A wonderful reunion
I seem to start all of my posts these days with some sort of disclaimer about time and me not having any of it let alone having time for blogging. A few years ago I would have claimed such a statement as heresy, but life is one big lesson now, isn't it? So I'll start this post off the same way...my life has been busier than ever (seriously) and I'm just now taking a break to try and write some of it down.
Here are a few things I've failed to write up:
In March I went to Denver, where I was an attendee and a speaker at a medical group management leadership conference. Besides speaking to a group of 300 peers, the only thing worth mentioning is that it took me 17 hours to get from Missoula to Denver thanks to a bad travel day with the airlines. The conference was very good and I've been invited to submit my name to the organizations speakers bureau to speak at future conferences; I guess that is sort of a big deal.
A week later I hopped into my car and drove to Park City, Utah for a great long weekend with Purdue buddies Eddie O, Dave Sousa and John Busald. It was a fantastic time, with a couple of days of spring skiing and catching up and a huge bonus, seeing the Blasters live for free at the base of a mountain. The drive from Missoula to Park City is simply breathtaking and catching up with old friends is always fabulous.
While I was in Utah, Jen was dealing with family stuff back here which resulted in us starting a new adventure in our household as we added one more body (her 16 year old niece) bringing the total to 6 humans and a dog. We're happy she's here with us and the adjustment was quick and relatively painless. I'm still adjusting to having more than just me and my dog Allie around, so one more body in the house doesn't change things much for me...although I'd be fibbing if I said dealing with a 16 year old girl and all that she is going through is easy.
April came and went like lightning, with my folks here from Indiana for a two week visit, which was great fun. Mom and Dad are always a great help and we love them so much. Their stay was capped off by a monster road trip through the Big Hole valley (where we literally almost ran over a wolf). Liam was a trooper throughout the two day drive, showing me once again that there is a lot of O'Connor in that boy. We spent a night in Butte, Montana and also spent some time in Anaconda, Montana. We came across an old cemetery in Anaconda with graves from as far back as the Spanish-American war and even a plot from the USSB...the United States Serbian Brotherhood. The graves were from the era of the mine boon in the Butte-Anaconda area. It was a very cool trip.
At the end of the month I took a quick trip to Las Vegas for a conference. The Vegas trip was short (2 days) but amazing as we were treated to VIP luxuries by an insider, including a dinner at the Cafe Martorano, possibly one of the best meals I've ever eaten.
So here it is, Memorial day weekend and May has flown by. Liam and the rest of the family are battling some nasty viral bug, but surprisingly I have staved off the puking and most of the other associated other nastiness...triple doses of vitamin C, high potency vitamin B and Emergen-C are my weapons of choice.
I titled this post a wonderful reunion because the best things that's happened this month is the online reunion I've had with my friend Heidi who lives in Australia with her hubby and two boys. Heidi was part of the Heidi and Birgitt duo...two physical therapists I recruited to come work in the States around 1993. They were both just incredibly fun, cute, spunky and delightful...I was smitten with them both right away which soon turned into friendships and we then went about having great adventures whenever possible. It seems like ages since we last saw each other and in some regards it really has been, as Heidi moved back to Australia and married her longtime boyfriend and I wandered around in my head, finally meeting Jen and starting a family of my own. And because Heidi and I reconnected, I also reconnected with Birgitt, who is now living in Toronto with her long time boyfriend. It has been so amazing to back fill the spaces between when we last chatted and now; Heidi has been on many adventures herself and has a great family. I'm sure I'll be posting more about her as we send email back and forth weekly.
Here are a few things I've failed to write up:
In March I went to Denver, where I was an attendee and a speaker at a medical group management leadership conference. Besides speaking to a group of 300 peers, the only thing worth mentioning is that it took me 17 hours to get from Missoula to Denver thanks to a bad travel day with the airlines. The conference was very good and I've been invited to submit my name to the organizations speakers bureau to speak at future conferences; I guess that is sort of a big deal.
A week later I hopped into my car and drove to Park City, Utah for a great long weekend with Purdue buddies Eddie O, Dave Sousa and John Busald. It was a fantastic time, with a couple of days of spring skiing and catching up and a huge bonus, seeing the Blasters live for free at the base of a mountain. The drive from Missoula to Park City is simply breathtaking and catching up with old friends is always fabulous.
While I was in Utah, Jen was dealing with family stuff back here which resulted in us starting a new adventure in our household as we added one more body (her 16 year old niece) bringing the total to 6 humans and a dog. We're happy she's here with us and the adjustment was quick and relatively painless. I'm still adjusting to having more than just me and my dog Allie around, so one more body in the house doesn't change things much for me...although I'd be fibbing if I said dealing with a 16 year old girl and all that she is going through is easy.
April came and went like lightning, with my folks here from Indiana for a two week visit, which was great fun. Mom and Dad are always a great help and we love them so much. Their stay was capped off by a monster road trip through the Big Hole valley (where we literally almost ran over a wolf). Liam was a trooper throughout the two day drive, showing me once again that there is a lot of O'Connor in that boy. We spent a night in Butte, Montana and also spent some time in Anaconda, Montana. We came across an old cemetery in Anaconda with graves from as far back as the Spanish-American war and even a plot from the USSB...the United States Serbian Brotherhood. The graves were from the era of the mine boon in the Butte-Anaconda area. It was a very cool trip.
At the end of the month I took a quick trip to Las Vegas for a conference. The Vegas trip was short (2 days) but amazing as we were treated to VIP luxuries by an insider, including a dinner at the Cafe Martorano, possibly one of the best meals I've ever eaten.
So here it is, Memorial day weekend and May has flown by. Liam and the rest of the family are battling some nasty viral bug, but surprisingly I have staved off the puking and most of the other associated other nastiness...triple doses of vitamin C, high potency vitamin B and Emergen-C are my weapons of choice.
I titled this post a wonderful reunion because the best things that's happened this month is the online reunion I've had with my friend Heidi who lives in Australia with her hubby and two boys. Heidi was part of the Heidi and Birgitt duo...two physical therapists I recruited to come work in the States around 1993. They were both just incredibly fun, cute, spunky and delightful...I was smitten with them both right away which soon turned into friendships and we then went about having great adventures whenever possible. It seems like ages since we last saw each other and in some regards it really has been, as Heidi moved back to Australia and married her longtime boyfriend and I wandered around in my head, finally meeting Jen and starting a family of my own. And because Heidi and I reconnected, I also reconnected with Birgitt, who is now living in Toronto with her long time boyfriend. It has been so amazing to back fill the spaces between when we last chatted and now; Heidi has been on many adventures herself and has a great family. I'm sure I'll be posting more about her as we send email back and forth weekly.
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