![Chicago Websphere Chicago Websphere](https://www.blasdale.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/2000-chicago/cache/chica005.jpg-nggid0530956-ngg0dyn-200x200x100-00f0w010c011r110f110r010t010.jpg)
On January 15th 2000, Peter Willson, John Curd and Steve Blasdale arrived in Chicago, Illinois to attend a mentored workshop run by IBM for Walker Interactive Systems. This workshop was designed to get us up an running with Websphere 3.0. We were there for a week and came away with great enthusiasm for the new project we were embarking on
![Skiing in Courcheval Skiing in Courcheval](https://www.blasdale.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/2000-skiing-in-courcheval/cache/SKI20004.jpg-nggid0530940-ngg0dyn-200x200x100-00f0w010c011r110f110r010t010.jpg)
The holiday was the 12th-19th Feb 2000. There was plenty of snow. It snowed most days after the first 3 days. The company was Crystal. We arrived by Snow Train, after losing Pippa on the way. She managed to catch the wrong train.
![Rosemary Birthday flowers Rosemary Birthday flowers](https://www.blasdale.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/2000-rosemary-birthday/cache/Rosem006.jpg-nggid0530980-ngg0dyn-200x200x100-00f0w010c011r110f110r010t010.jpg)
These are the flowers which were given to Rosemary on her 50th Birthday by Axon. Such a fabulous bunch of flowers. Here they have been divided into a number of vases and distributed around the house out of reach of the cats.
![Iceland Iceland](https://www.blasdale.com/blog/wp-content/gallery/2000-iceland/cache/2000i005.jpg-nggid0531021-ngg0dyn-200x200x100-00f0w010c011r110f110r010t010.jpg)
Saturday 25th March did not dawn bright and early. We though were up and driving down to Gatwick to catch the 5.50 am flight to Iceland. Yes we were doing a day trip to Iceland. The schedule was tight.