A New Adventure | Peaches Prattlings

{December 12, 2015} A Fabulous Friend Christmas Party

So much fun!

Tonight we went to a Christmas party hosted by PSM’s good friends A&KM.

The party was called for 4pm and we got there a little after, but before other folks, so it was nice to have some time one on one with A&K before everyone else arrived.

The cool thing is that I knew almost everyone that was there and there was even one person who thought we had met because she had seen so many pictures of me on Facebook that PSM has posted, kinda cool. And I made some new friends.

It’s great to see how many people care about PSM, they’ve all known each other for years, most of them having been in various ski houses together at one time or another.

They wanted to hear about our trip and all about Hawaii, even planning trips out there! Which is all PSM wants, his friends and family to visit, that will make him happier than anything. Wink wink.

We laughed, ate, drank, repeat. PSM even brought palinka, it was a hit with some and some agreed with me!

What a nice feeling, to be with friends, enjoying each other’s company, being goofy and having a great time, what more could you want?

Thanks A&K for including me in the festivities, I had a blast! Ready for next time!

{December 4, 2015} I rode in a tractor!

Today I got to be a kid!

Did you have Tonka Trucks when you were a kid? Did you ever dream of actually riding in one of those vehicles? Was one of them a tractor?

I did! Yes! Yes!

And guess what! I got to do that today!!

Today, I was invited to go with PSM and his co-workers to visit the farms he’s going to be working with in Hawaii. We visited the main site, the farm where his office will be, already had his name on the door, cool, huh?

We got a tour of the facility with some of the workings of what they do there. Then we took a drive to the next farm and what they do, both farms had major equipment. Somehow…someone said I might want to ride in a tractor and they said ok! Next farm!

We went to the North Shore to the third farm on Oahu, saw some cool stuff and then…I got to ride in a tractor, how cool was that!! Big kid time!

What fun thing is next?

{December 1, 2015} I’m in Hawaii, what?

I was in Europe three weeks ago and now I’m in Hawaii? How does that happen? Well, I’ll tell ya…

I couldn’t say anything before, it was very hush-hush, but PSM was looking to shake things up a bit and one of the things he did was interview for new opportunities within his company.

And then we waited.

And we waited.

We got tired of waiting and ran away to Europe. And here’s where the cool part comes in.

It was our first day in Marseille and we were on the Il d’If, the prison I was telling you about that the Count of Monte Cristo was based on. We were in someone’s prison cell when he got the call. Cool, huh? I thought so.

Good thing it was a large prison cell, I had to walk around it for the next twenty minutes while he talked to his new boss! I took a lot of pictures from the same window, great view!

“But, JJ, you still haven’t told us why you’re in Hawaii.” I’m getting to that dear friends. The new position, if you haven’t followed my chaotic train of thought is…in, yup, you guessed it, Hawaii!

It has been a whirlwind! I couldn’t tell you before because I had to tell my family first and I couldn’t tell them until he told his family first and then his first cousin’s wife, AT was waiting so patiently for my sister to find out so she could say something! It was like a sitcom!

Now, I’ve told my immediate family, first reactions were: Dad “I knew that when JJ said PSM was going to Hawaii, she was going with him”, GES “April break, auntie’s house!”. ACS “oh yeah!” then I’ve told some friends and I’m working on telling the world. For PSM, it’s a quick phone call to friends and family, maybe a 15/20 minute call, max. For me…1-2 hours! My mouth went dry!

The plan is that PSM will move in January, he starts work mid-January and I will join him when my lease is up, around August/September. Until then, I will do what I can to visit him as often as possible, hopefully once a month, if not every two months. If I can get a job on the west coast, then it will be a lot easier to come on the weekends.

I have to tell you, it was easier getting here than I thought. PSM got a flight yesterday morning, very early as his girlfriend got him to the airport at 4am, what a girlfriend he has! He flew through Texas and got to Hawaii about 2pm yesterday. I flew out at 6pm, after a fabulous time at the Nutcracker with the family, got to LA about 9:30, got a room for the night and was back at the airport for my 8:30am flight, 10 hour layover and then to Hawaii and I got in about 12:15pm.

I have to admit, I think I liked the way I did it, especially if there were kids involved, fly 5/6 hours spend the night in a bed getting decent rest, then fly 5/6 hours the next morning, get in relatively early and have the entire day ahead of you. On the way back, I am flying through LA again, but with a one hour layover, we’ll see how I feel!

So, the reason I am in Hawaii with PSM…he is here looking for a place to live and I was hoping to, based on my schedule, join him so we could look and make decisions together and much to our surprise, things worked out and here I am!

It was a crazy day. I landed, PSM picked me up, we went to the hotel, dropped bags, went out for a bite to eat, then met the agent taking us around about 2pm, looked at about 6 or 7 properties. A few apartments, some houses, some town houses. We went in a few and others, we checked out the neighborhood to decide whether or not we wanted to even go inside.

The last house we looked at, from outside was in a great neighborhood, on a hill, overlooking the island and the farm PSM will be working with and met the neighbors, great people who we ended up talking to for TWO hours! The sun went down!!! It was a very long day, some of the houses started to blend in with each other, but I think we picked the one we want and fingers crossed it’s available!

We are on the island of Oahu, for those of you with inquiring minds. And now you know why I am in Hawaii! Looking for a place to live, can you believe it?

Yes, we’ll have a guest room, all ready for your visit!

{November 30, 2015} A very long standing family tradition continues…The Nutcracker

Today, the family went to see The Nutcracker Ballet at the Boston Opera House.

This is a tradition my parents started when GES and I were little kids. Every Christmas Eve we would all go into Manhatten and go to Lincoln Center and watch the City Ballet Company performance of The Nutcracker.

We would get dressed up, just like little girls do, get to our seats, settle in and wait for the the dings signaling that the lights were about to go out and the curtain go up.

It’s a little different as now, there are announcements instructing the audience to turn off their cellphones.

The lights go down and we sit on the edge of our seats waiting with anticipation…and then the conductor comes out to applause and the first note is played for the opening overture.

We are transported to a different time and place, not sure where, we were wondering that today, maybe Austria who knows, it’s timeless. We see Clara and her brother Fritz waiting for the party guests to arrive.

We did this every year for, we’ll, forever, it seemed, until we left NYC for other parts of the country and now, my sister had picked up where we left off and is making new memories with her children.

Last year was the first year I was able to go with them as that was my first time in Boston for Thanksgiving in a very long time.

I’ve been to and seen different performances over the years, NYC, as you know, Atlanta with my grandmother, once in an imax theater, on TV and now Boston.

I have to say that my favorite is still the NY City Company, is hard when that’s what you know and you’re used to, but I did enjoy the performance today. I was able to look at it as the ballet that was presented, some things felt different and some felt like they were missing, but it was still quite enjoyable and fun and my nieces enjoyed it and that’s all that really matters.

They were so well behaved, it was a pleasure to be with them. I have to say they outshone a lot of other kids!

We all had a wonderful time and another tradition is going strong and I how to be there for many more.

{November 28, 2015} A fine Chanukah party

Today my family and I were invited to a special event.

PSM hosts a Chanukah party every year for his family. It’s a tradition that has been going on for years.

PSM orders a lot of food, I mean a lot! There are platters of bagels, lox, cream cheeses, cheeses and crackers, a whole whitefish, egg salad, tuna salad, whitefish salad, a salad/salad, a kiegel, two quiches and I made a blintz souffle. We had platters of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and capers, all the things that go with bagels, cream cheese and lox. And of course…potato latkes with applesauce or sour cream

Then there were desserts…cookies, cakes and pies, how could you go wrong?

It was PSM, his brother’s family, aunts and uncles, their kids and their kids kids, cousins and then there was us, and PSM’s best friend from college and his family. 39 people total. That’s a good sized crowd, wouldn’t you say?

So, there was food, then lighting the menorah, then presents for the kids. The nice thing is that only the kids get presents because all the adults make a donation to the charity of the year. Each year a different family member selects a charity. One of his aunts even gives each adult a check made out to the charity in their name.

This year, I got a check!! Along with a desk calendar like all the other “kids”. I guess I’m now part of the family.

It really was a nice party, a good time with good food, family and friends and I’m touched that we got to share in the day and experience, thank you PSM.

{November 25, 2015} That was too cool!

This morning, I went to breakfast with my dad and we had a grand time.

We caught up, on work, life, stuff. We shared stories, laughed, got serious…yeah right, laughed, it was a lot of fun.

Then we started talking about the trip PSM and I just took and our stories started to overlap a little, he was just on a river cruise that took them to Budapest, some of the same places that we were when we were there. He even had photos of the same things I did, what are the odds? I guess pretty good since we were in the same place!

We had similar experiences and then we started swapping stories and as he’s looking at my photos he’s exclaiming “I took that picture too!” that happened over and over again! It was a very cool experience to have, I enjoyed every minute of it.

We started talking about some trips we would like to take together, I know it would be a blast, we have similar styles with the way we travel and look at things, I’m ready, where are we going?

pest

{November 20, 2015} Dogs like car rides…Cats..not so much!

Proof…meowing all the way to the vet. And all the way back. Oh what fun! Imagine that in stereo!

Is it ingrained in them, like from the time they’re born? Or if you put them in the car regularly starting when they’re young, will they like it and eventually love it?

Dogs seem to love it. I can’t think of a dog I’ve met who doesn’t love it. Maybe it’s because they’re excited to go somewhere, thinking is the park or a walk every time, even though sometimes it’s to the vet.

My cats don’t like it. Period. They freak out when I have to put them in the carrier, then in the car. Can you imagine what it was like taking them cross county? That time I let them out and they sat on my lap and it wasn’t as bad, but it wasn’t great. Peanut kept trying to sit under my feet, not good.

I bring this up becaus today, I had to take Jymy to the vet for a shot. Got her in the carrier easily enough, luckily there aren’t many places to hide here, but I got her before she tried. From the moment she was in, the crying started.

I opened the carrier, would have let her out in the car, she used to get on my lap when we went somewhere, then she’s usually quiet, no dice. So, we drove, me petting her in the carrier, if I took my hand away, crying.

It didn’t stop when I got to the vet…it stopped when we got home, thankfully!

Luckily, I shouldn’t have to go through that again for a while! Sigh…

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{November 19, 2015} The end is always bittersweet

Another project has come to an end. Boo.

Some projects go on too long, some too short, some end with notice, others close the doors. Every one is different.

My latest project was supposed to go thru mid January and a few weeks ago we got word that the project is ending sooner than later. At least this time we have the opportunity to say goodbye to each other.

It’s hard when you don’t get to say goodbye, when it ends abruptly, everyone is just gone.

This project at least allowed me a proper send off. We got to say thank you, from JO, we for mugs and key chains. How sweet was that?

I’ve been on quite a roll at my company. Theree have been good times and bad, laughs and some tears. But overall it’s been a great experience.

And now, I say goodbye again, who knows where this path that I’m on will lead.

Another great adventure!

{November 12, 2015} Are you a polite flyer?

A valid question.

The reason I ask is that today, I was flying back from Buffalo and there was a man sitting in front of the seat next to me, humming and singing almost the entire flight. In first class.

Now, it doesn’t matter where you are in terms of the plane, you should be polite no matter what.

I think it stuck out more, to those of us around him, because we were in first class.

One of the things I like about flying is that you can’t use your cellphone to talk to anyone. You can play games and watch movies, but I shouldn’t be able to hear you because you should have headphones on/in.

I don’t have a problem with people talking, but at normal volume for private conversations. I talk to people on occasion, whether I know them or not, I know go figure!The entire flight from Budapest to Amsterdam, the three people behind us…never. shut. up. Omg! Please! And it was at a decibel that I would not classify as polite in a small confined space.

The guy humming/singing today didn’t stop. He had giant headphones on and just kept going. Then on the shuttle from the plane to the terminal, still going, really?

I’m happy for you that you’re enjoying whatever it is, but I wasn’t asking to share and…

it might have helped if could actually sing!

{November 11, 2015} Our trip

I know I was blogging every day while we were away, but there’s more.

There are a few posts that I need to try to get posted, add more photos, [I want to share about the people, the hotel rooms, the graffiti! Oh my!] so please forgive me for the overload of posts, but I don’t want you to miss a minute.

We had such an amazing time! I don’t know how much you’ve seen, but I want to give you a recap and a few pointers that we figured out.

We started in Lisbon, Portugal for the half marathon. We stayed in Lisbon for two more days, then the train to Porto, the home of Port wine, oh my, but fabulous! The city, for me, that is, PSM found a new affinity for Port wine, so for him, it might be a toss up!

Lisbon

Porto

Then it was on the train to Sevilla, Espana. Well, sort of, we missed the stop to change trains, it was an honest mistake and it sucked, but…we made the best of it, we ended up renting a car to drive from Lisbon to Sevilla. That was such a nice drive! I liked that we drove on the same side of the road as here, I didn’t have to think quite as much!

Lisbon to Sevilla

We didn’t really need a car on Sevilla, everything was walkable or we took the bus. And the streets were so narrow, no thank you!

From Sevilla for two and a half days, then on to Barcelona, by Eurrail, for three and a half days, is it possible to get “Gaudi’d out”? then on to Marseille for two days, heaven, then Nice for three. While we were in Nice, we took side trips to Monte Carlo/Monaco and Cannes, amazing!

Sevilla

Barcelona

Marseille

Marseille to Nice

Nice

Monte Carlo/Monaco

Cannes

From Nice we flew to Budapest, it was cheaper than the train and only took about five hours versus the 24 hours by train! Two full, jam packed days and it was back to the USA, Wow, talk about whirlwind!

Pest

Pest, from Buda

Buda

We had a few apps at our disposal, Triposo, which is fabulous, you can download the individual cities or countries or the parent app and download from there. It had suggestions on tour to take, top destinations and things to see in the city, food and lodging recommendations. A few of the cities even had free walking tours. Love this app! Use it if you can!

That was one of my contributions to the cause, PSM loves Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor, which we also used in conjunction with Triposo, sometimes we needed to verify times things were open, locations and other recommendations.

He was the navigator, wherever we went he was the one who mapped it out and led us where we wanted to go. Now, Google maps on occasion couldn’t figure out if we should go left or right, luckily, he has a pretty good sense of direction, so we made it where we needed to go, eventually. It was the adventure along the way!

I became the hotels.com queen, booking rooms sometimes as we pulled into the train station of that city or country! My job was to find the hotel and check out the ratings while PSM mapped the location to determine if we were in a good area, close to the city centre, the public transport, etc. Sounds like a good working relationship!

One of our best friends on the trip? Google translate! Oh my, but this app is fabulous and I recommend it highly! You can download the language package of your destination, make favorites, like “hello”, “do you speak English”, “where is the toilet? “, “how much”, “check please”, “thank you” and very important, “American decaffeinated coffee with milk” for PSM. If he could say that and thank you, he was set!

For me personally, there was one app I really like, Happy Cow. It gives you. Veg-friendly, vegan and vegetarian restaurants and stores wherever you are. We used it a times and I was quite pleased, well, as long as we could find the place, or it was open! You can select a nationality our select all and it gives you a list, each listing had location, offerings, reviews and dollar signs. I use this app in the states, it’s great!

The money was easy when it was in euros, Hungarian money, a lot more calculations! The nice thing was when there we signs for the price in HUF and EUR, that at least have us an idea.

This was an amazing experience that we had. We’ve traveled together, just the two of us a few times, but short trips, long weekends, this was a huge undertaking, three weeks, just the two of us. Two people used to doing everything on their own, that admittedly, was an adjustment, but it was also nice to have that other person to do stuff, take some of the responsibilities.

It’s nice to experience things together, it’s still a new relationship, so we haven’t gotten to the part about doing things on our own and meeting for dinner later, that may or may not happen, who knows.

Hey…We survived our first major trip together! No one got pushed in front of a train or a bus and we still like each other. We even talked about our next great adventure. Who knows where the road will take us, but I promise you’ll be right there with us!

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