Travel | Peaches Prattlings

{July 14, 2017} Sometimes you meet the nicest people…

When you’re traveling. Well, more flying in this case.

You can meet nice people all over the world, wherever you are, but sometimes you get really lucky when you’re sitting next to someone on a plane. It’s always a crap shoot when you sit next to someone on a flight, as you may or may not know.

I believe I told you about the nice guy I sat next to in first class last week. Tonight, I sat next to a nice woman in first class, yes,I got upgraded again, yes, I’m spoiled, especially when I travel for work, we’ve established this, moving on, ha ha. She was very nice, on the road like I am and we swapped stories, laughed, felt each other’s pains, accomplishments, it’s nice to talk with people who understand.

What I mean by that is when you travel for pleasure once in a while, you might have different types of experiences and look at things differently than someone who travels for work, even differently than sometime who travels exclusively for work, like I do, the ‘road warrior’ as its called.

One of the things I love is sharing tips and tricks with people new to traveling for work, little ways to get the best bang for your buck. I’ve really benefited from other people and i want to share what I’ve learned, from others and my own experiences. JCT, ST, BJS and I all met on the same project, we were road warriors.

ST got off the road and has started traveling for work again, JCT changed to a less traveled position and BJS is now a travel for fun kind of gal. I learned a lot from them and shared a lot with them, its neat to compare notes!

I wonder who I will sit next to next!

{July 9, 2017} A good visit… time to say see ya…

What a week! A whirlwind of sorts!

Get in late last Friday night, party for PSM on Saturday, family, friends, fireworks, back to Chicago for three days.

Get in late Friday night, drive two plus hours to see PSM, time with family, drive back to Boston, very early flight for someone yesterday, back to GES’ house, hang out, get stuff done, family comes home from camping, hang out a bit, say goodnight and think about sleep, 5am alarm to go back to Chicago.

For PSM… hit the ground running, literally! Land, party, motorcycle trip, cookout, work, golf, mountains, hiking, mini – golf, home. You tired yet?

I got to be in the same time zone and even see my honey for more than two days! Hold yourselves back people!

It was a great, albeit, short visit. A busy month for us, then I get to go home next month! Can’t wait!

{July 8, 2017} A fun day

I got to sleep in today!

Well, I got to sleep past 7am anyway! It was 1027am! Sorry about not writing last night, I didn’t get to my destination until almost 3am, I was beat!

I left Chicago for my flight to Boston, first upgrade to first class on United, very nice indeed, hope it happens again, maybe even on my next flight to Hawaii…fingers crossed!

I sat next to a nice guy, who works for a keg company and on his way to a wedding in the Berkshires, near where the girls go to summer camp. Two hour drive, at that hour, ugh!

Look who’s talking…I got my rental car about 1145pm, waited on the very long line to get out of the rental car garage because of one person working. Then I got on the road… up to New Hampshire, two hours and fifteen minutes, weehoo…

I stopped about three quarters of the way for a bio break and a cup of hot tea. I finally got to PSM’s condo about 230am, settled in about three am and finally feel asleep and then slept until about 1030, fabulous!

Got up, had breakfast with PSM, his brother and sister-in-law. Then we made a plan to go and play miniature golf, it was a lot of fun! We all got at least one hole-in-one! SM and I both got two! I still came in last, tied with my honey! It was a lot of fun! Oh, I said that, but it was!

After, PSM and I went out for a snack at a Mexican restaurant, eventually back to the house, chilled out, watched a movie while SM cooked dinner, very tasty! Chicken parm for everyone except me, I got eggplant, yum!

After dinner, clean up and head out, back towards Boston since someone, not me, has a very early flight in the morning.

A nice day…I got to spend it with my honey! More of that please!

{July 7, 2017} Didn’t you just say you were hungry?

I get a little confused on occasion, it happens. Don’t you?

Here’s the deal. I think I’ve told you before, I don’t usually finish my meals, especially dinners. That means I invariably walk out of the restaurant with a to-go container.

As I walk back to my hotel or just wherever, I am usually looking for someone to feed, I know I’m probably not going to eat the leftovers and I don’t like to waste food, so I’m happy to share what i have.

In the dead of winter in Buffalo, NY, I couldn’t find that many homeless people, so the valets at the hotel ate well. Sometimes it’s even been any Uber driver. I’m happy as long as someone is eating. The homeless inn Ann Arbor, MI were fed very well and very appreciative.

Here in Chicago it’s been a different story. There are homeless people everywhere here and I try to give my leftovers to them. I cannot believe how many times I have been turned down. “No thanks, I just ate” aren’t you going to be hungry later? Tonight a guy asked me what it was and when I said salad, he said no, really?

One guy had a sign that said he was homeless and hungry, even said it. I offered him my food, his response “I really need a ride to a shelter”, sorry, can’t help you there. As I walked away “hungry and homeless” seriously?

So, could someone please explain to me, when you’re homeless and asking for food and someone offers you just that, why do you turn it down?

{July 6, 2017} Happy birthday PSM!

July 5th is a very special day! The day my honey, PSM, was born, I’d say that’s pretty special.

I told you about his party on Saturday, now, let me tell you about the man himself.

He’s kind; to his friends, family, animals, especially puppies, oh, you should have seen him when we were on our first big trip, we had been away for almost three weeks and away from Mollie, he got so tickled by this dog in the restaurant we were in, he had to stop and play.

He is a brilliant man, he is a bio-chemist by trade, I looked at his dissertation, its a giant book, even has pictures! Well, they’re images of genes, molecules and genomes, smart people stuff like that. Remember I said I looked at it, I understood the dedication to his mom and the end! It does look very impressive on the book shelf! I do love that brain of his!

And not just his brain, he’s funny, he makes me laugh, sometimes intentionally and sometimes…it just happens. That might be one of our favorite things to do together, laugh.

I don’t know if you’ve realized how well we travel together, score! Let’s just say I not only love this guy, I really like him, and that is saying something!

His interests are so varied, I’m not going to tell you everything, that would be giving it away! You just have to get to know him yourself!
Today is his birthday, a very special day in my opinion…we’ve traveled for two birthdays, big throwdown this year, what’s next?

I hope you recognize the portrait! I commissioned AS, ACS & GES’ sister-in-law, a fabulous artist, to paint a portrait of Mollie, she picked the photo from Facebook and went with it. How fabulous is it!! Lets just say… when I gave it to him, desired effect! Not sure who was more excited or effected at that moment! Me, I couldn’t sit still waiting to give it to him and see the look on his face or him, the look on his face! Thank you AS!

Happy birthday PSM, I hope it was all you hoped for this year. I’m looking forward to spending the next and the next and the next and…

{July 4, 2017} Happy birthday USA! How do you celebrate?

Just to be clear, USA stands for just what you were thinking, United States of America.

It’s July 4th! A great day in our country’s history. Indepence and freedom, that screams volumes! It’s a celebration and a day to celebrate!

Last night we had fireworks, today was a parade and a cookout and for some, more fireworks. How did you celebrate?

We started with a 5k,EJS and ACS ran it, along with LR and a whole bunch of other people. It was a good way to start the day. I did it last year, maybe I’ll do it next year.

We cheered for everyone, I know how much I enjoy hearing the cheering and encouragement, so i was in full form. “You got this!” “Girl power!” “Tutu power!” You name it, we were shouting it!

Then… the parade! It’s quite the show! The race is the same as the parade route, so there is a pretty good crowd for the race, it just grows for the parade.

There was the fire brigade, sirens blaring. Hit or miss on the noise with the kids! But they definitely love the trucks!

During the parade there were different military and service people participating, the last military group… the red coats! The muskets were cool, and loud!

Old cars, roadsters, muscle cars, jeeps, Model Ts, fabulous!

Decorated floats, construction equipment, dance troupes.

You can’t have a parade without live music!

Love the live music!

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Brass band!

Who doesn’t love a steel drum band?

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What a great parade!

{July 3, 2017} And the rockets red glare…

The bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Does the Star Spangled Banner give you chills, like me? Make your heart swell, like me? Bring tears to your eyes, like mine? Make you proud to be an American? All that and so much more.

It’s hopeful, full of wonder and promise, that anything is possible.

Tonight, we went to the local high school to watch a fireworks display. I’m sure there were so many going on all throughout the state, and country. Felt like the entire town was at ours. The town does a great fireworks display.

You get there to set up, maybe in the early afternoon, stake your spot, chairs, blankets. Then go home and have friends over, food, drink, fun. Then about 730, start walking to the high school, find your stuff and your friends, catch up, play, collect as many glow stick pieces of jewelry as you can!

About 920, you’re wondering, it’s dark enough, right? Let’s get started! And it does start, with the Star Spangled Banner. And on ‘the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air’ they let off fireworks, perfection!

Twenty two minutes later, popping, bursting, spraying, sparkling, its all so magical and wonderful and its over. So good, they left us wanting more.

Let’s start planning next year!

Happy birthday DM!

{July 2, 2017} What’s better than a day at the beach?

Nothing, I say!

Today, GES, ACS, MGS, EJS, dad and I went down to Nantasket Beach in Hull. JK, one of ACS’ closest friends families has a house one block from the beach.

It’s a great older house, great open floor plan that is welcoming and inviting. There is a terrific porch that wraps around two sides of the house, right on the corner where you can see the water wherever you sit.

It’s also a great place to see people coming from and going to the beach, lots of people to chat with, if you want to. Perfect view to see the ice cream man too, if you’re so inclined.

And… best part, a great place to sit, enjoy the breeze, the sounds, the silence, the smells, maybe even take a snooze…

Lunch when we arrived, a few hours on the beach, back to the house to hang out with dad, watch some Netflix, the rest of the family joined, quick showers, then head out for some grub.

Last stop, what’s the perfect way to end a beach day? According to my b-i-l, ice cream. That sounds about right.

A great day at the beach, sigh…

{June 29, 2017} A bonus night!

Tuesday is DLP, Wednesday is WIS. That’s the way it is and the way it works.

This week has been extra special! An extra day with WIS, with her friend, if you recall on Sunday and two extra days with DLP. My life is full!

Sunday dinner with DLP, Tuesday movies in the park with JM and tonight, Thursday, last minute movie!

We were both in the office late, my class ended and I was getting some additional work done and DLP messaged “movie?” Definitely! What were you thinking? First option was D3, as in Dispicible Me 3, but i said nay- nay! I’m going with my girls this weekend. I promised!

We decided on Pirates of the Caribbean and off we went. The movies are always cold, so as we passed the Disney store, we went in and I got a picnic blanket. Hey, a blanket is a blanket and it came in handy, not just in the movies, but when we were leaving it was raining, so under the blanket I went, toasty and dry! And now, we have a blanket for the next movie in the park!

We both really enjoyed the movie, I thought it was better than the last one for sure! We laughed, cringed, laughed, laughed and laughed. Yup, that’s about it!

{June 29, 2017} An adventure and a new vegan restaurant, wow!

So… life is an adventure and I live it every day!

Today’s adventure is brought to you by the letters y, u and m!

It started with a restaurant suggestion, Ambitabul, vegan Korean, great! Korean vegan, who knew! http://amitabulvegan.com/

Then it was get an Uber to the restaurant. GPS said 1.18 hours, ok, that works. Almost every time we meet for dinner it can take an hour or more, so no problem.

I get in the car and the Uber driver says Libertyville? I say sure, sounds good. I have no idea about the names of cities in Chicago but I should say the areas of Chicago or Illinois, as it were. So I don’t know if you remember one of my first classes way back when with this project I gave the address to the driver didn’t say the name of this city and ended up at a vacant lot and when I said this doesn’t look like, I name the city, he said that’s a suburb of Chicago! Whoops.

So on this point, lesson learned make sure you know where you’re going! So back to our story… we are driving, driving, driving, highway, getting farther away from Chicago, I ask, where are you taking me?!

We are getting close to our supposed destination, I double check the address…um… my driver, a fabulous woman named Keele, I’ll talk about her in a minute, she says, I know that area, that’s near where my parents live… back towards Chicago!

I finally call WIS, and I am laughing hysterically, so is Keele, and rightfully so! I tell her what happened and I’m not sure if she stopped breathing laughing so hard! I’m just glad Keele didn’t drip breathing from laughing so hard! None of us peed in our pants, so I think that’s a bonus!

WIS graciously agreed to wait for me, so glad she did! Turn around and away we went!

Now, back to my fabulous driver and new bff, Keele! It’s amazing how you can know someone two minutes and you’ve known each other’s lives. By the time we parted company, we covered dating, marriage, dating websites, Vegas, families, travel, work, um, what’s left?

When we finally got to the restaurant and parted ways with my new bestie, she would have been a perfect fit for the evening! Maybe next time!

Now… on to dinner, oh my! I started with date tea, wow! That’s all I have to say! We asked for the recipe, the only way were getting it is when the owner retires and writes a cookbook… not for at least 15 years, what? Ok, we just have to go back! The tea was made by boiling fermented dates, it was sweet, no sugar added!! It was like drinking liquid dates, wow!

I started with veggie dumplings, light, crisp on the edges, fabulous. I could have just eaten that, but I was hungry. I had soup with veggies and noodles, they did have a soup with the dumplings, next time! WIS had a noodle dish with a little kick.

We finished with ice cream and a red bean cake. We saved room for it! Truly wonderful! Even the names of the dishes were clever, 9 Ways to Nirvana Noodle Soup, fun!

We closed the place down. I took my leftover soup, we went for a drive, looking for a good place for an Uber to pick me up and saw some really cute places around Chicago.

Uber to the hotel, my driver was very thankful for my leftover soup. I have to say, lovely man, but not the same as Keele. I hope you have the pleasure of her company one day!

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