And... we're not quite off

So, it started to snow, can you believe it? All the bookies are happy I'm sure that the snow just missed the "snow-on-Christmas" bets...

as a result of the snow, though, and also the fact we were packed & ready to go HOURS before our flight... well, we called for the cab 1/2 hour early. Just in case, y'know, all the drifting wispy snow managed to pile up on the freeway and prevent us from getting to the airport on time.

So, of course, it didn't.

And we got to the airport in 15 minutes - my fastest journey ever.

And there was absolutely no queue for check-in.

Which brings me to why I'm online before the flight. We've window shopped in every possible Harrod's outpost, had lunch, shopped again, stocked up on water... and still have an hour until the flight.

Now - if only I had internet on the plane! I could post minute-by-minute fear-o-meter ratings! That might distract me enough not to care...

And we're off

Well - almost. Bags packed, taxi called... Seattle here we come. I just need to get through 9 1/2 hours of nail-biting and gut-clenching on that horrible thing they call a jet. Hypnosis is starting to sound like a good idea. Or drugs...

Merry Chrismahannukwanzakah!

Hello to all who have arrived here from my somewhat delayed Chrismukkah card mailing... I know blogs are supposed to be regularly updated postings - but I've decided to break with custom and do a yearly update in a single post... I promise to any of you who come back to be a little more faithful in my postings -starting with post-Christmas in Seattle!

But - to recap briefly, it's been a pretty good year on the whole... mainly because my boyfriend is one of the coolest guys around. (He's sitting here now and made me say that, by the way - gushing is not normally my style...)

Seriously though - it has been a good year, with family adventures galore! In April, I was finally able for the first time to host my parents as guest in my (our!) own flat. As many of you know, my dad closed his office after several years of private practice, and he & my mom enjoyed a month-long European Vacation. They started off in Italy, where I was quite fortunate to join them for a few days in the Cinque Terre and Venice, and then fly back with me to our little flat in Kew. After a too short few days they were off to Edinburgh, but it was absolutely wonderful to be able to have them here. (I only wish we could have accompanied them on to Scotland as well!)

Ashley & I have been lucky enough to indulge our love of travel on a number of occasions this year (though I sometimes wonder if one long trip would be more relaxing than several long weekends... more relaxing perhaps, but not as exciting!) I'd have to say the most interesting trip we took was to Ljubljana (the capital of Slovenia) in November. The town is small enough to be manageable by foot in a few days, and we sampled our fair share of Slovenian cuisine (game, sausage, and more game). More interesting was seeing how other cuisines have been invading since Ljubljana has become more of a tourist destination - Tex-Mex abounded for some reason, and our hotel was right next door to a sushi place. We made sure to try them both out...

Not all of our adventures have been abroad however - we've also explored some more of the English countryside... In July we went to York and went castle-spotting for a few days, then also spent a weekend walking along the Kennet & Avon canal - Ashley told me it was about 10 miles the first day and 7 the next... I think it was another 2 -3 more each day! It just meant the big meal we enjoyed at each stopping point was that much more deserved (hmm - we do do more than eat on holiday... not that you'd get that from my writing!)

Later that summer we headed to Devon for the wedding of Ashley's friends John & Julie. The wedding was at a great old stately home that's been turned into a hotel. Our accomodations were a little more, um, basic - but that didn't matter! We managed to get a few days of sight-seeing in as well, including to the Plymouth Mayflower Museum, so now I've been both to where the Mayflower cast off, and where it landed. I think there's more to see in Plymouth UK than Plymouth Mass, however the cranberry museum in MA wins as best overall attraction. We spanned from South to North Devon that trip, spending our last night in Lynmouth, where we saw, um, a museum honoring water power in the area, where you could turn water jets on and off. Hmm. It was more fun in person than it looks in type. Really.

Enough about travel (for now) - the other big change this year was my job! After 5 1/2 years at Netdecisions / Agilisys, I moved on to become Business Development Director of 'digital marketing communications' agency Wheel. What does that mean? Well, in the simplest terms, we develop websites & online advertising, for companies such as Unilever, BT and Marks & Spencer. But you can read about that (if you're interested!) on the website - so will leave it there. I joined in mid-October and it's been a lot of work, but I think I'm settling in. The people are great, but at the moment I'm in a little team of 1, so I can feel a little on my own at times. Luckily I'm about to hire an assistant, so my department is about to double in size!

Due to the new job, I was very unfortunately not able to join the Wulfestieg Family Reunion held last October in Southern California. However, we had a mini-reunion just last weekend, when I met for the first time my second cousin Peter Alexander - who's been living here in London even longer than I have! So - after nearly a decade in the UK, I've found a local relative. He & his family are lovely & hope to see more of them in the new year. And of course, Reunion Mark II in 2007!

And now I'd better conclude the longest blog posting I am ever likely to make... please do come back for updates & look forward to hearing from you all! We'll be in Seattle from the 27th, so am hoping to post some pictures of flying fish - that's what they do in that market thing out there, right? I'm sure I've seen that on TV!

14:02 Nothing to do (Orig posted 11 Oct 05)

yawn. nothing whatsoever to do. 2 pm, have copied any personal files, sent out a farewell e-mail, cleaned up my files as much as possible, transferred phone numbers from work SIM to personal SIM... and still 3 hours until I could possibly leave. Because of course I'm having leaving drinks, which no one would be able to go to until 5 at the very earliest. If only there were better shopping in Hammersmith!

Last Day! (Orig posted 11 Oct 05)

I couldn't do it... just couldn't sleep in - despite having no work to do, so no need to rush in to the office... it's my last day & i feel like a little kid on christmas morning! I've been awake since 5, trying to get back to sleep but to no avail... finally i gave in & got up at 6:30...

So - end of one long adventure, start of the new - am excited, sad, nervous, and somewhat unbelieving - it's fairly anticlimactic, actually. After all the rush & build-up & stress of finding people to hand my work over to, these last few days have been almost non-existent, as everyone just gets on with their jobs around me...

So - today is just about making sure I've turned in my laptop and phone... and then farewell Agilisys / Netdecisions! (wipe tear away now...) (not really)

Kew Garden Cures (Orig post date 9 Oct)

Went to Kew Gardens again this afternoon, gorgeous sunny autumn day. Despite going fairly regularly over the past year, I still find something new each time. Today it was the Queen's Garden behind Kew Palace. One part of this garden is dedicated to plants grown for medicinal purposes prior to the 1800s-- each one labeled with a quote from a medical guidebook of the time. I think my favourite was the Blue Comfrey, the 'slimie roots' of which are particularly good for back-ache gained perhaps from 'wrestling or overmuch use of women'...

It's really happening (Orig post date 6 Oct)

So - I sent out my 'farewell and here's my new e-mail address' yesterday... suddenly it's making this move seem really real. Not that anyone here at Agilisys seems to believe it... (or at least be fully aware of it)... I've only got 3 days left, and am still in the middle of 3 bids, which I have yet to hand over to anyone! Umm... guys... ?

Agilisys countdown has begun (original date 4 Oct 05)

i still cannot believe that after almost 6 years i'm leaving netdecisions / agilisys... the countdown has truly begun, and SO much work to do...

last day is tuesday the 11th... and i have a bid due on the 10th! ridiculous!!

will have to have a 'new job' blog too - news & updates as the new kid on the block...

What is Flank Steak when it's in England?

So... after years of being in the UK, and more years of loving my mom's flank steak recipe, I decided I must make it! (note - this is based in part upon finally getting a George Forman grill...) However - I realised I've never once seen or heard of flank steak in this country (not that I purchase steak that often)

SO -- I found this site, which tells me that flank steak is known as 'skirt steak' here -- learn something new every day.

However - not everything in this article is correct - for example, I've never heard of making cake batter in a blender [US] *or* a liquidizer [UK]!