Early Morning Walk

Dorothy P. Oven Park, in Tallahassee, on a cloudy, cool morning with Michael.

Dorothy P. Oven House now used for Weddings & other events.

This is a web built around a knot in a tree.

Extended Travel Sub-Culture

Michael & I left Ashburn, VA, on 9/15/14 and have stayed at 5 places as of today, 9/24/14. That means we have brought suitcases, etc. 10 times, back and forth, up and down (remember those carriage house stairs!!!! ), from car to living space in 9 days.

We have packed the following:

·         2 large suitcases

·         2 carry-on suitcases

·         2 smaller suitcases on wheels with things we want to do (art, genealogy, reading, etc.)

·         2 small coolers (fit on floor behind each front seat instead of a bigger one) 1 for liquids & 1 for refrigerated edibles like fruit & cheese

·         One duffle bag for dry goods such as coffee, tea, sugar, drink mixes to add to waters, crackers, etc.

·         Man-bag carrying case for necessary papers we need just like everyone else except they have a permanent file cabinet in their permanent home.  (Jeffrey, NOW Michael thanks you for his “Man-Bag”!)

·         2 Computer cases

·         1 long tube for Patricia’s art work (presently only has one in-process art piece in it.)

(Is there a plural of etc. because we have a lot of etceteras.)

So, this morning I was explaining to my friend, Deb, how we have to be choosy about what we bring in from the car and how confusing it is to constantly describe which ones are which. Keep in mind, we have a lot of chotchkies crammed into all the little holes around the above described items. Therefore, Michael and I have come up with names that help us to describe what we need from the car. Deb told me it sounded like we were starting our own sub-culture language. Who knew? Thanks Deb. Here’s a sample of how we…talk?....now.

“What do we need to bring in today?”

"Let's bring in the short term bags, comp. bags, dry goods bag, liquids and solids. We don’t need extended stay bags, biz bag, entertainment centers (my personal favorite) or tube."

Short & Sweet….DONE! :-)

Above the Garage

 

We are on our way to Bluffton, SC, about 25 miles north of Savannah, GA and have chosen a place to stay from Airbnb. Our criteria has been price (trying to be frugal as it’s a long, long journey…), proximity to places we want to see or even just pass through and, lastly, the originality of the type of housing. We’ve seen places for rent such as lighthouses, stationary trains, yurts and adorable little houses on the waterways. (We did pass on the ‘cozy apartment above a shop’…oh please…I have my standards!)

So, today we are heading towards Bluffton, to a place that was labeled a ‘carriage house'. The price was right and the pictures looked quaint. Imagine my surprise when, a few miles out, I read some reviews and they said something about “above the garage”. Truly, I started to hyperventilate!   We have already paid, too! My quite frazzled words to Michael were  “Michael did you know this place is on top of a garage?” His response was “so?”  (totally expected)!

“Michael after 11 years of marriage you should know I DON’T DO ‘ON TOP OF GARAGES’!”

No choice…I must go forward with this, we are almost there…. but I am not happy!!!!!!!!!!

 This is what we found…



Hmmm...

Uh Oh!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, I guess you get the idea...LOVELY!

 

Lesson learned!   

 (maybe I should be checking out the ‘cozy apartment above the shop’)

 





 



  

 

Timeline

2014

9/15
Manassas, VA - Hotel Comfort Suites

9/16-19
Wilmington, NC - 1bed apt w balcony on river, Airbnb

9/19-20
Georgetown, NC - Hotel Hampton Inn

9/20-23
Bluffton, SC (Savannah, GA) - Carriage House, Airbnb

9/23-29
Tallahassee, FL - Hotel Residence Inn

9/29 to 10/4
Tampa, FL - Ybor City 2 bed condo, Airbnb

10/4 - 13
Bradenton, Florida - Pete & Karen's Place

10/13 - 23
Atlanta, GA - @ the Froehling's

10/23 - 29
Tuscaloosa, AL - 2 bed condo, Airbnb

10/29 - 11/2
Clarksdale, Miss - The Squeeze Box, Airbnb

11/2 - 11/7
Memphis, Tenn - 1 bed apt, Airbnb

2 stop overs in Oklahoma City & Lubbocks, TX on our way to
Las Cruces, NM

11/10 - 11/17
Las Cruces, NM -  3 bedrm House, Airbnb

11/17 - 12/1
Tuscon, AZ


Up & Coming Stays
Sedona (where we saw Jerome and Prescott)
Phoenix, AZ
Palm Springs
San diego
LA
San Diego
Ramona
Bakersfield
SF
Santa Rosa, Sebastion, Graton.

Sleep Tight

Retirement...When I mentioned that one of the good things about retirement was reading whenever I want to I didn’t mean that it should be 3 a.m.!  Honestly, there must be something in the air at that time because I ALWAYS see some part of the 3 a.m. hour on my clock. Is it the beginning or end of my REM sleep? Is it those flower fairies or the tooth fairy just checking in? No matter anymore, because I have a multitude of things to do at that hour thanks to technology. I can listen to a lovely romance by Nora Roberts or check my email on my phone, read a book on Kindle, watch a movie or tv show on either one or play words with friends or do a crossword puzzle or even play my hidden object games on kindle. (I love them! As a kid I was an avid hidden object finder in my Highlights magazines.) But for now, at the bewitching hour of 3 a.m., I put on my ear buds, listen to soothing music and dream about the days ahead, the new experiences, the new people and old friends I might meet up with, all the while creating new memories with my husband.

Ahhhh nite nite.

How it began....

Last summer, after our 2 week trip to Ireland and England, Michael and I decided we wanted to do more traveling and for a longer period of time in Europe. So we came up with the idea to go to 3 of our favorite countries for as long as our passports would let us.  That is 3 months. 

We planned our retirement, planned our house sale and planned our trip to Italy, France & Spain, hoping to leave in July, 2014. However, our house didn't sell until mid September. Not part of the plan !
 
Our goal for Europe is for me to live the life of an artist and for Michael to be the genealogist he's wanted to be. All the while living in some of the beautiful villages throughout Europe spending a lot of time outdoors.
   
But we hit that glitch of a late house sale so we have decided to go to Europe in the spring...thus, as my niece, Tori,  has so aptly said, we will be nomads throughout the states until next spring.

We'll be driving through the states, taking our time, staying at all different types of places (maybe even your place) and of course making time for family (esp. Leah)!

Michael & I are travelers for now. Follow us around through Facebook, emails, cell phones or grab a flight and visit us. Even though we are on the move, we are still right here, ready to answer your call.

We all get one go round. Make the most of yours!