What I love! | Peaches Prattlings

{February 2, 2017} A good few days

Here’s what’s happened since I got back to the mainland.

I got to the client’s site on Tuesday and settled in. When the manager saw me she said “I’m so glad it’s you!” How great did that make me feel! I found a good restaurant for lunch, middle eastern yum! Two for two. To make it three for three I couldn’t get an Uber yesterday morning so I took a taxi. The driver was very nice and offered to pick me up today and gave me his number. I called him this morning and there he was. Cool.

Over the last two days there are so many people I remember and who remember me from training classes they attended, they have been very happy to see me, isn’t that awesome?

I had a decent veggie burger for lunch at an Irish pub. Last night’s dinner was the leftover vegan pizza from Monday night and tonight I went to a decent Chinese restaurant, all but four of the patrons, including me, we’re Chinese, a good sign in my opinion. It was cool that everyone who came in the bartender spoke to in Chinese. Made me miss JCT and her mom.

All in all, two good days, looking forward to the next two.

{February 1, 2017} I missed you!!

Oh my friends…I have missed you! I hope the feeling was a wee bit mutual.

I had such an amazing weekend that I had promised to share with you as I experienced it. Alas…Tmobile was not so friendly on the Big Island of Hawaii. So, a frustrating as that was, I’m going to be a big girl and move on and share my weekend with you now. Needless to say…it’s gonna be long one.

Here’s how my Friday, January 28th post went:

What do you do for the weekend, when you live on an island? You go to another island!

January 30th marks the two year anniversary of our first date. I don’t know if you remember me surprising PSM in Hawaii for our one year anniversary, it was awesome! It was also my first trip, of many, out here before I moved officially.

PSM surprised me with a trip to the Big Island for the weekend and here we are! He booked the tickets and the car, I got the hotel, you can guess where we’re staying!

We got to the hotel, the Hilton Waikoloa Village checked in and then headed to the room. The property is 62 acres! They have their own transportation system on the property, you can walk, of course, how yesterday! Or you can take a boat or tram!

We opted for the boat to get to our room, in the Ocean Tower. We have a very nice room with a partial view of the ocean, we can see it, not sure how partial it really is. The important thing is we can hear the ocean, sleeping with weigh A/C off and window open tonight!

The first thing we booked when we arrived was the luau and shortly after seeing the room, we left…headed to the luau.

What fun! The had a vegan option for me and PSM went to the buffet. Awesome waiter kept bringing more drinks, PSM was a happy camper.

The show itself was fabulous. Great history to learn about the Island of Hawaii. Each island has their own history, own and different stories to tell. I have to say, the fire dancing and spinning was the best! If you ever have the opportunity, do it! So much fun!

After the luau it was a nice walk back to the room, talk, laugh, catch up and then try to talk to you. A nice way to start our weekend, wouldn’t you agree?

Welcome day two. And what a day it was! We spent the day on a tour of Volcano National Park!
We toured lava tubes, which are the natural conduits which lava flows through, wow! We hiked to a volcano crater, there are hot pockets that you see and feel the steam coming up, unusual foliage, berries you can eat and berries, you shouldn’t.

We went to another part of the national park and we could see where the lava formed around a tree and then dinner at a volcano winery where they grow grapes and tea leaves.

We finished our day at an active volcano so we could see the glow in the distance, pictures cannot do it justice at all.

Sunday morning came and PSM had a relaxing massage, we met for breakfast and then headed to the airport. We flew back to Honolulu, collected our luggage, headed to check in, so my bags off, say a heartfelt farewell and I flew off to the great blue yonder back to Chicago.

Yesterday, I arrived about 630am, headed to the hotel and they had a room and that two hour nap was amazing! Then it was a day at the office, dinner with DLP at Kitchen 17, hotel and zzzzzzz…

Well, after mushy talk with PSM for our two year anniversary.

I hope you’ll forgive me for not talking to you last night.

So…it’s been great catching up with you tonight and now I am going to crash. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Goodnight!

{January 27, 2017} Where am I? When am I?

So…you know I travel a little right?

That being said, I talk to people in different time zones and I’m in airports in different time zones all the time. People ask where I am, can’t always tell them. My dad gave me a watch made of paper for Chanukah and I set it to Hawaii time so I always know what time it is at home and when I can call PSM. Doesn’t help in airports, so…

I decided to get clever…my fabulous watch has many options on watch faces and one has multiple time zones, so I selected that one and chose New York, good for eastern standard time, where dad is and GES in Boston, then Honolulu, where my home and honey are, Paris, well, if you know me, you know I love Paris and ‘my location’, so I’ll always know what time it is where I am.

I thought it was a good idea. It’s 11:57 pm here in Honolulu where I just landed so I will say goodnight. Good morning to some of you as it will be 5am in a few on the east coast.

{January 26, 2017} Wow! Thank you for asking!

Lunch today was kind of a bust, but with a twist.

I thought I’d try a new place for lunch today. No love for the vegan today, I ended up at Burger King, which I enjoy, but it wasn’t my first choice.

Before I ended up at Burger King, the last place I went to, as I was leaving after looking at the menu and mentioning there was nothing for a vegan, the bartender asked what they could have on the menu that I might want.

They were changing their menu and she would like to know what they could offer. I said for me, I would love to see a veggie burger, as I’ve told you and I told her, I don’t care if it’s frozen and they stick it in the microwave, I just want the option. I also mentioned that it shouldn’t be cooked where they cook meat, but if it is, like on a grill, cool it on tin foil.

If I want to go out for a salad, then that’s what I want, but I don’t want a salad to be my default and only option.
I thanked her for asking and she thanked me for my help and away I went…to Burger King for a veggie burger.

{January 25, 2017} And you doubted my love for Hilton?

I have told you, I’m spoiled. Hilton treats me right, let me show you.

I’ve been in all sorts of rooms all over the world, in all sorts of hotels, and I’ve shared what Hilton has done with upgrades. A few years ago I got upgraded to the presidential suite and this week, the governor’s suite! I could live here!

I’ve been trying to upload a video, but it’s not happening, I hope the photos do it justice! [I’m going to post the video on Facebook, if we’re friends there, you’ll see it, sorry non-Facebook peeps].

All I did was make a reservation, the rest was up to Hilton.

{January 22, 2017} Definitely a thespian!

The Wizard of Oz! My favorite movie and now…my favorite young stage production!

Today, EJS performed in The Wizard of Oz. She’s in a theater group called Show Stoppers. Last year, she was in Beauty and the Beast, she was a few different characters. This year she was Elmira Gulch in Act I, wow! Elmira Gulch, if you’re not in the know, is the mean woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.

In the rest of the show, she was a jitterbug, and munchkin, a crow and part of the Queens Guard, versatile! There was singing and dancing and they were all great, but you know, she’s my niece so of course, she was the star!

She asked me to do her hair in a sideways French braid. First time…let’s give it a shot! I did the braid, she approved and they pinned it up, looked great! Whew!

It was a fun production, minimal sets…we had a farm, a yellow brick road, a curtain for the Great and Powerful Oz, colored lighting, music, singing, costumes…what more do you need?

It really was great and EJS knew her lines, she was on point, she danced and sang and enjoyed herself and had an entourage of about 25 people! Aside from my sister, b-i-l, MGS, dad and LaLa, J&AS, B&SS she had three friends on their own, then J&EK with their kids, S&P, S&LR and their kids S&E, RG and her daughter A. What a crowd and what a lucky girl! Can you image what her Broadway debut will look like!

Congrats to the entire cast and easy to go EJS! I’m so proud of you!

{January 21, 2017} Good morning auntie….Sing!

What happens when I go to Boston? Pure joy!

I got in very late last night, my apologies for not writing, I hope I make up for it now.

I got my few hours of sleep and I hear “good morning auntie! We’re going to the movies and we’re leaving now!” Huh?

I got some very quick snuggles, giggles and hugs, run up to take a shower while EJS and MGS got dressed and brushed their teeth. As I was waiting for them to get ready, apparently I can shower faster than they can brush their teeth and get dressed, go figure, my sister, GES, told me that they refused to go without me, since we had promised to see it together, how awesome did that feel!

We got to the movie theatre, popcorn and drinks set and away we went. On the way they were very curious about my driving record, huh? Well, there were parts in the movie someone was speeding and I pointed out that I did not drive like that!

Then there were previews and previews and more previews and “does that mean that’s the same dog over and over?” Among other questions. We also saw previews and made future movie dates, like Despicable Me 3! And finally… movie.

The movie was great! It opened with a Beatles song, so immediately I approved! It was about ‘real people’ but all portrayed by animals. What I mean by real people…gangsters, moms, dads, shy kids, proud parents, overworked whatevers, bankers, folks flush and down on their luck.

Buster Moon is a koala who owns an iconoc theatre that was something special in its heyday. Now, the theater needs love, he’s behind on his loans and bills, you get the idea.

He is on his last dime and comes up with an idea…a singing contest. From there it was funny, silly, touching, beautiful, inspiring…so much talent to behold and what a soundtrack!

And of course, there was a message…what good kids movie doesn’t have a message? You have to have faith and believe in yourself. Take a chance, you never know what you can do until you try. Let me think, I can probably come up with a few more.

Oh my, but the music was fantastic! I think I knew all but one song. We danced in our seats, ok, I danced in my seat and shook the girls shoulders until they danced with me. It was cute when a scene came on that they knew from the previews and commercials and they said “oh,I know this!”

It was a great movie, the girls and I had a blast and on the way home I played some of the music. The best was when I played them Big Butts by Sir Humpty! In the movie, you’ve probably seen this in the previews, three bunnies say the opening line “Oh my gawd, did you see her butt!” They thought it was a very goofy song, good thing they didn’t really listen to the lyrics!

A perfect way to start the weekend! Can’t wait for the next one!

{January 20, 2017} It’s been how long? Doesn’t feel like it!

You know how you have that friend you’ve known forever and you don’t talk that often, but when up do, it’s like no time has passed.

I’ve told you that I’m lucky enough to have a few friends in my life who fit the very description. Tonight, I talked to someone I’ve been friends with since middle school and it was just like that.

CSB and I met in middle school and were instant friends and then we were best friends and remained friends and close friends for years and as things happen, life gets in the way, but our fondness and love for each other has never wavered and when we do see each other or talk to each other, it’s like we pick up where we left off.

Tonight, we were talking and realized it had been over two hours, where did the home go?! And if we didn’t have to get up in the morning, we would have probably gone on another two or more.

When we got off the phone, we pinky swore we would talk again and I look forward to that next call with another sister.

Side note…CSB…this is Joe Bloggs, we will be discussing him again!

{January 18, 2017} Ahhh…I’m saved

I found a great farmer’s market today, I’m saved.

I’m in a city this week that doesn’t have much to offer a vegan, let alone a vegetarian. It happens, I get outside of major metropolitan cities it gets more difficult to find options for me, so I end up with a lot of takeout and a lot of Chinese takeout at that.

Sometimes I’ll go to the grocery store and today, they have more options for me, but farmer’s markets and health food stores are better. Today, I found a great farmer’s market that reminded me of Sprouts, I’m saved! I picked up vegan for dinner tonight, lunch and dinner tomorrow, I’m excited!

Yeah me and finding vegan!

{January 17, 2017} Martin Luther King Jr Day and Hidden Figures

What a day.

Today we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. His Birthday is January 15th and we celebrate on the third Monday of January.

Martin Luther King Jr was an American Baptist minister and activist who was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs.

There are many ways that we honor Dr. King in the United States. Different groups honor him in different ways, lectures, celebrities, it’s a federal holiday, schools are closed, some companies give their employees the day off, as mine did.

Since I knew I would have been in Chicago today, DLP and I decided to go to the movies and it seems fitting that we saw Hidden Figures.

Hidden Figures is a movie based on a true story. A team of African-American women provide NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program’s first successful space missions.

It was an amazing and powerful story. The three main characters are smart, clever, personable women you can’t help but cheer for, want to succeed and wish you had even a fraction of their brains.

The movie took place during a difficult time in history for people of color. It was interesting and difficult to watch at times, empowering, happy, sad, frustrating, exciting, so many emotions. There were tears, anger, joy and those were the feelings of the audience.

It was an amazing and inspiring movie, I walked out wanting to be a human computer! Go see it!

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