38 replies to this topic

[pammartin]

Hi Billie, You are right, it is a pain in the but to go to Canada anymore, (or just about anywhere).  I understand why, but doesn't make it any easier.  This spring when Nick and I went to Florida I had to get him ID and prove he was my son before we could get on the plane!    WOW, you had some great travel plans, I always wanted to go to Egypt.  I have a pen pal (via Internet) that lives in England, she has been to may of the places you mentioned, and when she is telling me something about her past she says, "When I lived in Spain", I always make her stop her story and repeat the phrase, she laughs, it just sounds so cool!  Travel vs.Marriage  hhhhhhhmmmmmmmm now there is something to consider!  I did read Marnie was traveling, incredible she got out of cooking dinner and gets to visit the Grand Canyon and relax!  I think she has a great forumla for the holiday.  Our Thanksgiving wasn't too bad, I have had worse, Nick and I do pretty well together, but sometimes it is hard to understand all Nick's quirks (even for me).  It depends on his day, how much patience the parental units have, and sometimes just plan annoyance.  One thing I have to continue to learn, or remember, not sure which, whenever you plan a nice get together, something is going to pee on the parade.    So you wear waterproop clothing and keep trudging through the pee!  Have a great day!  Oh grandchildren, I am telling both the youngsters, Nick and his girlfriend, I want to be a grandmother, but refuse to be one before each of them finish high school and are gainfully employed.  (Let's see how that works)

I can't wait to see our first bear in the yard!  Do they tear up your garbage, get into things, or are you just leery of them?  It's time for you to post another BIllie story, after a few hour argument about the advantages of renting a u-haul to costing too much money ( I won the uhaul awaits a late night loading/unloading) and we moved things from storage unit and shed we have (Oh my gosh how in the hell did I once again accumulate all this stuff?) I need a good laugh! (We have not even touched the inside of the house yet)  Onward........I am off to play moving woman, have a great day!

[PhilB]

It's not so much the marriage that stops the travelling - it's the kids!  Especially the second one as travelling with one is still pretty easy, but juggling two or more is a nightmare.  We did loads of travelling in the years before we had kids, and in the two years before my second was born, my eldest was taken to Australia, France, Egypt, Spain, Ireland and Guernsey.  In the next 6 years the furthest number 2 son has ever been is Wales!

Phil

[Marnie]

You've been to Guernsey!!  I am jealous!  That island has a wonderful history.  Have you read the book The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society?  It is a wonderful read (though mostly a "girly" book, I suppose). 

I agree with Phil's statement that marriage and travel can go hand-in-hand.  We travel all over, and have been married for "18 LONG years" as my husband always says.  We got back from our Thanksgiving trip late last night (tons of schoolwork to do tonight, unfortunately).  We splurged and spent Thanksgiving flying over the Grand Canyon. . .a very different view from the two times we've kayaked it!!  (and no, Billie. . I wasn't flying over it on my motorcycle, it was in a small airplane).  Then the next day we did a 6.5 hour horse back ride down into Canyon de Chelly, which has Anasazi ruins.  It was a LONG ride and the biggest adventure, aside from the scary part of trusting the mustangs' footing as they went down the steep scree trail into the canyon, was that one of the horses collapsed and fell over while we were looking at the main ruins (White House Ruin).  Our Navajo guide ended up walking the last few miles out of the canyon to give the horse a rest.  The hike up and out was pretty steep, so he was huffing and puffing by the time we got to the top.  The horses were not very well trained, and I haven't ridden since I was a kid.  I spent all of yesterday downing advil.  OUCH!!  I hurt all over!

Now it's time to get back to the real world, get the camper winterized, the house cleaned, math tests graded, and lesson plans done.  Bah!  I need to be retired!

[PhilB]

That sounds like a wonderful trip to the Grand Canyon.  The only bits of the US I've ever been to are Manhattan and a couple of business parks in New Jersey, but I would love to get out there and see some of the natural wonders one day.  And Woof Woof's bear!  Probably after we've retired I guess.

I've been out to Guernsey and Jersey a few times on business and they are lovely.  I was lucky that I managed to arrange one trip for just before a bank holiday and take Nikki and Adam with me for a few days and we had a great time going round all the historical and pre-historical sites (Adam had just learnt to walk and spent the whole trip going up and down stairs everywhere we went). 

[Marnie]

You need to see the western U.S.  I've never been to NYC (or New Jersey, for that matter).  The east coast is a totally different country than the southwestern United States!  If you ever have the chance, you should bring your family to Rocky Mountain National Park, here in Colorado.  Our National Park system is quite amazing, and the major parks are well worth visiting, if you can.  Yosemite is beautiful, Mesa Verde is spectactular, Glacier National Park is incredible.  You could spend a year in the US and only see a fraction of it. . .but the fraction to see (in my opinion) is the West.

I was lucky enough my senior year of college to spend a month in England, living with a British family and working (actually, observing is more like it) in a British elementary school.  I was in Leichester (did I spell that correctly?), and the family I was with took me around to see the nearby sights.  Then I spent an additional week in a very rushed tour of Salzburg, Munich, and Paris.  I would love to visit England and parts of Europe again. . .but the COST!!! 

We are lucky to live in a country that is so incredibly HUGE, with such an amazing variety of landscape and history.  I only wish that people appreciated and valued it more. 

[pammartin]

It sounds like you had an awesome trip Marnie!  So nice you could take the time and enjoy.  One thing, You had better tell Billie, you didn't have your motorcycle strapped to the airplane........I think she is determined you rode it over the Grand Canyon.  I am going to look into that book you mentioned.  Even if it is a girlie read, I love the title.  Thanks for the trip and welcome home!  Sorry you have lots to do, but like you said, the real world returns.

[Marnie]

The authors of the book are Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.  The book is a delightful and quick read.  It is written as letters, which is a type of writing that I typically cannot stand.  However, this book is great.  You do have to pay attention at the start of the book to understand who the characters are. 

You will love the book, I guarantee it.

Marnie

[pammartin]

Thanks Marnie, as soon as I post my latest CML question I am going to look for it on Amazon. 

[Trey]

Pam,

When you post a CML question here, it does not show up on Amazon.  Just sayin'

[PhilB]

Although it does turn up pretty quickly on Google - which I still find really freaky!

[pammartin]

LOL, ok Trey I admit to guilty.  I ran that all together.  I went to look for the book Marnie was talking about after I posted my question to you/everyone about the Sprycel start up again.  Billie said it all, I am a pain in the ass. 

[pammartin]

hey Phil, learn something new every day, I did not know they showed up on Google!  So now everyone knows I am a pain in the ass!  geez

[mikefromillinois]

A guy walks into a library and says, "Can I have a burger and fries?"
The librarian says, "I'm sorry, this is a library."
So the guy whispers, "Can I have a burger and fries?"

Wishing everyone good health, many laughs, and many happy days...

Mike

[pamsouth]

Trey,  I know you were talking to the other Pam(martin), but I am not sure what you guys are talking about, posting on Amazon?

I just browse thru the topics/subjects and find something of interest and if need be post a reply.  Is there something I am missing? Amazon?

Pamsouth

[pammartin]

HI Pamsouth,

It was just a funny, I was going to post a question on here, then go to Amazon to look for a book Marnie suggested was a good read.  In my usual hurry, I threw the sentence together, and reading it was like I was posting my question on Amazon.  Sorry for the confusion!    I did post my question which Trey (and others) promptly replied too, and I ordered the book Marnie wrote about also! 

Have a great day

Pam

[Marnie]

Pam. .. I will be interested to see what you think of the book.  I predict that once you start, you won't be able to lay it down and will finish it in about 2 days.  Dang. . .maybe I'll reread it right now. 

Marnie

[pammartin]

It should be here by the weekend Marnie, I can't wait!  Thanks and I will let you know.

[pammartin]

Billie, It seems to me your boobs wanted to have more fun than you did on that trip, they just didn't want to stay in their designer framework.  Shame on you for beating up a station wagon, they are a part of history.  At least you got to consume a few (several times) beers during all this excitement.  Speaking of rip tides, Nick took my breath away and several years off my life in similar situation, but he was only 6.  The rip tides were strong, we walked down just to look at the beach, being the mother of a fearless 6 year old I should have known better, I had not even unpacked the car.  He went running right in the waves, they were about 4 feet over his head, a hurricane out on the Atlantic was the cause.  Thank goodness he had a red shirt on, he rolled just like you did, and didn't come in or back, just kept rolling, I finally got ahold of him about 1/4 mile down the beach.  I couldn't breath.  He was laughing had the time of his life.  I swear if it were nto for that red shirt, I would have lost him and he would still be rolling somewhere out at sea!  Not only do I have a Bible, a friend sent me a book called Science and Health a key to the scriptures.  I haven't had time to sit down with it, the carpet has arrived, I had an electrician in the new house yesterday, I think he was ready to leave, the previous owners thought they knew what they were doing, but instead they didn't.  Wires running everywhere, he was shocked several times, and I hid upstairs with a paintbrush and listened to him swear.  So now if that darned wall oven would come in, the carpet installers would call with a firm date, and the electrician figured out the mess, we may move before Christmas.  Of course at this point keep house is pretty easy, our current one has almost nothing in it, easy to clean, the new one is on hold because of the work needing done, so it doesn't need cleaned, and I can pretened I do not have anything to do, because nothing is around.  Getting back to your trip, I had not heard about all the extra critters in Florida out of whack, I will have to do some reading.  I want to take Nick to Tybee Island this year for turtle hatching, perhaps I will find some place safe, like the Smithsonian.  Thanks for the story Billie, you made my day (and I am glad you beat the rip tide, even if you had to do it without Ron's help).