To Work or Not To Work....

How do you draw the line between your work time and your personal time in a virtual workplace? Expectations are that you’ll do your job whenever you’re asked to do it.  That could mean long hours or even working on vacation.

Yep.  I said it.  I worked on my vacation.  It was unavoidable.  I had to present to leadership about a topic that I own; it was bad timing on my part honestly.  We’d planned this vacation well before I switched jobs and I guess the assumption was that I could take the time off with no worries.  Any other week and I probably could have, but not the week we chose. 

So in the middle of my glorious getaway – prized time with the family – I had to find a way to dial into a conference call and miracle of miracles, find wireless so I could get onto my laptop to present my slides.  That was a lot of fun.  By the way, on Cape Cod in the off season, free wireless is very difficult to come by.  In fact, B drove around one afternoon with his laptop just looking wireless so he could upload his homework!

It’s amazing how attached we’ve become to being connected.  I can remember a time when if someone from work needed you after you were gone for the day they had to wait until you came in the next day!  Gasp!  You didn’t have a laptop and goodness knows there were no cellphones.  There was definitely a separation of work and home – but you did spend more hours in the office.

So where’s the win?  Either you have a laptop and you can work from home when you need to, which slowly becomes more and more hours or you work only at the office and come home later in the evening.  Then I miss putting little man to bed or doing dinner with B.  That’s not good. 

I do enjoy working from home – it sure is nice to do laundry and multi task while I’m on conference calls – but I miss the camaraderie of my co-workers and the teamwork that is so important to my job when I’m not in the office.

So I guess the answer is to balance both options.  Work from home when I need to be there and go into the office the rest of the time.  They gave me a laptop and Blackberry for a reason and I guess working a day or so on vacation is the reason.   At least I got lobster on vacation. 

Happy Thursday Ya’ll!

Cold Baby Toes!

Blake dipped his toes into the Atlantic Ocean for the first time while we were at the Cape; it was so much fun!  While we were at the Cape, we drove out to Provincetown which is at the extreme tip of Cape Cod.  Near there is Race Point Beach.  It’s a gorgeous, peaceful beach that is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. 

There are tons of huge dunes and since it’s on the Atlantic side, the water is really cold!  We’d been there years ago on our one year anniversary and decided to head over to see things – the weather was spectacular!

We went on Blake’s 7mos birthday and decided it would be great take our traditional monthly shots out on the beach.  He wasn’t too keen on the idea, but he’s such a sweet baby, he just went along with the fun…until Daddy dipped his tiny feet into the water!  OH he screamed!  Just for a minute – but he was SO not happy with his Daddy.  I of course had nothing to do with it J but just took pictures. 

In hind sight, we probably should have taken the photos earlier in the day, but decided to head into Ptown for lunch first.  Overall, Blake did really well, and we have some wonderful pictures to document his big day! 

I miss it already….

Happy Monday Ya’ll!

We're Car Schleppers Now

Taking a baby on vacation ain’t for sissies.  It is seriously a huge challenge my people.  (I’m laughing at myself here in case you can’t tell.) I was getting all misty this morning thinking about my awesome Diamond Status with Hilton – and even that silly Silver status with US Air had its benefits.  All of that is long gone…sniff…sniff.  These days, we’re car schleppers.    I can’t even think about an airplane with a car seat, Baby Bjorn travel crib, diapers and food – and that’s just the carry-ons! 

The days of just heading into NYC for the weekend are long gone but gosh they were great while they lasted.  The idea of going to NY now makes me shudder not to mention what would happen if we walked into Tiffany’s with a stroller!  EEK!

So, heavy sigh, it’s a car or nada.  Since we haven’t been on vacation in “I don’t know how long” except for a long weekend, it is now time to get away and truly relax.  Not that it’s the same definition of relax that it used to be – relax now means Blake is fed, cleanly diapered, and chilling out on his activity mat for a few minutes.  It means you have time to clean the bottles without holding a baby or singing silly French songs.   

It used to mean, reading a book and falling asleep with a toasty afghan on a Sunday afternoon or driving aimlessly around the Cape going where the whim took us.  Now, we have to plan; probably one activity per day; at least for now.  And odds are we won’t even get that in.  Blake will set the tone.

All I’m hoping for is that he actually sleeps.  I don’t care where.  The car ride up to the Cape (15 hours!) in itself could be a total nightmare as he is not a huge fan of his car seat, is too young to be occupied by videos and lastly, very rarely sleeps in the car.  I am afraid Mommy’s singing voice will be taxed before we even get out of the state of NC!   Good times.  So, instead of stopping for Mommy’s bio breaks, now we will be stopping to get Blake out of his seat, feed him, change him and just find a bit of sanity.

Any tips from you experienced traveling Moms and Dad would be greatly appreciated!  For now I will try not to over pack and remember there are stores on Cape Cod.  We will try to get him used to his travel ‘bed’ and continue to pray a whole lot that we get to the Cape in one happy, cohesive family unit! J

Happy Monday Ya’ll!

Think Happy Thoughts!

Every night I sit and stare at a blank space to ready start a new post and then I just start typing.  Tonight I stared more than usual.  There are hundreds of unorganized thoughts running through my mind right now.  So much so, that I've decided to turn off my brain and just focus on the things that bring a smile to my face today.  I thought I'd list a few things that make me happy and hope that as Gandhi says, that those thoughts will become my destiny!

1. Ted Hawkins - his voice can sooth what ails you.  I was introduced to his music the year he died sadly, but I'm still a huge fan.  I could listen to him sing the phone book.  One of my favorites is called Big Things.  He wrote most of his music and was a street performer for years until he hit the 'big time', sort, of in Europe.  Here's a link to one of my favorites on YouTube :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pO8GlpvzyE  I highly recommend his Next Hundred Years CD.

2.  Murphy (my parent's new poochie, aka my little brother) got a new haircut today.  Since my parents did a DNA test on him - yes they did - and found out he was a Japanese Poodle (long story) they decided to get his hair cut in a poodle cut.  I won't humiliate him by showing the full cut, although he did look super cute.  I've included my favorite part, his feet.  They gave him a really close cut on his paws and not his legs, thereby giving him a leg warmer effect.  He has hooves now! :)  Very cute.

3.  I had heard about the chocolate restaurant/bar at the Ritz in Charlotte.  So today, I did a bit more research and now I think it will be come my favorite place in Uptown!    Bar Cocoa, here I come!!! 

4. Cape Cod  - specifically Chatham and the Lighthouse Beach!  I love beach roses...this is the beach where sharks are each summer.  It's directly across the street from the Chatham Lighthouse and one of my favorite spots on the Cape.

5. Queen Elizabeth - She's just an amazing, graceful lady.  

I wish I could have created a boondoggle to go to the UK for work for her Diamond Jubilee!  Her family and country loves her...that says enough.

6.  And finally, a brain dump...Cake Boss and Rizzoli & Isles are back on, my hydrangeas are blooming and it's been raining nicely outside.  I have great friends and family - who are both supportive and patient.  Team McGowan - need I say more.  I have good health insurance and orange creamsicles in the freezer.  Dominos still makes a great gluten free pizza (Sorry Anna) and my friend Missy is having another baby boy!  (I can't wait to meet Sawyer's little brother!) Terry comes tomorrow, all Dropkick Murphys music and all music in general depending on the mood.  Lastly, that I have the ability to not fix everything.  Sometimes, you just gotta let it ride....

Here's my view as I type - does it get better than this???  B and a Bubbie..down for the night.

Sweet dreams ya'll.

Su Su Sushi Ya'll

I'm a sushi lover.  Either you are or you aren't.  It's definitely an acquired taste.  I do have my favorites, but I've tried a few of the more gnarly choices in my time.  Those choices were made in my younger days of trying new things and experimenting.  I did stupid things like bungee jumping and eating shrimp heads and eel.  These days, while I enjoy the memories, I'm much more inclined to choose salmon and yellowtail nigiri.  Boring I know, but when you find a good thing, don't ruin it.

Dinner last night at Akahana Asian Bistro  - The Plaza

I think the thing that stands out the most with my love of sushi is my absolute distaste for cooked fish.  Yep.  Hate it when it's cooked.  It's too 'fishy' - or mushy.  Sushi is lovely, firm and fresh tasting; for the most part.  I guess it depends on where you get it.  It's not an easy task to find good sushi in Charlotte.  We're landlocked and fresh seafood is something we typically just enjoy while on vacation in New England.  We're not seafood snobs by any means.  Typically though, when you think of food that North Carolina is known for, you think of barbecue pork and hush puppies. 

Ah, the hushpuppie.  I do miss those fried little cornmeal filled dough morsels.  Gluten free hush puppies aren't common in most BBQ joints down here.  In fact, if you ask for no bun, roll or hushpuppies they immediately assume you're a Yankee who can't handle the food!  God help you if ask for un sweet tea.  They turn up their noses and walk away as if you'd told them you don't like barbecue!  I love it - really.

I've lived in the South for most of my adult life and have to say, I love the food and the people.  Growing up just south of the Mason Dixon line gave me the option of being a Yankee or a Southerner.  I didn't really choose either as a kid; as an adult though, I definitely gravitated AWAY from the snow.  Always thinking aren't I?

Of course that means I moved AWAY from lobster and all things Cape Cod, but we'll always have vacation and sushi I guess!

Where to begin....

The time has come.  I think I'm ready to begin documenting our crazy life, the ups and downs in the life of J - B and the Bubs.  I'm J, my loving husband is B and our two sweet dogs, Seamus (pronounced Shaymus) and Paxton are the Bubs.  Nice to meet you.

Today is the day before a 4 day break for Memorial Day and I think I'm ready to chill and do nothing for a few days!   Our lives have been pretty boring lately- not that I'm complaining.  Excitement comes in the little things - the lawn mowed and gorgeous for a few days - gluten free pizza at Dominos! - a clean house - Jason Mraz' new CD blaring in my car - like I said, it's the small things that make up a good week.

I'd rather be going to the Cape for the holiday and having a wee bit of Chatham, MA and lobster rolls- but hey, the Domino's GF pizza was pretty darned good!  Weak I know, but in a pinch, I'll take it.

Chatham Lighthouse Beach

Lobster's Good....

Our Bubbies - also known as the bubs, the mutts, Sea (Shay), Paxie, Peanuts...you name it...are spoiled to the nth degree of rotten.  Since we don't have kids yet (quite a long story), all of our attention, extra funds and focus goes on them.  I'm sure it's quite annoying to non-dog lovers, but we love our bubs!

My B - well, he's a sweetie and loves his sports and his newspapers.  I can't touch the stupid things myself, YUCK, but the man lives for his papers every day; I swear we've recycled so much of it that we could  make enough toilet paper to supply our whole neighborhood for a week.  B loves Cape Cod too and I'm sorry we couldn't swing a brief blitz for the Mem holiday, but we'll put on our sound machine tonight and pretend we're listening to the waves.....like I said, it's the little things!  Happy Memorial Day ya'll!