Category: Travel

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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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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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Daughter returns tomorrow

My youngest daughter is flying in from Florida tomorrow and I’m so excited I can’t stand it. I haven’t seen her since Christmas and tomorrow not only is she coming home to stay for nearly a month, it is also her 20th birthday.

I am picking her up at the airport tomorrow morning and at first I had no idea she would be coming home. I thought she would wait until Christmas. Her dad and her brothers kept it a secret from me for over a month, since she asked them to. I’d start getting crybaby about missing her and they would not say a word. BUT my daughter we call Vine, can not keep a secret. I was sobby about it one day a few weeks ago and she told me I’d see her on her birthday!

My grand daughter is the only person Vine really wanted us not to tell, since they are really close, and my grand daughter misses her aunt and is going to be so happy to see her. It will be a happy day!

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Social Media Site Fanatic

I’ve been using Facebook for a long time and it helps to keep track of the great folks I’ve met online and also to socialize with family members who I rarely get to see, as we are scattered all over the United States and Europe. I do believe however, that I created a FB fanatic when I taught my sister how to use the site. I had to also walk her though how to use her brand new little lap top, and I don’t think she has been off it since she got it and I helped her set it up. Kicker is, I only know the basics but it was enough for her to start hitting the various social media sites and loving them. Now I have to start thinking about things we can do together so she will not let the computer consume so much of her time. I’m seriously thinking that it’s time to take a road cruise and see where it takes us, like we used to do.

Yep, I’m going to be working on this since my dear sister needs to get a non computerized life! LOL!

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Winter storms and power outages

With the winds blowing fiercely and ice, snow and rain that continued to become layered in a very dangerous way for travelers. With temperatures in freezing mode, it seemed like a ghost town in the small village as blizzard conditions and treacherous ice took away any forms of communication and transportation.

Inside the small house, a fire in the hearth burned making a soothing crackling sound while keeping the lower rooms warm with also the help of the wood burning stove. The lighting of oil lamps and candles, produced a serene, cozy glow that looked enchanting, making one want to bask in it for the night…

NOT!!!!! Okay truth be known, after the power went out and I saw and heard branches breaking and power lines going down, I did light the fires and also the oil lamps and then placed candles in where I knew they’d put out the best light yet be safe from tipping. It actually did look nice and rosy in the house. But I was also in near panic mode since my sons were in town practicing music for their show and we live off of a very dangerous road in the conditions as we had last night and today, so last night I was fretting too much to give it more than a few minutes of liking said warmth and rosy glow. I can’t wait until summer and we don’t have to go though this stuff again for a time.

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Vacation and no internet service

Usually when I take a vacation, it’s on the weekend, but I decide to take a few days during the week and go to some flea markets in Indiana. It was a great ride, and I loved taking in the scenery, but it’s so darn dry in that state from lack of rain…like most places I’ve visited that everything looked very dry.

I decided to take my lap top and at the little motel I stayed at advertised that they had free internet service, but they didn’t. Or, there was something wrong with the connection. I’m will however never stay at this particular motel again.

The owner or manager of the motel was not helpful at all, and actually acted like he had never heard of the internet or for that matter, computers in general. Even at the desk, everything was done by hand in a log. Guess I was sort of roughing it, but it was kind of relaxing and they had a pool.

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Weekend mini vacation

The kids and I are planning on going to Devils lake this weekend. Contrary to the name, the lake doesn’t have grass around much of the lake, and it’s probably the only lake I will actually go swimming in. I have an aversion to seaweed and mucky bottoms, so since this lake has (as far as I’ve noticed) a hard packed sandy bottom.

I think my kids are looking forward to this little mini vacation. It’s going to be nice to get away for a little while, go swimming and just kick back. Usually we rent a small speed boat or a pontoon boat for a day, to go out and meander around the lake, then visit a favorite restaurant that is on the point, which we actually have to dock up to.

So far there has been a unanimous vote that we are leaving early on Friday morning, but I’m thinking that the kids won’t be ready until early afternoon. This generally is always the case. I don’t care, I just want to park myself on the beach and enjoy my time relaxing.

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Plans changed with saleing

It’s nearly midnight and I’m thinking that today’s plans were not what had been planned in the first place. I love it when there are NO plans. The kids and I did hit some garage sales, but then we passed a place to eat. Once that was finished, we decided to go real shopping, as they call it.

We found some great bargains on summer things. I actually thought that prices would be low after the holidays, but I was pleasantly surprised at the great sales we hit.

Now everyone is in their bedroom waiting until tomorrow to figure out plans and what they all want to do without me tagging around. Fine by me. I need to play in the gardens and call some blogging buddy about her bale gardening. It would be good to meet up with her again and we could do a quick see what we can see and find trip. Maybe some flea markets or antique shops.