Last Saturday, Mom and I spent the morning cleaning my breezeway (after ripping out the carpet on Monday!) and it was hot, hot, hot. She left around 4, and I took a shower and a nap, packed a bag for two nights and headed to Mom & Dad's for an exciting evening of making 4 large batches of buffalo chicken dip.
Sunday morning I had a headache and Dad was grumpy, but we were on the road by 9:30 and headed for Columbus. The elder of my nephews graduated from high school on May 20, and his party was set for Memorial Day. In addition to the buffalo chicken dip, we also had 7 1-gallon bags of sweet snack mix and 5.5 1-gallon bags of savory snack mix, plus the big cooler which was temporarily full of bags of tortilla chips & corn chips.
We pulled into the driveway at 11:30ish. Mom popped right out of the car, and I saw my brother approach the front passenger side where Dad was sitting. As Dad rolled down the window, he said, "What is Captain Crossword doing here?" and I thought he was talking about Jeeves until I looked up and saw that my baby brother was in fact in Columbus instead of Dallas! Turns out that Mom had arranged to fly CC, Bookworm Mathgeek and the girls in and kept it a surprise from everyone.U
After that we had a quick lunch of New York-style pizza, then commenced with the party prep. It was nice to chat with CC and Bookworm and catch up.
Unfortunately, I woke up at 7 with the beginning of a migraine, including the barfing. Mom went out and got me some Excedrin Migraine, I took 2, had a hot shower and went back to sleep. When I woke up at 11, the nausea was gone and my headache was manageable, so I took 2 more pills and got dressed.
The party went very well, with tons of friends, neighbors and family, including my mom's brother from Florida and her sister from Cincinnati. The food was great, there was lots of laughter and silliness and everyone had a good time.
The best part of the day for me was late at night, when the cleanup was done, the outdoor light was off but the pool was still illuminated, and Jeeves and I had a long heart-to-heart talk. Of course, because we are siblings, he had to psych me out, pretending he was going to shove me in the pool. :-D
So the day that started with barfing, ended with giggling as I lay in bed thinking about my brother.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Monday, May 27, 2019
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Thanksgiving Weekend To-Do List
Updated Saturday, 11/26/16
1. Be thankful. Doing that all day, for my family, my friends, my dog, my job, that there are books and food and music in my life.
1. Be thankful. Doing that all day, for my family, my friends, my dog, my job, that there are books and food and music in my life.
2. Take out compost. Once, plus washed out the sink-side container and have started a box for floor sweepings and plant trimmings.
3. Take out recyclables. I made two trips out on Thursday and one on Friday, and then took the container out. After the pickup I realized I still had a bagful of stuff from work, so I went out and got the bin and re-filled it halfway.
4. Load dishwasher, run dishwasher, unload, load. I'll probably run it once more tomorrow night.
5. Scan and e-mail stuff to Mom. Done, despite an elderly and cranky printer
6. Make my bed. Every single day, yay me!
7. Make the dog's bed. Also every single day, so another yay!
8. Fold and put away clean clothes. Done, but will have to do it again tomorrow night after laundry morning at Mom's.
9. Hang up and put away other clean clothes. Same as #8
10. Clear off flat surfaces. Didn't get done. :-(
11. Clean said flat surfaces. Didn't get done. :-(
12. Hook up Magic Jack and call Scary Bear. Didn't get done. :-( But if I clean off the desk, maybe he can do it while he's waiting for the washing machine... }:)
13. Buy washing machine. Got a great buy on an Electrolux from HH Gregg, and they surprised me by saying it will be delivered on Tuesday, which is too soon. When I called to reschedule, the CSR told me my order had been cancelled and if I attempted to place it again it would be cancelled again and I should go to the store. Ugh.
14. Get all plants in from the garage. All 28 of them. Ouch.
15. Get all plants arranged in house. I've got one spider plant I don't have room for and am loath to toss onto the compost because it's healthy, damnit!
16. Go water-walking. Gave this up in lieu of getting plants in and the breezeway semi-tidied because I am hoping Dad will be here to let the washing machine people in.
Saturday, September 03, 2016
Six thousand steps before lunch and panhandled by a toddler
It's been a bit since I posted here, and I still need to finish my travelogue! All I can say is that I haven't felt like writing. Somehow, the day on Thursday made me want to write it up. A couple of weeks ago I bought I cheap pedometer from Walgreens. I've been averaging 4-5000 steps per day and hoping to get better as time goes on. On Thursday I had 6000 by lunch and another 3000 by bedtime!
A little background: in 2014, the judge set up twice-monthly hearings where interested* parties have a chance to object to estate inventories and accounts. I'm in charge of pulling the files, giving them to the magistrate covering the hearing, explaining the rules to people who want to object, checking folks in and sometimes explaining to people who show up that they don't need to be there when nobody has objected.
Some hearing days we have no cases, some days we have lots of cases, and on days like Thursday, we have only a few cases with a boatload of people. They all need to be herded into groups and then into the hearing room one case at a time, and sometimes kept apart if there are strong emotions at play. The magistrate took people into the hearing room on the basis of "First case with all their people here goes first" and once she had the first case being heard, I had a minute to call the attorney for one side of the third case, because she hadn't shown up yet.
The parties for our three cases were interesting. One had a trio of African-American great-aunts, ladies who looked like they had seen some shit and weren't taking any, another had a really arrogant asshole attorney and the third had a guy who looked, sounded, and shook hands like he'd been living in a cave his whole life. Damp, pallid, skinny and doughy. ::shudder::
So in the middle of running back and forth herding cats and occasionally stopping at my desk to try to work on guardians' accounts, I was stopped by the gumball machine by an adorable little boy who asked me if I had a quarter. Softie that I am, I gave him two.
Things were calmer once the magistrate cleared all the cases. I call her "The Fastest Pen in the Midwest" for good reason--in one of the cases, she had her decision to me before my colleague had even docketed the attorney's notice of appearance. :-)
I did manage to get all the accounts and inventories published or approved that afternoon and cleared my desk of a boatload of work. I also got a notification that a library book I'd been waiting on had come in, so I stopped on my way home to pick it up. My phone rang when I was two blocks from home, but I knew it just meant Mom had beat me to the house, so I didn't answer.
Mom and Dad have been emptying the attic, so Mom brought over a bunch of unused carpet scraps for me to put out for the fabric recycling company to pick up Friday morning. I fed the dog and let her out and put her away again while Mom was stuffing bags and carrying them to the curb. I helped with the last bag and then we were off to Home Goods. Mom had a bunch of rewards, so she gave me half, and I got the softest new blanket and a shedload of hand soaps (for home and for work) and three yummy-smelling Halloween candles.
After that we had dinner at Aladdin's and then went to Gabriel Brothers, where I found a gorgeous fall jacket for only $12.99 and Mom looked at all the bras and didn't buy any because they were all push-ups. I got home about 9, lit the juniper and clementine candle and was glad that Mom & I had gone out, even after a very busy day.
*"Interested" is used here as a legal term--someone has to have a stake or share in the estate, not an interest in the sense of curiosity.
A little background: in 2014, the judge set up twice-monthly hearings where interested* parties have a chance to object to estate inventories and accounts. I'm in charge of pulling the files, giving them to the magistrate covering the hearing, explaining the rules to people who want to object, checking folks in and sometimes explaining to people who show up that they don't need to be there when nobody has objected.
Some hearing days we have no cases, some days we have lots of cases, and on days like Thursday, we have only a few cases with a boatload of people. They all need to be herded into groups and then into the hearing room one case at a time, and sometimes kept apart if there are strong emotions at play. The magistrate took people into the hearing room on the basis of "First case with all their people here goes first" and once she had the first case being heard, I had a minute to call the attorney for one side of the third case, because she hadn't shown up yet.
The parties for our three cases were interesting. One had a trio of African-American great-aunts, ladies who looked like they had seen some shit and weren't taking any, another had a really arrogant asshole attorney and the third had a guy who looked, sounded, and shook hands like he'd been living in a cave his whole life. Damp, pallid, skinny and doughy. ::shudder::
So in the middle of running back and forth herding cats and occasionally stopping at my desk to try to work on guardians' accounts, I was stopped by the gumball machine by an adorable little boy who asked me if I had a quarter. Softie that I am, I gave him two.
Things were calmer once the magistrate cleared all the cases. I call her "The Fastest Pen in the Midwest" for good reason--in one of the cases, she had her decision to me before my colleague had even docketed the attorney's notice of appearance. :-)
I did manage to get all the accounts and inventories published or approved that afternoon and cleared my desk of a boatload of work. I also got a notification that a library book I'd been waiting on had come in, so I stopped on my way home to pick it up. My phone rang when I was two blocks from home, but I knew it just meant Mom had beat me to the house, so I didn't answer.
Mom and Dad have been emptying the attic, so Mom brought over a bunch of unused carpet scraps for me to put out for the fabric recycling company to pick up Friday morning. I fed the dog and let her out and put her away again while Mom was stuffing bags and carrying them to the curb. I helped with the last bag and then we were off to Home Goods. Mom had a bunch of rewards, so she gave me half, and I got the softest new blanket and a shedload of hand soaps (for home and for work) and three yummy-smelling Halloween candles.
After that we had dinner at Aladdin's and then went to Gabriel Brothers, where I found a gorgeous fall jacket for only $12.99 and Mom looked at all the bras and didn't buy any because they were all push-ups. I got home about 9, lit the juniper and clementine candle and was glad that Mom & I had gone out, even after a very busy day.
*"Interested" is used here as a legal term--someone has to have a stake or share in the estate, not an interest in the sense of curiosity.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Bordeaux to Britain, Days 6-8
Day 6, 4/28/16
After coming back to the ship from Guernsey, getting cleaned up and eating dinner, Mom & I skipped the reception line for our distinguished guest and spent a quiet evening reading, writing notes on the day (Mom) and downloading photos (me). Thursday, April 28 was a day at sea as we moved from Guernsey to Normandy, France.
Mom and I had our usual breakfast, hung around for a bit afterwards and talked to people, and then went back to the room to get ready to face the day. Dressed and made up and all that jazz, we headed up to the little theater to listen to a talk from our guest lecturer, David Eisenhower. I'm sorry that link doesn't have a current picture, because he does look very much like his grandfather. His wife, who is equally recognizable, is Julie Nixon Eisenhower.
The lecture was good, mostly about Normandy, both the history and then the events of WWII, culminating of course in D-Day. After the lecture, we had lunch, then spent a quiet afternoon, including a nap for me.
After coming back to the ship from Guernsey, getting cleaned up and eating dinner, Mom & I skipped the reception line for our distinguished guest and spent a quiet evening reading, writing notes on the day (Mom) and downloading photos (me). Thursday, April 28 was a day at sea as we moved from Guernsey to Normandy, France.
Mom and I had our usual breakfast, hung around for a bit afterwards and talked to people, and then went back to the room to get ready to face the day. Dressed and made up and all that jazz, we headed up to the little theater to listen to a talk from our guest lecturer, David Eisenhower. I'm sorry that link doesn't have a current picture, because he does look very much like his grandfather. His wife, who is equally recognizable, is Julie Nixon Eisenhower.
The lecture was good, mostly about Normandy, both the history and then the events of WWII, culminating of course in D-Day. After the lecture, we had lunch, then spent a quiet afternoon, including a nap for me.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Bordeaux to Britain Days 4-5
Day 4, 4/26
Day 4 was St. Malo, France, where there is a medieval abbey, Mont St. Michel. Our daily info sheet warned us the walk was pretty rugged, and my ankle still hurt, so I opted to stay on the ship. There were only 2 other wimps, but we had a nice lunch and I read a lot, put my foot up and took a long nap. The only thing missing was a hot bath!
Day 5, 4/27
On day 5, we got an extra hour, due to being on British time rather than French, and so we got to see the ship approach Guernsey, one of Britain's Channel Islands.
More words and pictures after the jump!
Day 4 was St. Malo, France, where there is a medieval abbey, Mont St. Michel. Our daily info sheet warned us the walk was pretty rugged, and my ankle still hurt, so I opted to stay on the ship. There were only 2 other wimps, but we had a nice lunch and I read a lot, put my foot up and took a long nap. The only thing missing was a hot bath!
Day 5, 4/27
On day 5, we got an extra hour, due to being on British time rather than French, and so we got to see the ship approach Guernsey, one of Britain's Channel Islands.
More words and pictures after the jump!
Monday, May 09, 2016
Bordeaux to Britain, Days 1-3
Day 1, 4/23/16
Mom and I both had milestone birthdays last year, so this year we celebrated with our first Smithsonian trip. From Bordeaux to Britain was a 7 night cruise about the French ship L'Austral. Of course, first we had to get to Bordeaux.
Mom and Dad picked me up at 3:00 Saturday afternoon and Dad dropped us off at the airport to catch a 5:30 flight to Detroit. I stopped at an airport newsstand to pick up a bottle of water and a granola bar, and caught up with Mom, only to find her at the bar on the way to our gate, chatting with the county executive and a local mayor on their way to Hanover, Germany for a trade conference. They were on our flight to Detroit. The flight was short, only 25 minutes, and we had plenty of time to eat overpriced caprese sandwiches near the gate before our 8 p.m. flight to Amsterdam.
On board the big-ass Delta Airbus, we met another mother-daughter duo who were going on the same cruise but with a different group, the National Trust for Historic Preservation. B and her mom W are from Columbus, and the daughter and widow respectively of a WWII veteran who participated in the landing at Omaha Beach on D-Day. W is 90, which is not something I would ordinarily mention, but which became important later. We got all settled in the plane and then sat on the runway for a hour while they replaced the radio. Delta wouldn't move us to another plane because it was "not a safety issue".
Once we were in the air and the cabin crew started serving drinks, they apparently got enough questions about potential missed connections that the captain came on and said don't pester the cabin crew, they can't do anything. Then he said, "We are aware that some of you have tight connections. Delta is aware our flight is late, staff on the ground is late, and we will do everything we can to see that you make your connections" (emphasis mine). So I tried some of the pasta that smelled wonderful and wasn't, enjoyed the brownie, drank a boatload of water and napped fitfully while one of my seatmates watched The Revenant.
Eventually we landed, at 11:45 a.m. Amsterdam time, which was 5:45 a.m. Akron time. Delta's idea of doing everything they could to make sure we made our connection was to have an employee meet us at the gate, look at our boarding passes and tell the 4 of us to go to gate B-36. No one offered to call the gate and have them keep the doors open, no one offered transportation to the departure gate, and no one seemed to care that they were telling a 90 year old woman to walk from one end of the A terminal to the opposite end of the B terminal in under 10 minutes when it was a minimum of a 20 minute walk for an average adult. A non-Delta airport employee helped us whisk through Customs but to no avail, by the time we made the gate they'd closed the doors of the plane.
After we walked all the way back to the A terminal, we got to stand for another 45 minutes while KLM agents tried to book us on the next day's flight and tried to call the ship to tell them not to expect us until Monday. Then it was downstairs all the way through cavernous baggage claim to get our hotel and meal vouchers, then back upstairs and out of the damn airport to wait for the bus to our hotel. It was 2:30 p.m. Amsterdam time when we got to the hotel and grabbed some lunch. That's 8:30 a.m. Akron time and we'd basically been up for 26 hours and traveling for 19 hours.
Short digression: the dog knocked me over about a week before we left and I was so concerned with the giant bruises that I didn't really notice I had a sprained ankle. I very much noticed it by the time we'd walked all over Hell's high acre, aka the Amsterdam airport. I'd also forgotten to pack any ibuprofen. Because our hotel was in a freeway service plaza, after lunch Mom and I walked over to the gas station to see if they had any ibuprofen or aspirin. Unfortunately, all they had was paracetemol, aka Tylenol, which does zip for me. However, the flowers at the gas station were exquisite and heart-lifting. After we walked back to the hotel, I took a nap, and then Mom and i had coffee in the lounge, then read for a bit, then had dinner. After dinner, we both took the showers we desperately needed and washed our socks and such and then left a wake-up call and went to bed.
The next morning we were on the bus headed for the airport at 8:20, managed to catch the 12:30 flight to Bordeaux with no problems. As dog is my witness, I will never willingly fly Delta again.
Days 2 and 3 with lots of pictures after the jump!
Mom and I both had milestone birthdays last year, so this year we celebrated with our first Smithsonian trip. From Bordeaux to Britain was a 7 night cruise about the French ship L'Austral. Of course, first we had to get to Bordeaux.
Mom and Dad picked me up at 3:00 Saturday afternoon and Dad dropped us off at the airport to catch a 5:30 flight to Detroit. I stopped at an airport newsstand to pick up a bottle of water and a granola bar, and caught up with Mom, only to find her at the bar on the way to our gate, chatting with the county executive and a local mayor on their way to Hanover, Germany for a trade conference. They were on our flight to Detroit. The flight was short, only 25 minutes, and we had plenty of time to eat overpriced caprese sandwiches near the gate before our 8 p.m. flight to Amsterdam.
On board the big-ass Delta Airbus, we met another mother-daughter duo who were going on the same cruise but with a different group, the National Trust for Historic Preservation. B and her mom W are from Columbus, and the daughter and widow respectively of a WWII veteran who participated in the landing at Omaha Beach on D-Day. W is 90, which is not something I would ordinarily mention, but which became important later. We got all settled in the plane and then sat on the runway for a hour while they replaced the radio. Delta wouldn't move us to another plane because it was "not a safety issue".
Once we were in the air and the cabin crew started serving drinks, they apparently got enough questions about potential missed connections that the captain came on and said don't pester the cabin crew, they can't do anything. Then he said, "We are aware that some of you have tight connections. Delta is aware our flight is late, staff on the ground is late, and we will do everything we can to see that you make your connections" (emphasis mine). So I tried some of the pasta that smelled wonderful and wasn't, enjoyed the brownie, drank a boatload of water and napped fitfully while one of my seatmates watched The Revenant.
Eventually we landed, at 11:45 a.m. Amsterdam time, which was 5:45 a.m. Akron time. Delta's idea of doing everything they could to make sure we made our connection was to have an employee meet us at the gate, look at our boarding passes and tell the 4 of us to go to gate B-36. No one offered to call the gate and have them keep the doors open, no one offered transportation to the departure gate, and no one seemed to care that they were telling a 90 year old woman to walk from one end of the A terminal to the opposite end of the B terminal in under 10 minutes when it was a minimum of a 20 minute walk for an average adult. A non-Delta airport employee helped us whisk through Customs but to no avail, by the time we made the gate they'd closed the doors of the plane.
After we walked all the way back to the A terminal, we got to stand for another 45 minutes while KLM agents tried to book us on the next day's flight and tried to call the ship to tell them not to expect us until Monday. Then it was downstairs all the way through cavernous baggage claim to get our hotel and meal vouchers, then back upstairs and out of the damn airport to wait for the bus to our hotel. It was 2:30 p.m. Amsterdam time when we got to the hotel and grabbed some lunch. That's 8:30 a.m. Akron time and we'd basically been up for 26 hours and traveling for 19 hours.
Short digression: the dog knocked me over about a week before we left and I was so concerned with the giant bruises that I didn't really notice I had a sprained ankle. I very much noticed it by the time we'd walked all over Hell's high acre, aka the Amsterdam airport. I'd also forgotten to pack any ibuprofen. Because our hotel was in a freeway service plaza, after lunch Mom and I walked over to the gas station to see if they had any ibuprofen or aspirin. Unfortunately, all they had was paracetemol, aka Tylenol, which does zip for me. However, the flowers at the gas station were exquisite and heart-lifting. After we walked back to the hotel, I took a nap, and then Mom and i had coffee in the lounge, then read for a bit, then had dinner. After dinner, we both took the showers we desperately needed and washed our socks and such and then left a wake-up call and went to bed.
The next morning we were on the bus headed for the airport at 8:20, managed to catch the 12:30 flight to Bordeaux with no problems. As dog is my witness, I will never willingly fly Delta again.
Days 2 and 3 with lots of pictures after the jump!
Saturday, April 23, 2016
What HAVE I forgotten?
Mom and Dad are picking me up between 3 and 3:15. Dad is taking us to the airport, where we will board a 5:30 flight to Detroit, where we change planes for Amsterdam, where we change planes for Bordeaux. Mom and I are going on a 7-night Smithsonian cruise from Bordeaux to Britain!
I have packed:
2 skirts
4 pairs of pants
1 pair of capris
4 collared shirts
1 jacket
1 cardigan
9 pairs underwear
8 pairs socks
3 bras
2 pairs tennis shoes
1 pair sandals
shampoo
conditioner
body butter
perfume
makeup
3 inhalers
1 bottle vitamins
3 ponytail holders
4 bottles medication
toothbrush
toothpaste
mouthwash
camera
netbook
sunscreen
cash
and I still feel as if I'm forgetting something! :headdesk:
Ya'll be good while I'm gone, and no raucous parties!
I have packed:
2 skirts
4 pairs of pants
1 pair of capris
4 collared shirts
1 jacket
1 cardigan
9 pairs underwear
8 pairs socks
3 bras
2 pairs tennis shoes
1 pair sandals
shampoo
conditioner
body butter
perfume
makeup
3 inhalers
1 bottle vitamins
3 ponytail holders
4 bottles medication
toothbrush
toothpaste
mouthwash
camera
netbook
sunscreen
cash
and I still feel as if I'm forgetting something! :headdesk:
Ya'll be good while I'm gone, and no raucous parties!
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Leftovers from the trip and a great reason to be home
My flight home was unremarkable except for the couple of hours I got to spend at the airport with Captain Crossword and the princesses.
I see that I forgot to post this picture of a calm, cool and collected Jack Russell terrier being a service dog:
He and his person were seeing the sights as I was waiting for John and Jen at the Leaky Cauldron.
I see that I forgot to post this picture of a calm, cool and collected Jack Russell terrier being a service dog:
He and his person were seeing the sights as I was waiting for John and Jen at the Leaky Cauldron.
Saturday, April 02, 2016
Universal Studios Day Three: Saturday, March 19
On Saturday, we all went to the park. Mom had us all organized and eating breakfast at 8 and on the shuttle by 8:30, even Scary Bear. We got off the bus, hiked the mile to security and got held up because NONE of us remembered that Dad carries a Swiss Army knife. It's just a normal part of his pocket detritus, and he's had it for 40 or so years and didn't want to lose it. Eventually, he checked the knife with security and we were free to go on our way.
We went on the Shrek ride, which was really a 3D movie in a theater with moving seats. The movie was so clever and funny and of course there's a happy ending. My favorite bit was the shout-out to the Blues Brothers. After the show, we walked over to Diagon Alley, and the girls decided they wanted to ride the Gringott's ride again, and this time Mom and I went with them. We didn't need a locker because we had Scary Bear and Captain Crossword!
There's a "gold" statue of the founding goblin outside Gringott's, a beautiful main gallery and lots of animatronic goblins hard at work with quills, parchment and scales. The ride was as good as the Hogwarts ride, and I see why the girls wanted to do it again.
We went on the Shrek ride, which was really a 3D movie in a theater with moving seats. The movie was so clever and funny and of course there's a happy ending. My favorite bit was the shout-out to the Blues Brothers. After the show, we walked over to Diagon Alley, and the girls decided they wanted to ride the Gringott's ride again, and this time Mom and I went with them. We didn't need a locker because we had Scary Bear and Captain Crossword!
There's a "gold" statue of the founding goblin outside Gringott's, a beautiful main gallery and lots of animatronic goblins hard at work with quills, parchment and scales. The ride was as good as the Hogwarts ride, and I see why the girls wanted to do it again.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Universal Studios Day Two: Friday, March 18
I woke up at 6:30 and was out of the room and looking for coffee by 6:40. Unfortunately the food court/diner didn't open until 7:00 and there was a line, so I went to Starbucks and paid $3 for a non-refillable cup of mediocre coffee and drank it outside. I then wandered back to the room and saw that Mom was awake, but she told me she was going to go back to sleep if she could, so read quietly for a while. Eventually, I got my sunscreen and makeup on, pulled my hair into a ponytail and grabbed my phone and my camera. I sent a quick text to my brother, and found out that he and the girls were headed down for breakfast, so I met them there.
Both girls had chocolate chip pancakes, since they'd had waffles for breakfast every day since Sunday. I had scrambled eggs, potatoes and sausage gravy, and Captain Crossword had an omelet. After breakfast we walked to the end of the parking lot and caught the shuttle to the park. The ride was about 5 minutes, and then we walked about a mile to get to security. After that we had to walk through the City Center section of the park, which does not require admission and is probably about another half mile long.
Finally we were in the park! I loved the Minion recruiting posters:
And then the Minions ride, which started at Gru's house:
Many more pictures after the jump!
Both girls had chocolate chip pancakes, since they'd had waffles for breakfast every day since Sunday. I had scrambled eggs, potatoes and sausage gravy, and Captain Crossword had an omelet. After breakfast we walked to the end of the parking lot and caught the shuttle to the park. The ride was about 5 minutes, and then we walked about a mile to get to security. After that we had to walk through the City Center section of the park, which does not require admission and is probably about another half mile long.
Finally we were in the park! I loved the Minion recruiting posters:
And then the Minions ride, which started at Gru's house:
Many more pictures after the jump!
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Universal Studios Day One: Thursday, March 17
Last Wednesday, I came home from work, threw the dog in the car and took her to the kennel. Then I went to bed early so I could get up at 5:30 Thursday morning, drink my coffee, get dressed, and get to the airport in time for a 9:30 flight. At this point, my caloric intake for the day consisted of two cups of coffee with milk & sweetener.
The flight to Philly was on time leaving and on time landing, but I still had fewer than 30 minutes to get from the terminal in which I arrived to the one from which my plane was departing. I made it and boarded, only to run out of battery life on my netbook. So I tried to nap until we landed in Orlando.
After a difficult experience picking up my brother and nieces at the airport, Mom and Dad asked me to find my own way from the airport to the hotel. Unlike Disney World, Universal Studios does not have a shuttle from the airport to their hotels, but I went with the one they recommended and had a decent ride for less than the cost of a taxi. We were staying at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort at Universal.
When I got to the hotel at 3ish, they told me that since Mom and I forgot to change my initial reservation from starting on 3/16 to starting on 3/17, they rented the room to someone else. Then, they wouldn't let me stay in one of the remaining rooms unless I paid off the balance on both rooms for 3 nights. So I called Mom and had a meltdown on the phone, then went to the restaurant and had an overpriced and misspelled lunch. Ceasar salad, anyone? :-p
By the time the family pulled into the hotel parking lot, overheated and exhausted, I was more or less over my fit of pique, and after we'd all checked in and hauled luggage to our rooms (I shared with Mom & Dad), Dad took a nap and Mom and I went to the pool with Captain Crossword and the princesses. The hotel pools were both very fancy, and the girls had a few rides on the slide before they decided they'd rather play Hop on Pop and try to drown my brother. :-D
After we were all cooled off and calmed down, we went and had dinner at the "diner" in the hotel. It's much too big to be a diner, but it had the decor, there were hamburgers available at the food court, and the four giant TV screens on the walls showed a loop of NBC and Universal logos and TV commercials from the 1950s and 1960s. Mom and I split a Margherita pizza and then my niece and I both had the lemon tart for dessert. Princess STEM loves lemon and lemon flavored things as much as I do (or maybe even more). I had a quick shower and plugged in the netbook and my phone for charging and was out like a light by 10.
The flight to Philly was on time leaving and on time landing, but I still had fewer than 30 minutes to get from the terminal in which I arrived to the one from which my plane was departing. I made it and boarded, only to run out of battery life on my netbook. So I tried to nap until we landed in Orlando.
After a difficult experience picking up my brother and nieces at the airport, Mom and Dad asked me to find my own way from the airport to the hotel. Unlike Disney World, Universal Studios does not have a shuttle from the airport to their hotels, but I went with the one they recommended and had a decent ride for less than the cost of a taxi. We were staying at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort at Universal.
When I got to the hotel at 3ish, they told me that since Mom and I forgot to change my initial reservation from starting on 3/16 to starting on 3/17, they rented the room to someone else. Then, they wouldn't let me stay in one of the remaining rooms unless I paid off the balance on both rooms for 3 nights. So I called Mom and had a meltdown on the phone, then went to the restaurant and had an overpriced and misspelled lunch. Ceasar salad, anyone? :-p
By the time the family pulled into the hotel parking lot, overheated and exhausted, I was more or less over my fit of pique, and after we'd all checked in and hauled luggage to our rooms (I shared with Mom & Dad), Dad took a nap and Mom and I went to the pool with Captain Crossword and the princesses. The hotel pools were both very fancy, and the girls had a few rides on the slide before they decided they'd rather play Hop on Pop and try to drown my brother. :-D
After we were all cooled off and calmed down, we went and had dinner at the "diner" in the hotel. It's much too big to be a diner, but it had the decor, there were hamburgers available at the food court, and the four giant TV screens on the walls showed a loop of NBC and Universal logos and TV commercials from the 1950s and 1960s. Mom and I split a Margherita pizza and then my niece and I both had the lemon tart for dessert. Princess STEM loves lemon and lemon flavored things as much as I do (or maybe even more). I had a quick shower and plugged in the netbook and my phone for charging and was out like a light by 10.
Sunday, March 06, 2016
Leftovers and unremembered dreams
Mom and Dad are leaving tomorrow for Florida, so yesterday when I was at their house, Mom gave me a bunch of perishables. Since the sour cream absolutely had to be used up first, I started with a batch of picnic potatoes, or as Sherri named them, Potatoes of Doom:
The ham adds the protein these needed, and because I am a lazy Jammies, or perhaps because I got all the laundry done, the sheets changed and made a quick trip to the grocery store before I ran out of spoons, I didn't have a veggie. I drank 4 oz. of grapefruit juice and called it a complete meal.
Dessert will be something I've fallen hard for:
Lemon Peeps! This was a total surprise. I blame their purchase on The Impulsive Buy, but they're my new addiction because they're very good. Ordinary Peeps are far too sweet, but the lemon perfectly balances the sweetness.
I did of course take a nap today, because it's Sunday. I woke up with a frustrating awareness of having had VERY odd dreams but not being able to recall them. It may be because I am always unsettled when my mom is out of town. I miss her a great deal.
Well, it's time to set up the coffee for tomorrow morning, start the dishwasher and settle in for the finale/Christmas special of Downton Abbey.
Dessert will be something I've fallen hard for:
Lemon Peeps! This was a total surprise. I blame their purchase on The Impulsive Buy, but they're my new addiction because they're very good. Ordinary Peeps are far too sweet, but the lemon perfectly balances the sweetness.
I did of course take a nap today, because it's Sunday. I woke up with a frustrating awareness of having had VERY odd dreams but not being able to recall them. It may be because I am always unsettled when my mom is out of town. I miss her a great deal.
Well, it's time to set up the coffee for tomorrow morning, start the dishwasher and settle in for the finale/Christmas special of Downton Abbey.
Monday, February 15, 2016
That was fun, I should have done it sooner and I will do it again
Last night I did something I don't ordinarily do, and made a phone call at 10:00. When I got my aunt's answering machine, I apologized for calling so late, but I just had to talk about Downton Abbey. Thankfully, she picked up and I hadn't scared her, and we had a wonderful conversation about the show. Next week, I promised to call her on Monday, but last night I couldn't wait BECAUSE PUPPY!
Speaking of puppies, my next dog is going to be either a lab or a lab/shepherd mix. Of course, with any luck, it will be a good long while before I get to the next dog. Little Miss Piggie Pie is still going strong, although she has packed on some poundage (just like her owner) and I've been calling her Fat Squirrel.
I enjoyed my 3-day weekend, but didn't get as much done as I wanted to. The laundry is done, the sheets changed and 4 of 6 storage cubes are put together. Work tomorrow should be, erm, interesting (objection hearings).
Speaking of puppies, my next dog is going to be either a lab or a lab/shepherd mix. Of course, with any luck, it will be a good long while before I get to the next dog. Little Miss Piggie Pie is still going strong, although she has packed on some poundage (just like her owner) and I've been calling her Fat Squirrel.
I enjoyed my 3-day weekend, but didn't get as much done as I wanted to. The laundry is done, the sheets changed and 4 of 6 storage cubes are put together. Work tomorrow should be, erm, interesting (objection hearings).
Thursday, February 04, 2016
This is your brain on migraine
So I missed work yesterday because of the first migraine in 5 or 6 months. I spent the day sleeping, got up and assessed, had a hot bath and some more meds and then moar sleeping.
I woke up with a bit of a headache but also with my typical post-migraine thing where I'm jittery and so sensitive that it feels like my nerves start four inches outside of my skin. I managed to get dressed and drive to work, and get through 3 hours (including auditing one fiduciary account and one guardian account) before the headache started to grow and my sense of smell tripled. The latter is my biggest pre-migraine warning, and I heeded it and gtfo of work.
When I got home, I let the dog out, explained to her that it wasn't 4:20 so no, not dinnnertime, took off my coat and went to turn up the heat. Oh, shit, the thermostat screen is blank and none of the buttons make it be not-blank.
Schlep down to the basement and check the breaker, which is in its proper position. Flip it off and then back on again on General Principles (salutes). Come back upstairs and call 1-800-DADHELP.
Unfortunately, Dad is still sick with flu or norovirus, whichever one he got last week. He listens to me try to word and tells me to call Hudson Heating. I do, and speak with a nice young woman who tells me they can have someone at my house between 1 and 4. There goes my nap, but okay, maybe I can color while I wait. Two minutes after we hang up, a different young woman calls and asks if I checked the batteries in the thermostat.
Headdesk. No, I did not. Guess what it turned out to be? I called everyone back, with lavish praise for the young woman at HH who saved me the cost and embarrassment of a service call.
I forgive both Dad and myself for missing something so obvious because WE R SEECK and I have heat and a marginally clearer head after meds and a three hour rest.
I woke up with a bit of a headache but also with my typical post-migraine thing where I'm jittery and so sensitive that it feels like my nerves start four inches outside of my skin. I managed to get dressed and drive to work, and get through 3 hours (including auditing one fiduciary account and one guardian account) before the headache started to grow and my sense of smell tripled. The latter is my biggest pre-migraine warning, and I heeded it and gtfo of work.
When I got home, I let the dog out, explained to her that it wasn't 4:20 so no, not dinnnertime, took off my coat and went to turn up the heat. Oh, shit, the thermostat screen is blank and none of the buttons make it be not-blank.
Schlep down to the basement and check the breaker, which is in its proper position. Flip it off and then back on again on General Principles (salutes). Come back upstairs and call 1-800-DADHELP.
Unfortunately, Dad is still sick with flu or norovirus, whichever one he got last week. He listens to me try to word and tells me to call Hudson Heating. I do, and speak with a nice young woman who tells me they can have someone at my house between 1 and 4. There goes my nap, but okay, maybe I can color while I wait. Two minutes after we hang up, a different young woman calls and asks if I checked the batteries in the thermostat.
Headdesk. No, I did not. Guess what it turned out to be? I called everyone back, with lavish praise for the young woman at HH who saved me the cost and embarrassment of a service call.
I forgive both Dad and myself for missing something so obvious because WE R SEECK and I have heat and a marginally clearer head after meds and a three hour rest.
Monday, February 01, 2016
The Cupcake of Doom
aka my day.
Today being the first day of the month, we had objection hearings. The magistrate doing them was ready, the hearing room was set up, and we had a LOT more people show up than we were planning for. Two of the cases wound up being re-directed to another magistrate, and as I was running back and forth with files and making sure everyone was checked in, a co-worker snapped at me about how poorly organized the hearings were and how a third co-worker (who hadn't said a thing to me) was being importuned by people asking her questions.
Later, when my boss said something to me, I told him the truth about how I felt, and essentially got told to get over it, that's just this co-worker's personality. HellOOO that does not make it okay. If I went around interrupting visibly busy people just to snipe at them and then said it was how I roll I don't think I'd keep my job very long. Fortunately, the magistrate didn't think it was a big deal and the actual hearings went smoothly.
By the time all of that stuff was handled, it was lunchtime. An hour away from my desk was really not long enough, but I went back like a good employee, only to spend the afternoon trying to audit inventories while taking phone calls from idiots.
After work, I went to Staples, intending to mail three simple packages. Of course, instead I locked my purse, packages, phone and AAA card in the car. A nice manager at Staples let me use their phone to call Mom and ask her to call AAA, which she did. I waited for almost an hour, missing the UPS pickup while I did, but eventually a tow truck arrived. The idiot inside said truck pulled up behind my car and sat in there until I approached him, then rolled down his window and asked for my card. IT'S IN THE CAR, IDIOT! is what I did not scream at him.
Once the car was unlocked, I got my stuff out and turned in and paid for, got back in the car and came home with a pounding headache. At least the poor neglected hound was glad to see me, oh, and my hair still looks good.
Today being the first day of the month, we had objection hearings. The magistrate doing them was ready, the hearing room was set up, and we had a LOT more people show up than we were planning for. Two of the cases wound up being re-directed to another magistrate, and as I was running back and forth with files and making sure everyone was checked in, a co-worker snapped at me about how poorly organized the hearings were and how a third co-worker (who hadn't said a thing to me) was being importuned by people asking her questions.
Later, when my boss said something to me, I told him the truth about how I felt, and essentially got told to get over it, that's just this co-worker's personality. HellOOO that does not make it okay. If I went around interrupting visibly busy people just to snipe at them and then said it was how I roll I don't think I'd keep my job very long. Fortunately, the magistrate didn't think it was a big deal and the actual hearings went smoothly.
By the time all of that stuff was handled, it was lunchtime. An hour away from my desk was really not long enough, but I went back like a good employee, only to spend the afternoon trying to audit inventories while taking phone calls from idiots.
After work, I went to Staples, intending to mail three simple packages. Of course, instead I locked my purse, packages, phone and AAA card in the car. A nice manager at Staples let me use their phone to call Mom and ask her to call AAA, which she did. I waited for almost an hour, missing the UPS pickup while I did, but eventually a tow truck arrived. The idiot inside said truck pulled up behind my car and sat in there until I approached him, then rolled down his window and asked for my card. IT'S IN THE CAR, IDIOT! is what I did not scream at him.
Once the car was unlocked, I got my stuff out and turned in and paid for, got back in the car and came home with a pounding headache. At least the poor neglected hound was glad to see me, oh, and my hair still looks good.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Car stuff!
1958 Volvo PV544 with my dad in the driver's seat.
In Dad's own words:
In spring of 1963 this Little marvel of Swedish engineering agreed to take me across the plains and deserts of Rt. 66 to the Mojave Desert. It never failed me, although it sacrificed portions of its valves and piston rings to get me there. Long May it Run.
I have my oil change appointment tomorrow morning at 8:42 (yes, they're that precise).
In other car stuff, to the owner(s) of the nice house in the spottily-gentrified area of Akron I drive through on my way to and from work, your BEWARE of dog signs only work as long as people don't see your two little terriers in the yard being all adorbs. Hyperbole aside, cuteness is not a killing weapon.
To the dude with the Star Trek personalized message on a Superman license plate, I am really impressed at your mingling of fandoms and a little bummed that you're probably married.
To the person with the plate 8U4DNR, why would you hate someone for choosing a Do Not Resuscitate order? That's very selfish.
To the person with the plate N8FKIN, whose next of kin and why does it matter?
Friday, December 25, 2015
Happy Hogswatch!
The Hogfather does not leave pork products in my stocking, but family and friends were awfully good to me this year! I had a home-cooked brunch with family, and got the following:
5 pairs of socks (I am truly loved!)
1 pair of handmade mittens
3 gorgeous artisanal candles
A frog keychain
4 books
Christmas ornament earrings
4 Lush bath bars/bubble bombs
Purple fleece jammies
A box of awesome candy from a local chocolatier
A pretty tone-on-tone grey pashmina
A purse made from a man's suit
2 containers of my SIL's homemade cookies
Saturday, November 14, 2015
My Friday the 13th
started out thirteeny, as I looked out from the kitchen window and saw my recyclable can on its side and all of my recyclables in the driveway, both ditches and generally higgledy-piggledy. Then as I drove to work, the dog at the towing place was sleeping on his back with his feet up in the air and I worried that he was dead. I worry about that dog anyway, wondering if he gets pats and love as well as food and a doghouse. :-(
Then I got to work and it was all guardian's accounts and getting ready for Call Day and then it was 1:30 and I was being a bailiff and we had the fewest cases and the largest number of people we've had all year, and Magistrate H and I worked really well together. Then it was 2:30, only 90 minutes of work left and I got to make one of my co-workers do a happy dance when I told him yes, my mom will bring back some of my brother's beer for him.
Then I went home and the headache hit, so I took a nap, ate dinner, loafed online and then went back to bed.
Today was much better. My head only hurt a little bit, I got the presents for Texas all wrapped and out to Mom & Dad's for delivery. Plus, Mom made an amazing turkey dinner because I will be alone on Thanksgiving, and then sent me home with pounds and pounds of leftovers, PLUS snack mix.
Tomorrow is going to be dedicated to laundry, cleaning another quarter of the breezeway, and moving more houseplants inside from the garage.
Then I got to work and it was all guardian's accounts and getting ready for Call Day and then it was 1:30 and I was being a bailiff and we had the fewest cases and the largest number of people we've had all year, and Magistrate H and I worked really well together. Then it was 2:30, only 90 minutes of work left and I got to make one of my co-workers do a happy dance when I told him yes, my mom will bring back some of my brother's beer for him.
Then I went home and the headache hit, so I took a nap, ate dinner, loafed online and then went back to bed.
Today was much better. My head only hurt a little bit, I got the presents for Texas all wrapped and out to Mom & Dad's for delivery. Plus, Mom made an amazing turkey dinner because I will be alone on Thanksgiving, and then sent me home with pounds and pounds of leftovers, PLUS snack mix.
Tomorrow is going to be dedicated to laundry, cleaning another quarter of the breezeway, and moving more houseplants inside from the garage.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
NYC Day 5, Monday, October 12
Sunday night I was in bed and asleep by 10, only to wake up at 3 because I was coughing so hard. Trying to avoid waking Mom (ha!) I got up and made a bed on the sofa where I could sleep upright. Well, I managed the upright, but not the sleeping. Mom slept a bit, but mostly didn't because I was noisy and she was worried about me. When it got light, she got dressed and went to two different drugstores looking for an expectorant. All of my effort was going to getting oxygen into my body. At this point I was pretty sure that the chest cold had deepened into bronchitis, and all I wanted to do was get home.
What I experienced was a combination of asthma attack and panic attack. I was gasping for air and not getting it and my brain was doing panicked little rodent dashes in every direction. Not something I want to experience again.
After some discussion between all four of us, we decided to leave for the airport in time to put the early flyers (both Bookworm and Anabel) on their planes, since Mom and I would have to move very slowly. However, that plan went out the window when I lost all my breath walking the ten or so steps from our room door to the elevator. I told Mom I was going downstairs and have the clerk call 911, which I did.
After a short wait time, during which my sisters-in-law agreed to go to the airport so they didn't miss their planes, an ambulance and two nice EMTs arrived. They asked some questions, listened to my lungs and my heart and told me they needed to take me to ER. So we left my carry-on and both of our suitcases at the hotel and got in the ambulance. The EMTs gave me a breathing treatment in the ambulance, and somehow it was vanilla-scented.
Everyone at Mount Sinai Roosevelt was very nice. I saw a nurse, the attending physician, the X-ray tech and two residents and they all worked very hard to help me get home. I had an additional two breathing treatments and an order to see my primary physician (who I don't have) and got the news that although the ER docs did not want to make an official diagnosis, all three are pretty sure I have COPD. A warning--that link has a very unpretty picture right at the top of the page. The hospital discharged me in time to take a cab back to the hotel for our bags and out to the airport. Fortunately, the line for security was very light and the gate was close-ish to security.
Getting out of the airplane at Cleveland turned out to be more of a task. Climbing up the ramp exhausted me to the point where all I could do was collapse into a chair. Fortunately, Cleveland Hopkins has some exceptional special employees who help customers who need assistance, and one of them got me into a wheelchair and all the way down to baggage and then to the park and fly shuttle. I know Mom tipped her, but I really wish I could remember her name.
Anyway, yes, the elephant in the blog--am I going to quit smoking? I already have, thanks to Monday, the only question is whether or not I can make it stick.
NYC Day 4, Sunday October 11
Once again, there was a possibility of sleeping in but none actually occurred, at least not for Mom & I. Mom and Margo and Bookworm were planning a day of walking around the city and trying different nibbles, and I had a brunch date with my friend Abigail, recently returned from Dublin to live and work in NYC.
Abigail was surprised to find me waiting for her and hoped she hadn't gotten the time wrong, but I told her quite honestly that I tend to be early anyway, plus I was so excited to see her that I was ready early. I bought a subway pass and we took a short ride to Gramercy park and had a swoon-worthy brunch at Friend of a Farmer. Abigail had pumpkin pancakes, I had Eggs Benedict with corned beef instead of ham, and we both had some complimentary applesauce. Everything was amazingly good.
After brunch, we stopped at a drugstore so I could buy nail polish (cue chorus of "Of course!") and then went to Strand Books, which is of course a New York landmark. We talked a bit about independent bookstores which have lost faith in the differences which make them special, which includes both Strand Books and The Book Loft in Columbus.
I was feeling a bit tired and after a phone call to Mom, we agreed to walk only as far as Union Square to meet them. I will be honest and say that I spent most of the walk complaining that I was fine and that my family was cosseting me, and Abigail was good enough to listen to me vent and to go back to the restaurant when I realized I left my glasses on the table. She was also worried that she was making me sicker by getting me to come out and walk around in the fresh air! I told her then and am reiterating now that our brunch and walk could not possibly have made me sick.
Abigail was prepared to spend an afternoon with my family, but by the time we reached them and I made introductions, I discovered that Margo had blisters on her blisters and was ready to go back to the hotel. Since by then I was coughing, I said I'd go with her, so Abigail headed home, Margo and I headed for the subway, and Mom and Bookworm went walking. I did finally get a pretzel on the way home, and gave my subway card with a little bit of money left to a young lady who was either coming from or going to a yoga class, and absolutely collapsed on the bed when I got back to the room.
Mom woke me when it was time to get dressed and go to dinner. By then I was coughing pretty hard and didn't have much appetite. Still, the four of us had a nice dinner at Cellini, and I was sure that a good night's sleep would make things better. When we got back to the room, Mom turned on the tv, and we watched the last hour or so of Pitch Perfect. It amused me no end that the woman who is incredibly squeamish about blood had no problems with the barfing scene, but while I can read horror novels and not think anything of it, I had to close my eyes and put my fingers in my ears!
I was in bed by 9:30, sad that the weekend in NYC was almost over but looking forward to going home.
Abigail was surprised to find me waiting for her and hoped she hadn't gotten the time wrong, but I told her quite honestly that I tend to be early anyway, plus I was so excited to see her that I was ready early. I bought a subway pass and we took a short ride to Gramercy park and had a swoon-worthy brunch at Friend of a Farmer. Abigail had pumpkin pancakes, I had Eggs Benedict with corned beef instead of ham, and we both had some complimentary applesauce. Everything was amazingly good.
After brunch, we stopped at a drugstore so I could buy nail polish (cue chorus of "Of course!") and then went to Strand Books, which is of course a New York landmark. We talked a bit about independent bookstores which have lost faith in the differences which make them special, which includes both Strand Books and The Book Loft in Columbus.
I was feeling a bit tired and after a phone call to Mom, we agreed to walk only as far as Union Square to meet them. I will be honest and say that I spent most of the walk complaining that I was fine and that my family was cosseting me, and Abigail was good enough to listen to me vent and to go back to the restaurant when I realized I left my glasses on the table. She was also worried that she was making me sicker by getting me to come out and walk around in the fresh air! I told her then and am reiterating now that our brunch and walk could not possibly have made me sick.
Abigail was prepared to spend an afternoon with my family, but by the time we reached them and I made introductions, I discovered that Margo had blisters on her blisters and was ready to go back to the hotel. Since by then I was coughing, I said I'd go with her, so Abigail headed home, Margo and I headed for the subway, and Mom and Bookworm went walking. I did finally get a pretzel on the way home, and gave my subway card with a little bit of money left to a young lady who was either coming from or going to a yoga class, and absolutely collapsed on the bed when I got back to the room.
Mom woke me when it was time to get dressed and go to dinner. By then I was coughing pretty hard and didn't have much appetite. Still, the four of us had a nice dinner at Cellini, and I was sure that a good night's sleep would make things better. When we got back to the room, Mom turned on the tv, and we watched the last hour or so of Pitch Perfect. It amused me no end that the woman who is incredibly squeamish about blood had no problems with the barfing scene, but while I can read horror novels and not think anything of it, I had to close my eyes and put my fingers in my ears!
I was in bed by 9:30, sad that the weekend in NYC was almost over but looking forward to going home.
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