Happy Birthday

To Me. 37. Yikes!

Happy Birthday Baby

Thank you for an amazing night! I love you and always will. Your Doll.

Somethings Never Change

Me at 14

Home Sweet...Oh Who Am I Kidding

Spain was the most brilliant trip. I took over 450 pictures. It will take me some time to sort and post them all, but I will get around to it.

Coming home was hard. As much as I missed everyone I just wanted them there with me. Why can't I just pick up everyone and everything and move us all to Spain? The people, the food, the smells, the architecture; all of it is amazing. I fell in love there; so many times I can't even count. In love with Gaudi, in love with the country, in love with this man, this woman, this other man. The men there are something else. Not what I was told - "shady and not to be trusted" - but smart, sexy and passionate. Something most American men aren't, at least not in one package. Yum.

With my back out and my leg killing me, I gimped around for the first week or so. I did my best to not complain (shut up Carmen) but DAMN, it was hard. Chin up I pushed and pushed myself! OK that is a lie, I was lazy; slept a lot, ate a lot, drank a lot, smoked a lot. The sloth-like nature of this trip, combined with the beauty of Spain was just what I needed.

Carmen and I are already planning next year. I want to take a full month off the next go-round and see my family in England as well as spend some time in Italy. I think it would be double the fun if I was traveling with someone I could make out with in Park Guell, or to trip around Vulpellac with. At least for a short while, until I, ya know, hooked up or something...

Noon is the New Eight AM

Pea and I have not woken up before noon the entire trip. Of course we haven't gone to bed before 3 AM either. August is vacation month in Europe so everywhere you go is bustling. We are in Vulpellac until tomorrow. Paul is flying in from Ireland for an overnight stay. Then Pea and I (plus a few friends) will head to the mountains for a few days before returning to Barcelona. I took the family out for dinner last night. It was perfect. But let me just say, if anyone ever offers you a sea snail - Just say No.

Blogging on Medication on the Mediterranean

Here I sit in Vulpellac with Pea smoking, eating, and attempting to speak Castillian. It is amazing here. The people are kind and beautiful. We spent the first weekend in Premia de Dalt outside of Barcelona at a grande villa that belongs to Teresa, la novia de David. David is an old family friend of Pea's. He helped raise her when she was little. Now we are staying in the pueblo where Pea was born. Encarna was Pea's other mother growing up and she is taking care of us as if we were her own.

14 Minutes

I will officially be on vacation in 14 minutes. Out the door, everything in order and off to a quick massage. My back in OUT and I need it to be in better shape before I get on that plane in the morning. Leave it to me to be broken on vacation. At least we are spending the first few days relaxing at a summer home. Perhaps with the lack of stress and nothing to do it will work itself out.

I am not sure if I will have a place to blog while in Spain so if you don't hear from me over the next two weeks you will know why.

Try not to miss me.

Uno, Dos, Tres

I received a text message from my best friend this morning. We are meeting in Barcelona on Saturday. She has informed me that on Monday we will be heading to Terersa's summer home on the Mediterranean. There is a pool and tennis courts for our lounging and playing. I believe I will be on the lounging end of that offer. I am beside myself with excitement. I realized I haven't been to Europe since I was 17 and I have not left the country since Costa Rica. This is an overdue adventure and I plan on making more frequent trips in the future.

Since Carmen was born in Spain and has duel citizenship she has a lot of family and friends there. I will be getting my citizenship to the U.K. when I return. Perhaps we will run off to Europe together when we grow up.

Getting ready to be away from work for two-weeks has proven itself to be painful. Wouldn't you know that everything that can come up, has. I am scrambling. Although work can reach me in Spain I am still nervous about leaving the kids for such an extended period of time. They have been without me for a week, but two will be interesting. The last time I was out of the office I came back to over 300 emails and countless voicemails. I do not have a proper assistant to cover my desk so I will be setting up whatever I can to ensure that the part of the company I manage will not need a lot of tending to. We shall see.

Turns out there is a baggage handlers strike in Spain. Figures. They are re-routing luggage just to mess with the airlines. In an attempt not to be sans panties I have decided to take two bags, one on the plane with a weeks worth of necessities and one checked with all the clothes I can live without but would like to have. I could probably take three bags knowing me but since it is crazy hot there my clothing is all the light, compact type. With any luck, everything should arrive with me. If not, I guess I will just have to shop. Shame.

www.postsecret.com Speaks to Me

I am Hotter Than You

I am laying here, in D's apartment, drowning in my own sweat. It is after 6:00 pm and it is still 109 degrees. Today has been a day of laying about, drinking water, sitting in the A/C. In other words a day of nothingness. No laundry, no cooking, no touching. We have ordered dinner in. We have two epsisodes of Eureka to watch. We are content to just be sloth-like until the sun sets. My only regret is that the we are out of beer. Sigh.

The Count-Down

Three weeks from today I will be in Barcelona. I am so excited I can barely stand still. Being a Virgo I have already started my packing list. Two weeks from home means at least one very large bag, if not two. Carmen will kill me if I bring too much. Although we will be based in Girona I believe we will be traveling down the coast to see family and I am sure she doesn't want me lugging a trunk along. I will do my best.

I made all my plans to be in NOLA at the end of October. I have my hotel booked, my airfare paid for and my tickets to the concert. I will be taking a study course for three days while in NOLA so my company footed the bill on the hotel, very cool of them. Since I had already planned on buying the airfline tickets it all worked out. Eight days in one of my favorite cities in the states. I feel so fortunate.

I have also purchased tickets to see Train, Tool and tomorrow I will get tickets to see Sheryl Crow. I have been missing live shows so I am making up for it.

Tonight I am off to D's to make dinner and watch a movie. I am already running late so I best hustle.

SPAIN, SPAIN, SPAIN...Did I Mention SPAIN?!

So I booked my flight to Spain. I will be there for two weeks with my best friend Carmen. Tripping in Barcelona and Gerona, her birth-place, and perhaps a short trip to Biarritz. My little brother is in Europe for six weeks and is staying with a family in France. We may try to peak in on him for a few days. There is a chance that we won't head to France just because we will be visiting her family and may not want to take the time away. Either way, I am happy to just be with Pea.

I am also planning another trip to NOLA. I am going to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Duran Duran on Halloween at the VooDoo Festival! I am praying Carmen will join me, provided her field studies are done. I think I have already hooked Ms. Lyn into the deal!

So much has happened recently that I just haven't had the time to blog. In order - after NOLA, which was an amazing trip, I went on a long-weekend cruise to Mexico for Kris' bacholrette party, and then went to Philly to see Carmen receive her masters degree. We celebrated so hard the night before I am shocked any of us made it! I had nine chocolate martini's at The Continental. Gods help me. I have a million pictures to post and I will do so as soon as I have a free dozen hours or so to commit to the task.

Kris and Pavlos finally made it to the alter a few weeks ago. The wedding was beautiful. The reception is a blur. A major blur. I remember everything until about midnight when the tequila shots came out...sigh.

Work has been a handful. I LOVE my job; the people I work with and the environment are brilliant. There is so much work to do and I know how it all goes but there are times I am buried under a pile of work and think it will never end. But better to be busy then to be bored, and I am never bored.

Oh, did I mention SPAIN!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my dear little sister Jeanne. She committed suicide several years ago after a long, hard struggle with alcohol and her personal demons. I miss her, I love her and I hope she is happier wherever she is today.

"i am so ashamed to see the damage i have done"

An Apology

I have only ever removed one other post from my blog. Today I have removed another. Seems that I am spreading unkind rumors and I will not be that person. I apologize to anyone who was affected. From here on out I will no longer mention those that found my blog to be so offensive.

Too Much Information

I was informed today that I have been promoted to Director of HR at my company. Along with more responsibility I received another increase in salary and stocks. This last increase took me over six figures; something I have been working towards for the last 10 years. I could not be more pleased right now. I have worked so hard for my current company and it has really paid off. The level of trust and respect this company has shown me makes me feel amazing, I will continue to work hard for them.

I know I haven't updated in a long time. After my trip to NOLA I went to Mexico on a cruise with some gfriends and then to Philly to see Pea get her Masters. She is now in her PhD program. She never ceases to amaze me.

I have a million pictures to post and just as many stories to tell but right now I am just too busy to really sit down and hash it all out. I promise to catch you all up soon.

I Can't Remember to Forget You

Off She Goes (like she wasn't already a little "off" to begin with)

I am heading to New Orleans (via Texas) in a few hours. Lyn and I have decided to blog twice a day while we are there so we set up a site just for our trip:

Whore Tour

Enjoy the reading kids.

Secrets

I am an avid reader of PostSecrets. You should be too.

Who Goes There?

I spent last weekend in San Diego visiting the kids with D. I know, I know...but I love those kids and rarely get to see them so I skipped down on Friday afternoon as a surprise. It seems the kids know me too well; although they were thrilled to have me there, they both said they expected to see me. I am so predictable.

I am leaving for NOLA on Wednesday. I am so excited to be making this trip. I haven't spent any time with Lyn in years. We are looking forward to adding to our criminal records.

In early May I am off on a short cruise to Mexico with a few girls. The next weekend I am off to Philly to see my best friend get her Masters. At the end of July we are planning a two-week trip to Europe - one week in Ireland and one week in Spain. It has been years since I have left the states, I am really looking forward to this summer.

I am sure I will be making another jaunt to SD as well. As close as I am to D's family, I will want to spend some more time with the kids. His family has taken me in as one of theirs and I feel the same. Nothing there will ever change and that makes me smile.