Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Merry Christmas. What a beautiful time of the year in Florida. I am looking forward to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Kelly and Hunter, Tim and Allison. Tom will be in Indianapolis with Brenna and Nora. They are having weather that is much worse than ours. I've been making fleece hats to keep us warm at night here in Florida. Yes, it does get cold in the evenings this time of year. We had to wear hats and jackets to St. Augustine last night to view the lights and visit Winter Wonderland. After a great dinner at the Columbia restaurant we wandered through Elf Village and Candy Cane Lane.

Great fun at Mousefest 2008. We had an opportunity to go on a tour with Steve Barrett who wrote the Hidden Mickey guides for both Disney World and Disneyland. I had no idea how many hidden characters, mostly Mickey's, are in the parks. Steve suggested there are close to 1000 so finding them could be a really fun challenge when visiting the parks. If you plan to visit the parks don't forget to go to Destinationsinflorida.com to find tickets, hotels, food venues, and other information. The owner of the site lived in Orlando, did her residency at Disney and is now one of the top agencies for Disney.

Make a Smilebox postcard

I spent three wonderful nights on a Disney Cruise recently with my oldest son and two grandchildren, Kelly and Hunter. It was the most relaxing and enjoyable vacation and one that I could recommend to anyone. It would be especially great for consultants who work Sunday through Thursday as you can leave Thursday from Port Canaveral at noon and return by Sunday at 7 am in time to fly out to your next engagement. The cruise went to Nassau in the Bahamas and then on to Castaway Cay. Castaway Cay is the Island that Disney owns. It had a pirate ship, beautiful beaches and a great bar-b-que.


Disney has fantastic attention to detail and the customer service is incredible. Everyone stopped to make sure our cruise was going as planned. They also stopped to talk with the grandchildren and every character on the ship stopped to say Hello to them. They also stayed in the children's area one night while we went to an adult dinner. The caretakers provided regular messages so we knew how the grandchildren were doing in the play areas.




My cabin was on the outside of the ship with a very large port hole window which gave me the opportunity to lay in bed at night and watch the waves and other ships go in the opposite direction. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets added to the enjoyment. To see all the pictures from the cruise, go to my flickr site.

Working in New Orleans at the National Finance Center. We stay downtown at one of the Renaissance Hotels so we are within walking distance of many wonderful restaurants. It is hard to diet in New Orleans.

I have been learning a new skill and am now a pretty good UPK developer. We have a very small team so it is easy to get to know one another.

The flights are not bad and certainly better than the coast to coast flights on the last few projects.

The pictures are some of the destruction that has not been addressed. Bourbon and Royal are pretty much as usual with the smells on Bourbon and the Antiques on Royal. Still lots of music and street people.

Working In New Orleans again and noting some of the changes. There are many buildings still in a state of disrepair scattered among those that have been totally rebuilt. We went down to Jackson Square last week and Royal and Bourbon have changed very little. Still dirty, smelly but lots of activity.


Kelly and Hunter are preparing for the upcoming Halloween Party. They are such a joy and truly give life meaning. They had sleep overs at Grammys and we went to St. Augustine, rode the "Red" train and played miniture golf. What a great day.

I went back to New Orleans this week. It was an interesting week and Metairie really hasn't changed much. The drive to the NASA building brought visions of empty homes, broken windows, damaged buildings and in many areas just general disrepair and destruction. It is hard to believe that areas still have not been cleaned out and many homes look as though they may never be rebuilt.

I read a book on the plane Which I can recommend. It is called "Shut up, Stop Whining & Get Life" By Larry Wingate. I thought it might be edgy but really had some good information. Like all books, you don't agree with everything but fundamentally it is a good book with information that can make you better. Many of the things he states, cannot be argued with and he has an approach to business, relationships, religion, money and stress that is a "get er done", results based approach. Worth the read

We didn't make it downtown so I am hoping next week our travels will take us at least to Jackson Square for a cup of Louisiana Coffee. We are working at the NASA facility which is out past the old six flags amusement park. The park is closed but the large rollercoasters and other rides stand abandoned like large dinosaurs or a forest of with large streams of metal trees and streams.

I have a grandson who loves pirates. I thought others might be interested in the pirate cake and party as well. It is such fun to be able to do the little extra things for grandchildren, things you may not have been able to do with your own children. When my children were growing up I tried to spend as much time with them as possible, but being the primary support, this wasn't always possible. It is difficult for a working parent to do the little extra things that are such fun. I did manage to have parties for them and it was always such fun and brought them such joy. They are older now with their own children and are doing a better job than I did at parties for the wee ones. I am grateful they both have loving partners to help them provide for and give love to my grandchildren. Take some time out today to do some little thing for your children, your grandchildren, or just have a party for yourself:-).

How to Make a Pirate Cake

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Having a pirate party? Celebrating International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19? Ahoy there matey, this pirate cake will be an instant hit with any budding swashbuckler. This article assumes that you already have the cake (madeira sponge); you can either make one or purchase one.

Ingredients

• madeira sponge cake
  
• buttercream
  
• chocolate sticks
  
• chocolate coins
  
• mint imperials (round mints)
  
• sugared miniature gems
  
• yellow cocktail sugar or yellow sherbet
  

Steps

1. Add the buttercream. Cover the whole of the madeira cake in buttercream using a palette knife. This will help the chocolate sticks stick to the cake.
   
2. Add the chocolate sticks.
   
   • Stick chocolate sticks to the long side of the cake.
     
   • Alternate them from side to side, as shown in this image.
     
   • Fill the gaps by cutting more chocolate sticks to length. Repeat on the other side.
     
   • Fill the ends with more sticks cut down to size.
     
   
   
3. Make "sand". Spread a rough layer of buttercream on the cake board around the chest.
   
   • Use a spoon to sprinkle the yellow sugar over the buttercream.
     
   
   
4. Place the treasure on top.
   
   • Cover the top of the cake with chocolate coins, and place a few around the sides of the chest to make it look like the treasure's overflowing.
     
   • Use mint imperials and mini gems to make necklaces and jewels.
     
   
   
5. Place the characters amidst the treasure. Complete the scene by positioning a few pirate characters and toys around the chest.
   
   • If wished, put a few bits of toy treasure in the cake. Just be sure to take anything inedible off the cake before you serve it, especially if this is for very young children.
     
   
   

Tips

• If you cannot find some of the candies/sweets/lollies mentioned above, substitute with ones that you have in your region, using your imagination to find suitable shapes.
  

Things You'll Need

• Clean workspace
  
• Palette knife
  
• Clean pirate figures
  
• Serving platter/cake stand
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make a Fire Breathing Dragon Cake
  
• How to Make a 3D Dinosaur Birthday Cake
  
• How to Have a Pirate Party for Kids or Adults
  
• How to Have a Pirate Costume Party
  
• How to Act Like a Pirate
  
• How to Talk Like a Pirate
  

Sources and Citations

• VideoJug. A video of making a pirate cake; original source of article. Shared with permission and appreciation.
  
• Original creator of cake: expert Sugarcrafter Jan Clement-May and sugarcraft school, Squires Kitchen.
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Pirate Cake. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Going to Kansas City....what a great week. The weather in Kansas City was great and the training went well. It was a time to get to know our team better and we all enjoyed the evenings out.

You can tell by the smiling faces that is wasn't all work. Colin and Bob enjoyed sitting on the Fish Bench in front of Red Lobster on Metcalf Road. Sharon provided the navigation system to get us there and we all enjoyed a great dinner.

Those of you who have worked with Bob Patti remember he was called 212 because he was from New York. New Yorkers have a certain approach to the world and work that sets them apart.

If you want to set yourself apart from the crowd, read the book 212 and see that a single degree can make all the difference. Sometimes it is not the big things that make a difference but the small steps that make the difference big. Buy it and read it on the airplane between stops. Very easy read.

I just finished reading The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn. It is a great book and a quick read. After reading it I think I want to be a Fred and follow the idea that everyone can choose to be exceptional. This is a book about Fred the Postman and I would recommend it to anyone who is building a team, managing a project, or wanting to make a difference in their lives. Some great concepts.."Measure what you Treasure", "no unimportant jobs, just people who feel unimportant doing their jobs." Go read it tonight and look at the world through glasses of awareness with a change in attitude, moving forward with action and making sure you accomplish something.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 69 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

And so did Sharon

And Yes, I went down the slide too.

Another day in Dallas. Last night we went to dinner at a restaurant that had a slide. Yes, I did give it a try as the attached video will demonstrate. The food was excellent, and the company was fun. Too bad I didn't have my cowboy boots with me to do the boot scootin boogie as they had a great dance floor and even a band.

Flew into Dallas yesterday with only a one hour delay in Atlanta. It is Delta after all!! The location in Dallas is great and we are walking distance from the hotel to the office.
Tom is going in for surgery on his arm this morning. Brenna will be with him. They are doing twilight sleep so I am afraid he will hear some of it, but they did ensure his arm would not feel anything for about 12 hours. They will be putting an internal pin and an external pin and adjusting the external pin over the next few months to put the wrist back into position. I hope this is the end of the mountain bike urban assault adventures.

I f you haven't been to the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival and are thinking of a Florida week-end of Fun. Don't miss this one. Need to purchase tickets, reserve at hotel...go to http://www.destinationsinFlorida.com This is a travel site that is outstanding and the customer service provided by their agents is incredible. They make any vacation relaxing, refreshing and ensure attention to every detail. Just take a look at what is going on at the Festival and be sure to visit each country for a taste of food and beverages typical of that country. The Destinations Agents can talk to you about all the other venues in the Parks or surrounding Orlando area since they are there almost every week, did residencies at Disney, and grew up in the Orlando area. Not only that they maintain a very current website where you will find things for you, the children or anyone looking for a great vacation. Embark on an epicurean adventure as the 13th Annual Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival showcases the flavors of the world. Explore marketplaces featuring regional foods and wines, learn from renowned chefs and winemakers at special programs and demonstrations, and sample the finest cuisine from around the globe. Plus, be sure to savor the sizzling sounds of the "Eat to the Beat" concert series that stars a stellar line-up of popular musical acts! EVENT DATES: September 26 - November 9, 2008 EVENT TICKETS: This event is included with regular Theme Park admission. However, some exclusive Wine & Culinary Programs and Festival Dining Experiences require an additional admission fee. Eat to the Beat Concert Series Set the mood for food with the savory sounds of dazzling, diverse musical acts, live on stage at World Showcase, America Gardens Theatre. International Marketplaces Take a culinary tour around the world. Tempt yourself at each marketplace with appetizer-sized portions averaging $2-$4 USD. Savor the flavor with recommended beverage pairings at each stop on your journey. Special Exhibits Stroll along the promenade and visit a wide array of countries and regions of the world. Learn from amazing cultural exhibits that showcase native cuisines and offer terrific demonstrations that give insights into the people, as well as the tastes of these remarkable places. Fun for Families Tantalize younger taste buds with fantastic events and exhibits that bring fun to the table. Kids of all ages will enjoy these interactive showcases that give food fans an appetite to learn. Special Wine & Culinary Programs Indulge in culinary experiences that suit the interest of beginners and seasoned connoisseurs. Enjoy fare from the finest chefs as they prepare regional favorites paired with exquisite wines selected by winemakers. Take part in flavorful adventures that you will always remember. Festival Dining Experiences Experience truly memorable fine dining. The essential ingredients of fabulous cuisine, incredible wines and great company provide the base for an enchanting evening!

We are now under a tornado warning in our area. Rain just keeps pouring down and there seems to be no let up. The beaches are eroding and homes near Vilano Beach are threatened. I've put a few videos up to give you an idea of what it is like here but I am in a pretty protected area, although it is close to the intra-coastal so flooding is more likely here. The kids are losing trees and trying to keep the pool drained as it is continuing to overflow. This was supposed to end at noon but it is well past that and Fay seems to like our area as she is not moving away.

Tropical Storm Fay

OK, where does time go and why do the days go faster and faster as we age? Probably because there are so many more important people in your life as your children age and you become a Grammy. I have been attending tennis lessons each week with Kelly and it is just such a joy to watch all the little ones playing tennis. The heat in Florida this week is pretty unbearable as the ocean winds are blowing in the wrong direction. Minnesota was bearable however, when a bear ran across the hood of Uncle Mac's car while he was driving toward Grand Rapids, MN. Then I got a great email from a friend in the Northeast who sent pictures of baby moose running through a sprinkle as Mommy moose looked on. Are baby moose called meeses? Enough for today. Trying to improve on the blogging so hopefully you are following.

Raining in Florida today but still a nice day. The rain is just enough to make everything green and cooler. Just finished a book on web design and continue to work my way through the PMP exam book. Don't forget if you want to order books, use Tim's url to support the family business:-) http://astore.amazon.com/gatooutdandtr-20 I have been putting all the old books on Amazon to try to clean out some of the clutter. It is amazing the number of books that one collects in a year. I don't remember having that many books growing up...instead we went to the public library. Barnes and Noble, Books a Million have become the libraries of today. The Florida Family is in Charlotte and the Indiana Family is preparing for the 24 hour bike race in Wisconsin.

Time, Where does it go? Lately my time has been spent working on a PeopleSoft presentation and taking Kelly to tennis. We also spend time at the pool and I love swimming with Kelly and Hunter. Pretty exhausting but fun. Planning a trip to Indianapolis for July 4 to see Tom, Brenna and Nora.
Since I can't find LUSH stores on this side of the world that are close, I have a url to shop with. If you love fine bath and shower "stuff" take advantage of this link to shop LUSH. http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-3057697-10416067 or if you are an Omaha Steak person, try this link http://tinyurl.com/4lovnl.

Great weather in Florida today. A dermatology visit is in the plans. All those years of sitting in the lifeguard chair results in frequent visits to check out the spots. Sometimes I think I am related to a Dalmation but have been fortunate that none of the spots are dangerous...just irritating. Another aspect of growing old. How does this happen when one is only 26? Spent last night with Tim, Allison Kelly and Hunter. What a great salmon dinner. A strawberry topping that I never would have thought of but is was Delicious. Tom has started a new blog on biking. He is now riding for Cannondale and is a member of the Cannondale midwest team. His picture is on the Cannondale Midwest Riding Team site. Take a look

I am definately developing my survivor skills in Seattle. I have found the bus route so I don't have to walk up the hills to get to the hotel. I have also found which ones go to the shopping areas, Pike Market and other points of interest. I do continue to walk to work as it is all downhill and good exercise. Today is a grey day after a couple of sunshiny days. Think this is more the standard in Seattle. I love the flowers as the tulips, daffodils etc. are all blooming and enhance the environment on the way to work. I did purchase flowers at Pike's Market which add to the ambiance of the hotel room. Only three days and then the red eye home. Anxious to see Kelly and Hunter. We are putting together a detailed project plan for PeopleSoft Version 9. Huge undertaking but going well.

The title survivor is an accurate one. Each time I visit a Doctor or have another test, I realize how fortunate I am to have survived to see children doing well, and grandchildren growing like weeds. The thought of survival is brought to mind as I had my MRI and still remain Cancer free. It has been lots of years now but the thought still remains huddled in the dark corners of my mind. Each time there is apprehension and then relief when the results come back. The results this time indicate a visit to the neurosurgeon is necessary so we attack that hurdle when it presents itself. Right now I am in Seattle and dealing with cold and wind....but thankful each day my feet are above ground when I look down. We all have hurdles, barriers, and challenges that we must jump, overcome, and meet. But if we do it with a positive attitude and belief, somehow they are easier to jump, overcome and meet. Thanks to friends, family and just the general person in the street you meet each day that passes you with a smile or a hello gives youu a reason to keep moving along. A brief chat in an elevator, a pleasant clerk in a store, and a phone call from a child checking to make sure you are safe is what makes it all worthwhile. Today, I am proud and happy to be a survivor.

A little bird brought me a rumor from my travel site Destinations in Florida, that Disney World is going to bring back it’s FREE dining promotion for August and September of this year! As you know this is a very popular promotion that everyone looks forward to each year. The details are still a bit sketchy, but it sounds like it will be announced early next week to begin booking late in the week. My Destination Diva thought the dates would be August 23-September 22, 2008. This is a fantastic promotion that books VERY fast every year, so keep checking back for more updates and please, use destinationsinflorida.com for booking your vacation!

Did you grow up in North Dakota, Minnesota, or even Wisconsin? If so, you have to have bits and pieces of Garrison Keilor in your head. I just read Pontoon and found it to be not only entertaining but reminiscent of my youth in Minnesota and North Dakota. Sorry Montana, you weren't even close when it came to stoic Lutherans, Norwegians or even the Irish Catholics who took on the persona of the culture.
How does Keilor know my mother spent a great deal of time feeding sunflower seeds to the birds? How did he learn the off-beat sense of humor we all grew up with? And how did he know Aunt Alice had a tire in her front yard filled with Petunias and Pansies accompanied by two plywood cutouts of fat folks bending over? Thank goodness he has learned to write it down so none of us forget our upbringing and what motivated us to Fly!! Just a few quotes...
“Life is so dear, dear heart, Live it with Gallantry.”
“Life is unjust and this is what makes it so beautiful. Every day is a gift. Be brave and take hold of it.”

“Don’t sink boy. Fly. That’s an old lady’s advice. Fly.
How many of us flew and left the north country for warmer climes but feel a real loss when we think of the culture?
Of course there are those who stayed and continue the ways of the stoic Lutheran. They are the ones who believe everything they read and only read what is dismal and depressing. For them , my recommendation is read Pontoon and skip snoopes for today. Become enlightened and laugh for that is what makes life worthwhile.
Be sure to visit Chahinkapa.com for fun and fancy gifts from Florida. Also read all the blogs and don't forget destinationsinflorida.com if you want to get away from it all and spend some fantasy time at Disney. I wonder if Disney has every considered a Keilor section for Epcot...right near the Norwegian center. Just a thought for the day.

This was sent to me in email and with just a little editing...it sure applies to how I grew up.
You could hardly see for all the snow, Spread the rabbit ears as far as they go. Pull a chair up to the TV set, 'Good Night, David. Good Night, Chet.'
My Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning. My Mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter AND I never ate it raw..but my cousins did and they all seem all right. Well mostly.
Our school sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper in a brown paper bag, not in ice-pack coolers, but I can't remember getting e.coli. Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in the lake instead of a pristine pool (talk about boring), no beach closures then. Well some of us like the pool and became pool rats who lived at the pool. That didn't prevent us from those week-end trips to Fergus Falls where we invaded the Lakes...or a real adventure to Ottertail.
The term cell phone would have conjured up a phone in a jail cell, and a pager was the school PA system. We all took gym, not PE .. and risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked's (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors.
I can't recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now. Flunking gym was not an option . even for stupid kids! I guess PE must be much harder than gym.
Speaking of school, we all said prayers and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention. We must have had horribly damaged psyches. What an archaic health system we had then. Remember school nurses? Ours wore a hat and everything.
I thought that I was supposed to accomplish something before I was allowed to be proud of myself. I just can't recall how bored we were without computers, Play Station, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable stations. Oh yeah ... and where was the Benadryl and sterilization kit when I got that bee sting? I could have been killed!
We played 'king of the hill' on piles of gravel in Cuff's Cement Lot and anything left on vacant construction sites, and when we got hurt, Mom pulled out the 48-cent bottle of Mercurochrome (kids liked it better because it didn't sting like iodine did) and then we got our butt spanked. Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $49 bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where it was such a threat.
We didn't act up at the neighbor's house either because if we did, we got our butt spanked there and then we got butt spanked again when we got home.
I recall Hog Helgeson from next door coming over and doing his tricks on the front stoop, just before he fell off. Little did his Mom know that she could have owned our house. Instead, she picked him up and swatted him for being such a goof. It was a neighborhood run amuck. To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that they were from a dysfunctional family. How could we possibly have known that? We needed to get into group therapy and anger management classes? We were obviously so duped by so many societal ills that we didn't even notice that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac! How did we ever survive? LOVE TO ALL OF US WHO SHARED THIS ERA, AND TO ALL WHO DIDN'T; SORRY FOR WHAT YOU MISSED. I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING.

Working from home this week. Put in more hours at home than when I am on the road. Working on training documents for PeopleSoft 9.0. Down to St. Augustine today to purchase some shells for the eclectic_doodahs store on ebay. WOrking on learning more about googles webmaster tools at night and trying to get caught up on the web building project I have been working on.

Ok, I am into the second week in LA and thought the weather is ok…not great…but ok and I am in downtown LA, I would rather be home in Florida with two grandchildren. I am doing a PeopleSoft ELM fit gap for the Metropolitan Water District and enjoying the project and great people. I work right behind the Union Station which brings back many childhood memories as this is one of the stations we used to come into when we traveled to California with Mom and Dad. Right across the street is Olvera Street which seemed much bigger when I was much smaller. The candle maker is not longer there but I did find some fun Mexican gifts for the grandkids. ]
I have done a lot of walking and made it to mass at Our Lady of the Angels yesterday. To get there I walked past Bank of America building where they were filming a movie or tv something. Also past the new Disney Center which is incredible architecture.
I also walk to the metro station each morning and home every night. Only about four long blocks from the Westin Bonaventure where I am staying to the Metro Station.
I was sent an absolutely great site about Penny Postcards and have had a great time looking the old picitures. If interested, take a look at http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/special/ppcs/ppcs.html
I have not been able to do much with my ebay store and have relied on Tim to take care of orders. Next week will be a big one to go out and find new inventory. Don’t forget to take a look at http://wwdestinationsinflorida.com for your travel requirements, mouse books and more store on ebay for great Disney gifts and of course my blogs at http://wwwChahinkapa. com/blog and http://sanborns.blogspot.com/ Next week you can go to my ebay store eclectic_doodahs.com for updates to inventory.

OK for those of you who read my Google Blog..I'll try to do better at keeping up. I am currently in Los Angeles for two weeks working on a PeopleSoft ELM implementation. It is beautiful here but definately changed since the last time I was in LA. The weather is gorgeous and I have a great view of the mountains from my room. Dad would love that I am only two miles from Union Station...a place where we spent many happy times either arriving in or leaving LA. Tim and Allison brought Kelly and Hunter to Disneyland for the week-end. I wasn't able to meet them there but I know they had a great time. They won a stay in the Disneyland Suite and the kids had a great time. Brought back memories of Ann and I at Disneyland. She still isn't excited when she sees the teacup ride...hmmm I wonder why. I talked with Ann and she said she thought the tickets were about 18$ when we went to Disney. Signs of the times.
Must run, my consulting partner is picking me up in the lobby of the Westin at 9 a.m. I am still on Eastern Time so will probably fade around 5 pm today. ACCHHHH.
Don't forget to check out our eBay sites at Eclectic_Doodahs store or Magical Mouse Books and More.
I am off to experience LA and it's wonders of the metro.

I title my blog survivor because I have survived many difficult times. I've conquered cancer, rid myself of an abusive husband, raised two boys, traveled as a consultant for the last 12 years, overcome financial diasters and all the pains of watching growing children make good and bad choices. And so I continue to survive, travel, learn and enjoy the adventure called life. Last night the adventure included firetrucks at the front of the hotel and a deluge of water falling through the ceiling of the fitness center...which incidently was located directly across from my room. The sirens were blaring, the fire alert lights were flashing and people were running frantically about to see if they could get the water turned off. Finally, a brave fireman in hat, boots, jacket and gloves proceeded up the ladder to find the turn off valve to stop the flow of water into the exercise area. Then the clean up began so it was a night of vacuums and suction devices getting water up off the floor. I felt so sorry for the hotel staff as they just really didn't know what to do so I was happy to see the arrival of the firemen. And for me, I am working today, a bit more tired than usual, but happy the water pipe above my room didn't burst. There is always something to be grateful for and always an adventure when you are a traveling consultant.

This just is not the place to be...Detroit in the winter...ACCHHHH. This is my last week in the cold for awhile. Well, next week I go to Teaneck, NJ but plan to be inside most of the time since it is for training for PeopleSoft ELM. Week-end plans are to celebrate my grandson's birthday at Disney World, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and any other park we can get to in the time allowed. I love Animal Kingdom and staying at the lodge is incredible. Nothing like waking up in the morning and looking out the patio door to see the giraffes walking by the opening. My grandson is four years old on the 24th of January. The last four years have gone by at breakneck speed so spending as much time with him having fun is critical. First thing you know he will be in school, have new friends and drift away from Grammy"me". It all goes too fast. Want to enjoy time with your children or grandchildren...take them to Disney and get back to the love of fantasy.

Back in Detroit and back to work. The weather is mild and no snow. It was raining and foggy when we landed last night and the rain eliminated all the snow. It was hard to come back after a few weeks in Florida. Disney World for one day, Epcot for one day and exhaustion the third day. Tom, Brenna and Nora were home from indianapolis and Tim, Allison, Kelly and Hunter went to the parks so it was a wonderful family event.