When in China...

I am just about to head off on an adventure and a long, long flight. China will be the next stamp in my passport, so stay tuned for the funny, the odd and the oddly funny moments I plan to savour (and share) for the next ten days.

Sunday Dinner

Czarnia

Please enjoy the preshow entertainment.

A vendor (Webb Audio Visual) I work with invited me to Jared Gold's Czarnia his company's new building. So great! The people on the catwalk and off were vastly entertaining and the fashion wasn't half-bad either.

Jeni Schreck, RN

My baby sister is now an RN! She's worked so hard and I am so proud of her. The Schreck family (Dad, Diane, Mom, Bill, Christy, Michael, Ann and Jeni) was present to cheer and celebrate as only the Schrecks can. We all descended on Jackson, Mississippi for an extended weekend of family bonding by eating, bowling (yes, bowling) and a lot of driving.

After all the formal ceremonies on Thursday and Friday, Jeni wanted to bowl as a family. Much grumbling was heard throughout the land, but once we got started the fun followed. We displayed rare (for good reason) form, some sabotage, and some incredibly well-hidden talent. We had some "sandbaggers" in our group. In the end, Jeni took the day with four strikes in a row...it was her day after all. We had a great dinner with lots of stories (Dad and Bill) lot of desserts (the south wins in that department) then went to a movie - what a rough day.

Some of our group had to head home, so the remaining five of us took to the road. We drove to New Orleans...we drove a lot. On the way we stopped to see a little plantation called Oak Alley and paid way too much to see way too little. We talked, some napped and told really bad jokes to pass the time. We had just an hour or so in the French Quarter before our dinner reservation so we tried to make the most of it. We saw great little shops with antiques, incredible architecture, hidden gardens and a variety of people. The area was aptly named as it reminded me of some of the neighborhoods I saw in Paris. Bourbon street lived up to its reputation...we'll just say that we didn't linger.

Oak Alley Plantation

There was no evidence of Katrina in that area, but people kept thanking us for supporting the city. Other parts of New Orleans looked depressed and it was amazing how much damage one city could take. Overall, it was a great experience and we were happy we went. I would love to go again and take some time to explore.

The Weary Travelers

On my last day there, Jeni and I went for a long walk on this path along a beautiful wooded area. The southern part of the country is so green and lovely (and humid). She and I went to the Mississippi Craft Gallery and saw great art and sculptures from local artists. We had lunch with Dad, Diane and Christy in a park on the reservoir and then Jeni took me to the airport. It was hard to leave. The weekend was so great...we'll just have to do it again.

Mieka Day

Today is Mieka's 30th birthday. Her husband Paul, her friend Jennifer and I planned a little surprise party. I made an incredibly rich chocolate-fudge cake (of which I am quite proud). We had ice cream, chocolate-covered strawberries, sparkling apple cider...all of which produced hyper kids and adults in a sugar-induced coma. It was lovely - here's to another 30 years of Mieka!