Peaches Prattlings











{July 30, 2016}   Good morning, goodbye, hello

I spent the night at SDL’s and got some good morning kisses from Miss A!

Could anything be better? Nope! I woke up to what I thought was a crash, nope…just her hitting the wall and mirror with her legs on the changing table, oh my! I’m up!

I got to catch up with her while she ate breakfast, we both wore a little.  Then I helped her get dressed,  did her hair,  got her loaded in her car seat, kisses and they were off! I’m glad I’ll see her tomorrow for some quality time. 

I was hoping to get together with TYL, but today was moving day into their new place,  so it didn’t work out. 

Fortunately or unfortunately,  that left me with some time on my hands…tax free weekend in Georgia…so,  first stop…The Children’s Place, guess who benefits from that! Next was Old Navy and Marshall’s, I think I am now officially “dressed” out! I can wear some of them in the fall with leggings and boots..ooh.

Then,  off to RJS’ for a visit, dinner and Slimer l slumber party. I did a fashion show for her,  like I used to do for my dad and she helped me make the go/no go decision. 

Then it was catching up,  eventually we got hungry and cooked dinner together for herself,  me and KS. Yum! Spaghetti squash, green and yellow zucchini and sautéed Vidalia onions. According to KS, I did alright by the onions,  fit not having grown up in the South! Why, thank ya kindly!

Then it was more talking and laughing. Lather, rinse, repeat! Until it was time for bed. 

All the while being entertained by their babies, Max and Maddie.

A great afternoon and evening. Especially since PSM and I mark our one year six months today. Happy anniversary. Xoxo 

Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings! I’ll keep you posted. 



Got your attention, didn’t I?

Well…the day started at ST’s house, I crashed at hours place last night when I got to Atlanta. We motivated and went to Waffle House! Yum!

I worked for a few hours then fought Atlanta traffic to get to Dallas and see KAB, Baby A and his sister Baby E, CS, Lily Bean and her sister, Princess L. It took me almost three hours to get there so I didn’t have a lot of time with them,  but the time was well spent! As many hugs, kisses and snuggles as I could get. Oh and the giving of gifts of course! 

I left just in time…as the no nap melt downs were about to start. Oh my but I do love those fabulous wee tots! Their mom’s too! And how much do I love my new artwork for our new place in Hawaii!! JJ’s ‘tweet hearts’! Those are Baby A and Baby E’s footprints turned into birds!
I left and headed straight to girls night dinner with two of my besties,  SDL and CKM! We had Thai food, lots of laughs and catching up and then on to the movies to see JB…the new Jason Bourne movie! CKM noticed when we were sitting, she was in a J sandwich,  ha ha. 

After the movie,  back to SDL’s, kiss the sleeping Miss A, talk to you and then pass out. Full day,  huh? Wonderful day! Let’s see what tomorrow holds!



{July 28, 2016}   A nice end to a busy day

Shouldn’t they all be like that?

The day started early with some time on the treadmill, the elliptical machines were both busy. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a treadmill, let the sweat pour!

Of to the office for a very busy day,  good lunch company, more busy and work,  problem solved,  whew! then a good bi-weekly check-in with my manager. 

After work, I went with one of my co-workers, who I have become good friends with, LJ, to get much needed pedicures and then we ordered food while we walked back to get apartment. IWe ate,  talked and watched the Wednesday night fireworks at Navy Pier. I also got to meet and play with her sweet cat, Max, sigh. 

Then back to the hotel, a prior work and now I’m talking to you. 

Pretty good day,  huh?



I am a techno-geek! There is said it. 

I like the latest and greatest. Sometimes I want it all! I have a work laptop, an iPad and my personal computer is a Surface Project 3, which is is pc/tablet. I have my fabulous “phablet”, that would be my large smartphone that is almost like a pc/tablet so they call it a phablet and finally,  well, I think finally, my smart watch.  

There might be more and I have forgotten! Could I have more, why not! If money was no object,  go for it! I am a software trainer, I work with technology, I want to know about the latest and greatest and I appreciate what’s out there,  don’t understand it all, but I appreciate it!

Hilton has implemented their digital check in and keys,  which I love. If you don’t know about the digital  key, you request it and when it’s ready, hold it up to the door you want to open and it does, just like a plastic key. No more carrying a key and worrying about losing it. 

Down side…sometimes the digital key,  like everything else, might be having a right day and just won’t work. I’ve had that happen at my room, I call and they reset it or bring me a new one. Sometimes it just doesn’t worth in front of some doors, case in point,  yesterday, I stood in front of the girl gym trying to get in, then go down to the front desk for an actual key.

The new thing some Hilton hotels are putting in are the digital elevator. I’ve seen it in other hotels. You put in the number on a key pad, it decides which elevator you take and then it goes. 

That’s great until you have too many people and the doors are closed and you don’t move. Hmm…that’s what happened last night when I got back from dinner. Hey,  I hadn’t eaten that much! 

After a few minutes we all started to wonder, jokingly, if we had hit the weight limit! Someone pried the door open finally and we all got out.  There was a gentleman who worked for the hotel counting how many of us there were,  about 11. Five adults and six little kids, really?  Ok…

We all got off, I tried to take it again,  no dice. Next elevator, all good. Apparently this is an old elevator, ok…Made it to my room,  all that matters,  right?

So,  technology in a hotel…good or bad? Not stopping me…



{July 23, 2016}   There’s a storm a-coming

That’s an impressive sight!

Tonight, I joined GES, ACS, EJS and MGS and two friends at a NE Revs futbal match. That’s New England Revolution, for those of you,  not in the know. 

There was a threat of a huge storm tonight,  but not until about 1030pm, way after we would be home from the match. It’s a hit sticky day in Boston.

Then, as we headed into the stadium, the clouds started rolling in. The nice result was that it started cooling things off, but the sons kicked up,  I had to keep my sunglasses on for fear of dirt in the eye! 

The sky opened, we scrambled for cover,  three minutes later it was over, but the air felt cooler. 

But…no matter what,  the sky was impressive. The sky gets these amazing colors before something big happens,  don’t you agree?

Mother nature is something else!



{July 21, 2016}   Delta came through

So…a few days ago I moved up with my Delta Airlines status…Platinum baby!

There are many advantages with having platinum status. One of them is priority upgrades. 

Today, I was booked on two United flights from Springfield, IL. First flight was supposed to leave at 530am, didn’t quite make it out until close to 645am. We landed in Chicago about 6 minutes before my next flight took off. 

Untied booked me on a 540pm flight. Huh? So I called my company’s travel port and they got me on a Delta connector…Chicago to Cincinnati to Boston, give me those segments. My first flight was leaving in about 45 minutes,  I had a decent seat in coach and within a few minutes of arriving at the gate…first class.

We land in Cincinnati and that flight is delayed.  It was supposed to leave at 1030am, then it was 11am and then 117pm. Ok, time to  settle in and get some work done. I get on the plane…giusto class.  Sounds like a good deal to me. 

So…Delta came through and that status helps. What’s the American Express slogan “Membership has its privileges”. Spoil me,  I can take it!



I was traveling to Springfield, IL from Chicago today and I was going by rail…and missed my first train. 

I booked the train for 145pm and since I booked traveled on Amtrak through my travel port before I didn’t realize it was just a reservation and I still had to pay at the station.

I also found out the hard way that you can’t arrive 10 minutes before your train leaves, you need a little more time. 

So…I rebooked for the 515pm and paid while I was there,  went back to the office, one block away, got more work done and then at 445, left for the train station again. 

I got in line, found a seat next to a nice person and settled in for my 3+ hour journey and we made it, a little late, but we made it. 

There were delays, loud people, crying babies, sleeper, oh, and conductors making cheese you announcements!…it was just l like being on a plane. Just no drink cart going by.

I got work done, some conference calls, commiserated with the guys next to me until the annoying woman behind and across from us got off the train,  then we had a nice chat about Philadelphia, where he lives and traveling. Then we were at our destination. Nice. 



I heard that on the radio today and I couldn’t believe it. 

All I could think was how is that possible? Some schools just got out a few weeks ago. 

But then I thought, well…technically, there are four seasons and since the year is twelve months, each season is three months and as summer technically started June 20th and it’s July 17th…I guess summer is half over, well, I guess if you want to nit pick, August 22nd would be the date for the halfway mark. 

Of course, the real kicker to signal the halfway mark or even the end of summersummer is coming…school supplies are in the stores already! What???

Hang on summer, we’re here for you!



Isn’t that what they say? Well, if you all me, it’s true! Good thing I’m moving to an island! 

Today was a good day at the beach, better than a walk in the park, sorry, I couldn’t help myself. 

I talked to GES the other day and she said they might be going to the beach and she’d let me know when they would be heading out. I got a text this morning and away I went. 

JK’s mom, he’s a friend of ACS, has a house in Nantasket a block from the beach, paradise. I got there,  changed into my suit and headed down to the beach and surprised EJS and MGS.

There was laughing, silliness, splashing, boogie boarding, body surfing, shell hunting, foot burying, walking, napping, running from the waves, jumping into the waves, hanging out, talking and having a great time. 

There is great people watching at the beach, we saw families, teenagers, old, young, silly, goofy, even what someone called the beached whales! These are a group of, let’s just say round, older women who line up their chairs to face the sun and their skin looks like tanned leather,  you know they’ve been doing this for centuries! and every once in a while they get up two to three at a time to put their feet in and splash water on themselves. 

It’s a really nice beach, the water is clear, the people are nice and it’s not too crowded. 

I think I’ve told you how my brother-in-law knows a lot of people, right? He’s from Massachusetts, went to summer camp in Massachusetts and went to UMASS for college. 

That being said, he runs into people he knows everywhere. He and GES went for a walk and ran into three people he knew, either from camp or college. JK went to the same camp,  that’s how they met, so you can imagine what it’s like!

We even got to see a family we became friends with that we met at Atlantis so many years ago! That was fun, the kids have gotten so big!

GES and I finally packed it in scout 5pm, went back to the house to take showers and hung out on the porch while we waited for everyone else. It was nice sitting on the front porch watching and saying hello to everyone walking home from the beach. 

Everyone else got there about 630, took quick showers and we headed out to get some dinner. We chose a place on the water, it was lovely.  As we are getting out food, the manager asks if my brother-in-law is ACS, turns out…they went to camp together! Go figure! Then a couple walked by who used to live next door to him growing up! Seriously people,  what are the odds?

After dinner, a quick trip to Old Navy, then time to say goodnight.

And that is what I will say to you. Goodnight. 



{July 15, 2016}   I saw Ghostbusters

I’m glad I did!

I was on the fence when I first heard about it and the first preview didn’t change my mind. I did, however, see the next preview and that changed my mind and I’m glad I took a chance. 

It wasn’t a remake, more of a revamp.  I can tell you if you stay to the VERY end, you’ll get a snippet of what’s to come, you know a sequel. But I won’t tell you what. 

What I will do is mention a few things that I liked and be aware, there will be little spoiler alerts, like who makes a cameo. Of course,  you could look at imdb.com or read a review and I’m sure you’ll see it. 

You have your straight laced professor, Kristen Wiig, wacky ‘ghostologist’, yes I know that’s not what they’re called, Melissa McCarthy, her zany sidekick, Kate McKinnon, both scientists and then at some point the total ‘woman off the street’, Leslie Jones. It seemed like a who’s who of Saturday Night Live when I looked people up on imdb.com. Oh man, Chris Hemsworth was hysterical! He played the receptionist. Beautiful and dumb as a box of rocks!

There were some similarities and some nods to the originals, things like the fire station, the car, of course, the containment boxes. 

Then the cameos, original players cameos…spoiler alert…I’m not going to tell you who they were or where in the movie, just that they were there. There was a tribute to Harold Ramis early on, Bill Murray,  Dan Ackroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson, even the Staypuff Marshmallow Man and Slimer! The only one missing was Rick Moranis, I kept waiting for him to appear, part of the reason I stayed to the end.  That and I learned to stay after all the Marvel movies. 

Bottom line, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Looking forward to seeing it again. 



et cetera