I have just returned from my weekend in Seattle. I went to visit Suzy Tobin and Geoff Kizer. Alicia few in from San Deigo. I left right from work on Friday night. I hadn't even looked at my ticket, and noticed on the way to the airport that I had a layover in Minnesota. And it was 2.5 hours long. Well I arrived at the airport about 12 minutes before departure, so I was in a bit of a hurry, but once I landed I gave my cousin Sandy a text. She just happened to be free and conveniently located to the airport and she came and picked me up and we hit up a local bar in St. Paul for dinner and a drink. It was possibly the best layover ever. I had good food and drink, and we got to laugh at some halloween costumes and lost in a game of darts and then she took me back, I checked back in through security and got back to the gate right on time for boarding.
I arrived in Seattle approx 11:30 western (I don't know if that's even what its called) time. So thats 1:30 Waukesha time (I prefer to make my own time, rather then have cst). But I had slept a bit on the plane, and I was so happy to be with Alicia and Suzy so we went over to Geoff and Suzy's place and then we went out for a lovely dinner across the street from Geoffs place at the bistro or something of the sort.. That place is seriously magnificent. He lives right in downtown, near the aquarium I guess you could say, and he's got a super sweet condo with unbelievable views of the city as well as overlooking the puget sound and the mountains and the ferrys. Simply spectacular. As well as the sunsets and rises are just unbelievable. Definitely up there as one of the most awesome things I've ever seen as far as nature views.
ok. so while I'm thinking about that. For Joe - I'll make a quick top 5 most wonderful scenic views I've ever seen.
6. central park
5. niagra falls
4.dunns river falls
3.seattle from geoffs house
2.paris et nuit
1.jamaica / the ocean from the kayak
jamaica still wins my heart. just because I seriously remember that moment with kressin and the utter joy that I was in because I was in jamaica with so many people that I love and the ocean looked so blue you couldnt help but be in complete bliss.
And apparently I just have a thing for water like scenery. Mt rushmore shouldve probably made it up there, but what can I say - it's just not as amazing to me as its more man made. although paris is too, its just so beautiful that its acceptable to me.
Anyways. Back to my recap. We had a wondeful time that night. It was my first time meeting Geoff Kizer and he was even more remarkable as everyone had raved he was. Simply a joy. So we partied well until the morning. Somewhere after 5am in this foreign western time I simply passed out on the couch, really with no recollection of it happening. But as far as me staying up late... I don't even remember the last time I stayed so late and even better, it wasn't like the constant - I'm just trying to stay awake as long as possible, the time just flew because drunken singing is just delightful.
The next day we slept a while, then got ready for the kaiser/tobin halloween party. Costumes mandatory. Suzy, Alicia and I were going for the 80s rock/air band look, and some how in our costume hunt ended up migrating to Jem dolls instead. We found some wonderful wigs, and we ended up having random wig swaps that made for even more interesting costumes of the evening. It was a wonderful night. Our fav costume was 'dick in the box'. But I think our favorite drunken person of the night was Austin Powers. Who was a great dancer to madonna living like a prayer, and yet still had the middle name of danger.
Sunday we woke up early to attack that Princess Cake. Sometimes you just need to buy a birthday cake because its huge and has disney princesses. But you can't share it with the party, or alicia would be very upset ;)
We veg'd out that day. Recovery was definitely necessary. We watched lots of great mtv and vh1 shows as well as some heros marathon. And joe-I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that I believe I've gotten hooked to that now.
Well we took off for the airport around 7 that night for alicia's 8:45 flight. But mine wasn't until 11:15, but I didn't want to make Suzy drive us there twice in like 2 hours, so I just went early. I stayed with Alicia until her flight left. And then I wondered through the seattle stores. That airport is quiet nice, even with the annoying shuttles. Then I had a 4 hour flight to cincinnati that was on the planes with the tvs in the chairs. Its a sweet plane that I do love. I'm a fan of any plane that lets me watch the cosby show. But then I landed in that damn cincinnati airport. Where you get to take a nice bus to your concourse (sarcasm in that statement). It was about 3:30am western time. I could barely move or function, but I stumbled over to my gate. I was all excited to lay down on a couchie type thing and sleep. But there was nothing. Not a bench. Not a big chair. Just stupid little plastic chairs each with arm rests so that you couldn't lay down at all. So I found a corner behind the phone booths (because seriously, who uses those?) and laid on my bags and slept. I awoke around 5ish when the annoying inter com lady was announcing delays. My tiny hopper plane got delayed about 20 min. Finally I arrived home about 10am waukesha time and made it home.
I attempted to take a nap today, but the dog wouldn't have much of that so about 2pm that was over. and currently now it's Packer time. and that's my story. Thank you so much Suzy, Geoff & Alicia for a wonderful weekend of goodness.
side note: my boss and i have an obsession with useless travel gifts. its always our goal to find the best ones. i like the game. its been good. i buy no souvenirs for anyone except him. but he allows me to go on these trips, so i suppose that is only fair. but anyways. i bought him climbers soap. made in washington. specifically for climbing. you can use it with any water. completely biodegradable. and it rather smells like a$$. now my boss chooses to never move or be active at all. hes very against any activity what-so ever. so i gave him this gift and he is very much in love. good times.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
honk
This story is blog worthy. I may be in the middle of posting my Jamaican trip, but this just needs to go up while it's freshly in my mind.
So Monday night Shawn and Charlie pick me up to take Charlie to her play practice downtown. We start driving down the express way and while we're passing the ridge I see a rainbow and point it out. Shawn says to Charlie that grandma would definitely think that's a sign for Joe - and it was amazing that it looked like it was coming right out of the ridge! Well then the horn starts honking on the excursion. A little honk here, a long one here. But all random honks. And then it's getting longer honks and looooooonger LOUD honks. Shawn is getting real scared and Charlie and I are laughing our butts off. I mention that this seems very joe like as well. Since he loves to honk his horn at people and pretend he didn't do it and laugh his head off when I look at the people. No one really understands his honking business. But he does it always. So I definitely think he's somehow haunting us. Now the windshield wiper fluid is squirting randomly and the wipers are going. It's currently poring rain. So Shawn calls Chad. and the conversation goes something like this - shawn says, "Chad I HOOOOOOONK caHOOOOONK geHOOOOOOOOOOOONK carHOOOOOOOOOOONK stHOOOOOOONK. " and chad says "SHAWN I CANT UNDERSTAND ANYTHING YOURE STAYING" Finally he figures out what is happening and tells her to turn off the car. Maybe the panic is freaking out. So we pull over along side the express way. She turns off the car. Presses the panic button a hole bunch of times. Then she starts again - and there is silence. YAY we seem to be good. We start talking again suddenly the HONKS start sneaking in again. Gradually at first, then longer and louder. Dana calls, not wanting to meet us out for dinner. but with the continuous honking she can't hear a word shawn is saying and gives up and says FINE ill go. Now we're on 894 heading to 94, and traffic is slow and massive. Shawn says - should I go home? I say no, just keep going. So we keep going - attempting to ignore the honking and the angry looks from everyone around us. Now we're on 94. STUCK in very slow moving traffic with a continuous HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK that never ends. We're in the left lane so can't pull over or turn off the car. Charlie is laughin so hard she says "I'm gonna pee my pants". She also comments on each person going by "they just looked at us" "that guys looking the wrong way" "ooooh that guy is giving us a mean look" laughing hysterically. Shawn is getting really nervous and freaked out. Driving in this poring rain with HOOOOOOONK occurring while in stop and go traffic. She's trying to get Charlie to stop, but Charlie insists that it's just to funny!!! I told her "Haven't you ever played the honking game with joe? You pretend that it's not us! Everyone look around and find out where that honking is coming from. Look around now! " We do this, while the windows are tinted so no one can see in anyways, but it makes us feel better and laugh more. Charlie is STILL laughing her head off. Shawn says - "aren't you going to be embarrassed when we pull up to your play practice with all your friends there with this honking?" She says "NO ITS SO FUNNY they will laugh there heads off." We're just pulling off into down town and hit the stop light. Shawn quick turns off the car. It goes HOOOOOOOOOoooreopppphhhhewtogfdgnnkkkkkskss. and dies. She restarts the car, no honking.... We drive past where dana is and try to honk - nothing. The horn has died. The windshield sprayers and wipers are still going occasionally. But that awful loud never ending honk has subsided. And that is the end of the honk. Charlie says "this is the best trip to Milwaukee EVER".
So Monday night Shawn and Charlie pick me up to take Charlie to her play practice downtown. We start driving down the express way and while we're passing the ridge I see a rainbow and point it out. Shawn says to Charlie that grandma would definitely think that's a sign for Joe - and it was amazing that it looked like it was coming right out of the ridge! Well then the horn starts honking on the excursion. A little honk here, a long one here. But all random honks. And then it's getting longer honks and looooooonger LOUD honks. Shawn is getting real scared and Charlie and I are laughing our butts off. I mention that this seems very joe like as well. Since he loves to honk his horn at people and pretend he didn't do it and laugh his head off when I look at the people. No one really understands his honking business. But he does it always. So I definitely think he's somehow haunting us. Now the windshield wiper fluid is squirting randomly and the wipers are going. It's currently poring rain. So Shawn calls Chad. and the conversation goes something like this - shawn says, "Chad I HOOOOOOONK caHOOOOONK geHOOOOOOOOOOOONK carHOOOOOOOOOOONK stHOOOOOOONK. " and chad says "SHAWN I CANT UNDERSTAND ANYTHING YOURE STAYING" Finally he figures out what is happening and tells her to turn off the car. Maybe the panic is freaking out. So we pull over along side the express way. She turns off the car. Presses the panic button a hole bunch of times. Then she starts again - and there is silence. YAY we seem to be good. We start talking again suddenly the HONKS start sneaking in again. Gradually at first, then longer and louder. Dana calls, not wanting to meet us out for dinner. but with the continuous honking she can't hear a word shawn is saying and gives up and says FINE ill go. Now we're on 894 heading to 94, and traffic is slow and massive. Shawn says - should I go home? I say no, just keep going. So we keep going - attempting to ignore the honking and the angry looks from everyone around us. Now we're on 94. STUCK in very slow moving traffic with a continuous HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK that never ends. We're in the left lane so can't pull over or turn off the car. Charlie is laughin so hard she says "I'm gonna pee my pants". She also comments on each person going by "they just looked at us" "that guys looking the wrong way" "ooooh that guy is giving us a mean look" laughing hysterically. Shawn is getting really nervous and freaked out. Driving in this poring rain with HOOOOOOONK occurring while in stop and go traffic. She's trying to get Charlie to stop, but Charlie insists that it's just to funny!!! I told her "Haven't you ever played the honking game with joe? You pretend that it's not us! Everyone look around and find out where that honking is coming from. Look around now! " We do this, while the windows are tinted so no one can see in anyways, but it makes us feel better and laugh more. Charlie is STILL laughing her head off. Shawn says - "aren't you going to be embarrassed when we pull up to your play practice with all your friends there with this honking?" She says "NO ITS SO FUNNY they will laugh there heads off." We're just pulling off into down town and hit the stop light. Shawn quick turns off the car. It goes HOOOOOOOOOoooreopppphhhhewtogfdgnnkkkkkskss. and dies. She restarts the car, no honking.... We drive past where dana is and try to honk - nothing. The horn has died. The windshield sprayers and wipers are still going occasionally. But that awful loud never ending honk has subsided. And that is the end of the honk. Charlie says "this is the best trip to Milwaukee EVER".
Friday, October 5, 2007
Day 4 - in da club
Day 4 - Sept 9th, 2007
We did some snorkeling inland. Did I forget to mention the first day Erin, Brian, Alicia and I stepped in the ocean, Erin stepped on a sea urchin. She got it good. Apparently the beach there SUCKS for swimming. But for snorkeling its good times. Colleen & I did some water aerobics with Peg in the morning. Then me and the girls went snorkeling off the boat. It was really delightfully magical. We saw lots of fish, and jellyfish. Nothing really amazing. But it was really neat to be out there in the middle of the ocean swimming with the fish. But in our little beach area I went snorkeling with the guys. It was much scarier. We saw a sting ray and I was scared for my crockadile hunter life. We saw eels and swordfish. Millions of sea urchins. It was hard work to swim above those and not accidently hit them when you're only in 2 feet of water. Eventually I had enough, but the guys kept going. They saw lobster and an octypus.
Dinner was the the Japanese restaurant tonight. Another reservations only place. We had the entire restaurant to ourselves since we had all the reservations. Everyone loved this place much better then the french, just because it was a wild and crazy time...
Afterwards we hit up the 'club'.
Day 3 (con) The Wedding
Day 3 - Sept 8th, 2007
The Wedding
Dad and I cried like babies when we walked down the isle.
We had a cake reception and then went to the french restaurant for a fabulously elegant dinner.
Day 2
Day 2 - Sept 7th, 2007
Swimming, eating & drinking was our theme for today.
The boys started by getting mani pedis.
We swam in the pool and waited for the Albrechts to arrive. Our bartender Sanyia made us do lots of shots.
Swimming, eating & drinking was our theme for today.
The boys started by getting mani pedis.
We swam in the pool and waited for the Albrechts to arrive. Our bartender Sanyia made us do lots of shots.
The girls took a break. We went kayaking and shopping.
While the boys continued to drink with the Albrechts. By dinner Dave and Mike Albrecht had reached their limit.
Day 3 - before the wedding
Day 3 - Sept 8th, 2007
Saturday - The wedding
The girls had a spa day. We had massages, and mani/pedis and facials and scrubs
and wraps and everyting you could ever imagine.
The boys woke up for an early ATV adventure.
The went up Murphy's hill. And then down to
Dunns River Falls.
After everyone got back from the adventures Bob and Missy started taking the 'getting ready'
pictures. Around 4:00 Sheryl came up to tell us it was time to go. We almost forgot my ring, and
door key, and would've locked ourselves out of the room - but luckly Dad had left the door wide open.
Mike says we didn't arrive until 4:10 and he was afraid I backed out. ...
Saturday - The wedding
The girls had a spa day. We had massages, and mani/pedis and facials and scrubs
and wraps and everyting you could ever imagine.
The boys woke up for an early ATV adventure.
The went up Murphy's hill. And then down to
Dunns River Falls.
After everyone got back from the adventures Bob and Missy started taking the 'getting ready'
pictures. Around 4:00 Sheryl came up to tell us it was time to go. We almost forgot my ring, and
door key, and would've locked ourselves out of the room - but luckly Dad had left the door wide open.
Mike says we didn't arrive until 4:10 and he was afraid I backed out. ...
Going to Jamaica
So here is my blog recap of my entire trip to Jamaica.
Day 0 - Sept 5th, 2007
We left our house about 9pm, and unhappily left our puppies. It was our first trip away from them and it was very hard for us to leave them for that long. Luckly we had Mike Chianese's sister Rachael to stay there and babysit for them the whole time we were away.
Mike Albrecht, Mike Chianese and I stayed at the Super 8 across from the airport. We woke up at 3:30am and couldn't sleep any longer. We were all to excited!
Day 1 - Sept 6th, 2007
4:45am we took the shuttle to the airport. 6:46 Northwestern plane with Mike A, Fred & Jayne Albrecht, Kathy & Gayle Shenkenberg, Dave & Mike O'Day, Don & Peg Kressin and myself. We had shirts made for the wedding party that said Suzie & Mike's wedding 09/08/07 on the back, and Jamaica on the front. Bright yellow, and we wore them on the plane. Therefore I'm pretty sure my Mom had spoken to every single airport worker and traveler before we got there, because everyone knew who we were when we arrived. Mike Chianese and Brian Conant were on the 7:15 US airlines plane. Erin & Alicia had left from San Deigo the previous night and Colleen was on her way from Germany. We had a short layover in Memphis and at 1:15 we arrived in Jamaica. We went through customs and ran into Erin & Brian and Mike Chianese in customs. Then we met Alicia on the bus over.
It was a one hour bus ride to the hotel. We checked in, went to eat at la pasta, and the drinking began...
Day 0 - Sept 5th, 2007
We left our house about 9pm, and unhappily left our puppies. It was our first trip away from them and it was very hard for us to leave them for that long. Luckly we had Mike Chianese's sister Rachael to stay there and babysit for them the whole time we were away.
Mike Albrecht, Mike Chianese and I stayed at the Super 8 across from the airport. We woke up at 3:30am and couldn't sleep any longer. We were all to excited!
Day 1 - Sept 6th, 2007
4:45am we took the shuttle to the airport. 6:46 Northwestern plane with Mike A, Fred & Jayne Albrecht, Kathy & Gayle Shenkenberg, Dave & Mike O'Day, Don & Peg Kressin and myself. We had shirts made for the wedding party that said Suzie & Mike's wedding 09/08/07 on the back, and Jamaica on the front. Bright yellow, and we wore them on the plane. Therefore I'm pretty sure my Mom had spoken to every single airport worker and traveler before we got there, because everyone knew who we were when we arrived. Mike Chianese and Brian Conant were on the 7:15 US airlines plane. Erin & Alicia had left from San Deigo the previous night and Colleen was on her way from Germany. We had a short layover in Memphis and at 1:15 we arrived in Jamaica. We went through customs and ran into Erin & Brian and Mike Chianese in customs. Then we met Alicia on the bus over.
It was a one hour bus ride to the hotel. We checked in, went to eat at la pasta, and the drinking began...
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