More New Discoveries in NYC

Compared to my friends in Texas, we've had nice weather since I moved to NYC. Although the humidity does get to me, and the muggy air in the subways can be oppressive, I'm thankful to have missed the days of 100* in Dallas and Houston. One day as I was walking around my new neighborhood, I caught the reflection of clouds in this mirror-like building.






My cousin Rob was able to come visit me for the day on Saturday, getting a pass from West Point. It was so great to see him and to have someone to pal around with. I took him to a Mexican restaurant I've found for lunch, and he was thrilled with the almost-as-good-as-Texas taste. He then accompanied me on some errands. I wanted to go to the market at Union Square where I'd heard I could find house plants. The market was impressive, with everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to baked goods and artwork. I bought a couple plants and then realized I needed pots for them. One man suggested Home Depot, 6 blocks away.

Rob was impressed with the architecture of the building that houses Home Depot. It doesn't look like any Home Depot we were used to in Texas!




He was also as surprised and delighted with the cart escalator as I had been at Target last weekend. (This is the picture I took as discreetly as possible at Target.)













Last night, we had a pretty good sunset. I remember when my aunt Cinda lived away from Texas, telling me how much she missed the Texas sunsets. They are some of the best in the world, and I've been disappointed with the lack of color that most of the sunsets have in NYC. However, last night was a good one, and I was able to capture the nighttime view from my apartment. (For you, Jenn!)

TGIF

This work week has been a beating! My boss is on vacation -- his first in over a year -- and I'm sure he felt like he could finally take one because I'm here. However, I still have so many questions! Unfortunately, he's not back until after Labor Day. Hopefully by then I'll have it all figured out.

Not sure what I'll do this weekend. I was hoping my cousin Rob from West Point was going to get a day pass for Saturday, but since I haven't heard from him, I'm thinking it's a no-go. There's so MUCH to do, I'm almost paralyzed by indecision! Museums, musicals, shopping, the parks...

One of Those Mornings

Nightmares and night sweats last night made it tough to drag myself out of bed this morning. Then I realize I'm out of breakfast bars. Phooey. I decide to stop at Starbuck's on my way in, but not the one by my apt. I'll catch the one near the office.

I'm hot leaving the building, and I get irritable when I'm hot. I notice other people wearing jackets, while I'm in a short sleeved top carrying my blazer. The subway is stuffy as usual, and I begin to sweat. There goes my makeup again!

I walk in the Starbuck's near work and find a really long line. Well, I'm already running 10 minutes late; might as well wait. There's a family of Italians trying to decipher the board and fortunately one employee is helping them. Everyone in the place seems to be shouting. I finally get to order my iced tea and breakfast, and the lady says they're out of that breakfast. (it's one of the few healthy choices, so I decline a pastry instead.) They place my large iced tea on the counter as I'm digging in my bag for money. The lady who's ringing me up knocks it over, spilling it towards me and my bag. [angry sigh]

I pick up a whole wheat bagel in the cafe downstairs. So, I asked for low-fat cream cheese and they gave me butter. It's still edible.

So many pushing, shoving, yelling people this morning. I almost feel like crying.

But! I have something to look forward to. One of my best friends from Dallas, Wendy, is coming into town tonight, and we are going to have dinner. I'm so hungry for a friendly face, and I'm very excited to show her my new place. I'm looking forward to just hugging her, but I don't want to let go.

Interesting Tidbits

Having unpacked all my boxes, I found the dreaded scale. It rarely changes what it tells me, and while I'm glad I'm not gaining, I wish it would give me some encouragement. I decided when I was leaving Dallas that I would start dieting and exercising hard core when I moved to NYC. The exercise part is easy, since I walk a lot and take stairs in the subways, plus there's a gym in my apartment building. So, thinking "why the hell not," I stepped on the scale yesterday morning, expecting to see the same number as usual. My jaw dropped as I just stood there and stared at the number...I LOST 6 LBS! In my first week here! Six pounds!!!

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I have a very strong sense of smell. Sometimes, I love this, like when I get a whiff of something and it throws me back to a memory of a long-since-gone loved one. However, a lot of people in NY stink. What are they eating? Do they even USE deodorant? Whew! I can't stand next to them in the subway.

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I've been very fortunate in getting really great weather since I moved. I also moved just as Dallas started to have several 100* days, and I sure don't miss that. Today, it was a lovely 67* as I walked to the subway, and it makes me not even mind the rain so much. But it doesn't matter how nice and cool it is outside, the subway is warm and humid. I sweat off half my makeup before I even get to work, and between the rain and the warm, humid train, my hair flops. And then I pass in the office some young girl who's perfectly done-up, and I think, "how...?" I go to the bathroom, with its lovely flourescent lights that make your face look green, and try to salvage something. Mostly, I just give up and hope that my new coworkers will appreciate my brain and sense of humor and forgive my appearance.

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Walking through the throngs to get to work is always challenging, but the rain today makes it even more challenging. You have to navigate through the umbrellas. If your umbrella clashes with someone going the opposite way, hold firm! The umbrella that turns flips a spray of water on the owner. Plus, if you're wearing pants, roll up the bottoms. It's easier to dry off your legs than to dry out the soaking hems. (I decided to just wear a skirt, which looks lovely with sneakers, don't you think?)

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If you decide to be comfortable and wear sneakers to work, don't forget to pack your other shoes to change into when you get to the office. The geeky sneakers-with-skirt look may pass on the streets of NY, but it doesn't look great walking down the halls.

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Flowers are CHEAP here. I bought one of my coworkers two dozen roses for her birthday for just $10!!!

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There are a lot of attractive men in NY. The problem is, you see them as they pass you on the street or in the subway. How are you supposed to get their attention? Fall at their feet? Ask for directions? Ah, well. With my flopped hair and sweaty face, I'm probably not looking my best at the moment anyway.

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I'm having lots of new adventures and seeing lots of great stuff, but I have been so terribly homesick. I miss my friends. I miss seeing familiar faces when I walk down the hall in the office. I miss having REAL conversations, not just superficial ones, with people who know me and love me inspite of my foibles. I miss Tex-Mex food, although maybe that's part of the reason I've lost six pounds. (Did I tell you I lost SIX POUNDS?) I miss the security of knowing where things are. I really miss my friends.

A Trip to Target, New-York-Style

Well, I think I was being overly optimistic on Friday about getting in a museum and bike ride this weekend. My big excursions (when I did leave the apartment and all its boxes) were to Target and Container Store.

I had looked online and found that the closest Target stores are in Jersey and Brooklyn. I haven't yet ventured into Jersey, and since I've been to a part of Brooklyn before, I felt more comfortable with that location. I took the subway there, and when I emerged from underground, I thought, "now which way should I go?" I don't have a good map of Brooklyn, and although I had the address, I wasn't sure if it was right or left from the subway station. I decided to just pick a route and hope to figure it out. I turned the first corner, and there was Target across the street! I laughed at my good fortune.

This Target is in a mall, so strange to me, and is located on the 2nd and 3rd floors. To accommodate for this, they have an escalator especially for shopping carts!!! I was amazed, having never seen such a commodity, and I admit that I had to pull my camera out of my bag and take a quick pic! (I'm sure I looked either horribly touristy or like I was investigating this Target store.) Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for this sight, because I forgot my camera cord today. (I don't yet have internet access at home.)

I had to get several heavy items at Target, including cat food, laundry detergent, stain remover, fabric softener, glass cleaner, etc. I tried to get the smallest ones of each of these, knowing I would be carrying them back to Manhattan. I even decided not to get a few things, delaying them for a future trip, to try and limit the weight.

The lines at checkout were unbelievably long. Fortunately, I had a book with me for reading on the subway, so I just read while I stood in line. It took 50 MINUTES for me to checkout. FIFTY! But, what else could I do? I needed these items, and they would cost several dollars more at the local drug store near my apartment.

Oh, those bags were heavy! I stopped at each red light and put them down to give my poor, purple fingers a break. I was glad to get a break on the subway, but not looking forward to carrying them the rest of the way home. As I was nearing home, some frustratingly slow tourists were in front of me. I felt like shouting, "Excuse me!!!! My fingers are about to fall off here! Move the F*$# out of the way!" (I resisted the urge.) My back was starting to hurt, too. Finally, exhausted, I walked into my building, and the friendly doorman said, "Would you like some help?" I gladly handed the bags over to him, and he carried them the rest of the way to my door.

The whole trip took 2 hours. What an excursion! Back in Dallas, when I owned a car, I could get to Target and back home in 20-30 minutes.

Star Sighting and Other Hum-Drum

Last night, I decided to make my way to Chelsea, the gay-borhood, for a highly recommended Thai restaurant, Spice. On my way there, I passed RIGHT by Mario Cantone, who played Anthony, Charlotte's gay friend, on Sex in the City!!! Wow...

I took a couple wrong turns on the way back to my place, but I finally made it home. Yesterday was very humid here in NYC, and I came home with pink cheeks and sweaty hair. Then I tackled those boxes! (some anyway)

I don't know when, but I have jammed the ring finger on my left hand. This makes it difficult to unpack boxes, wash my hair, etc. It's pretty swollen, but I can still move it, so I don't think it's broken. Just a minor inconvenience.

It's supposed to rain here tomorrow, so I plan on getting the rest of the boxes unpacked and maybe going to a museum. There's so much I haven't seen in the City. Sunday is supposed to be sunny and relatively mild, so I'm hoping to take my new street bicycle out for a spin.

Ooh! I just got my business cards...so cool to read "Senior Vice President" under my name. :-)

110 Things

That's how many items were unloaded from the moving van. To be fair, though, a few items had more than one sticker, and for some reason, stickers #59 and 60 weren't used. But everything had a sticker -- each box, piece of furniture, ironing board, etc.

Whew! I'm glad it's here, but I have a lot in front of me. Namely, a wall of boxes and some creative thinking to figure out where it's all going to go!

Hoops and Baskets

Well, I learned yesterday that my furniture and stuff won't be arriving until Thursday. [Groan] I'm really not sleeping all that well on the inflatable mattress. Last night, I kept waking up and checking the clock (my cell phone) to see if it was close to time to get up. First time I remember wishing the night would go faster. (Generally, I LOVE to sleep.)

Everything about this move has been, to say in a positive light, an adventure. (Jumping through hoops and discovering there's no floor after the hoop feels more like it.) One such hoop: getting the key to my apartment.

I called the building manager -- let's just call her V -- the week before my arrival, asking if I would be able to pick up the key when I arrived on Sunday. No...since the management office isn't open on Sundays, that wouldn't work. I asked if I could have a friend pick it up (one of my new coworkers, an extremely nice and helpful girl, lives close by), and V said yes, I would just need to have a notarized letter sent to the main office and fax her a copy. I did that, sending the notarized letter by FedEx to ensure it arrived.

Saturday comes, and I get a call from my coworker-friend, letting me know they didn't "have the key ready." (whatever that means) Seems she was told by V that it was V's mistake and that she was now trying to bend the rules by letting the "super" give me the key on Sunday. My coworker-friend told me to "get New-York on her," meaning give her attitude if she didn't come through.

When I arrived on Sunday, as previously posted (below), everyone in the building seemed to know I was from Texas and was waiting for me. Yesterday, I finally met V, an intense, slightly frazzled NY- or NJ-accented woman, who apologized profusely for the mix-up. At this point, she's bending over backwards for me to do whatever she can to make my life better. Then, she said, "I have a little something for you to apologize." And she comes back from around the corner with a HUGE basket of food and goodies! It includes cookies, juice, jelly, snack bars, fruit, pasta & sauce, bread, cheese, and some plastic ware. All this, and I didn't even have to "get NY."

First Day

Yesterday I flew to New York with two suitcases, a carry-on and Sabrina in a pet carrier. I'm now a New Yorker! (Hence, I felt the blog needed a new look -- sorry, Hannah, for being a copy-cat. There are limited good designs.)


When I boarded the plane, it hit me: I'm leaving behind so many wonderful friends and will be much further from my family. I also felt guilty for giving Sabrina a sedative. (She didn't like how she felt or the pet carrier and was vocal about it. She kept doing flips and scratching at the zippered doors to get out.) I cried and cried, feeling very self-conscious with so many people around me. Everyone ignored me, though, which was kind of weird.


The flight seemed interminably long, mostly because I was so concerned about Sabrina. I kept the bag on my lap for most of the flight, and she would calm for short periods of time before flipping around again. The turbulence we experienced for 30-40 minutes was her least favorite.

After a long, but informative, cabby ride to Tribeca, I arrived at my apartment building and was met by the doorman, "Are you the one from Texas?" They were expecting me and the elevator guy (did I tell you there are elevator guys?!) helped me with my bags.

It was a beautiful day to arrive in NY. It was 85* and sunny, with low humidity. The sun was shining off the Hudson River, making the view from my apartment especially nice. I bought a few necessities for Sabrina and me -- cat litter, toilet paper, trash bags, paper towels and a shower curtain -- since we'll be camping out on an inflatable mattress until the furniture and my boxes arrive (probably Tuesday or Wednesday). Poor thing, she was still feeling the effects of the sedation and stumbled around our new, empty place like a drunk.

My cousin Kelley happens to be in NYC visiting a friend, and she was the first to get to see my new place last night. We had a nice dinner, chatting and catching up, and then watched the sun set at a park by the Hudson.

Today, I felt like a kid on the first day of school! I stopped by Starbucks for caffeine and breakfast, caught the 4 Train to Grand Central station, and walked to work. (I sold my motorcycle last Monday and my car on Saturday.) My coworkers are excited to have me in the office full-time, and I got a hug from my boss and one of the girls in my department. :-)

It's another beautiful day. Today, in addition to work, I'm hoping to open a bank account (my previous bank doesn't have offices in this part of the country!) and get the official Welcome from the apartment management, which will include a tour of the fitness facility and all the rules. I also have yet to find a grocery store! So many new things. It feels like more than just a new chapter in my life. It's like the first chapter in a new book.

My Little Partner

As Jenn mentioned on her blog, when I heard she and Anthony would be coming to Dallas early this week to help his mom, I asked if I could take Anna home with me! She agreed, and Anna was very excited. We drove to Waco and had dinner with my grandma, great aunt, uncle and his family. Unfortunately, the traffic was TERRIBLE Sunday night, and Anna got into bed very late.

It worked out that they couldn't coordinate with Anthony's mom until Tuesday, so Anna stayed with me as I worked from home yesterday. We went to Pancake House for breakfast, and then Anna did crafts and was politely quiet when I had to hold conference calls on the phone. Knowing that both my sisters are very good about serving their kids healthy meals, I cooked salmon with wild rice and sauteed zucchini. However, Anna mostly ate the rice. She likes the other stuff, but her tummy was hurting from too many appetizer nuts. (oh well!)

Yesterday, Anna said, "Why does my family keep calling me?"
I said, "Because they miss you Anna!"
She said, "But I don't miss them."

This morning, she said, "I'm not feeling well. I think I'm a little bit feverish. I think I'm home sick."

Truckin'

Yesterday, I drove this truck full of furniture and towed my CRV to Austin. I just couldn't bear to sell some of my furniture, especially the pieces that are family heirlooms, and fortunately, my uncle Tom and my sister Jenn and bro-in-law Anthony were willing and able to take various pieces.

Colin and Anna were really impressed with the truck! They both had to pretend to drive it. Colin had to stretch to make his feet reach the pedals!

Another Goodbye

Last night, I volunteered at Parkland's neonatal intensive care unit for the last time. It was so difficult leaving, walking through the halls and thinking this is the last time I'm going to do this.

What made it even sadder for me was the fact that my good friend and the nurse who I prefer to work with, Lily, wasn't there. I saw her last week, and I refused to let her get sad when I left, agreeing that we'd see each other again this week. When I asked if she had called in sick, the nurse manager said she was taking a two week vacation. Her husband works for an airline and has flight benefits, and she mentioned they'd been debating going to England to see her brother and his family.

The hospital had a record seven sets of twins born in a two-and-a-half day period, so I was able to help quite a bit last night. I held (one at a time) twin boys, and two twin girls who's twins were already home. The first twin boy was very snuggly, and I enjoyed holding him.

As I walked out of the hospital to the parking garage, I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I know I can find a hospital in NYC in which to volunteer, but I will miss the friends I've made. Especially Lily. She is a great nurse, always doing whatever the baby needs (like a bath) even if it's not required. Some of the other nurses are lazy, but Lily really does what's best for her little patients. She talks to them in a matter-of-fact tone and has taught me so much about premies and nursing. She's very modest, strongly religious, and feels her emotions deeply. She still gets teared up when talking about her sister who died more than 10 years ago. She would always give me a hug when I left and would be so appreciative when I walked in, saying my name, "Emileeeee!" She knew I love Indian food and would bring me leftovers of foods she and her husband had prepared. I couldn't even pronounce everything, but it was so good.

I had brought her a small gift and card, which I left in her mailbox. I just missed getting one last hug.

Squirrel Mayhem

Working from home, you learn what goes on during the day when you're usually not here. I'm surprised how late in the afternoon the trash gets picked up on my street, and the mail-lady comes pretty late, too. It's a pretty quiet street, except for the squirrels.

There are two large pecan trees here, one in the front yard and one in the back, that provide a lot of shade and have branches that canopy over the house. The squirrels have been eating the unripened green pecans with gusto, and the debris litters the front yard and sidewalk. They also must be playing a game of torpedo, throwing the pecans at the roof. THUMP! THUMP! A couple times, it sounds like someone is knocking at the front door. (I checked...no one there.)

THUMP! Roll, roll, roll...there goes another one.

One Person's Junk is Another Person's Treasure

Yesterday, I had the biggest garage sale I've ever held, due to the sheer volume of stuff I am purging to get ready for my new, compact NYC apartment. I advertised in the newspaper, online and put signs around the neighborhood.

My parents came up from Houston to help me get organized (Mommy's specialty) and man the sale. Thank God they did...I don't think I could have done it all on my own. We had a lot of traffic, and Daddy helped people get to their cars with their purchases. He also made us breakfast sandwiches!

It always amazes me to see what people will buy. I had heard from a friend that clothes sell very well at garage sales. I've never sold clothes before; I usually just donate them. But I figured I'd put them out there and if they didn't sell, I'd donate them afterwards. LOTS of people dug through the box of clothes and bought items. I sold most things for $1-2. One lady bought a bra for $1! Why would you buy a bra at a garage sale? Gross.

My new paperweight

I'm working from home for the next couple weeks, and although I miss the people interaction, Sabrina LOVES having me here. She is quite cozy sitting beside my laptop and occasionally resting her head ON the laptop, which causes random characters to appear on my screen.

Pictures of the Apartment!

This first picture is the view from the front door. It has what they call an "open kitchen," so you can see across the counter top through to the living area. Notice the floors...wood parquet.





The view from the living room windows looks southwest towards the Hudson River. The flatter section in the forefront of the image is where they are rebuilding the World Trade Center.






The marble tile in the bathroom is gorgeous!
View of the kitchen from the very small hallway, basically from the bathroom door. There's beautiful granite countertops, and all the appliances are brand new!

Pictures from the explosion in NY

This picture shows the "smoke," which was actually mostly steam. You can also see there are people milling in the street. We are about 10 blocks north of where it occurred.






I was impressed by how quickly the police and firemen mobilized.

The Apartment Search

Looking at apartments is rarely fun, but NYC puts its own spin on it. For starters, apartments go very quickly, so I have been advised to decide quickly. One person told me, "If you see something you think you MIGHT like, take it."

I'm still trying to fight the shock at sticker price and small spaces. Basically, I will be getting 1/3 of the space I have in Dallas for 3 times the cost. But hey, no car payment or insurance...

"Luxury" is a term used loosely here. Some of the places that boast "luxury apartments" should not be able to print that word on their signs. There should be some level of standard for "luxury."

Brokers are NY's special gift to renters. You have to use a broker to even get in to most of the buildings, and a broker's fee is typically 15% of your annual rent. Like realtors, some are more palatable than others, and I received many suggestions to use more than one.

I got two referrals for brokers. The first is a friend of a new coworker, and he was great. Very low-key, nice and knowledgeable about the area we were in. He showed me some terrific places, (definitely what I call "luxury"), but they were more than I had originally thought I'd spend. According to NY standard, I can afford it on my salary, but it still seems like a lot to me.

The second broker was actually a colleague of the person I was referred to, who happens to be in Florida on vacation this week. This colleague is a skinny, petite, NYer who looked and acted like a character from a movie or Sex and the City. She obviously misjudged me - what is important to me, the standard of living I'm looking for, and what I can afford - and she showed me these old, run-down buildings that were pretty lame. Well, one had a nice view of the East River. The closets were insanely small, and she tried to convince me that this is standard for anything I'm going to see. Unfortunately for her, the luxurious places I had seen previously with the other broker don't meet her description.

I decided to go with the nicest place I saw. It's a brand new building (still finishing construction, actually), so I'll be the first one to live in my unit. The doorman wears white gloves (!), there's a fitness center and lap pool, and it's in a great neighborhood, Tribeca. The name is a syllabic abbreviation of "Triangle Below Canal Street." My 1-bedroom apartment has granite countertops, a washer and dryer in the apartment (unheard of in NYC), and beautiful marble tile in the bathroom. The windows in the living room and bedroom look southwest. From my view, I can see the new construction going on at the World Trade Center and see some of the Hudson River. It definitely feels like luxurious living.

Welcome to New York

I felt a thrill reading the "Welcome to NY" sign in La Guardia when I arrived this past Sunday. Yesterday, I got a whole new "thrill"...

I took off from the office around 3:30 to go look at some itty-bitty apartments. The leasing offices all close around 5:30, so I jumped on the subway to head back to Midtown, where my office and my hotel are, planning on getting off at Grand Central.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there has been an emergency evacuation of Grand Central station and this train will not be stopping there. We will stop at 51st Street."

Ok, a little disconcerting, but you try not to panic.

Exiting the subway terminal at 51st and Lexington, I followed the crowd as we headed south on Lex back towards Grand Central.

A large plume of smoke rose between the tall buildings. People stopped in the middle of the street to stare. Everyone was on their cell phones at once, and those not talking were taking pictures of the explosion. 9-11 was on everyone's mind. I immediately thought of notifying my family that I was ok. I couldn't get calls to go through because the network was busy, but I did get a text message out to them all.

Fortunately, it was not a terrorist attack and relatively few people were injured. A transformer fire caused a steam pipe to explode, raining down boiling water and chunks of concrete.

As of this morning, there is a "freeze zone" of several blocks that are completely shut down to pedestrian or motor traffic. There is also a question of asbestos lingering...I saw two policemen this morning wearing bright pink masks. My office building is just beyond the freeze zone, as is my hotel, so I am fortunate not to be too affected by the disruption. It is strange, though, and does give me pause about moving to the city.

Highs and Lows of a New Job

Although Monday was my first day in my new position, today is my first day in the office. On Monday and Tuesday, I attended a conference in New Jersey with my boss and some of my new colleagues. Monday was fine, as I just had to observe and take it all in, but on Tuesday, I had to fill in for my boss and lead a roundtable discussion.

If I had computer access, here's what I would have posted (instead, I wrote it long-hand in my notebook):

Self doubt is a bitch.
Here I am, day 2 in my new job, and my critical internal voice is chiding me, "What have you done? Why did you leave a perfectly good job where you knew everything and everyone liked you?"
I had to lead a discussion on digital communication at a conference for pharma companies. I was prepared, but the group was at times completely silent to my open-ended questions. Sure, I was thrown into the fire awfully early, but I figured I could handle it -- and SHOULD -- given my new title of SVP. Then, there was this jerk next to me who kept taking over the conversation and steering it back where I was trying to get away from. Figures, he's from another agency.

Today is better. First, I got a computer so I'm connected again. I also got to meet some of the wonderful, friendly people here at the NY office, and I was already able to pitch in and help on a current project. Everyone I've met has expressed their delight in having me join the team. I know I'm most likely my toughest critic, but I just hope I don't disappoint them.

Bittersweet

One reason I've been posting all week about my vacation is to avoid posting about my last week at work.

I've worked at this company for just over seven years, and I've made so many close friends. It's so hard to say goodbye, and it's hard for me to imagine not working here. Although I'm thrilled and excited to start my new position, I leave so many good colleagues and fun times behind. I've been crying and laughing, reminiscing about past times, all week. Everyone seems to have the same response: they are happy for me personally, but sad to see me go. I feel the same.

The View from the Other Side

So, after London, I rented a car and drove Lindsey to Bath. I think the experience you get from the smaller towns is more indicative of the cultural differences. Plus, I was really glad we were getting out of London and away from all those tourists!

However, it is definitely a challenge to drive on the opposite side of the road, in the opposite side of the car than you are used to. The motorways (what we refer to as highways) aren't that bad, but as you get into the towns, you have to master the roundabout and seeing oncoming cars on your right instead of your left.

As we entered Bath, I saw the sidewalk on my side of the street (the left) jutted out into the street. I moved to the right a bit to clear it, but I didn't have much room to manuever because of an oncoming vehicle. BUMP! With a jolt, I hit the intruding curb with the front left tire.

We found a car park and wandered into town. We had lovely buns and tea at Sally Lund's, known for their hundred-year-old recipe. After a couple hours, we walked back to the car to drive to Dursley, where my cousin Sonya lives.

Yep, you guessed it: a flat tire.

Fortunately, I know how to change a tire because no one stopped to offer assistance.

We made it to Sonya's after quite a confused drive throughout Bath. The next day, she took us to a tire specialist, who took a look at the dented rim and flattened tire. He estimated we would need to buy a new rim and tire - approximate cost of 600 pounds! Yikes...

Then, Sonya took us to her mechanic, who she has given much business and trusts. He took an anvil and hammer and banged the dent out. He filled the tire and glory be! It held air! Then, he told us it was free of charge. I was so relieved and grateful, I would have hugged him if he wasn't all marked with grease and dirt.

I failed to mention this incident to the rental car, and we were able to turn it in without notice. The rest of my driving was uneventful.

Pictures from Bath, UK

Delicious buns and tea from Sally Lund's, which boasts a century's old recipe.


















Bath is named for its natural hot springs, which were first highly touted by the Romans.










A beautiful shot of the cathedral (and the impending rain).

Images of London

View from a pub's second floor balcony overlooking Leiceter Square, I thought the juxtaposition of the Union Jack flag and a Mexican food restaurant was interesting!










Big Ben










Westminster Abbey









A look across the pond at St. James' Park with Buckingham Palace in the distance

Images of London, part 2

When we went by St. Paul's Cathedral, there was quite a commotion. Apparently, they were filming a scene for the movie National Treasure 2. There were dozens of actors in priestly dress, and other extras positioned around the square. The car chase came through the crowd of priests. The whole scene will probably only end up being 5 seconds of the movie, but it was impressive to see how much coordination occurred.



It rained every day of our trip except for the last two. Lindsey was easy to spot in her bright apple green coat.






The Tower was a great tour. The Tower contains the royal jewels and crowns, the old armory and was the location of many beheadings, including Anne Boleyn, wife to King Henry VIII.









There are a dozen ravens kept at the Tower. When the Tower was being built, several ravens started keeping residence there. It became a legend that as long as the ravens are at the Tower, England will stand strong.

I

Just a Quick Post from the UK

Still alive...loving all my favorite English foods like Indian curries, chicken curry pie, fish & chips, and full English breakfasts! But don't worry: we're walking and walking and walking, burning off those calories.

The absolute best thing in London was the Concert for Diana last Sunday. I'll blog more about it at another time...we don't have long on the computer now. But the artists were great and the video clips about people knowing Diana were heart-warming. My favorite was Andrea Bocelli singing Phantom of the Opera. Goosebumps!

Great Anticipation

Tomorrow starts my vacation! I am meeting my 25-year-old cousin Lindsey in London. We're going to see London, Bath and Amsterdam. So, don't expect to hear much from me for the next 10 days or so!

It's nice to have a break, although everything in my life seems in flux. Still, it's been so emotionally grueling to tell my great colleagues and friends that I'm leaving. There have been many tears, and more to come, I'm sure. Once I return from holiday, I will have one more week at work before I start my new job.

The Big News

The other news I've been on pins and needles about and not able to blog about is MY NEW JOB!!!!

A couple months ago, I got a call from a recruiter looking for internet marketing specialists for a large public relations firm. I am familiar with the firm and know of their great reputation, so I told the recruiter I was interested in learning more.

Several weeks and interviews later, the company determined they DEFINITELY wanted to hire me, but not for the position for which I originally interviewed, which was to be in their Dallas office. Because of my health background and my experience working with healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, this PR company wanted me to consider their New York City office where they handle healthcare/pharma accounts.

New York City? Oh, yeah!

That's why I was there for my birthday - for interviews. Last Friday, I received an incredible offer, to be a Senior Vice President with them, complete with a generous relocation package and signing bonus!

Today, I officially accepted their offer and resigned from my company, where I have been for over seven years. It will be so hard to say goodbye to my great friends and colleagues, but I am excited about this incredible opportunity, too.

Color Test

You gotta try this!

Glidden, the paint company, has a simple, quick test on their website that seems to be quite accurate in its results. Here are my results:

* You are an active person desiring to please your friends and family…capable of generosity.
* You are a very selective individual regarding the purchase of items which reflect your good taste and appearance.
* Circumstances in your life appear to be preventing you from progressing…believing in yourself will provide you strength.
* You feel you have made mistakes by not acting quickly on opportunities…and you are now determined you will not let another potential opportunity pass you by.
* You are afraid you might be prevented from achieving the things you want and therefore feel others should recognize your right to them.

Try it out at Glidden's Color Test.

The Guy

Wow, seven comments on my last post! Okay, so now that you're here...

I've been seeing Oscar for a few weeks. I've been reluctant to mention him previously because he's significantly younger than me! However, he is a mature, responsible, socially adept guy, and we've been having fun just hanging out and enjoying good meals together.

I met him at my current favorite fancy restaurant. He is a waiter there, and after seeing him twice, I gave him my card. He called, and we've been getting together once or twice a week since then. He's originally from Mexico, so he's been helping me with my Spanish and introducing me to restaurants around town that I didn't know about.

Last Friday, he took me salsa dancing! It was a blast. The music was SO SO loud, and if we go back, I will definitely bring ear plugs! The place was just buzzing with energy, and people were packed onto the dance floor. Others just danced wherever they were in the club, next to the bar or in an unofficial walkway. Oscar claimed he's not a great dancer, but he was very good. I had a difficult time keeping up!

Foreshadowing

Sorry for no posting...I guess I was so wiped out by the Triathlon that I couldn't think of anything to write. Nah, not really. I actually felt really good this year after finishing, and the next day my muscles weren't even that sore.

I've actually been trying to avoid talking about a few things that are happening in my life, so it makes it difficult to find other things to write about. I'm just not ready to share yet, but soon.

So, here's a question to my readers: how do you avoid, or treat, beard-burn? You know, the scratchy rash you get from kissing a guy with a heavy beard, even if he's shaved that day. The kissing part is fun, but my sensitive skin just screams for relief.

We Did It!

My goal in completing the Danskin Triathlon this year was to beat my time from last year. (Last year's goal was just to finish!) I beat my time by 3 minutes! Not a lot, but I felt a lot stronger this year and was happy about my personal performance.

I didn't panic on the swim this year, and just kept plugging along until I finished. There's a slight hill from the swim finish to the transition area, where you get your stuff for the next event, and I ran that hill. The bike portion was good, but those Austin hills are incredibly difficult. For the last event, the "run," I mostly walked, but I power-walked. Coming up the last big hill where I could see the finish line, I spotted Jenn, Anthony and the kids, wearing the t-shirts I made them that said "My Mommy and My Auntie TRI." Anna grabbed my hand and jogged the last 50 yards or so with me across the finish line! It was so sweet and very encouraging.

Jenn finished her third full triathlon this year, and she encouraged two other women from her vet clinic to join us. They did great, and three of us ran the last 50 yards with the final girl in the group. It was so exhilarating and inspiring.

We finished with a lovely brunch/lunch at a local Mexican restaurant, complete with Mexican beer. Then we came home and took a nap!

Not my typical Saturday!

Night before the big triathlon. I'm nervous, although not as much as last year when I wasn't sure what to expect. Now I'm just anxious for it to begin and hoping I'll do well. Mostly I'm worried about the murky water in the swim (it makes me hyperventilate a bit) and my asthma on the run. But, I know I can do it.

We took our bikes over this morning and got our registration packets. Then I had such a treat: Anna's ballet recital! She looked simply gorgeous in her silver and white tutu with her hair pulled back in a neat bun. They even put makeup on her, and with her hair pulled back, I could see a glimpse of the young woman she will become. Pictures below.

Pictures from Anna's first ballet recital

Evelyn Bea

The newest member of our family, Evelyn Bea, born on Friday, June 8th in the wee hours of the morning, 6 lbs 15 oz, 18 inches, seen here with her Nana and in her mother's loving hands.

She's Here!

I was wakened by my phone at 6:30 this morning. I recognized it was a Houston number.

"Is it time?" I asked.
"She's already here!" Steph replied.

Seems once she decided to arrive, it all happened quickly, around 3:30 this morning. I'm just about to jump in my car and head to Houston. Will post more and pictures when I can!

Right time, right place, right person: Once

Our family is anxiously awaiting the newest member -- my sister Stephanie was having many regular contractions yesterday, but my new little niece stayed put for another night.

I went to the Angelika last night with a friend. (Kept my phone on vibrate just in case I got a call about the baby.) It's an artsy movie house that plays foreign films and other small budget productions. We saw Once, an Irish film about a singer/songwriter. I enjoyed it, but my friend - a guy - thought it was too slow. (It was his idea to go to the Angelika for a foreign film, so I didn't feel much pity for him.)

I was impressed that most of the songs performed were actually written by the actor/singer, Glen Hansard. He's so passionate when he sings, like he's pouring his heart out. Very powerful.

A Great Date

On Monday night, I was honored to witness a couple friends get married. They are both sweet, good people, and their wedding was attended by only family and close friends. The bride, Michelle, had asked me months ago who I would be bringing as my +1. I decided to take my dad, who had met the couple when he was visiting me a few years ago.

The church was beautiful, with exquisite stained glass windows, tiled floor and richly toned wood pews. The ceremony was Catholic and long, and two priests led the service. One of the priests was quite old, and between his manner of speaking and the echo from the tile floor, I had a hard time understanding him. Fortunately, the other priest gave the homily.

The reception was held at a local winery. The spacious, high-ceilinged room was bookended with large wine casks, and the open bar served their wine and several types of beer. Tasty hors d'ouvers were served while we waited for the bride and groom to finish with photography. Later, they served a buffet with pasta, pork tenderloin and marinated vegetables.

They had both a DJ and a live Salsa band, which rocked the room with its trumpets and saxophone, among other instruments. There was a lot of dancing, especially by the groom's father! I think he hardly sat down.

Still, I think the best part of the evening for me was when, as I dropped off my dad at the airport to return home, he told me, "you look beautiful."

Simple Indulgence

One of the ways I like to spoil myself is with a maid that comes every other week. She came and cleaned today, and it's so nice.

I love it when everything is neat. Of course, sometimes I see things that I would have done maybe more thoroughly, but this way, I get to enjoy my weekends doing other things than cleaning.

Ugh

I seem to have caught a nasty stomach virus. It began late Monday night and is just now starting to fade. The main symptoms are very painful cramps in the stomach, nausea, and low grade fever.

My diet of saltine crackers and ginger ale helps somewhat, but I feel weak. Hopefully, I'll lose weight, though!

The Big Apple for the Big Birthday

So, I'm in NYC for my birthday (yesterday) and a couple extra days. I'm imagining what it might be like to live here, and I spent most of today wandering around different neighborhoods, including the Upper West Side, Soho and Chinatown. I brought comfortable - although not great support - shoes, but my feet are killing me from all the walking.

Ok, so I wouldn't LIVE in Chinatown, but it's such a sight, I had to see it. I took a few pictures, which I'll post separately. The only thing I bought (other than a vegetarian lunch) was 2 pounds of sugar snap peas for $1!

Tonight, I'm having dinner with a new friend and his wife and kids in Brooklyn. Tomorrow, I'm planning on a bit more wandering and then my flight back to Dallas.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I got very touching cards from my grandma and aunt, and three calls singing me happy birthday from my nieces and nephews and parents. I feel very blessed and loved.

Sore muscles and itchy bug bites

So, in addition to Colin's birthday party, Jenn scheduled some triathlon training for Sunday. We did a 5K with the Pflugerville Pfun Run, and Jenn and Anthony left me in the dust! I was actually very frustrated with the organizers because the start clock went from 7 minutes to zero when they noticed everyone was ready to go. I was planning on taking my asthma medicine at 5 minutes before the start. I took it as they blew the horn and had a pretty good asthma attack within the first mile. I was so angry with my body. My legs felt like they could have kept going, but my chest was screaming with pain and I just couldn't get enough oxygen. I walked most of the 3.1 miles and finished in 42 minutes. (Jenn finished in an incredible 30 minutes.)

Then, we met up with a couple of girls from Jenn's vet clinic and went out to Pflugerville Lake. Jenn had determined that across and back was about 1/2 mile, the distance we will swim in the triathlon in June. The water was cold, which makes you gasp for breath, and then putting your head in the opaque, green water, you realize you can't see even 12 inches in front of your face. This freaks me out a bit, so I spent most of the way across with my head up, doing the breaststroke. At least we didn't have multitudes of other women to compete for space. Halfway across, I didn't know how I was going to make it. Once we got to the other side, we rested for a few minutes and readied our minds to head back. Anthony decided to walk around. The rest of us had had more recent swim practice, and he felt safer walking than risking being out in the middle completely exhausted.

Although the way back was against the current, amazingly, we all agreed it was actually easier than the first half! I was able to get my face in the water more and really concentrate on my stroke, which I think moves me farther. I also battled my right leg cramping, but I made it to the other side.

Once we reunited with Anthony and were discussing how the triathlon has people in canoes with those foam noodles for support, Anthony made the comment, "See, if I only had a noodle, I could have made it." We girls all cracked up, and someone repeated, "...if only Anthony had a noodle!"

In addition to the tired, sore muscles, there must have been chiggers in the field by the lake. I have 7 bites, and they are so damn annoying! I've tried Caladryl and hydrocortizone cream, but nothing is really taking away the itch.

Colin's 4th Birthday Celebration

Anthony made another of his incredible cakes. Not only is it a work of art, it was delicious, too!

The party was held at the neighborhood park, which is so nice because the kids can play on the playscape and it's not a big deal if anyone spills or drops something.


Jenn came up with a great, simple, train-inspired game for the kids to play. Each one had to fill up a small bucket with pea gravel from the playscape, then run back and put it into the big bucket. We imagined that the gravel was coal needed for the train. There was no competition, but the kids cheered each other on to "hurry, hurry!"


I'm always impressed that Jenn provides such healthy food for the kids to snack on. There was popcorn, veggies like carrots and broccoli, sandwiches and grapes. Plus, cake and ice cream of course!

A good time was had by all, especially the birthday boy.

Which character are you most like?

I love the show "Grey's Anatomy." I recently visited ABC's website to read more about the actors and found this quiz. Most of the description actually fits me pretty well!

Grey's Diagnosis:
You're Meredith

You don't always make the right choices, but you get points for trying, bouncing right back, and starting over. For being so "dark and twisty," you have a surprisingly sunny outlook on life. You're quick to jump into new relationships but just as quick to jump out. After the example your parents set, learning to trust someone else takes just about everything you've got.

Balloons

I work in a very casual, creative office. One of my best buds here at work and my next-office-door neighbor Justin went on vacation for TWO WEEKS. I missed him terribly and encouraged our whole team to help me decorate his office for his homecoming.

Last Friday, we blew up 500 balloons and packed them into his office. They were waist high. A few popped as we were packing them in, and we learned not to blow them up too much. I made everyone blow up at least a couple to help share the load. Four of us finished the last 100 or so and were very light-headed!

Justin was thrilled when he came in on Monday. He laughed and said it looked like a party and that he was going to keep it this way always.

Two days later, though, he was annoyed by the persistent rubber smell and the multiple colors assaulted his minimalist approach to decorating. I helped him deflate them. Sure was much easier to deflate than inflate!

Visiting with Bess

I visited my great aunt Bess in the nursing home again today. She looks a bit better -- the bruises from her fall are fading -- and she was definitely more talkative, but her mind seemed more addled.

We did talk a little about death, and as my dad commented on my last post about Bess, she told me that when she has thought it was close, she's not ready. She said it's because it (death) is so mysterious.

I told her I think it's welcoming, calm, like a homecoming and reminded her of her family and close loved ones who will be there welcoming her. She said, "but I'm so much older now, they may not recognize me." I laughed and said it's her soul they will recognize.

I got her to laugh a couple times. I stayed for over an hour, and one time I asked her if she was getting tired. She replied she's always tired (a symptom of the congestive heart failure), and since I was sitting at the foot of her bed, I told her to just kick me out when she was tired of me. She chuckled and said she wouldn't kick me like a mule...and did I know a mule was the combination of a horse and a donkey?

That's how the conversation went, from one topic to the next without much purpose. I loved hearing her stories of her parents, my great-grandparents, and how she met her husband -- on a ship travelling back from the States to South America. I finally said I had to go -- I was meeting a friend for dinner. A man? she asked with hope in her voice. No, I laughed. Just a girlfriend.

I'm a "Lac-tard"

I recently found out I'm lactose-intolerant. My goddaugher Annie knows several people in her close circle who are lactose-intolerant and has coined the name "Lac-tard."

Lactose intolerance develops when the body has difficulty digesting whole and skim milk and other dairy products. Lactose is a milk sugar and like most sugars, it is broken down by enzymes in the intestinal tract so it can be absorbed as an energy source. The enzyme that breaks down lactose is called lactase. When the intestine does not contain lactase, then lactose intolerance can occur. It is a troublesome and annoying problem, but it is never a serious one. Symptoms include nausea, abdominal cramps and rumbling, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

I've learned that it's fairly common. Most infants and small children have lactase to be able to digest their mother's milk, but as we get older, we lose the ability to produce lactase.

So, I'm now a lactaid-carrying member of this group. I've never been fond of milk or yogurt, but I LOVE cheese. Fortunately, swallowing a couple of Lactaid with the meal seems to work. It's great not being bloated all the time!

My interview from Steph

My sister Steph sent me these questions; the answers are originally mine. :-)

1. When it's all said and done, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope to be remembered as a loving and caring person who touched the lives of those who knew her.

2. What are five things you hope to do before you die?

a. Have a child -- ideally birth one myself, but if not, adopt or foster care.
b. Travel for vacation more, especially to Italy, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, Africa.
c. Find someone who can truly be a partner for the rest of my life.
d. Learn how to fly a plane.
e. Be a grandparent.

3. Enough with the life and death stuff -- when you really want to cut loose, what do you do?

Sing or dance. I love singing in front of a live audience, but since that's not always readily available, I love turning up the radio or iPod and singing at the top of my lungs to myself or my cat Sabrina. I also love to go out dancing. I love the energy.

4. If money were no object, where would you live?
Not sure, since I haven't visited everywhere I want yet, but it would have to be somewhere near the ocean. I just love the water and feel more at peace when I am there.

5. If you could invite 4 close friends/family and 4 others (celebrities, dead or alive geniuses, etc) to dinner, who would you invite and why?
This is tough because I don't want any of my friends or family who read this to not feel included, so I will focus on the "others."
I would invite:
Oprah because she is spiritual, incredibly successful and seems to love a good time
Ellen Degeneres because she makes me laugh
Josh Duhamel and George Clooney because they are hot and it would be fun to watch them!

A Brief Visit

My grandmother likes to be the news-teller. And she's pretty good at spreading the word when things are happening, good or bad.

I heard from my mom that my grandmother's eldest sister Bess had fallen and was admitted into the hospital. She's had to move from her assisted living apartment into full-time nursing care. Since she lives in Dallas, I decided to go visit.

I called my grandmother for the info, and she warned me that Bess is feisty and stubborn and has said she doesn't want visitors. Grandma suggested I call first. Nah...

I went over after work, found the room with her name outside and looked at both of the elderly women in the room, calling "Bess?" As I turned to double-check I had the correct room, the first woman said, "I'm Bess." I hadn't even recognized her. Since I last saw her -- a few months ago? -- she seems to have aged 20 years. Granted, she is almost 96, but she has never looked so gaunt, thin and just wasted away. She is confined to her bed now and has a greenish-purple bruise over her left eye where she fell.

I tried to recover quickly and reminded her who I am, but no need -- her mind is still sharp. She said, "But I told everyone that I don't want visitors..." and I replied, "Well, I thought about calling, but you would have told me not to come." She agreed. And I said, "So I didn't call!" She laughed and told me she was glad I came.

We had a nice albeit brief visit. I rubbed her swollen legs and we talked about her oxygen machine (too noisy for her). She said the food's not that good, but she's not very hungry anyway. She told me to tell everyone hello and not to come visit, but when I asked if I could come visit again, she said yes.

It just breaks my heart to see her or any of the numerous elderly people there. What kind of quality of life is that? None. I don't want that, nor would they, I suppose.

If you could be someone else for a day or a lifetime...

...who would you be?

This was how we opened up a recent client meeting to "break the ice." Some people said a superhero, others said a writer or a sports hero.

If I had it to do over again, I'd be a doctor.

At the time (early twenties), I didn't think I had what it takes. The many hours of studying (which I witnessed firsthand in my sister, Vetmommy), the long hours of rounds...but now I know, if you are determined and put your mind to it, you can do almost anything.

So, readers and lurkers, who (or what) would you be?