Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Welcome back.
I just wrote a very very long Ten on Tuesday summing up my Dominican travels. As I went to post, it signed me out and deleted itself. God bless the internet.
The Dominican Republic, in review.
My second try at this post...
Catie, Tommy and I have returned from our adventure, slightly ill but alive. I had a great time, the sunshine was good to me and I return with a head full of memories (and mucus). I thought I would devote my Ten on Tuesday to a Diez de DomDom and attempt to cover the most important points of the trip.
1. Our 18 hour layover in Panama wasn't so bad. The Panamanian government wasn't too thrilled about letting us out of the airport without a real purpose for being there, but we made it work. The taxi man (turned on the radio and the Jay-z song was on) recommended a great hotel with a restaurant. We had some good food, some good sleep, and returned to the airport the following morning. Fun fact: beer and a bottle of water were both $1.50.
2. We arrived at the Melia Caribe Tropical resort on Monday afternoon. Our flight came in with some friends and family of the bride and groom, but mostly everyone arrived earlier or trickled in on the following days. It was great to spend time with those we already knew and to get to know others that we didn't. Those Cubans/Ecuadorians are crazy, I couldn't keep up. I have no complaints though. I had some quality travel time with my Catie Joy, and walked hand in hand with my Thomas on the beach on a warm night. That was all I needed.
3. Our resort was all-inclusive food, drink, and non-motorized water sports. This is resort code for "you will overeat, you will think you're drinking a lot but there's not really alcohol in the cocktails, and kayaks and pedal boats are all yours but anything else will cost your limbs and firstborn child." We did fall in love with a passion fruit martini which was more like a pinkish-orange slushy served in small amounts.
4. One of the days a group of us took a trip to the nearby island Catalina. The water was clear, the sand was white, and it was the perfect opportunity to catch some r&r in the shade of a palm. The only downside was the complimentary endless fountain of alcohol and the serious lack of food.
5. I was sad to miss Thanksgiving in the US of A. We were promised a Thanksgiving dinner at the resort, but alas, it fell short. There was an inflatable turkey outside the buffet that night, and a chef carving turkey while we watched. And that concluded Thanksgiving. No pilgrims, no alphabetical gratitude and most importantly, no mashed potatoes. Four or five gentlemen were dressed up like the village people and spontaneously danced in choreographed movement in the bar later, but I'm not sure if that was related.
6. The wedding rehearsal took place on Friday afternoon on the sand. The bride and groom wore white swimsuits, while the bridesmaids wore coral swimsuits in the same style, and the groomsmen wore the same boardshorts in teal. This was the moment I had been dreading since my winter body is not swimsuit-approved, but it turned out that several people parading on the beach in fluorescent colors was enough of a freak show that I didn't even notice. We drew quite the crowd of onlookers as well. It was silly, but very memorable.
7. The ceremony was the following day. It was perfect. Chris looked like a strapping young gent and Jesenia looked absolutely gorgeous. I definitely cried when she walked down the aisle. I also cried when they read their vows, and when they took communion, and when they were announced at the end. Call me a sap. The ceremony was on the beach at 4pm on a Saturday, and attracted probably twice as many uninvited guests as invited guests. A security guard was trying to keep people from getting too close, but I'm sure at least half of their ceremony photos have women in bikinis and fat men in speedos in the background.
8. Cocktails in a gazebo followed the ceremony while pictures were taken. The sun was setting and the backdrop of an orange and purple sky with champagne and hors d'oeuvres in hand was just amazing. A band led the parade of guests down the beach to a wonderful outdoor reception complete with lights strung between palm trees and a glowing dance floor that pulsed disco colors. Everyone, including Jes and Chris, was super relaxed and had fun dancing and socializing. The food was also fantastic. We sent the bride and groom off through a tunnel of sparklers and into their future.
9. Catie, Tommy and I left the Dom on Sunday afternoon. We all got on the plane perfectly healthy, but by the time we disembarked in Los Angeles, we had each fallen ill in some way. Thanks to time travel (or time zones.. same thing), we arrived around 11pm on Sunday. Tommy's wonderful father picked us up and by the time we made it to our beds, we were less than human. But again, no complaints.. such things are an inevitable part of traveling.
10. I took a healthy amount of pictures on the trip. Perhaps I will share some in an upcoming blog, and no doubt an album will land on Facebook pretty soon. I have to give some recognition to Tommy for being very camera happy and making sure my camera came home with pictures of absolutely everything. <3
Kudos if you made it to the end. Thanks for reading. Xo and I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Catie, Tommy and I have returned from our adventure, slightly ill but alive. I had a great time, the sunshine was good to me and I return with a head full of memories (and mucus). I thought I would devote my Ten on Tuesday to a Diez de DomDom and attempt to cover the most important points of the trip.
1. Our 18 hour layover in Panama wasn't so bad. The Panamanian government wasn't too thrilled about letting us out of the airport without a real purpose for being there, but we made it work. The taxi man (turned on the radio and the Jay-z song was on) recommended a great hotel with a restaurant. We had some good food, some good sleep, and returned to the airport the following morning. Fun fact: beer and a bottle of water were both $1.50.
2. We arrived at the Melia Caribe Tropical resort on Monday afternoon. Our flight came in with some friends and family of the bride and groom, but mostly everyone arrived earlier or trickled in on the following days. It was great to spend time with those we already knew and to get to know others that we didn't. Those Cubans/Ecuadorians are crazy, I couldn't keep up. I have no complaints though. I had some quality travel time with my Catie Joy, and walked hand in hand with my Thomas on the beach on a warm night. That was all I needed.
3. Our resort was all-inclusive food, drink, and non-motorized water sports. This is resort code for "you will overeat, you will think you're drinking a lot but there's not really alcohol in the cocktails, and kayaks and pedal boats are all yours but anything else will cost your limbs and firstborn child." We did fall in love with a passion fruit martini which was more like a pinkish-orange slushy served in small amounts.
4. One of the days a group of us took a trip to the nearby island Catalina. The water was clear, the sand was white, and it was the perfect opportunity to catch some r&r in the shade of a palm. The only downside was the complimentary endless fountain of alcohol and the serious lack of food.
5. I was sad to miss Thanksgiving in the US of A. We were promised a Thanksgiving dinner at the resort, but alas, it fell short. There was an inflatable turkey outside the buffet that night, and a chef carving turkey while we watched. And that concluded Thanksgiving. No pilgrims, no alphabetical gratitude and most importantly, no mashed potatoes. Four or five gentlemen were dressed up like the village people and spontaneously danced in choreographed movement in the bar later, but I'm not sure if that was related.
6. The wedding rehearsal took place on Friday afternoon on the sand. The bride and groom wore white swimsuits, while the bridesmaids wore coral swimsuits in the same style, and the groomsmen wore the same boardshorts in teal. This was the moment I had been dreading since my winter body is not swimsuit-approved, but it turned out that several people parading on the beach in fluorescent colors was enough of a freak show that I didn't even notice. We drew quite the crowd of onlookers as well. It was silly, but very memorable.
7. The ceremony was the following day. It was perfect. Chris looked like a strapping young gent and Jesenia looked absolutely gorgeous. I definitely cried when she walked down the aisle. I also cried when they read their vows, and when they took communion, and when they were announced at the end. Call me a sap. The ceremony was on the beach at 4pm on a Saturday, and attracted probably twice as many uninvited guests as invited guests. A security guard was trying to keep people from getting too close, but I'm sure at least half of their ceremony photos have women in bikinis and fat men in speedos in the background.
8. Cocktails in a gazebo followed the ceremony while pictures were taken. The sun was setting and the backdrop of an orange and purple sky with champagne and hors d'oeuvres in hand was just amazing. A band led the parade of guests down the beach to a wonderful outdoor reception complete with lights strung between palm trees and a glowing dance floor that pulsed disco colors. Everyone, including Jes and Chris, was super relaxed and had fun dancing and socializing. The food was also fantastic. We sent the bride and groom off through a tunnel of sparklers and into their future.
9. Catie, Tommy and I left the Dom on Sunday afternoon. We all got on the plane perfectly healthy, but by the time we disembarked in Los Angeles, we had each fallen ill in some way. Thanks to time travel (or time zones.. same thing), we arrived around 11pm on Sunday. Tommy's wonderful father picked us up and by the time we made it to our beds, we were less than human. But again, no complaints.. such things are an inevitable part of traveling.
10. I took a healthy amount of pictures on the trip. Perhaps I will share some in an upcoming blog, and no doubt an album will land on Facebook pretty soon. I have to give some recognition to Tommy for being very camera happy and making sure my camera came home with pictures of absolutely everything. <3
Kudos if you made it to the end. Thanks for reading. Xo and I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Kisses & Disses: Potatoes & Nosebleeds
I thought today I would do something a little different... idea stolen from the inexhaustible and amazing archives of jasminestarblog.com.
I spent Saturday running productive errands. The only thing I didn't accomplish was Home Depot for replacement weather stripping for the front door. I just LOVE all the leaves blowing in under the door. Saturday evening was "little" cousin Brieana's 21st birthday party. Tommy and I attended, caught up on the latest family happenings, then hit the road for a visit to his parents' house in Beaumont. We stayed overnight, and true to form in the dry desert, Tommy's and my nose were cracked and dry and spared no bloodflow. I was awake for at least an hour fearing I would get a bloody nose on the white sheets and once I managed to sleep, woke up on my back choking on my own blood. Lovely We spent Sunday shopping at the outlets in Cabazon and came back to a magical Thanksgiving meal his mom had cooked. Since we'll be in the DomDom for the real Thanksgiving, we had a pre-celebration. Turkey, potatoes, etc. has always been my favorite meal ever, but there was something about those potatoes last night. Homemade mashed potatoes with not a lump to be found, perfectly seasoned, with just the right amount of turkey gravy. I can't stop thinking about it. There were fresh-baked cookies for dessert, but I didn't enjoy them like I wanted to because the magical potatoes had taken over my world. Here I am on Monday afternoon, almost 24 hours past since potato consumption and at least an hour drive to any possible leftovers. And that leads me to....
Today's Kisses:
- Potatoes mashed with love and gravy
- Productive days (mainly crossing things off the to-do list)
- Dominican Republic countdown: 6 days (!!!!!!!!!!)
- Time spent with extended family/boyfriend/boyfriend's family
- My nicely progressing tan-line blending thanks to Sun Club Tanning of Anaheim Hills
- Bomb gas mileage in my new car
- 50th wedding anniversary of Chris & Lalo Maraboto (2 of my coworkers)... 50 years!!!
Today's Disses:
- Nosebleeds!! Grrrrrr
- Knowing there are delicious potatoes out there somewhere that I am being denied access to
- Blackhawks victory over the Ducks yesterday, in overtime, with 30 seconds left... I mean come on
- Dogs who chew weather stripping off of front doors (and miniblind strings, but that's another issue altogether)
- Street construction making me 20 minutes late for work instead of my usual 10 minutes late
Despite the large volume of daily disses, I must remind myself that there are oodles more kisses to be thankful for. Happy Monday!
I spent Saturday running productive errands. The only thing I didn't accomplish was Home Depot for replacement weather stripping for the front door. I just LOVE all the leaves blowing in under the door. Saturday evening was "little" cousin Brieana's 21st birthday party. Tommy and I attended, caught up on the latest family happenings, then hit the road for a visit to his parents' house in Beaumont. We stayed overnight, and true to form in the dry desert, Tommy's and my nose were cracked and dry and spared no bloodflow. I was awake for at least an hour fearing I would get a bloody nose on the white sheets and once I managed to sleep, woke up on my back choking on my own blood. Lovely We spent Sunday shopping at the outlets in Cabazon and came back to a magical Thanksgiving meal his mom had cooked. Since we'll be in the DomDom for the real Thanksgiving, we had a pre-celebration. Turkey, potatoes, etc. has always been my favorite meal ever, but there was something about those potatoes last night. Homemade mashed potatoes with not a lump to be found, perfectly seasoned, with just the right amount of turkey gravy. I can't stop thinking about it. There were fresh-baked cookies for dessert, but I didn't enjoy them like I wanted to because the magical potatoes had taken over my world. Here I am on Monday afternoon, almost 24 hours past since potato consumption and at least an hour drive to any possible leftovers. And that leads me to....
Today's Kisses:
- Potatoes mashed with love and gravy
- Productive days (mainly crossing things off the to-do list)
- Dominican Republic countdown: 6 days (!!!!!!!!!!)
- Time spent with extended family/boyfriend/boyfriend's family
- My nicely progressing tan-line blending thanks to Sun Club Tanning of Anaheim Hills
- Bomb gas mileage in my new car
- 50th wedding anniversary of Chris & Lalo Maraboto (2 of my coworkers)... 50 years!!!
Today's Disses:
- Nosebleeds!! Grrrrrr
- Knowing there are delicious potatoes out there somewhere that I am being denied access to
- Blackhawks victory over the Ducks yesterday, in overtime, with 30 seconds left... I mean come on
- Dogs who chew weather stripping off of front doors (and miniblind strings, but that's another issue altogether)
- Street construction making me 20 minutes late for work instead of my usual 10 minutes late
Despite the large volume of daily disses, I must remind myself that there are oodles more kisses to be thankful for. Happy Monday!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Ten on Tuesday
1. Day 4 with my sweet new wheels. The car is automatic but it has the option to drive it manual. There is no clutch and I'm pretty sure the car would take over if I did something stupid. Still, I like to switch it back and forth and pretend I'm a race car driver.
2. Leaving for the La Republica Dominicana in 12 days!! I don't believe it. I'm getting my indoor tan on and brainstorming outfits to pack but it just doesn't feel real yet!
3. I joined the gym again. I am under a "couples" membership with Tommy so it's cheaper than for your average jazzerciser. Funny how I vowed to tone up before the Dom, and here I am getting the membership 12 days before. Haha. Tommy is going to be my trainer and I'm very excited to be thirty flirty and thriving.
4. Speaking of the DomDom and TomTom and PomPoms and BonBons (really just the TomTom one), our 9 year (month) anniversary is tomorrow. The other day I would have sworn it was our 10 month. I'm gonna be the wife who doesn't remember the anniversary at all when the husband has something fabulous planned. It's a good thing my man thinks I'm wonderful :) <3
5. I will be changing my blog theme in honor of the upcoming excitement.
6. Speaking of blog themes, I religiously set aside recyclable items instead of throwing away. The problem is that my laziness prevents me from taking them to a recycling center. Last week the cleaning lady got fed up with all the bags and moved them into the garage. I just realized that I'll probably never recycle those cans & bottles cuz I don't want to get my nice new trunk all sticky. Ahhh such a crisis.
7. I learned something new today. All federal buildings have outlawed smoking on site (duh) but that includes all federal prisons. I mean, what is a prison without smoking? I picture the inmates sitting around playing cards for cigarettes. And Lady Gaga with Diet Coke can rollers in her hair and a cigarette in hand.
8. Work is slow today. I stare at the phone and dare it to ring so I'll have something to do. Better than those days where I swear I'll beat the phone to a pulp if I have to pick it up again.
9. I was thinking about this tidbit the other day: For the VU yearbook I was asked what my favorite word was, and not taking it seriously, I said "'creeper' because I am one". My thoughtful quote appears as a banner atop a page in the yearbook, of course accredited to me.
10. Amidst all the car buying and lease terminating this weekend, I was able to spend some time with Tommy and my family. Nothing makes me happier.
2. Leaving for the La Republica Dominicana in 12 days!! I don't believe it. I'm getting my indoor tan on and brainstorming outfits to pack but it just doesn't feel real yet!
3. I joined the gym again. I am under a "couples" membership with Tommy so it's cheaper than for your average jazzerciser. Funny how I vowed to tone up before the Dom, and here I am getting the membership 12 days before. Haha. Tommy is going to be my trainer and I'm very excited to be thirty flirty and thriving.
4. Speaking of the DomDom and TomTom and PomPoms and BonBons (really just the TomTom one), our 9 year (month) anniversary is tomorrow. The other day I would have sworn it was our 10 month. I'm gonna be the wife who doesn't remember the anniversary at all when the husband has something fabulous planned. It's a good thing my man thinks I'm wonderful :) <3
5. I will be changing my blog theme in honor of the upcoming excitement.
6. Speaking of blog themes, I religiously set aside recyclable items instead of throwing away. The problem is that my laziness prevents me from taking them to a recycling center. Last week the cleaning lady got fed up with all the bags and moved them into the garage. I just realized that I'll probably never recycle those cans & bottles cuz I don't want to get my nice new trunk all sticky. Ahhh such a crisis.
7. I learned something new today. All federal buildings have outlawed smoking on site (duh) but that includes all federal prisons. I mean, what is a prison without smoking? I picture the inmates sitting around playing cards for cigarettes. And Lady Gaga with Diet Coke can rollers in her hair and a cigarette in hand.
8. Work is slow today. I stare at the phone and dare it to ring so I'll have something to do. Better than those days where I swear I'll beat the phone to a pulp if I have to pick it up again.
9. I was thinking about this tidbit the other day: For the VU yearbook I was asked what my favorite word was, and not taking it seriously, I said "'creeper' because I am one". My thoughtful quote appears as a banner atop a page in the yearbook, of course accredited to me.
10. Amidst all the car buying and lease terminating this weekend, I was able to spend some time with Tommy and my family. Nothing makes me happier.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Auto Diaries
Yesterday, I said goodbye to a very big part of my life: Miss Mandy McQueen. I'll miss the bright torch red, her unforgettable curves, and the wild horses under her hood. She came into my world November 23, 2007 and left us November 7, 2010. We did everything together... And with a sad heart, this chapter has ended.
With all ends, there come new beginnings. I would like to introduce you to Mazda3 Dawson (she is not named yet, like newborn Baby Girl Dawson.. you understand). She is economical, spacious, and always wears a giant smile. It's hard growing up and having to make practical choices for the future. We don't know each other that well yet, but we're getting there.
(PS can some please tell me how to put pictures where I want them...?)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Ten on Tuesday
I hopped off the plane at LAX with a dream and my cardigan....
1. What is up soul sisters?
2. Boss is out of the office all day. Therefore, I eat Chex Mix and write poetry from 12-5pm.
3. I didn't do so well on last week's physio exam. I think my head inflated after the first exam, but I'm back to reality now.
4. Lady A on Saturday night was fantastic. Shout out to Catie and Krista for a fun-filled fabulous flipperific evening. And a shout out to all my lady friends who know when it's okay to wear leggings, and when it's not. But no hatred here, Hillary Scott is very amazing.
5. Nineteen days til our reedonkulous Panama layover and 20 until the DomDomDom!!!! I'm having a small crisis regarding the proper bra to wear with the bridesmaid dress. Otherwise I can't waaaait!
6. This may be my last week with my Mandy girl. But such is life... You gotta give a little, take a little, let your poor heart break a little. As for a replacement, plan A is a Mazda 3, plan B is a Civic, plan C is buy out the lease on Mandy.
7. There is currently street construction outside the office and it's bringing back painful memories of when our pool was redone. I LOVE jackhammers.
8. I think I just wrote #'s 1-7 in like 4.2 seconds. I'm on a serious caffeine high right now... EEEEEEEEEEEEE.
9. I blew my nose a couple minutes ago and now everything smells like Ramen. TMI? Nah.
10. Country lyric to brighten up your day: "I know I said I woudn't miss you, but now I'm saying I'm a fool. You're on the feel good side of leaving, and I'm the backside of a mule."
Happy second day of November. Hope it's a good one. PS My boyfriend is the greatest.
1. What is up soul sisters?
2. Boss is out of the office all day. Therefore, I eat Chex Mix and write poetry from 12-5pm.
3. I didn't do so well on last week's physio exam. I think my head inflated after the first exam, but I'm back to reality now.
4. Lady A on Saturday night was fantastic. Shout out to Catie and Krista for a fun-filled fabulous flipperific evening. And a shout out to all my lady friends who know when it's okay to wear leggings, and when it's not. But no hatred here, Hillary Scott is very amazing.
5. Nineteen days til our reedonkulous Panama layover and 20 until the DomDomDom!!!! I'm having a small crisis regarding the proper bra to wear with the bridesmaid dress. Otherwise I can't waaaait!
6. This may be my last week with my Mandy girl. But such is life... You gotta give a little, take a little, let your poor heart break a little. As for a replacement, plan A is a Mazda 3, plan B is a Civic, plan C is buy out the lease on Mandy.
7. There is currently street construction outside the office and it's bringing back painful memories of when our pool was redone. I LOVE jackhammers.
8. I think I just wrote #'s 1-7 in like 4.2 seconds. I'm on a serious caffeine high right now... EEEEEEEEEEEEE.
9. I blew my nose a couple minutes ago and now everything smells like Ramen. TMI? Nah.
10. Country lyric to brighten up your day: "I know I said I woudn't miss you, but now I'm saying I'm a fool. You're on the feel good side of leaving, and I'm the backside of a mule."
Happy second day of November. Hope it's a good one. PS My boyfriend is the greatest.
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