The Adventures of BJ and Tony Morris

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Christmas 2000

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We have been blessed during Y2K! I started the new year standing by in our computer center for what turned out to be a non-event. Tony had the RV plugged into the Guard Kiosk in the parking lot and entertained friends arriving, leaving, or on breaks from both Delta and Worldspan. New Year’s Eve parties had to be postponed for almost everyone we know this year. Worldspan had theirs in mid-January in conjunction with the big ice storm that shut down much of Atlanta and left us without power for 5 long days! By the time our power came back, we had burned all of the scrap lumber in the garage. It would have been a good time to have our self-contained RV, but we had just driven it down to Tampa and left it at the factory center for some repairs. We flew back to Tampa in late January to pick it up.

Tony went to San Diego a couple of times to attend motorcycle auctions with his brother, Tim, who owns a used motorcycle business.

                I started a new job at Worldspan on January 16 as the Project Manager of Technical Architecture. For awhile, I really felt like SOMEBODY in my corner office at the Galleria! Then I discovered they want me to WORK. I have staff in Kansas City, so I made several round trips there this year.

                In February, we tried the “Hiking Ireland” trip again. The plan was to walk from Shannon to Dublin, stopping in small villages along the way. On the first day, somewhere between Limerick and Nenaugh, I started having cold symptoms. On the second day, near Toomyvara, my illness became the flu. I spent two days sick in bed in Roscrea while Tony explored the town. He met several new friends and attended his first Irish wake at a local pub. We took a bus to Kildare the next day. Our hike to Naas on the following day was uneventful, but all of the B&B’s in Naas were full. After an exhaustive search, we found a room. The next morning, we took a bus to Dublin & spent the day exploring. The flight home (a day earlier than planned) was oversold, but we managed to claim the last 2 seats on the plane!

                I went to Bermuda with my sister, Mary Jane and her children, Jared and Lauren for Spring Break. We enjoyed basking on the pink sand beaches, exploring the grottos, and riding the pink busses (I wasn’t brave enough to rent mopeds with the kids).

                A business conference took me to Las Vegas in April. While I was in meetings, Tony and several of my friends were out enjoying the action on the strip. I had another April Conference in Kansas City. None of my friends wanted to accompany me to this one. Hmmm…

In May, we attended Tony’s High School Class reunion and Alumni Weekend at Woodward Academy. Tony appeared to be the youngest in his class. I went to KC again. Six of us spent a lovely weekend in the California Wine Country in mid-May. I joined the Worldspan Golf League. It quickly grew too hot for golf, but I managed to finish the season. I flew to Jackson, Mississippi for a funeral also in May, and made one more trip to KC.

                I had a great trip to Miami South Beach with some girl friends in June. We strolled the beach with all of the beautiful people. A few weekends later, Tony and I were able to get to again see beautiful people in bathing suits at our friends’ house on Lake Lanier. Tony and his harem of five women (including me) celebrated Independence Day in Montreal and Quebec City.

                In July, we started training for our new hobby – BBQ Judging! We took a “Memphis in May (MIM)” training class in Culloden, Georgia. I also got to help build the walls on Worldspan’s Habitat for Humanity House in Powder Springs. A business trip to Cupertino, California and a stop back through KC on my way home completed the month.

                In August, we continued our BBQ training by becoming certified in “Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS)”. We judged the “Meat On the Mississippi” contest in Caruthersville, Missouri. I judged the “whole hog” category, and Tony judged “ribs”. I also made a mad dash up to Washington, D.C. in August to see a friend (my age) who had quintuple by-pass surgery! My 20th year college reunion was a real blast. I had my girlfriends over the night before so we could study (the annual). Bet you didn’t know you would have to “cram” for your reunion! We judged BBQ at “The Ham Slam” in Culloden, Georgia. One more trip to KC finished August.

                September started with another trip to KC (a pattern is starting to emerge). Tony went with his fishing buddies to Alaska. They took a float plane out of Ketchican to a small cabin and campsite which they shared with a black bear. Tony had a couple of close encounters, but thankfully came home in one piece. I went to the Delta Ladies’ Golf Tournament in Naples, Florida while he was in Alaska. No trophies this year. I moved up a couple of flights though, so I am starting to show slight improvement!

                I hosted a golf tournament known as the “Somewhat Annual Wootan Classic” in October. It’s an “anything goes” tournament that is mostly just an opportunity for old and new friends to visit outside on a pretty day. Tradition dictates that everyone wait at the 18th green to heckle the other golfers as they complete the tournament. An October conference in Tucson was an opportunity to get in a little more golf time, as well as some hiking before and between meetings. Another BBQ Contest, “The Big Pig Jig”, had to be judged in Vienna, Georgia on October 21. After all of this BBQ eating, I needed some extra exercise, so I signed up for clogging lessons. Watch for your invitation to my first recital!

                We took our nephew, Jonathan (along with two other couples and three other children), to Madrid, Spain for Thanksgiving. We were disappointed to find that the palace was closed because the king was there, but we got to see the Prado, and Plaza Mayor. We took the bus to Segovia where we saw the Aquaduct, and the palace (Alcazar) where parts of Camelot were filmed. Jonathan’s favorite parts were getting to ride in business class, and SHOPPING!

                We took the money we were planning to spend for your Christmas present and invested it in a day of Riverboat gambling in St. Louis in December. We can give you the address of the boat so that you can go and see your present. Hope you like it – they said no refunds. One more business trip to KC and one to Fort Lauderdale should just about finish the travel for the year.

                We hope you have had a happy, safe, and prosperous year.

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bjandtony@bjandtony.com