In an act of kindness and appreciation I couldn’t believe what they created and shared our last night in the office. They had planned, cooked and beautifully arranged a special traditional meal, called Boodle Fight for us to share as a team, one last time.

My extended business trip will be coming to a close soon. As I look back at the time away from the place I call home, it’s been interesting and rewarding. I’ve met new people, experienced new adventures, learned about a different culture, and feel blessed for doing so.

The first weekend arrived as I pulled out the instruction book of sorts on the appliances, but they didn’t really give many directions, however, the washer/dryer combo looked easy enough to figure out. I sorted my clothes and started to throw in the first load but had to reduce the clothing amount, due to the small size of drum. OK, I can adapt, after all, I had all day if needed.

A recent business trip took me half way around the world; a thirteen hour time difference to be exact. I try not to worry into tomorrow, however, this time there wasn’t any effort, the flight took me there….HA. For some reason I couldn’t quite figure out the timing for days.

A short while ago, I was presented with an opportunity to help improve the life’s of people in a far away land. Helping these people will ultimately affect those presently around me, and some days feels like a heavy burden. The two groups will work together to become a strong united team that’s customer focused and driven.

Four of the five ended up having to take two cars because of all the items each person brought. It was quite the spectacle as the unloading began. We needed not one, but two shopping carts that were available for use. The service elevator was jammed full from top to bottom, I couldn’t get to my phone or I would have taken a picture; it was hilarious.

Being a mid-west girl, I happen to live in between two bustling cities. It seems there’s always plenty of adventures to discover; but there’s certain adventures I find myself going to again and again. A few weekends ago I went with friends to Milwaukee’s Irish Fest; which happens to be the world’s largest celebration of Irish music and culture. It had been a few years since I’d been back; I really missed it. The event was nestled along the rocky shores of Lake Michigan, which made for a beautiful backdrop, and the day and weather couldn’t have been nicer.

Most of the early morning sky looked like a typical summer day; sunny one minute and cloudy the next. However, later morning clouds began to roll in that just hung in the air. As the time neared closer to the phenomenon, people began hustling and bustling about, filing outside one by one to get a look. 

If you’ve followed my posts in the past, you may have read how much I love being near water. While vacationing in Bermuda, my girlfriends and I spent most of our time either in or near the water…..you could call us, Nauti-Girls…..HA.  The trip’s timing happened to coincide with America’s Cup yachting race, however on the days we were in the area the teams were either practicing or resting. All teams had been eliminated with the exception of New Zealand and the USA which would be competing for the victory.

The ship had everything a person could dream of, or even imagine. Early each morning the day’s itinerary was slipped under the door. It was a four to five page document filled from corner to corner with all the day’s events and opportunities. It was overwhelming to say the least. There were several events every hour on the hour and most times it was impossible to decide. You literally could be doing an activity every minute of every day.

Recently, a girlfriend and I decided to go for an impromptu late breakfast, and ended up at a cute little outdoor place we could enjoy the beautiful summer morning. One of the specials of the day was listed on the menu as Sunshine and Bubbles. The name alone got our attention.

Our hotel was in the middle of Times Square, which made it simple to get around without hailing a cab or taking the subway. Unfortunately, rain gushed like water being poured out of buckets, and wouldn’t you know, all five of us girls forgot to bring umbrellas from our hotel rooms. We ended up staying much longer at lunch than we had anticipated since people outside, both with and without umbrellas were soaking wet just the same. Once the rain had settled into a manageable downpour, we stood in the doorway and jetted across the street as soon as the light signaled for the crowds to pass.

One of my girlfriends happens to be a meeting planner, and if you’ve ever been to one of her events, you’d know she runs a tight ship. This girl knows how to throw a party, and has everything covered from start to finish. Whenever I get an invitation to one of her events, I am confident it will be spectacular.

If you’ve ever been to a Blackhawk’s game, you know exactly what I’m referring to; the experience is pretty amazing. From the jersey-wearing fans, hustle and bustle inside and outside the arena, the lights, and pre-game warm-up by both teams. Once the players are off the ice, the real hoopla begins.

The first thing that caught my eye was when I read, Renew your Compassionate Heart – Spring Retreat. It drew me in, and I immediately reached out to my friend to find out more. Who doesn’t want to connect with their heart, stop the chatter, listen to our inner messages, and trust our intuition?

This year’s hosts decided on wines from Italy…..no particular region, just any Italian wine. There would be five courses, and by luck of the draw I handled the first course, which included an Italian appetizer paired with a wine to enhance it’s flavor.

I’ve been with my company for eleven years, and in all that time it’s been a well-known secret that when someone leaves, whatever was left in their cube or office is fair game for the takers. A week ago, I was working with a colleague and in the process of a project discovered two, fancy, expensive ergonomic desk chairs that had been abandoned. These chairs are like gold, and it’s very difficult to get your hands on one.

This past weekend I was invited to spend the night at a friend’s house, about ninety minutes from home. We were having dinner with a group of friends nearby, and she offered me one of her guest rooms for the night. “Absolutely”……which ultimately made things much easier for me.