Travel | Peaches Prattlings

{February 14, 2017} Just another travel day…

It’s Monday, so back to the daily grind, right? Off to Mt Vernon, IL I go.

As I mentioned yesterday, I stayed at a hotel last night in case the roads were bad to the airport, I was close.

I got there, checked my bags and went through security. There was literally no one on line! This is Logan airport in Boston, that never happens! Do you remember when I showed you JetBlu a few weeks ago? Nope, no one! There we people at the airport, but hundreds of flights had been canceled, so it was sparse.

I got some breakfast, got on my flight, which was full, by the way. That flight was at 840am, we waited for the de-icing to begin, then left. In Detroit, I had enough time to powder my nose and get to my next flight.

In Chicago, I had a two hour layover, but not as much time as you’d expect. Get luggage, catch shuttle to next terminal, check luggage back in, walk from B-gates terminal to C-gates terminal, then go in search of something to eat, it’s been a while and a time since since breakfast. Why is it so difficult to find something for a vegan, it’s 2017 airport people! I would like something more than the hummus cup with pretzels.

Get to gate, wait 20 minutes, board flight for St Louis. Short flight, collect luggage, go to car rental. Collect car, drive 1.30 to Mt Vernon.

I started at 7am eastern and ended 530pm central [630pm eastern].

Let’s just say, I decided if I was going to do anything for dinner, it would be coming to me! I’m staying put in my comfy clothes until I have to get up for work tomorrow!
The best part of the day…since you can now download from Netflix…I binge watched Stranger Things! Wow!

Night!

{February 12, 2017} Sunday…another snow day!

Sunday school, sledding, hot chocolate, snow, hotel.

Sunday was quiet in the morning, the kids and GES were at Sunday school, ACS was watching Sunday Morning, when I finally decided to come downstairs and I watched with him after making some breakfast.

When the kids got home, there was playing in the snow, a little deep in some spots! Sledding, which translates to Auntie J, pull us in the tobbogin! Hmmm…

After sledding, dry the snow gear, good thing I had it with me! Hot chocolate, lunch and then…pack up and head to a hotel for the night near the airport. Good thing, it keeps snowing, who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow? See how foggy it was from the hotel window?

Take out, bad tv, talk to you, bed. Fingers crossed I get out tomorrow, lots of flights are getting canceled.

Happy snow day!

{February 10, 2017} I’m in a living snow globe

Isn’t that crazy?!

I landed in Boston tonight and as we were waiting for the jet way to reach the plane, the snow started to build on the window.

I thought it looked like a slow globe! Please don’t shake the plane to make it blizzard! Ha ha

{February 9, 2017} My night

Well, tonight, after a whirlwind of dates with friends and my team, it was a me party.

After work, I headed to my hotel, participed in the conference call then it was search for food. I also got a new suitcase delivered, wahoo! I love my eBags backpack and needed a new bag for work that’s durable, especially the way baggage handlers handle bags. I thought it was too big, but after packing tonight…

So, I went out trying to decide what to b have for dinner and as I put my hand in my pocket, I found a coupon…Old Navy cash…and I thought…I haven’t talked to Old Navy in a while, so…

Coupon used, new fun stuff acquired, a few dresses to twirl and keep me entertained, we said goodbye for a while and I went to one of my favorite places, Vapiano’s, never actually been without LJ or DLP…I ended up deciding on take out. A cheese-less pizza and a salad. If you think about it, a cheese-less pizza is really just a flatbread, which works for me.

Back to the room, eat, have a fashion show for myself, glad I bought the bigger bag! Chilled out, watched Gigi on TV, then talked to CWB for a while, so very glad we reconnected! Then it was eventually time for lights out, after talking to you, of course. Fingers crossed sleep actually comes.

Travel day tomorrow!

{February 9, 2017} Another team dinner…another new restaurant.

A great time was had by all.

Tonight we went to Carnival, a Brazilian inspired restaurant with an explosion of colors, sounds, tastes, smells and sites.

Apparently, there are times they have people swinging from the curtains and the seats, acrobatic type stuff.

We had a great time, as always. Talking, catching up, laughing, giving people grief for talking about work, just a good time. The nicest part…this team Dinner was scheduled for this week because I’m in town, isn’t that great!

We even started talking about where to go next, looking forward to it!

{February 7, 2017} Two new restaurants, great food and a new friend!

I realized I haven’t talked about places I’ve eaten lately, shame on me!

So, today, I am at a new site for training and support and I found the Eleven City Diner. Oh my! It was awesome! A gps Jewish Deli with good, fresh ingredients and piled high on the plate! I had an egg salad sandwich on challah, yum! It came with a pickle Spear and coleslaw, really good. I pigged out and ate it all! If you know me, you know I usually have leftovers, not today! This place reminded me a little of Zaftigs in Boston.

For dinner, I met up with someone I met on this project in a class and then again recently and we had hit it off the first time and decided to go to dinner. She came up with a few suggestions and Isla, a Filipino restaurant had more options than the other, it’s family owned and delicious! She had given me some vegan options the first time we meet and I haven’t been disappointed yet!

We had a great time getting to know each other, we have a lot in common, like our love of movies and travel. It was a lot of fun and we’re looking forward to the next time! I made another friend in Chicago!

{February 7, 2017} Life on the road can be fun!

Tonight was a fun evening.

Traveling for work is what you make of it. There are times there is nothing to make of it. Travel-meeting-travel or travel-meeting-dinner-hotel- travel. I’ve done those, fun, not so much all the time…or as it is now, when I’m in a place for a few months or more, you get to know the place and some people.

On this project, when I’m in Chicago, I go out to dinners, shows, movies. I’ve made friends on the project. Tonight was one of those nights. It was like any other job anywhere, you have friends and decide to go out. DLP and I wanted to do something, so, away we went. We went to the movies, settled in and saw Sing. Loved it a second time! She loved it a first time!

There is fun to be had on the road, it’s all what you make of it and sometimes what you have time for. I’m having fun!

{February 3, 2017} Did I actually day that?

Sometimes you think about it after you say it and think “huh…did I really just say that!?”

I’ve done that a few times in my life, I know we all have and I’ve probably told you one or two of them. This wasn’t that bad, just not sure it was completely appropriate.

I was teaching a class yesterday and we needed a name, we make them up for one of the lessons and someone decided to select Willie Nelson. That led to a few comments about weed. Uh oh…here I am teaching a class and they are talking about weed. But…it helped to put things into perspective and it made the class laugh and understand what we were trying to do, so that worked out.

You never know where inspiration is going to come from our what will make the light bulb go off over someone’s head…do what you can!

{February 2, 2017} Well, ain’t that fancy!

Quote-unquote.

This is what I heard one of the women say when they got in the elevator with me at my hotel.

This hotel has the elevator that you punch the number on the pad and it tells you which elevator car to use, no numbers inside. There is a display in the elevator indicating the floors requested.

When the women got in the car they thought the display was for the floors that car serviced. I told them it was for the floors we were going to and one of them said “We’ll ain’t that fancy!”

Well ladies, I guess it is!

Made me giggle.

{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.

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