A New Adventure | Peaches Prattlings

{February 11, 2018} A day on the mountain!

What a great day! Second time on the slopes for me this season, first time for ST in a few years! Let’s do this thing!

We got up earlier than anyone should for a Saturday! 6am, ugh! But, we had to get on the road, it’s about 1.5 hours to Breckenridge from Golden, Colorado. Ok, so that’s without traffic…GPS said 1.55, ok. In reality…3 hours, we literally got there about 9:45am, wow! It was snowing pretty hard, so everyone is moving slowly and we see the snow plows…going in the other direction!

I have to say, growing up in NYC, going to college in western NY, living in Colorado for a bit, all of that helped with driving in the snow, especially since we were in a Ford Escort! Nothing more suitable for the snow this time, that wouldn’t cost me a lot extra, no thanks! There were a few slip and slide potential moments, but…according to ST, I handled it like a champ! I hope he wasn’t lying!

We got to Breck, found a place to park, thankfully! Suited up, ok, tomorrow, we are wearing our ski pants to the mountain instead of putting them on in the car and in the snow! Boots on, that in and of itself is a beast! We got our skis, walked to the shuttle and poof! We were at the gondola! We got ST’s buddy pass and up the mountain we went!

Here is where the real struggle began! This happened to me the last time I was up here and it is incredibly frustrating, but…it’s nice, sort of, to know it’s happening to others as well, not just us! The snow is so wet, it is building up on the bottom of the boots, with ice, so fast that you cannot hook into the skis! You had to scraped the bottom of the boots really well before you can snap in. About 30 minutes later! we were on the lift!

Since this was ST’s first time in a while, it was slow going, only meaning that he took his time and I was totally fine with that! I remember my first time back on skis when I moved to Colorado. There was a lot of fresh powder, which sometimes makes skiing a little more difficult when it hasn’t been groomed. He took it all in stride and like a champ!

We skied a few runs, then it was time for lunch, well, we decided to have lunch with I think everyone else on the mountain! We were lucky to find a seat! Got some lunch, wow, what they charge for food! I am not sure if the lift ticket was cheaper!

After lunch, I went back out to do a few more runs and…after about 30 minutes of trying to get the skis back on, I was done. I was SO frustrated! I called ST and told him what happened and that we were outta here! GRRRRR

Do you see the amount of snow that piled up while we were in the lodge?!

Well, it was only about 3pm, we headed to the shuttle, got on the wrong one and got a short tour of Breckenridge, then back at the gondolas, got on the right shuttle and back to the car.

Then…it turns out a co-worker from my project in Chicago, who lives in Colorado, SG, was going to be in Breckenridge this weekend with his family and some friends, as well so we made plans to meet up this afternoon. We ended meeting them at Mi Casa, a Mexican restaurant, in downtown Breckenridge, for happy hour and we oh my, a very happy bunch!

There were three couples, with five kids between them, they are all neighbors and friends. There were pitchers or beer, drinks for the kids, wings, tacos, guac and chips for all, not to mention good conversations, a lot of laughs and new friendships.

A few hours later, we all parted ways, they all headed to their hotel in Breck and we headed to Silverthorne to our hotel. The roads were better than when we came in this morning! We chilled, got settled and thought about dinner.

But…we were so bushed, guess what’s about to happen in a few? zzzzzzzzzzzz What does tomorrow hold? More!!!

{February 7, 2018} Another farewell…

Another roll off dinner, another farewell to another co-worker.

Tonight, we said goodbye to the man who brought me on to this project in Illinois. Neither of us are sure how he found me, but he did. I don’t know if you remember me telling you about about the time we first talked, but I was in the back of a hotel shuttle in Washington, DC. I was with the family for Spring Break week.

We talked about the project and I told him that I knew nothing about IES, never even heard of it. I also didn’t know at the time that DHS stood for Department of Human Services, I still thought it was Department of Homeland Security! Imagine that! I quickly found out what it was and I was game.

I told him what I tell anyone I interview with, if you want an expert in that software, I’m not the person for you, but if you are want someone who can learn the product, get ramped up quickly and deliver, then take a chance on me. And he did! I’m so glad for it!

He’s always encouraged me, supported me, listened when I had ideas or needed to express or vent, as it were. Throughout the entire project, he’s been so supportive, giving me the tools I needed and always trying to help me grow in my role and take on more responsibility.

We’ve laughed together, been frustrated together, talked about movies, music, books, travel, had the same views on some things and differed on others. It’s fun to be able to talk to your manager about things other than work. There have been one-on-one dinners, team dinners, outings, events, meetings, calls, you name it, the list goes on.

And, as with all things, all good things must come to an end. This is the time that the project is wrapping up and people are rolling off left and right. A few weeks ago, a roll off, tonight, a roll off, I wonder who’s next!

So, tonight, we all gathered at a new restaurant and had food, drinks, toasts, poems, a team gift, lots of laughs, stories and a good time, just as a send off should be!

I wish him a lot of luck and as always, thank you for taking a chance bringing me to this project knowing I didn’t know the product. Good luck MS! I hope we get to work together again some time, I’d do it in a skinny minute!

{February 5, 2018} Take that Nikola Tesla!

I have been playing Words With Friends for a few months…this time.

I think I started playing Words With Friends years ago like everyone else and it was fun and exciting. I think I was playing Draw Something at the same time, weren’t you?

Like many games, we lose interest, something new and exciting comes along or maybe, like many others, you kept playing. Well, a few months ago, I decided to get back into the game, ha ha.

So, here I am playing Words With Friends 2, updates, new and improved. I’ve got about 10 games going with four different people, it’s fun and challenging.

Now, the title of my post, I know you’re scratching your head like “huh”? So, with this new version, there are different challenges that you can participate in. There are events, always theme based, right now, there is a Valentine’s Day theme. With the events, you have to reach a certain number of points to win a prize. The points are earned by completing so many solo games, so many words with big scoring letters, X, J, Z, Q, competing in lightening round games with strangers, things like that.

Then, the next challenge is against the game, but they make it interesting. Each challenge has a different theme, right now, it’s famous poets, the last was investors. There are a few in the bronze, silver and gold levels. Easy, medium and hard in each.

So, as you can guess, each level, since there is a theme, has to have a name. With the inventors, there was Alexander Bell, Edison and the last and hardest was Nikola Tesla.

The easy, in my opinion, is very easy. Then the medium, more of a challenge, as it should be and then the hard, sometimes not too bad, but it is harder and there have been times with the medium and hard that I have had to replay a few times. But this time, Nikola Tesla, wow! It took me seven, yes I said seven! times to beat him! It was so frustrating!

I’m sure when you play games against a computer you think it cheats sometimes, right? How does it get that perfect move, those letters, come on! Really?!

Ok, so… sometimes, when I’m playing I get a bit competitive. It’s funny, when I’m playing with real people, yes, you want to win but there are other opportunities. With the computer, yes, I can play again, but there’s a time limit, the event ends and a new one starts. But, if you know me and my race medals…I’m determined! I’m not missing out on that badge, that gold box!

So…I played Nikola Tesla, just like all the others, and I knew I was getting close, but I was cautious and that calculator… How many points do I need to beat the machine!

So… in this instance… Take that Nikola Tesla!

Hey, if you want to play me, let me know, I’m always up for the challenge!

{February 4, 2018} An executive decision!

Today, I made an executive decision…nope, not gonna do it!

This morning I was supposed to do a 15k and yesterday the prediction was freezing rain in the morning. First, I couldn’t sleep, go figure…maybe I’d gotten too much sleep the night before, I had slept until about 9:30am yesterday. So, by 2am I was forcing myself to go to sleep and then I woke up at 3am, then 4am, finally at 4:30am, I got up, got dressed and headed out the door…in the freezing rain!

There was no one on the road and when I got to where parking was and the race start, no people. I drove around for a minute and then thought…wait, I’m an adult, I don’t have to do this! If it had just been cold out, race on, but it’s freezing rain, no thanks. No medal is worth this!

Executive decision made! I turned around, went back to where I was staying, worked out, showered and got dressed and got on with my day, all comfy-cozy and warm, good enough for me!

{February 3, 2018} Grace and Frankie Season 4…I want some of that

So, you know how much I love Grace and Frankie, well, I hope you do, I’ve mentioned it a few times. So, now you do!

If you haven’t watched it, basically the women, Grace and Frankie were married to Robert and Saul, respectively and Robert and Saul have been having an affair for about 20 years, it all comes out, the men leave the women and marry each other.

Grace and Frankie only tolerated each other all these years and now, they share the beach house the two families owned together and they’ve become friends and more, they become family, if that makes sense.

Now, it’s a few years later and they are closer than ever, they are best friends and when one moved away the other was devastated then she moved back and now they’re together again.

Grace is a little more straight laced and serious, loosening up a bit and Frankie is an artist, free thinking and coo-coo for cocoa puffs. I have a feeling my friends would say I’m more Frankie than Grace. I’m ok with that!

So, I’m sitting here watching season 4 and someone points out what they have with each other and someone said “I wish I had a Frankie” her sister says “I thought I was your Frankie” and I realize, I have that with my close friends, I am so very grateful for that.

But then I started thinking…who would be the Grace to my Frankie when we’re older? Someone to live in a giant beach house with an attached studio, share things with, do nothing with, scheme, watch movies on the sofa eating junk food, take care of each other when we’re not well, hide us when we don’t want to be seen and fight for each other.

Each of my sister/girlfriends have so many great qualities, I want to live with all of them in a giant house. They don’t all know each other, but they all know me and I want to grow old with all of them. Can’t I build this fabulous house on the beach that has enough rooms for all of us and each night I get to veg out and be silly with each of them? Wait, now we sound like one of those Mormon families with multiple/sister wives! OMG!

That’s what I do with each of them in different ways and I love it! JCT and I sit in her recliner chairs, even fall asleep there sometimes; TS and I sit on opposite love seats; RJS and I sit on opposite sides of a sofa sharing a blanket, SDL and I sit at the kitchen table and drink tea, CKM and I were always out, so we had a tradition of either sitting in each other’s cars or standing between the two for hours! LBK and I sit in her recliner sofa or at the kitchen table. DLP and I sit on the sofa in front of the fireplace at the Waldorf Astoria or on the floor in her apartment and WIS and I sit for hours in different vegan restaurants. And GES, we sit on the sofa together sharing a blanket, in the kitchen at the counter or on one of our beds at her house. CWB and I don’t live anywhere near each other so our time is on the phone, but I bet we’d sit on the sofa and talk all night.

Wow, I do the same thing with each of them, in slightly different ways, but it’s the same wonderful tradition and it’s not like it’s planned, it just works out that way. I wouldn’t change a thing!

So…back to my original idea…can’t I have that fabulous house with room for everyone? I want to grow old with each and every one of them. I love you all so very much! Wow I’m lucky!!!

{February 2, 2018} Civic Duty…I did mine!

Seriously? Did that just happen?!

I was on my way to the airport and something happened I think I’ve only seen in movies. I was driving and there was a car in the next lane. Now, I said next lane, not the next lane over with a lane in between us, but right next to me. Let’s just say if there was a passenger, they could have reached out and touched the driver in that car. So, you’re with me so far, I can tell.

Then, all of a sudden, there was a car in between us. What? Yes, in between us, driving over the dotted white line…in between us! How did that car fit?! I looked at the driver, after the intruder zoomed past and we both had our mouths open and chins on the floor.

I thought, ok, an idiot. Then…I saw him do it two more times, successfully, he got stopped two other times. That was it…I dialed 911. Yes I did. As I told them what was happening, they transferred me to the state police and I told the officer what happened. I even…without speeding, we were slowing down, I was able to get his, or her, license plate number. It was a VW, so very disappointed that this driver was giving VW’s a bad wrap!

I wasn’t sure about the color, the car was very dirty, but I saw most the numbers on the plate and reported that. They said thank you and I hung up.

I’ve done my civic duty and I hope they stopped that idiot, they were going to cause an accident!

{January 30, 2018} Three years! Happy Anniversary honey!

Who knew that January 30, 2015 was a day that would change my life forever! Here we are three years later, wow!

We emailed for a week and then went out on our first date, go figure! We didn’t talk over the phone, just email and the emails were great! Back and forth, getting longer and longer and more clever, I knew I was in for an interesting ride, no matter what the outcome!

We agreed on an Irish pub, I had just gotten back a few months earlier from Ireland, so you know where my head was! He picked me up on the very snow covered street of my sister’s house, that was the year that no one flew or went to work for about five Mondays in a row, Mother Nature was having quite the year!

We went to the pub, had a great time talking, laughing, getting to know each other, even closed the place down. We talked in the car on the way back to GES’, then a little more inside, everyone was very much asleep.

We had two more dates over the following weekends, one was a bad mystery dinner theater at my sister’s synagogue, the next…you ready for this?! He took me skiing for the weekend! Now, that’s how you do a third date! It was Valentine’s Day weekend, so there roses, how do you think the other fellas fared with their honeys?!

By then, we knew, yup, I was for him and he was for me and we were gonna be happily stuck with each other and neither of us have regretted a moment of it since!

We’ve had quite the adventure! In our first year together, he went with my family to the Bahamas after only a few months of dating! Then we went to Nova Scotia over the summer, there were ski weekends, beach weekends, Boston weekends, then our third and biggest international trip, twenty one days, 24/7 in Europe together. Do you remember? Portugal, Spain, France, Hungary, not too shabby!

Then, a move to Hawaii, talk about an adventure! Surprising him for our first anniversary! I’ll never forget the look on his face, oh, how wonderful! And there began my weekend travels to Hawaii, it’s not for the faint of heart my friends!

We’ve had great adventures together, explored new territories, for us, tried new things, enjoyed the old ones, seen each other through ups and downs, surgeries and recoveries, craziness, distance, frustration, joy, compromises, defeats, triumphs. Each moment, each experience, each year has brought us closer, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world and I’m going to speak confidently about PSM, neither would he!

Happy three years together, my love, here’s to the next thirty!

Day 25

{January 28, 2018} Had to come to Hawaii to see each other!

We had great plans of getting up VERY early to go watch the sunrise on the other side of the island. Think anyone remembered to set their alarm? Nope!

When I say very early, like 4am, so we can drive the hour to watch the sunrise. Guess what, I saw the sunrise, right outside my bedroom window just fine! Ha ha! What I need to do, is the first Friday I get home, go when I get up on my own at 4am!

Well, we got up eventually, I made some breakfast and we got some more planning done for our vacation! No, not telling! One thing I can tell you… neither of our hotel points or airline miles are going to help with this trip!

You should have see us, both propped up, laptops and cell phones in hand, comparing prices, looking for hotels, airfare, downloading guides. Adorable!

But all of that planning is getting our juices flowing and we are getting very excited! Now, if we could just get some other scheduling things into place so we can proceed and make definitely arrangements!

Then, I got the text I had been waiting for! WIS was docking in Oahu with a friend! They are on a 15 day cruise to Hawaii and it worked out for me to be here this weekend! We realized we haven’t seen each other since about September, go figure for us to see each other we have to go all the way to Hawaii!

They had a list of things to do, they had tickets for Pearl Harbor at 2pm, so the perfect place to meet, which was on their list, the Aloha Swap Meet! I’ve told you about it, it’s a giant swap meet, like a flea market on crack! It’s an Oahu staple, at the Hawaii University Stadium, open Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday.

To refresh your memory, it’s got everything you could imagine and I’m sure things you couldn’t! It’s a great place for souvenirs to take back home for others or yourself. T-shirts 7 for $20, how do you beat that! Car seat covers, fresh fruits and vegetables, ukuleles, candy, coffee, lotions, stickers, you name it, you can probably find it! I believe Santa found the hair bobs for Miss A at the swap meet!

We walked around together, catching up, looking, enjoying, laughing. PSM and I bought a few things, go figure! We got some snorkel masks, the ones that cover your full face and I can attach my go-pro to it!!! We also got free waterproof cases for our phones with that purchase and we bought waterproof bags that we can attach to the stand up paddle boards, which can also convert to a backpack for easy carrying. It will hold a towel and a change of clothing. We can even use it swimming and/or snorkeling! We rock! So, if you visit, we are set with whatever you need for the beach! I’ll show you the signs he got me later, I forgot to take pictures before I left for the airport.

After we got our fill, we went for raman for lunch near the stadium, which was also very close to Pearl Harbor, perfect! This was a new experience for them, so a lot of fun deciding, discussing, tasting, experiencing. We talked travel, cruises, Disney, WIS’ friend, is a travel agent and she gave us some ideas for the trip we want to take, coincidence? I did feel bad because we started catching up on work, just as we do when we meet for dinner, so at some point I think both PSM and S started to zone out, sorry! PSM and I did give them some great ideas for the other islands they were going to visit! Hope we made up for the work stuff!

After lunch we parted ways, lots of hugs and goodbyes and they headed off to Pearl Harbor and we went home. I finished packing, gathered whatever I needed for my flight, said goodbye to Mollie, stopped at Down to Earth for some vegan munchies, oh my! And then off to the airport.

I have to say, it gets harder each time I have to leave. Especially after a great weekend like this, relaxing, no pressure and quality time together! I cannot wait for our vacation, it is going to be that times a lot!

And then it was up, up and away. I watched a few movies, got in about an hour of sleep and we’ll be landing soon and then it’s back to the grind and the cold. Looking forward to another great week in Illinois! How was your weekend!

Day 23

{January 28, 2018} A day with my fella…

Why can’t we sleep in on Saturday? Seriously? It’s Saturday, the weekend, ever hear of a day of rest? Yeah, me neither! Up early, let’s just say the sun hadn’t greeted us yet. Not fair!

PSM and I sat out on the lanai and had our morning drinks, talking and just enjoying each other’s company, the sunrise and the view. It doesn’t change from this spot day to day, but it’s so wonderful, peaceful, inspiring, calming and beautiful, who cares!

After a while, we decided on a plan for the day, so he went off to do his PT exercises and I did my workout for the day, that trainer of mine is trying to kill me, even virtually!

Then, load up the car; beach blankets, towels, chairs, bottles of water, book, headphones and sunscreen, of course, pet the pooch and away we went. We went to Haliewa Town, on the North Shore and stopped at Cafe Haliewa for breakfast, we were famished! We sat out back, which is only open until 11am, we were lucky. We had a yummy breakfast of a veggie omlet and hawaiian sweet bread french toast with bananas. Doesn’t it look yummy? Tasted just as good!

Then…after a rough morning of nothing, ha ha, we needed a break, so off to Waimea Bay. We found a great spot under a palm tree and set up camp. PSM settled in for a long winter’s nap, ha ha, couldn’t resist that! I went to the shoreline and thought I’d go in and go in I did. The waves were rough, I made it in, was really enjoying myself and a big wave came and stole my fabulous $5 sunglasses from Walmart that I’ve had for about three years. I la la la love these glasses and I hope I can find another pair! I really think Mother Nature has something against me! First my ankle and now my shades, what gives momma!?

After some frolicking in the ocean, and by the way, I cannot wait, like PSM, I know! for his shoulder to heal so that he can frolick and play in the surf with me! I headed back to PSM, grabbed my towel and laid down in the sun, sunblocked, I promise, I learned my lesson! I finished the book that TS had given me and I, OMG, LOVED it! I’ll tell you about it soon!

We sat, hung out, enjoyed, watched people and then…can you see the little bubble of surf? We saw whales! Awesome!!! January is the time for whale watching in Hawaii and there they were! It was cool seeing some yesterday and here we are today seeing them again!

I did like that the lifeguards would give a warning every once in a while about the surf being strong, keep the kids out eventualy and if you wanted recommendations for calmer waters, come to the tower. Very cool. They also warned people to not jump from the rocks if you are not a strong swimmer. I saw t-shirts to that effect! Oh brother!

Eventually, we thought about getting something to eat and along the way up the North Shore, we stopped at Ted’s, which is a famous bakery and got some sweet rolls. Then on to the next beach! I apologize, I can’t remember the name, but look at it, gorgeous,sigh! The sand was much more course, I love how diverse the beaches are!

On this beach we started planning our next vacation. Guess where?! Not telling, but it’s in the Pacific! Yup, we live in the Pacific, in paradise, on an island and what are we going to do for vacation? Go to another island! We figured as long as we live in this part of the country, go see things on this side of the world! I cannot wait to tell you where we’re going!

Now it really was time for food! We went to the Kahuku Sugar Mill, it is now a tourist attraction with food trucks, shops, not much else. They didn’t have anything we really wanted so we went back into Haliewa and went to a Thai restaurant that neither of us cared for, so I’m not going to tell you the name, but the atmosphere was nice and the company even nicer. One of the things I marveled at was that in Hawaii there aren’t many places you actully have to get dressed up to go. Most places you can walk in after coming off the beach, they’re ok with it. Welcome to island life!

After dinner, back to the house to chill and pass out, wouldn’t you after that day?! Beach and beach, it can wear you out!

What does tomorrow hold?!

Day 22

{January 24, 2018} Do we know each other that well?

Please don’t call me hon… I’m sure I’ve talked to you about this before, but this morning…yeah, just happened again. And I didn’t feel any better about it. Let me preface that I lived in the south for about 20 years and it is common for southern women to call each other hon and darlin’ especially in a retail setting and I got used to it. It was more in the retail clothing stores and restaurants, not so much fast food. Now, where I do expect it, is if someone has been in that establishment before and builds a rapport with the staff or one particular person, I get it, hon, sweetie, darlin’. I know I have been in places like that and envied that connection and I had it myself in a few places, hey, I get hugs from the staff at the Waldorf Astoria in Chicago, I’m sure some people look at that with a head cocked. The place I did not expect it was at the Dunkin’ Donuts this morning that I have never been to in a city I have never been to by a person I have never met who was apparently trying to speak above the din that was non-existent. Think it just rubbed me the wrong way? Yup. I’m sure the people who go there regularly enjoy it, but let me go at least one more time before we get that familiar. Day 19

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