NYC trip - Summer 2006

I have just returned from my trip to NYC. I had an emergency trip to make... and the carrot was... FREE PLANE TICKETS!!! *evil grin* It's the first time the entire in-laws (including nieces and nephews...) got together in THIRTEEN YEARS!!! The sad part is... giving my father-in-laws failing health, we feel the next BIG get together will be at a funeral. :-(

Flying in was tough. We had a layover that ended up being about 4 hours long in Chicago Midway Airport b/c of bad weather in the East Coast. I got in about 10pm Eastern Time!!! =:-O

Saturday I spend at Staten Island with DBNY, her dear husband, and ISk8NYC. I had sk8pics/Pat as a surprise guest and we all skated together. I felt bad for Pat b/c the ice was much more crowded and I guess it was too crowded for her to wonder out in the open. For me -- well, it's something I have to learn to get used to it and I still have problems with it.

Saturday evening thru Monday night was spent with my in-laws. I got to meet my BIL's new wife for the first time! I wish I had more time to get to know her then but I was quite distracted with a nephew and niece that I haven't seen in about 10 years. They were little kids the last time I saw them! They're now YOUNG ADULTS!!! (The niece just graduated from high school and has already turned 18. The nephew is in college and leave on his own.) I also was distracted by hubby's twin sister's 2 year old daughter! As far as that little niece is concerned, it's all about her!!! (Even her cousins know that.) I also learned at that point that she's bee potty-trained and has a little toilet seat of her own attached to the grownup's toilet seat! It's also nice to get to know the two nephews from the oldest SIL. It's weird to watch them grow to handsome young gentlemen from being, well, two boys!!! Needless to say, just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes!!! :`-)

Tuesday morning, I spent with my NYC coach, Emanauele and got all sorts of gossip about his recent TV show "Skating's Next Star" and little "behind the scenes" comments. And as for my lessons with him, it's like old time! We just have a wonderful time together and I feel at peace when I'm on the ice with him. (With the exception of when I had to lean deep into my forward crossovers. Even when he was there to hold on to me, THAT was scary!!!) But overall, he was a big highlight of my trip!!! :-)

After my lesson, hubby and I went to a place called Ciao! for brunch. I liked the seafood pasta I had, but it's too expensive for my taste. Hubby had trouble with dairy with the omelette. He thinks they put milk into the egg mixture.

Tuesday night we spend at my parents-in-law's home with my husband's twin sister and her family! The 2 year old niece is just adorable!!! :-) I look forward to watching her grow up little by little! :-)

Culinary highlight: This deli near the home I was staying at! They have this begal sandwich with eggs "over hard" with either ham, sausage or bacon!!! Surprising part is that it went GREAT with my usual raisin bagal!!! Gives it an extra unusual "sweet" kick! Really goes great with hot coffee and OJ!!! :-) Hubby is now currently trying to duplicate the sandwich in our own home!!! The only thing missing... the family's DOG Maggie to help me finish up any scraps of extra bagel (b/c the begal is just too much calories and "bulk" to my stomach and it's fun to play with the dog by making him jump or chase for the piece of scrap! :-) (I settled for eating half the begal bread and "low carbing it." :-)

Meanwhile, back at my job were a bunch of software developers working their butt off to get a software release out, including a guy that was supposed to leave the company by the time I came back. He stayed an extra week to help get this project done and train the new developers on the Development Framework. Obviously, I felt guilty... and when I came back, I put in as much as I possibly can into getting this project to "go live" to the public! As of today, the project is on its 3rd day "gone live!" We did it!!! And I wish the departing coworker good luck on his new venture as a telecommuting developer! :-D

I also had to deal with even MORE test session issues with our esteemed test chair. I'll post another post on this...