Post holiday recap.

Whew...who knew that Thanksgiving could come and go so quickly?

Wednesday kicked off the holiday with a bang and after a rather tedious drive I arrived in San Marcos where I dropped by to say hello to Ryan as he was covering the holiday madness at the Outlet stores. Ryan and I then made our way into SA braving the crazy driving patterns of people who were anxious to arrive at their destinations and who in the true tradition of holiday traffic forgot about the rules of the road. Wednesday eve....Ryan, Sarah and I relaxed at the Saucer and strategized our plans for Thanksgiving day. After a little libation we returned home to drop Ryan off as he had to work the next day and Sarah and I headed off to HEB for some yummy salad fixings. There is no better time to go to the grocery store than 1am.

Thanksgiving day was spent with Ryans family who presented a fantastic meal of turkey, dressing, gravy, potatoes, cranberries and of course a vast array of delectable desserts. After indulging ourself into a comotose state Ryan returned to work and Sarah and I relaxed in true Thanksgiving tradition by taking a nap. After a late dinner back at Ryan's grandmothers house Ryan, Sarah and I went for some additional holiday cheer at the Saucer...I love that place.

Black Friday did not see either Sarah or I venturing into the stores....not for love or money! Rather we turned into creative culinary masters in the kitchen and utlizing some fabulous Norweigan recipes that have been passed from generation to generation created some delectible goodies such as Rossetts and chocolate macaroons. The baking fun was interspersed with frequent tastings for the sake of quality control--of course. Saturday eve saw us visiting another of my favorite haunts--Goro's Sushi followed by some additional relaxation at a classy little hotel lounge with a good bottle of wine and some very good jazz. We then met up with another friend at the Saucer and after a few laughs determined that we did need to return home as Ryan was unfortuately scheduled for a very early work day....not that 1:30am is early but nontheless.

On Saturday Sarah and I finished our baking spree with some truely tasty butter sugar cookies....makes me wish I had some here with me now...darn the mid-morning munchies....this is what happens when you skip breakfast. Anyhow after Ryan finished work we leisurly made our way to Ryan's mothers house for dinner with the family. Since that was my last eve in SA we had to continue our Saucer tradition and of course we did just that. While at the Saucer I snagged a cute little t-shirt for myself as since I haven't been biking this year my t-shirt stash is running low. Thus we relaxed and just had a few laughs and some conversation while the crowds ebbed and flowed around us; including a fairly large wedding party.

Sunday morning saw us heading off to church followed by Chachos for some excellent tacos then mid-afternoon I braved the traffic to head back into Dallas. Unfortunately the trip back to Dallas wasn't a speedy trip...I finally pulled into my parking space at 10:30 due to a bad accident on I-35 and just crashed for the night.

So that brings us up to the present moment....I'm working away planning next years audit trips and it looks like I'll be bringing a winter jacket for some snowy weather in January and than completely turning things around and will be packing a bikini for February.

So once again a wonderful Thanksgiving was spent with friends and family and now the Christmas music has free reign on the radio and I'm planning out Christmas shopping lists. Life is fun!

Twas the Day before Thanksgiving.....

So I just have to share cause I'm so excited that I can hardly sit still in my chair....Yesterday late afternoon I sent the reports over to my boss (the head of the dept) for review...after some modifications, revisions etc the first one was set to go....then the second one was sent for review and joy of all joy there was only a MINOR modification to be made....let me tell you I was over the moon and still am obviously. :) So today I'm cleaning up files, listening to some music, and putting some things together for the Miami trip...generally enjoying the quiet morning. Then at noon (or thereabouts) I'm taking off for SA!!

There are so many thoughts rushing about my head but most of all is the thought of just how thankful I am for so many things in my life. I have a wonderful family in MN and WI who love me and whom I love dearly. I have parents who have spent the last 32 years together and who know that a night in with movies and popcorn is the best way to spend a Nov, Dec, Jan or Feb night and who tho quirky still love each other through thick and thin. I have a wonderful sister and two nieces and a nephew who are simply the most fun people with which to have a marathon cookie baking session. I have a brother that although we can go for months without talking to each other the second we see each other its like we are both kids again and I'm getting beat up on again (some things never change).

I have amazing friends who are family and who always know exactly what is going on in my life and who are ever ready to offer a listening ear or some sage advice "sushi, chocolate and alcohol will make everything better". Without my friends both old and new I wouldn't be where I am now. I wouldn't be the slightly paranoid control freak type A personality that I am....I would be 100 times worse! :) So from the bottom of my heart....Thanks for being there and always being supportive....A comment I once read stated that a friend is someone who would pay the bail to get you out of jail....a true friend is one who would be sitting there next to you saying "Wasn't that fun!"....each of you know who you are and I know that each of you would more than likely be sitting in that cell next to me (I wonder if jail is co-ed?)

And I have a job many people would love to have and which I am becoming more and more fond of as I adjust to the changes of the new position. I am also thankful for my health...sounds silly but nonetheless true...I have been healthly all year long aside from a minor cold or two, haven't had any serious hangovers, no major surgery, no illnesses to speak of and am just that healthy, sturdy Swede who can go all day and then keep on going. I have enough to make ends meet, food on the table and a roof over my head. Honestly do we need anything more?

All in all life has been good this year. And I just wanted to take a moment and say THANK YOU to all my friends and family out there who are reading this, and to those who don't have a clue what a blog is I'll be seeing you at Christmas so don't worry about it.

Return to Dallas

In the words of someone famous.....I'm baaack!!!

DC was great fun... I had a great opportunity to do a little sightseeing and of course logged many, many hours of work but all in all it was a great experience. And I have pictures but due to corp office Websense blockers I can't upload them. So I'll send them out the old fashioned way---via email! John left as of Friday for his new job in San Francisco so the office is quiet and I'm manuvering my way through the report writing process. Challenging to say the least.

This past weekend I visited some friends in Killeen, TX and had an early Thanksgiving dinner with them....there is just something about, turkey, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce....Delicious! After spending a great day with them I leisurely made my way back to Dallas....all the while enjoying the beautiful weather.

I only have another day and a half here in Dallas cause Wednesday at noon its get out of jail free day....The corp office closes at noon and will be closed for Thursday and Friday....so I am going to enjoy a long weekend in SA. Should be fun and I definately feel the need for some Flying Saucer taste bud enjoyment.

So thats the news that is news....for the moment!

Hair color update

Super quickly.....

Just wanted to let you know that I had my hair done on Saturday. And the final result is that I went back to natural with a darker lowlight and let me tell you it looks amazing. I had no idea that my natural color was so dark. Actually it wasn't but hey getting older is good for something and in my case its turning my hair dark again. A little history. When I was born I had black hair....black as the night....it went with the eyebrows and eyelashes. Then around 2yrs old I turned into a light, light brown almost blond color. Some would say dishwater blond....uggg. And there it stayed for many, many years. So at 15 I started coloring my hair....it was fun, creative, let me express myself--sortof. It was more like my mom is a strawberry blond, my sister a redhead, my brother a redhead, my dad dark chocolate brown and then there was me. Not a match to be found anywhere in the genetic line. So now 16 years later (I can't believe its been that long) I went back to natural and lo and behold my natural color is NOT dishwater, mouse brown. Honestly when I first saw it (after I put my glasses back on) I almost started crying. I look like my dad. There is a family resemblance between us. It was an amazing moment and the poor hairdresser was so worried because I just kept saying that I look like my dad, I actually look like my dad....and she thought that it was a bad thing. So in conclusion. The new natural haircolor is amazing. I am an ash brown with lowlights (I can't quite give up the kick of playing with color yet)and it is beautiful. It looks so rich and dark and my eyes just pop when you look at me. Does that make sense??? Anyhow no matter if it makes sense of not... the color is great, it really works with my skin tone and is so natural. Even John was amazing by it and now want to get highlights next Saturday in my color. :) Bottom line, I love my new look and I am comfortable with it...which is very, very important.

So that's the latest....JDK has a great new natural color!! Gotta love it!

Washington DC

I'm sitting here before an empty posting page and wondering where to even begin to describe where I am currently at. So I'll start at the beginning.

John and I flew into DC this afternoon after a few delays and a VERY rough landing. When the flight attendants say make sure your seat belt is securely fastened and snug to you waist...sometimes they really mean it! But after a short jaunt from the airport to the hotel we entered the doors of the Sofitel DC. It was breathtaking. The paneling is done in a cherrywood/dark mahogany and the beautiful fresh floral arrangements are everywhere. This is an atmosphere of elegance, sophistication and power. We checked into our respective rooms and for those of you who have seen pictures of the Sofitel rooms in LA and Mpls just know that this location is just as beautiful. My rooms has a collection of sepia toned photographs of various landmark locations, such as the Licoln Memorial, the White House, the site of million man march...not to mention the obligatory Parisian land marks of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. Needless to say it is beautiful. The bathroom is very reminiscent of the Mpls bathroom with the dark green tiles, the black marble countertops, the fantastic lighting and of course the amazing, wonderful, if I was rich I would have one, state of the art shower and separate bath. Simply an amazing ambiance.

I don't know exactly how to describe the atmosphere at DC aside from that of restrained power and quality. This is such a different environment from LA. Here when we went down for dinner 98% of the individuals who were present at Cafe 15 were in business attire. Not a pair of jeans, sneakers or "casual clothes" were in sight...(ok aside from a person in R&D for a pharmaceutical company who is excused from the social mandates due to their sheer genius). And YES I know its a Sunday night....but that is how these people operate. So my dress slacks, wine colored sweater and snazzy blazer were ok but not "Fab". But then, I cannot afford Coach shoes and bag, Cartier engagement ring, Rolex watch and NM suits. So aside from almost choking on the sheer "restrained old money" floating about the dining room I simply must admit that this evenings dinner was an amazing journey of people watching.

Dinner itself....where to begin. A fantastic glass of Edge Cab Sauv. started the evening off. Then was the chef sampler of leek and potato soup (ok, not excellent) then after serious contemplation of the menu it was decided to go with the ginger glazed Mastlovik duck breast and another glass of wine. John had the two tone mushroom soup for his starter and the seared Ahi tuna with tart crust for his main course (two appetizers in place of a main course...there is logic there I just don't know what it is...). Cafe 15 was simply hopping. Usually hotel restaurants are not that busy....it is more of a convenience for the guest than an actual money making proposition for the hotel but when John and I came down for dinner there were maybe 25-26 people present...two large group tables and a couple of normal tables...by the time we left 2.5 hours later the place was jam packed....there had to be at least 100 people present and we were first to leave out of the original groupings. So back to dinner. It was amazing. The presentation, the service, the food itself I thought I had died and gone to seventh heaven. Then joy of joys John ordered a dessert coffee which meant I was free to order a real dessert and I did. The hazelnut ice cream with something else (cause I cant remember what it was called :)) was amazing.....so much more as far as design, taste and presentation than the menu description would have you believe.

But that I think is key to this establishment....The menu is understated but simply divine, the service outstanding but not pretentious and the atmosphere conducive to work and the enjoyment of life. I can feel the history in the air here. I can see the street as they used to be .... the cobblestones, the horse drawn carriages, the powder wigs...I can see history being made. And that is quite possibly one of the reasons this location will become one of my top 3 favorite locations. This is the site of history....Washington walked down Pennsylvania Ave just around the corner, Nixon ran into a little trouble at a hotel just down the street from this site where I sitting now, and the current Bush eats dinner at Cafe 15 on a regular basis. Indeed there are secret service persons all over this hotel at this moment due to a very special someone who is staying here....I know but I'm not supposed to tell.

Its an environment where intelligence and power rule....its not about the latest movie or being a star or having the worst eating disorder....its night and day from LA.

Could I live here....I don't know. I would probably be more comfortable in Montreal, but this would be a close second.

So that is the scoop....I'm jet lagged and beat but wanted ya'll to have a feel for what this location was like. And also to let you know that I had my first glimpse of the White House (which is just around the corner and when John and I take our afternoon constitutional...our excuse for Starbucks we will be walking RIGHT IN FRONT OF IT)!!! And I also saw the Washington Monument for the first time and it was simply amazing!!!

So much, much more to follow later but take care till then.....miss ya'll

Hair color

This is the opportunity for every to speak their piece concerning my hair color. I'm currently light brown with blond highlights and am feeling the extreme need for a change.

For those of you who know me, yes I know this is a pattern....deal with it. Its my way of expressing myself in a very controlled fashion.

So I'm thinking about going natural...a shock I understand--but with deeper auburn lowlights? Or just to refresh the blond highlights---as I now have NO sunlight exposure except on weekends.

I want something fun...and as I don't have the time to make a quality trip to SA I'm trying to entertain myself on Saturday. BTW....I have a nauseatingly early flight on Sunday so no going out and having a few drinks with Dallas acquaintances is NOT an option.

Opinions welcomed....

Sooo funny!

OK I have no idea who Eddie Izzard is but I read these as I was aimlessly wandering around the net and I almost gave myself away by laughing out loud.....I might be a little punchy from sheer joy at being done with another audit. Do not get me wrong....I love Montreal. I just hate being behind the learning curve!

So read on and enjoy....hopefully they also make you grin, maybe smile and perhaps laugh out loud. :)

Eddie Izzard quotes:

And the National Rifle Association says that, "Guns don't kill people, people do," but I think the gun helps, you know? I think it helps. I just think just standing there going, "Bang!" That's not going to kill too many people, is it? You'd have to be really dodgy on the heart to have that.
Eddie Izzard

I grew up in Europe, where the history comes from.
Eddie Izzard

So the American government lied to the Native Americans for many, many years, and then President Clinton lied about a relationship, and everyone was surprised! A little naive, I feel!
Eddie Izzard

There's a huge hole in the whole Flood drama, because anything that could float or swim got away scot-free, and it was the idea to wipe out everything, He didn't say, "I will kill everything, except the floating ones and the swimming ones, who will get out due to a loophole."
Eddie Izzard

I am an evil giraffe, and I shall eat more leaves from this tree then prehaps I should, so that other giraffes may die.
Eddie Izzard

Hark, hark do I hear the clock correctly--Its 5pm!!

So I just couldn't resist the catchy title. It seemed so appropriate for a Monday. The weather today was actually rather warm for Montreal. It was in the 50's and wonderful. Not that I was able to go out and enjoy it but I have a great view from the guest room where we have "set up shop" for the next few days.

So this new hotel has a whole new restaurant of delicious food to try out. That is both one of the best things and the worst things about this position. If you want to try cutting edge cuisine served with elegance and style than the Renoir restaurant at the Sofitel and L'O at the Novotel are the hot spots to stop. It has been such an adventure. And we were talking today with a member of this hotel about the wind chills that are experienced in January and February and let me tell you that no matter how much I love winter, the changing seasons and all the good things that winter can bring the mere mention of -40 wind chills gives me a chill from head to toe.

Today has been such a relaxed and casual Monday. I don't know if this is an accurate depiction of how this audit is going to go--but it was a good Monday.

BTW there are two movies that I really want to see. The first opens this Friday. It's the new one with Russell Crowe "A Good Year"---perfect chick flick and the second should be opening or might already be open and that would be the Dixie Chick movie "Shut up and Sing". The question of if I will have time to catch a show is up in the air as I will be flying out for Washington DC on Sunday but you never know!

Ooops I've gotta go....more to follow later.

Learning lots

What a week. I simply cannot believe that it is already Thursday and my time at the Sofitel Montreal is almost done. But my fun doesn't end with Friday because I have another whole week in Montreal as we prepare to audit the other Montreal location.

This week has been packed to the gills (who comes up with these expressions anyhow, and why do the stick in your head?) with new information, reports and most of all the opportunity to see it all come together. I am so happy that I no longer feel as though I'm wading through information that feels like fog with the consistency of pea soup but rather am now progressing more comfortably through a fog the consistency of wispy vapor. How is that for an analogy! No, seriously things are going well and I'm absorbing as much as possible from John and things are going well. Granted when it comes time to go out on my "own" it might be a different story. But I'll deal with that when the time comes.

John and I are talking about renting a car for the weekend and heading over to Quebec City to see the city or to Mont Blanc to check out the snowfall--they had 11 inches this week! Or we could just spend the weekend here in Montreal exploring the city. I went for a walk last evening and passed three art museums and at least a half dozen coffee shops in a two mile radius. So never fear I can entertain myself with no problem. Plus I also have this uncontrollable need to visit at least one bookstore and pick up some French reading material so I can continue to develop my reading/literacy skills in French and goodness knows if I read out loud to myself it will help my conversational abilities even though if anyone saw me they would think I was crazy--to be talking to myself that is! But aside from the bookstore, art museums, coffee shops I also really want to find a store and procure a scarf or two plus a pair of the cutest heeled Mary Janes that are just darling. I've seen a number of people with them and they are functional, stylish and won't kill my feet at the end of day. Plus if I get them I can wear them on the flights and they would be easy on/off for security. See, I can talk myself into anything.

So that is the scoop for me. Work, went for a walk to get some fresh air, saw part of the city, loved the city and wouldn't mind being based out of Canada--the likelihood of that occurring is nonexistent BTW, and am anticipating a fun weekend.

So that's it for now....more to follow as weekend plans progress.