Delayed.

Oh how this title could result in so many comments however I will take it to its literal meaning.  I'm delayed at Sea-Tac, again.  It was inevitable, almost every single flight my first three months was on time.  Last week, delayed 2 1/2 hours on two of the four flights.  Today, I was supposed to leave at 10:55am, I'm writing this at 12:19pm and right now I'm supposedly leaving at 2:02pm.  Already missed my connection so we'll see how this afternoon/evening goes.  I'm a bit nervous that there are not too many flights heading out to Grand Rapids MI! 

Well it's official, it is now 12:56pm and I've missed the final connection into Grand Rapids.  Hmmm this could get interesting considering I have a 9am meeting and the customer is 45 minutes from the airport.  Crap and a half.  I suppose its time to call the travel agent.

Any way you cut it ... this is the 'glamorous' side of travel.

Who doesn't love upstate New York in April.

I feel as though that is a loaded question.  Upstate New York, middle of April, one would think it would at least be above forty degrees yes?  Nope no such luck.  After what ended up being an entire day of travel I was hoping for at least comfortable, not FREEZING!  Literally 32 degrees when I arrived tonight.  After an 8am flight out of Seattle, layover in Minneapolis - delayed two hours, and arrival into Rochester at 7:30pm I am toast. 

We have two hours of store walks scheduled tomorrow, an hour meeting, another independent store walk and then back on a plane to head back to Seattle tomorrow afternoon.  Putting me back in Seattle at 10pm, if all is on time. 

Elizabeth, mom loves your two new teeth bringing the grand total to six!  Mommy loves the way you giggle and suck in air to laugh.  I love the way you wave, blow kisses and give hugs.  All of these adorable things are just a few of the things that mommy misses while she is traveling.  I love you and will be home to kiss you goodnight tomorrow, very late though. 

A good 'ole fashioned thunderstorm

Wow.

I forgot how crazy the thunderstorms can get here in the Midwest.  Literally walked outside tonight at 8pm and it was probably 70 degrees.  You could smell the storm coming.  Cold meets hot ... makes for some great lightning and thunder.  If you know me this was never my favorite part of living in the Midwest because it usually meant tornado's were coming.  However the news said the risk was low.  But they did warn about quarter size hail.  Still pretty small for a true thunderstorm.

Anyway, sitting in my hotel room watching it just flash over and over and over.  It is crazy.  It is right downtown as the thunder is immediately following the lightning and the hail is hitting against the windows.  Mind you I'm on the 33rd floor and I have a great view of the river and the lake. 

Interesting.  Well time to go to sleep.  Lizzy someday mommy will take you back to Minnesota and you can experience a good 'ole fashioned thunderstorm.  Just so long as there are no tornado's that come along with it! 

Oh What A Night!

Well yesterday evening a fellow industry peer and I decided to head out to dinner following the show so we hit up Bandera's.  A very fun Mexican Fusion restaurant on the mile.  Great Tuna Poke ... the most amazing Pork with Apricot Glaze I've ever had and a decent bottle of wine.  This momma wanted to let her hair down a bit so we decided to grab a drink at Vertigo.  Great bar at the top of The Dayna Hotel, possibly mentioned a few weeks back as we headed to this bar the last time I was in Chicago.  It was cool but we decided the piano bar would be much more fun!  So we headed to The Redhead Piano Bar ... very fun ... sang way too much and paid for the whole evening today!

That being said ... oh what a night it was tonight.  The hardware show sponsors an event at each convention and this one did not disappoint.  Dinner, drinks and Keith Urban ... how could we pass this up.  Great way to network with all the stores, manufacturers, etc and see an incredible concert.  Someday little Miss Lizzy we will go to a concert (well probably many) and you will realize how much fun it is to sit close to some very talented singers!  See pics below ... this made this trip worth it!  He is soooo good looking and that accent ... well forget it.  Last day of the show tomorrow ... phewww it has been busy!

Chi-Town ... Again

So here I am in the windy city once again.  Life/work has been absolutely insane, so insane I missed a complete trip last week.  I went to Orlando Monday of last week for a one hour meeting Tuesday.  Tuesday night I got home around midnight.  Gee what a fun one, nothing to report ... other than I saw the inside of hotel and an airport and that's about it! 

Back to now ... in Chicago for a hardware show and then some customer visits as well as another major customer meeting on Tuesday.  Yes you read correctly.  I'm here for a full week.  Honestly I miss Elizabeth.  We just Skyped (I got in too late last night, 1am) and boy do I miss her.  I feel as though she is changing day by day again.  Even tonight Ben told me that I will probably miss two more toofers coming in.  Sadness.  I knew the day would come when I would miss something.  Some big monument in her life.  But I don't think I'm prepared for it.  I know, I know she already has three teeth so it's not the 'first' but it is still her changing and I want to be there for that.

For now that I will need to concentrate on work.  I have three show days ahead, busy show days in a cramped booth.  Luckily I know the gal that I am sharing a booth with really well because we are tight, really tight!  We are getting to the point where we have FAR to much product to share booth space.  Oh well budgets are what they are.  Saturday will be fun because we are going to the conventions' evening event ... oh can anyone say Keith Urban!?!  Woohoo!  Or should it be yeehaw! 

Room service and club floor lounge tonight.  Status has its perks although I feel so guilty eating in the hotel in a city with some of the best food anywhere.  I think we'll hit up OySy tomorrow or maybe Shaw's ... we will see.  Check out the view from my room.  Beautiful don't you think?

go, Go, GO!

Gee whiz I am exhausted.  I just jumped on Skype with Lizzy and Ben and wow did it just hit me like a ton of bricks how much I miss my little girl.  I cannot wait to get home tomorrow evening.  Too bad my flight gets in around midnight.  Sucky. 

Luckily the days have gone by very quickly.  The show has been insane.  Insane in a good way and a bad way but insane is an appropriate word for it.  Overall lots of appointments and lots of impromptu meetings with great opportunity for 2011 and beyond.  That being said it is amazing how one crappy meeting can ruin an amazing day.  One step forward two steps back.  Crap.

On my way to dinner at some awesome restaurant I'm sure.  Friday night was Quartino (love this laid back, family style Italian restaurant).  Saturday night was an interesting dinner at Boka.  Although the appetizers of fresh oysters and hamachi was incredible, dinner was far too salty for me.  By the end of the night I was so congested I could hardly speak.  Not the best way to network.  Sunday evening we went to true traditional deep dish pizza and then Monday headed to ... I'm drawing a blank.  Suppose I'll need to fill in the blank later!  I'm on my way home ... chow!

Chi-Town

Well it's here. The biggest show of the year. I am writing to you from seat 1A on my way to Chicago. Make note of the time and then if this post does not make any legitimate sense you will know why.

Exhausted before we begin. I got about three hours of sleep last night and my incoming head coldis not helping a lick. But I am here. Along with a 50lb suitcase, a garment bag full of suits and a wig. Haha ... Sounds like a good time is about to be had! Pictures to follow, hopefully!

Lizzy, mommy misses you already but I love you and I'll be home soon. No more teeth and no crawling until I'm back okay? Continue to be the happy baby you are. I know daddy and you will have a blast!

Enough typing on the iPhone ... See you in the windy city!