Welcome Home

For the second consecutive Christmas, our family guested in Costa Rica. The ten days went by quickly, as vacations tend to do. We stayed in Jaco Beach on the Pacific Coast at the Club del Mar resort. You won't find a nicer staff anywhere on the planet.

After four straight days of tropical rain which led to a bazillion calories of food and drink, I was ready for some sun. Tuesday, I was awakened by a lawnmower coiffing the grounds outside of our garden condo, it was a welcome sound, as it meant that it was no longer raining. I jumped up, awakened the husband and tadpoles, threw on my swimsuit, sucked in my gut, grabbed my book and soaked up a healthy dose of Vitamin D (and some daiquiris). We had great weather the rest of the week. The husband and tadpoles went ziplining...I passed. The male youngling took a two-hour private surf lesson, the little kahuna is a natural. The female youngling and I played competitive pool volleyball...while the boys went on a horseback ride. Nothing says family fun like whacking a volleyball at each other. The people of Costa Rica are some of the nicest in the world, you go from being treated like a special guest to being treated like an adored family member. There were warm embraces as we said goodbye (and yes, the warmest went to my favorite bartender). Visit, just stay clear of San Jose...like any big city it's dirty and higher in crime.

Our flight home on December 27th was just two days after the crotch bomber incident, so air travel was even more inconvenient. We arrived at the San Jose airport (we spent our last night in San Jose, as Jaco is about two hours away) at 10:30 am for a 1:45 pm flight. The lines were long, travelers were tired and confused. Between the flaming nutsack and all of the snow in the states, there were more than a few delays. Continental Airlines out of Costa Rica would not allow *any* liquids or make-up powders in your carry-on bag. So, after waiting in line to pay the exit travel tax of $26 and then waiting in line to check our bags at the airline counter, we were scrambling to locate all of our carefully packed ziploc bags of liquids and powder make-up in our carry-on bags to place them in our suitcases. I said a little prayer for my baggie full of cherished lip glosses to make it back to me unscathed, it did. I will say that the Continental Airlines counter agent, Roger, was both kind and professional. He noted that our seats were not together and moved us around so that our family of four had and entire row to ourselves (the flight was not full).

Bags checked, through security and still about two hours before our flight, we decided to peruse the gift shop where the most popular t-shirt read "Costa Rica No Army", we grabbed some food court fare and made our way to the gate. They made us all show our boarding passes and passports once again at the gate counter, then they lined us all up and checked our carry-on baggage for contraband. They confiscated all liquids that they found, pissing off (mostly women) left and right. After that we were all frisked in the bridge, just before boarding the plane. Our flight left about 40 minutes late, due to the new security measures and in spite of our early arrival to the airport.

Our 737 was equipped with Directv programing, the television screens are located in the back of the seat in front of you, the charge is $6 per person. The tadpoles and husband enjoyed this feature on the flight to Costa Rica, I slept. However, this time, due to new security measures, there was NO in-flight entertainment allowed on this or any International flights entering the US. Apparently, there is a map option that shows you (with accuracy) what you are flying over. To be honest, I think the husband was more upset than the kids were. No worries, after a couple of Bacardi and diets he went to sleepytown. Other changes in security, that we experienced, have since been relaxed: 1) not being able to get out of your seat the last hour of the flight 2) not being allowed to have *anything* on your lap during the last hour (including a book, also the tray tables had to be up...no word on what happened if you were traveling with a baby...I guess you would've had to hold junior over your head) 3) no blankets or pillows

I guess the TSA realized that punishing patrons with ridiculous new regulations isn't the best policy against real threats. I'm a US citizen with a passport, traveling with my family...until a domestic terrorist blows up an aircraft with his wife and kids on board, you can leave us alone.

In closing I'd just like to say: I love my country very much. The freedoms that we have here are something to be celebrated. The opportunities for success in our country are longed for in others. Our comforts are taken for granted...when the Customs Agent said "welcome home" I felt warm and fuzzy all over.

I'm Sorry, We Party

The Wedding

I went to a fabulous wedding in Scottsdale last weekend at the Intercontinental Montelucia Resort. Usually I hate weddings, but this’un was goooood. A longtime family friend got married; the fun loving guests were all familiar faces. Friday pool day, Friday night rehearsal dinner and bar hopping, Saturday pool day, Saturday evening wedding and reception that carried over into an afterhours situation until dawn…the flight home on Sunday was painful but worth it.

I’m a PC *sadface*

After arriving home on Sunday night from AZ, I unpacked (threw my clothes in a pile) and switched on my infant laptop (it’s only a month old), which is a PC because I would rather spend money on shoes than a Mac. Instead of the normal…blah, blah, welcome to Windows, blah…my 17” monitor gave me the blue screen of death. There was a message about Windows not being able to load and some directions about the F8 key…I was very tired, hungover and planning on driving to Chicago the next day to see a concert.

Computer issues in my house are a man-job. O’course my man was busy and couldn’t help me. So me and my small girl brain called Dell. It was about 1 am. Samir at Dell helped me. He was polite, easy enough to understand and didn’t ask me any silly questions that would offend my girly intelligence. An hour and a half later, I was back up and running albeit I had to go back to the original settings, losing my life’s work (translation: a bunch of stupid pix).

The Melvins in Chicago

The husband had some work to finish up on Monday morning and he has been fighting the flu (non-swine) so I did most of the driving to Chicago, which is fine since he has a speeding problem…or rather a getting caught speeding problem. We arrived at the Chicago Hilton at 7:15 pm, left the car with the valet, checked in, found our room, hurriedly changed and made our way down to the hotel bar for a quick bite to eat and our first dranks of the evening.

After an $85 snack we hopped in a cab for the Double Door where we had tickets to see The Melvins. The Melvins are a sludge metal band that I listened to in my past life (my teenage years) and began re-appreciating in my current life (my thirties).

I’m a bit of a girly girl but I’ve definitely got a dark side. So there I was in a stylish top, 7 for all Mankind jeans and 5 inch designer sandals with my son of a doctor husband in his plaid collared shirt amidst the rock band t-shirted dingy denim crowd. Two grungy guys in front of us in line were smoking a joint, I later found out they were both dads, one was a married professional. The Melvins rocked it out; talent in that band is aplenty. We left the show about 11:30 for a late dinner at Bistro Bijan and then over to Division Street.

We went to a place with peanut shells on the floor, I think it was called The Lodge, it was busy with a bunch of drunk(er) people…we headed across the street to an Irish pub-y sort of place…it wasn’t as busy and the jukebox took credit cards (at the time that seemed really exciting to me). I played a couple hours worth of songs and sang to them all loudly. The bartender’s name was George, he looked more like a Glenn and he had a twitch. The more I sang the twitchier he got, this amused my husband greatly.

We left in a cab sometime before closing… I was really hoping to make it over to the Hollywood Grill for early morning bacon and eggs…but I was overserved and in need of a bed before I remembered I wanted breakfast.

I got up sometime around 11 am…the husband was working. I mumbled something about being hungry, rolled out of bed threw on some clothes, a hat and sunglasses. We packed our things, checked our bags at the luggage check counter, grabbed a cab, headed over to The Grill on the Alley for lunch, where I had a pretty amazing Caesar salad. After lunch we walked the two miles back to the hotel, it was a gorgeous day in Chicago and my hangover had faded. I tried to beguile the hubby into staying another night, but he had work to do, so we headed home.

Tomorrow begins the Memorial Day weekend…we’re heading to Lake Okoboji for what’s looking to be a rainy weekend. Oh well…when it rains it pours and by pours I mean cocktails. I’m not sure if my liver is up for it…let the summer begin!!!