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Greetings from Minny

Greetings from Minny. It’s good to back home with my family for the week. I was actually able to run outside this afternoon during my lunch hour. It wasn’t the best run of of my life, but it went well considering I haven’t run outside for over a year. The middle school by my folks’ house has a nice track, so I went up there for the run. I set timer of 30 minutes and ended up at nearly 2.5 miles. Clearly, they were the prettiest or my fastest miles, but I got them done.

Working from here has its perks. All of my clock are set at the same time zone. I can’t tell you how disorienting it is moving between time zones every day. Unfortunately, the different time zone also makes it entirely too easy to screw up appointment times. This is where my paper planner comes in handy. Far from obsolete, my planner ensure I get to the meeting at the right time in the right time zone. As for work itself, the queue was busy this morning, but it’s been a slow afternoon.

Yesterday, I got my see my Grandma T, my uncle Mark and my brother Justin’s family. Justin and Monisha hosted a bbq at their cabin, which is absolutely beautiful. The breeze off the lake was perfect and the scenery was sublime. It was nice to spend time with all of them while enjoying some amazing burgers and pickle roll ups.

Meanwhile in Ft Myers, the Mayor started his first day of training camp. I’m anxious to hear how it went for him and his roommates. He moved into his billet house yesterday. Thankfully, the billet family seems wonderful. His billet mom Tracey reminds him of his Grandma Dawn, which I’m sure helps smooth the transition. He’ll be living in Estero, which isn’t too far from the rink. It will also give him an opportunity to officiate at Hertz Arena. Lastly, the puppies seem to be behaving for the hubby, but they definitely miss their mama.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

I enjoy telling stories and sharing my thoughts. It’s a soothing exercise in self-expression that helps me manage my stress.

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Goodbyes

Goodbyes are never easy, but saying goodbye you r baby before he leaves the west coast is a fucking gut punch. Parents that have sent their kids off to to the military, college or junior hockey know the mixed bag of pride and sadness that comes with this particular goodbye. Perhaps it’s that these particular drop offs represent and end of a life stage it be it in their life or yours. Not to be overly esoteric or anything like that.

The Mayor heads west to Fort Myers tomorrow for orientation and Eels training camp. He’ll be moving into his billet house tomorrow as well. The Hubby is baking up some of his trademark chocolate chip cookies for the billet family. While the hubby bakes, the Mayor will finish packing up his stuff. He was pretty much ready to go before I left, but knowing him he’ll be thoroughly checking everything twice like Santa Claus.

I’m currently 35,000 feet above the ground watching Drop Dead Gorgeous. (Thank you Daddy Delta for the upgrade to Comfort+. Funny, I don’t remember the “Minnesota” accent being so thick when I watched the movie in 1999. Now that I’ve been living in Florida, I’m hoping it’s an exaggeration and not typical. I suppose it’s not so surprising that the accent would become more noticeable after moving away. Anyway, the movie is pretty amazing.

Thankfully, my travel day has gone smooth so far. Checkin and security were both a breathe. The Sky Club was packed to the gills. Can we just agree that people that take up an extra table for their stuff are worse than gate lice? When did folks become so freaking entitled? On the upside, the food was mighty tasty today. And now back to my in flight entertainment, which is now Curb!

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Ready!

I’m so ready to head up to Minny tomorrow. I’m not so ready, however, to have an empty nest. While I head north to see family, including extended family due to a 50th wedding anniversary, the Mayor will head west for hockey. We’ve pretty much have hjm ready to go less a few things we need to pick up tomorrow morning before I fly out. He’s super excited to get junior hockey started.

Meanwhile, I’ve checked into my flight and have been praying to the upgrade gods. So far it’s looks a little iffy for a first class upgrade. Comfort plus May happen, but we shall see. Worst case scenario, I came at a the Sky Club while waiting for an aviator to fly me away. And just think I’ll have nobody traveling with me, so there will be no complaints about the food tomorrow. Unless I decide to complain to myself, but I don’t think that we’ll happen. I prefer waiting in the Sky Club to minimize interaction with the gate lice, who like pirates are thieves of joy.

How do you plan your goals?

I plan my goals around how I’m feeling mentally and physically. I also use current performance as a basis. Over the past few years, I’ve had to learn to be flexible with my fitness goals. Injuries and Graves’ disease have knocked me from my goals a few times. In those cases, I’ve learned to pivot and create new goals that are physically possible. I thin one of the biggest things I’ve had to learn is being flexible with my goals in the face of chronic illness.

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Lost in the Forest

I started work this morning with only two monitors, which felt a lot like being lost in a forest without a phone or compass. Ever since we lost power yesterday, my monitor has been out of commission and my headset has had intermittent issues. Additionally, I had to reset all our Nanoleaf lights, so they’d connect to HomeKit again. Admittedly, the process of resetting the smart lights is not so smart. I was able to reset two in our fan, but I still have a few left to fix.

Today I talked with IT for the majority of my morning. We worked together to fix my peripherals. Obviously, it’s a bit frustrating as I can’t take calls while on the line with IT. In fact, my entire morning was pretty much a waste (not to be theatrical about it.) The few clients I did speak to weren’t looking for coverage or wanted it free. This afternoon is off to a similar start albeit with a working computer system. Hopefully, I’ll get someone that’s ready to buy.

What are your future travel plans?

Is there anything more exciting than future travel plans? I don’t think so either. Next month I’m headed to see my parents for a week in Minny. I’m really looking forward to being able to see my extended family at my aunt and uncle’s anniversary party while I’m there. It’s been way too long since I’ve seen many of them. Fortunately, I’ll be able to work remotely, so I won’t need to take any time off for the trip.

At the end of September, I’m going to visit Jake once the Hubby gets back from Vegas. He’s going on a guys trip it Vegas, which should be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward, however, to spending time with my boy and hiking the mountains of Utah. Fall is gorgeous where he lives and I can’t wait to see the mountains. As of now, it’s a solo trip, but hopefully, I can convince Hubby to fly out for a long weekend. I’ll probably go back to Utah or Minnesota in December, so I don’t lose my status with Delta. Once the Hubby’s old boss actually pays him, yep still hasn’t paid him seven months later, I’ll look to plan something overseas.

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Back Home

We made it back home from Boston last night. Fortunately, the trip was completely uneventful and smooth sailing. The extent of our travel troubles was me missing my turn at the rental return center and the Mayor’s meltdown over food in the Sky Club. In his opinion, the food there sucks. In fact, it didn’t but he was happy to eat his Sbarro. Meanwhile, I enjoyed the locally curated food including one last bowl of clam chowder and a cannoli.

I ordered pizza on the way home as there was no way my ass was cooking dinner last night. It would have been nice to have a home-cooked meal after eating out the last five days, but whatever. Nonetheless, I was happy to be home and reunited with the puppies. Unfortunately, my sweet Athena is not looking too good. I keep hoping against hope that she’ll miraculously recover. I really can’t imagine our house without her.

The change in climate from Boston to South Florida was brutal. Our weather throughout the trip was quite comfortable. There was one evening of storms, but those hit after we had made it back to the hotel for the night. In contrast, South Florida continues to be unseasonably hot and humid. I noticed when we got home that our house was pretty hot. Apparently, the AC was not working so well. I’m not sure when it stopped working, but nobody seemed to notice until I said something. Fortunately, the hubby was able to get it working, so we could sleep comfortably.

It’s good to be home, but the trip to Boston was great. I’d be happy to never have to drive in that city again, but I did enjoy exploring it on foot. It was a great trip to connect with the Mayor’s new team and to connect with my dear friend Jenny. I can’t believe that we ended up in the same city on the same weekend. It was such a blessing to be able to see her for dinner. Now that we’re back home, it’s back to reality which includes work and eating healthy again. The splurge on tasty food in Boston was fun, but I’m ready to get back on the wagon.

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Super Saturday

It was a super Saturday here in Boston. After swearing I wouldn’t drive back into the city again, I drove there twice today. The first trip into the city was to see the New England Aquarium and Quincy Market. Fortunately, the drive into the city was much easier today with the weekend traffic. Moreover, it was super easy to find parking near the aquarium.

As for the aquarium itself, I can’t say that I’d recommend it. It cost way too much for the size and number of displays. For the Mayor and I, it cost nearly $70 for a forty-five-minute walk-through of the facility. The only reason it took so long was because it was super crowded and it took time to be able to see some of the animals. Fortunately, the cost of admission helps support the animals and the facility’s research efforts. While I can’t say it’s worth the price from the experience perspective, I’m okay with spending money to support the animals.

The gift shop was surprisingly not too expensive. I picked up a few gifts for the family including a stuffed penguin for the puppies. The Mayor picked out a turquoise necklace and a surprise for his brother. After we finished at the gift shop, we walked over to Quincy Market. Fortunately for the Mayor, it was a quick walk from the aquarium to the market. Thankfully, the market wasn’t overwhelmingly busy like it was yesterday. The Mayor opted to have some Chinese food and I opted to have clam chowder in a bread bowl. As Prue Leith would say, the chowder was “worth the calories.”

After lunch, we headed back to the hotel to rest. We left early for his game as his teammate from last season was playing in the game before. All of our games this weekend have been in Attleboro, so I could probably now do the drive in my sleep. Of course, I’d be happy to never drive here again. The traffic and drivers create the next level of hell. The degree to which they suck at driving cannot be overstated. At this point, that thought is more than just a posit in my mind. It’s an absolute fact that these drivers are lethal weapons. As for the hockey, the Mayor and his team came up with a 5-3 victory. He had another strong game.

For dinner, we headed back into the city to meet my best friend. Jenny and I have been besties since high school and I don’t get to see her nearly enough. Fortunately, she had a conference in Boston this weekend, which gave us a rare opportunity to have dinner together. Honestly, dinner was awesome. It was wonderful to be able to hang out with her and catch up in person. What a blessing she has been to me. Now we’re back at the hotel getting ready for bed and watching television.

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Ready to Go

We’re packed up and ready to go. This morning the Mayor went out and picked up Athena’s favorite donuts from Publix, so she’ll have plenty to munch on while we’ll we’re gone. I’m hopeful our flight will be on time today and Sunday. The airports in the northeast have been an absolute disaster this summer. We get in pretty late, which is an absolute bummer since he plays tomorrow morning at 7:00 am. Tomorrow morning is going to be an early start.

While in Boston, I’ll try to post as often as I can. Hopefully, the weather will hold out, so we can go whale watching. I saw a whale when I was in Puerto Vallarta, but it was from a great distance. I would love to see one up close. Albeit, not too close. I’m looking forward to taking time to explore the city with my Mayor. Additionally, it will just be nice to hang out with him since he’s moving out next month. Needless to say, I’m excited to see how he does at the next level of hockey. We’re ready to go, so stay tuned.

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Packing

I’ve started packing for our trip to Boston tomorrow. The Mayor and I don’t leave until tomorrow night, but I want to make sure we have everything we need. This trip I’m not faffing around. I hate getting to our destination only to realize I forgot to pack something important. Consequently, I’m hoping that going through my list and packing today will help avoid that frustration.

We fly out late tomorrow, so I’m hoping and praying the weather doesn’t mess up our travel plans. This time of year, it’s difficult to fly out of Florida due to our summer storms. The weather hasn’t been better in the northeast either grinding most of those airports to a complete halt. I’m going to bring my work laptop just in case we can’t get back Sunday. I figure if I’m prepared for the worst, we’ll get home without a problem.

This will be our first trip to the Chowder Cup, which is the big showcase tournament held in Massachusetts every year. It’s a good opportunity for players to gain exposure to junior teams as well as colleges. For me, it’s an excellent opportunity to enjoy summer in Massachusetts. Our schedule is pretty open, so we should have plenty of time to explore Boston and the surrounding area. Planning fun, random excursions is kind of my forte, so we should have a good trip.

I’m super excited for the trip, but it will be hard to leave Athena behind. Her days are numbered, so I hate to be away from her at all. While we’re gone, Goalielocks and the Hubby will take good care of her.

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Weekend in Minnesota

The Mayor and I had a great weekend in Minnesota courtesy of his Janesville Jets camp. Even though we ended up with bronchitis, we had such a great time seeing our family and friends. We flew up Thursday evening, so I could work Friday and the Mayor could rest up for his camp. It was a pretty smooth trip less a little delay on the ramp due to severe weather. Fortunately, we were able to take off in between storms. Nevertheless, we made it to Minnesota a little late.

Thursday night we went straight to my folks and got situated. I got set up in the guest room while the Mayor took over their basement. My folks ordered Pizza Man including the boys’ favorite, pizza buddy. Every time I have the pizza, it’s like stepping back in time to the Friday nights of my childhood. It’s probably a similar feeling for our boys since they spent their summers in Minny. At least, they did until Covid put the kibosh on it.

Friday, the Mayor and I really started to feel the effects of the pollen and smoke. We were feeling quite miserable. Unfortunately, for the Mayor, he had a lot of hockey to play that weekend. He loves playing, but it’s a bit frustrating when you can’t play your best. A bright spot in Friday’s on-ice session was that Grandpa Steve and Grandma Linda were able to join us at the rink. They had plans to be out of town but rearranged them so they could see us. It was awesome!

Saturday brought more hockey and a road- trip up to Forest Lake to see Cassie’s family and Uncle Eric. It was nice to see everyone. Neither the Mayor, nor I had seen them since 2019, which was way too long ago. We had a really nice time and some great food. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to stay as long as we would have liked due to an early ice time Sunday morning and not feeling great. Hopefully, I’m able to see them all again later this summer.

Sunday brought us back to the rink for the last on-ice session. Afterward, we picked up my Grandma and Uncle Mark and headed to my brother’s cabin. Their cabin is perfectly located not too far from their house or the cities. It’s on a beautiful lake that’s perfect for boating. Fortunately, the weather was absolutely beautiful, so we were able to sit outside and enjoy the lake views. Honestly, I was happy we got to see our family back home after a four-year absence. I’m hoping for another great weekend in Minnesota later this summer.

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Blue Spruce

Chugga chugga blue spruce was Goalielocks’ rally cry every time he saw a blue spruce during our first trip to Utah. Blue spruces had somehow become his favorite tree, so naturally, he felt the need to call our attention to every tree he spotted in the Wasatch mountains. Consequently, when I saw spruce was the word of the day it brought back great memories.

It’s funny how a word can usher in a tide of memories. Our first trip to Utah was so much. We were a motley crew hiking the Wasatch Front for the first time and making a few mistakes. I’ll never forget hiking the wrong trail in triple-digit heat with minimal shade and a big altitude gain. I tapped out before the summit. Obviously, we learned our lesson the hard way. Thou shall start with an easy hike when first hiking at over 5,000 feet above sea level in the summer heat.

After that first brutal, yet beautiful, hike each trek got successively easier. To be clear, there weren’t any really easy hikes outside of Donut Falls. The Donut Falls hike would have been a perfect first hike. Every hike was an adventure that trip and it led to a love of hiking. I found myself being at home on the dusty trails of the Wasatch mountains. I loved being immersed in the national forest deep in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

It’s funny how memories work, but I’ll take it. The word prompt spruce took me back to the Utah trips with my boys, Melly, and my folks. That first trip, in particular, will always be special to me. It was our first adventure in the mountains and the greater Salt Lake Area. It’s the trip where my boys and I discovered our love of hiking, lavender lemonade, and Goalielock’s love of blue spruce. I am hopeful the boys and I will get at least one more trip out West before Jake moves again.