I've put some of my pics up on www.flickr.com. The easiest way to find the pictures without having to register to flickr is to go to the above address and type "super sour ball" in the search box. This will bring up a selection of pictures, and when you see "from babelfish81" click on babelfish81. This will take you to the rest of my pics.
I can only post so many pics there a month, so I'll keep adding on as I can. I could pay for full service and get unlimited uploads, but that's just not my style ;)
Have fun.
Amy
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Miscellania
We visited four mayor's offices in England: Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, and Hexham. Town Hall in Durham was the coolest of the four, with its stained glass windows, hammerbeam ceiling, council chamber with a fireplace from the 1600s, and the balcony that overlooks the town square. Gateshead, however, had the best treats out of any of the offices (just ask Jeremy about the cookies). Sunderland's mayor's office was the nicest, with comfy leather sofas and all the plaques from the different ships and towns that celebrates Sunderland's shipbuilding history.
It's safe to accept candy from Jeremy three out of four times. At least one time out of four you'll want to launch the piece of candy across the room, but the other times are safe.
Seriously. I was pulling off I-81 yesterday and didn't know which lane to pull into. I was really tempted to pull into the right lane. Fortunately, another car passed by and reminded me which lane to drive in.
I was so used to waking up at 7am while I was in England (2am here), that now I keep waking up at 2am, even if I didn't get to bed until 10. This is frustrating and means I haven't really slept well a single night since we got back.
I've decided that I like calling the dessert course "pudding", so I'll continue to do this for a while. I don't care if I sound pretentious, I like it.
I'm working on putting my pictures up on Flickr. Once I get some more of them up there and figure out how everyone else can look at them, I'll post the info here.
I'm going to try to periodically update the blog about our continuing adventures at least up until District Conference in the spring, so check back every once in a while.
TTFN
Amy
It's safe to accept candy from Jeremy three out of four times. At least one time out of four you'll want to launch the piece of candy across the room, but the other times are safe.
Seriously. I was pulling off I-81 yesterday and didn't know which lane to pull into. I was really tempted to pull into the right lane. Fortunately, another car passed by and reminded me which lane to drive in.
I was so used to waking up at 7am while I was in England (2am here), that now I keep waking up at 2am, even if I didn't get to bed until 10. This is frustrating and means I haven't really slept well a single night since we got back.
I've decided that I like calling the dessert course "pudding", so I'll continue to do this for a while. I don't care if I sound pretentious, I like it.
I'm working on putting my pictures up on Flickr. Once I get some more of them up there and figure out how everyone else can look at them, I'll post the info here.
I'm going to try to periodically update the blog about our continuing adventures at least up until District Conference in the spring, so check back every once in a while.
TTFN
Amy
Monday, October 19, 2009
Too Marvelous for Words
Everyone told me that it was the 'trip of a lifetime' and it was. I don't even know how to describe the wonderful GSE experience. To say that everyone we met was amazingly kind would be an understatement. Rotarians and their families welcomed us with open arms. GSE Coordinator, David Sadler, and the Rotary Clubs, that arranged the hosting of our teams left no stone unturned to make our experience unforgettable.
The Northeast of England is beautiful and its people are even more beautiful. There is so much to see and so much to do in this wonderful country. Castles, Cathedrals, Abbie's, Museums, Schools, and Hadrian's Wall are just a few of the many cultural visits we made. Rotary club members often set out with us for a day of adventure to some wonderful place. Stopping for lunch with our host Rotarians and enjoying conversation and laughter became the rule of the day.
We toured villages and cities, met the Mayors of Gateshead, Durham, Hexham and Sunderland. We had wonderful tour guides that shared their wisdom with us, as we toured historic buildings and cities.
During the month we each visited our counterpart vocational businesses. I visited Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels and Agribusinesses where there was a sharing of information.
Hosts extraordinaire welcomed us into their homes and showed us hospitality that was exceptional in every way. They shared their time, care and friendship with us and they will be in our hearts forever.
At Rotary Clubs we were greeted with warmth and friendliness, and we enjoyed sharing our presentations with them. Club members often went along on our sightseeing trips, making these trips, times of friendship and bonding. We shared meals and exchanged banners with clubs throughout the Northeast. Big clubs or small they were truly one of my favorite events during the trip.
Nidd Hall was terrific! A time of rest for us as a team, but it was hard to go to one's room when a beautiful country estate was outside the window and fun happenings and friendly Rotarians were downstairs.
My trip on the Moors of Yorkshire with Mel, Jeremy and Tim was one of my favorite outings and the Bed and Breakfast located on the top of the Moor in the middle of nowhere was a delightful find. Visiting George Washington's ancestor's home was like finding a bit of America in England.
A game night and a Bowl's competition were two evenings that were full of laughter, as we tried to compete in sports that we had never played. The Medieval Feast was great fun and will never be forgotten.
For me, the memories of the people who I met, are the ones I will treasure the most. Their warm smiles and gentle hearts, their thoughtfulness and kindness to strangers from America, has made a lasting impression on me. It is my hope that some will venture to our district to enjoy the special place we live.
Our farewell dinner was wonderful! It was held at the 'Mansion House' in Newcastle a perfect venue for a perfect trip. It was an emotional time when Cynthia Fairley and David Sadler shared their district's thoughts of our trip. The team members each spoke about how much they had enjoyed their visit to Rotary District 1030. Tears flowed and voices broke, as heartfelt feelings were shared. Soon the evening was at an end and it was time to say 'goodbye' to our hosts and the other Rotarians who had gathered there. For our team it was a sad moment in a month full of laughter and joy.
I am so proud of my team. They did a wonderful job in representing our District. I am so happy that I shared the GSE experience with them. They are special to me, and Rotary District 7170 can be very proud of each one of them.
Terry Donlick
The Northeast of England is beautiful and its people are even more beautiful. There is so much to see and so much to do in this wonderful country. Castles, Cathedrals, Abbie's, Museums, Schools, and Hadrian's Wall are just a few of the many cultural visits we made. Rotary club members often set out with us for a day of adventure to some wonderful place. Stopping for lunch with our host Rotarians and enjoying conversation and laughter became the rule of the day.
We toured villages and cities, met the Mayors of Gateshead, Durham, Hexham and Sunderland. We had wonderful tour guides that shared their wisdom with us, as we toured historic buildings and cities.
During the month we each visited our counterpart vocational businesses. I visited Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels and Agribusinesses where there was a sharing of information.
Hosts extraordinaire welcomed us into their homes and showed us hospitality that was exceptional in every way. They shared their time, care and friendship with us and they will be in our hearts forever.
At Rotary Clubs we were greeted with warmth and friendliness, and we enjoyed sharing our presentations with them. Club members often went along on our sightseeing trips, making these trips, times of friendship and bonding. We shared meals and exchanged banners with clubs throughout the Northeast. Big clubs or small they were truly one of my favorite events during the trip.
Nidd Hall was terrific! A time of rest for us as a team, but it was hard to go to one's room when a beautiful country estate was outside the window and fun happenings and friendly Rotarians were downstairs.
My trip on the Moors of Yorkshire with Mel, Jeremy and Tim was one of my favorite outings and the Bed and Breakfast located on the top of the Moor in the middle of nowhere was a delightful find. Visiting George Washington's ancestor's home was like finding a bit of America in England.
A game night and a Bowl's competition were two evenings that were full of laughter, as we tried to compete in sports that we had never played. The Medieval Feast was great fun and will never be forgotten.
For me, the memories of the people who I met, are the ones I will treasure the most. Their warm smiles and gentle hearts, their thoughtfulness and kindness to strangers from America, has made a lasting impression on me. It is my hope that some will venture to our district to enjoy the special place we live.
Our farewell dinner was wonderful! It was held at the 'Mansion House' in Newcastle a perfect venue for a perfect trip. It was an emotional time when Cynthia Fairley and David Sadler shared their district's thoughts of our trip. The team members each spoke about how much they had enjoyed their visit to Rotary District 1030. Tears flowed and voices broke, as heartfelt feelings were shared. Soon the evening was at an end and it was time to say 'goodbye' to our hosts and the other Rotarians who had gathered there. For our team it was a sad moment in a month full of laughter and joy.
I am so proud of my team. They did a wonderful job in representing our District. I am so happy that I shared the GSE experience with them. They are special to me, and Rotary District 7170 can be very proud of each one of them.
Terry Donlick
Snap Back to Reality
Back to work this morning. Uuuurggghh.
Since I arrived back in New York late Saturday evening, I've had the feeling like I've come back to something that isn't quite my life. I've almost felt like I've been standing a little outside of myself and watching things from the side. It's taken a little time for my brain to start to adjust back to everyday life after having spent a month being taken care of by other people and being told where to go and what to do. For the first time in four weeks, I'm again making decisions with more significance than what to have for pudding.
It's great to sleep in my own bed again.
I've unpacked and sorted some of the things I brought back with me. Much like the days before we left on this adventure, the upcoming days are full with lots of little tasks as I transition back to "the real world". I've got laundry to do (I've missed using a dryer as well. It's a little nerve-wracking for me to walk around the house and see my knickers drying on every available heater). I've got to transition back into American English to avoid funny looks from my friends and co-workers. Knickers? Pudding? Back to undies and dessert. It's time to sort and deliver the gifts I've gotten for friends and loved-ones. Pictures to process. Thank You cards to write. Oh yeah, and we've got to write up our reports for RI and work on our return presentations.
I plan on doing a few more blog updates during the week. There are a lot of memories and observations I want to post, and I'll be doing that at some point over the next couple days.
But now it's time to get ready for work.
Since I arrived back in New York late Saturday evening, I've had the feeling like I've come back to something that isn't quite my life. I've almost felt like I've been standing a little outside of myself and watching things from the side. It's taken a little time for my brain to start to adjust back to everyday life after having spent a month being taken care of by other people and being told where to go and what to do. For the first time in four weeks, I'm again making decisions with more significance than what to have for pudding.
It's great to sleep in my own bed again.
I've unpacked and sorted some of the things I brought back with me. Much like the days before we left on this adventure, the upcoming days are full with lots of little tasks as I transition back to "the real world". I've got laundry to do (I've missed using a dryer as well. It's a little nerve-wracking for me to walk around the house and see my knickers drying on every available heater). I've got to transition back into American English to avoid funny looks from my friends and co-workers. Knickers? Pudding? Back to undies and dessert. It's time to sort and deliver the gifts I've gotten for friends and loved-ones. Pictures to process. Thank You cards to write. Oh yeah, and we've got to write up our reports for RI and work on our return presentations.
I plan on doing a few more blog updates during the week. There are a lot of memories and observations I want to post, and I'll be doing that at some point over the next couple days.
But now it's time to get ready for work.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
The Longest Day of My Life
Literally. It's been a 29-hour day. Anyone who ever complained that there aren't enough hours in the day has clearly not spent enough time travelling westward through five time zones.
But we all arrived back in Syracuse safely, thank goodness. We tried our best to say our goodbyes on the plane, because we all knew we'd be making a mad dash for our loved ones as soon as we got our feet back on solid ground. The flights mostly went off without a hitch, with the exception of a problem with the jetbridge in Detroit that resulted in us getting off the plane a half an hour late and making it to our next gate with only a few minutes to spare. Much of those few minutes were spent in a quest to find peanut butter cups.
This is not the end! I know I have more things I want to post over the next few days, so stay tuned.
Love,
Amy
But we all arrived back in Syracuse safely, thank goodness. We tried our best to say our goodbyes on the plane, because we all knew we'd be making a mad dash for our loved ones as soon as we got our feet back on solid ground. The flights mostly went off without a hitch, with the exception of a problem with the jetbridge in Detroit that resulted in us getting off the plane a half an hour late and making it to our next gate with only a few minutes to spare. Much of those few minutes were spent in a quest to find peanut butter cups.
This is not the end! I know I have more things I want to post over the next few days, so stay tuned.
Love,
Amy
Friday, October 16, 2009
Forecast
According to the U.S. National Weather Service forecast for Cooperstown, NY...
Saturday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy with a low around 31 (F). Chance of precipitation around 70%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible. Syracuse: little to no snow accumulation; Groton and Dryden: 1 to 3 inches of snow possible; Cincinnatus: 2 to 4 inches of snow; Sidney: 3 to 7 inches.
Great.
Saturday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy with a low around 31 (F). Chance of precipitation around 70%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible. Syracuse: little to no snow accumulation; Groton and Dryden: 1 to 3 inches of snow possible; Cincinnatus: 2 to 4 inches of snow; Sidney: 3 to 7 inches.
Great.
Boomerang
We all said our unique goodbyes these evening at the farewell dinner. For me, I'll relate this story that I wasn't able to get through due to a rush of emotions. When I interviewed for GSE, one question was if I could endure day after day of little sleep, constant motion, information overload, meeting new people every day and dealing with the occassional bump in the program. "You mean a Hayes family vacation?" I responded. (Hi, Mom and Dad! Thank you.) Back in 1987, when I was much younger, my parents decided it was time for their two sons to explore another country - apart from Canada, our friendly neighbor to the north. Being here today brought back bits and pieces of a whirlwind, two-week car tour with stops in - if my then-8-year-old brain remembers correctly: Iceland (ok, just the airport), Luxemburg, Belgium, Normandy, Dover, London, Edinburgh, Inverness, Wales, Barnestable... and, somehow, Paris... you get the point. Two weeks. 2 weeks! Besides the packed schedule, what did all this have in common with the last month? Rotary. When my mother was young, her parents hosted an exchange student from South America who, in 1987, lived in London and had two boys the same ages as my brother and me. Like our hosts in the past month, this London-via-US-from-Southern Hemisphere family welcomed my family to stay for several days and helped us explore London and its environs. Once again, lovely people from England - this time in the northeast - have opened their homes and helped me experience their lives. I will always welcome them to my home as they have me and the rest of the 2009 GSE team from District 7170. I look forward to returning to "the best kept secret in England" someday with my family and to starting the circle again. -TH
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