Weekend

Came home to a fun weekend including an art fair in the redwoods.

 Paths had wood chips and the "galleries" were between the trees. Sipped a glass of wine as we wandered around. Beautiful location and we found this......

Walked the beach and came across a field of sunflowers.

 

 

 

Training for a half marathon in wine country in October. Keeping it honest and actually going to the hotel gym when I am in New Jersey.

Off to Texas (near Dallas) for work in a weeks time as well. We've made some team changes so I am stepping up to more responsibilities.Sharene coming to stay for a weekend on the East Coast (flex travel, instead of me flying back home and out again she gets to fly to me). We are planning a weekend in New York - gotta love that part of the job for sure.

Hrump

Been having challenges publishing photos...annoying. So behind in a couple of posts. Past weekend went into the city for a friend of Sharene's birthday.






Kiwi found a chair his size.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New Jersey

Finally got to hang out beyond the Airport, hotel and work.



Cake Boss


Inside and Kylette's brother Dom


Gift for Madi's birthday


Big city 1


Big city 2.
Awesome restaurant, Molos...view tick, food mixed.









Can't wait for Sharene to come and visit for the weekend so we can go into NYC!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Glass blowing & stuff

Went to a cool glass blowing event...free handmade glass and beer and wine while you watch a display. And the night we went guess the name of the band?









I also made Sharene's cousin a ball of cranes.



Madi's 12th birthday this weekend.



Getting into the swing of New Jersey. Fly out Monday afternoon, fly back Thursday night - 3 weeks travel, one week home. Work EST hours when I am on PST time; early starts early finish. Too early to know how that will go! Project is interesting, learning a lot .


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Week 2 done

This week I worked from home; nice! Working Eastern time is a challenge but mostly people are kind enough to schedule meeting 9am eastern aka 6am my time.
I've already learnt a lot of new things so excited to see it seems like a good choice so far.
Life is getting even busier as Sharene kicks off her two internships. This will have her start to gather more hours so she can get her MfT license....giving her a lot more choices for work.
Summer has been fun with the kids. Last weekend they all went off to Sacramento to a concert, I stayed home and looked after the dogs.



I've also been learning some new origami folds...I like these boxes.



I am back to NJ Monday night and will get some pictures...it's very pretty (well at least where I am). I am also going to plan a team outing into NYC for dinner, it's a 30min drive so very manageable.



Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Home

We are back from LA - it was quite the adventure.  After our Disney/Universal Studios trip we drove down to San Diego; lovely town near the border of Mexico. Stayed in this really great luxury resort that also let us have Kiwi (at a cost of course).
Day 2 Brax and I went to Legoland.

We spent a bunch of time in the water park as well - no pics from that but I did enjoy the wave pool.

LA, San Diego & New Jersey part 1

On the road to San Diego
after a few days in LA.
We drove down the coast from SF; views awesome, saw 2 whales, zebra (yep in a field for real) and fed ostriches! Kiwi was intrigued.



LA we stayed with Michelle on the UCLA campus and introduced Kiwi to Michelle's dog Bug.....they are the same age. They played hard, Bug is very lively compared to Kiwi's mellow; it was great for Kiwi to have a play buddy.







More to come....

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

LA, San Diego & New Jersey Part 2

Writing this in chunks to make it easier to publish.
Day 2 LA we went to Disneyland. All madness of course and 9 hours saw us all a little tired but happy with the rides. Not the most exciting ride but this is the oldest ride at Disney so I, of course, had everyone do it too.



Did some clever 3D rides too, all up a lot of fun.
Given timing we went to Universal Studios day 2. Fun in a different way. Despicable me ride was very fun and we got a free fast pass to do it again as we got delayed on the first ride so they comped us another one.



Sharene has most of the pics on her laptop so just giving you all a flavor.
San Diego update will be part three !
On the work front I took the New Jersey role. Big commute but works out 4 days onsite with the client, Fridays and every 4th week remote. Also I can flex fly which means once a month Sharene flys out to me rather than me fly home - will work great because ACN would pay for me to fly home so they just pay for me.
Oh bonus pic, ran a half marathon the weekend before we left, cool medal.



Although I hurt my foot the week before - it did me fine in the day but kinda mean bruise (bad leg too!).



Kiwi says hi...sleeping on the drive.


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Final walk

Sorry for all the short posts but I got a fail message when I posted more pics so I'm breaking it all up. Not the best app but I like being able to post from my phone.
Now it's being an arse again.
Anyway - we traversed some interests stairways. Good thing about the walk was all the sights are accessible by car so you don't have to walk 3 miles.
Tomorrow I talk to my big boss about some possible projects. Could be local or could travel again....not sure how it will fall. If I travel there are options for Sharene to come visit for weekends and I can credit the air ticket I would use to come home to her (cool perk). Harder on the family not to be here but air points and hotel points to accrue - making future holidays more affordable.
All that said I also need to weigh off the professional opportunities and the never ending "what next".
June was my 4 year anniversary at Accenture; longest I've ever stayed with one employer - including being self employed.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

More walking

Woohoo, that's two posts with pics that actually worked.
As part of the walk we also saw the Pink House - note the reflection on the house next door.












The neighbors on the other side went a little more gothic.







Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mosaic stairs and more

The last post was a test, I've been trying to list pictures for the last 4 days! Last week Sharene and I did a self guided walk in San Fran. Along the way we discovered mosaic stairs.






Sharene also spotted this.


More to follow.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mosaic stairs

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Kansas City is done

July is all about holidays - Staycation one week, 10 days LA, San Diego!












- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The days wind down

I am very happy to know that starting July 1 I am home. It's been a huge learning experience to be a traveller for work and also know how this looks and feels when you have a family.
Seeing Missouri is another insight into the world too; the architecture was startling:












- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Trucking on

Winding down from Kansas City. It's always slightly odd to be leaving a project; mostly because the client gets variously emotional about it ... even if it's their choice. I will miss one or two of the people
and working with Kylette works as she compensates for the things I am not good at (well I know how to build a team). No real idea what happens next but so happy to be going home and spending days with my peeps and pets.
Last weekend kids were with there dad - nice to have just Sharene and I but also odd those weeks I see less of the kids ... Life is always a mixed bag!
Sharene has been incredibly sweet over these months. Gets up early Monday morning to drop me at the airport and picks me up Fridays as well. All this could be taken care of with taxis and long term parking but so nice!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Traveling

While I am traveling life has become this odd routine. Monday morning everyone gets up a little early to drop me at the airport. I have found a great breakfast place that does porridge, yogurt & fruit, washes down with coffee. Getting on the plane has become a routine ritual then there's 3+ hrs of commute. In KC there is no taxi stand, instead you call from a phone outside and they arrive 2-5mins later. Somehow I found a guy who is now my driver. He is waiting when I arrive and drops me off on the way out. It's nice to have the familiarity. Mostly folks at the hotel know me now and I now have "status" so get an auto upgrade to a two room suite.
The weeks routine has me having complimentary breakfast, Starbucks coffee and a 2 min walk to work. The building is impressive.






If I am on the right side of the hotel so are the sunsets!





Kylette and I (she is my "team") have dinner once or twice a week as I remember she is younger and far more extroverted than I am so likes more company. She also likes bloody Mary's






Friday or occasionally Thursday Ben (cab guy) picks me up and the flight home again.
Sharene usually picks me up and it's always sweet to be back - although and odd transition to "family" life again. We try to have adventures in the weekend then, all too soon, back to the airport.
It's been a great experience on many levels...but I am ready for it to be over. I miss being home and being part of it all. All going well I think this role will end June 30....then on to new things. June is my 4th year anniversary at ACN. I think I just hit a record for the longest time I have spent in any job! No plans to leave yet, some plans for what next!
Oh and as my time click is two hours ahead when I get home at least some of Saturday morning is spent playing ball while I wait for the rest of the house to wake up!


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone