We have a winner...

We have a whinner (oops)...winner in the KBCO 20th anniversary CD drawing!! None other than Durango, Colorado's own Tim Kroes. Tim is Executive Director of Adaptive Sports, father of 2, a CU graduate (go Buffs), former member of the CU landscape crew (where he met his bride) and an alumni of Mona Shores High School class of 1977.  An avid skier, hiker, intrepid world traveler, struggling banjo player and collector of fine music!! -- He's got a wedding  anniversary coming up on Febuary 14th (I can't remember how long he's been married but the wedding was fun...the parts I remember)  and turns 50 in May. Congrats Tim, the CD will be in the mail as soon as it's located. My lovely bride (and name puller)  failed to tell me before the drawing,  that her assistant (with the disk), couldn't make it into the office in Broomfield due to snow!! (Caren, you live in freak'en Colorado, you can't be afraid of a little snow!)

We've been enjoying a relaxing weekend here in South Florida. The temperature has returned to seasonal norms, from the cold temps of mid-week. I've had a small setback in my vow to wear shorts every day while in Florida...Wednesday was just to cold...35 and breezy! -- We took measures (and money) into our own hands yesterday to help stimulate the local economy. We went shopping!! -- we actually went to the mall (Boca town center) and Wholefoods (aka whole paycheck) -- For dinner last night, we had spinach salad and a new Salmon recipe (very yummy) washed down with a Van Duzer Pinot (one of our favorites)

I'm off to pack for Santiago, Chile...and will probably not be able to update until my return!!

I've had it with Orbitz!

I booked a trip on Orbitz (the travel site I won't dignify with a link) last April 12th. We were going direct from Denver to Honolulu on 10/18, spend a few days on Waikiki beach and head over to Maui on Thursday 10/23 and finish our trip in Kaanapali at the Westin and then fly back direct to Denver on the red-eye. We've been going to Maui since '93 pretty much every year in October (or there abouts). After the flights were booked for about $950/ticket I went on the United website and upgraded our seats to First Class using miles...shortly there after we received our tickets from Orbitz...
-- Fast forward to September --

Since I took the Latin America job in mid-July, it's been non-stop travel...between Fort Lauderdale (2X) for house hunting, 1X for general business, a week in Washington DC for the National Sales meeting, a trip to BA and a turn-around trip back to Fort Lauderdale and then to squeeze in 2 weeks in the islands before we moved to Boca Raton was probably not the best choice. I would stress about work and that would make Lisa grumpy, which would make me feel bad, which would lead to more drinking...{you can see where this is going righ?} -- So we canceled our trip --

I contacted Orbitz and they canceled our reservation and instructed me to return the tickets...well one thing led to another and I never returned the tickets...I knew where they were, but didn't send them back...I called them again and wanted to book another trip using our $1,900 credit, I suggested I had returned them and they lost them, but that tack didn't work...I asked to talk to a supervisor, but that didn't help. Lisa was livid as she thought I had mis-handled the whole thing...never the less, we paid the $20 and returned them via UPS with the tracking number etc. There was also the stipulation that our travel needed to be completed by April 12th on United (not ticketed, travel completed within the year from when the tickets were purchased) -- fast forward to last weekend --

I called Orbitz wanting to use our credit to go to Colorado in February. Ticket prices have fallen dramatically and United was charging $240/ticket direct from Miami. Orbitiz's would book us the tickets but we would have been leaving $1,400 on the table...it had to be one trip of equal or more value. They did suggest, they would "mail us back the tickets" and we could take them to United, book a trip before April 12th and the remaining credit balance would roll-over for another year. Now the friggen burden is on me to negotiate with United and figure out where I might want to go --

Well we booked our Colorado trip on American for the same price as United, and the charge for Simba (our cat) is $150 cheaper, so $200 instead of $350.

I'm sorry but I will never use Orbitz again!!!

a break with tradition...

Just a few short weeks ago I wrote about Sundays and cooking at home. Well last night, we actually went out to a restaurant for dinner. You'd think with our demographic profile, two wage earner couple with no kids, we'd eat out several nights a week. Well we don't,  we usually eat in. We were struggling to remember the last time we had dinner out. I think it was August when we were down here house hunting, but I may be mistaken. Never the less, we walked literally across the street and went to the "Cottonwood Cafe",  a Southwestern restaurant. 

We have a lot of restaurants in our neighborhood...downtown Boca Raton, but they were on "Open Table", the reservation site that Lisa uses. She earns points (we're milage/point collectors) and they were offering a 1,000 points...that made our choice easier! I'm still not sure how we redeem or use the points but that's a different issue. She made the reservation for 7:30. 

We could hear the music as we arrived. A light swing type music...there were also balloons out to mark the spot. A party was going on...no it was "Singles Nights" and all the Singles must have been in their sixties or seventies!! They had taken over over the outside patio with their loud music, laughter, drinking, smoking and dancing. I don't even want to think about the "hooking up" at the after party.

Inside the restaurant it was quiet and not to busy. We got a nice booth in the back. We ordered a pitcher of the "Cottonwood Classic" Margarita, an appetizer (Prawns) and Lisa had Scallops while I had Salmon. The service was great, there when you need them and gone when you don't. The pacing and dish removal was timely. Never had to re-fill our own glasses. The prawns were tasty with a little kick and both the scallops and salmon were nicely prepared and presented. The Margaritas were a disappointment. No Alcohol!!

I'm pretty sure we won't be back anytime soon and never again on a Sunday.

  

** News Flash ** News Flash ** News Flash **

The snowbirds have arrived...people everywhere!!

We have a winner for the KBCO CD!!!

Never use Orbitz!! ( I'll rant about this soon!)

Homecoming...

The trip from BA was uneventful, though getting through the airport lines took longer than I planned. First at the American counter, then you pay the airport tax, then security, then passport control, then you finally reach the gate!! (except for my brief visit to the Admirals club).

The plane was more crowded than the flight down. It's summer in the Southern Hemisphere and vacation season. Lot's of families heading to Orlando and Disney World! The 777 is configured 2-5-2 and I was on the aisle in the row of 5...A nice family joined my row and I was sitting (stuck) next to a 5 year old girl. Three rows ahead of me, an elderly lady had a row all to herself. Just before the doors closed and I was sure nobody else would be boarding, I asked the flight attendant if I could move up. Score!!! She said said Si (which means yes in Spanish...see I am learning something) So I did and got to spread out...way out.

We landed on time, breezed through immigration and customs and was back in Florida and it was 5:30 a.m. - the drive back to Boca was quick, about 40 minutes with light traffic - I failed to catch the sunrise as I took a nap and got up about 8:30...showered, started some laundry, put away everything from my travels, got caught up on email, laughed at my friends antics on facebook and cleaned up the condo, as Lisa was coming home tomorrow.

Friday morning I was up early as there is lots going on at work and I knew I needed to get down to Miami airport in the afternoon to pick up Lisa and Simba. The morning flew by as I worked on several activities in preparation for a 1 pm meeting that I had to attend. I was also checking Lisa's status here, knowing I didn't want to be late! -- Well of course the meeting ran longer than expected and Lisa's flighted was aided by some nice tailwinds. As her call came in, I was just leaving leaving the office. I told her to "walk slow"... I sped down I-95 doing about 70 mph and was just keeping up with traffic. That actually drive pretty fast down here (more than I'm use to) and there were quite a few people passing me...I stepped it up!! -- I arrived in record time (for me) and Lisa had not been waiting to long!! (Thank God) --

After a month in Colorado (for Lisa and Simba), we were all back home again in Florida.

The Buenos Aires Project (Part Dos)

The weather has finally cooled a bit as big puffy clouds cover the sky, with a strong hint of rain looming. The river (rio de la plata) is the color of a nice starbuck's mocha as it makes it's way toward the Atlantic. I originally thought that BA was on the ocean, but the ocean is 50 miles to the East. This is the river delta, it's brown color comes from the rich earth it's transporting down from the Amazon basin north and the Andes to the West. It's technically the widest river in the world!!

Our office over looks the port, which is very active every day. It's also a very old port. Another fun fact is that the people of Buenos Aires are called "Portenos" (people of the port)

The trip is going as planned with numerous meetings, on-going conference calls and 1:1 meetings with my direct reports and other Hi Po's in the organization. It's a challenge to keep people motivated amidst all the change going on with the company. One more day and I'll be winging my way home.

Lisa went to the Bay Area yesterday...returns to Colorado on Thursday, then flies to Miami on Friday for our reunion!! -- I haven't seen her since I left on NYE. We need to invest in webcams! -- We've got nothing planned for the weekend, but we will be able to drink again...due to the "South Beach" diet, we've been on the wagon. - I know I feel better because of it!!!

And yes Tim, we will hold the drawing for the KBCO disk this week-end...I promise!! -- Your chances look pretty good...

The Buenos Aires Project...

I´m in BA on business for a few days. It was cheaper to fly down mid week and enjoy the weekend and return, than to try and leave on Sunday and return Friday night. Lisa was staying in Colorado anyway...or she was staying because I was traveling.

The weather here is glorious! Sunny, warm, slight breeze. I dragged along a raincoat because our admin sent me a weather report that suggested rain both days. but nada...maybe tomorrow.

Yesterday was spent walking around, going to the pool, reading, getting caught up on sleep and reading email...oh and eating...I´m splurging tonight on Beef!! - It´s OK it´s low carb!

I head back to Boca on Wednesday night. Lisa return Friday and I think we´re going someplace for the long weekend. I´m home a week then it´s off to Santiago, Chile for a week. I return just in time for (psst...it´s a secret)

Leaving on a jet plane...

I'm packing tonight for my travels to Argentina...trying to go light but also take the required stuff. It's warm (summer) but probably going to be overcast and rainy...I'll need some trusty Northface gear to shed the rain. I'll probably take my laptop, but the office is close so that's a toss up. I bought a map to go with the "Lonely Planet" guide I bought for the October trip. I'm thinking of taking the train down to MIA, but I'm up in the air...I'll see what I feel like in the morning.

It's a night flight...lovely...I had problems last time, so this time I gotta make myself get up and walk. No self medication of wine (in the Admirals club) and Tylenol PM. I'm down there until next Wednesday...another night flight home. (arrive Thursday morning)

I have a driver picking me up...it was a hella ride last time...the freeway was chocker block with cars so we basically cut straight across Buenes Aires...a wild ride to say the least. Picture a two lane street, 4-way intersection 3 cars abreast and no 4-way stop, lights or anything. It was like, "Gun it and go!"

Lisa comes back on that Friday (01/16). (yeah!!!)

And for those of you reading this...I did not forget about the KBCO give-away for my trusty followers...My assistant is not here to oversee the drawing and pull the name out of the hat. I'll "git'er done" as soon as Lisa gets back!!

Sundays

I love Sundays in general...No work, get to sleep in (usually), morning coffee while reading the paper, prep for the upcoming week, cooking dinner, the usual stuff. -- 

We try and make it a point to be home for dinner, just the two of us on Sundays. We typically cook on Sunday evening. Try new receipe's, prep together, cook, eat, clean. Kinda like the circle of life (lol) -- I guess way back when it was catch it, clean it, eat it (but I digress). 

Lisa's a great cook (as is her dad and sister),  but it's the new year and I've been using the "South Beach Diet" book for the last several years primarily in January. That's the most restrictive phase  and least "cooking friendly". Plus I (we) give up wine for a couple weeks...ugh. I'm back to quiche, celery, turky roll-ups, grilled chicken boobs, salads, almonds, cheese sticks and water. -- I'm sure I'm missing a few stables but thats the jist of it...protein, water, no carbs. -- It works for me...partly portion control, but mostly no bread, pasta, chips, all the comfort foods! It's an easy diet and leads to a healthier lifestyle.

But this is about Sundays and I'm here in Boca...and the loved ones (except Simba) are out enjoying some fresh snow at the Beav! -- I think I'll just have the already made chicken breasts, some salad, (Lisa would call it Lettuce w/dressing)  a few celery sticks, some almonds and my water for dinner. -- No cooking for this boy on Sunday till my honey comes home!! -- then maybe we'll engage in a pillow fight, which is the reason so many of these Sunday's have happened!! ;-)  (I'll just leave you wondering...)

New Year's Day

Happy New Year's everyone!!

I'm back in Boca Raton, Florida having flown down yesterday. Lisa chose to stay in Colorado for work reasons and due to my travel plans. I'm traveling to Argentina (1/8 - 1/14). We have not been apart on NYE, since we started going out in 1992. (it was uneventful...and a little bit lonely)

Today I walked our nornal loop and stuck my toes in the ocean here.

If you have not seen this movie; do yourself a favor and go...It's really good. -- and Jennifer does get nekkid!!!

The Kroes family sent us some coffee for the holidays, and it was good!! No I did not drink all of it!!  (Thanks Tim, Susan, Jessi, Dylan) -- Timbo and I have also hooked up on facebook... with a few other,  mostly Muskegon (i.e. Mona Shores High School)  people and some CU alumni. -- I also found the daughter of my cousin Diane on there! Kinda weired sending a stranger (distant relative) a note asking, "Is your mother named Diane?" -- But hey, if it keeps us all connected, why not. 

I'm signed up on "twitter" but I don't get the point.

I called my dad today (missed him on Christmas) and received a call from aunt Stella. (At what age do you stop referring to them as aunt xxxx or uncle yyyy?) -- Stella is the sister of my late mother and also Diane's mom. -- We were close growing up, but then we all drifted away and apart. I reconnected with Diane and several family members a couple years ago. 

My record for number of consecutive days in shorts (while in Florida) continues. But I'm not going to "count" the number of days we're down here anymore. We moved here for work, when it's time to move back, we will!!