NAPE - Natural History Museum

New diet!!

Old and New

I drove downtown after Church today, just to see what photo opportunities I could find - this is the new bridge that has just been built in Dallas, with the old iron bridge in front of it.  The new one doesn't open until March, but it looks lovely when they light it up at night...they've turned the lights out until it opens, but I'll go down at take photo's again when they come on.....

it was a beautiful day today....I wonder if I'll get time by the pool before I have to come back to Calgary!

Temple # 22 - San Antonio

I'm kind of enjoying getting to see lots of new temples....today I drove from Austin to San Antonio to go to the temple....it was lovely.  The stained glass windows were magnificent.   The temple was quite grey which reminded me of how the Calgary temple is looking, but then when I saw the photo's online, the temple looks gorgeous when it's lit up at night, so I'm sure the Calgary temple will be the same.

So....which new temple will I go to next?  

Old friends

It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since I left Flextronics - it was so good to see the Austin crowd tonight!  Leslie arranged (as a surprise) for me to join them at a hockey game in Austin; so I drove from Houston all the way, it took about 3 hours or so, and it was pouring with rain most of the way.  I had no cash with me and when I got to the stadium I realized that the only way to park was to pay $10 in cash....when I told the the poor drenched girl who was taking everyone's money that I had no cash, she said I could park for free...bless her cotton socks!

It was a lovely evening, and great to catch up with everyone!

Leslie Thompson and Larry Hersh

Ron Tarter

Car chase in North Dallas

What a day.  I had a doctors appointment this afternoon, and was delayed, so had to really hurry home to pack and get to the airport in time for the 7pm flight.  I made it in reasonably good time (5.45) and then suddenly realized that I didn't have my new temporary drivers license with me.

I raced outside, grabbed a taxi and asked him to HURRY back to my apartment and HURRY back to the airport...in the rush hour.  He was brilliant; the two-way journey would normally take 40 mins (with no traffic) - and we got back in 45 mins in heavy traffic, we attracted a few angry horns as he weaved in and out of the traffic on the North Dallas Parkway...but we made it (and got a pretty good tip for his trouble!)  Then I raced through security only to find that the flight was delayed by 2 hours...why oh why didn't the customer service agent tell me that when I got there!!!

Anyway - I made it in good time!!

Seriously beautiful sunset

I was planning to post a photo of an industry-wide luncheon that Nexen hosted today, but then as I was walking out of the office I stumbled across the most beautiful sunset - it was a little weird as well, almost like a smokey sunset that you can look directly at; but as far as I know there was no smoke in town - it was just a perfect mix of cloud and sun....I LOVE the Dallas sunsets..

Happy Valentines Day!

I can't think of a better way to spend Valentines evening than by going to the temple.  This was the first time that I've managed to go to the Ward temple trip, until now I have not managed to get away from work on time.  It is the Board of Directors meeting this week in Palm Springs, and my boss and my 3 key clients are all there, so it's been a beautifully quiet week!

Happy Christmas 2012!!

I had a very busy day today, and somewhere in all of that I had to go to the Museum of Fine Arts to check it out as a location for the Houston office Christmas party - so I went along, and actually quite like the location - this would be where the tables would be (the walls in the middle will be removed of course).  If we can work out how to fit everything in, we might just make it work.

I will invite myself to the party!

The new norm

I don't like to work on Sundays, and I don't....but I do have to be in Houston by Monday morning, which means I need to catch a flight on Sunday nights - which has become the new norm for Sundays.  I get to go to Church and then in the evening I head off to Houston and stay in my new favourite Houston hotel - the Westin at Memorial City.   I did try to get the first flight on Monday morning once, but I just don't get any sleep at all which really wrecks my week.

What is NOT a new norm is going into the bar on Sundays...however, I couldn't resist the photo op of the fountain sign in the hotel bar - this is actually kind of cool

Happy almost Valentines Day!

Sometimes I look for excuses to do things that I might otherwise feel guilty about doing...today it was buying a GORGEOUS bunch of flowers for myself; I used the excuse that I was helping Margaret show her house to potential buyers, and we agreed that a bunch of flowers would do the trick, so I went to Tom Thumb and had them put this together for me; I'm sure it was way more expensive a few days before Valentines day, but heck, it was worth it!

In the bleak mid winter

No snow, no ice and the fountain at work runs all winter....this is the reason I came to Dallas for the winter.  It was particularly nice to leave work in the daylight today - and even nicer that the weather was gorgeous; it's still not warm enough to sit by the pool, but I sure hope it gets to that before I go back to Calgary !

I almost feel popular

My friend Jan has discovered e-bay, and she has needed a US address for delivery of her multiple purchases - I have received LOADS of parcels, and now I quite look forward to collecting the mail, because it's just like receiving gifts - even if they aren't for me.

Today I received a purse :)

Who knew these were even there?

I just noticed these pristine drinking fountains at work; they are kind of hidden out of the way, and there is no trace of water....it makes me wonder if they are ever even used.

Armageddon

We took the private jet from Houston to Dallas today; and we took off at sunrise.  The sky was amazing for the few minutes before the sun came up - it's actually amazing how quickly it passes, just a few moments later it looked like a regular normal sky.  Nature is incredible

Contemporary or prison design

I actually quite like the Hotel Sorella, except for the fact it is crazy hard to find, and that the corridors look like Alcatraz - the rooms are quite nice and the service is quite good, but who chose the wallpaper?

Dallas 4th Ward

I think I actually get to attend my own ward (Dallas 4th) every day in February; I have been asked to conduct the music in Relief Society for the last couple of times that I have been there - I really enjoy doing it and secretly hope they will ask me again next week.  The pianist (I can't remember her name, but this is a photo of her) plays at quite a good pace, which is really nice;  I've never liked it when the hymns go too slowly!

I was very flattered when Ruthie Powell, who is a seasoned musician, said that I have a musical talent; and she's encouraged me to take a few piano lessons,  I think I might just take her up on that!!  I'll add it to the list of things to do for 2012!

I headed back to Houston tonight, I stayed in the Hotel Sorella because the Westin was full; nice hotel, but seriously difficult to find - even with the GPS; I mean, what hotel has no sign on it?  Just sayin.

JFK revisited

I had a day at home today, plus doing a few chores around town.....and yet with all this time I still couldn't work out what to take a photo of.  I chatted to Lincoln (who recently got a similar camera to mine - and his photo's are WAY better:( )  anyway, he suggested googling "photo's of Dallas" for inspiration, and one of the first was a photo of the Book Depository where Harvey Lee Oswald shot JFK...and with the help of GPS I found my way there for this photo.  I didn't get there in time to actually go through the museum, maybe next time

6th floor on the right hand side....looks like not much has changed since 1963....

I didn't take this photo :)

Dallas Temple

After investing in a photo of the Dallas temple at the bookstore, I remembered that I have a very good camera, and maybe, just maybe, I could take my OWN photo and get it framed...

This is my offering, and it actually looks very similar to the photo that I bought - maybe I should get  a few printed and sell them to the Bookstore!

Another discovery!

I discovered the LDS bookstore tonight - and whenever I go into the bookstore I feel strangely compelled to buy stuff; so tonights purchases were a couple of framed photo's, one of the Salt Lake temple and one of the Dallas temple - and while I was at it I bought a novel and a Book of Mormon companion book; oh, and also the February Ensign

Money well spent!

Another bad habit

I discovered a wonderful place to buy frozen yogurt in Hawaii - I went there every day when I was in Honolulu in April; and now I have discovered a similar place about 200 yards from my apartment - this is NOT good news for my diet; I relented and bought one tonight, I sure hope this doesn't become a habit (or maybe I secretly hope it DOES become a habit:))