three sunny days

My favorite spot along my daily walk to the convention center.

I'm back! It's hard to believe that this morning I was in Ft. Lauderdale, sitting by the pool beneath a palm tree in 75 degree sunny weather, with flowers blooming everywhere. And now I'm back in 20 degree Michigan, where my driveway is covered in 4" of icy snow with more on the way.

This is the view from the 12th floor inside the hotel. The rooms went in a rectangle along the outer walls (the yellow stripes are the rooms and the green stripes are the railings). Down below are the various cafes and bars, surrounded by little gardens and fountains. I think it kind of looks like a salad, with lettuce, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes.

Here are a few photos from this morning. I went to the convention one last time for an hour or so, then walked back to the hotel to enjoy the weather before my flight.

I really needed this getaway, short as it was. It was nice to walk around without a coat and feel the sun on my face. Well, brief sun for me. I burn like mad! I have some really attractive freckles now. I got to meet a lot of people whose names I'd only seen in e-mails. And there was lots of drinking - a cocktail hour at the convention, then further drinks at a Brazilian steak house afterwards, followed by nightcaps in the hotel lounge. Last night, we went to an Irish pub across the street, which was more my style. I had pints of Guinness and a big plate of bangers 'n mash - mmmmmm. Really feeds the Irish part of my blood.

Oh! And the Floridians were lamenting that they were having a "cold snap" - which for them means an overnight low of 50. For me, it was positively balmy. During the day, it got up around 74 degrees or so, but on my morning walk to the center I'd see people bundled up in coats or wearing turtlenecks. It even made the headlines of the local news. The weatherman warned people to throw an extra quilt on their beds and bring in their pets. Bring in their pets!

If I'm sent to the convention next year, I'll go a few days early for some touristy fun and beach time. I love the beach.

Now it's back to the Weight Watchers program. I've been slacking a bit in the past month, what with the show and all the fun cast parties, work events, and my three days of drinking and eating in Florida. Luckily, I broke even. I've neither lost or gained, which means I'm still 22 pounds down. Much more to go, so it's back to counting and planning and getting myself on the treadmill. By summer, I'll be in good shape and ready for new clothes!

palm trees and warm breezes

Leeds Castle, England, 2005.

I'm packed and off to Florida on my business trip! I just trudged through the snow to take out the trash, and icy wind hit me as I went around the corner. I am ready for some sun. Check in later this weekend for photos!

more fun flu details with a surprise ending

A week ago tonight we still had two more shows to go. I miss these people!
And don't they look happy here? You'd never know that . . . well, murder was about to take place . . .

My flu marches on. Just when I think that, yes, this is it, there cannot possibly be anything more in my body - WHAM, nature proves me wrong. It's amazing. Today I've had one small container of chicken noodle soup from the cafeteria at work. I'm not a fan of soup, but it tasted heavenly. Then I just had oatmeal, the old-fashioned kind you make on the stove. Yum. Oh, and when I got home from work, I saw a can of peaches in my cupboard. Even though I've been avoiding fruit so as not to upset my stomach, I wanted those peaches like they were some kind of drug. I could barely open the can fast enough.

You may have noticed I've mentioned the word "work" twice. Yes, I was a moron and actually dragged myself into work for a half day. There was a Really Important Hot Project that some Really Important People had to have designed by noon. I didn't talk to anyone, didn't breathe on anyone, tried not to touch anything, and made my co-worker go get the soup for me. He opened my door a crack, handed me the container, and ran away in a blur. I think it's too late, anyway - more people were out with the flu today. It's sweeping through the company.

I must mention that I saw a GREAT movie on DVD today: Little Children. I've been thinking about it all afternoon. It was so well done in every area. Run out and rent it. Now. It was so good that it distracted me from my achey self and drowned out the random gurgling noises coming from my stomach. Yes. That good.

And now, the best for last. The custody hearing was today, the one that decided temporary custody of my nieces until the official hearing happens (after home inspections, research, etc). And . . . my brother was awarded temporary custody! I am so grateful and happy. They will be returned to him on Sunday evening, they will attend their own school and see all their friends again, and his ex-wife will get them every weekend. Basically, the judge ordered that everything be returned to the way it was. I can't give a lot of details, but his ex-wife was in contempt of court for yanking them out of school and taking them to live with her without arranging it with my brother through Friend of the Court. It's one step closer to a hopefully good outcome at the final hearing.

My parents are beside themselves with relief that we got them back. And yes, even though I was 120 miles away, laying on the couch and eating peaches during the hearing, and really had nothing to do with it, I say "we". When one thing happens in our family, it happens to all of us. We are a team. So WE. We got them back.