1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman (Carol Shea-Porter) ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn’t get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!)

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2. I got a call from a Kansas Congressman’s (Moore) staffer (Howard Bauleke), who wanted to go to Capetown. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information, and then he interrupted me with, ”I’m not trying to make you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts .”

Without trying to make him look stupid, I calmly explained, ”Cape Cod is in Massachusetts , Capetown is in Africa ”

His response — click.

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3. A senior Vermont Congressman (Bernie Sanders) called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando . He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that’s not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state.

He replied, ‘don’t lie to me, I looked on the map and Florida is a very thin state!” (OMG)

4. I got a call from a lawmaker’s wife (Landra Reid) who asked, ”Is it possible to see England from Canada ?”

I said, ”No.”

She said, ”But they look so close on the map.” (OMG, again!)

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5.An aide for a cabinet member (Janet Napolitano) once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas. I pulled up the reservation and noticed he had only a 1-hour layover in Dallas . When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, ”I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.” (Aghhhh)

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6.An Illinois Congresswoman (Jan Schakowsky) called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 a.m., and got to Chicago at 8:33 a.m.

I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois , but she couldn’t understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went fast, and she bought that.

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7. A New York lawmaker, (Jerrold Nadler) called and asked, ”Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?” I said, ‘No, why do you ask?’

he replied, ”Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I’m overweight. I think that’s very rude!”

After putting him on hold for a minute, while I looked into it. (I was dying laughing). I came back and explained the city code for Fresno , Ca. is (FAT – Fresno Air Terminal), and the airline was just putting a destination tag on his luggage..

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8. A Senator John Kerry aide (Lindsay Ross) called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii . After going over all the cost info, she asked, ”Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii ?”

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9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman, Bobby Bright (D) from Ala who asked, ”How do I know which plane to get on?”

I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, ”I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on them.”

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10. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) called and said, ”I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola , Florida . Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?”

I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola , FL on a commuter plane.

She said, ”Yeah, whatever, smarty!”

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11. Mary Landrieu (D) La. Senator called and had a question about the documents she needed in order to fly to China . After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded her that she needed a visa. ‘Oh, no I don’t. I’ve been to China many times and never had to have one of those.”

I double checked and sure enough, her stay required a visa. When I told her this she said, ”Look, I’ve been to Ch

These Shuswap Lake Homes are impressive. Soaring spaces and wonderful modern accents combine perfectly with the classic floorplans and quality construction. Expansive views will draw your eye from nearly every room in the house. Set up for entertaining, these Shuswap Lake Homes will make your days at the lake the best they can be. Whether as a full time residence, or the ultimate vacation property, you’ll love spending time on the expansive decks, soaking up the sun…and the moon light.

2 large bedrooms and 3 baths and an impressive 1280 square feet of tastefully decorated quality. Plenty of parking for family and friends and an adjacent 4000 square foot amenity building with a swimming pool, steam room, and hot tub. You’ll find supurb elegance and simple charm.

This great investment property will only become more desireable. Very few places in Canada offer the beauty, and the location that These Shuswap Lake Homes are known for. Only a 463 Km drive from Vancouver. Development in the area is bringing in more businesses and more jobs. Opportunities for commercial expansion are another aspect of the investment potential of the area. This is your opportunity to make it yours.

Romantic evenings and moon lit boat rides becken you. The forest, teeming with wildlife, calls to you. This truly is paradise. It’s a great time to make your dream come true.

Donations are a way for the group to bond over a common goal – helping those in need. Depending on individual interests, there are plenty of different kinds of gift donations. A particularly powerful gift could be the family’s international ‘adoption’ of an impoverished child. With a monthly gift of around $30, your family will take on the responsibility of a child and help him or her attain life’s necessities, like food, shelter, and education. You will receive photos of the child, as well as letters from them once or twice a year. Children will make a new friend and receive a valuable lesson in Christmas selflessness.

When you buy gift certificates for shared activities to enjoy over the year, you share the fun and joy of Christmas year-round. Treat your mom to season’s tickets at a local playhouse and set up a monthly ‘date’. Buy a pair of season’s tickets, and give a ticket to your brother or dad – you two are sure to bond over shared wins and losses. There are plenty of great activities you and loved ones can partake in, and you’re sure to find some common ground.

Vacations are, of course, a favourite way to bond over the holiday season. There’s nothing better than getting outside the ordinary with Christmas vacation packages to exotic locales around the world. A crowd-pleasing family favourite is sure to be anywhere snowy – and where better to celebrate winter than the Canadian Rockies?

Blanketed with snow and full of fun family activities, they’re the perfect destination for a vacation away. With new Fresh Tracks train vacations you can hop on board the Rocky Mountaineer in Calgary or Vancouver, speed away through snowy valleys past mountain peaks and stop in iconic Canadian mountain towns.

These 7-to-10 day train vacations feature two sightseeing days onboard the famous Rocky Mountaineer, including festive on-board activities to keep everybody entertained, before days off the train in Banff, Jasper, or Lake Louise. Each of these beautiful towns has great mountain atmosphere and plenty of activities – dogsledding, sleigh riding, skiing, and more. Special Christmas departures include Christmas feasts, presents, and visits from Santa.

However you choose to celebrate this giving season, make sure to make time for the friends and family who make the holiday what it is. Merry Christmas!