<p>I think the marmots are sunburned and hung over… :)</p>
<p>Marmots were up late finishing Schedule C…</p>
<p>or if they’re in PA, they’re out canvassing…</p>
<p>Or they were commuting and now they are here and at your service!</p>
<p>mootmom, I’m reminded of a story.</p>
<p>When in her 50’s, my mother flew into Cuzco, Peru. I asked her about her trip. “Well,” she said, “Everyone told me to be careful about altitude sickness. I never had any problem. And the people were so nice! As soon as we got off the plane, they gave us cocoa leaf tea. And, as long as I kept drinking that tea, I felt just fine.”</p>
<p>^^^^whoops. make that coca-leaf tea.</p>
<p>Having been to Cuzco and having quaffed coca-leaf tea myself (along with my parents) I can assure you, it is revolting. Think oak leaf tea. And nothing like a high. It barely touches the altitude sickness, which feels like a giant migraine.</p>
<p>She’s no longer gonna buy the stuff. (Costco)</p>
<p>Also finished the taxes last night. The bane of a tax software is that you put off doing the taxes because you can. Wouldn’t you know, as soon as hit the send key and start putting the paper 1099s away, you always find another… Oh well its fairly easy to send an amended form. </p>
<p>I’ve gone thru the head cheese phase, then the bleu cheese. Any suggestions-no virtuals virtues.</p>
<p>OK, how did you know I’m going to Cuzco in a few months? I now invite PMs from those who have been there and can offer advice on altitude sickness.</p>
<p>It (the altitude) was an interesting experience. When I first arrived, I couldn’t feel my legs from my knees down and my arms from my elbows to my finger tips. I am long limbed though. You will notice the locals are short limbed. I believe there is a reason for that tied up into the altitude. They gave me the tea to drink. I never had a headache. I was young at the time! It was almost 30 years ago. Whatever the physical challenges, the place ranks up there with my favorite travel experiences.</p>
<p>There is medicine you can get from your doctor in case of altitude sickness. Can’t vouch for its effectiveness, though.</p>
<p>Really the best preventative is to spend a day or two at an altitude that’s not quite as high. Also don’t have a filling done the day before you go. I once had an excrutiating toothache because there was apparently just a little bit of air in a filling before going to Addis Ababa. (el. ca. 8000 ft.) I’ve hiked in the Sierra’s at Cuzco’s elevation. It was usually okay after the second day, but everything seemed like more work and I’d feel a little lightheaded if I stood up quickly.</p>
<p>My advice would be to build in a layover day so in case you feel horrible you can sleep it off, which is what we did. In 24 hours, I was fine. Mathmoms suggestion is good too, go somewhere not quite so high up for a day first.</p>
<p>What better place to post this than here in the Alley!</p>
<p>[Comics</a> Page: Shoe](<a href=“http://www.comicspage.com/shoe/index.html]Comics”>http://www.comicspage.com/shoe/index.html)</p>
<p>Delegates all around! Make them doubles!</p>
<p>Daughter, my youngest of two kids, just passed her driver’s test–so I need to slide in for some concoction that treats simultaneous relief (fewer lip biting moments as the passenger/coach) and regret (fewer of those moments when conversations sometimes just happen because you are in the car together. I hate teaching children to drive. And as much as I celebrate their each moving on into young adulthood in small and big ways, it is so poignant to mark these transitions. I was happy she passed on the first go and love seeing that smile of accomplishment. But OMG all those other drivers out there as a threat to my sweet little one…!!? Fortunately, we will be sharing a car and she won’t actually have that many driving opportunities at the outset anyway…
So here’s to safety and well being for all our young, hence forth and forever more…What does the cyber barkeep recommend for this life transition…?</p>
<p>The…Seat Belt!</p>
<p>Cheers</p>
<p>What moms do for their kids: Today’s good story in the paper:</p>
<p>A local woman allegedly pulled a fire alarm to get into her daughter’s middle school (after school hours.) She slipped into the building as those inside were evacuating. She told police she did it to get inside to fetch a book for her child!</p>
<p>She was charged with making a false alarm.</p>
<p>:eek: :D</p>
<p>^^ and impersonating a helicopter</p>
<p>Pout…</p>
<p>I had a 2-hour layover in Munich on the way back home from Zurich, and I’ve learned that it’s now at least a 5-hour layover. I have no cellphone access in Europe, not much money (although I’m sure credit cards can be used), a pulled muscle in my back, and a 12-hour delayed flight to “look forward” to.</p>
<p>And it’s my birthday. 
Pout.</p>
<p>Someone else celebrate for me, OK?</p>