Since Tom and I were headed out for dinner on my actual birthday, we lit candles and ate cake tonight.
Delicious.
Category: Wendy
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Walkabout
We went on a walkabout for a strategic planning session this afternoon. It landed us in the city lot where they store all the mulch, a result of all those Christmas trees that are left on the curb.
Needless to say, a pile like this is just asking to be climbed.
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Indisposed
I don’t think any of us would benefit from me explaining where I’ve been for the past few days. Let’s just say that it involved plenty of this and the room where it resides.
I am better. I think.
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Skiing, scenery, and sightseeing
Today yielded the following knowledge:
1. I now know that I am a skier that is dependent on short, beginner skis. The longer skis I somehow received turned into a disaster on the slopes.
2. The photos do not do the scenery justice. It is simply magnificent.
3. An afternoon devoted to my very own projects is priceless.
4. Chris and I finally found good food in Salt Lake City. Thank you Himalayan Kitchen.
5. I’m becoming a fan of period pieces. On the heels of last year’s The Young Victoria, I thoroughly enjoyed The King’s Speech.
6. I adore everything about The Children’s Theatre in downtown Salt Lake City—the posters, the storefront, and the enthusiastic kids in class just beyond the windows.
7. Five days away from my husband and kids is plenty. Time to go home.
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Headed for the mountains
Chris and I are headed to Altitude Summit. I’m REALLY excited about a few days away. And a whole day skiing. And dinner with folks I’ve only met virtually.
Oh, yes, and I’m excited about the conference, too.
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Visitors from the Biggest City
The girl in the red sweater is Zan. When she was teeny, she was in my mother’s summer camp, and I was the class “helper.” She was four years younger than me, so we didn’t run in the same circles.
Fast-forward thirty years, and Zan happened to stumble across a picture of home on the web. Which led her to Chris’ website. Which led her to our site. Where she put two and two together and realized we knew one another.
Chris found that blog entry and forwarded it to me. I immediately started an email to Zan, which then sat in my drafts folder for nine months. A few weeks back, I finally got a chance to send the email. And today, while visiting family over the holidays, Zan and her husband stopped by for coffee.
I love when people walk into your house and you can just feel the goodness of them. They like strong coffee and vinyl, and they’re brave enough to hold a chicken, which will earn anyone the seal of approval in this household.
Definitely wander over and read Zan’s blog, which is the delicious kind of writing I aspire to produce someday. You know, when loads of time magically opens up in my schedule.
This photo is what happens when you wait until the last two minutes of a visit to snap a few, and you take them in the vortex of light (our kitchen). This is the moments before we assembled for a group shot which turned out miserably. Really. I should know better. (But I do love that Chris is doing his Sears Portrait Studio 3/4 turn.)
Thanks for visiting, you two. Hope to see you again soon.
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Corn maze and pumpkin picking
Despite the fact that everyone looks grouchy, they actually had a spectacular time in the corn maze. Neko grabbed the map and took the lead, as I nervously told Tom to make sure we knew where we were going. I am one of those people that could be stuck in a corn maze for weeks. Even with a map.
Neko grew tired of leadership halfway, and instead puttered on about the litter she found. “I can’t believe they just left it here in the middle of this field. And it’s even STYROFOAM!”
We passed on the whole picking experience, and went straight to the farm shop where the kids picked out absurdly big pumpkins. I have no idea how we’re going to carve them. (I’ll think about it tomorrow, Rhett!)
And then they all got what they declared their very first caramel apples. Is that possible? Have we really been that restrictive?
Okat, it might be possible. Dig in, kids.
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Dalai Lama
Thanks to friends with extra tickets, Tom and I each got to see the Dalai Lama today. (Hooray Lisa! Hooray Glenn!) Chalk another one up for this tiny town. We’ve got culture, people!
Highlights included his wearing of the school visor to avoid the bright lights. Continuing to talk through the removal of his shoes, “Ah! More comfortable!” And at the very end, telling everyone if what he said doesn’t appeal them, then just forget it. (Which, said with an accent, sounded like something much less Dalai Lama-like.)
It is somewhat breathtaking to think that the man sitting on that couch has been sitting in the midst of history since he was two years old. And now, at 75, he sits comfortably on a couch, 100 feet away, and says his peace.
What a treat.
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24-hour pass
24-hour pass for the grown-ups!
It’s been over two years since I’ve seen The National perform, so it was fantastic to see how their show has matured. (Let’s all pretend I kind of know what that means.)
Tidbits from this weekend:
1. Ellery might have a teensy bit of my OCD overpacking gene.
2. Our hotel room was directly across the hall from a room decorated from top to bottom with balloons, including some that were replicas of certain portions of human anatomy.
3. That hotel room quickly became our former hotel room. Our new room was directly above said anatomically decorated room because someone in the Department of Hilarity thinks that makes for a better story.
4. Everywhere we went in Indy was all on one street—dinner, concert, and breakfast. It was like hipster row. I have no clue what the rest of the city looks like, but I’m thinking we may go back someday.
5. I almost cried when we found out the band didn’t go on until 10:45pm.
6. I am officially the age where I really, really like sitting down at concerts. Sadly, as my feet and back will tell you, this was not an option.
7. The band’s fan base is clearly 95% male. Or the universe did some sort of bizarre inversion. Either way, I felt like woman-kind had achieved some monumental victory as I walked past 20 men in line for the bathroom to discover I could pick from my choice of three empty bathroom stalls. (See fourth photo.)
8. When Mary Poppins is performing in the adjoining theatre, the green room for a band is reduced to the size of a broom closet. Mary clearly has more clout.
9. I desperately need an in-between camera. One that can travel in my bag, but has functionality that makes me smile. Will be researching that whole micro four thirds category…
10. I love traveling with people who make all the restaurant decisions. Especially when they have great taste.
Big thanks to Matt, John, and Vicki (and their friends) for joining us along our fun getaway, and to R&D and Papa Joe for making it possible.
