Friday, August 24, 2007
Jacob's Baptism
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Family
Since there are so very few of us, my vacations each year always include a trip to Chicago to see my aunt and then on to Massachusetts to visit my dad. My niece lives in Florida and since she is a head rider for the Lipizzander Stallions, she is seldom ever in one place long enough to visit. She did have a show in the Stockton Arena last year so we were able to hook up then!
Our vacation this year found us on our familar course. Fly from Sacramento to Chicago O'Hare, take the train to downtwon and then a cab to our favorite hotel, the Hilton Suites, where we always get a king room with a view!
This year this was a little twist to our trip. We flew into O'Hare on a Sunday afternoon, got our luggage and headed for the train. No problem...it was right there...paractically waiting for us! As we continued to the city, talking about what we would do during the week, we heard a message over the loud speaker telling us that the train was only going to a certain point because they were working on the track during the weekends. There had been no sign telling us of such work when we got on the train.
Sure enough, after a few more stations, the train stopped and everyone (with their luggage, if they came from O'Hare) had to get off! After finding a long narrow stairway to walk down (with our luggage which was getting heavier by the minutes) we found ourselves being directed to a line of waiting busses. It really didn't matter much where they were going...we were quite a distance from our hotel so on the bus we went. When we first got on the bus it actually went in the direction that we were hoping it would go! However, after about 20 minutes it began to take a turn in a direction that was going away from our hotel so we pulled the cord and got off.
There we were...hot, not close to where we wanted to be...and not a cab in sight. So we decided to start walking until a cab came by. I don't know how many hundreds of cabs are always in the downtown area but on that particular Sunday afternoon not one of them came near any street we were talking on during our journey. Needless to say, we walked all the way to the hotel and arrived sweaty, tired and a bit crabby!
The best thing about a vacation starting on a low note is that it has no place to go but up...and up ours went! Our main reason for being in the city was to spend time with my Aunt Pam. She enjoys taking us out to dinner each night when we are there and she always picks 4 and 5 star restaurants so we eat really well. This is a picture of Aunt Pam and Bob and me at Lawry's Steak House.
One of the things that Bob and I loved to do in Chicago when we lived there was to go for bike rides along the lake front. Of course we didn't have our own bikes but several years ago Bob discovered that bikes could be rented at Navy Pier. He went bike riding by himself on Monday while I slept in but I agreed to go with him on Tuesday.
When we got back to the kiosk and returned the bikes the rain stopped and the sun came out bright and warm! It was my first ride in the rain and I must admit that it was really enjoyable and I might even be willing to do it again. But don't tell Bob that (he doesn't read my blog!)!
We also went to two Cub games at beautiful Wrigley Field. I am not a baseball fan but being at Wrigley is so special and the Cubs even made it better because they WON!! TWICE
After shopping, biking, incredible dinners and lot of extra sleep for 6 days we left Chicago O'Hare for Boston. Remembering about the weekend track work, we elected NOT to take the train but went to the airport by van. The van cost $40.00 compared to $4.00 on the train but we really didn't have a choice...walking was NOT on my agenda!!
We arrived in Boston, rented a car and drove to Natick, MA which is only a 20 minute drive from my dad's house. Sunday we went to Mass at a delightful little Episcopal church that was build in 1813 and still has little individual boxes to sit in during the service. After Mass we went to see my dad.
After visting with Dad and his wife, Anita, Bob and I took off to Freeport, Maine to visit our very favorite store, L.L. Bean! This is a store that has NO locks because it never closes. It is open 24/7 for 365 days of the year! Bob, who never likes to buy clothes, has fallen in love with L.L. Bean so for the years we have been doing there I have been able to buy him some new things without him complaining! From L.L. Bean we left for Booth Bay Harbor, Maine where we had reservations for a boat trip to see a lighthouse the next day.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Reasons for Not Blogging
1. I was on vacation for two weeks and I did NOT take my computer with me. While I was able to check my email on my trusty Treo and even answer, that was about as close to "doing something" that I wanted to get. Not that vacation was not "doing something!"
2. I have been in mourning. First it was saying goodbye to my beloved rector and his ever so enchanting wife. Then, when I returned from vacation I learned that my dear friend C's beloved chocoalte lab had died. The death was not unexpected but heartbreaking nonetheless. I had truly fallen in love with this beautiful 4-legged member of her family and so losing her was sad...and of course it brought back memories of my little Mousie.
3. I have been sick. B got sick while we were on vacation and continued to be sick for two weeks after we got back. I got sick the week after we returned home and remained so for a whole week. I even took a day off of work! This is very unusual for me since my motto usually is not to waste a good sick day on being sick! However, I was down and out and although I did go back to work the next day coming home and going to bed was about all I could muster.
4. I have been tired. My body can't seem to keep up with my life! I wish someone would have told me when I was a bit younger to save some of the energy I expended! I had no idea that we only have so much energy for our lifetime and I seem to have used up all of mine in the first 60 years! What ever happened to "Geritol" for "tired blood?"
5. I have been very busy (which probably accounts for #4 above!). Vacations are nice but then you have to come back to the office and it is all STILL there waiting for you!! By the time I could get "up to speed" from vacation I found I was behind on stuff that had to be done since I got back from vacation! It is endless. Guess that's why they call it work!!
Now that I have written down my excuses they look pretty puny! I have lots to blog about...not the least of which is my grandson's Baptism which I was priveleged to take part of and of course there is that vacation! But for now, the house in beckoning to me and so with dust rag and "Endust" in hand I will go answer its call can back here later!