Lapeer County, MI
made the local Juarez, Mexico news this morning. I am back in Mexico on business this week; last week I experienced snow and this morning Lapeer County, MI made the news. There was a terrible semi and multi car accident on 69 in Lapeer County due to snow and ice. And they reported more snow and ice to come in the Detroit area today. It was weird to hear Lapeer County and it was in Spanish to boot!
Monday, January 29, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Finally, I got to see SNOW!
And in Juarez, Mexico, of all places! I am on business in Juarez this week and last night Juarez and El Paso, Texas, got hit with a snow storm. Right now there is about 3-4 inches on the ground and it is still snowing. It is really pretty, but weird to look at the snow in a desert. Who thinks of snow when they are in a desert environment?!
And in Juarez, Mexico, of all places! I am on business in Juarez this week and last night Juarez and El Paso, Texas, got hit with a snow storm. Right now there is about 3-4 inches on the ground and it is still snowing. It is really pretty, but weird to look at the snow in a desert. Who thinks of snow when they are in a desert environment?!
Friday, January 19, 2007
My Memphis Vacation
Why Memphis, you ask? Let me explain. For 2 months now I have been anticipating a vacation to San Antonio, Texas, with my good friend, Dana. Dana was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hotchkins Lymphoma back in August and went through several months of aggressive chemotherapy treatments. Her final round of chemo ended the third week of December so in November she decided she wanted to get away in January to 'celebrate' her final round of her first phase of chemo. Then after our vacation she could concentrate on what her next steps would be with her battle with cancer. Dana did find out in December that she is cancer free and she in now in remission! Her next steps in her treatments are still unknown, but this is great news. Back to my story...
We were looking forward to sunshine and shopping, and good eats and drinks. A terrible ice storm hit San Antonio the afternoon and night before we were to leave. Yes, an ice storm in Texas! And snow was to follow. We decided to go on the trip anyway. My travel plans were to take me from Nashville to Memphis to San Antonio; Dana's were from Flint to Atlanta to San Antonio. I left Nashville at 6:00am Wednesday morning and arrived in Memphis at 6:35am. By 7:00am I found out that they closed the San Antonio airport for the day or most of the day. OK, maybe not a big deal, I could get to San Antonio Thursday morning and just lose one day of being in San Antonio. And I knew Dana would be dealing with the same issue in Atlanta. The ticket agent then booked me on a flight for Thursday evening at 9:50pm on stand-by. STAND-BY?? So this means I wasn't even confirmed on the evening flight so I would have to stay in Memphis for 2 days, possibly 3, just to wait and see if I could get to San Antonio. I finally spoke with Dana and she had no idea what was happening with the flights in Atlanta. She was told that her flight would be delayed, but didn't know what time her flight would be that day. I finally decided I was going to head back to Nashville and cancel my trip to San Antonio since we were to leave San Antonio on Saturday anyway. So I was back on a plane by 9:30am and home by 10:30am! Dana finally made it to San Antonio late Wednesday night, but had to stay at a hotel for a couple of nights because her aunt was iced in at her home and couldn't get out to come to the airport to pick her up. I am sure this is not the vacation she was expecting either.
I guess I am not meant to take vacations! Back in November I had to go to NY to our Corporate Headquarters and a friend that I work with decided we should take a few extra days and live it up in NY City. Well, her husband had surgery and many complications so she had to cancel her trip which means my trip was cut short.
So if any of you ever get the opportunity to take a flight (no more than hour) and once you arrive at the airport take the next flight back to the city where you started, I would highly recommend it. What a thrill! I was very disappointed that I wouldn't be spending time with Dana, but I also didn't get to see Elvis while in Memphis!
Why Memphis, you ask? Let me explain. For 2 months now I have been anticipating a vacation to San Antonio, Texas, with my good friend, Dana. Dana was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hotchkins Lymphoma back in August and went through several months of aggressive chemotherapy treatments. Her final round of chemo ended the third week of December so in November she decided she wanted to get away in January to 'celebrate' her final round of her first phase of chemo. Then after our vacation she could concentrate on what her next steps would be with her battle with cancer. Dana did find out in December that she is cancer free and she in now in remission! Her next steps in her treatments are still unknown, but this is great news. Back to my story...
We were looking forward to sunshine and shopping, and good eats and drinks. A terrible ice storm hit San Antonio the afternoon and night before we were to leave. Yes, an ice storm in Texas! And snow was to follow. We decided to go on the trip anyway. My travel plans were to take me from Nashville to Memphis to San Antonio; Dana's were from Flint to Atlanta to San Antonio. I left Nashville at 6:00am Wednesday morning and arrived in Memphis at 6:35am. By 7:00am I found out that they closed the San Antonio airport for the day or most of the day. OK, maybe not a big deal, I could get to San Antonio Thursday morning and just lose one day of being in San Antonio. And I knew Dana would be dealing with the same issue in Atlanta. The ticket agent then booked me on a flight for Thursday evening at 9:50pm on stand-by. STAND-BY?? So this means I wasn't even confirmed on the evening flight so I would have to stay in Memphis for 2 days, possibly 3, just to wait and see if I could get to San Antonio. I finally spoke with Dana and she had no idea what was happening with the flights in Atlanta. She was told that her flight would be delayed, but didn't know what time her flight would be that day. I finally decided I was going to head back to Nashville and cancel my trip to San Antonio since we were to leave San Antonio on Saturday anyway. So I was back on a plane by 9:30am and home by 10:30am! Dana finally made it to San Antonio late Wednesday night, but had to stay at a hotel for a couple of nights because her aunt was iced in at her home and couldn't get out to come to the airport to pick her up. I am sure this is not the vacation she was expecting either.
I guess I am not meant to take vacations! Back in November I had to go to NY to our Corporate Headquarters and a friend that I work with decided we should take a few extra days and live it up in NY City. Well, her husband had surgery and many complications so she had to cancel her trip which means my trip was cut short.
So if any of you ever get the opportunity to take a flight (no more than hour) and once you arrive at the airport take the next flight back to the city where you started, I would highly recommend it. What a thrill! I was very disappointed that I wouldn't be spending time with Dana, but I also didn't get to see Elvis while in Memphis!
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Week with the 'Rents'
My parents spent Christmas and New Years with me in the south and what a week it was. We spent several days shopping for new furniture for my new house and moving the furniture that I have to another area of the house, most went upstairs to create a new living area in my bonus room. I even moved the TV and stereo upstairs to the bonus room and this is now my favorite room in the house! Yesterday, my La-Z-Boy recliner was delivered and this completed the bonus room. The rest of the furniture should be arriving by the end of the month.
During our shopping sprees, we found time to do some geocaching. We found 12 in total (14 attempts) near my home and there are still numerous more to find. The weather was nice for several days so we wanted to spend time outside and this was a perfect way to soak up the sunshine, get some exercise, and see parts of my city that I didn't know existed.
I have always enjoyed driving around and looking at Christmas lights in neighborhoods and towns. So one night we ventured out to look at the Christmas lights in the Nashville area. I think we saw 3 homes with lights! Guess putting lights on houses or trees are not that popular in the south.
And for those of you who really know us Reagans know we love to play games (board, card, etc.). We played Blink and Mad Gab several nights and laughed our heads off. Boy, are my parents competitive! We even made it to the movie theater and saw We Are Marshall. Excellent film and true story about the tragedy of the Marshall University football team and what happened to the town of Huntington, West Virginia. A must see movie.
I have learned a southern New Year's tradition. Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a southern tradition which is observed by many southerners. It's a tradition to eat black-eyed peas and turnip greens on New Year's Day. The peas represent copper and the greens are dollars. Southerners say each pea you eat equals one dollar's worth of earning, and each portion of turnip greens equals $1,000. This is to bring good luck and prosperity. I think it will just help clean out the digestive system! I didn't partake in this tradition this year, but I may have to next year. Some things will just take time getting used to.
My parents spent Christmas and New Years with me in the south and what a week it was. We spent several days shopping for new furniture for my new house and moving the furniture that I have to another area of the house, most went upstairs to create a new living area in my bonus room. I even moved the TV and stereo upstairs to the bonus room and this is now my favorite room in the house! Yesterday, my La-Z-Boy recliner was delivered and this completed the bonus room. The rest of the furniture should be arriving by the end of the month.
During our shopping sprees, we found time to do some geocaching. We found 12 in total (14 attempts) near my home and there are still numerous more to find. The weather was nice for several days so we wanted to spend time outside and this was a perfect way to soak up the sunshine, get some exercise, and see parts of my city that I didn't know existed.
I have always enjoyed driving around and looking at Christmas lights in neighborhoods and towns. So one night we ventured out to look at the Christmas lights in the Nashville area. I think we saw 3 homes with lights! Guess putting lights on houses or trees are not that popular in the south.
And for those of you who really know us Reagans know we love to play games (board, card, etc.). We played Blink and Mad Gab several nights and laughed our heads off. Boy, are my parents competitive! We even made it to the movie theater and saw We Are Marshall. Excellent film and true story about the tragedy of the Marshall University football team and what happened to the town of Huntington, West Virginia. A must see movie.
I have learned a southern New Year's tradition. Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a southern tradition which is observed by many southerners. It's a tradition to eat black-eyed peas and turnip greens on New Year's Day. The peas represent copper and the greens are dollars. Southerners say each pea you eat equals one dollar's worth of earning, and each portion of turnip greens equals $1,000. This is to bring good luck and prosperity. I think it will just help clean out the digestive system! I didn't partake in this tradition this year, but I may have to next year. Some things will just take time getting used to.
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