Decisions, Decisions,,,

What to do? .. What to do?... It is time for a Mini-Holiday...

We have decided on the area: New England / Canada

We have decided on the month: September 08

Now we have to decide: Cruise or Drive

My time here in the Army is finally becoming "SHORT" by short I mean .. about 6 months left ..

I actually counted up 93 work days remaining: In the Army you get 2.5 days of vacation a month and you must use them wisely or you have to sell then when you leave, I am not going to SELL MY DAYS OFF! I'm going to take them ... Alot of folks I work with have 30, 40 even 70 days, I can't wrap my head around that,, Why would you not take your leave? There are cruises to be sailed, Safari's to be safaried, Roads to be traveled,,,,

I've found 3 great cruises, 2 on Princess Cruise Lines & one on NCL, I'm leaning towards Princess because it is cheaper & does basically the same cruise as NCL.

OR Do you just fly up, rent a car & drive! My Better half & I love to drive!! Once in Ireland the better half & I had a great itinerary planned, HA HA, that went out the window on day 2... We got in the car that morning, started driving south, In the next city (18 miles away) we decided this is where we were going to spend the night, it was such a lovely town! (Cobh, Ireland)

Anyone, have any advice??

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly!

No, I'm not talking about a Clint Eastwood movie, I'm talking about Flights, Airline Flights & the stories that Flight Attendants tell ... Now, keep in mind these stores are not made up, They are based on facts... On almost a daily basis some of the strangest things can happen on a flight at any given moment... Some are good, Some are bad & some are just down right Ugly!

Flight Attendants love to tell their stores, usually to other Flight Attendants because we can relate and get an even bigger laugh I mean what else are we going to do on the jump seat... Somethings only flight attendants can find humor in...like hearing a chime and looking at the ceiling, Even if they are not on a plane ..Only another flight attendant can laugh at that. Sort of like Pavlov's rule, we are programmed like that:
Hear a chime & look up..

I was working a flight a few years back, when we had FOOD... We pulled the cart up and started our service at the bulk head in coach, I get to the second row, set down the snack box on each tray table, asked for beverage preference...The gentleman at the window asks for a hot tea, it is easier now to go to the business class galley to get the hot water, rather than all the way back to the coach galley, So off I go, when I return, the passenger in the isle she asks me for a hot tea as well, I turn on my heels and more hot water I get, I return ... when she informs me I didn't give her a snack box, Now I know I did!! I look at the passenger at the window holding his box, I ask didn't I set both boxes down, He says,, "yes you did" and then does the "She is crazy" in sign language ..ya know the index finger going round in circles pointing at his temple.... Ahhhhhhh, now I'm with you..... as he informs me in a bold voice .. I AM NOT WITH HER! I get a few rows down and the flight attendant call light goes off, Guess which seat it is? I go up to her seat & inquire,, "Yes Ma'am what can I do for you",,, She informs me I didn't give her a drink... "Ma'am I gave you a hot tea, do you want something else?"
She swears up and down I missed her, Ok... Let's keep it simple, I missed her,, It has been a long day, It would not be the first time I had missed an entire row or even a passenger, I'm only human right?

What would you like to drink Ma'am?...
What do you have................she asks! (EYE ROLL)


We have Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi,Sprite, Diet Sprite,
"I'll have a coke",,

I'm not done..

I want her to have the entire menu,,,, Dr Pepper, Diet Dr Pepper, Cranberry apple juice, orange juice, tomato juice,,,



I hand her a cup of ice & a coke.... and quickly retreat..


We finish the rest of coach and start with the trash pick up, I get to her row...I pick up all of her trash, (From both snack boxes) and move out quickly... 15 minutes later "BOING".....
( I look at the ceiling) Her call light goes off, I look at another Flight Attendant and say it is your turn....She became very busy! Off I go, When Ms. Isle Passenger informs me I DIDN'T GIVE HER ... HER COKE..... I walk to the business class galley, got a glass of water, set it on her tray table ... She looks at me and she said ,, "I didn't ask for that",,, I said "Yes, you did, Don't you remember ? You said you had to take your medicine?"

Momma is always right ! !

Your mother is always right, (My Mom is laughing right now) when she told you to always wear clean panties!!??!! Why you ask.. Okay I'll tell ya, At 2:15pm this afternoon I was taken to the emergency room.. Yes Yes, I'm okay. I had a small minor glitch from my Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication.. I found myself not being able to breath correctly this afternoon, due to a gas bubble the size of a cantaloupe pressing against my lung and forcing me to fight for every breath! Freaked me out a bit...The doctor wanted me to "Burp" something that people with the Nissen just can't do!! Here were my choices..A hose down my nose to my stomach or some kind Mack Daddy Mylanta drug,

Not to hard to figure out which one I picked..

I tell you that story to tell you this one...

It was 8 weeks ago yesterday since my Nissen surgery,, I am HAPPY to report that my "Purple Pills" are collecting dust, & I've had ZERO Heartburn.. Happy Happy Joy Joy

I digress, Last night I was showing off the scars to the Better Half, When, in his infinite wisdom he pulled out a Sharpie permanent marker and began to connect the dots (aka scars) He drew a chicken.. IN RED~!

As the picture shows, that permanent marker is not so permanent, above are my 600 thread count sheets I woke up to this morning..

Well, I did my best to wash my chicken off..AND the chicken was still there!! ARGH, I didn't have alot of time this morning as it was 0445 ...so I threw on my clean undies & off to work I went, Can you guess where the rest of the chicken ended up? ON MY PANTIES! Here I sit in the emergency room trying to force air into my lungs, in pain, scared & here sits the emergency room doctor trying not to let me see the tears in his eyes from laughter!

Ode to a friend...

Think about this for a minute...

If I happened to show up on your door step crying,Would you Care?

If I called you and asked you to pick me up because something happened,Would you come?

If I had one day left, to live my life;Would you be part of That last day?

If I needed a shoulder to cry on,Would you give me Yours?

Your aspiration is your motivation, your motivation is your belief,Your belief is your peace, your peace is your target,Your target is heaven, and life is like hell without FRIENDS.

Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth...AMEN..!!

I was sent this in an email the other day: It got me to thinking ... Am I a good friend? I don't actually have that many friends, So I'd like to think if and when a friend needed me, Would I be there for them? I got a chance to find out.. One of my bestests friends called me the other day.. She and I don't get to see each other very often... Yet, we share mostly everything.. Usually over a Gaiii ~ normous glass of wine and a pretty lengthy phone call...

We were starting our second glass that evening, when she shared with me something that shook me to the core...she found a lump.....

As I heard the words leave her mouth, I felt my heart stop for a second... My first instinct was to get on a plane and go put my arms around her. . . I let her talk as I gathered my thoughts ...only thing out of my mouth when I could speak was "WELL THIS JUST SUCKS!!" her laugh let me know she and I were on the same wave length.

:Understand this is my friend and all friends handle

LOVE, LAUGHTER, STRESS, HAPPINESS & DEATH

in their own way . . . . THIS IS OURS:

She and I began to plot her final voyage ... "Where should we go?"I say

"It has to have wine" She says!... (DUH)

"United States or International" I say

"Italy" She says!

"I'm scared my hair is going to fall out" She says

"Then we will both buy wigs" I say

"I don't remember my real hair color" She says!..

I laugh. . . . . . .

Trust me when I say, I am not making light of death ... We are all going to die of something someday... This is my friend & This is how we are going to deal with it..

My friend went to the Doctor, Everything is fine!! I hope my friend knows I will always be there for her when she needs me!

Izzy takes a Holiday! !

Even your four legged furry family members need a holiday too... Right?

Over the 4th of July, Izzy was the guest of Camp Bow Wow Columbia SC http://www.campbowwow.com/us/sc/columbia

We have searched for a long time to find a place that I would not feel guilty for boarding my loved one (yes I know she is a dog) but she is my Baby!! And, At Camp BowWow they understand this!!!!

Nine out of ten times.... when we go anywhere,

We fly Izzy to Granny & Grampy's house!

Nothing can come close to having your baby with her

Grandparents (so they can spoil her) while you are off gallivanting around the country...

However, We have found a home away from home for Izzy..

At Camp Bow Wow they just know what it is that Mom's and Dad's

yearn for, for their pets... This is truly where a Dog can be a Dog...

you are free to sneak a peak at your baby via the web cam during playtime..

(Picture below: Via web cam "Izzy & a few friends")

(Yes, my baby is in that group, being bossy I'm sure)

We got to set up her own area.. When I had questions about how she was doing, an Email was never far behind, Telling me about her day and who she was playing with.

Who would not love this? I knew she was in good hands.. and that makes me happy!

Miss Independent heading to the play ground, That is okay, there is a Web

cam out there too...

Coffee, Tea...?? No, No ..Beer or Wine...

Okay,,We can honestly say we had a "Taste" of Canada, Eh,, "This is okay, what else ya got??"

This was my Favorite... "Steam Whistle" made in Toronto, Canada (YUM)

Favorite Wine: Sawmill Creek "Shiraz/Cabernet" Niagara Falls Region

Two new items we tried @ Greektown.

Taramosalata: A spread of red caviar, extra virgin Olive oil & lemon.

Tirokafteri: Spicy crumbled feta spread.

JB's favorite was Alexander Keith's Beer from Nova Scotia Canada!

Happy 4th of July...Ehh!!

A Co-Worker of mine asked:

" Why are you going to Canada for the 4th of July..?, They don't have a 4th of July there" Sure Canadians have a 4th, and a 5th and a 6th!!...


There are currently six proposals for towers whose final heights are to exceed the CN Tower's,[15] four of which are currently under construction. At the forefront is the Burj Dubai which surpassed the CN Tower in height in September 2007. The developers of Burj Dubai have kept the final planned height and number of stories a secret, but they have announced that it would stop somewhere above 2,684 feet (818.1 m). In North America, the Chicago Spire's height is currently planned to exceed CN Tower's height, currently planned at 2,000 feet (609.6 m).[16] The Freedom Tower, which is under construction in New York City, is expected to be 12 m (39 ft) shorter in order to make the tower 1776 feet tall (1776 being the year that the United States declared independence).
Two other structures, the Russia Tower being built in Moscow, Russia, and the Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower, being built in Guangzhou, China, are also expected to be taller that the CN Tower when completed, with the structures having expected final heights of 612 m (2,008 ft) and 610 m (2,001 ft), respectively.




Defining the Toronto skyline, the CN Tower is Canada's most recognizable and celebrated icon. At a height of 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 inches), it is the World's Tallest Building and Free-Standing Structure, an important telecommunications hub, and the centre of tourism in Toronto. Each year, approximately 2 million people visit the World's Tallest Building to take in the breathtaking view and enjoy all of the attractions the CN Tower has to offer.





























JB, Loved his "View from UP here" Planning his approach on that Airport below him!




















Hard to tell, but I'm on a GLASS Floor, 147 stories up... I figure if I fell, I'd have what.. 30 or 40 seconds to live.... The gentleman standing next to me laughed and said, "Nope, I'm guessing about 10 seconds till your heart gives out",, I think he is right!!!!!

New To Me...

I've never seen this before, The hotel we are staying in Recycles!!

Mother Earth. . . Just has to love this I know I do!

Toronto or BUST...!.!.!

There you are...You sneak out of work just a little bit early....So you can begin your 4 day pass over the 4th of July weekend,,, Karma man Karma...

It was supposed to be a relatively short trip..

Charlotte (CLT) to Chicago (ORD)..1:47 minutes

Chicago (ORD) to Toronto, Canada (YYZ)..1:10 Minutes..

YEAH RIGHT...

We boarded in CLT ..got comfy .. left the gate "early"..started meandering through the traffic heading towards the runway....

In the corner of my eye, I saw a bunch of planes lined up in what we call "TIME OUT",, never a good sign, usually means weather somewhere...I laughed and said "poor babies".... then you hear IT..... Engines OFF....

Insert CUSS WORD HERE____________!!!!! Then the proverbial...

(Note: if you are a FA or a Frequent Flier, You know what I am about to say):

"""Uhhhhhhhhh,,,,,folks ....This is your Captain speaking....Uhhhhh we are gonna have to sit here for UUUhhhhh a bit...and wait for the uhhhh weather to clear in Uhhhhh Chicago, Sorry about the Uhhhh Delay".. blah blah blah.....

WE WAIT our 60 minutes... THEN..."Well, uhhhhhhhhh folks,,,, This is your captain again......Uhhhhhhhhhh we have just been informed by FAA, They just closed CHICAGO (how can you close Chicago?) Uhhhhhhhhhh we are going to have to return to the gate (insert another cuss word here) ...... 35 minutes later we were on our way..... Chicago, there it is... We didn't miss our flight to YYZ, because it to was delayed 900pm to 930pm to 949pm to 1000 to 1024.. okay, late but we board,,, FIRST CLASS thank you very much.. nice treat at the end of our long day..... 1:10 flight.. Up and Down, Easy Peasie....Yup indeedy.... NOT.... You can guess what happens now, the same storm that had CLOSED ORD, just closed YYZ.... We get to the hotel @ 0347... 12 hours LATER!!!