Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Time to go home yet?

I just finished up a fairly large client presentation. I am supposed to go over to the lab now and work, but ugh. Just a few minutes to unwind is all I need.

I have something to look forward to this fall! Last year my mom and I talked about what fun it would be to go to the Gourmet Institute's Food and Wine gathering in New York City. Her friend and her friend's daughter went in 2004 and had a fantastic time. Met lots of celebrity chefs, learned a ton and ate good food. She mentioned to my mom last year how much fun it would be for the four of us to go in 2006. Sure enough, she has brought it up again and is looking into getting tickets! Wohoo! It will be an expensive trip, but travelling with mom has its perks in that regard!

I called AB and asked him how he would feel about his wife running off to New York City for a week with her mom to eat good food, drink wine and leave him with Leif? Once he confirmed I actually said I would leave he and Leif (since I have no plans on hauling a 2 year old to NYC and he doesn't have to spend a week on vacation with his MIL, even though they do get along) it was fine with him! So we will see if this just remains a pipe dream, or actually becomes reality in the next few months.

So speaking of things to look forward to... I think we are going to plan to go to Seattle for a long weekend in mid-March for our anniversary. I am dying to get Leif to the aquarium because of his huge fish fascination. Of course, one of my main reasons for ever going to Seattle is for the food and shopping. Both these activities become a little more difficult with a toddler in tow. I am, for now, planning on giving up all hopes of even walking into a store or eating anywhere that doesn't offer a kid's menu. Ah the perils of growing up and having a family!

Already on the books is a trip to Reno in June. Whether or not this is vacation or work will be up to my manager basically. I am chairing a section of a conference and will likely be presenting some research there. Chairing a section of a conference is turning out to be more work than initially anticipated. Getting well known and respected scientists in the field to come and give a talk for the prestige of listing "invited talk" on their CV's and the cost of their $85 registration fee is proving to be a little more difficult than initially anticipated. Now if *I* were offered an "invited talk", I would be all over it. Hence, the difference between someone 4 years out of grad school and 20 years out. (FTR, I was offered an "invited talk" at this conference, in my own mind, it doesn't *really* count since they knew I was already going to be there, but yay me anyways!)

This trip to Reno is much anticipated because we are already starting to pare down our list of required things to do. I am going to push for a few days in Reno for the conference. A few days at Tahoe along with having Leif baptized at the church we were married. Amador county wineries and Mammoth Lakes are a must. On the list also is Yosemite and San Fran, Napa and Sonoma - this is where AB asks "exactly how long are we going for?" I really love Reno and miss it. *sigh*

Also on the travel list it appears is a trip to the family place on the coast to meet my FIL and possibly my BIL and his wife for the 4th of July weekend. AB will once again start planning his fireworks display here soon I am sure. I have a few other things I would like to do... Canadian Rockies, Yellowstone, Victoria BC, San Juan Islands, Crater Lake, Portland...

Back to reality.

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