"The world's largest shipping comp-a-ny in the world"

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Panama City, Panama where I did many things:
- Rode down the Panama Canal
---The title of this post comes from our adventures on the Canal. The groom's family chartered a boat down the Canal along with a bilingual tour guide who had THE most annoying voice EVER. He talked like Paul Harvey - slow, precise, and with every syllable annunciated. He also became a bit redundant. We learned lots of things about PVC pipe, dynamite, the world's largest shipping company in the world (Cosco), and lights that flash green-now white-now green-now white. By the end, we were all pretty amused by his assinine lectures. You can imagine how hard I laughed when he started reciting websites. Double-u, double-u, double-u, dot, boring man, dot, com. So funny!

Here are some pictures from our trip down the Canal:
Me and my mom with the skyline of Panama City behind us


The first set of lock gates begin to close. The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and because of the tides, the Atlantic ocean is about 60 feet higher (maybe more, can't remember). Therefore, the Canal is made up of a set of locks that act like giant bathtubs. The boat enters the first set of locks where gates close us in and fresh water from a man-made lake is pumped in to the lock, raising us up about 30 feet each lock. Then the front gate opens, allowing us to proceed to the next set of locks where the process is repeated - SOO amazing!

The gates have closed, the water has been pumped into the lock and we've been raised almost 30 feet! You can see the Pacific Ocean (where we just came from) over the top of the gate.

The Centennial Bridge, one of 2 bridges crossing the Panama Canal. This bridge reminded me of my grandfather, Papa Chief, who spent his life designing beautiful bridges. He dreamed of visiting the Panama Canal one day to witness the engineering marvel first-hand, but fell ill before he was able to realize his dream. He would have loved the whole experience, and the beautiful bridge reminded me of his gorgeous designs.


Me touching the side of the Canal - I just had to. But it was really gross and slimey!


- Toured Panama City
Here's a view of the Panama City skyline from the Panama Canal. Panama City looks a little like NYC from afar, doesn't it? It is currently experiencing a period of massive growth, and just about every other building downtown is under construction. It's a pretty exciting place to be.


- Attended many wonderful, scrumptious feasts

- Attended my friend Ashley's wedding
---Ashley is a former student of my mom's who married Gianni last Saturday. Gianni grew up in LA, but much of his family still resides in Panama.

If you'd like to see more pictures of the weekend, please visit www.scoutfinchinmadison.shutterfly.com and look in the Panama album.

Aloha Again!

I just returned from another trip to Hawaii, this one shorter and with very little fanfare. I only laid out in the sun for 1 hour!! The rest of the time was work work work!

However, I promised I'd post photos from my first trip to Oahu, so here they are:

I went for a walk on Waikiki Beach and from this picture you can get the idea of the many hotels that line Waikiki. It's very crowded, very touristy, but hey, it's Hawaii.

A beautiful sunset!

Here I am with Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head (the big landmass jutting into the water) behind me.



My friend and I decided to tack 1 extra day on to our business trip so that we could enjoy the beach, pool, and the sun - that would at least make the very long flight worth it!!

Here's the Marriott pool, right by the ocean - so beautiful! And I'd be lying if I didn't say that I *had* to try a pina colada! So yummy!

Right before we had to leave, I decided to take a few last shots of the beach from my room at the Marriott.


Here's my self portrait....gorgeous after a day in the hot sun. :)

Aloha!

I'm heading to Hawaii tomorrow morning!! I'm going on business, and I just got news of this trip on Friday. My travel was booked at 4:30 PM on Friday - nothing like the last minute, huh?

I'll be here for a week, in the Marriott on Waikiki Beach:



















Here's another shot:















I hope to post some just like them! Except cooler, because I took them. :)

Aloha, y'all!
Sara

My new favorite TV show

Have you seen Big Love on HBO? It's about a Mormon family living in suburban Salt Lake City, and they're practicing polygamy. It's a fascinating show that tackles all the big questions and issues.



The first season just came out on DVD, and I got the first disc from Netflix. I watched all 3 episodes the day that it arrived! And I couldn't wait for the second disc to come, so my boyfriend went to Family Video and rented the rest of the season on DVD. There are only 12 episodes, but it's such a great show! I'm sad that the 2nd season won't air until August 2007. That's a long time to wait!! But it'll be worth it.

Check it out!

I'm back in business!

I've been gone a while, but it sure feels good to return home to Blogger! I just plain and simply lost my inspiration for blogging - whether it was the incessant traveling or if it was my job that requires that I am at a computer all day, I don't know. But regardless, my mojo was stolen and I've gotten it back!

Here's what's been going on lately:

1. Last Monday, I had my tonsils removed.

They have always been large and were recently getting infected. I met with an otolaryngologist, and he said that, while adults have a much longer and harder recovery, it was still a pretty common procedure for adults.

I repeatedly warned every doctor and nurse that I encountered the day of surgery that I have a weak stomach and that if there were anything they could give me to help me get through the surgery and recovery without reacting adversely to the anesthesia and pain meds, I'd be forever grateful. They listened, and I was a happy camper... For a day. And that's when it all hit. I couldn't stop throwing up! It was excruciatingly painful. I'll spare the gruesome details of my recovery, but allow me to brag about the wonderful boyfriend that I have. There's no turning back for me after last week - he's just the most amazing nurse I've ever had, a real example of unconditional love and kindness.

I returned to work this week, but not so much with a bang; more with a limp. Just showering wears me out! I think I'm finally turning the corner, though! Everyone at work has been so kind and generous - I've had to miss several meetings to go home early, and they are all so understanding.

2. The s.o. and I visited Dad and Jeanie in Tennessee.

We took a weekend get-away to the Great Smoky Mountains, where my dad and stepmom live in their beautiful mountain home. They moved there a few years ago after retiring from their jobs and life in Houston. Townsend is a far cry from Houston, but they love it, and they've done a great job of getting involved in the small-town life: garden clubs, book clubs, Kiwanis club, the Smoky Mtn Heritage Center where they are both docents. They're also lucky to live near my stepbrother, his wife, and their adorable daughters. My boyfriend and I really enjoyed seeing them as well. We had spent a weekend with them in Chicago last May, and their older daughter Ele was thrilled to see us again, especially my boyfriend. He's her own personal jungle gym!

It was my birthday weekend, and the girls decorated my cake especially for me - lots of sprinkles!! It was great fun to spend my birthday with family.

(Pictures are stored on another computer, so I'll post them later.)

3. Next weekend, we are going to the beach!

For my birthday, Mom is flying us out to North Carolina to spend a long weekend with them at the beach at Nags Head, NC.

It won't be warm enough to swim, but I'm just looking forward to relaxing, taking long walks on the beach, and eating wonderful, fresh sea food. We don't get fresh sea food in Madison, and having both grown up next to the ocean, my boyfriend and I really miss it!!

Plus, I get a day and a half off of work! Yay!





I'm happy to return to Blogger. I missed all of you!

...scout's lady

"A woman's place is in the dome."

The world has lost an enigmatic leader today.

Former Texas Governor, Ann Richards, died today at 73 after a battle with esophageal cancer.

I'm just going to copy part of what it says on cnn.com, because I'm tired and it's slightly late, but I think it's important to pay our respects to a person who actually tries to make the world a better place for everyone.

FROM CNN.COM:
The silver-haired, silver-tongued Richards said she entered politics to help others -- especially women and minorities who were often ignored by Texas' male-dominated establishment.

"I did not want my tombstone to read, 'She kept a really clean house.' I think I'd like them to remember me by saying, 'She opened government to everyone,' " Richards said shortly before leaving office in January 1995.

She grabbed the national spotlight with her keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention when she was the Texas state treasurer. Richards won cheers from delegates when she reminded them that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, "only backwards and in high heels."

Richards sealed her partisan reputation with a blast at George H. W. Bush, a fellow Texan who was vice president at the time: "Poor George, he can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth."

Richards rose to the governorship with a come-from-behind victory over millionaire cowboy Clayton Williams in 1990. She cracked a half-century male grip on the governor's mansion and celebrated by holding up a T-shirt that showed the state Capitol and read: "A woman's place is in the dome."

In four years as governor, Richards championed what she called the "New Texas," appointing more women and more minorities to state posts than any of her predecessors.

She took time out to celebrate her 60th birthday by earning her motorcycle driver's license.

After her unsuccessful re-election campaign against Bush, Richards said she never missed being in public office.

Asked once what she might have done differently had she known she was going to be a one-term governor, Richards grinned. "Oh, I would probably have raised more hell."

------------------------
I'd like to think that some of us would've done the same thing!

Here's to all the women who may not keep a perfectly clean house (and to those who actually do!) but continue to fight for the little guys.

Thanks, Ann Richards, for all you did for Texas women and women everywhere.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

To the world, it's known as 9/11; but to me and my family, today is my mom's birthday!

I hope you have a wonderful day, Mom!

I love you!

A Lazy Sunday

Hi, internet land,

The s.o. and I have done nothing this weekend. It's been lovely. Scratch that. It's been GLORIOUS.

On Friday, we went upstairs to meet Evan John Swanson, the newest addition to our friends' family. He was adorable and looks just like his older brother Max. Mom asked if I could tell what his personality will be. I said, "Well, he was asleep the whole time, so the outlook is good!" See Anne's website for pictures and more details.

The s.o. had his stitches removed this week, so now he's able to walk around a little bit. NO MORE CRUTCHES!! YAY! He's handled it all very well, and while I know he's really antsy to get back to the gym and training, he's been patient and able to lay low to let his leg heal properly.

I got back late Thursday night from 2 weeks of traveling, and the bomb scare in Britain had all US airports on high alert. It was a little ridiculous, but the security lines were faster than normal, and other than our delayed flight back to Madison, there were no troubles. I'm just glad to be here in town this week. Work has really picked up, and I was beginning to wonder if I could do it all while still on the road. After this week, though, I'll be traveling for 3 straight weeks (returning on the weekends), so this'll be interesting!

I can't wait to see the Texas family in Austin over Labor Day!! I could get used to this!!

Must return to doing nothing.

Have a great Sunday night!

Welcome to the World, Baby Boy Swanson!

Born today, 8/8, at 8 lbs, 8 oz, Anne, Justin, and Max Swanson have a new addition to their sweet family!

Anne just called me, and all is well in the Swanson family. She sounded amazingly alert and calm after having delivered her son naturally. AMAZING! I can't imagine all that she went through today. And what a reward. The birth of a child is truly a miracle, and I'm so thrilled for my sweet friend. Now she has two baby boys to love and nurture and mother. And she is an amazing mother to Max; this brand-new little one is a lucky little boy to have Anne and Justin as parents. I'm not sure how thrilled Max will be once his brother and mom come home and his world is turned upside down, but he'll get used to it. :)

Congratulations to my wonderful friends, Anne and Justin! Couldn't be happier for you!

Congratulations, Jake and Rebecca!

My friend Jacob got married 2 weeks ago in RAY-seen Wisconsin, and it's taken me a while to post pics of the fab evening, but here they are. We were the rowdy bunch from work, but even computer geeks can have fun!



Kristen and I at the dinner table. Family, you'll notice that I'm wearing the dress from Good's in Breckenridge!











Here are my friends, from left, Ken, me, Doug, Jake (the groom), and Kristen. We all work in Salem together.













Here I am polka-ing with Jake. Who knew a girl from Texas could polka?! I don't think I actually CAN polka, but it's easy enough to bounce up and down and laugh which people often mistake for polka-ing.


















Here's Jake and his wife Rebecca as she prepares to spin him around to throw the garter. He's dancing (or just shimmying or something).















Here are the boys doing the air guitar...among other things.










What a nice groom - he keeps his guests hydrated and rather content.

A Slight Change of Plans

The best laid-plans of mice and men often go awry. And today, they have.

During a routine training session this morning, my s.o. tore his Achilles tendon straight through. He'll have surgery to repair it on Monday, but until then, he's to keep his foot elevated and still. And for an active, stubborn, independent person, that's a tall order!

In the larger scheme of things, what this means is that he won't play football this fall, if ever again. He's sorely disappointed, as he was so looking forward to playing college ball again. He's not sure what the future holds, but for right now, we're just gonna take it nice and easy.

Catching up

I haven't posted in a REHEHEHEHEALLY long time, and for that, I blame...no one but myself. Now that the Terrace is open and the weather is nice again, it's hard to stay inside and plunk away on the computer all day. I do enough of that at work!!

I want to give a belated birthday shout-out to my stepdad who turned a very young 63 on June 21. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVE!!
















Here's what I sent him to commemorate his birthday:
For those non-Texans, Blue Bell is the best ice cream in the country. And for a small fee, they will ship 4 half-gallons of your favorite flavors to wherever you choose! So, I chose 2 Homemade Vanillas (truly, the best vanilla out there, and I've sampled many!), 1 Rocky Road, and 1 Butter Pecan. They shipped it on dry ice, and it gets to the luckiest person in the world (ahem, I mean, recipient) in 1 day. Let's just call it what it is: the best gift ever!!!

In a week, the whole Barr clan will be gathering for another round of our annual family reunion in Breckenridge, Colorado. We'll play whiffle-ball and bocce ball, drink beer, eat yummy food, and enjoy each other's company. We always have such a great time, and it's amazing what many many hugs from family will do for one's soul. I always come back so rejuvenated and happy. It'll be a great time.

Yesterday, the s.o. and I were in Chicago on Michigan Ave, aka The Magnificent Mile. And it IS magnificent! There's a 3-story Banana Republic, lots and lots of designer stores (Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, etc), and all the best department stores (Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Lord & Taylor). And there's also Craig Biggio. THAT'S RIGHT, FOLKS! I got to meet my FAVORITE ATHLETE EVER!!!

Here's the skinny:
The s.o. and I were at Niketown (a sports store) looking for an eyeshield for him when he starts playing football in a few weeks. Correction: he's looking for an eyeshield. I'm looking for the closest bench to plop my tired self on.

And then, I turn around and there he is, shopping with his son. Craig Biggio. Within 15 feet of me, his most loyal, loving fan ever. I whipped around and grabbed the s.o.'s sleeve and whispered, "There's CRAIG BIGGIO!!!! Over there!!" He says, "Are you sure it's him?" Pah! Like there could be any doubt! But I took a second glance to be sure. "Yes, it's him! I wanna go say hi!"

So I did. I didn't ask for an autograph or picture because he was with his son and was probably just being a normal person. Except you can't be normal if you're Craig Biggio. He's just too amazing to be normal.

That's my life, in a quick nutshell. Happy Birthday to David! Can't wait for the reunion! And I heart Craig Biggio!

Have a wonderful day!

...scout's lady

Happy Mother's Day!

A few words on mothers and motherhood:

• "A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary." -- Dorothy Canfield Fisher

• "By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class." -- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

• "A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." -- Tenneva Jordan

And the best...

• "Sometimes when I look at all my children, I say to myself, 'Lillian, you should have stayed a virgin.'" -- Lillian Carter, at the 1980 Democratic Convention, where her son was nominated for a second term as US President

My mom is represented in each of these quotes. With late-night calls from a crying daughter, she always says the right thing to pick me back up and get me back on track. She's proud of each of my accomplishments and has allowed me to be myself from day 1. Warts and all, she loves me through and through. It's a hard job! :)

I love you, Mom!














This is 1 of my favorites - Mom, the winker (notice the chocolate owl winking...Mom didn't just bust out the wink in the middle of Harrod's completely randomly!).

A great weekend in wine country

Me and Jake, on the balcony at one of our wine tastings. Jake is getting married in July, and he's such a good friend to me. I count him as one of my work blessings. :)

















Doug, Kristen, and Jeff on the same balcony. Doug is a total goof...I'm sure you never would've guessed, huh? These guys are awesome, and we had such a good time sitting here, sharing a bottle of wine and having great conversation.

















Kristen, Doug, and I were the residents of the backseat in our touring-mobile. We let Jeff and Doug do the navigating and we just enjoyed the scenery. And laughed at Doug.

















This winery hosts a Sunday brunch each weekend - $19.95 all you can eat. They had 10 different kinds of eggs benedict, 15 different kinds of crepes, 20 kinds of condiments to put in an omelette, fried oysters, mimosas, wine, champagne, desserts, etc. SOOO yummy. And it was so understated. The food was amazing, but here we sat, in the middle of this warehouse filled with aging wine barrels. So great!





















And here's Jake, our resident social coordinator, showing off our Saturday evening activity: card games and lots and lots of beer. Mind you, there were only 5 of us...and there was no more beer on Sunday morning. It was a good time.

Happy Birthday, Seth!

Happy birthday to a great big brother, father, husband, son, grandson, and friend! I hope you have a fabulous day!

(He's pictured here with his daughter, Brady).

A wonderful weekend!

Dad visited from Townsend, TN (right outside of Knoxville, nestled in the foothills of the Smokies) last weekend, and we had such a great visit. He'd not met the s.o. before, and they totally hit it off. I think Dad liked the s.o. better than he likes me!! :) Just teasing, Dad!

Dad brought all these cool pictures of our ancestors, so now the apartment is all decked out in Van Winkles. Did you know that the Dutch word "winkle" means "store" in English? And "van" means "of the."
I'm TOTALLY of the store! And my wallet knows it.
But, I digress.

This pic is of me and Dad at the Madison Farmers' Market; last Saturday was the first of the year, so there were lots of people, not so many veggies. It was great, nonetheless.


I'm off to Salem, OR tomorrow (yes, Saturday) to hang out with some colleagues who are staying the weekend there. Should be a good time. We'll work at the hospital Monday through Wednesday and fly back on Thursday.

I KNOW my s.o. loves me because he agreed to three straight weekends of my family. On May 14, he and I will drive to Chicago to meet my stepbrother and his family there (yay!); the next weekend, my brother visits from Dallas (super yay!); and the following weekend, he and I go to Raleigh, NC to visit my mom and stepdad for Memorial Day weekend (monster yay!). May will be a busy, fun, globe-trotting (well, just country-trotting) month.

Have a great weekend!

...scout's lady

Oh, sweet Moses!

I pretend that I know Gwyneth personally and that she calls me at home...but it's not true. I don't really know her. :( Alas, that doesn't prevent me from enjoying her happiness from afar.

Is this picture not the cutest thing?! He looks like he's pooping or something, but still...so cute!. Welcome to the world, little Moses.





















This is my favorite celebrity picture of last year. Apple's dad, Chris Martin (hello!), bought these little ear protector thingys for her so she could still enjoy his concerts. Ahh, Gwyneth, you and your perfect little family are wonderful.















P.S. I'm totally gonna get teased by the s.o. for this post. He thinks my pretend friendship with Gwyneth is oh-so humorous.

Cleaning Frenzy: A Child's Prerogative?

My dad arrives in Madison tomorrow, and I've spent the past 3 hours cleaning house and (as a true testament to how dirty the apartment was) I'm not done! The s.o. will take over cleaning duties tomorrow morning. Nothing like the last minute!

During my 3-hour cleaning frenzy (amidst bopping around to tunes on the iPod), it dawned on me that I did the same thing when my mom visited. Why do I feel the compulsion to clean my heart out before my parents visit? One reason is that I don't see them all that frequently. Dad lives in the mountains of Tennessee, while Mom lives in Raleigh, NC. A visit to Madison is a once-a-year occasion. But perhaps the more relevant reason is that I don't want them to think I'm irresponsible. At what age do we stop feeling so much like our parents' child and more like an adult that our parents happen to know? What is it about parents that always make us revert back to child status? Let's face it: their opinions matter, their approval matters, and we want them to think that the life we've carved out for ourselves is a healthy, CLEAN, and productive one.

Does everyone else go through the same thing? Perhaps if I lived closer to them and visits were just ordinary, I wouldn't completely care if there was a tiny layer of dust on the bookshelves. But not tonight. Spick-and-span is the tall order!

And all the while, Scout sleeps. So helpful, that darned cat.

Would you fancy a scone, old chap?

Our trip to London was wonderful, as is evidenced by this small sample of pictures. I will pass along the link when they are fully uploaded at kodakgallery.com. Enjoy!





















Of course, this is such a cliche pic, but I had to do it! Geez, I'm short...and absurdly American (or else he's absurdly British!).
















I love this picture because it illustrates the Cotswold signage. So simple and lovely. I also love that you can see how the whole English countryside is from the background - perfection!
















This is the flat where my dad, mom, and brother lived in 1973. 63 Sevington Road in Hendon. Mom was dismayed that they'd painted the whole building white (including the door, she kept saying), and the room that used to be a bedroom (top left window) is now the kitchen. Definitely not as cute as when they lived there, but fun nonetheless!









I tried to take lots of pictures of English doors, just because I find them so fascinating. This particular door is one of my favorites - it has such character and intrigue. It was at the back of a church in Burford, and I just wonder what's behind it.

An Important Message

Stolen from my cousin's blog (without her permission, but I'm sure she's fine with it :)):

Okay. We're going to give you the full-tilt, unashamed, totally impassioned plea here.

Please make women's history a quiet cause of your own. Share it with your daughters, your nieces, and the girls living down the street. Share it with your sons and nephews. It will make the boys better men. And it will make the girls whole.

Women are still too often seen as self-obsessed, shallow, and dependent. Girls see hundreds of images of models daily. Where are the female entrepreneurs, CEO's, physicists, software developers, doctors, lawyers, ministers, and Nobel Prize winners? So you're ten and female you have been patiently waiting for the world to give you some sign. The only sign you get says, "Be pretty, happy, helpful, kind, and thin." That's in this country. And that's today.

Barbara Jordan, the great Constitutional lawyer and Congresswoman, never imagined becoming a lawyer until she saw a black woman lawyer at a high school career day. You can change a life, too. All by yourself.

--National Women's History Project