Romanian stew

I don't know many people here at this conference, but I know a few.  And, happily, a couple of them went to dinner with me tonight, saving me the shame of dining alone again after last night.  Oh, have no fear, I'll be dining alone again tomorrow.  Tonight, though, I walked over to Chanta, near the University of Tampa, to meet up with two of them.

It was a modest meal.  We shared a simple appetizer of a bread filled with cheese, and then had a hot, stew-y entree each along with a decent pinot grigio.  My meal (and Kathy's) was the Romanian stew. 

Pork in a tomato-based sauce served with polenta and a fried egg.  Verdict:  tasty and satisfying.

I liked the place.  Based on who we saw working, it's clearly a family-run business.  The wine list had some interesting Romanian options that I might have tried with other dinner mates.  And although there were Italian style dishes on the menu, it was cool to see some things like schnitzel and the Romanian dishes having pride of place.  I'd go back and try some of the other items if I were able to.  Hmmm... maybe tomorrow when I'm alone?  We shall see.

vintage livery

Another day, and more flying.  It was quite the foggy morning at LAX today, a heavy marine layer settled in place (but not at all delaying us, happily).

I spent time in the lounge then headed for my gate.  As I approached that part of the terminal, I saw this cool livery. 

A vintage Continental look for this United flight.  Loved it.  And then I got close to my gate and realized that it was my plane.

To be honest, the interior was a little dated, too, but it was perfectly fine for dozing off, eating breakfast, and reading whilst en route to Tampa.

Tuesday night with a guest

So there we were last night, Conrad and me sitting out back at Van's (without Van, alas), enjoying pizza and chianti,

and a guest showed up.

So cool!  I don't think praying mantises live up where I grew up, and although I've seen plenty of them in photographs before now, this was the first time seeing one up close.  There was a certain intelligence, or so it seemed, in its eyes.  I hope he or she had a great meal as well.

so darn adorable

Because I haven't posted anything Olive in far too long, and because this little girl is just so darn adorable.

We're taking care of her while Van is out of town.  Actually, mostly it's Conrad - he had her to himself Saturday night and most of Sunday, he took her to the office yesterday, and he gets her from tomorrow morning through Saturday evening all to himself again.  Lucky him.  Lots of walkies for the two of them!

But at least I have a night or two with them both!

the city in the morning

Just an excuse to post a few photos is all this is.  The last of the most recent trip to Chicago.  I walked each morning I was there, though not for long, given the weather (drizzly and windy most mornings) and my schedule (leaving for meetings at 7:45).  The first morning I was there, the Friday, I walked alone, and I got some shots of the small area near the hotel.

I love Chicago.  I say that often.  I will never be unhappy about going back there.  It may not be until next spring (barring any need to pass through en route to Conrad's family), but I will so enjoy being in that city again.  And I will especially enjoy whenever I get that quiet time in the morning to be out and about.

board stuff

I'm home.  For a few days, and that's it.  A weekend in Chicago, doing board things, as boards do:

Meetings!  Lots of discussion, lots of forward progress, some tough topics.  The distraction of a pro-Palestine rally on Michigan Avenue below on Saturday. 

Lots of time spent in a board room.

A communal meal where we could unwind, debrief, and get to know each other a bit better. 

This was the first in-person meeting where five of our six (six!) new board members were together with us (the sixth person attended all of the meetings virtually from California).  So it was good to have that space to sit down and NOT have an agenda.

Bowling! 

Something new for us.  It's been a busy and even stressful first quarter for the board, and we decided that we would combine the second dinner evening with a fun activity to help build board cohesion.  One member had to fly home early, two others did not attend for very understandable personal reasons, and the rest of us went to the bowling alley.  Only six of us bowled, but all of us had a good time.  I broke 100 in two of three games, and - fittingly - our president bowled the highest score of us all.  And then we headed back to our hotel for a nightcap.

After the meetings were done yesterday, a handful of us headed to O'Hare together. 

Sara, Steven, and I were all on United, so we had leisure time in one of the lounges, sipping a drink, and letting conversation roam all over in relation to the weekend activities.

A fulfilling weekend, and work that while sometimes challenging feels rewarding because of the people I get to work with.  It's off to Tampa next, early Wednesday morning.  Let me get that laundry started before I launch into my workday at home.

now you see it...

A funny thing happened on Thursday evening.  No, not dinner out - Kathy, Sara, and I

had a lovely and leisurely meal at Taxim,

a restaurant I had fond memories of.  No, it happened later, when I was at the bar of the Hyatt with other members of the board.  A man came up to the table, we have no idea who.  We were all trying to figure out if he was a librarian or not.  Anyway, he admired my sweater and asked how much it cost me.  I didn't remember, so I said $100.  He said he wanted to buy it.  I let him try it on, he got out his wallet, asked friends for more cash, and in short order, he had a leopard print and I had a $100 bill.

I will miss the sweater at least a little, but hey, $100!

week two of three

It's coming up on the middle weekend of three in a row on October when I am traveling.  Sigh.

Oh, I do it to myself.  The early mornings at LAX. 

The exit row seats looking out over the wing. 

The hotel rooms. 

Yes, the views can be nice. 

Yes, the miles I accumulate and status are enjoyable.

I'm in Chicago until Sunday.  Next week I go to Tampa.  And then I come home for several days.  I like travel, yes, but it is getting to be a lot.  Ah well.

pumping iron

Yeah, like you'd catch me in the gym?  Um, no.

First duty in the hotel room:  get unpacked and get the shirts ironed and on hangers.  Done!  On with the weekend!

better than zero, right?

Busy day, not feeling, and so on.  But I drove on down to the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center and hauled my overly large butt back and forth for a bit.  Better than zero!  I mean, slightly, but still.

see you soon, gorgeous!

Thursday, I'll be back.  Not just passing through O'Hare en route to and from visiting Conrad's family, but actually leaving the airport and being in the city and just enjoying (insofar as my time devoted to meetings allows) being in my favourite US city. 

I caught this view yesterday as we flew in from Green Bay.  Conrad and I picked out our old building as we passed north of it, too.  Ah, Chicago, I'll see you soon, you wonderful place, you.

Yooper cuisine

No trip to Conrad's family is truly complete unless we have ourselves that classic of Yooper cuisine, the pasty.  No, it doesn't originate in the UP, but in Cornwall, in England.  

Beef, carrot, potato, and - of course! - rutabaga fill the tender pastry.  I didn't remember how very large they are, and so Conrad and I shared one between us.

The absolutely necessary side dish?  Old Dutch brand dill pickle flavoured potato chips. 

I remember the first time I had a pasty on a visit to the UP with Conrad, and I was floored that they had a Canadian brand like Old Dutch, and in my favourite flavour.  Conrad quickly disabused me of that notion, that it was a Canadian brand.  It is big in Western Canada, though, so even though it's a US company, it has a lot of operations in place to cover my side of the homeland.  Ah well, no matter where it's based, it's nostalgic for me, and it goes well with the pasty.

So that was our last meal in the UP for this trip:  pasty and chips.  Not the most nutritious dining, but it filled our bellies for the travel ahead!

a short weekend in the UP

We're in Escanaba, but not for much longer.  Conrad came up on Wednesday.  Me, I took a red eye, and I made it here on Friday.  Super tired, but worth it for Karen's 70th birthday.  And in the blink of an eye, it's time to go home.  A very short trip indeed.

I love cool and even cold weather, but I don't know how to deal with it any longer.  I did bring layers with me, but the wind is so cold, and the lows in the 40s are shocking to me this time.  Brrrrr.  It's embarrassing, but there you are.  I guess fall is here!

Conrad's hometown remains as inscrutable to me as ever.  I grew up in a small town, and yet, I cannot relate.  I go to Starbucks or restaurants, and I just don't get it here.  It's small town, hunters and Trumpers, and it's so foreign to me.  Ah well.  We've eaten heartily (including on our drive down to Little Suamico),

walked a little (around the nearby community college campus),

and celebrated Karen.  It's all gone quickly, and it was a nice time.