Category: Going Places

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Staying in Apartments While Travelling

My family originated in London, and I have always dreamed of visiting my relatives that still live there. For decades I have corresponded with some of them, even though I never met them face to face. Originally the correspondence started with U. S. Mail, and then eventually it went to email. Now some of them are even Facebook friends!

Apparently many of them live in the London area, and have offered to let me stay with them for a few days if I ever do go over to London. I think that is a very nice offer, but I think that I would rather stay in one of the many London Apartments that are available to rent on a short-term basis.

I don’t mean to sound snobbish, but I do remember when a few years ago I went to visit my son that was going to college in New Jersey, and I stayed with some relatives that I had never met before. I was on a very limited budget, and it was very nice of them to take me in. The problem was that they guest room was full of sketches that their very artistic daughter had done, and I found the sketches quite disturbing. And the relatives themselves insisted on feeding me supper both nights that I was there – and their food was awful! On top of that, they were drunk the entire time I was there!

When I recall that experience, staying in a neutral place when I travel, like the furnished London Apartments that are available, sounds better and better every time!

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Memorial Day garage sales

Around this area, Memorial Day weekend is the biggest yard, garage, estate and what ever type of sale one could ever want, weekend. I try to get up at the crack of dawn and get whoever is going with me around to be on the streets and roads by 8:00 am. It’s fun to make a girls day out of it. I’ve found though, lately my two sons have been wanting to come along. The problem with them going, is that they get tired of looking and road cruising, and then we have to take them back home.

This weekend, my daughters and I are planing on going to the sales and do some other shopping and errands that need to be done. It should be nice if the weather holds. Even if it doesn’t, I know of a lot of barn sales that are going on also. There are at least three flea markets we can hit that are inside, but with the temperatures staying on the warm side, it’s doubtful many garage sales or even tented sales will shut down.

 

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Going To Visit My Nephew

My sister’s son goes to Stanford University on a Fellowship. This is his second year out there, and my sister has been missing him like crazy. She has been wanting to go visit him but since she is not supposed to drive, it has been a real issue about getting her there. Yes, she can fly from airport to airport, but transportation to and from the airport, and then transportation once she gets there (since her son doesn’t drive) would also be an issue.

Also, there is a matter of where she would stay once she got out there. Her son has a girlfriend that lives with him, and they are sharing a one-bedroom studio apartment. Very tight quarters! I have been thinking about flying out there with her and sharing the expenses. I would love to go and get in some sight-seeing while we are out there! So I’ve been looking around for ways to save money, and found that Motel.com has Palo Alto, CA hotel deals that just might help us with our travel plans. I’m going to pull together some tentative itineraries and deals and show them to my sister, and see what she thinks about the whole idea!

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Thank a Veteran

If you are going out today, I hope you have the chance to partake in some of the ceremonies that are being held around the country, honoring our veterans. They deserve all the thanks we can give them! Thank you veterans, for your service and sacrifice.

We used to go to the Veteran’s Day parade held in the Washington DC area every year. It was great fun to see the marching bands and the floats. I think the one they had in Old Town Alexandria was probably one of the best. The variety of entries, from antique cars to gymnastics groups, made the parade very interesting and exciting.

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Summer

Every summer we spend as much time at the lake as we can, fishing, boating and swimming. This year has been no different. The best thing about this year has been taking our dogs out on the boat, they love it and seem to really enjoy going fast on top of the water, they hang their heads over the side and bark with glee. I had never known that a dog would love the water so much. When we pull in a big fish they sniff and bark at the fish like they were responsible for reeling them in it is so very funny. A couple of the dogs even like to get out in the water and paddle around, Dottie and Diva really like it the best I think, they jump in when ever they can. Over all this has been a great summer and I already can not wait for next summer to get here.

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Kids went to Camp Chateaugay and brought home some awesome summer camp pictures

First of all I had no idea what to expect with a summer camp for my two boys. I have two sons age eight and ten and they have never been to a summer camp before. But if you have two boys around that age you know that sometimes summer can seem very long as your nerves wear thin and your patience runs out. It’s not their fault it’s just, well they’re crazy boys and they need to get that energy out. So I bring you summer camp!

 

We looked around at a few camps online, checked out pictures, read reviews, talked to neighbors and checked on what kind of activities each one offered. We decided to go with Camp Chateaugay on one of the Adirondack Lakes in upstate New York after talking to the owners Hal and the assistant director Kirsten. They were both very nice, knowledgeable and had quite a bit of experience with both kids and camps.

 

Talking to the owners put my husband and I at ease and we took the kids up to the camp this past summer. They absolutely loved it and did not want to leave. They shared some of the awesome summer camp pictures that they had taken and it looked like they had an absolute blast. It was well worth the money spent in my opinion. I only wish I had found Camp Chateaugay a few years ago because if so it would have kept my sons busy with fun and kept me sane with some free time to get things around here done.

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A day of garage and yard sales

Saying that I’m tired is a total understatement. My daughter and I got up super early and met at a small diner in town and had breakfast. After that, we were in for a full day of walking from one yard sale and garage sale to the next in the historical section of town. The whole North side of the small city was having a massive sale.

We got a lot of loot, as my daughter calls it. I’m beginning to just think we are both garage sale fools! I swear I get rid of things I don’t use in my house and the fill it with more “new to me” items. Most of which I really don’t need, but liked.

All in all it was a very productive day and I was so happy to see that my sons had fixed a great dinner for us when we got home. My feet hurt a bit and I’m sunburned, but I think I got some really great finds today!

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Dream Living and Golf at Verno Beach

I spent some time with my favorite aunt last weekend and we were talking about her retiring and finding a nice home or villa in Florida. She is an avid golfer and mentioned Golf Verno Beach and that she would love to check out the clubs, the community and also the perks one would have living there. She is all about quiet class and after looking at the site she showed me, I do believe it would be perfect for her and her needs. There are times that I stay with her and help with her various needs and I’m a beach person, so this also would be a choice location to fulfill my needs also.

There are all kinds of various things to make one perfectly content living there and also being a member of a gated community it would mean safety for the most part and a good place for my aunt to live. She is up there in age, but spry from all the activities she does and she doesn’t show or act her real age. She also enjoys the fine things and service she is accustom to, as she worked hard to get to the point where she doesn’t really have to worry about funds for such a great place. We will be going to look at various Real Estate properties there.

My aunt is planning on going down to Florida and do some shopping around for a home or at least a winter place she can live in, since the cold weather where she lives ruins her playing golf when she gets that urge!

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Garage sales in Feburary

I think everyone around here is starting to get a case of severe cabin fever. I went into the city and on the bulletin board at my local market, there were a slew of signs advertising garage and porch sales posted for this coming weekend. I have to admit that I’m totally temped to go, but I don’t need to bring anymore treasures and stuff that strike my fancy into this house, without getting rid of some of what I already have.

I hate to part with things that I someday may want or use. Yes, I am a neat hoarder. My house isn’t cluttered, no is my attic but I’m sure it would be if I was a hoarder of a high scale. After watching the hording shows on television though…I know I won’t ever let my home become uncomfortable and inhabitable.

Garage sales however, are a guilty pleasure of mine. Some ladies I know are exceptional garage sale arrangers. It totally amazes me how these woman can hold a yard or garage sale and make it look and seem so simple. Me? I’d rather just gather my stuff together and donate it or give it away to folks that want it. Still…if the weather is semi reasonable, I still may hit a few of these sales, just to look. 😀

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Wanting to be independent

Title is exactly what my dear friend Lindsay and I are going though with our daughters. They will be leaving very early in the morning. My daughter’s flight is at 6:00 am, but it’s a two hour drive to the airport. Lindsay’s daughter’s flight is about the same time and it takes her two hours to get to the airport if not a bit longer.

Our daughters want to be independent yet we get two or more calls a day. I cherish those calls as it means that she misses me and misses being home. But going so darn far away really messes me up. Almost every blogging pal or “real life” friends  know that I want my kids close. I don’t consider this being over protective. I think one day that we are going to have to depend on  family and close friends sticking together because we will need to .

I wish both of our young ladies a dream come true, a prosperous life to come and  also the knowledge they will always have a home to come home to.