Well overdue is this collection of observations and thanks to everyone, everything and every place that made the recent visit to Sedona a memorable one.
To the soldier at O’Hare,
Camouflage fatigues, a small, pink roll-a-board in tow, wearing a Hello Kitty backpack. Now that was a demonstration of bravery and execution of duty that went above and beyond. Thank you. For everything you and your fellow soldiers have done. I hope you had a great trip.
To National Car Rental,
You know, I just may have forgotten to pick up the car at the Phoenix airport save for your “friendly reminder” email. Makes me wonder how far I would have gotten on foot before I realized it.
To the Cozy Cactus Bed and Breakfast,
The Cowboy Hideaway Suite was great. Movie cowboy pictures and the little rug that looked like a pair of cowboy boots were nice touches. But I was not won over – it is still the pirate’s life for me. Not Roy Rogers or Gene Autry or Tom Mix; no, just call me Jack. Captain Jack.
To the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village,
Tlaquepaque? Not that this in an issue, you understand, but what if I had to stop and ask for directions? My midwestern, nee southern, speech patterns could not begin to deal with “Tlaquepaque.” I’m glad you were right on Highway 179 coming into town.
To Red Robin,
Your commercials are, well, annoying. But I have to give it to you, the burgers are really good. “Reeedddd ROBIN!”
To Rene,
How ever did you come to be located in an as-far-from-France-as-you-can-get place named Tlaquepaque? Nonetheless, what a nice restaurant.
To the lady singing from atop the red rocks,
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound... What a pleasant surprise, to hear that sweet sound wafting down from the red rock formations. It just made my morning. I trust you were blessed by the experience, as well.
To the Quil twins,
You got me through Day and Ny(te). It’s no fun being sick while you are away from home, but I’ll have to say, you guys helped.
To the guitar player at Rene,
You had me at the Adagio from Rodrigo’s Concerto de Aranjuez. It is haunting, moving and all-in-all, one of my favorite pieces. A nice touch to a pleasant evening at Rene
To Masked Rider wine,
You were chosen for the label. Just so you know.
To northern Arizona,
Nice touch, what with the rain and sleet and snow and wind and closed highways. Just like winter. But, as I have noted elsewhere in this blog, for that, I could have stayed in Wisconsin. Just so you know.
But weather not withstanding, it was an interesting three days in a beautiful place. With any luck, there will be another visit. And this time, we WILL make it to Jerome.
Showing posts with label Travel Letters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel Letters. Show all posts
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Song of the South
I've been away less than a week and already there are so many people and places to thank for making this trip to the Southland a memorable one.
To Dunkin'Donuts,
One of the reasons Ilike to will go through O'Hare on my travels is that you have a presence there. It gives me a chance at a large coffee and an old fashioned doughnut. Now the doughnuts are OK there, but there is just a little too much "old" in them. How do I know? Well, there is also a Dunkin'Donuts here in Morrow, GA. And their doughnuts are, well, better. A lot better. Perhaps it is because at O'Hare, the products have to go through a full body scan first? If it isn’t that, but a pat-down instead, just don’t tell me.
To the NMC*,
That was a great event you put on in Lexington. OK, so it took me three days to figure out the layout, what with the booths scattered all over and on several levels. But I eventually found everything I was looking for. The services were uplifting and challenging. As usual, the best part was the call for those who had made the decision to GO to COME and start their missions work right there. See you in Atlanta in 2011!
*National Missionary Convention
To delegates at the NMC,
The convention is a great place to meet friends, I know. But standing around in groups of ten or twelve right at the bottom of the escalator is so not a good idea. They even had to put up a sign. Really?
To Abraham Lincoln,
I must say you gave me quite a start, appearing as you did at the convention. Now at first I thought maybe I'd missed the rapture but, aside from you, everything in the exhibit hall seemed pretty much normal. Now that the shock of encountering such a well known and, until now, presumed long dead, personage, I have to offer you a suggestion. It's true, you are respected for being honest, but perhaps you should venture, ever-so-slightly, into the realm of tact. You know, like that time Mrs. Lincoln asked "Does this dress make my backside look big?" Now don't deny it, because we have the technology - here, have a look yourself. Now, repeat after me, "Why not at all, dear. You look just lovely in it."
To Lexington,
Seems you really dressed up for the Equestrian World Games this year. I'm guessing your city looks mighty fine all of the time, but I did notice the newer, large, colorful displays at the airport when I arrived. One in particular stood out, a photo of a magnificent horse in a green pasture. On the right were the words:
Honor the Land
Revere the Horse
Now I couldn't help but notice that there was no reference to PEOPLE so I question, where do we stand on your list? Third, just behind the horse, or perhaps a bit farther down? Just wondering.
To AmericanAirlines,
On all 12 legs of the last three trips I have taken, we have arrived early. It is making me a little nervous. Are you holding back for a really BIG surprise? If I had one complaint, it would be that we apparently surprised the ground crew in Atlanta and had to wait for them to punch in, finish their warm-up exercises and whatever else they do to get started for the day. But, since we still arrived at the gate ahead of schedule, I guess I'll just have to say, "Well done." And, "Keep it up." I have one more trip scheduled for this year yet.
To Atlanta,
This is WINTER? Man, you've got the right idea. I've always thought that the degree to which one enjoys a vacation is in direct proportion to the difference in the weather between where you are and where you came from. I am SO enjoying this week.*
* 17 degrees, with the wind chill bringing it down to 4 in La Crosse; 74 degrees here. What do I have to say about this. See my note to American Airlines above.
To the Georgia HIghway Department,
Thanks for the warning at the bridges. You know, the ones that read:
Caution. Bridge may freeze in winter.
In Wisconsin we have signs at the bridges, too. But ours read:
Hang in there. Bridge may thaw in summer.
It's an upper-midwest thing. You should come visit us sometime and experience it for yourself.
To the Morrow Police and Fire Departments,
Hang in there, we will be leaving soon. And thank you for your service and assistance. We did not know about the new security system installed at the house. Really. And locking the keys, and an infant, in the car. Could happen to anybody, right? Anyway, you are on the ball and we do rest easier knowing that there are professionals out there, ready to serve when called.
To all the Southern Cooks,
Your work is special, for sure. Just the other night we ate at a buffet style restaurant where the selection included fried okra, baby lima beans, black-eyed peas, chicken liver, "poultry" gravy, catfish, hushpuppies, fried chicken and collard greens, just to name a few. It struck me that the spread exemplified Southern cooking at its most basic level: If it walks, flies or swims, fry it; if it grows, boil it; serve with corn bread and sweet tea, eat, nap, repeat.
I shared these thoughts in another venue and got this relatively pertinent comment, "If you're very quiet now, you can listen to your own arteries hardening!!" Ahh... Southern cooking.
To the Buffet Restaurant,
I noticed that a few - a very few - of your offerings were labeled as "Healthy Choices." In other words, pretty much out of place. One of these was, to my surprise and delight, the chocolate pudding. Even though I suspected chocolate pudding might be a healthy choice only on comparison to the other cholesterol delivery options, I welcomed the chance to try it. And, now how can I put this? That was chocolate pudding in the same way that Velveeta is fine cheese. Sorry, but that's the way I saw it.
To the Couple at the ATL Admirals Club,
We don't want to know. We REALLY don't want to know.
To myLegion of One or Two Readers,
We are looking forward to our 40th family Thanksgiving dinner here in Morrow, GA. Wherever you are this week, may God bless you as you are reminded of how very much there is to be thankful for.
To Dunkin'Donuts,
One of the reasons I
To the NMC*,
That was a great event you put on in Lexington. OK, so it took me three days to figure out the layout, what with the booths scattered all over and on several levels. But I eventually found everything I was looking for. The services were uplifting and challenging. As usual, the best part was the call for those who had made the decision to GO to COME and start their missions work right there. See you in Atlanta in 2011!
*National Missionary Convention
To delegates at the NMC,
The convention is a great place to meet friends, I know. But standing around in groups of ten or twelve right at the bottom of the escalator is so not a good idea. They even had to put up a sign. Really?
To Abraham Lincoln,
I must say you gave me quite a start, appearing as you did at the convention. Now at first I thought maybe I'd missed the rapture but, aside from you, everything in the exhibit hall seemed pretty much normal. Now that the shock of encountering such a well known and, until now, presumed long dead, personage, I have to offer you a suggestion. It's true, you are respected for being honest, but perhaps you should venture, ever-so-slightly, into the realm of tact. You know, like that time Mrs. Lincoln asked "Does this dress make my backside look big?" Now don't deny it, because we have the technology - here, have a look yourself. Now, repeat after me, "Why not at all, dear. You look just lovely in it."
To Lexington,
Seems you really dressed up for the Equestrian World Games this year. I'm guessing your city looks mighty fine all of the time, but I did notice the newer, large, colorful displays at the airport when I arrived. One in particular stood out, a photo of a magnificent horse in a green pasture. On the right were the words:
Honor the Land
Revere the Horse
Now I couldn't help but notice that there was no reference to PEOPLE so I question, where do we stand on your list? Third, just behind the horse, or perhaps a bit farther down? Just wondering.
To AmericanAirlines,
On all 12 legs of the last three trips I have taken, we have arrived early. It is making me a little nervous. Are you holding back for a really BIG surprise? If I had one complaint, it would be that we apparently surprised the ground crew in Atlanta and had to wait for them to punch in, finish their warm-up exercises and whatever else they do to get started for the day. But, since we still arrived at the gate ahead of schedule, I guess I'll just have to say, "Well done." And, "Keep it up." I have one more trip scheduled for this year yet.
To Atlanta,
This is WINTER? Man, you've got the right idea. I've always thought that the degree to which one enjoys a vacation is in direct proportion to the difference in the weather between where you are and where you came from. I am SO enjoying this week.*
* 17 degrees, with the wind chill bringing it down to 4 in La Crosse; 74 degrees here. What do I have to say about this. See my note to American Airlines above.
To the Georgia HIghway Department,
Thanks for the warning at the bridges. You know, the ones that read:
Caution. Bridge may freeze in winter.
In Wisconsin we have signs at the bridges, too. But ours read:
Hang in there. Bridge may thaw in summer.
It's an upper-midwest thing. You should come visit us sometime and experience it for yourself.
To the Morrow Police and Fire Departments,
Hang in there, we will be leaving soon. And thank you for your service and assistance. We did not know about the new security system installed at the house. Really. And locking the keys, and an infant, in the car. Could happen to anybody, right? Anyway, you are on the ball and we do rest easier knowing that there are professionals out there, ready to serve when called.
To all the Southern Cooks,
Your work is special, for sure. Just the other night we ate at a buffet style restaurant where the selection included fried okra, baby lima beans, black-eyed peas, chicken liver, "poultry" gravy, catfish, hushpuppies, fried chicken and collard greens, just to name a few. It struck me that the spread exemplified Southern cooking at its most basic level: If it walks, flies or swims, fry it; if it grows, boil it; serve with corn bread and sweet tea, eat, nap, repeat.
I shared these thoughts in another venue and got this relatively pertinent comment, "If you're very quiet now, you can listen to your own arteries hardening!!" Ahh... Southern cooking.
To the Buffet Restaurant,
I noticed that a few - a very few - of your offerings were labeled as "Healthy Choices." In other words, pretty much out of place. One of these was, to my surprise and delight, the chocolate pudding. Even though I suspected chocolate pudding might be a healthy choice only on comparison to the other cholesterol delivery options, I welcomed the chance to try it. And, now how can I put this? That was chocolate pudding in the same way that Velveeta is fine cheese. Sorry, but that's the way I saw it.
To the Couple at the ATL Admirals Club,
We don't want to know. We REALLY don't want to know.
To my
We are looking forward to our 40th family Thanksgiving dinner here in Morrow, GA. Wherever you are this week, may God bless you as you are reminded of how very much there is to be thankful for.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Dear Montana
You thought I didn't have anyone to write to upon returning from the trip? You don't know me very well, then. Here are my notes to those that affected me in one way or another during the Glacier/Waterton Tour.
To the Delta (nee Northwest) agent in La Crosse,
Kalispell is in Montana, one of our 50 states. It is a destination on your route map. Yes, you are now the world's largest airline, but try to keep track of ALL of your cities, please. Especially the ones I want to get to. And our pilot; he is better informed on navigational issues ~ right?
To the designers of the CRJ Regional Jet,
Mine was a window seat. It took me a while, however, to find it ~ the window that is. I finally looked down and, what do you know, it was there all the time ~ the top of the window not quite coming up to shoulder height. Now I know you think I'm going to complain, but not so. I've never felt so, well, tall. Thanks!
To all of you on cell phones while in stalls in the airport men's rooms,
Yeeeewwww!
To a few of the passengers on the plane to Kalispell,
One, two, even three calls AFTER the announcement to "Turn off and stow all electronic devices!" Are you the same select group that gets to go through the intersection after the light turns red?
To the Delta/Northwest baggage agents in Kalispell,
Where do you keep the badger and the mountain lion when they aren't fighting over passengers' bags? If they had been better fed, maybe they wouldn't have worked themselves into such a frenzy trying to get to the Gu and energy bars packed in my sports bag.
However, might I say that the new American Tourister rolling duffel that you gave me as a replacement worked OK. And you had it right there behind the counter. Cool.
To the Flathead-Glacier Transportation driver at the Kalispell airport,
I don't know why I agreed to let you take off with a passenger ~ AND my one still intact bag ~ for the "quick run into town" while I dealt with the not-still-intact-bag issue. Thanks for coming back as you said you would.
To the young man at the ice cream stand in Whitefish,
I like the way you count. THREE big scoops on my "single" huckleberry cone!
To the huckleberry growers or pickers or whoever in the Northwest,
Can't you export those things? We are only a couple of states over. To the east. Think about it.
To the self-supporting riders in Eureka,
Riding the Continental Divide Trail. From Canada to Mexico. I am humbled and impressed. I know you are not finished yet. Good luck and be safe.
To Bill,
The yellow arrow on the road means "Turn. Here. Now."
To The Cutting Board in Eureka,
You might have the country's best burger. And a mean huckleberry shake, too. But you'll have to actually come up with them before I can render my own opinion. Maybe next time.
To the British Columbia highway department,
Keep filling in those shoulder rumble strips. Alberta is way ahead of you on this, so you'd better get cracking.
To Waterton Lakes Park,
WOW!
To the bears in Montana and Canada,
Bicyclists are not "meals on wheels." I was relieved to find that you see it the same way. Just remember, huckleberries taste better and don't generally move as quickly as we do.
To the ranger who was SUPPOSED to be at the Glacier Park entrance in St. Mary's,
My park pass really was with my passport. Which was in my suitcase. Which was in the van. Which would soon be on its way to West Glacier on a different road. I'm sure you would have believed me, but I was OK with you not being there to actually make me try and convince you.
To the designers and builders of Going to the Sun Road,
It was truly an epic road to ride over with spectacular vistas at every turn. And not as difficult as I had expected. Don't worry, I know you had nothing to do with the cold rain we rode through on the way up.
To the brewers of the Huckleberry Lager,
Good use of berries! This observation gives me cause to rethink my opinion of the Grasshopper beer I enjoyed in Waterton Lakes Village, however.
To Montana, British Columbia and Alberta,
Thanks for a truly awesome ride. I'll not likely do it again as there are other roads to explore. But I'll not forget the seven days of this unique tour.
To Shirley,
Thanks for tolerating my riding habit. It was a great week. And so nice seeing you at the airport.
And to you,my legion of readers few who have stumbled in, postings about the ride itself will continue soon. Coming up - Day 3.
To the Delta (nee Northwest) agent in La Crosse,
Kalispell is in Montana, one of our 50 states. It is a destination on your route map. Yes, you are now the world's largest airline, but try to keep track of ALL of your cities, please. Especially the ones I want to get to. And our pilot; he is better informed on navigational issues ~ right?
To the designers of the CRJ Regional Jet,
Mine was a window seat. It took me a while, however, to find it ~ the window that is. I finally looked down and, what do you know, it was there all the time ~ the top of the window not quite coming up to shoulder height. Now I know you think I'm going to complain, but not so. I've never felt so, well, tall. Thanks!
To all of you on cell phones while in stalls in the airport men's rooms,
Yeeeewwww!
To a few of the passengers on the plane to Kalispell,
One, two, even three calls AFTER the announcement to "Turn off and stow all electronic devices!" Are you the same select group that gets to go through the intersection after the light turns red?
To the Delta/Northwest baggage agents in Kalispell,
Where do you keep the badger and the mountain lion when they aren't fighting over passengers' bags? If they had been better fed, maybe they wouldn't have worked themselves into such a frenzy trying to get to the Gu and energy bars packed in my sports bag.
However, might I say that the new American Tourister rolling duffel that you gave me as a replacement worked OK. And you had it right there behind the counter. Cool.
To the Flathead-Glacier Transportation driver at the Kalispell airport,
I don't know why I agreed to let you take off with a passenger ~ AND my one still intact bag ~ for the "quick run into town" while I dealt with the not-still-intact-bag issue. Thanks for coming back as you said you would.
To the young man at the ice cream stand in Whitefish,
I like the way you count. THREE big scoops on my "single" huckleberry cone!
To the huckleberry growers or pickers or whoever in the Northwest,
Can't you export those things? We are only a couple of states over. To the east. Think about it.
To the self-supporting riders in Eureka,
Riding the Continental Divide Trail. From Canada to Mexico. I am humbled and impressed. I know you are not finished yet. Good luck and be safe.
To Bill,
The yellow arrow on the road means "Turn. Here. Now."
To The Cutting Board in Eureka,
You might have the country's best burger. And a mean huckleberry shake, too. But you'll have to actually come up with them before I can render my own opinion. Maybe next time.
To the British Columbia highway department,
Keep filling in those shoulder rumble strips. Alberta is way ahead of you on this, so you'd better get cracking.
To Waterton Lakes Park,
WOW!
To the bears in Montana and Canada,
Bicyclists are not "meals on wheels." I was relieved to find that you see it the same way. Just remember, huckleberries taste better and don't generally move as quickly as we do.
To the ranger who was SUPPOSED to be at the Glacier Park entrance in St. Mary's,
My park pass really was with my passport. Which was in my suitcase. Which was in the van. Which would soon be on its way to West Glacier on a different road. I'm sure you would have believed me, but I was OK with you not being there to actually make me try and convince you.
To the designers and builders of Going to the Sun Road,
It was truly an epic road to ride over with spectacular vistas at every turn. And not as difficult as I had expected. Don't worry, I know you had nothing to do with the cold rain we rode through on the way up.
To the brewers of the Huckleberry Lager,
Good use of berries! This observation gives me cause to rethink my opinion of the Grasshopper beer I enjoyed in Waterton Lakes Village, however.
To Montana, British Columbia and Alberta,
Thanks for a truly awesome ride. I'll not likely do it again as there are other roads to explore. But I'll not forget the seven days of this unique tour.
To Shirley,
Thanks for tolerating my riding habit. It was a great week. And so nice seeing you at the airport.
And to you,
Friday, May 22, 2009
Rocky Mountain Hi
During my business trip (I am not making that up, the business part) to Pueblo, Colorado, we spent the afternoon on a jaunt from Manitou Springs to the top of Pikes Peak and back. It's not unusual for me to leave some things unsaid in the frenetic pace of a trip, but they eventually need to be said. If you've read Dear Boston and/or Catching up on Correspondence, then you know the drill...
To the Buffalo Bill look-alike / wannabe in Manitou Springs,
I have never, I mean never, seen anyone unholster, twirl and re-holster a six-shooter like that save for when I was sitting in the dark in front of a screen. Man, I hope that thing wasn't loaded. We would have stopped and gotten out of the car to watch the whole show, but we figured you'd want a "contribution." Engineers!
To the Pikes Peak Cog Railway Company,
You need good equipment to climb those 25% grades. I was relieved to see the plate over the door noting that the train was made in Winterthur, Switzerland. The Swiss have never seen a slope that didn't look like a good place for a train track. I'm sure it was a challenge, but I can report that they were up to it...so far.
To the lawyers for the above-mentioned railway company,
Looking through the brochure while waiting for the train, I came across your contribution to full disclosure: "The M and PP RY will not be held liable for for delays due to weather, track or mechanical problems or any other reason." Do you think, just maybe, you've covered all the bases?
To the gift shop at the Manitou Springs station,
My sincere apologies for the (thankfully) unspoken thoughts I had at learning water was available ONLY in 1 liter bottles. The thought: Just a scheme to get $3.00 from a captive audience. Well... I finished the bottle before the train returned from the top and was glad for every drop.
To Sarah Conductor,
Yes. You were right. The falls we passed ARE higher than Niagara Falls. Did you every consider writing boilerplate for the legal team that came up with the disclaimer for your company?
To the smokers at the summit,
NOW do you think you might want to quit?
To the guys (from MY group) exercising 14,115 feet,
I don't think you'd have really had to hand in your man-cards if you didn't do the push-ups.
To God,
Oxygen at 14,000 feet. Would it have really been so hard? The May snow showers at the top were a nice touch, though.
To our waiter at the Stagecoach in Manitou Springs,
Choose one:
A. __ My parents named me
B. __ I chose the name later in life
C. __ It's a nickname attached to me by my friends
If you chose:
A. What WERE they thinking
B. What were YOU thinking
C. You need to find another group of friends
To Mike, one of our seat-mates on the train,
Cool - visiting the high points in all 50 states. Alaska is in the 42 you've already done. That means Denali. I am impressed. It doesn't seem the remaining 8 will provide anywhere near the challenges you must have already faced, what with Florida, Alabama, MIssissippi and Louisiana being among the states left to climb. Good luck!
To the rest of you out there,
You really should get to Colorado sometime.
To the Buffalo Bill look-alike / wannabe in Manitou Springs,
I have never, I mean never, seen anyone unholster, twirl and re-holster a six-shooter like that save for when I was sitting in the dark in front of a screen. Man, I hope that thing wasn't loaded. We would have stopped and gotten out of the car to watch the whole show, but we figured you'd want a "contribution." Engineers!
To the Pikes Peak Cog Railway Company,
You need good equipment to climb those 25% grades. I was relieved to see the plate over the door noting that the train was made in Winterthur, Switzerland. The Swiss have never seen a slope that didn't look like a good place for a train track. I'm sure it was a challenge, but I can report that they were up to it...so far.
To the lawyers for the above-mentioned railway company,
Looking through the brochure while waiting for the train, I came across your contribution to full disclosure: "The M and PP RY will not be held liable for for delays due to weather, track or mechanical problems or any other reason." Do you think, just maybe, you've covered all the bases?
To the gift shop at the Manitou Springs station,
My sincere apologies for the (thankfully) unspoken thoughts I had at learning water was available ONLY in 1 liter bottles. The thought: Just a scheme to get $3.00 from a captive audience. Well... I finished the bottle before the train returned from the top and was glad for every drop.
To Sarah Conductor,
Yes. You were right. The falls we passed ARE higher than Niagara Falls. Did you every consider writing boilerplate for the legal team that came up with the disclaimer for your company?
To the smokers at the summit,
NOW do you think you might want to quit?
To the guys (from MY group) exercising 14,115 feet,
I don't think you'd have really had to hand in your man-cards if you didn't do the push-ups.
To God,
Oxygen at 14,000 feet. Would it have really been so hard? The May snow showers at the top were a nice touch, though.
To our waiter at the Stagecoach in Manitou Springs,
Choose one:
A. __ My parents named me
B. __ I chose the name later in life
C. __ It's a nickname attached to me by my friends
If you chose:
A. What WERE they thinking
B. What were YOU thinking
C. You need to find another group of friends
To Mike, one of our seat-mates on the train,
Cool - visiting the high points in all 50 states. Alaska is in the 42 you've already done. That means Denali. I am impressed. It doesn't seem the remaining 8 will provide anywhere near the challenges you must have already faced, what with Florida, Alabama, MIssissippi and Louisiana being among the states left to climb. Good luck!
To the rest of you out there,
You really should get to Colorado sometime.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Dear Boston
Once again I feel moved to connect with those people who made an impact on me during a trip, in this case, the one I made to Boston to be with Stellan - something like when I wrote about my trip to Tyler, Texas.
To the pilot on my flight from Chicago,
Thanks for calling our attention to the view of Niagara Falls on the left side of the plane. It was an awesome sight, even from 32,000 feet.
To the Red Sox,
Your welcoming* Stellan to Boston was SO cool. Thank you. I'm definitely going to have get myself a Red Sox cap. And, while I couldn't stay up to catch the end of last night's came (ESPN Gamecast), I see you came back and beat the Yankees in 11 innings. Way to go!**
* According to this article in the Boston Herald, what you did was give Stellan a Shout Out. I can't find the Bostonian-to-English option at FreeTranslation.com, but I'll try to remember all the new words I learned during my five days in Boston.
** Update. Now, a 9 game home stand sweep!!
To the people of Boston,
You are a friendly group blessed to live in a great city. But there is something you lack and I think I can help... here you go:
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
If you run out and have to go back to pahking your cahs, give me a call. I'll send you a refill. No need to thank me, it's the least I could do. However, if you really feel moved to show your appreciation, just send over a Dunkin' Donuts franchise.
To the marathoners,
I AM impressed. Congratulations! And you guys from Seattle - did you ever meet up behind theKenyans Ethiopians?
To Dr A and the entire team in pediatric cardiology,
I hope I never see you again; and I know you don't take that personally. But thank you so very much for taking such good care of Stellan. He's a tough case. You guys are a great team. The children who need to be cared for so intensively are blessed to have found their way to Children's Hospital Boston.
To the mylar balloon people,
Singing balloons. Stop it! Now!
To the Park Plaza Hotel,
A really nice place with a lot of history. But do you know the meaning of the word "high?" As in "high" speed internet? I'm thinking the answer is "not really."
Update: OK, so I griped a little about the internet - all in good fun. Right? I suppose so, as you have graciously arranged to return the clothes I left in the closet to me at no cost. Thank you.
To all of you who brought (or tried to bring) gifts to the hospital,
Oh my goodness! The thoughtfulness that has poured out from so many is overwhelming. The hospital put Stellan on a fairly high security level and I know this limited what you were able to do. Please know that each and every contact, gift, meal, was so terribly appreciated. Your generosity literally overflowed... what we could not use right away was shared with other families on the floor.
To MJ O'Connors Irish Pub,
Now that was great Fish 'n Chips in a traditional pub setting. You might want to think about adding mushy peas to the mix, but it was a first class meal. MJ would be proud.
To my cab driver on Tuesday evening,
Thank you for reaffirming my belief in miracles. I could see NOTHING through any of the windows, yet you found your way through heavy traffic and got me back to the hotel in good shape. You know that little knob on the dash? The one with the "Defrost" setting...?
To the Admiral's Club at BOS,
My company sells air-conditioning equipment. Give us a call. Soon.
To the entire MckFamily,
I am so very proud of you.
To the pilot on my flight from Chicago,
Thanks for calling our attention to the view of Niagara Falls on the left side of the plane. It was an awesome sight, even from 32,000 feet.
To the Red Sox,
Your welcoming* Stellan to Boston was SO cool. Thank you. I'm definitely going to have get myself a Red Sox cap. And, while I couldn't stay up to catch the end of last night's came (ESPN Gamecast), I see you came back and beat the Yankees in 11 innings. Way to go!**
* According to this article in the Boston Herald, what you did was give Stellan a Shout Out. I can't find the Bostonian-to-English option at FreeTranslation.com, but I'll try to remember all the new words I learned during my five days in Boston.
** Update. Now, a 9 game home stand sweep!!
To the people of Boston,
You are a friendly group blessed to live in a great city. But there is something you lack and I think I can help... here you go:
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
If you run out and have to go back to pahking your cahs, give me a call. I'll send you a refill. No need to thank me, it's the least I could do. However, if you really feel moved to show your appreciation, just send over a Dunkin' Donuts franchise.
To the marathoners,
I AM impressed. Congratulations! And you guys from Seattle - did you ever meet up behind the
To Dr A and the entire team in pediatric cardiology,
I hope I never see you again; and I know you don't take that personally. But thank you so very much for taking such good care of Stellan. He's a tough case. You guys are a great team. The children who need to be cared for so intensively are blessed to have found their way to Children's Hospital Boston.
To the mylar balloon people,
Singing balloons. Stop it! Now!
To the Park Plaza Hotel,
A really nice place with a lot of history. But do you know the meaning of the word "high?" As in "high" speed internet? I'm thinking the answer is "not really."
Update: OK, so I griped a little about the internet - all in good fun. Right? I suppose so, as you have graciously arranged to return the clothes I left in the closet to me at no cost. Thank you.
To all of you who brought (or tried to bring) gifts to the hospital,
Oh my goodness! The thoughtfulness that has poured out from so many is overwhelming. The hospital put Stellan on a fairly high security level and I know this limited what you were able to do. Please know that each and every contact, gift, meal, was so terribly appreciated. Your generosity literally overflowed... what we could not use right away was shared with other families on the floor.
To MJ O'Connors Irish Pub,
Now that was great Fish 'n Chips in a traditional pub setting. You might want to think about adding mushy peas to the mix, but it was a first class meal. MJ would be proud.
To my cab driver on Tuesday evening,
Thank you for reaffirming my belief in miracles. I could see NOTHING through any of the windows, yet you found your way through heavy traffic and got me back to the hotel in good shape. You know that little knob on the dash? The one with the "Defrost" setting...?
To the Admiral's Club at BOS,
My company sells air-conditioning equipment. Give us a call. Soon.
To the entire MckFamily,
I am so very proud of you.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Catching up on Correspondence
Upon returning from my business trip to Tyler, Texas, I felt I should write notes to a few of the people I encountered along the way. In the interest of efficiency, I decided I'd just post them here on my blog. If you recognize anyone mentioned below, let them know so they can come and check their message. Just don't give them my name.
To the young woman who struggled mightily with the suitcase,
What part of your comment that "This is an odd sized case, it NEVER fits," would have lead you to try it yet again on the flight from Chicago?
To the drivers on I 20 east of Dallas,
Sitting still and watching the show is best done at home in front of the TV. On the Interstate, it only serves to back up traffic for miles. And it was just two cars (with no dents as near as I could discern) and one state trooper parked on the shoulder!
To Maggie (the female voice giving me directions from my GPS),
Why didn't you tell me to exit left at Texas Spur 157?
To the country singers on Texas radio,
Thanks for keeping me company on the drive. And to one of you in particular, I think you're right, "Everybody wanna go Heaven. But nobody wanna go now."
To the clerk at the Holiday Inn in Tyler,
A Packers fan! And only 125 miles from Dallas! What a nice surprise.
To the cook at Bodacious Barbeque,
That was one mean sliced beef sandwich. I'll be back.
To the clerk at the La Quinta near DFW,
A Packers fan! And only 0 miles from Dallas! Do you know the lady in Tyler? Do the Cowboys know who you two are rooting for? Good luck.
To the young man in the DFW Admirals Club,
I believe the world record for talking on the phone without pausing for a response (or to inhale) was within your reach. Sorry I had to go catch my plane and so missed actually seeing it happen.
To several passengers on the Chicago flight (you know who you are),
Is it THAT hard to turn off your cell phones when asked to do so?
To my seatmate on the flight,
I hope you got the job. And, I hope you learned a few things by studying my solved USA Today crossword. I was flattered you asked as I assume this meant you figured I got it all right!
To the lady on the flight to Chicago,
It's not just your plane.
The flight attendants are not your personal assistants.
The aisle is not intended to be a parking lot for your suitcase full of snacks.
Seating assignments are not yours to rearrange to suit your needs.
To the man with the leg injury sitting across from said lady (and next to her husband) on the flight to Chicago,
After getting climbed over a half-dozen times, no jury in the world would have convicted you. But you kept your cool. Glad to see that you were eventually able to score a whole row in the back of the plane.
To the flight attendant in charge of the zoo that was the flight to Chicago,
Ma'am: you do not get paid enough.
To the passengers on that flight to Indianapolis - the one with the non-functioning lavatory,
I trust you listened when they announced that you should use the restroom BEFORE boarding. And I hope the flight really was only an hour long.
To whoever is in charge of these things at O'Hare,
At 12:55 our pilot was in the terminal and met the flight attendant who had just come from the plane. She was rushing to pick up something at one of the shops. He said to her, "No need to hurry, we have lots of time" (this because a mechanic was on board fixing something). Did you really believe that our 1:05 flight was going to leave On Time?
To the mechanic who worked on the American Eagle plane in Chicago,
I'm not sure what was broken, but if it was the heater, you DID get it fixed.
To those of you who are wondering what all of this has to do with bicycling,
Not one darned thing!
To the young woman who struggled mightily with the suitcase,
What part of your comment that "This is an odd sized case, it NEVER fits," would have lead you to try it yet again on the flight from Chicago?
To the drivers on I 20 east of Dallas,
Sitting still and watching the show is best done at home in front of the TV. On the Interstate, it only serves to back up traffic for miles. And it was just two cars (with no dents as near as I could discern) and one state trooper parked on the shoulder!
To Maggie (the female voice giving me directions from my GPS),
Why didn't you tell me to exit left at Texas Spur 157?
To the country singers on Texas radio,
Thanks for keeping me company on the drive. And to one of you in particular, I think you're right, "Everybody wanna go Heaven. But nobody wanna go now."
To the clerk at the Holiday Inn in Tyler,
A Packers fan! And only 125 miles from Dallas! What a nice surprise.
To the cook at Bodacious Barbeque,
That was one mean sliced beef sandwich. I'll be back.
To the clerk at the La Quinta near DFW,
A Packers fan! And only 0 miles from Dallas! Do you know the lady in Tyler? Do the Cowboys know who you two are rooting for? Good luck.
To the young man in the DFW Admirals Club,
I believe the world record for talking on the phone without pausing for a response (or to inhale) was within your reach. Sorry I had to go catch my plane and so missed actually seeing it happen.
To several passengers on the Chicago flight (you know who you are),
Is it THAT hard to turn off your cell phones when asked to do so?
To my seatmate on the flight,
I hope you got the job. And, I hope you learned a few things by studying my solved USA Today crossword. I was flattered you asked as I assume this meant you figured I got it all right!
To the lady on the flight to Chicago,
It's not just your plane.
The flight attendants are not your personal assistants.
The aisle is not intended to be a parking lot for your suitcase full of snacks.
Seating assignments are not yours to rearrange to suit your needs.
To the man with the leg injury sitting across from said lady (and next to her husband) on the flight to Chicago,
After getting climbed over a half-dozen times, no jury in the world would have convicted you. But you kept your cool. Glad to see that you were eventually able to score a whole row in the back of the plane.
To the flight attendant in charge of the zoo that was the flight to Chicago,
Ma'am: you do not get paid enough.
To the passengers on that flight to Indianapolis - the one with the non-functioning lavatory,
I trust you listened when they announced that you should use the restroom BEFORE boarding. And I hope the flight really was only an hour long.
To whoever is in charge of these things at O'Hare,
At 12:55 our pilot was in the terminal and met the flight attendant who had just come from the plane. She was rushing to pick up something at one of the shops. He said to her, "No need to hurry, we have lots of time" (this because a mechanic was on board fixing something). Did you really believe that our 1:05 flight was going to leave On Time?
To the mechanic who worked on the American Eagle plane in Chicago,
I'm not sure what was broken, but if it was the heater, you DID get it fixed.
To those of you who are wondering what all of this has to do with bicycling,
Not one darned thing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
