Wine Traveler’s Travels Vol. 19 (From the archives)

Originally posted 17 December 2001

            This weekend was much too short, Tyler’s birthday party was held at the Claim Jumper Restaurant.  Right after I got there I received a page that turned out to be a fax machine.  Anyway the meal was great and they even brought Tyler a piece of cake with a candle in it at no charge.  We are still waiting for the Bird to come from the breeder, The only other store we found with a Cockatiel wants $50.00 more for them, so we are waiting.  When we were on our way home Tyler was getting a little depressed he didn’t have his bird and he also hadn’t gotten the Harry Potter cake he wanted.  Well Gail and I looked at each other knowing that was soon to change because we had already picked up a cake at Albertson’s which was decorated with Harry Potter and was a marble cake just like he wanted.  We sent him to get something from his room while I searched for the birthday candles I knew I had.  It took some searching but I finally rounded up 12 candles from about four different styles of birthday candles.  We then called him into the dinning room you should have seen him light up.  About this time I realized I had left my pager and cell phone on the table at the restaurant, I called and they had it but were closing in the next few minutes and the place was in Redmond over 30 minutes away.  They told me someone would be there at 6 AM; my flight was at 6:20.  So I went there at 6 AM and got a later flight by luck.

            This week’s flight is on United, and my destination is St. Petersburg, FL.  I spoke with Dad and found that Sister Gregory will be in Florida this week and we will try to get together.  I was able to get booked on the 11:15 flight through Denver; security at this time of day was much better than I am used to.  But once I got to the gate area the monitor indicated that my flight was going to be 40 minutes late and that I might miss my connecting flight.  So I went standby on the oversold flight at 9:15.  I was able to get a good seat on this flight and am now sitting in the Denver airport waiting for my connecting flight.

            The next leg of my journey was aboard an airbus 320.  This was about the size of a 757 but the seats were so jammed in that my knees touched the seat in front of me.  As I have seen on most other flights there was not an empty seat anywhere.  I really think the airlines used the 9-11 incident as an excuse to lessen the number of flights so more of them would be full, without the excuse of 9-11 the flying community would have balked at the inconvenience.  If there are fewer people flying these days I think it is more likely because there aren’t any seats for them.  We were served a snack box with a small sandwich a bag of chips with about 5 or 6 chips in it and a small cookie.  I liked the idea of having a snack box as opposed to the bag you get on American because it gave you something more convenient to eat from.  I got to my hotel at about 9:30 pm and as I drove up to the entrance of the St. Pete Hilton the valet met me took my keys and arranged for the bellhop to take my bags, this was not at all what I am used to.  The room was very nice with a nice king size bed and solid wood furniture.  There was bottled water next to the ice bucket and the usual coffee maker with a rather good tasting coffee called City Blend.  The rate was only $85, which I have paid at places that didn’t come close to the service I received here.  This is the way Tyler thinks all my hotel stays are, he is always telling me that I shouldn’t hassle them about cleaning up the house, that I am just used to all the service at the hotels I stay in. 

Tuesday morning I got up early and went to the hospital to get their system ready for the upcoming upgrade.  Dennis showed up a little later and we were able to get the upgrade finished by 5 pm.  I spoke with my manager on how well the upgrade was going and he said “Great, because I need you to go to Carson City, NV tomorrow night.  I called my Dad to let him know we would not be able to meet on Thursday as we had planned.  Dennis and I went looking for someplace to eat dinner and found a place called Fred Flemmings Famous Bar-B-Que.  We both had hankering for ribs, well we were in luck; as we were trying to decide from the menu the waitress informed us that tonight’s special was and all you can eat ribs and catfish, we both said that’s what we want before she could finish. The ribs were meaty, tender, and just the right amount of smoked goodness, the catfish was lightly battered and seasoned to perfection, and served hot and succulent with a tartar sauce.  The side dishes were fries and coleslaw that tasted like something my maternal grandmother made.  This is a place that I highly recommend to anyone visiting the Tampa/St. Pete area.  We realized during our meal that we didn’t even let her tell us how much this fine meal cost.  We were shocked to see the bill was only $8.99.  We put away a lot of ribs and catfish. 

Things went very well at the hospital and I finished early.  My first arrangements for my change to go to Reno were for an America West 8:30 pm flight that would get me into Reno at 1 AM.  None of the car rentals would be open so I would have had to stay at a hotel close by and get a car in the morning.  As it turned out I was able to get done by Noon on Wednesday so I got an earlier flight on American.  As much as I have complained about the regular American attendants and their attitudes; the ones on my Tampa to Dallas flight were exceptional.  They had great attitudes and were very attentive.  Maybe things are looking up for American.  After a short wait at DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) airport I was on my way to Reno for another three-hour flight with no food, and the usual stoic American attitudes.  I arrived in Reno and the rental car here was a Toyota Camry, nice drive for a foreign car.  I checked into the Best Western Pinon Plaza Resort where I usually stay when in Carson City.  It was after the regular restaurants had closed so I went to the Margarita Saloon in the resort and ordered from their late night menu.  I had Chicken quesedias, which really hit the spot since I had not eaten since much earlier in the day.  The upgrade, Thursday morning, went very well here also and I was asked to come in on night shift to visit with the night nurses.  I went back to the hotel and slept till about 8 then went to the restaurant and had their Thursday night special, a 1 lb Rib eye steak with baked potato and salad/soup bar.  This steak was wonderfully prepared and the salad bar had a nice selection, the soup was a baked potato soup.  All this was nicely priced at $7.99. 

Friday after checking the software and working with the nurses I went back to Reno to catch my flight home I stopped at the Costco to gas up and pick up one of their $1.50 hot dog and soda specials.  Then it was off to the airport and home on Alaska airlines, as usual I was randomly chosen to be frisked and have my bags manually searched.  It seems every time I fly Alaska I get “randomly” chosen.  The advantage this time though, was that I knew from check in that I had been chosen so I was able to get frisked first and get on the plane right after first class.  The short two hour flight was a bit bumpy but otherwise uneventful.  Always glad to be home, and this time it would be for two weeks as the company closes for the holidays and we there is a planned meeting the first week of the year so I won’t be traveling till the 7^th of January. 

Wine Traveler’s Travels Vol. 18 (From the Archives)

Originally posted 12/11/01

It has been a while since I have had the time to write about my travels, I apologize to those who have missed them and to those who wish I had not started again.  I had a bout with the flu last week after returning from a trip late Wednesday night.  I woke at 4 am with the runs; by 6:30 that morning I had the chills to go with the frequent trips to the pot.  My temp was up to 102.5 so I called in to work, Gail and the boys went off to work and school, leaving me home alone with a pitcher of water and a bowl if things should start moving in the other direction.  I was aching all over and by 11 am was afraid to close my eyes incase it would be the last time.  I called Gail at work and had her come home to help get me dressed and to the doctor.  After fluids and lots of Aspirin my temp was still 102.5 when we got to the walk-in clinic.  I was seen rather quickly and given the usual directions lots of fluids and rest.  Well I did recover by Monday morning, and went into work only to get sent out on Tuesday on this trip.

After booking the trip I called the Aviators (TWA’s frequent flyer program) number to see about getting my usual upgrade to first class.  It seems that Mr. Carty (President of American Airlines) has chosen to give us all a Christmas present and diverted my call to the American Airlines program where I was asked if I had any stickers for an upgrade.  My response was, “what kind of stickers do you want?”  It seems that they do not treat their frequent flyers with the same respect and dignity that TWA did.  It was explained that for every 10,000 qualifying miles I fly, I would receive four complimentary stickers.  Each sticker can be used to upgrade 500 miles of my trip, and if my flight is 501 miles it will take two stickers.  And even though I had over 70,000 miles in my account I had no stickers yet.  He told me I could purchase stickers and I responded, “No thanks this is far to complicated and not worth the trouble.”  I guess I’ll have to shop around for a new airline to frequent. 

Tuesday morning I got up at 2 AM so I could get to the airport by 4 AM for my 6 AM flight.  I’ve been flying since the September 11^th event and since just before Thanksgiving the lines at SeaTac have been atrocious.  I forgot that I usually fly on Mondays like every other business traveler and that this being Tuesday there might not be such a line, well there wasn’t.  I was through all the high security and even a random search and got to my gate before 4:30 AM.  The Admirals Club didn’t open till 5 AM and even then, because the Latte machine is behind the bar, which obviously wouldn’t be open this early, I couldn’t get a Latte.  It’s obvious that Mr. Carty still hasn’t learned anything yet about customer service from the good people of TWA.  I also noticed that none of the TWA staff was present anymore.  I had heard that they were not given any credit for their years of service, so people who had given a lifetime of service to their job now had to start over as a new employee, I find this not only unethical but also inhumane and goes a long way to explain the arrogant and condescending attitude that American employees exhibited even before this merger.  There should be a law to protect employees in mergers from such abuses.  I think this calls for a letter to my congressperson and representatives, I won’t bother any republicans since they only support things that effect the immediate bottom line and not the long-term health or reputation of a company.  But here I go getting on my soapbox again; I can just see my dad shaking his head, wondering where he went wrong. 

Back to the trip, the boarding process went well American now boards in groups, which I am sure is based on seat assignment and frequent flyer status but sure reminds me of Southwest airlines the only difference it seems now between AA and Southwest is assigned seats.  The breakfast “meal” in coach was a cold (we’re talking near frozen) banana muffin, half the size of a standard muffin, a four-ounce cup of applesauce and a four-ounce carton of orange juice, which wasn’t as cold as the muffin.  There was a half of a napkin and a plastic spoon in the bag that the “meal” was served in.  The dilemma, do I use the half napkin to eat on or to place in my lap?  I chose to place the napkin in my lap and use the bag to eat on. The movie was “The Grinch.” now that I’m riding in the back of the bus it would cost me $5.00 to access the entertainment system.  I just can’t bring myself to spend that on a movie that I can rent for $3.00 and not have to watch a cut up version of it.  When this was TWA the movies were unreleased, which made them a bit more worth it.  The one redeeming factor of this flight was that it was on a 757, the flight itself was very comfortable and while I did not recognize any of the flight crew I was sure most of them must have been former TWA employees because they were smiling and courteous something that is rare in a long term American employee, there was one with the perma-frown that made me wonder if she was Dallas based.  This is the first leg of my trip to Indiana; I will be visiting a hospital in Franklin, which is not far from Indianapolis where my brother Jody and his family live.  I hope to get time to visit as I really miss having them out in Washington.  

After a brief stop in the Ambassador’s, now switching over to Admiral’s, club I returned to the same gate I got off at and the same plane just a different seat.  I did notice that they had changed all the signage at St. Louis International Airport to American and the airport looks really drab because everything is silver and gray now.  The old TWA red and gold signage was much more appealing.  They have also started scraping the paint off the planes so they too are very unappealing to look at.  The flight to Indianapolis was uneventful and a short 36 minutes.  We were served beverages and pretzels; I asked for club soda with lime and got lemon, not at all the same thing.  My guess is this is another one of Mr. Carty’s, money saving at the expense of good customer service items.

Upon landing I called Misti and made arrangements to meet for dinner.  I drove down to Franklin and checked into the hotel, they did not have a non smoking room at the regular rate, the only nonsmoking room was a suite with an in room Jacuzzi, they gave me a special rate of $85 for my inconvenience so I took it.  The room was great I had a king size bed in the bedroom then the living area had two areas one with the Jacuzzi and a fridge, microwave, coffee maker and sink.  The other area had a couch, TV and Desk.  Then I drove about 40 minutes north to Misti’s house for homemade spaghetti.  I really enjoyed seeing the kids Jessica is turning into a little lady and Jacob has really grown.  The twins were just as cute as buttons and so smart.  I left as Misti was putting them to bed, hoping to meet up again later in the week.  As it was our schedules did not coincide, I stayed busy with work and she had other commitments. 

My return through Indianapolis was quick and the security was so much more efficient than at Seattle.  The flight I was on would stop at St. Louis then continue on to Seattle so I didn’t have to get off.  Both legs were completely full, so those reports about people not flying are all hype by the airlines trying to sell tickets or something.  I spoke with some of the flight attendants about the merger and it seems that even though they were originally promised they would get to keep their seniority; Mr. Carty is trying to use recent events to take advantage of them.  I will be writing to my congressperson to see what can be done as I work for a company that is ripe for takeover or merger and I would not want to lose the seniority I have earned so far. 

Speaking of my company, I just received an email that the president of our company has announced his retirement.  There has been much discussion over the last year that this would be a positive move for our company as he has been cited as stifling the creativity and productivity of the employees.  I have yet to check our stock price but I would guess it would have risen on this announcement.  We recently sold our corporate buildings and property to Microsoft who surrounds our property, realizing a considerable profit; with this and the increase in sales we’ve been having this should be a good year.  

Christmas is coming fast and last weekend Gail and I went shopping and found three new bicycles for the boys, the sales were great on some really awesome bikes.  And we got new helmets to go with them.  Tyler’s birthday was this week and I called him on Thursday to wish him a happy Birthday but we had already arranged to celebrate it on Sunday.  We are waiting for a cockatiel to arrive that we are getting him, he has wanted a bird for quite some time and has even gone so far as to read books and search the internet for information about them and got a great looking cage, he only lacks the bird.  Tommy turned 16 on Thanksgiving and we celebrated his birthday on Sunday also so he did not have to share the limelight with the holiday.  He got a neat PDA (like a palm pilot), and phone cards for his cell phone that he got last Christmas, it’s one of those pre-paid ones that way he is responsible for the bill, the first time he did so well the card expired before he had used all the minutes (it’s the AT&T free to go plan).  Trevor has gotten a weekend job at a friend of mine where he cleans out stalls and does yard work; so far he has saved over $300.  He wants to buy an XBOX, the new game machine from Microsoft. 

Gail has started an online college course to get her Master’s degree in Nursing.  She has a Master’s in Healthcare Administration, but this other degree will let her go into teaching if she wishes.  She got interested in it when her company started a tuition reimbursement program, which would have paid for part of the tuition.  While signing up for the course she filled out paper work for financial aid and she got a grant that should cover all of the tuition plus some for a new computer.  She has had to learn more about the computer and hates it when Tyler can show her what to do.  But she is losing her fear of them.  You can email her at QueenGail@hotmail.com she would love to get something beside Spam. 

Wine Traveler’s Travels 17 (From the Archives)

Originally posted 12Mar01

After a few changes I am on my way to Arkansas again, the hospital is to open today.  I am on TWA again enjoying the pleasures of some of the best first class service in the industry.  I chose the 6:10 am flight because it is a Boeing 757 it means I will have about a 1.5-hour layover in St. Louis, but I still have my complimentary 6-month membership to the Ambassador’s Club.  The breakfast this morning is a choice of Cinnamon Apple pancakes or cereal and fruit, as I am in a diet competition with my wife I chose the cereal and fruit.  The unnamed bran cereal was nice and crunchy; the fresh fruit was a slice of cantaloupe, two slices of tasty pineapple, a sectioned Kiwi, and half of a large sweet strawberry.  The breakfast was completed with a cup of peach yogurt and a banana nut muffin.  I did not watch the movie, as it was a period piece about basketball in rural America during the First World War; titled “The Basket.”  The Flight landed on time in St. Louis and I went to the Ambassadors club to work till my connecting flight.  I checked in at the flight counter so they would notify me when my flight was ready to leave.  I plugged in my laptop and got a cup of hot tea.  Well after checking and responding to many emails I looked at my watch and it was time for my flight to leave.  By the time I got to the gate I had missed my flight the gate agent was most accommodating and quickly booked me on the next flight.   This time Hertz again did not have my Gold reservation ready even though I had called from St. Louis to tell them of my flight changes.  I guess this calls for a letter to Hertz Corporate office. 

I arrived at the hospital about 5:30 pm and stayed working with Lee Long and Bob Gifford till almost midnight.  There was a problem with one of our networks and we could not locate it.  Since I had not had dinner and Lee was staying over he road back to the hotel with me, we got him a room then found a Subway store that was still open.  I had one of the 6gms of fat or less subs and a coke.  I know it’s about like having a donut and a diet coke, but nutrisweet gives me a headache. 

Tuesday morning I arrived at the hospital in the morning and by noon Lee had found the short in the network and repaired it.  The nurses were doing great with the software it was all the other aspects of opening a new hospital that had them overwhelmed.  They had opened for business at 8 pm last Friday and had 10 births by Tuesday morning.  For lunch Lee, Bob and Vicki (the nurse who teaches the staff about our monitoring equipment) and I went to lunch at a nearby restaurant called James at the Mill.  This is attached to a Bed and Breakfast that is a converted Grist Mill.  It is one of those upscale places that have cloth napkins in the restroom.  This was definitely not going to fit into my diet plans.  I had the special which was a large open flame grilled Burger on a homemade Kaiser roll with pepper jack cheese and served with thinner than shoe string fries.  It was very tasty and well presented.  We returned to work at the hospital and I worked with the nurses. Vicki and I made friends with another nurse who was there training software used in another part of the hospital the three of us went back to the Thai restaurant I visited on my last trip.  I was still full from dinner so I just had a bowl of soup called Tom Kah it was a coconut soup with shrimp, mushrooms, and lemon grass.  It was such a large bowl I had them bring me two more cups so I could share it with Vicki and Nancy.  They each had a noodle dish that looked scrumptious. Then we all had a cup of the homemade coconut ice cream I had been craving since my last visit.  Vicki and Nancy both said it was the best part of the meal. 

Wednesday was a much smoother day for the nurses as they were starting to develop some familiar routines.  I was able to point out a few areas they needed to pay closer attention to in regards to charting with our software.  Bill Greene the sales rep arrived today about 1 PM and since I had not stopped for Lunch he and I went for a cup of coffee at the Coffee Shop/Deli/restaurant that caters the patient food for this upscale hospital.  While there Bill ordered a half sheet cake for the hospital staff congratulating them on the “birth” of their new hospital.  I returned to the hospital and worked more with the staff.  That night for dinner Bill and I went to Mary Miestri’s the Italian restaurant that he introduced me to on my first visit here. After the salad with the house dressing I had the Trio special it had crab, scallops and shrimp with homemade angel hair pasta, fresh tomatoes and mushrooms with a very light white wine sauce, and we shared a bottle of Chianti.  Neither of us could finish our generous portions. 

Thursday was another busy day for the staff as they were having babies right and left.  The cake arrived and it was really something to behold it was one of those soaked cakes though it did not seem to be soaked with a strong alcohol with a very light icing and a raspberry jam filling. The staff was elated and really seemed to enjoy it.  A floral arrangement accompanied it and was placed at the front desk of L&D after the cake was served.  Bill and I went to James at the Mill for Lunch since it was just down the street this time I had the Andoulli Corndog this was a sumptuous sausage on a stick with a coating of cornbread stuck in a serving of roasted mashed potatoes garnished with a unique sauce and a corn relish.  The sauce was like a steak sauce mixed with hot Chinese mustard.  The waitress tempted Bill and I with desert; we had the chocolate pyramid; this was a three-inch pyramid of dark chocolate filled with a hazelnut mouse and there was this swirly thing made of caramelized sugar that decorated the plate.  It was almost too pretty to eat, almost!  The hospital management requested that I come in and work with the night shift, so I left a little early to go back to the hotel and take a nap.  Skipping dinner, I came back in a little before Midnight and stayed till almost two, the staff really impressed me with their understanding of the software.  Bill was supposed to have brought in some cookies for the nightshift when they asked about their cake like dayshift had I told them that they were supposed to get cookies but we couldn’t find any. 

Friday I came in around eleven as I had spent some time checking email and phone mail before checking out of the hotel.  I finalized the validation of the system with the network administrator and then went to lunch with Bill; he took me to a restaurant that from the outside didn’t look like they were in business.  The paint had almost completely peeled off the boards on the outside and there was no sign to tell you it was a business.  The inside though was very rustic varnished wood.  We had the barbecued ribs, which came with a homemade coleslaw and Texas toast.  I’m always up for good barbecue and this was good.  The name of this place is Herman’s and Herman still owns the land and the building but has sold the business as we learned from the waitress.  Bill used to live in this area and this was one of the local favorites.  Bill now lives in Little Rock, AR.  I returned to the Hospital and finished up my duties then said good-bye to all my new friends.  As I was driving to the airport I realized I did not call TWA to get my upgrade, the agent at the counter informed me that there were no first class seats available.  I called to get on the waiting list, this was futile as there had been some delays earlier and this flight was now overbooked.  My only consolation is that it is a 757.  My flights were all on time and I am going to miss the excellent service of TWA.  I can only hope that the merger will enhance American Airlines.

Wine Traveler’s Travels Vol. 16 (From the archives)

26 Feb 01

Well it’s back to Arkansas for the go live at the new hospital that was delayed a week because they couldn’t pave their parking lot.  I’m Traveling on Monday and will go in Tuesday to check out the system before they open on Wednesday.  I’m Flying TWA and enjoying probably one of my last rides in the front of a 757.  Unless of course American Airlines honors the TWA way of doing things.  The breakfast this morning is a vegetable quiche with Canadian bacon and fresh fruit.  The movie is “Pay It Forward” if you only rent one video this year this should be it.  I recommend this movie to everyone especially teenagers.  This movie takes the Golden Rule and multiplies it exponentially.  Staring Helen Hunt, Kevin Spacey and the kid from sixth sense; Kevin Spacey is a 7^th grade social studies teacher and Helen is a single mother that works two jobs in Las Vegas to support her and her 7^th grade son.  One of the extra credit assignments in the 7^th grade social studies class is to come up with a project that will change the world.  The goal is not to come up with an actual world changing idea but to get the kids to think about it.  I didn’t see much about this movie when it was in the theaters.  I expect to see about this one, though, in the next Oscars. 

My connecting flight from St. Louis was on a regional jet it was a quick 45-minute flight.  Hertz did not have my reservation ready and had no Mustangs left so I was given a Mitsubishi Galant.  It was nice and drove very well. 

I arrived in Fayetteville about 4:00 PM my room at the Holiday Inn Express was a two-room suite with two King size beds a microwave and refrigerator all this for the Hospital contracted rate of $47.  The clerk at the hotel recommended a Thai restaurant in downtown Fayetteville, called a Taste of Thai.  I had Pa Nang Curried Chicken and Thai Iced Tea.  Thai Iced tea is tea with sweetened condensed milk.  The Curry was very spicy just like I love it.  I was stuffed then the owner stopped by my table and asked if I wanted any desert.  I replied I had no room left.  He said, “not even for home made coconut ice cream?”  Well that did it, it was the best thing I ever tasted it was not very sweet, and tasted of fresh coconut and cream. 

The next morning I arrived at the hospital and started checking out the system about 11 am they informed me that the hospital was not going to open this week because the State and rescheduled their inspection.  Well I continued working with the service rep to get the system in top shape then rescheduled my flight to leave the next day.  That night the sales Rep and my self went to a brewery restaurant in downtown and they had the street blocked off for Fat Tuesday what a crowd of college kids trying to experience Mardi Gras away from the original.  I had the pecan encrusted pork tenderloin with steamed vegetables and baked potato.  The veggies were a bit over done but the pork was delicious.  After a great dinner we walked around and did not see anyone earning beads the way they do in New Orleans, or Nawlins as the locals call it. 

Wednesday Morning I had a 7 am flight back home.  The flight from Fayetteville to St. Louis was on an ATR 72, a large prop plane.  This one was quite old but the flight was just over an hour and uneventful till I was deplaning.  It seems the stairs, which are built into the door, got iced up and the grip tape was all worn off.  So I slide on my bottom down the stairs.  My right ankle hurt a little but after walking around it was ok.  I reported it as instructed so that someone will replace the grip tape on the stairs.  The connection I made was on a 757 in the front again.  The lunch was a choice of a chicken croissant sandwich or a shrimp salad; I chose the salad.  The shrimp tasted fresh and the roll was warm, the desert was a passion fruit sorbet, a very satisfying lunch.  The crew was in great spirits as they just had a welcoming party from American Airlines.  I asked them if they had to take classes on not smiling.  I explained that the AA attendants always seem to have an attitude.  They were surprised and told me that the flight attendants at AA make much more than they do at TWA and they couldn’t imagine why they would have an attitude.  They were very pleased that AA was rescuing the airline, and very positive about the change.  I just hope the people stay as pleasant as they are now.    

Wine traveler’s Travels Vol. 15 (From the archives)

02/06/01

            The mist, that is called rain in these parts, is falling just enough to make the roads shiny, the temperature at five AM is 36f according to the onboard computer in my Chrysler Town and Country.  One of the coldest mornings we’ve had in a while.  The Highway already has heavy traffic and a few areas of stop and go between home and the airport.  This is why I prefer the earlier flights to avoid the traffic; today’s flight is seven twenty. 

            I make in plenty of time for my flight on Alaska Airlines today, the one hour and twenty minute flight, on a Boeing 737-700, offers beverages only.  At least it will be Seattle’s Best coffee.  I am a bit disappointed that the coffee has been made very weak tastes like hot water; this is probably in response to the non-Seattleites who don’t drink their coffee strong. 

            Hertz pleasantly surprised me with a Mustang convertible.  But of course it is just my luck it is still cold.

            Today’s destination is Carson City, NV, Ill be landing in Reno then driving a short distance to Carson City.  This is a Hospital I visited just before Christmas and stayed in a Best Western hotel, which I have booked again, it has a casino, a bowling alley and two restaurants.  My last visit I brought home $200 more than I arrived with.  The last time here the rate was $50 this time it is $45 for a very nice room.  This visit is to support the Go-live with our software so I won’t be holding regular classes but making nice with the nurses and answering their questions as they use the software in the real world and not just practicing. 

            Carson City is nestled in a valley with majestic views of mountains all around, not as tall as the mountains surrounding Seattle, but the snow on them makes them look so inviting.  There is evidence of the past, an old building here and there.  Mixed in with new modern buildings.  Reading the literature in my hotel room I learn that the city is named after the Carson River, which was named after the noted “old west” guide Kit Carson.

            I check into the hotel at 10 AM and I am given a nice room with two queen size beds.  I check my phone mail and email then head to the restaurant for lunch.  Today’s special is roast leg of lamb.  It was very tasty and served with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies, this price is $5.95.  Then I head off to the hospital to makes sure everything is set up for tomorrow’s go-live.  The nurses were happy to see me and anxiously excited about the go-live.  I leave about 6 PM and head back to the hotel, and dinner in the Margarita Saloon.  They offer 40 different flavors of margaritas and serve food from the restaurant.  The margaritas are $3.50 for a 16-ounce drink, and if you are dropping quarters into the slot machines built into the counter top they are free.  My favorite flavor so far is the Horni Rita; this one is made with Hornitos Tequila.  The special tonight is Tequila Lime Chicken, this is a grilled chicken breast with Tequila and lime sauce served with rice and steamed veggies.  The chicken was a bit over cooked and tough but otherwise tasty.  I lost about $7 in the machines, which equaled the two margaritas I had so, no real loss. 

            Go-Live day went very well, I brought in a couple of dozen of donuts, which made me quite popular.  For lunch I went back to the hotel and had the bratwurst and sauerkraut special, which came with some of the best German potato salad I’ve ever had.  Then returned to work with the nurses some more.  I stayed over a couple of hours for the night shift; they work twelve-hour shifts here.  This evening I got to the margarita saloon too late for dinner so I just ordered nachos which for $3.95 would have fed four people.  I lost another $7 in the machines; I lasted a little longer though.  There was a musician in the lounge that played some awesome music with quite a range of styles, from rock to soft jazz to reggae.  I don’t have to be back to the hospital till noon the next day, as I will stay till midnight for the night shift. 

             I got up around 9 AM and worked on some paper work and such then went to lunch at the restaurant, today’s special was chicken and dumplings; big chunks of tender white meat with sweet onion and carrots in a rich sauce with two large dumplings on the side, served with green beans.  I went to work with a full belly.  The drive from the hotel to the hospital is only about a mile and a half but the view of the mountains behind the hospital is spectacular.  We had a little snow this week but it didn’t stay on the ground.  I called home this afternoon and the boys were outside having a snowball fight, the first snowfall of the season. 

Wine Traveler’s Travels Vol. 14 (From the Archives #13 missing)

29-JAN-01

            This fine Monday morning I am headed to a city I have been to a few times before, Modesto, California.  There are two hospitals in this area that have our software and I am making a courtesy visit to both of them.  My only choice of airlines is United, the first leg is on a 737 and since this is actually Shuttle by United, we board in “zones” The 737 is roomier than an MD-80 and they have an entertainment system, audio only, which makes this hour and forty five minute flight zip right by.  We are offered the usual complementary soft drinks and juices, and breakfast on this 7 AM flight is a tiny shortbread cookie. 

I connect in San Francisco to United Express, which only flies turboprops into Modesto.  They used to have an earlier connecting flight but that has now been discontinued and I have a two-hour layover.  I checked out the snack bars in the San Francisco airport and decided I wasn’t hungry enough to pay $3 for a bagel.  I once tried the closest city that flies jets and it was about three hours away.  While the only beverage choice is bottled water, the snacks on this short flight are much better than the big jet; they offer a choice of nuts, snack bars, cookies and pretzels.  After only twenty minutes in the air we arrived at Modesto.

Hertz surprised me with a Sebring Convertible; the surprising part was that because this is a non-billable trip I had to book an economy car.  I guess the new Five Star gold card I got last week from Hertz really does get me automatic upgrades.  Unfortunately it is January and I tried putting the top down and running the heat but that just didn’t feel right.  It was still a joy to drive.  I’m staying at the Holiday Inn again, which has a wonderful restaurant that offers 50% off to hotel guests. 

I checked in just past noon and changed clothes before going up to the hospital.  After a few hours there I head back to the hotel.  I ordered the Rosemary Chicken, this was half a roasted chicken superbly seasoned with rosemary and cooked to a tenderness just this side of heaven, I even ate the dark meat.  It was served with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables.  The vegetables were these little yellow squashes sautéed with little baby carrots that still had a bit of the stem on the top and strips of red pepper, obviously cooked to order as they still had a light crunch.  The posted price for this meal, which included bread and soup or salad, was $17; I was charged $8.50.  Modesto is the home of Ernest and Julio Gallo wineries and the Diamond Walnut Company.   

Tuesday morning I stopped by the restaurant to pick up my complementary breakfast of coffee and a huge muffin, banana nut.  While working with the nurses who were stressing over the new system I decided to buy them Pizza for lunch.  They recommended a local place called Mountain Mikes.  I ordered six pizzas; two combinations, two pepperoni, a cheese, and a vegetarian.  The Combination had more toppings than I have seen ever on a pizza.  And the Vegetarian looked like it had a whole chef salad on it; large slices of tomato, artichoke hearts and other veggies.  The Nurse manager asked that I visit the night shift so I went back to the hotel and slept for a couple of hours, skipping supper since I had the pizza for lunch, then returned to the night shift, for these nurses I brought some microwave popcorn and Sam’s Choice cookies from Wal-mart.  I really love the quality of Sam’s choice products, their chocolate chip cookies have more chips than any other cookie I know and they really taste like chocolate. 

Wednesday morning I grabbed another muffin and coffee to go and headed in to the hospital.  The nurses here are just wonderful and much more comfortable with the software after I helped them with a few shortcuts, and re-enforced the training I had given previously.  This evening I ate at the hotel again trying their Cajun Barbee, this was a skewer of Cajun spiced shrimp and vegetables with a side of rice and fresh vegetables.  The fresh vegetables this time were those little squashes again with fresh spinach and onion lightly sautéed.  These little squashes are about the size of a large grape and the shape reminds me of the stones in Wilma Flintstone’s necklace.  I chose the Cream of Broccoli soup to go with this meal. I ordered desert Tiramisu and coffee.  Again I was not disappointed my cost for this meal was $ 12.50

Thursday I had to visit the other hospital, which is in the town of Oakdale, California.  This quiet little town claims to be the cowboy capital of the world they have a cowboy museum as well as a Hershey Chocolate factory.  I did not have time to visit them on this visit but have in previous visits.  The drive to this little town takes you through grape vineyards and almond orchards.  I have yet to see a cowboy or any cows here, but they do have a yearly Rodeo that I have seen advertised.  I returned to Modesto later that night and ate at the Holiday Inn again; this time I tried their Kansas City Strip Steak.  This was a generous cut of perfectly prepared beef.  Cooked rare by the true definition, well grilled on the outside and tender red on the inside.  I have had Filet Mignon that was not as tender as this steak; it came with a baked potato and fresh veggies, those little squashes again with grilled onions and yellow pepper slices.  I finally had to ask about these squashes they are called Russet.  I will have to look for these they taste like yellow summer squash, only bite size.  This meal listed for $21; hotel guest price $10.50.  I skipped lunch each day to make sure I had room for these meals.  This Holiday Inn also sports a large indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, and weight room.  All for a great price of $80/night. 

My trip home Thursday morning was a reverse of the trip here first the little prop plane with the great snack choices then the big plane with a tiny bag of pretzels for lunch.  United Airlines has left me less than impressed but the service was great and while I appreciate the complimentary audio entertainment they do not provide clean headphones to listen to it with I would think this would be some sort of health violation.  I’m sure those foam earpieces would be a great transmission vector for lice and other infectious diseases, maybe it’s just the nurse in me. 

Wine Traveler’s Travels Vol. 12 (From the Archives)

15-Jan-01

            It’s foggy this early Monday morning as I drive to Sea-Tac Airport.  I’m dreading this flight as it is on American Airlines and I already know it’s one of those dreaded MD-80’s.  But American could get me to my destination an hour earlier than TWA.  It was hard giving up that first class upgrade that I knew I would get on TWA, but it was imperative I get there as soon as possible.  It’s fairly slow at the MasterPark lot this morning as it is Dr. Martin Luther King Day.  The check-in is quick as there are no lines today.  I am pleased that upon boarding the plane there is a notice that this is one of the new re-designed planes with additional space.  For once there is truth in advertising, my knees no longer touch the seat in front of me.  The flight attendant at the door looks less than welcoming; it must be the fact that they are soon to go on strike.  Maybe their constant bad moods are due to the way American Airlines treats them.  I can tell you though, that as I chat with other frequent flyers I am not the only one to notice their bad attitudes.  Breakfast in coach is very meager, one small piece of French toast cut in half, two small slices of not yet ripe melon, and a half size portion of yogurt.  Tyler, my finicky 11 y/o, would still be hungry. 

It pains me to know that American Airlines has announced its plans to purchase TWA, that leaves Delta as one of the few airlines that still offers good service.  I just hope that the flight attendants of TWA teach the AA people a thing or two about cheerful service, and that AA doesn’t reduce the size of first-class in the planes it is obtaining. 

Today’s flight is to a women’s hospital in Johnson, AR that is being built primarily to service the corporate headquarters of WalMart, Tyson Chicken and associated Vendors.  This will be a very different experience for me as the hospital isn’t open yet.

I arrived at Dallas Fort Worth airport on time, though quite stiff from the ride on the MD 80, even with the expanded room the wind noise is still there and the lack of any entertainment on a four-hour flight, I feel exhausted.  I wouldn’t think it would be too hard to install a sound system in these planes if they are going to use them for flights over two hours.  That might drown out the wind noise.  My connection is on American Eagle and I get to take a very slow shuttle bus to the new mid-field terminal, which is beautiful. And it is very nice to be able to enter the commuter plane from a Jetway.  As I approach the gate there is a notice that the flight has been delayed 20 minutes.  After a while the gate attendant announces that the Pilot is running late and will be arriving on another flight at 12:15 (the original schedule was for a 12:00 departure).  Now it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that even if the pilot arrives at 12:15 we aren’t going to be taking off at 12:20.  About 12:10 she changes the departure time to 12:25, then to 12:30.  About 12:25 the Pilot shows up smiling, he turns to the waiting area and announces that scheduling knew 5 hours ago that he would be delayed.  It seems to me that other arrangements should have been made.  So much for getting to North West Arkansas Regional Airport on time, next time I will take TWA if American hasn’t already taken them over.  

The lady at the Hertz counter informs me that I have a Grand Prix today.  I inquire, “don’t you have anything sportier than that?” 

She says, “I can put you in something bigger.” 

I reply “that’s OK.”  As I keep thinking about how out dated the design of the Grand Prix is I try again “Don’t you have anything else in a two door?”

“Well I do have a Mustang or a Cougar, but they are smaller cars.”

I’m thinking “DUH! They are both sportier and not much smaller.”  Then I realize they can’t get past the two-door part and totally miss the sporty part.  I quickly reply, “Yes the Mustang would be great” and thank her profusely.  Off I drive in my dark blue mustang, as I approach the Hospital I pass a sign that says “Welcome to Fayetteville the First Home of Bill and Hillary Clinton.” I wish I could stop and take a picture of that for my Dad.  Well I found the hospital and the parking lot is still just a field of mud, it seems that they have had a bad ice storm and are just now thawing out.  They can’t pave it till it dries and the temperature stays above 40 F. 

I spend the rest of the afternoon working with the three installers setting up my training area for the week.  We all left to check in at the hotel, a Holiday Inn Express that the hospital has an agreement with for a $47 rate.  Needless to say I was a bit leery about what this would be like.  The clerk at the desk was extremely nice, they had pizza in the lobby for the guests, and we each had a slice. The room was the largest room I have ever seen at an Express, two King size beds and a kitchenette with microwave and fridge.

We went out for dinner to a nice restaurant called The Powerhouse.  That’s just what it was, an old powerhouse that had been renovated.  The food was great I had blackened salmon and shrimp ettouffe.  The salmon was tender and not at all fishy.  The shrimp ettouffe was a bit mild but very fresh tasting.  One of the installers had ordered fried shrimp on his combination plate and he received boiled.  The server told him he would be out with the fried shrimp and that he could keep the boiled, he chose to share them with the rest of us.  They were extra jumbo and the best tasting shrimp outside of Florida. 

The next morning the hotel had these humongous pastries, obviously freshly made, on their breakfast bar, as well as an assortment of different cereals and fruits.   I held two four-hour classes and finished up about 6:30 PM.  The installers all left so I dined alone I was in the mood for barbeque and I had seen one near the place we ate the night before.  So off I went to Penguin Ed’s; you sit in these rustic wooden booths and order on the phone that each booth has.  I asked the fellow about the ribs and he of course said they had the best ribs in town.  Well if he was lying then I’ve got to find those other ribs because except for the ones that I remember from Andy’s Pit Barbeque in Naples as a child I have never had ribs as good as these, they were tender at the bone and chewy at the tips with an option of sauce; hot, mild, or half and half.  I tried the half and half but switched to the hot.  The potato salad was home made but would have been better if they had used mayonnaise instead of salad dressing (Miracle whip).  The Ice Tea was fresh, and I had no room for desert. 

Wednesday morning was another two four-hour classes and then I returned back to the hotel and watched TV, till I fell asleep.  Thursday the Sales Rep came into town and took the head nurse and me out to dinner at an Italian restaurant in a nearby town called Tontitown.  Tontitown is a small town known for it’s Italian community and grape vineyards.  The Restaurant was called Mary Miestros and I ordered seafood pasta that had crab, shrimp and scallops over home made angel hair pasta.  I thought I was full till the waitress came back and started telling us about the homemade deserts.  I was cool till she hit the homemade Coconut Cream Pie; let me tell you it was outstanding.  This trip definitely hasn’t been good for my waistline. 

Now it’s Friday and training has gone well it’s so different to come in and teach a group of nurses a new charting system when they don’t have an old one.  These nurses came from different local hospitals so they had differing backgrounds and experiences most had used some sort of computerized charting before but all like the way our system worked.  They were all very positive about the changes they were going through, so often I have to deal with nurses who don’t want to change. 

I was able to finish up early today so I went to the airport to stand by for an earlier flight.  I was able to get on the 3:00 flight from Fayetteville and then connect at Dallas but in Dallas it was a center seat on an MD 80 that hadn’t been modified.  It was a packed flight but I would now be getting into Seattle at 8 pm instead of 1 am.  The lady in front of me at the service desk had twin infants and asked the service agent when would they start pre-boarding?  The agent replied, “We don’t pre-board any more.”   This flight was also delayed about 20 minutes, as they too had to wait for a cockpit crew from another flight.  Do you see the pattern here?  Had this been TWA there would have been a free drink (read alcohol).  I think I am going to have to start writing my congressmen and senators about that Passengers Bill of Rights that they had once looked at.  The flight attendants did seem to be in good spirits for a change.  The meal they served though was less than filling, the choice was Beef Burgundy or Pasta with Marinara sauce, since I knew the pasta would be a let down after the great homemade pasta I had this week I chose the beef.  I bet it wasn’t more than an ounce or ounce and a half of very salty tasting beef, kind of like a beef version of a turkey roll.  The two carrot slices and five green beans were good and so were the six little cubes of potato.  The quarter cup of salad was fresh and the roll was very good though also small.  The best part of the meal though was the cookie bar made by Love and quiches.  I saved it for the coffee I had after dinner.  I was sitting next to a fellow who had to be at least 6’ 3” and he could not sit with his knees straight out.  If I haven’t said it enough I hate MD 80’s.  I guess as long as no one complains they will keep sticking it to us.  So I will probably send excerpts of this letter to Mr. Carty, the President of American Airlines, and maybe this time I will get a response.  I have sent excerpts of my previous letters and he did not respond.  So I am trying to get the word out to as many people as I can, that American Airlines does not care about its customers.  I have not found anyone who will defend this airline, not even its employees. 

Wine Traveler’s Travels Vol 11 (From the archives #10 is missing)

11DEC00

Well this is the trip I have anticipated for a long time.  I have always wanted to visit New Orleans, this week I’m off to Tulane University Hospital. Thanks to a friend of mine in Tech Support who was there recently I have booked a room at a guesthouse in the heart of the French Quarter.  I was able to upgrade my airline seat to first class on Delta.  The flight was very pleasant as it was a Boeing 757; the breakfast was scrambled eggs with cheese and Canadian bacon in an English muffin.  I know what you must be thinking; “Can you say Egg McMuffin?” But it was much better than that, and came with home fries and a bowl of fresh fruit.  My connecting flight was in Dallas a very short wait and I was back in the front of another 757, this time we were served a nice salad with grilled chicken.  I landed in New Orleans and the Hertz Car was some four-door model that I quickly got changed to a Mustang, Emerald Green this time.  The Hertz computer gave me directions based on the address of the Guesthouse I was to stay at.  The name of this very charming establishment is Orleans Cottages; the directions got me right to the door.  I fell in love with the neighborhood right away.   Lots of old renovated homes with cast iron balconies and very clean streets.  I later found out they wash the streets weekly and garbage pick up is daily.  I was within walking distance of Bourbon Street. The guesthouse has three levels of accommodations I was in one of the midsize ones.  Each was nicely decorated with a different theme. My room had a very comfortable bed with an Iron headboard a sitting room with a TV and a day bed a bathroom with a shower and a kitchenette with a mini-refrigerator, a microwave, and a coffee maker.  If you ever have the pleasure of visiting the New Orleans area I recommend you stay here, the Number is (504) 522-2561.  The first night there, David Deitrich, one of the owners of the guesthouse invited me over for cocktails and showed me the wrought iron furniture he makes.  He also made some great recommendations for places to visit and eat.  I then walked down to check out the pubs, what an experience.

            Tuesday morning, after coffee, I went to the hospital just down the street and had a very enjoyable day working with some exceptionally nice nurses.  That evening when I returned to my cottage I was chatting with the owners, David and his partner Dan, about where to eat and they invited me to join them at an Italian restaurant called Venezio’s.  I had a dish called Eggplant Vatican.  It was a shelled out piece of Eggplant with a seafood mixture including crawfish, scallops, and shrimp served with a side of fettuccine.  And we had a bottle of a very fine wine I don’t recall the name of but thoroughly enjoyed.

            Wednesday was another great day at work with another fine evening.  This evening I was in the mood for seafood and David suggested a place called Jack Dempsy’s.  He offered to drive since I had been admiring his PT Cruiser, what a cool car. I’m trying to talk Gail into trading in her Volvo for one the payments would be lower and the gas mileage is better.  Jack Dempsey’s is one of those restaurants that the locals like to keep quiet about.  The food was awesome and the price was great. We shared the seafood platter for two.  The platter had fried fish (both catfish and whitefish), oysters, shrimp, stuffed crabs, and crawfish pies.  And that came after the bowl (not cup) of Gumbo and a side of the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had.  There was so much food left over that David took it back and shared it with Dan the next day and there was still enough left for me to have lunch when I finished work on Thursday, all this for $21. 

Thursday I was able to finish early and visit the French Market where I found some great feather Mardi Gras masks at an unbelievable 2/$5, so I got one for Gail and each of the boys, along with some beads.  This was such an enjoyable trip I want to go again real soon.  When I boarded the shuttle bus from the car rental to the terminal the Driver asked me if I enjoyed my stay in her city.  I responded “yes but I would be as big as this bus if I stayed much longer.”  She asked me where I had eaten and when I mentioned Jack Dempsey’s she said “I had the best date in my life at that restaurant, I didn’t much care for the guy but it was the best seafood ever.”  My flight home was un eventful but enjoyable as it was First Class on TWA so who could complain, for some reason though I slept on this trip home I usually don’t sleep on planes.

Wine Traveler’s Travels 9 (From the archives #8 was lost)

13Nov00

I’m off to Albert Lea, Minnesota this week, a small friendly town I have visited before.  I will be flying into Minneapolis and even though this is a major hub for Northwest Airlines (an airline I will avoid at all cost) I had the travel agent check TWA and it was much cheaper.  NW would have been nonstop but on TWA I could get first class and save money for the customer.  So I’m off at 6:10 AM again and on a 757 so you know I am happy.  The breakfast was a wonderful mushroom omelet with home fries, while I’m not fond of their coffee (I’ve been spoiled by the wonderful coffees available in Seattle) I really enjoyed the meal.  My favorite coffee is Seattle’s Best; my second favorite is Tully’s.   I find Starbucks to be too bitter and acidic, the others I have mentioned are smoother while still being rich and full bodied.  Alaska Airlines serves Seattle’s Best.  I caught my connection, which was one of Boeing’s new 717’s.  To my disappointment this is just a renamed DC9, like a small version of the dreaded MD-80; the same cramped seating and awful wind noise once it reaches cruising speed.  I did get to Minneapolis on time and Hertz had a Monte Carlo waiting for me with a remote, rarely do they give you the remote.  I asked for an ice scraper and they told me that there was no snow predicted this week.  I explained that I had been to Albert Lea before and was sure I would use it.  My last trip to Albert Lea (Jan 1999) I had to drive past 12-foot snowdrifts so I wanted to be prepared. By the time I got to Albert Lea the snow was falling but was not sticking.  On the way there all I could think about was the Café in the mall there that had one of the best steaks I had ever eaten.  My hotel, a Holiday Inn Express, was just off the interstate and just a block from the Mall where Café Don’l was located.  After checking in I went to the Mall for dinner, I ordered the “Millionaire’s Steak.”  This is an 8-ounce cut of Sirloin with a spicy sauce and crumbled Blue Cheese on top.  I know what you may be thinking Sirloin is not exactly the best cut of beef, but the sauce and the cheese just make this the best tasting steak ever.  The meal started with a salad and a homemade Blue cheese dressing and home baked herb bread.  The herb bread was rosemary spiced whole wheat bread, served with real butter.  The steak came with a baked potato.  This wonderful meal was on special tonight for the whopping price of $9.99.  I had a glass of Black Opal Merlot from Australia, which was also on special for $2.99/glass.  The restaurant was well decorated and the service was excellent.  The only fault I found was the paper placemat and napkin.  But then cloth napkins and such would have made the price twice what it was. 

            Tuesday morning I got up and had ice on the windows of the car, so I used my ice scrapper the first day.  Work was enjoyable, as the staff is very nice and friendly.  Tuesday Night I returned to Café Don’L, This time I thought I would try the Italian style steak, which was described as an 8-ounce cut of sirloin with mushrooms and topping buttered pasta.  I chose the soup this time that was the best part of this meal, cream of chicken with wild rice.  The Steak, while well prepared it lacked the spice of the “Millionaire’s Steak” I think a bit of garlic would have really made this steak great.  The price of this meal was a whopping $8.99.  Well worth it and again the service was top notch.  The Snow was falling pretty heavy tonight but melting as soon as it touched ground.

            Wednesday morning, the car did not start and I had to get a jump.  The nurses were very understanding when I showed up late.  That night I returned to Café Don’L for another “Millionaire’s Steak” this one was even better than Monday’s.  The soup today was called Hillbilly Stew, a ground sirloin based vegetable soup, I went with the salad.  I would really like to know the secret to this sauce. 

            Thursday morning the car was covered in snow and I got out there half an hour earlier than before incase the car wouldn’t start, of course it started fine today.  I took the remote off the key ring and locked the car while it was running to melt the snow and went back inside for the continental breakfast offered at the Holiday Inn.  Work again was enjoyable, it snowed off and on all day and I left at 3:15 pm to get back to Minneapolis, some 80+ miles away to catch my 6 PM flight.  I made it plenty of time; the flight from Minneapolis to St. Louis was on an MD-80 in coach, torture of all tortures, fortunately only an hour and a half.  Then it was first class in a 757 to Seattle.  The snack was a half sandwich, smoked turkey on toasted whole wheat with tomato and cucumber, a German potato salad and Pepperidge Farms cookies.  The chardonnay on this flight was a Riverfort de France, a very mild yet fragrant white wine.  The service was, as always, top notch.

Break from School work

It has been fun posting these old stories of my pre- 9/11 travels, when airlines actually delivered service and cared what the customer's thought. Looking back it is sad that the consolidation of Airlines has lead to the total lack of customer service we experience today. There were reasons they made anti-Trust laws to prevent just such a degradation of service due to lack of competition. It is also interesting that the highlight of most of my airflight was the meal which is a rare perk even in first class anymore.  I hope you are enjoying these blasts from the past as much as I am.

School is going great, the University of Phoenix is an awesome online experience but it does keep me busy. I am on my third class now and have a 4.0 GPA, I hope I can keep it up. It is interesting being in school with people younger than my children and reading their posts and lack of experience. But it is also good to note that I always find something new to learn from them.