One Hour.....

Mostly pictures, no text. Thanks for a great time. Sorry this took me so long to post. The pictures took forever!

The ride down was fun. Plenty of DVD movies to watch and plenty of snacks to eat. Some of us managed to catch a few ZZZZ's before reaching our destination.

We stopped off in NJ to have a little fun.

One of these pictures may be our Christmas Card. So act suprised when you open it.

After our stay in the NJ tourist center, it was on our way to the hotel. We went to bed early so we could be well rested for the big day.

I just had to end the post with this.................... More pictures to follow.

The many moods of Antie and Unkie

Subtitled... reflections on a midwestern trip to a flood soaked land
Recently, I joined my beloved parents in a Midwestern junket, to celebrate my Dad's birthday. Here's a few snapshots of the trip, showing the many moods of Antie and Unkie.

Kansas City is the smallest airport I've ever been to -- you should try it sometime. Each gate has its own security, and the only refreshments available is Quiznos. No mattter on the flight in -- M&D cruise by in the Impala and pick me up right on time. It always amazes me to meet up with people I know in strange places!

Once in the car, I met M&D's new best friend, Gabby the Garmin. Gabby is loud. And very instistent. And she gets very, very angry if you ask to pull off the highway for a Dunkin donuts. But if you listen to Gabby, she will get you where you need to go -- even if you're tempted to throw her out the window on the way.

Next up -- trying to find the best Barbeque in town and baseball tickets. We were successful with the Barbeque, but not as much with the baseball tickets. Who knew that there was so little to do in St. Louis that 50000 baseball fans would drive 250 miles to see an away game!?!

Along the way, Mom found a new hat....

Dad got a national park stamp AND some culture -- and luckily the 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, and 330pm tours were sold out so we got sauced in an Independence Mo. basement bar and snacked on some fried gizzards while we waited for the 4pm tour. Doesn't Dad look happy and full of fried gizzards? The poor park ranger certainly didn't expect 3 giggling adults on his last tour of the day, one of which has read a biography of every president up to, and including, Harry Truman!

Mom and Dad discussed renewing their wedding vows for their upcoming 42nd wedding anniversary... And we FINALLY saw some baseball! Check out the look of relief on Antie's face -- she was starting to go through withdrawal from peanuts and cracker jack, and you DON'T want to see Antie coming down off that high!
It was a great trip. Kansas City was a very fun town, with lots to see and do, very nice people, a lack of floodwaters, and the best dang barbeque prime ribs that a girl has ever tasted. I tried to hold on to those memories when I spent 4 1/2 hours in the KC airport waiting for the thunderstorms to clear out in Atlanta so I could catch my return flight. There was no bar -- and 5 teams full of high school wrestlers!

Bonnaroo 2008 June 12-15th

A Bonnaroo editorial
By JT Pilaf

I was as giddy as a school girl, my nipples were so hard they could cut glass, these were just how high my emotions were flying a day before we were to leave for Manchester, TN, home of the Bonnaroo Music Festival. Wednesday the 11th 2:56 PM, I lock up my office door at work and sprint for my car in the back parking lot (unfortunately, running over an 85 year old lady in the hallway doing PT). She's fine. I get home, pack the van, and cruise over to the Isle of Grande to pick up my brother in law. After loading his stuff, we're off to Butler, PA to pick up my other Bro in law. Soon, truck packed, camper tightly sealed, we leave at 9:31 to embrace an all nighter to the promised land. Luckily it was an uneventful trip (going fairly quickly) we arrive in Manchester at the Holiday Inn to pick up our press passes at 11AM. We set up camp in the press area and take a quick fiver before the activities begin after dinner.

That orange fence you see... yeah, that didn't keep the ticks from burrowing into our soft flesh.

Thank goodness we had a camper and not a tent. Thunderstorms made life and sleeping difficult for a few Roo-goers.
Thursday's main event was Dark Star Orchestra and Lez Zeppelin.

Friday afternoon :45 minutes into Drive By Truckers set, I dehydrated and passed out into the steel rail you see in the picture. Only my nose and pride (and sunglasses) were bruised. Thank goodness the folks around me had a bag of ice they donated to my neck, 20 minutes latter, me soaked, the ice was gone. Both Mike and Bill attended to my wounded party image. Only after the show was over though. They were having to much fun to let me spoil it.

One concert that really surprised me was Willie Nelson's. I don't like country music and was never really a Willie fan. I wanted to see him though, because of his legend status, just to say I did. Unckie knows, you have to keep on crossing things of the list of life.





As you can see, it was more important to get a few of the fans, rather than focus in on Willie. Willie, BTW, just turned 75 in April.

Our neighbors to the east, did not have a traditional camping shelter. Instead, strung together by beads and love, they outfitted themselves in circa Swiss Army Tent style. Whenever I felt a sneeze a comin', I went to Jane for a tissue.

Eating is always an adventure when the three of us get together. I can say with honesty, that neither of us our concerned with how we look. Rather, we care, what goes in us, this meal consisted of either Canadian bacon or pre-cooked bacon on a bagel. Other meals included, turkey or chicken dowsed in hot sauce in a tortilla.

Oh yeah, it was hot.

There were a few bands that I didn't know about and totally loved. The Avett Brothers were awesome, high energy, folk-rock. They blew me away. That's hard to do to.

At the end of the set they were all soaked.

Another band that blew me away were Metallica. I was never a fan, but what a show they put on. High energy with a pounding sound. No pictures... sorry.

Here's where we were sitting for Ben Folds. Using our VIP status we sat, for once, while the peasants below toiled in the grass. I'm not exactly sure what that means.

The talk of Sunday was Kanye West. First, he wanted to be on the big stage so he requested he start at 2:45 AM and play until 4:45 AM... BUT, and a big butt, he didn't arrive on stage until 4:45 AM, he made everyone (and I'm sure there were very few left) wait 2 hours until this royal prima Donna took the stage.

And then, a sight for sore eyes... my ol' friend Mustafa. Jamming with the crowd while Yonder Mountain String Band filled the Tennessee air with rootin' tootin' bluegrass, the life of the party, still obviously hung over from the the big Millennium New Years (8 years ago). Mustafa, barely able to focus, but still able to get in one last drag.


What a festival Mustafa, take care.

Adventures in O'Hare

Wednesday started out like an OK day. Flew to Chicago, on time, did my work and then drove back to the Chicago O'Hare Airport. Checked in for my flight and discovered that it was delayed an hour. No big deal...I have had worse delays.

I sat at the airport, admired the giant dinosaur in concourse B and waited for my flight. I watched as other flights around started to become more delayed and cancelled. And I felt sorry for those suckers who were going to have to site around the airport and wait.

Then my flight got delayed more and more. 5pm became 6 then 6:45. I didn't see what the big deal was. The weather outside looked like perfect flying weather.

Then they cancelled my flight! I couldn't believe it. I watched as other planes were landing and I couldn't understand why it was cancelled.

Oh well, it was now time to race to the customer service booth and try and get on a new flight.




I guess a lot of people were in the same boat as I was because the line was pretty long. I was re-booked on a 9:30pm flight, so all there was left to do was wait. A trip to the bar sounded like a pretty good idea.

The prospect of the 9:30pm flight leaving on time wasn't good. The departure time changed to 10pm then 10:30pm then 10:45pm. People were getting pretty angry.




It became obvious that the flight wasn't taking off so I called it quits and went to a hotel for the night. And it was worth it. They had the most well stocked mini bar I had ever seen. for $10 you could get any 3 oz. bottle of liquor you wanted!

The next morning I headed back to the airport for my flight. of course the 7am and 10am flight were sold out so I had to settle for a 1:30pm flight. As I was going through security I got picked for extra secuirty measures.

Lucky me. They swabbed my bag and apparently some type of explosive material was detected on it. A thorough search was required. The contents of my bag were emptied and everything including an old snotty kleenex were swabbed and examined. Apparently I was not a threat as I was cleared to pass and board my plane. I got back to Buffalo at 4:30pm and was sure glad to be home.

happy birthday newest member of the holtz clan!

To think, 1 year ago on this very night Amy and I were driving (calmly) to the hospital!

My search for the perfect job for Adam and Amy

Since my whole crusade began, I have travelled near and far in hopes of bringing the Boston Holtz's home. I have even made a few friends on the way. But if butt kissing gets me what needs to be done so be it. This blog is about all the travels and friends we made along the way.

As I am driving in WNY, I see a sign that says "Skool" (one of Adam's future student's playing a prank). I pull up to the school and can't help but notice the grass needs to be cut. So I quietly put his resume on the step with a rock on top of it. The perk to the job is it's on a bus line, with gas at almost $4.00; it might be an advantage.

The bus driver said he is planning on retiring soon, so I gladly handed his resume over. I am a firm believer that in order to get the perfect job; you just have to get your feet in the door first.

After I left there, I quickly realized that WNY has many fine schools that are looking for a great teacher. So my search continues.....

As I was aimlessly walking down the streets of WNY, I was practically stampeded on by a High School track team. I attempted to keep up with the track team and tell them all about my cousin. The class president said they need a new track coach, and I thought to myself; hey he would be good at that. So I gave him his resume. (There I am in the blue outfit trailing behind)

As I continued my journey, I saw a bunch of teachers on a school yard talking. I joined in as if I was a subsititute. They invited me in for lunch, in which I had to tell them the truth. They were so happy to take the resume and even offered me cake for my journey.

I was more determined than ever to find the "perfect" teaching job for Adam. I approached a golf course and I quickly heard, "Niece Jnn, get over here!" It was Unkie on the golf course and his team needed just one more player.

I had a great time, but golf is to hard for me. I will continue on with my mission.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KRISTEN!

Hope your day is wonderful from beginninig to end. I'm proud to be your mom and would do it all over again.Even the 12 hour labor and the breach birth. Even when you give me a silly hair-do. Love you and miss you!