UMTravels

Work during the day, then off to Swanda’s for a package and cocktails.

Amazing how I can get home at 6:30, get the coals going, hook up the new Internet access from Clearwire (ask me more — sign up and I’ll get bucks), set the table, season the steaks, and answer the door for dinner for Lynne at 7.

The snow has melted. It’s time to get back onto track with various household projects like:

• Running Ethernet from the office to living room, stereo, and bedroom
• Running speaker cable from the stereo to the living room, bedroom, and office
• Top the front garden and compost stems
• Make the valences for Son of Bob
• Finish electronic upgrades for Son of Bob
• Clean and organize the garage
• Start making plans for the garage extension — carport

Yikes — I’d better get busy.

[218.6]

My brother (the live one) has requested a shot of his Christmas gift to me…

And I definitely have a case of “Pinot Envy”.

He was looking to get me the St. Paul Saints Larry Craig Bobble Foot, but couldn’t find one:

But enough about politics…

Today was work for Events and Adventures — the off-cycle marketing meeting due to the holidays. Good billing day, and the to-do list means good billing for the next couple of days to get through it before the end of the billing cycle.

Quiet night at home — hopefully with the power staying on tonight. Steak, salad, wine — standard Uncle Markie dining large at home again.

[217.4]

I say weird, but the day started out pretty normal. Curt and Brandon stayed over last night — Brandon, of course, in the single, Curt with me on the foam bed — I’m not sure he liked it.

Here is the shot from last night playing with the furs:

Thanks to Jen and Lynne for their donations of furs.

So, the big thing today is the Latke and Tequila Party at Jill’s Place. She was sweet to actually get some Tequila for me so we could make it a Tequila and Latke party.

The latkes were great, as was the pork and cabbage (for the non-Jews), cookies, other sweets, and well, tequila (and wine for the non-tequila drinkers).

And the “weird” part of today… I arrived home to find no power to my house. I have no idea how long the power has been out, but I’ve been out in the “command center” in the front yard — otherwise known as “Son of Bob”.

Having installed the new DVD player in the dash before the latke party, I’m forced to wire in an HDTV receiver in SOB so that I can watch the evening news. Turns out that I get 22 channels of HDTV without even raising the antenna on SOB — that said, there is a built-in antenna booster. Too bad I haven’t got the other two monitors in yet, but it’s still cool. Here is what the dash looks like at the moment — before the battery in the camera gave out:

I still have to put the bottom bezel back in — and suddenly the heat control isn’t working — at least the back heater works — but more work for me when the lights come on.

And other weird stuff today — as I’m watching the nightly news, the rains come in — hard and heavy.

Just saw a truck with flashing lights — maybe they are here to fix the power which would be good since I don’t think my generator actually produces 110 but just charges the 12volt — got to get Whitaker to take a look at it.

[217.something — it’s dark in my office and can’t tell]

As we go into the new year in a few days, I’d like to welcome three new merchant partners to UMTravels. These are folks that a regularly buy stuff from, and recommend them to all of you. In return, they give me a small sliver of your purchases. So, if you’d like to support my lifestyle, click through on the links and go shopping.

The three new partners are:

Powell’s Books in Portland — they have an incredible selection of new and used books, all online. These are the folks that  went shopping at to get Festivus gifts for my brother Jon and sis-in-law Norma.

JCWhitney — these are the folks that I get parts for the RV from. Not only do they handle RVs — but pick a car or truck and they have stuff for it. I know that there aren’t many car geeks in my audience other than Whitaker, but they had replacement parts for BOB that were hard to track down.

Tiger Direct — These folks are one of the only two electronics retailers that I recommend. My latest purchase from them was a GPS unit as a New Years present for a perpetually lost friend of mine, and a CCD camera unit to use as a backup camera for Son of Bob.

All these links are in the right hand side of this page, and eventually I’ll get a static shopping page page put together so you can just bookmark that. I’m also taking suggestions for YOUR favorite merchants. The things we do in this economy to make a few shekels.

On the home front — waiting around for Curt and Brandon to show up so I can feed them these giant steaks I picked up today. Still trying to decide if I should do the potatoes/yams/onions on the grill or at all.

[219.7 ]

Left the house (well, both houses — parent’s and the in-laws) at eleven, with plenty of time for the hour and a half drive to Albuquerque — and good that I did as there was a nasty two car accident that blocked both lanes requiring that we use the median strip to get by.

Plenty of time since the flight isn’t until 3:45 — but as you all know, I’m the one that is ALWAYS early for planes, trains, and automobiles.

I’m so early (1:15 and I’m though security) that there is time to catch up on the blog, the email, and all the other stuff that they connection was too slow at the house to deal with… hell, there is even time for lunch!

So far the flight is on time — it’s to LA so the chances of delay are less than those to Chicago (delayed) and Denver (delayed).

Will try and update from LA.

[LA UPDATE]

Got to Los Angeles thirty minutes late — but with a three hour layover, it was no big deal. Plenty of time for a dinner of Shrimp Tacos — to compliment the lunch of a Cobb Salad in Albuquerque.

Up until my last attempt to post an update crashed — the flight was on time, but just got a text message that it’s now 8:40 (25 minutes late) — which is weird since the plane is here and at the gate, and it’s 7:45 — must be crew issues at this point.

With luck I’ll be home tonight.

[? ? ?]

You never know when a Christmas miracle will happen. The random addition of a neighbor (French) into the holiday table mix yields incredible results.

Attendees:

• Mom
• Dad
• Jennifer (sis-in law)
• Kennan (bro-in-law)
• Nancy (Jennifer’s aunt)
• Karen (youngest niece)
• Emily (oldest niece)
• Sophie (the neighbor)
• Myself

Unfamiliar with US customs, Sophie asks for our fondest memories of Christmas past. MANY stories come out. Many stories that I haven’t heard. before the end of the evening is over, more wine is opened. We have also drained an entire bottle of Grappa — a $12.99 steal at Trader Joe’s in Santa Fe.

Some of those stories:

• My parents dating history before marriage (3 weekends)
• The story of my mother’s father’s tragic accident on the way to her wedding
• Out came the bible that my mother had her orchid on for the wedding (the bridesmaids had poinsettias)
• My brother Jon’s picking up a “humorous” movie for New Year’s Eve (Das Boot — at least it wasn’t the directors cut!)
• Antics of Jennifer’s dead father — a great “swordsman” according to the wicked stepmother
• Sophie’s growing up in France as an only child in a “proper” French house
• and more that I can’t even remember at the moment. Blame it on the Grappa.

The menu was standard Souder Christmas featuring a huge standing rib roast and all the trimmings.

With all the laughing and drinking — people didn’t leave until after eleven — shocking for my parents who are usually in bed by nine.

And what New Mexico Christmas would be complete without having to push someone out of a ditch — that would be Sofie.

[? ? ?]

Home? Well, kind of. Born and raised in Kansas City but now Santa Fe is “home”?

Once I was gone from the house, they (parents) moved back to New Mexico — at least they told me where they were moving.

This morning was a run to Trader Joe’s for liquor. $200 worth for me and the holidays here in Santa Fe. Good deals on Grappa and Scotch.

Most of the day before the holiday stuff in the evening was spent disinfecting computers — LOTS of computers. My nieces (2), my mother’s computers, installed my sis-in-law’s photo printer… here it is pushing midnight and XP service pack three is still downloading over dial-up. Ick.

The holday evening started around seven with the ritual Red Barons (champagne and cranberry juice). Somehow the other ritual (smoked oysters) got lost this year.

Once people were feed with soup, rolls, dip and vegetables, sugar products, artichokes, lots of nibble food — it was time for presents. Aunt Nancy (not my aunt, my sis-in-law’s aunt) and I were the “losers” in the amount of loot. It’s fine with me. I’ve got enough loot.

The neices loved the cash. Youngest neice got 100 $1 coins in rolls taped together — the older neice just got a stack of  100 $1 bills. Remembering when I was a teenager, “nothing says love like cold hard cash”.

And tomorrow is Christmas, and the package grab continues next door (well, my parents and my bro/sis/neices back yards are connected) — unfortunately at 8:30am. Damn children. Don’t they know the phrase “brunch”?

[? ? ?]

Question from Curt:

How was your travel day?

My reponse:

• First flight mostly on time
• Two hour layover with sushi and nigori sake
• Second flight left/arrived half hour late.
• Scored an All Wheel Drive rental car complete with OnStar and Sirius – and a freaking 110 AC jack in the dash – Pontiac Vibe. Metallic Charcoal — $79.90 for three days.

Just got back from the trudge to the in-laws in twelve inches of fresh snow. Luckily there are adjoining back yards (but with half acre lots).

Don’t forget to vote on yesterday’s poll.

[218.7]

First to the “more”….

The yard stick says nine inches… but it’s more like fourteen since this is the result of several days of melting, snowing, etc.

Yes, that is a yard stick in the snow. The one in the background is a 2x4x10 foot piece of lumber. I should have moved that for the shot.

And there are icicles everywhere…

OK — so we are trying this new pol feature in WordPress. This pole is for the gents in the audience — and you are allowed two choices — say, commando and cut. Actually this is a bit of a work project for Shirts of Bamboo about a Spring Product line. So, I need your votes — or the votes of your husbands, boyfriends, and children.

This is a test, only a test, of the emergency polling system. After this test, you will return to your regularly scheduled blog.

Three questions for the guys in the audience:

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Today was E&A work, a little SOB work, drinks and dinner with Swanda and back home early — bags packed, ready to go in the morning, assuming flights are running.

[218.6]

Got six more inches of snow last night. Not a good thing with Dan having a 7:30am flight. Luckily it was running an hour late AND I’d put a tarp over the front window of the Mommy Van so it was easy to get on the road with minimal scraping. Maybe I’d better put it back since it’s snowing AGAIN.

And for those of you that ask for shots of me giving the front walk a blow job to get rid of the snow:

A laid back day of catching up on the blog, writing letters, a little E&A work, reading through the stack of magazines.

Jimmy and Suzanne due for dinner tomorrow, but me thinks that won’t happen until after the holiday.

[216.5]

Yikes. Another six inches of snow. Lots of plans changed for today.

It was going to be:

• Gift Grab at Larry’s place
• Solstice Party at Swanda’s place
• Potluck Dinner at Rich’s place followed by poker

What really happened?

• Gift Grab at Larry’s place while Dan napped on the couch

Blame it on the snow that was already on the ground from Thursday (and since turned to ice) and more slated for 4pm. When I left Larry’s place at 3:30pm it had already started.

Solstice Party cancelled due to weather, and the Potluck Dinner was in Olympia, so that ain’t happening for me with Dan having a flight early in the morning.

And now what you have all been waiting for…. the report on how dinner was at the Herb Farm last night. Fabulous — glad I did it, don’t feel the need to drop another $250 a person anytime soon.

No limo with Moet Chandon White Star Champagne — they couldn’t get it out of the lot. All four of us were stuffed (literally) into a Town Car with a driver. Should have taken the damn mommy van.

So, back to dinner. Here is a little video snippet of the evening:

Sorry that the video is a little dark.

Think nine courses each paired with a glass or two of wine, served over the span of four plus hours. I’ve scanned the menu — but not the separate menu for the coffee and teas, or the wine list with about fifty pages…

Click for a larger image.

An early night tonight for both Dan and I after not getting to bed until 1:30am after that meal.

[218.7 — even with that 9-course meal]

The holiday season continues to run us (the Royal me) ragged.

Got to get a couple of projects off the burner for E&A today so that I can totally relax this evening.

Dan, Helene, Swanda and I are travelling by limo to The Herb Farm for dinner.

Tonight’s theme is: Holly and Ivy

and the overview of their meals:

Each 9-course dinner, served with 5 or 6 matched wines (non alcoholic options are also available), draws its inspiration from the rhythms of the season. For much of the year The Herbfarm kitchen gardens and farm supply the restaurant with an ever-changing harvest of common and unusual produce. Small growers and producers provide wild mushrooms, heritage fruits, handmade cheeses, and rare treasures such as water grown wasabi root and artisanal caviars.

Each day’s menu is finalized only hours before the meal to best track the symphony of life on the land and sea. Week in and week out. The Herbfarm’s 9-course menu brings new delights.

We arrive at six thirty and the limo picks up back up at midnight. We will have a bottle of Moet Chandon Whitestar on the way out. And I’m assuming a cocktail or two before the limo arrives. Better strap on my spare liver.

And I might have to take a nap this afternoon.

[217.9]

Snow day, so no driving to the EastSide — and Skype is now installed on both machine. $29.50 for a year of unlimited outgoing calls to the US and Canada.

But that isn’t the old took (that would be a new tool). The old tool? The leaf blower. New use? Rather than shovelling off the sidewalk I just blew the snow off since it was a really dry snow that dumped six inches today. Sorry — no video.

And from MoonSong, who I emailed the details…

What a great idea!!  It worked like a charm…  thanks.

And MUCH easier on the back.

So I worked while it snowed — did make a run to the Post Office to drop the last Festivus packages in the mail. That’s done — the rest of the load is going in a suitcase with me to Santa Fe next week.

Steak dinner before going to the airport to pick up Dan — stopped for groceries on the way, just in case it turns nasty again. Glad I have the Mommy Van with it’s four wheel drive with center locking differential.

[216.8]

Apparently, the Wall Street Journal now has a phrase for workers like me: nanobots

“Not in the Office doing Business in their Own Time Staff.”

It actually is an interesting article on management:

http://sloanreview.mit.edu/business-insight/articles/2008/6/5065/away-from-the-deskalways/

It was nice to find a link to the article that wasn’t on the Wall Street Journal site, which tends to want to charge for their content.

Man do I love Portland. Spent yesterday bouncing on and off of MAX and the streetcar lines — having lunch with Patrick (too short), shopping at Powell’s Books, hanging with VavaPussy. Make me want to get a condo on the Red Line with a connection to the airport. Now if Portland had the flight deals that Seattle does.

Here is  a shot of taking MAX in from the hotel, which is in the free zone: 

Of course, Seattle IS getting light rail — maybe the answer is a condo in the International District so I have both access to the airport and the train station.

Headed home today on the 12:15 Cascades train and will do shopping at Uwajamaya for dinner with Jill tonight — weather permitting (Jill for dinner, not the shopping).

[? ? ?]

With the frosty weather, the train is turning out to have been a very good decision.

A couple of days ago I booked a Roomette on the Coast Starlight (and extra $48 on top of the $28 fare). What do you get for your $48?

• Private room
• Amenities kit (shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, but no razor)
• Welcome tiny bottle of champagne (went nicely with the complimentary cranberry juice)
• Oranges and apples
• Bottled water
• Local newspaper
• Lunch with dessert

And at least heading south, the train was on time, which caused me to pull the stats for the last couple of days of northbound trains… an hour late getting out of Portland but only a few minutes late into Seattle. Looks like their performance is improving!

Here is a great video of the train ride south of Tacoma:

And here is the scoller bar of all the pictures and videos from the trip:

I got checked in by 2:30 after a bus ride and a 5-block walk in a 30mph headwind — resisted the temptation is instantly open the whiskey and warm up.

Dinner last night was with Otter of the OtterWinkles before heading off to the final performance for Periwinkles class “Getting Over Yourself” which works on getting people out of their shell and more comfortable with performing in front of other people. My having the video camera there to tape ScottyDog turned it into a final exam.

Today’s plans are dinner with Patrick, shopping at Powells, then dinner with the OtterWinkles.

[? ? ?]

Full disclosure — they have offered me a free 2×4′ sign. On the upside — these folks are GREAT — they have produced all the banners for Events and Adventures, and at a truly great price. And a great turn-around time as well.

Check them out at http://www.esigns.com

Here is the banner’s that we did for Events and Adventures:

So — imagine that as a 2’x5′ sign on white vinyl with grommets. And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

It’s a snowy day in front of the computer today. I need to finalize travel plans for tomorrow for a quickie trip to Portland courtesy of Fluffernutter, book Puerto Valarta for January to spend a week with my priest and his hottie boyfriend, build a web-site for HypnoStevein Portland, write a recommendation for Mindi on LinkedIn, and tackle the to-do list sitting on my desk for Events and Adventures.

And that snow I was talking about?

Dinner tonight is at Jeff and Marvin’s place on the hill (assuming I can get up it — I’ll be taking the mommy van with it’s 4 wheel drive). This will be the first dinner with them in about a decade. Apparently he is no longer pissed off at me. I can only guess at the gourmet meal planned — he is a hell of a chef.

[217.3]

Got the last of the Festivus cards printed, trimmed and addressed — off to the post office those go on the way to MaryBeth’s for a house rearranging consult. She is having company over on New Year’s Day and wants to whip the place into shape (which will be a challenge with two teenage kids).

Recommendations:

• Couch from the living room moves to the media room
• Flowered chair in media room goes away, chair and ottoman move to living room
• Computer table gets consolidated against the wall to open up space and traffic flow
• Kitchen back splash gets painted gloss black to accent the new counters and match the theme of the kitchen (black/white tiles on floor)
• Microwave gets moved close to stove to cover “odd” transisition area
• Trash can get replaced with one from the church (Infectious Waste) and new container for recycling that holds more and can be closed
• Planned murphy bed for Thomas’ room goes in the other direction with book shelves above
• Melissa gets stacking tubs for under her bed
• Laundry room gets full-size stacking washer and dryer on one side, and U shaped shelving on the other side for more storage — and maybe matching tubs for everything
• All four bedrooms need new curtains
• Fire ring moves to the front deck with cement board underneath (and a fire extinguisher handy) 

Whew! Think they can do that in two weeks? All those recommendations in just under an hour.

Headed back from Tacoma around 1 to start working on the sourdough bread for dinner — once again experimenting on my friends and their family. The experiment failed, it was edible, but not light and fluffy. I may just give up and go back to making challah.

Swanda, his mom, and his sister were guests for a dinner of steak, asparagus, salad, and failed bread. We even had a little time for dress up before they fled at the first sign of snow.

No WII bowling tonight for the crew. Damn.

[216.8]

Well, Festivus is upon us — is it time for the annual airing of grievances? Confused. Here is the WikiPedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus, and should you need a pole, these folks have a nice selection: http://festivuspoles.com/pages/Festivuspoles.htm, or you could just go to Home Depot or your local metal supplier — for those not willing to click through — December 23rd is the usual date Festivus (The Holiday For The Rest Of Us).

We won’t even go into the “Feats of Strength” part of Festivus.

Christmas packages off to Kate and Eric, tomorrow Joe and Nikia’s package will go out. The Christmas Cards are printed and trimmed, and those are going in the mail tomorrow as well. So, between that, work, Festivus shopping and shipping, it’s been a busy day.

Dinner tonight is a quiet affair, just me and my steak, my salad, and my wine.

[217.4]

Well, back in the saddle, and if it’s Thursday it must be the all hands Marketing meeting for E&A. Due to a technical glitch I missed the first portion of the call, but all  is good now. Of course, after 10 days off, the billing for the next period isn’t going to be very big.

Thursday also means payday, so it’s off to the bank, Safeway, Home Depot (to look for oak for the valences in Son of Bob), gas, all those errands. Between billings and selling BOB — I haven’t had to transfer anything out of savings for the last month or so… even with the holiday travel.

Dinner tonight is with the lovely Lynne… probably the last before she re-locates back to Lopez. Damn. I’m going to miss being able to invite her over for dinner at least weekly. It’s just the usual steak, salad wine — with the BBQ on the steaks, but that’s the way of South Park.

So, between working and entertaining — no big news other than an unexpected Christmas bonus in the form of Shilo Inns Lodging Script that expires on the 20th — best get busy planning a quickie vacation.

[218.0]