brother and sister-in-law, JS and AS, at the 154th annual Woodstock Fair, http://www.woodstockfair.com/. It was a good, old-fashioned country fair, who doesn’t love that! There were rides for all ages, vendors, animals, exhibitions, car races, food, funnel cake, games and so much more. There were crowds of people, most of them smiling, some of the wee tots don’t smile so much when someone tells them no!

We started off taking a trip around to see some of the booths with fun goods. I got a new face mask that will double for the motorcycle and skiing. My last one had to be thrown away, this one is just like it, with pink flames! I will rock the slopes again this year! I did find a gorgeous pair of cowboy, or I should say cowgirl boots, of course, they were on sale for…$289. I just couldn’t do it, even though my birthday is coming up…it’s not the perfect pair I want, those I might spend that kind of money!

Then we got some fried dough, GES and I thought we were getting funnel cake, not so. But there was powdered sugar and it satisfied half the craving, and the girls liked it, what more could you want!

Next were the animals: cows, GIANT rabbits, chickens, roosters, chicks, ducks, sheep, pigs, alpacas, goats, oh my! There were sheep being sheared, cows being born, it was amazing!

I believe she was smiling!

We went into some of the exhibition barns to see different competitors and entries. There were race cars and music and entertainment and giant gourds! Oh my!

The sand art was amazing!

The living statue was creepy and cool, all at the same time!

I love handmade crafts!

Wouldn’t this be great for CBS Sunday Morning?

O M G!! The largest one was over 1100 pounds!

Finally, there were games and rides and oh did the girls love those! Bumper cars, carousel horses and ring tosses, oh my! Were we wiped out? Yes we were!

Back in the car, top up, windows down and to the house James!

When we got home, it was just in time to bring things to the driveway next door for Lobster Fest ’14! This is a tradition that the families on the block have been doing during Labor Day weekend for years. They have done it at GES and ACS’ house many times in the driveway, but this year…the neighbors weren’t there, so guess where we set up!

We had lobster, burgers, dogs, salads, veggies, dips, chips, beer, wine and LaLa’s famous home made sangria. For dessert, there was watermelon, champagne grapes, cookies and cakes, oh my!

We ate and drank and laughed and had the best time and then packed it in just as it seemed it would start raining and we beat the clock! We cleaned up, got the kids inside, baths, books, games and night night!

And then the second shower of the day for most of us, we were hot sticky messes! Now, I sit here writing to you about my day and after I load some pictures into this post I’m going to bid you a fond good evening. [fingers crossed i get more than 4 hours of sleep!]

What will we be doing tomorrow? Who knows…but as you’ve guessed, there is never a dull moment around this house!

Goodnight!

{August 31, 2014} A day at the beach…

Is there really more to say? Well, alright, if i must!

Today was going to be a day at the beach with a few other families, to spend time together and celebrate a 5th birthday of another wonderful munchkin who calls me Auntie J!

I got up about 7:30, not because I wanted to, by any means, I was hoping for a little more sleep, but, there you have it. No sleeping late in this house! As I’m trying to get my eyes open, about 7:45/7:50 I hear ‘Is it time to wake Auntie J up yet?” “No” was my sister’s response, but I was up so i went upstairs.

There was fun to be had! Wrestling, tickling, silliness, you name it, we had it. Then ACS was going for a run and invited me to go. It was going to be a 5 mile day for him, he’s training for a half marathon in a few weeks. Yes, I wanted to go, I haven’t run in 2 weeks, it was time. [and you know I’m participating in a half marathon in November, I need to get moving!]

We started off strong, I kept up with him and his pace, which was a little faster than I am used to, now that i have a rhythm that started to work, but I did it. I kept up for about 1.5 miles and then he kept going and i walk/ran the rest of the way. I did my five miles, just not all running, but I am quite please with what I did.

I met ACS and my dad at the grocery store on the way home, stopped for a few things and hitched a ride home, I’m ok with that. Then it was make lunches, pack the car and get ready to go! What better way to go to the beach than in a convertible with the top dropped, they loved it!

It was a beautiful day for a drive, with the top down, to the beach. Guess who was the only one not bundled up!

We made it to the house, quick change and it was beach bound, across the street and down the path, what could be better?! The sand was hot, the water was cold and the air was perfect. There is nothing, nothing I tell you, like time on the beach. It so made me want to buy a place on the beach or live there full time. Oh, why can’t Colorado have a beach, then it would be absolutely perfect!

We spent about four hours, maybe more, on the beach. A walk with dad, played a little with the kids, had lunch and then took a nap, glorious! I have to tell you, I never sleep so well as I do on the beach or right near it, there is nothing like it, did I already say that?

The kids had a great time and even started their own ice bucket challenge, so to speak. this consisted of dumping buckets of ocean water on their heads, so stinking cute! One started, then another joined in, eventually there were four of them!

After the beach we headed to the house for showers and a cookout and then singing and birthday cake with ice cream, what more could you want?

A few hours later it was back in the car, top up and drive home. On the way, EJS asked if she could ride in my car tomorrow to the fair, guess what my answer was!

On to the next adventure! Goodnight!

{August 29, 2014} Take a nap…this is going to be a long one!

Are you ready to hear about my day?

As you know, i drove to Boston today, so here goes.

Last night, I found a hotel, not necessarily a pet friendly hotel…they were friendly and I snuck my pets in! shhh…I put BOTH cats into one carrier and smuggled them into the hotel and up the stairs, yeah for side doors! I slept for a few hours, they were both with me, then I got up at 8, put them both back into the carrier and Peanut proceeded to hiss and wail and whine! Oh NO! Please be quiet! So I smuggled them back out the door and into the car! whew!

On the road I went. I made it to NY State!

I checked in with NB, or Twin, as i call him and we decided on where to meet for lunch, since I was going to be going right past his neck of the woods. He then informed me that, duh, I would be driving right past my Alma mater, SUNY Fredonia, http://www.fredonia.edu/index.html, how excited was I! I was on the phone with SH when I got off the highway and she was almost as excited as I was!

Oh my goodness! Not much has changed! I had the cats with me, so I couldn’t spend a lot of time on campus, but I promised everyone on FaceBook who messaged me, that I would definitely be making a trip back to see them! And I will be doing that sometime in the near future! There are so many people I would love to see!

I did make a stop at the Campus Bookstore and geeked out! Everything they have for sale online pales in comparison to all they had to offer in the store! Dad got a Fredonia Dad sweatshirt, GES got a t-shirt and sweatshirt, ACS got a long sleeve t-shirt, EJS and GMS got t-shirts, LaLa got a t-shirt and yours truly: 2 sweatshirts, a t-shirt, notebook, postcard and a bag. come on, it’s a Fredonia bag! It’s my old school, so there!

The campus is still lovely and warm and inviting, but now there is a Tim Horton’s and Starbucks? On campus! What? And some high end apartments, huh? Who cares, it made me long for those days! GES asked if I would go back, yes I would is my answer!

I couldn’t spend too much time, first, there was a 30 minute time on the parking spot, not heavily enforce, thank goodness and second, I had the cats. I left the windows down, it was 67 degrees and in the shade, felt great and they were fine. No worries people, whenever there is sun and it’s any warmer, I leave the car running with the AC on, every time I went to a rest stop, that’s what I did.

Back in the car and head to lunch with NB and on the way, got a text from JC a dear friend I knew from MCC that I met at Binghamton when we were both a part of NYPIRG, all these acronyms! He wanted to see me, so he came to lunch too! It was so great to see them both, we laughed and had a great time, got some good pics and I headed back on the road with a promise of a visit soon!

Then it was uneventful for the next, oh, I don’t know…8billion miles! Kidding. I got to my sister’s house about 9, not too bad for a days journey. We started at 8:30, stopped at Fredonia for about 45 minutes, a little over an hour for lunch, a few gas stops and we made it in about 9 hours. Go me!

The girls did great, for the most part, they’re cats, they are not as enthusiastic about car rides as dogs, so all in all, good girls!

The suck part…THE TOLLS! I bet I spent close to $20 on tolls. NY State, aren’t the road good enough? FIVE CENTS per mile, what? IF and I say IF I were to ever make this drive again…EZ Pass will be my friend!

I got to GES’ house about 9, as I mentioned and the girls were up waiting for me! Running into my arms and so excited to meet Jymy and Peanut, so many questions and now, here I sit, talking to you and Peanut is purring in my arms. Happy kitty! And Jymy just joined to say hello.

Ok, here is where I leave you because I am a very tired girl and I need some sleep…beach tomorrow!

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