I L..O..V..E to hear from Pitter.
The continental divide
Dear Diary,
Wednesday, B. and I board flight 301 in Atlanta and soar to Denver. Once there, we drive past Winter Park and enter the the 5000+ acres of Snow Mountain Ranch (YMCA). They told me I will need to drink a lot of water and rest frequently...something about high attitude sickness.
I find it interesting that at this time in my life I am returning to the YMCA. You see; my first college degree was from George Williams College at 53rd and Drexel, Chicago, ILL. You slept on one side of the U-shaped building; the next morning, you walked by the cadavers to get to the classes on the other side of the U. The administration offices were stacked at the far end right next to the classrooms.
Cheers
Wow ehBeth how did you know?! Anyway thank you very much.
A little bird at a photo site mentioned it :wink:
Hey Pit...isn't it nice to have someone remember your birthday.
Dear Diary,
I will return to discuss the trip to Rocky Mountains. Does drinking lots of water and headaches ring a bell with anyone?
Mapleleaf
HELLO, HELLO....anyone out there?
....waiting for Rocky Mountains story.....
Rocky Mountains.....sad to report the rapid death of lodgepole
pine trees...in some cases, entire mountain sides 2/3 brown...apparently, there are no commercial (pulp wood) facilities close enough to warrant the cost of hauling the tree trunks.
However, we traveled over the continental divide to visit Estes Park...still green there. Several days later it snowed. Relatives tell me their actual summer is closer to 6 weeks.
Bumped into working ski bums who came to the mountains 8-10 years ago with the intent of leaving within the year...lots of folks decided to stay.
Home James, out of the Denver Airport, took us right to our
place. Returned us to same...we will use them again.
Over the ridges, 20 to 40 foot poles are placed vertically along the roads and buildings. That way, you can find the road and the buildings. Of course, only the state people are out during the winter.
All in all an enjoyable trip?
Oh Pit! If I'd know you were reading, I would have prettied up my writing...you know...descriptive words...beautiful language and such.
How does one describe looking up from a valley to the rims of rock and snow. The fog rising with the Sun's rays until the entire valley is encircled with milk colored tea...and then, it's gone.
Why I think you prettied it up pretty durn good!
<grin>
Dear Diary,
Just back from the hills and dales of Lebanon, Kentucky... found a delightful route through the middle valleys of Tennessee...highway 111...mountains on both sides, not much development...no reason to return to Interstate 75.
I'm hoping the fall colors appears this year...high summer temps and early deterioration of leaves suggest it could be a short season. Anyone out there seeing any color?
Mapleleaf, so good to read that you travelled! I've been to Denver in 2004 - yes, lots of water!! Luckily, our home town in Germany is at 700 m above sea level so I had not problems with altitude.
Dear Diary,
I haven't been here for quite some time. So what happened meanwhile? Well, I moved into another job within the company and the first two months were exhausting and boring at the same time. Exhausting because of all the new things and new people, but boring because the job itself is not a real challenge for me. Luckily, I not only have a 'main boss' but a 'part-time boss' also who is our patent attorney. She offered me to work more for her and move into the role of a patent-assistent/paralegal. So I will go to Sweden for three days for training and to Denver for one week in October. I feel a lot better at work now.
In my private life, no big changes. BigDice and I celebrated our tenth first-date anniversary on Thursday and I am still very happy to have him.
And that's it for now...
Nice to see you again, urs! Congratulations on your new job AND the anniversary of that momentous occasion!
Hi msolga!
Thanks! Yes, I think I am pretty lucky! And if Nisse stopped walking back and forth between me and the screen I could even see what I am typing... :-)
urs,
Good to read you...I knew something was happening to divert you...you know, this could turn out to be a better deal in the long run...maybe you could tell about the new skills and attitude you have to use.
Well, mapleleaf, I am not sure yet. Today, my patent boss gave me some insight into the patent field. My head is still spinning. It will be my job to keep track of deadlines, hand in applications and more administration work. Then there is a big database where all the information has to be typed in and which send reminders for all the important deadlines. I will have to contact patent attorneys all over the world. It sounds very interesting.
My usual work now is typing letters, reports and e-mails for my boss - usually he dictates on tape. He has been working with the lady who I replace for 28 years. So I guess it is not very easy for him to get used to me. But he is the kindest person! So even though the work is not always exciting, I am glad to have him for a boss, too, just because of his personality. Of course, I also organize meetings, travels, run for coffee if needed... Oh, by the way, the department is Research & Development. I also support a lot of the young researchers. That's interesting!
Next week I'll be in Sweden and then in Denver from October 8 to 14 :-)
So now I spent some time in Sweden and in the US. It was decided that I will spend 50% of my time for patent work. I am not sure yet how that will work out with the job that I did for 100% of my time... We will see and I will have to stand up for myself. At the moment, I am not feeling too enthusiastic because one of my two co-workers who should be working in a team with me does not want to do that at all. I hate to spend all that energy for nothing...
The visit to Denver was great. I love that region of the US very much. Unfortunately, this was probably the last time I had the chance to go there on business. Our company was sold and it will be divided in three business areas that will only work together 'at arm's length' as they said in the official information. So the Denver patent office will belong to another business area. Therefore, I will spent another week in Italy in November. And I also have to try to fit in the 17 remaining vacation days that I have to spend before the end of the year. And I am really tired - I could use some vacation - but when?
Furthermore, my car got hit by a VW van that smashed the rear and then somebody else hit the front at night and - of course - disappeared. Now it is in the body shop where my nephew works. They just got it back with a new paint job and saw that somebody there put a dent into the hood and the paint cracked. So on Monday they will repaint the hood. I keep changing cars - rental car, old cars from the body shop... But on Monday or Tuesday I will have my car back and most likely it will look like new...
