Whew! What a week it has been! RC’s granddaughter Cassie no sooner flew home when his friend Al and Al’s brother Dave arrived. Our old friends Jim and Joe came in on their Motorcycles and stayed for a few days, his place looked like Boy’s Town. Elaine had (friend) Kathy in for a week and Kathy’s parents stopped over for lunch and to tour TV. Mardi Gras was fun for all, although not as exciting as the real New Orleans thing that Erika got to experience this year. We had a hot dog roast after Sunday golf, and now the gang is off to Daytona for Bike week.
They are all staying at Elaine and Kevin’s condo in Daytona and will be back sometime Sunday. Kevin got this really cool Harley with a side car and he is the only one actually taking a bike to bike week. RC is threatening to buy a Harley next year. I worry that those razor sharp reflexes of his won’t be adequate to safely maneuver a Bike here in Florida. You have to drive like you are invisible because to many drivers, you are.
The house is very quiet. I got to see a movie that no one wanted to go with me to see (Milk, I highly recommend it), and I finished a book that I started quite a while ago. I stayed home to tend to the job (still hate it), deliver a cart and pick up E & K’s dog from the dogie hotel.
I am languishing in my solitude, but already know that I will be bored soon. Well it will be short lived as everyone will be home tomorrow and Briana is flying in Wednesday to update her CDL endorsements. Joyfully chaos again will rule my life. That is how we roll!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Car in the drink!
RC’s grand daughter came for a visit this week. She is a senior in high school. She cooked a turkey dinner with all of the trimmings for everyone. I thought that this was quite an accomplishment for someone so young to get all of the courses to the table at the same time. She has grown into a poised young lady. RC is very proud of her and he thoroughly enjoyed her company. We hope she comes back to visit again soon.
Tuesday I spent a good portion of my afternoon with Beth, her Mom and about 50 more voyeurs, watching divers recover a car from Silver Lake. The area was cordoned off with yellow police tape and cameras flashed all around the lake. If I am to believe the onlookers, the car had been in the lake for some time. It was a hoot to listen to all of the know-it–all onlookers pontificate about the story of the submerged car.
One onlooker proclaimed her disgust at the lack of urgency of the local police forces to ignore this submerged death trap for weeks. Another thought they knew the owner who “lost” his car after a night of partying a month ago. The alleged owner’s only concern was the $500 golf club that he left in the back seat. Someone else warned the divers of a 12 foot gator that has been know to frequent the lake. Beth thought it might emerge with bony hands clutching the steering wheel.
It seems pretty easy to entertain us here in TV. Some watched in their golf carts, others brought lawn chairs. Our buddy Tom’s house, only a few feet away from the scene of the crime, would have been the perfect place to fire up a grill and sell hot dogs to the crowd.
Tuesday I spent a good portion of my afternoon with Beth, her Mom and about 50 more voyeurs, watching divers recover a car from Silver Lake. The area was cordoned off with yellow police tape and cameras flashed all around the lake. If I am to believe the onlookers, the car had been in the lake for some time. It was a hoot to listen to all of the know-it–all onlookers pontificate about the story of the submerged car.
One onlooker proclaimed her disgust at the lack of urgency of the local police forces to ignore this submerged death trap for weeks. Another thought they knew the owner who “lost” his car after a night of partying a month ago. The alleged owner’s only concern was the $500 golf club that he left in the back seat. Someone else warned the divers of a 12 foot gator that has been know to frequent the lake. Beth thought it might emerge with bony hands clutching the steering wheel.
It seems pretty easy to entertain us here in TV. Some watched in their golf carts, others brought lawn chairs. Our buddy Tom’s house, only a few feet away from the scene of the crime, would have been the perfect place to fire up a grill and sell hot dogs to the crowd.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Travel Lust
I am starting to get the travel lust again. I have always loved to travel, but for the past few seasons I have not had the urge to wander too far from TV. My sister in-law, Elaine and I used to travel together quite a bit, but lately I have been less enthusiastic when she has suggested a side trip and I did not know why exactly.
I suspected that I was living in a resort, so I had no need to go to a resort. What would I do at the all inclusive or on the cruise? Sit by the pool? Participate in pool side games? Eat and drink what I liked? Escape from work, and domestic chores? This sounds suspiciously like what currently goes on in my life daily.
I used to pride myself on my spontaneity. If someone asked me to run off to(fill in the blank), my overnight bag was packed and I was ready in a flash. Now the only thing that has changed is my back pack contains a bag full of heart meds and comfortable shoes.
In my teens I hitchhiked across country with three friends and just a backpack. In my twenties, my ski bum buddies and I would chase the ski season around until we found good powder, and drop everything to join my lawyer friends on comped gambling junkets from the Caribbean to Vegas.
Thirties brought a husband and kids, and we still loved to travel. My kids saw the world before they hit their teens. When Erika was little she went to Disney so often that when she saw a plane overhead, she would exclaim “They are going to see Mickey Mouse!” We weren’t rich, but I decided that due to my choice to be a working mother, only on vacations did the kids get my undivided attention and we, as a family, would put travel on our list of non-negotiatable essentials.
Wayne would want me to tell you about my “free” trip to England that cost him $10K. I won a radio station Beatles contest including round trip airfare for two to London and four nights at the Hilton. ...the but comes when I decided as long as we were over there, I needed to (A)Bring the kids, (B)Book side trips to Switzerland, Luxemburg, France… (you get the picture?) We had a great time and the kids got a history lesson that will stay with them for life. I think that trip may have been a contributor to Erika’s interest in teaching history.
I had the good fortune to have some travel at work. My specialty in rapid prototyping provided opportunities to attend training and conferences across the country and my position as Quality Network Rep and trainer for the UAW also brought me to interesting (and not so interesting like Detroit in January) destinations. Anyone who travels for work will tell you that some travel is great, but too much becomes tedious. I was fortunate to have a nice balance of travel and home time and I will always be grateful to the UAW for the many adventures that I experienced on their dime.
My girls have the travel bug too. Erika is planning a trip across Europe by rail this summer. She will be using Claudia’s (our wonderful exchange student) place in Lake Lucerne, Switzerland as a home base. She is giving this 2 month trip to herself as a graduation present. I am sure it will be a trip of a lifetime. Briana has the bug too. Part of the appeal of becoming big rig driver was the travel. She has already logged lots of miles from coast to coast, and had some fun in the process.
I have been drifting off, recently, to memories of several of my favorite places. New England and Northern Michigan have been contributing to my daydreams a lot. Not the cold weather New England and Black Lake Michigan, (both I remember fondly) but the lazy days on the beaches of the cape, and in the Pines of Michigan. Visions of the rocky shores of Maine and the covered bridges in Vermont on motorcycles bring me to a place both familiar and comfortable. Certain places and times of the year evoke vivid memories for me and that is one of the wonders that travel has brought to me through the years. In my mind I can almost smell the salty, fishy ocean and sweet pungent green pines.
The memories still stir the travel lust in my soul, so I begin one of my favorite parts of travel; the making of plans for my next journey. I think our motor home beckons me out this year. So much more to see, smell, taste, experience. I'll keep you all posted.
I suspected that I was living in a resort, so I had no need to go to a resort. What would I do at the all inclusive or on the cruise? Sit by the pool? Participate in pool side games? Eat and drink what I liked? Escape from work, and domestic chores? This sounds suspiciously like what currently goes on in my life daily.
I used to pride myself on my spontaneity. If someone asked me to run off to(fill in the blank), my overnight bag was packed and I was ready in a flash. Now the only thing that has changed is my back pack contains a bag full of heart meds and comfortable shoes.
In my teens I hitchhiked across country with three friends and just a backpack. In my twenties, my ski bum buddies and I would chase the ski season around until we found good powder, and drop everything to join my lawyer friends on comped gambling junkets from the Caribbean to Vegas.
Thirties brought a husband and kids, and we still loved to travel. My kids saw the world before they hit their teens. When Erika was little she went to Disney so often that when she saw a plane overhead, she would exclaim “They are going to see Mickey Mouse!” We weren’t rich, but I decided that due to my choice to be a working mother, only on vacations did the kids get my undivided attention and we, as a family, would put travel on our list of non-negotiatable essentials.
Wayne would want me to tell you about my “free” trip to England that cost him $10K. I won a radio station Beatles contest including round trip airfare for two to London and four nights at the Hilton. ...the but comes when I decided as long as we were over there, I needed to (A)Bring the kids, (B)Book side trips to Switzerland, Luxemburg, France… (you get the picture?) We had a great time and the kids got a history lesson that will stay with them for life. I think that trip may have been a contributor to Erika’s interest in teaching history.
I had the good fortune to have some travel at work. My specialty in rapid prototyping provided opportunities to attend training and conferences across the country and my position as Quality Network Rep and trainer for the UAW also brought me to interesting (and not so interesting like Detroit in January) destinations. Anyone who travels for work will tell you that some travel is great, but too much becomes tedious. I was fortunate to have a nice balance of travel and home time and I will always be grateful to the UAW for the many adventures that I experienced on their dime.
My girls have the travel bug too. Erika is planning a trip across Europe by rail this summer. She will be using Claudia’s (our wonderful exchange student) place in Lake Lucerne, Switzerland as a home base. She is giving this 2 month trip to herself as a graduation present. I am sure it will be a trip of a lifetime. Briana has the bug too. Part of the appeal of becoming big rig driver was the travel. She has already logged lots of miles from coast to coast, and had some fun in the process.
I have been drifting off, recently, to memories of several of my favorite places. New England and Northern Michigan have been contributing to my daydreams a lot. Not the cold weather New England and Black Lake Michigan, (both I remember fondly) but the lazy days on the beaches of the cape, and in the Pines of Michigan. Visions of the rocky shores of Maine and the covered bridges in Vermont on motorcycles bring me to a place both familiar and comfortable. Certain places and times of the year evoke vivid memories for me and that is one of the wonders that travel has brought to me through the years. In my mind I can almost smell the salty, fishy ocean and sweet pungent green pines.
The memories still stir the travel lust in my soul, so I begin one of my favorite parts of travel; the making of plans for my next journey. I think our motor home beckons me out this year. So much more to see, smell, taste, experience. I'll keep you all posted.
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