Not sure what to call it. Nothing major. I picked up my rental car in Chicago, NY plates. I happen to be a New Yorker so that works for me. Next, I am doing from Will County, Joliet, Illinois to Kankakee, Illinois through Manhattan. Manhattan, Illinois that is. By the way, Manhattan, Illinois holds no candle to its namesake, just in case you were curious. So… New Yorker driving through Manhattan, Illinois in a NY registered car. andnow, I am in NYC driving a car registered in Virgina. Go figure! Doesn’t get much more creative that that, sorry! Oh…a few miles on the treadmill and day 2 of a new workout, someone please come and lift my shoulders for me! 
{December 15, 2017}
Hmmm…interesting or humorous
{December 15, 2017}
I tried it, it worked!
So…tonight, I tried a new dish that I patched together and it worked. Go figure!
Last night I got to my new hotel out in the middle of no-where, but 8 miles from the client site and that works for me! I was hungry, so I found this Mexican restaurant in the shopping center next to the hotel, aptly named El Mexicano. I was in the mood for huevos rancheros, which is not something Mexican restaurants make after breakfast time, so I was in luck.
For those of you who don’t know what huevos rancheros is…it’s a dish with rice, eggs, beans, salsa and served with tortillas. One thing is the eggs are normally over medium and the plate they serve it on is very hot, so I can usually break the eggs and cook them, as we know, I do not like runny eggs at all! This time, I asked them to cook the eggs over hard, and they did! I added guacamole and then at the hotel, I built my tortillas, it was quite tasty.
Tonight, I went to the gym after I got to the hotel and didn’t get to the restaurant until about 8:50, they closed at 9pm. Noooo! What to do?! If I had only left the hotel directly from the gym I would have made it. Oh well. Think…
Ding Ding Ding! Taco Bell, which I know people poo-poo, but I happen to like it. I also know exactly what their rice and beans are cooked in, vegan all the way baby! So…Seven Layer Burrito, rice, beans, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, guacamole, tomatoes. Is that seven? I ordered it without cheese or sour cream and apparently, this is called al fresco! So, ya loin somethin’ new every day!
I really wanted huevos rancheros and, ding ding, ding…Dunkin’ Donuts! What? Add a donut you’re asking! No! I’ll tell you! I got an egg sandwich and brought everything back to the hotel. I then opened up the burrito without the dairy, put a piece of fake cheese and sliced up the egg, then roll it back up into burrito form and enjoy.
Let me tell you, it was yummy! It covered everything I wanted, huevos rancheros: eggs, lettuce, tomato, beans, rice, cheese
, what more could you want? I was happy and that’s what matters. Y U M!!!
{November 21, 2017}
Goodbye Friend
It is with great sadness that I write this post tonight. A friend from high school passed away today.
I don’t want to talk as much about the loss, but the life and the love for that life. CPG passed today after a long battle with brain cancer. What a force she was.
We weren’t very close in high school, but through the years, like with many, Facebook brought us together and over those years, we laughed, shared, bonded, cried, screamed, encouraged and lived. She was such a fighter, she gave the disease a serious run for the money, when they say she didn’t go down without a fight, they meant it.
It’s hard to hide things on Facebook and CPG didn’t, she chose to share her journey with all of us, sometimes looking for encouragement, love and understanding and sometimes to get some of the frustration and anger she was feeling out. There were things we agreed on and things we didn’t, but that’s what makes us all individuals, we have that right.
My sister is my hero and a survivor, I learned so much watching and being with her as she went through treatment. What it did was teach me how to handle certain situations, what someone might be going through on their own journey, their own battle. I remember how my sister rocked the bald, so beautiful and brave and when it was finally time for CPG to rock the bald, I was right there with everyone telling her how amazing she looked and she did. Beauty comes from within and she was a stunner!
CPG had been posting up until about two weeks ago and then I didn’t see much from her on Facebook. The last post I really remember was about November 8th, a picture she posted of her fur baby, Cooper, and then, nothing. A few days later, people started posting to her wall words of love, hope, faith, encouragement, prayer. There were pictures of friends together, memories throughout the years, Facebook memories, random thoughts.
On November 16th, her husband, sent us a message through her page that she was comfortable, getting great care and although she wasn’t reading the posts herself, her family was reading them to her, so thankful for the love, support, prayers and messages we were posting, she was hearing them and it was a comfort to the entire family.
Since then, such an outpouring of posts on Facebook, candles in windows, lights and love in every message, family photos, friends, and Disney quotes and images. The girl was a Disney fanatic! I thought I was one, I think I might have to bow down to her. What I loved about that, so many amazing quotes from Disney and images that touched us thinking about her.
This morning, at 9:41am, her husband posted that we all lost a friend today. As much as we mourn the loss of a friend and send love to her friends and family, we must also celebrate the amazing woman that she was and what a light she brought to all of us.
She brought so many people together, some that knew her from childhood, young adulthood, adulthood, mom’s groups, teams, school, the kids lives she touched, she was so honored they called her Homie G! she was a second mom to the kids she knew and her kids friends, people that kept in touch every day and some sporadically.
Just look at what she loved to post on Facebook and share with the rest of us. Family, friends, her kids, her husband, who was at her side every step of the way. Photos of him sitting with her on transfusion and treatment days, shaving her head, sharing her journey through this POS disease. When it was time to share with the middle school kids what she had been going through since 2013, what would it be like, the new love she discovered when that time came.
Her love of…everything! Her friends, family, fur babies, her photography, the photos that she submitted and won contests for, her blog posts, her journey through life, it touched us all and there was no better tribute than to see what people have been posting for the last few days. The lights shining for her, the Disney posts, the words of encouragement and love. She touched us all is so many ways and so many different ways.
CPG will be missed, but she will also be celebrated for a life lived to its fullest and that is what she did.
Thank you CPG for what you brought to my life, I will always think of you and smile knowing what you meant to me and everyone who had the honor to know you and maybe even count you as a friend.
{November 19, 2017}
ST2 O M G!!!
What am I supposed to do with my life now?!
I am, of course, if you have been living under a rock and just don’t know…talking about Stranger Things Season 2! I just finished binge watching season 2. I was hoping to binge watch it when it first came out, but my schedule just did not permit and Netflix was being a pita and not working on the downloads with me, grrr.
I watched the first three episodes sporadically, while I was on the treadmill or elliptical at the gym, but tonight, I had the time and finished the last three episodes and I am so glad I did, but now, I feel lost! What do I do with my time!
I am still kind of surprised that I liked this show, I’m not that into the supernatural and it’s got monsters and scary stuff, but there are a few factors I think that transcend. It’s a mini series, it’s centered around kids and they prevail, the heroes even, the bad guys get what’s coming to them, almost and it’s nostalgic, set in the 1980’s so those of us who lived through the 80’s can relate and it feels like there are more of us than kids today watching it. And, MP, a friend from college, said, “Any season willing to build its story around Dig Dug has me hooked for life! S2 was sublime”! I LOVE THAT!
He’s right! A series built around a 1980’s video game, but not focused on the game, works for me too. I was a huge fan of video games in the 80’s, mostly Ms. Pacman and Pacman, and Tetris. I played others, like Dig Dug, Frogger, Donkey Kong, but they weren’t my focus like Ms. Pacman.
I remember watching season 1 thinking there is no way they can top this, and they did! I am tempted to watch season one and two soon, but…I’m also tempted to just wait until season 3 comes out. What? I have to wait an entire year? THAT does not make me happy!
Now, there are things I didn’t groove on, and of course, these are strictly my opinions, of course. Some character development. Billy and Max[ine]…You eventually find out why Billy is the way he is, but there is no indication where these two came from and why they are in Hawkins at all. What purpose does Billy serve except to cause trouble and be a tool. Why was it important to introduce Max into the group? Did they need another female? Was the dynamic off because Eleven was gone? Was it just to cause tension between the guys? An adolescent thing? She helps, but did she need to be there?
Dr. Owens, is he good? Bad? Transformed? All I kept thinking was, is he going to change his mind? Is he actually going to do something positive? He definitely evoked negative feelings towards him. You have to have someone from Hawkins Labs to dislike, right?
Bob. Oh Bob. I think like a lot of people, we were skeptical of Bob, he’s interested in Joyce, but was he a spy or just a really good guy, one of the good guys, who really likes her and her kids. He’s an all around good guy geek, that was enough for me.
Kali, the lost sister. She’s in, she’s out. Yeah, that’s about it. Will we see her again? Can Eleven change her mind on the way she sees the world? Will they see each other again? Can she do good with her powers?
Mama, Becky. Eleven found them, now what?
Emotions for what was happening. The loss! I didn’t see some of it coming, did you?! I remember in the middle of binging, all I posted to Facebook was “NOOOOOOT BOB! NOOOOOOO” And the reaction I got was awesome! One person said who is Bob and what happened, I knew they had no idea, but the rest, priceless! Isn’t that awesome when you can post something like that and everyone knows what you’re talking about! I honestly thought he might turn up somewhere towards the end of the show. Of course, who knows what’s going to happen next season!
Plot questions…Hopper and Joyce? Max and Lucas? Mike Wheeler and Eleven, will it be able to blossom? Jonathon and Nancy? Did you cheer for that one? Is Steve going to be alright on his own? Billy and all the lonely moms? Did Dustin’s hair eventually do the trick?
I got done with this series and felt like I did at the end of reading the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series, which I read pretty quickly in a row. What do I do now? I am lost, I was so focused on the show, nothing else matters! There have been others, binge watching doesn’t always help with giving yourself time to figure out what to do next or in between. You have it and it’s gone.
People have tried to fill in gaps on what they think I should watch, Game of Thrones, Vikings, Walking Dead, but none of them appeal to me. I’ll find something.
It’s hard to say if this series is for you, turns out it was for me. If you like mystery, intrigue, Sci Fi, exploration, powers, magic, the unknown, hope, kids persevering, goofy adults, believing in yourself and sometimes, when you can’t, others believe in you, friendship, love, truth, grit, inner strength, friendship. Yup I listed friendship twice, it’s that important.
Well, if any of that sounds like you, give it a shot, it’s only nine episodes, what have you got to lose, except a few hours and if you like it, you’ll be like me!
ST2…O M G!
{November 17, 2017}
My week…not the best in a Road Warrior’s life.
And let me tell you why.
I hope as you are reading this, those of you that know me and some who don’t, please feel free to laugh as I am sharing all of this with you. I can assure you, I was not laughing at the time these events were happening, but we have to have a sense of humor in our lives, don’t we? And as I’ve told some people, they couldn’t help but laugh and that’s ok!
Last week, I was very happy, I believe I shared the one night that I cooked dinner and did laundry! Does that mean my life is so sad that laundry and cooking,which is a chore for most people is a treat for me? Ha ha. A little bit of normalcy is nice. Sometimes, things like this make me forget that I live in a hotel.
So, I was happy at the Homewood Suites, when I found out I was going to be in the same location the next week, I got right onto our travel port so I could book the next week at the same hotel, no dice. Every Hilton hotel within a 25 minute drive from the client site was sold out, seriously! And no one seems to know why! So…on a recommendation I went into Wisconsin, which this hotel was 23 minutes in the other direction from the client site. This is fine, I have no problem being a short drive away.
Now, where I was staying was near an outlet mall, great for shopping, but…there is nothing else in the area. At the outlet mall, there was a food court with minimal options, I was happy to have that one night and it wasn’t great. The rest of the area, fast food, pizza and sit down restaurants that had not a thing for me. Even the restaurant at the hotel, the best they could do was take stuff off their salads, leaving me with, um, lettuce and maybe radishes. Fun…
So, when I looked online for delivery, I found something and it had four restaurants it was associated with, either pizza, sandwiches or Olive Garden. Ok, I can do Olive Garden, it’s safe and who doesn’t like salad and bread sticks!
It said delivery, but couldn’t figure out how to do that, so I called. Nope, well, they do deliver for a minimum of $100, what? Then you need to contact this delivery service to have your restaurant removed. I think that night I ended up eating cereal. Ugh…
I had gone to the grocery store the first day for lunch and got things that I could have for breakfast and snack on at the hotel and during the day. Once night I ate cereal and fake bologna and cheese! No, not a sandwich, well,maybe a bologna and hand sandwich! Ha ha.
The reason for all of this, is there are some nights I do not feel like going out to dinner or driving to pick it up, please just make it appear in front of me! I hope laughter is happening right now!
I had checked with the front desk, ‘um, I’m not sure, we have pizza delivery’ ‘oh wait, there is a grocery store, almost like an oversized farmers market, they should have things you can eat’ great! I went, it was ginormous and surprisingly, had some amazing vegan options. Even vegan bento boxes, I was saved! I would have food for the week! Wahoo! I get this healthy basket of food, and by that, yes, healthier options, but a nicely filled basket. See that use of healthy, ooh.
I get to the register, self scan all my items and what? They don’t take credit cards? Debit and cash only?! Seriously!? There is a cash machine in the lobby, but I don’t carry an ATM card with me, it’s in my bag, in the hotel. grrrr Maybe she could have mentioned that?
I ended up at Noodle & Co, it was fine, not what I was looking for, but it was edible and I was hungry. At this point, I am on the phone with PSM just not a happy camper. “It took me frizzle, frazzle, frick, frack, to find food” and a few more choice expletives. He was very sweet, thought being empathetic would be helpful. Um…I do love that he tried.
So, that was the food saga. I’m so glad I bought food at the grocery store earlier in the week.
Now, the room…it was a nice room, a suite. It had a living room with a sofa, desk and tv, the vanity was in the middle on the right, toilet and shower on the left, then a separate bedroom.
All fine, pleasant, clean, just what I expected. What I didn’t expect was that when I turned the heat on and yes, I needed the heat, that didn’t mean when I turned it on, I expected to get an arctic blast, nope, didn’t expect that at all!
I thought it was odd, so I turned up the heat, eventually, I just turned it off. That was fun. Finally, on Wednesday evening, I called the front desk. The less than confidence inducing front desk guy came upstairs, suit too big unkempt looking and all he did was tell me to turn the heat off and let the hotel heat the room.
He told me that the maintenance guys come in at 7am and I can send them up. I informed him that I didn’t want anyone coming to my room at 7am, but I would be gone at 8am and they had free reign to it. Guess what didn’t happen…
When I got back to the hotel last night, I called the front desk, she saw the note, but said no one had been up there and sent up one of the housekeeping staff. His suggestion was to turn the heat up to 90 and leave it there, um…
Next thing I realized that every morning, the tv would turn on about 4am, what? There must have been an alarm set for it to turn on. It didn’t click until this morning, the morning I am checking out. Who does that?!
Not staying there again, we can agree on that.
Then…my flight tonight was delayed, not a problem, I wasn’t connecting anywhere, so no worries if we were late. But, that wasn’t the case for some of the other passengers. One in particular, the guy behind me. Talked the flight attendant’s ear off, as if she could make us get there sooner.
His frustration also included pushing my chair a fair amount and when I glanced back, he finally realized, stopped and apologized. Then, we land, the pilot had to tell people to stay seated, we weren’t even at the gate yet. Um, that was a good three or four times. Then, we’re at the gate and he is up and out of his seat.
This was a rather unkempt person, I was destined to meet a few this week apparently. He was up, out of his seat and practically pushing people out of the way. You could hear him, first on his phone talking to someone, that they had better have his bags wherever he was going, he had f’ing interviews and f’ing this and that.
He kept saying he had a connection and a few of our fellow passengers said they did too, but I guess his was more important than anyone else’s. It went on like this, him bouncing and complaining for a good five minutes, at least, then he almost pushed people down as he made his way to the exit. Fun, huh?
So, needless to say, this was not the most fun week I have had on the road, but I managed to get a lot of work done and a lot of good work done, so there is a plus and when you are out in the middle of nowhere, less interruptions.
Oh, my week did include holiday movies in the background and no one could say boo!
Here’s to a great weekend and next week, a new week and guess what is going to happen? I’m going spend the holiday with family and friends in Boston. Yeah me!
{November 14, 2017}
Murder on the Orient Express
LOVED IT!
Was that enough? No, not nearly! Dad and I went to see Murder on the Orient Express on Saturday afternoon. It had everything we like in a movie, mystery, intrigue, murder, comedy, suspense and a great story line.
Both of us happen to love Agatha Christie stories and this is one of her better ones. We both remember watching the 1974 version with Lauren Bacall and Albert Finney in the role of Hercule Poirot. I remember seeing it, but I didn’t remember the outcome, this brought it all back.
The story line is simple, so to speak. It’s about a murder on a train, everyone is a suspect and the famed detective, Hercule Poirot is tasked with tracking down and identifying the killer. Everyone is a suspect, but of course! And everyone has a secret to hide, but the celebrated detective has his ways and leaves no stone un-turned and will root out what they are hiding and turn the culprit in.
Now, let’s talk about the cast! Oh boy, talk about star studded! We start with Hercule Poirot, played by Kenneth Branagh, who also directed and cleverly and with style and panache. He was great with character development and background and intrigue. He really brought you into the story, emotions ran high, low, sideways. Dad and I agreed, he wasn’t our favorite Poirot, but he was a formidable character. Traditionally, Poirot is short and round, neither of which is our star, but he had the moustache, quirks and amazing use of those grey cells that he is famous for.
Johnny Depp is the creepy mobster, you instantly don’t like him, but you’re not sure why, you know nothing about him right away, but you don’t like the look of him. Josh Gad is his week assistant, comes off with bravado, but you know he’s all show.
Daisy Ridley, played Mary the governess, who you might know better as Rey from the new Star Wars series, was a fiery red-head with the smarts and a temper to match. Leslie Odom Jr was the doctor on his way home, confident, always offering a helping hand and inserted a bit of tension in the air for some of the other characters as the only person of color on the train.
Penelope Cruz was the pious bible thumper with a past, Derek Jacobi is Johnny Depp’s man servant, I was about to say just as he should be for that time, but he wasn’t. He was a servant, but he stood up to and talked back to his employer on occasion, he had his reasons.
There is a countess, ill and tired all the time and her hot headed husband, ready to knock anyone’s block off just for looking at his wife the wrong way. Dame Judy Dench plays a princess and every bit the obnoxious snob we hope royalty is not like and her lady in waiting, Olivia Colman, falling over herself to do what her royal demands.
The cast is rounded out by Michele Pfeiffer, who played the older American flirt who chatters on, giving off the air that she is looking for husband or lover number…I think she may have lost count and Willem Dafoe is the German professor with an attitude.
No one is exactly who you are led to believe, as with all good mysteries and it does leave you wondering at every turn…what’s going to happen next? Was it her? Was it him? Was it them? What are they hiding? No, that couldn’t be it, really?
And then the big finish, the climax when all is revealed and for this story, what a true surprise ending should be. A surprise!
I don’t know if you’re a fan of Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot, mysteries, period pieces, a good story line, but this has all of that and so much more. The costumes, the sets, the locations, the lighting, the music the moods. The steam train itself inspired me, it’s something I have always wanted to try, the rail across the country, in an old sleeper car, how magnificent would that be!?
Dad and I both loved it and I would say we both give it two thumbs up and recommend it to anyone. Enjoy!
{November 11, 2017}
Happy birthday WCH!!
It’s actually CH, his given name is WCH and we just called him by his middle name.
Did you need to know all that? Probably not, but it’s my blog, ha ha! But what you do need to know is that November 11th is a very important to me. It’s the day my son, WCH was born!
I met WCH about a month after his seventh birthday and it was love at first site! We hit it off immediately, I get along with kids, but this one was special. His sister, TYL, now she was another story, a much tougher customer! She was very protective of her dad and brother and I respected that very much.
WCH was cute and funny and shorter than me! He was loving and sweet and a hugger and a love muffin and a snuggler, oh we all loved Saturday and Sunday mornings, they used to crawl in bed with me and we wild talk and cuddle and laugh and tickle and be silly, just like parents and kids should be!
It was such a treat to watch him grow up into this amazing man I see before me today. A very smart kid, on occasion I wasn’t sure if he any common sense, but I think that’s part of being a kid!
Today, seeing the amazing man he has become is so fabulous. He is a wonderful husband, a doting uncle and always a kickin’ brother! He is confident in the kitchen and everyone works for and with him respects him and values this relationship.
It makes me swell with so much pride to see him today and hope that I had a small part to play is his amazingness for the time we were together as a family when he was a kid.
Happy, happy, happy to a man I still think of as my baby boy! I hope today is as fabulous as you!
{November 10, 2017}
Happy birthday Saint J!
No, you didn’t miss a religious holiday! This is the birthday of family!
I have told you about Mr & Mrs B before, they are LBK’s parents. I even told you a little about them earlier in the week, they are KK’s grandparents!
Mrs. B worked with my mom for years at the same school. They started when I was a kid, so the two families became great friends. We celebrated holidays together, their house was the first time I decorated a Christmas tree! They had latkes and lit a menorah at our house. We’ve celebrated birthdays together and traveled together, as families when we were kids and adults with our respective families.
They are an amazing family and Mr & Mrs B are like another fabulous set of parents. They have been there through all the good and bad my family has been through, as we have for theirs. They remember every birthday, not only dad and LaLa, but GES, me, EJS and MGS and dad does the same for them and LBK and her kids. They are also catholic, hence, the reason we dubbed Mrs B as Saint J when I was younger.
I used to cal them by their first names and then as soon as I was in a class that Mr B taught, they became Mr & Mrs B to me. I even address their cards as ‘Mr & Mrs ‘The Bs’. I’ll never forget one day Mrs B said “You know, you could call can all us J & E”, um, nope! I tried, not going to happen.
Today is Mrs B’s birthday and should be celebrated! Mrs B is getting to do what she loves today, spend the day with her family! Happy birthday Saint J! I hope today is as fabulous as you!
{November 9, 2017}
A new experience… And for some cookie dough!
I got to the airport today and asked a question.
This question led to quite a few checks. And it was all for cookie dough! Let me ‘splain!
A few months ago I was traveling and left over food, as I often travel with snacks and some leftovers, especially if I’m going to eat it at the airport or on my flight. Well, this occasion, I happened to have a small jar of peanut butter and it was taken away. Apparently, you can hide a bomb in the peanut butter or bomb parts, I don’t remember, to be honest.
So, I got this fabulous new treat the other day at the grocery store and I wanted to bring it home to share with my dad, since we both like cookie and I hope we both like cookie dough. Based on what I learned from him on snacking as a kid, I say yes.
Anyway, it comes in these little cup containers, like pudding, and it’s solid, but since peanut butter is too, I thought I would ask. I asked the desk agent when I dropped off my bag if I could take the cookie dough cups with me, she looked at me quizzically and then said she would check. I told her if I couldn’t take them with me, she could have them! She LOVED that!
Off she went to ask one person, no answer, then another and another, finally, and I wish I was fast enough with my phone to snap a pic…she was standing with two TSA agents looking at the packaging and discussing!
Result…I got to take my cookie dough with me! It’s in the fridge and dad and I will be enjoying tomorrow!
Are these things really worth all that effort? You bet your sweet bippie!
Y U M!
{November 6, 2017}
I don’t know if I could be a food network judge.
I would love it, but I don’t know if I could do it.
Do they have a vegan, no citrus, no fried, no spicy, no caffeine, no chocolate, no dairy, no apple, no honey, no agave? I’m sure there’s more, but I’ve lost track.
I love the Food Network for some shows. We know I like Gordon Ramsay and Kitchen Nightmares. I started watching Cooks vs Cons and recently Beat Bobby Flay, really like that show! I also really like the baking competitions, sugar competitions, carving competitions. I find them fascinating!
But, with my dietary restrictions, I watch all of these fabulous creations come to the table and realize I wouldn’t eat half of what they make! All those desserts look amazing, but I would have to sit out the judging, so that means I’ll never be a judge, sigh.
I’ll just have to keep watching on the sidelines.
Peaches Prattlings 