Happy Leap Day

I got my bag at 3am Thursday morning. I was just in time to sleep in my pjs for a couple of hours before going to work. I had somewhat boring meetings all day, and after work I drove to Rochester to stay the night at a hotel by the airport. I was afraid of the driving conditions on the way… you know… since it was 8 degrees F. Everything was pretty clear though. Before I got to the airport I called to see if the hotel had a shuttle because I was going to go ahead and turn in the car, Well the hotel was on airport property, It was actually at the end of the departures drop off, and right next to the rental car return. It took me literally a minute to cross the road and get to the hotel. Oh that was the best bed ever. Well at least the best in a few days. I stayed up way too late, but it was nice for the 4 hours I slept, and the 4 hours I watched tv, drank my green tea, and played on the computer. At 5am I rolled out of bed, rolled over to the United check-in desk, and rolled through security slick as a ribbon.

So I think I am noticing a trend. This morning an old couple sat down next to me and pulled out some bananas. Just like the situation in the Las Vegas airport, I asked them where they got them – you know sometimes they actually sell fruit at newsstands and starbux in the airport. Well the old man said they brought them from home. He said they had an extra one, and he pulled a banana from his bag. I of course took it. Mom said never take candy from strangers, but she never said anything about bananas.

Both my flights were on time coming home. And I guess as payback, I got bumped to first class for my 4 ½ hour flight from Chicago to Portland. Does it fade the nightmare of futilely switching flights over and over again all day Tuesday and part of Wednesday? Does it make me less grossed out about spending several days in the same clothes (I did shower however)? Does it forgive the fact I missed a day long workshop? Does it lessen the anxiety of breaking out of my normal travel routine? No… but it REALLY helps.

Hello Mr. Bag.... I missed you

Oops... can you see my underwear?

My Brief Life in Washington DC

AKA... my life without clothes, toiletries, and cell phone chargers... not to mention my work computer.

I have had the worst 2 days. I flew from Portland to DC. Once I got there my flight to Rochester was cancelled. The next (and last) flight was cancelled, then uncancelled, then cancelled again. I tried to get standby on the last 2 flights to Syracuse. They were over sold by 15, and there were over 40 people ahead of me on the standby list. I tried Albany... anything. I found out today that the 2 flights to Syracuse actually took off, got to Syracuse, and could not land so they came back. I could not get a flight with a confirmed seat until 1pm today... it was to Syracuse. I knew last night that my bag was placed on the last flight to Rochester, and got there about 1am. I got here in Syracuse this afternoon, and I have been trying to get my bag ever since. I'm getting some call center with a bunch of people I can not understand. They are supposed to bring my bag to my hotel between 6pm and 10pm eastern time.

The problem is I have to check out of this hotel at 7am tomorrow. I have meeting all day, some of which I am running. I don't have my materials, computer, nothing. I bought a notebook tonight. Where the hell is my bag going? Tomorrow night I am heading back to Rochester to fly out the next morning.

They have 10 minutes.

What? What?

Viva Las Vegas!

Friday morning I am embarking on a "girl's weekend" in Vegas. A bunch of us (friends from work, friends of friends) are going to paint the town red. I am looking forward to not sleeping, losing money, seeing the Chippendales, and probably consuming too much food and drink. I am getting back Monday. Then of course I am turning around and flying to New York on Tuesday morning for the week.

I'm not sure if you should expect photos... they have threatened to make sure there is no record of our antics. Yeah right!

My Pussy Willow is Blooming

Rainbow

We had some weird, inconsistent weather today.... oh wait. It IS oregon.

I'm being published!

Well kinda. I have a photo being put in a book called "Weird US". They are using one of my photos from my trip to Tulsa. How bizarre, eh? Well I'm pretty stoked. It is my second photo to be published. Back in the summer some of my photos from Liverpool UK were published, but it was in one of their regional tourist booklets. This is much more exciting.

If I did all that with my little camera, imagine what I could do with my new one! Maybe I give up my life in the corporate world and become a professional photographer. Okay... that might be going a bit too far, but you know what I mean!

Matildamesh the Velvet Pig

Today we had to have Mattie put to sleep.

When we lived in Tennessee, one day Jim and I went for a hike to Andrew's Bald at the base of Clingman's Dome in the Smoky Mountains. It was then we decided we wanted a dog. We scoured the papers, and decided to go and "just look" at a puppy. We went to Morristown to a scary house in the boonies. There she was in a muddy pen in the backyard. She was maybe 6 weeks old and the only one left. She was the runt of the litter. Her ears were way too big for her body - that never changed. We could not leave her there. So we ended up back at our apartment with a little brown disease bag. Her registered name was Matildamesh the Velvet Pig. Matildamesh was Jim's car in high school. Pig was what she looked like and how she acted. Velvet was the way hear ears felt.

She had everything worm and parasite know to dog. She cried. She pooped. She peed. She destroyed. She was smart, sneaky, and manipulative. She was also prickly and definitely not a cuddler. You had to force her to be affectionate. I can't say how many times Jim and I sat on the kitchen floor crying... asking why we did this to ourselves.

We took her to obedience school right after she was spayed. She was the youngest by far. She taunted the other dogs - the rottweilers, german shepherd... She was the teacher's pet. We of course would leave with exercises to practice, and we never would. We would stand there nervously, knowing when it was our turn she would do nothing. No... she pulled it from her butt. Perfect every time.

She loved things that squeaked. In fact they drove her crazy. She would jump and squeal and bark. She would destroy her toys, dig holes in the yard, and eat cat poop. She let the cats chew on her, attack her, and ride her like a pony. She loved kids, and she was very protective of them. She was also an excellent judge of character. She was never wrong. Never. We always joked if Mattie liked you then you were good people. I remember Jim had a friend that came over one night. Mattie would not leave him alone. She chewed on him, attacked his shoes, and showed us she did not like this guy. She did this every time he came over. She was so right. He didn't last long.

By the time she was 6 months old the three of us had come to peace. She was affectionate. She was potty trained. She did not dig in the yard. She no longer chewed. She was a smart, sweet, pretty girl - still with ears that were too big for her body. She was our baby.

She was so patient with the boys as they came into the house. She put up with each puppy, making sure they knew she was the boss. She would not show them affection either and would not mother them, but sometimes we would catch her snuggled up with them. She always looked so guilty when we caught them. As she got older she got more and more cranky. She would bark at the mailman, do her mean voice when to doorbell rang, and once she even try to attack a ground hog. We took her often to Nags Head, NC in the winter to play on the beach. She would eat the nasty things you find on the beach, and dig in the sand. She remained queen of the house up until a few months ago.

We found out a few months ago that she had cancer. We didn't want her to suffer, and Jim and I had "the talk" when we found out. After that she was allowed to do anything she wanted. She ate as many of mom's homemade dog biscuits as she wanted. She slept where she wanted, she got to dig in the yard... she got all of the special treatment. She is the first dog we have ever lost. We loved her, and we are glad we had the strength to keep our promise to her. She will be missed. 8/7/1995 - 2/1/2008