Am…musings

I’m enjoying a relaxing stay at a B&B in New Hope, Pa. My aunt’s sister owns the quaint B&B and the fam is here to celebrate Christmas. This morning we ate the yummiest breakfast, which she typically serves to guests on the weekends. I’ve had a similar French toast casserole, but the challah and cream cheese make this one even more delicious. It would be perfect for a brunch or special breakfast.

FRENCH TOAST SOUFFLÉ

2 10-ounce loaves challah bread
16 eggs
6 cups milk
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tub spreadable cream cheese

Topping:
4 Tablespoons butter, cubed
6 Tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cut bread length wise two times. Spread with cream cheese. Cube bread. Place bread cubes in two greased 11X9 baking dishes.

Beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla, pour over bread.

Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Dot with butter.

Combine sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over top.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Let stand for five minutes. Serve with maple syrup.

The seventh leg of “the year of traveling to see important people I haven’t visited in a ridiculous amount of time” (a.k.a. the trips I’ve been meaning to take and finally did) commences tomorrow.

Here’s the history:
• The year started in Phoenix with college friend Aaron and his wife Jen. Last time I was there: 2003 … I think.
• I drove from Phoenix to L.A. to see Disney friend Scott. I don’t think I’d seen him since 1994-ish.
• Bean-town and Disney friend Nicole were the next stop. She moved there from Orlando in 2000-ish and I had never visited her there … or seen her since then for that matter.
• Up next: across the border to Alberta, Canada to visit my high school friend Chrissie (and the cute Canadian men!). She moved west (Canada, Seattle, then Canada again) after college in the mid ‘90s and I had never been to see her.
• I flew from Canada to Charlotte to spend time with Disney friend and roommate Natalie and her family. I hadn’t been to visit her since 2000.
• Chicago sort of counts … Nicole ran in the marathon and in an effort to make sure it wasn’t another eight years before I saw her again (sheesh!) I drove up to hang out

Tomorrow I’m headed to Dallas to visit my cousin. I’m an only child and we were like sisters as kids … weekend sleepovers, summer vacations, the same Christmas presents every year (right down to the same color and style roller skates and 10-speeds … it was the ‘70s!). Unfortunately, as we grew up, we grew apart. And then because of her move to Dallas, a little family drama and the general bustle of life, we haven’t seen each other since 1990 or so. I blogged about my mom’s wonderful theory on old friends after my visits with Chrissie and Natalie … I’m hopeful my cousin and I will prove her right once again.

At the Edmonton airport, headed for home and then to Charlotte, it occurs to me friendship will always take precedence over most things in my life – including blogging. 

I hadn’t seen my high school friend Chrissie, who lives in Canada, in about four years and – I’m ashamed to admit – I never visited her in the 16 years since she left St. Louis after marrying a Canadian.  I also hadn’t visited my friend Natalie, who was my roommate during our Disney internship days, since the early 2000s.  

Lots has happened in Chrissie’s life recently (cute accent or not … not all Canadian men are wonderful and the one she’s now divorced from takes the cake), and two major things have happened to Natalie … 2-year-old John Luke and 2-month-old Rachel. 

Years ago when I was upset about leaving friends to head to college, my mom said you will always have a bond with those who you are meant to be your friends and even if you live apart, whenever you see each other you will fall back into your friendship as though no time has passed.

Over the years – with moves to Florida and California and back to Missouri, and college and Disney friends ending up across the country, I’ve learned she was right, but it never ceases to amaze and delight me.  

It’s that kind of friendship that caused me to mostly unplug over the last 11 days, unlike most typical vacations ever could.

So much for maybe not blogging on vacation – I didn’t even make it two hours before I started drafting this in my head. But I was inspired … and I’m stuck on an airplane. 

And just so you know, I don’t think this will be the last post because I was reminded when I saw/heard him in my Minneapolis layover waiting area that I’m definitely inspired by cute, mild-mannered Canadian men and their adorable accents. He’s a tall, Kennedy-esque hottie from Edmonton who … is seated in my row because there is a God!

But I digress.  I’ll start with the kudos.  I’ve never been impressed by the main terminal at Lambert airport.  But my check-in was simple and security was breeze this go round – the agents were even pleasant.  Then came Diane at the Terminal A CPK.  She was fun and efficient – a good combo for starving flyers waiting in long lines for food. I really wanted a banana and they were out.  Diane was frazzled by all the people crowding her register and she could have easily said “I don’t know” or “no” when I asked if they had more.  Well, actually she did say both of those things … but lo and behold then she quickly said, “wait a minute … I’ll go check.”  And she promptly came back with a dozen of them. She went above and beyond, which I’d say is unusual for airport restaurant workers, and I truly appreciate it.

Now for the rant … dear Northwest Airline and all other airlines besides Southwest (American Airlines, US Airways, United Airlines – I’m talking to you): Efficient, assigned seating was the one thing you had going for you — I hate the cattle call, although it’s much better now.  Now that you are ridiculously charging $15 for the first checked bag, pretty much everyone is trying to shove too many bags in the overhead bins, creating a BFCF of the boarding process (BF stands for big fat – and if you don’t know what CF is, e-mail me and I’ll fill you in). 

Also, my flight to Canada (not overseas mind you) cost $550 – freaking robbery if you ask me – and it completely pisses me off to be forced pay a fee to check my suitcase – seriously!!!  Maybe you could waive the fee for flights over $350 or something.

Plus Southwest’s magazine is better than yours, their flight attendants are more entertaining, they don’t charge $3 or $5 for a snack and their planes are clean and shiny, which I realize is cosmetic, but it makes me feel safer.  Southwest was not an option for this trip, but you’d better believe when they are, I won’t choose you.

Of course, now that I think about it, Southwest probably has fewer Canadian flying their friendly skies, but next time I’ll have to travel during the day (it’s so dark, I can hardly see the cutie asleep across the aisle) so I get my money’s worth!

I’m on vacation for a blissful 12 days, beginning tomorrow evening. I typically don’t “unplug” during vacation – checking and often responding to e-mail and encouraging clients or co-workers to call if they need anything.

Not this time, I decided when I scheduled these days, thinking back to a harried spring vacation that seemed like more work than fun and resulted in me coming home far more hassled than when I left.

The question now is whether I’ll blog. It isn’t really “work” and I’ll be seeing old friends and visiting cool places so I should have fun things to share — and that’s not even considering a rant or two about all the things that could go wrong with my flight, etc.

I guess I’ll see if inspiration strikes.  Otherwise, I’ll talk to you in twelve days.