Chicago

Spent the last three days in St Charles.






It's a pretty place but I didn't really enjoy the course. It was focused on change management for senior managers. It was good to meet colleagues but not particularly engaging content wise.
Last weekend Madi and Brax's half sister came to stay with her boyfriend. He is a Captain in the Airforce so we had some interesting conversations. We also did a 6 mile walk in the Redwoods.



Took Kiwi to the beach for the first time too. He's getting big...



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Went to the ball game!

Kansas City Royals vs White Sox.



Got Brax a cups made by Brax Ltd.





Gold Baseball for Brax too.


Macy Madi and Brax's half sister is
Visiting with her boyfriend.



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Traveling times

I am still doing the commute to Kansas City. Spending 8hrs in a plane each week has become the new normal. I see interesting things from the plane sometimes:







I meet interesting characters (when did I become the person people randomly chat too!). One selling software to law enforcement...in Kansas to talk about people trafficking and how their software could be used to see patterns of behavior at truck stops...the guy who works for Weber that manufactures the big blades that chop all that vacuum packed meat and other stuff!
Some weeks are tougher than others as hotels get old quick, even if the breakfast staff know who I am now.
The work is interesting and different and I am growing a lot just through the experience.
Next week we are off to the baseball game with the client team. It's the mid-west and all very far from Silicon Valley. I can't life is dull.









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Puppy update

Learning to sit....looking for a treat.



Slowly becoming pals....


Heads get very heavy


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Airport Times

Sitting at SFO, again, waiting to fly to KC. It's all become pretty routine. Lucky me I keep getting shuttled through the TSA Pre-approved line so don't have to take off shoes etc. It's random but keeps happening so I am happy about that. I could just pay $100 to get pre-approved for a couple of years but haven't stepped up to that yet.
Summer break is coming for schools etc so soon I will become one of those irritated business travelers irked by folks who seldom fly and, inevitably ground the line to a standstill as they are told for the 5th time to remove their belts etc. Oh well, can't always be a saint!.....so will just try to step up my patience.
We are planning a bunch of adventures for the 2/3 months the kids have off school. They will be off camping with their dad at some point but we are planning a road trip to LA and San Diego. See Michelle and just hang out in SD....Brax will want to go to Lego land for sure, which we all know I will love!
I've been trying to attach more Easter pics but blogger hasn't let me so will add two here and some to the best post as well.
Happy flying!
Claudette Sharene's mom.


Hanging at the beach.


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Traveling times

These days I am spending there or four nights a week in Kansas City. Given it's in Missouri that's quite a commute in a small plane. Takes around 4 hrs with a timezone change.
The client work is interesting and I have now bought one of my old team on so there are two of us.
It's odd to be away from the family but there isn't really a good role for me here on the West Coast so better to be staffed. I see a lot of this:





The building we work in looks cool from my hotel at sunset.


And the sunrise from my hotel is nice too!


But I haven't seen a lot is Kansas City. We work downtown which is the entertainment area. Lots of restaurants etc. next week Kylette and I are going to do a field trip to the Accenture office in South Kansas City and try the famous KC BBQ.
Kylette found $5 happy hour Bloody Mary's as well!



Kiwi is getting bigger.


He's styling gap here. It got cold so Sharene busted out some of Braxton's baby clothes.

We had a really great Easter with Sharene's family coming to our house for a big meal then off to the beach to hang out.



Madison made a cake! Those yellow things are peeps....funny marshmallow things that taste...weird.


Madi and Kiwi.


Enjoying the beach.


More photos next.

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Moving beyond myself

It's been a tremendously difficult few weeks. Mostly because I've been really challenged to live what I say "things don't matter, people do". The Collection is gone, photos, the few things I had from dad, Pop, Nana's stuff....precious little things no one even knew I had. Gone to an arsonist who doesn't know me nor my life.

So it is....there is also much to celebrate. Sharene and I have built the sweetest home. I love having Madison and Braxton in my life.
Kiwi...the first puppy I have brought into my life since Misha.

Stepping up.


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Homeward bound

It's been two weeks since I was home. A whirl wind of Kansas City, Chicago, St Charles and back to KC.
Chicago was great fun and an excellent way to celebrate Sharene's birthday.















We ate well and went to the art museum and, of course, visited the silver bean.
At Charles for training was really interesting too....learning how to sell. Far less sleazy than it sounds. Did get a little snowy.









Then it was back to Kansas City where I out some of that learning to good use. I have a week at home next week then will be traveling to Kansas for the next 5 weeks. At that point I will gracefully bow out and will, all going well, get a role a little closer to home and our glorious sunsets!


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Kansas City to Chicago

I am sitting at KC airport way to early for my flight - you are not in California now Dorothy. The cab took half the time the hotel told me and there was nobody in the security line! Oh well better early than late and mega excited to be seeing Sharene in Chicago!
First four days on the new project have been great. Learnt a huge amount and, as it turns out, able to get us back on track (not having realized how much momentum we had lost....must remember to ask better questions next time I am interviewing for a project). I got to stay 2mins walk from the client office and managed to have two very nice dinners out with the client and then the ACN folk; all there of us. I really only work with one ACN person, a young newbie analyst. We get along great, he is very funny and intense.
I got sick at the beginning of the week so only started to notice buildings etc late in the week, it's a pretty part of town.





That funny shaped building is the convention center...I think.
Really looking forward to Chicago!


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Hello Toto

Over the past few weeks I have been looking for a new project. This included a couple of days at Google....very cool place and the cafeteria is awesome. That said, I am about to spend 4-6 weeks commuting to Kansas City aka Toto. I am going in as a deployment advisor to a large taxation organization that is rolling out new software. It's an unusual role but working with very senior people. So far I am liking the client and ACN team. Fly out this Sunday for the week, Friday Sharene and I meet in Chicago to celebrate her birthday for the weekend then I am off to St Charles for 3 days training, back to Kansas City for two then home; a lot if time away and on the road. After six weeks I am looking at a role in Microsoft (Seattle), so a lot of moving parts and changes. Becoming a traveller is a little irksome given we have all just moved in but Sharene and I figure it will all work out as it's meant to.
Friday I hung out in the Mission while my car was serviced.





















We found an awesome Japanese restaurant near our house





Loving beach living.





Brax playing his first season of baseball.



Me and Madison spending time together.


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