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December 31, 2005
suggestions, anyone?
Okay, those of you who are crafty and clever. I have a big box of pictures from my side of the family and we have tons of pictures from our vacations, etc, and pictures from Andy's childhood and pictures in different places of John's life.
I think it makes sense to put them in some kind of scrapbooks or something, but there are a zillion things to choose from. I think I would like something with room to write about what I know of the pictures - and perhaps some very simple embellishments.
So - should I make separate scrapbooks - one from my mother's family going back to about 1915 (her mom, really) - one for my mom and dad and my sister and I as children -
One of Andy
One of John's stuff?
Our vacations?
Ohmygosh - help!
I did purchase a print quality scanner so I can scan the very old faded pictures and try to spruce them up a bit and then get prints made.
I need to do this - or these pictures will be lost forever and ever.
I just don't know where to start, really.
Posted by Beth at 11:50 AM | Comments (7)
December 30, 2005
well, I have to post on this one, too
Okay. On one hand, people want the definition of 'family' to change - to be more inclusive of non-relatives, etc. On the other hand, cities like Manassas, Virginia want to define families as immediate family only when it comes to who can live in your home.
Seems the good people of Manassas are concerned that there are too many people living in homes. One family, who owns their own home, has a total of 7 people living in a five bedroom home. They rent out the downstairs to a couple and their nephew lives with them. They also happen to be Hispanic.
Again, they own their own home They are not renters, they are not illegal aliens, they are not living in a tenement. They own their own home and are now selling it because the law won't allow them to have more than one person in their immediate family living in the house - that they own, by the way - in case I did not mention that before.
I wonder if the City of Manassas, Virginia will be forcing college students who share a home to have only immediate family members living with them, or is this a rather blatant anti-Latino move on their part?
Then, of course, there is the question of home-ownership. My home is my castle and as long as I am not breaking occupancy laws as to the number of people per square foot, I should be able to allow whomever I want to live in my house.
Just another reason to be happy I don't live on the East Coast.
hat tip to the Corner.
Posted by Beth at 7:57 AM | Comments (3)
I had to post on this
I have been in an airline 'incident', though it was many years ago, but I'll never forget the absolute fear that I experienced.
A blogger was on board Alaska Airlines Flight 536. You must read his story.
I'm very happy the plane made it to safety, I think I would have had a stroke in the same situation.
What is truly amazing, though, is the rancor and meaness with which many comments to his post contain. Where do these trolls come from?
Posted by Beth at 6:29 AM | Comments (2)
December 24, 2005
Merry Christmas, Everyone
And thanks for reading me from time to time. This year, I am giving myself a present - time. And I hope that this is a present for John, too.
For now, at least, it's bye, bye blog. The time I spend on this (not so much lately) would be better spent on other things - my husband, our son, my house, my horses and my art. Work steals too much of my time to start with - then, to worry about can I post - - well, it's too much time. I want my life back.
I think that the guys over at Castle Argghhh! will let me bloviate if I have the need, but for now, my needs are to have a happy home life, and that requires every bit of extra time I can weasel out of my bosses.
I wish all of you the best of everything and a very Merry Christmas.
May the New Year be one of time for love and fulfillment for you all!
Posted by Beth at 6:20 AM | Comments (11)
December 23, 2005
How sad is this!?!
I am number 3 on Google for 10 things I hate about Christmas.
I still hate it.
Posted by Beth at 8:14 AM
Observations from my last trip to the UK
1. London is absolutely the least accessible city I've ever been to, expecially when it comes to the transportation system. I have a bit of arthritis in my knees, and schlepping a suitcase and backpack up and down flights of stairs in the Underground is a royal pain in the ass. Only a handful of Tube stations have lifts, and if you use one, everyone looks at you like you are a lazy-ass American - because they tend to be in the center of the station and are all glass.
Victoria Station - where the train from Gatwick takes you - has steps and steps and steps - no lift.
I suppose it ended up okay, because as I would very slowly make my way up the stairs (trying to obey the stay on the left signs), some disgruntled Englishman would grab my suitcase out of my hand and run up or down the stairs and then give me a glare as he set down my suitcase. I thanked all these grumpy men who decided that the only way to clear up the quagmire caused by a middle aged woman struggling a with a suitcase was to be semi-chivalrous and carry it for her. Not a one of them gave me a smile.
2. The people in London are in a huge, huge hurry all the time, it seems. No one strolls down the street looking at the shop windows - it's all rush, rush, rush. As a visitor, I strolled - looking at the great old architecture, the funny looking tiny cars and the motorcycles that have roofs and the people. There are people from all over the world visiting London. You can hear all kinds of languages in just a few minutes.
3. There are wonderful clothes in the shops in London - I love the styles and colors - don't see that kind of stuff here much. But everything is outrageously expensive. I paid the equivalent of $7 for the cheapest pair of socks I could find. I love Walmart - that much money will buy 4 pairs of socks here!
4. There are also some wonderful kiosks in the stations and in the 'malls' - I bought some amazing olives, cheese and bread at one little kiosk - they had thier own olive concoctions that were out of this world! Most of those wonderful little kiosks and shops appear to be owned by immigrants. From a couple of Israeli girls selling "Dead Sea" cosmetics (made in the US) to the Greek family with the olive shop to the Pakistani man and his souvenir shop, there are many, many people being capitalists in England.
5. I spent 3 days in Kent - I found that a 12 mile taxi cab trip cost 30 pounds sterling ($52USD). And that the cab drivers in that area don't go much outside of 5 miles or so from their home - as a result, not one of them knew where I was going - coming or going. It was rather funny - one cabbie was yelling at me saying - where is this place? And I had given him the address - I kept saying, I don't know - I've never been here before!!!
6. Cab drivers in England are a breed of their own. It doesn't matter if they are English, Greek, Armenian, Pakistani or Chinese - they are all a little kookie. And unless they are in London - none of them ever know the address I give them. Is this a trick to make me pay more? Or is my company sending me to places so obscure that even their street names are unknown? Heck, I don't know.
7. The Underground is a great way to get around London - however, there are breakdowns all the time, so always carry a bus schedule with you. Oh, and the busses are slow, slow, slow- took me 2 hours once to get 10 miles - in Bristol, anyway.
8. Pubs are a very good thing. You can get a pint of bitter and a jacket potatoe with cheese and bacon for dinner and it's under 5 pounds. And pubs are a wonderful place to people watch. In London, there are 3 to 5 pubs on every square block - so if you don't like one, stroll over to the next one.
9. London is great to visit, but I would not want to live there - rents are very high, and I have no idea how a normal middle class person can afford to live in London and still buy clothing, food and get transportation. Besides, there would be no room for our critters and our guns!
10. English people are totally shocked at the idea of gun ownership. They honestly think that we don't have the right to protect ourselves or our property. They think it is barbaric. I think they are all way too dependent upon the nanny state to take care of them.
11. One of the great guys I was working with told me that the health system in England will not provide hip replacement surgery to anyone who is overweight - they deserve to suffer, seems to be the idea. Also, gall bladder surgery is considered elective surgery - elective! I have known quite a few people who had emergency gall bladder surgery here in the US - can't imagine going to the emergency room in severe pain and being told that it is elective surgery and perhaps you can get it in two years time.
Anyway, I'll probably write more later on things English.
Posted by Beth at 6:50 AM | Comments (2)
December 22, 2005
Home again!
It's so good to be home! I miss John a lot when I travel.
Naturally, I have a done of stuff to get done - decorate the tree, have some egg nog, do all my expense reports - try to get caught up with all my blog friends and their blogs - some have moved, so I've made the changes I know of on my blogroll.
For example, A Likely Story has moved. I have no idea how long ago Rea moved sites, but I'm just now getting that taken care of.
And then there are carnivals and recipes - oh golly, without Punctilious, I'd be dead meat. Umm, I have to go do some stuff - back later.
Posted by Beth at 12:59 PM | Comments (4)
December 21, 2005
Yay!
SWWBO is home.
With an immigrant.
But that is her tale to tell.
Whee!
Posted by John at 9:16 PM | Comments (14)
December 17, 2005
Reporting from London.
SWWBO reports.
Hi, Sweetheart, Well, I'm glad I didn't miss anything. [referring to last night's party that I left early] I don't seem to be able to get the internet to work at my hotel - they are working on that - It's pretty interesting, I'll send you pictures - it's a tiny little mini-apartment - with an upstairs and downstairs - down about 6 steps from the front door to the bedroom and bathroom.Then up the same steps and open the door to the right to get to the tiny little kitchen/office/dining/living room - all smaller than our bedroom! I have pictures. I'll try to download them and send them to you later today. I am able to call you from here at the new office in London - very impressive office!!!
I will also figure out how much money I can spend and you can spend - damn, I wish I knew I was going to be here this long a month ago - I can't believe how many beautiful things there are to purchase this time of the year in London -
England is definitely pro-Christmas, by the way! All the stores say Happy Christmas and on the TV, the newsreaders (literally newsreaders - they open up the newspapers on the tv, read the headlines and show the pictures in the morning) all say Merry Christmas, and it is a rather jolly time of year to shop.
[sappy stuff FMEO]
My hotel is in Kensington Square - quite close to Hyde Park and just a couple of blocks from the Bayswater Tube Station - tons of little souvenir shops - all Christmas items are half price! Right before Christmas - I will have to buy at least one little thing.
I need to get to work!
[more sappy stuff that's nunayerbidniz]
Beth
Posted by John at 10:15 AM
December 15, 2005
Sigh.
One of the great perks of the firm I work for are our Christmas Parties. Classical cliche' parties - huge shrimp, prime rib, fish, moist chicken, fancy doings, nice presents, open bar - but an employee base that does not include people who xerox their booties, nor stand in the corner with a lampshade on (admittedly because my melon is so huge they don't fit).
SWWBO really likes those parties. She was working it so she'd get home on Friday an hour before the party started, and off we'd go.
So, I just got this email...
Hi, handsome,Everything was going beautifully, but they had a dns problem and they broke XXXX, so I am staying until Wednesday. So, have fun at the party and eats lotsa shrimp!
I will try to call you from the pay phone tonight if you let me know when you will be home.
Of course, the good news is that even though I'll be working all weekend, I don't have to go to Boston next week, so when I come home, I'm done for the year, pretty much.
And, I will only be here in wherever I am tonight - then I go back to London and I'll be staying next to Hyde Park - they say it's very nice.
I wish we were rich - get a lottery ticket, please? Win it and fly here!!!
Love you muchly,
Beth
Those people who *broke* things better be working this weekend, too!
Sigh. Bastards are putting a *real* hash on my mellow this fricking holiday season. We missed *both* the good parties. I know, I'm still here and can go - but it's way the helk downtown and I *hate* going stag to something like this. I'll just be grumpy or falsely jovial.
The money spends, though. Pardon me, I have a lottery ticket to buy...
Posted by John at 1:54 PM | Comments (1)
December 14, 2005
SWWBO Lives!
John of Argghhh! here.
I had an early morning meeting on Monday that required (shudder) a tie. On the way back from the meeting in downtown KC to the office, I stopped at home to dump the (shudder) tie.
There was SWWBO, spider in her web, talking to someone in England and making noises about how she might have to go to London next week.
Ya, ya. Okay. Back on my head at the office.
Email pings at 1:26 PM. It's an itinerary. Okay, she's going to Boston or London next week, I ignore it.
Email pings at 1:36PM
From: Donovan,Beth@someplace.corporate.sounding To: John.Donovan.@someplace.in.the.army.mil.domain Cc: Subject: My plane leaves at 4 - need to get to airport Sent: 12/12/2005 1:15 PM Importance: Normal Can you take me, or should I call a cab?Love,
Beth
Leave aside how long that took to get from one system to another.
Huh? WTF? So what... oshit - TODAY!~ Which really means like in... 20 minutes we gotta be going... which means, I should have left here 5 minutes ago. Fark!
Okay. No meetings with client, no afternoon deliverable... out the door!
Pick her up, she's ready to go. (That's rather odd, really... )
Drop her off at the airport 2:30PM... Monday.
Time passes.
Check email.
Time passes.
Check email.
Time passes.
Wake up next (Tuesday) morning.
Time passes.
Check email.
Time passes.
Check email.
Time passes.
Wake up, Wednesday morning.
Time passes.
Check email.
Time passes.
Check email.
Time passes.
Email Pings!
From: Beth Donovan [beth donovan@none.of.your.business To: John Donovan Cc: Subject: I am alive!!! Sent: 12/14/2005 4:03 PM
For the record - had *I* flown overseas, and been outta commo that long, my first hint of something wrong woulda been SWWBO knocking on my hotel room door... *yesterday*.
She opines an excuse thusly:
Hi, handsome - well, I did not get my global phone like I was supposed to - hmmmph. and I had to talk the hotel into letting me use their office pc for internet access, as the so-called 'wireless' internet access in the lobby connects, but is not strong enough for me to open anything in internet explorer. I am in Kent - at a hotel called Thistle, Brand Thatch - I've been working my ass off, and this is the first time I've had internet access since I got here. The data center is super-secure - apparently there are MI5 records in the same building, so they had to get my fingerprint scanned and there are electrically charged fences, gates and long waits while security verifies that I should be there. I will be thrilled to go home. I suspect the area I am in is beautiful - lots of country side, but I'm working too much to find out!! [elided delicate descriptions of the fate that awaits me upon her return, not for the faint of heart, or delicate sensitivities. Trust me, yer envious]
Just letting you know she's okay and apparently looting classifed documents or something. And here I thought she was a corporate computer nerd. Turns out she's like Valerie Plame or something.
That's it. I'm headed back over to my place.
Posted by John at 8:18 PM | Comments (5)
December 12, 2005
now I feel like a jet setter
I found out what - an hour ago? that I'm needed in London. So, I'm packed, I think, and Johnlove is on his way home to get me to the airport.
I'll probably get extra security because I just made the reservation.
But I'll come home on Friday!
See ya then.
Posted by Beth at 1:38 PM | Comments (4)
December 11, 2005
Help needed
Our friend, Deb, of Marine Corps Moms, is desperately trying to put enough goodies together for Christmas for some troops in both Afghanistan and Iraq (somehow the MWR money didn't get there in time for holiday planning).
The problem is we have some units in Afghanistan and Iraq that will not receive their MWR dollars in time to plan a Christmas holiday for the troops. Don't have an exact number of troops, and the Master Sgt that e-mailed me from Afgan (whom I know personally) has not been able to re-email me since.But if some stockings could be sent to their unit commander that would really help. Please let me know for sure though so I can tell them to expect something. Thank you again, and bless you both for all you are doing for our service members and their families.
Come on, folks, go to the MarineCorps Moms' Paypal button and give them 10 or 25 or 1000 dollars - we bloggers could help Kate get her pretty smile back, we can also help out with getting our service people a Christmas, eh?
Posted by Beth at 4:07 PM
December 10, 2005
Movie time!
Today, John and I saw the Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
I thought it was very well done. However, I have not read CS Lewis's books, so I have no idea if the movie is true to the book. The cinematography was great - the animals were great, the animation was wondrous.
And, we went to a new theatre to see it. This is one of those movie houses where you can sit in a VIP section and have appetizers and drinks during the movie - the seats are leather, and are set up so you don't sit next to anyone but your significant other. The VIP section is the balcony of a lovely, very large, theatre. Now, it was expensive, to sit in the VIP section, but it was fun, and worth paying for from time to time - but definitely *not* affordable for our normal movie going habits.
I have heard that some people are very upset about the movie - they don't like the fact that C.S. Lewis (the author of the book) converted to Christianity. Some apparently believe that an allegorical story about Christianity will poison the minds of all the children who see the movie and turn them into evil fundamentalists or something silly.
But ... the fundamentalists don't approve of C.S. Lewis either.
I think it is a tempest in a teapot, to be honest. I saw no religious zealotry going on - and if there had been - who the heck cares.
Some people are so stupid about religion, that they don't want it mentioned in public.
Bah, Humbug! Santa - give those people coal for their stockings!!!
Posted by Beth at 8:01 PM | Comments (1)
December 9, 2005
I have the very best huband on earth
The last 7 days have been absolutely horrid so far as travelling/work goes. From losing my corporate credit card on Sunday to being stranded at Midway Airport last night, along with a sinus infection, muscle spasms in my shoulder and neck, and the hard drive on my laptop crashing.
Fortunately, my clients are great, and I loved working with them.
But, I'm so worn down, worn out, tired and just generally yucky, that after John picked me up from the airport at noon, took me to a new micro brewery for lunch, and brought me home before he went back to work, I laid down on the bed with all the dogs and kitties and fell asleep.
Sound asleep.
So asleep that before I knew it, John was opening the front door.
So asleep that I was not ready a Christmas Party tonight. I really did want to go, I like the people who will be there a lot, but I'm just exhausted.
But John didn't mind - at least I don't think he minded - and he let me stay in bed and now he is braving the cold and snow to bring back the fixings for a margarita.
He is most definitly the bestest husband on earth!
Posted by Beth at 7:23 PM | Comments (9)
Things can only get better!
Well, I just got home. A day late, but hey, I'm home.
Naturally, the way this week was going, I was at Midway airport yesterday trying to get home during a huge snowstorm. My original flight was cancelled as it was redirected to ... Kansas City - it never got to Chicago!.
The next flight was delayed. And delayed. And delayed.
Once in a while I could see a plane taking off, but next to no planes landing - then we heard about the incident - a flight from Baltime (one I have been on many times) landed and skidded off the runway and onto the street, hitting 2 cars. Sadly, a little six year old boy was killed by the accident, but everyone on board the plane was okay, and having been on that same street earlier in the day, I can tell you it could have been much, much worse - that is a very busy intersection, and the traffic yesterday was just awful.
I'm a little slow on the uptake sometime, and I didn't really realize until about 8:00 pm that I was *not* going to get home last night. For an extremely brief amount of time, I thought about perhaps just spending the night in the airport, but good sense came to my rescue.
Thank God I'm a Hilton Honor's Diamond member. I called the Diamond Desk's 800 number and they managed to find me a room at the Doubletree about 12 miles from Midway.
Then, of couse, I had to get there - I walked out of the terminal, and there were at least 1000 people lined up for the one and only taxi sitting there. And I'm not exaggerating.
But then, I looked across the street, and believe it or not there was one hotel shuttle sitting there. And it was the Doubletree Hotel's shuttle - the same one I was headed for.
I thought a silent 'thank you' to my guardian angel - surely, getting that shuttle had to be a heavenly act!!!
I finally got to fly home today. John picked me up from the airport - all my luggage made it in earlier than I did - and we went out for a nice lunch.
Now, I have to attempt to catch up with all the work I didn't get to do yesterday!!!
Posted by Beth at 2:17 PM | Comments (4)
December 6, 2005
sigh
My life had been just a mess since last Friday. It all started when I woke up at the hotel and decided to reboot my laptop (it had been on all week) while I packed up.
The damned thing wouldn't boot up - or rather, it would reboot, reboot, reboot, ad infinitum as I watched in dismay.
Well, I got home a couple hours early so that I could get the darn laptop to the office for emergency hard drive replacement.
I picked my laptop up on Saturday afternoon - thankfully, I only lost one months worth of stuff - my pc had not been completely backed up for that long because of all my travel - I can't have a laptop practically stop working when I'm working with a client, so I only had partial backups.
Anyway, I have also been suffering from very painful muscle spasms in my shoulder and neck for about 3 weeks now. When these spasms act up, I can't sleep well. Saturday night was one of those nights. I was miserable all night long - oh - and I still have a cold.
I get up on Sunday morning, pack dirty clothes in my suitcase because I felt too awful on Saturday to do laundry at home. (I washed my clothes last night at the hotel) and John takes me to the airport and gives me a hug and kiss goodbye.
I checked my luggage, and it doing so, at Southwest, I used my corporate credit card to pull up my flight info. I grabbed some breakfast, got on my plane and tried to make my darn shoulder feel better. I got off my plane at Midway in Chicago because I planned to drive to Grand Rapids and hopefully stop at Holland in time to take some pictures of the Dutch Windmill there.
Got my luggage, went to the rental car place, and I could not find the corporate credit card. Oh. Shit.
I moved out of line, sat on the floor and dumped out my purse and my backpack in search of the damn card. It was nowhere to be found. I called information and asked them to please connect me to the Diners/Mastercard customer service line so I could report the lost card.
Okay, folks, how many of you know what your card numbers are on credit cards? Not me. The automated answering system at Diners club - after I pushed the number indicating I was reporting a lost or stolen card - the machine wanted my card number. I told it I don't know what it is. And it repeated the request about 6 times - taking about 5 more minutes - as my cell phone battery is close to draining. I finally got a person, she was able to find my card number after getting my SSN, my mom's maiden name and another, more secret, question.
Damn. This was just the beginning of a really shitty day. I'll finish tonight, I have to get ready for work now - and it's snowing out, so I'd best leave early.
Later on . . .
Posted by Beth at 4:55 AM | Comments (10)
December 5, 2005
SWWBO's Travel Day From Hell
SWWBO had a *tough* day yesterday, in her quest to get from Leavenworth to Grand Rapids, Mi.
A tale of "Oh sh*ts!," idiotarians, bad luck, and the kindness of strangers.
Now mebbe we'll get her to tell the tale.
No, sweetie, I couldn't do it *half* as well as you!
Posted by John at 6:06 AM | Comments (4)
December 2, 2005
It's Friday! I'm home!
The hard drive on my laptop crashed this morning, so I drove from Canton to Cleveland to get an earlier flight home so I could get my broken laptop to the company helpdesk so I can have it back tomorrow so I can go to Grand Rapids, Michigan on Sunday.
And I have this damn cold.
I'll be back in the morning - now, I go to bed with my beloved!
Posted by Beth at 8:31 PM
Stream of consciousness
There is snow in Cleveland. I have to drive there to catch a plane back home- and no, Ry, I won't make John clean it if I catch it!
I have an awful cold. Rather than expose my clients to my germs, I'll work from the hotel this morning before I check out and drive up to Cleveland.
This is a nice area.
Yes, at the very least, my yellow Cobalt rental car ought to be blue!
I am pro-life - that includes being against the death penalty - but if anyone deserves to die, it is that monster in Florida who kidnapped and murdered that little girl. Oh, and the guy in California who invented the Crips. How many people have the Crips murdered nationwide? A lot, I bet.
I can't stand Brittney, either. What a stupid, stupid girl!
I have to go to Grand Rapids on Sunday. This cold better be gone by then!!
By the way - I like it when people in stores say Merry Christmas.
Posted by Beth at 6:06 AM | Comments (2)
I forgot to mention
John and I met the lovely and talented Kat a couple of weeks ago. Smart, smart and funny she is!
Go read her post on gays in the military.
Posted by Beth at 5:52 AM | Comments (1)
December 1, 2005
stream ..
I really don't like Jessica Simpson.
Insomnia sucks. Colds suck too.
Why did Avis give me a bright yellow Chevy Cobalt? Who has heard of a Cobalt?
Need coffee.
Posted by Beth at 4:52 AM | Comments (15)
Commentary
Sometimes, only Jeff can make me smile. You must read the comments.
Posted by Beth at 4:41 AM