Category: Life

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Life Memoirs Travel

Where have I been?

Good question! I haven’t written a blog post in months! And someone pointed out to me that I never wrote about the trip of a lifetime that I got to take back in September of 2022. I experienced the thrill and privilege of traveling to Italy. Potete crederci? (Can you believe it?)

I joined my friend Stephanie Chance, owner of the European decor store Decorate Ornate in Gladewater, Texas. She takes two tour groups a year to Italy and I was fortunate enough to get to join her. She is also the author of two books about her tour adventures: Mamma Mia! Americans Invade Italy! and Mamma Mia! Sinners, Saints, and Escapades.

To describe the tour as magical would be an understatement. We flew from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport with a layover in Philadelphia to Venice, Italy and traveled by private motorcoach to Florence, Montecatini, Lake Como, Orvieto, Assisi, and Rome. We even popped over to Lugano, Switzerland for one afternoon.

Every one of the twelve days we were in Europe was better than the day before. I cannot describe the feeling of seeing things I have only read about and seen on television, such as Michelangelo’s statue of David in Florence, the gondolas on the watery canals of Venice, glassblowing in Murano, the Roman Colosseum, the Tiber River, and the Trevi Fountain. To see where chariot races had been held at the time of Christ was unbelievable.

I could go on, and I probably will, in future posts, but visiting this amazing country was definitely a highlight of my life. I would go back tomorrow if I could. I would work and live there if I could, at least for a short time.

Not only were the sitess steeped in ancient history and stunning beauty, the new friends I made on the tour made such an impression on me in their kindness, warmth, caring, and fun-loving, adventurous spirits. I hope we get travel together again someday. Arrivederci, Italia! Until I see you again. . .

XOXO

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glamping holidays Life Pets Travel

I Wish it was Christmas Today

Not really. But that little skit from Saturday Night Live featuring Horatio Saenz, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kattan, and Tracy Morgan playing and singing that little Christmas song makes me smile every time. Look it up on YouTube. “I don’t care what your mama says; Christmastime is here.”

It’s been a busy fall and summer. I’ve gotten out of the habit of posting and I promise to do better next year. A new year’s resolution, perhaps? But I get ahead of myself.

With camping (glamping), traveling (I went to Italy!), tutoring, and grandkids I seem to wear myself out every day! Consider these photos my Christmas card to you.

My setup at a Girl Camper event in Glen Rose, Texas.

Stella and me trying to stay warm at the campsite. She has become quite the little traveler!

Me at the Doge’s Palace in Venice. Behind me is the largest canvas in the world, Il Paradiso, by Jacopo Robusti. Amazing.

A gondola on the Grand Canal in Venice. The gondolier is behind me.

A partial view of Assisi.

The Trevi Fountain in Rome.

At the airport in Rome waiting for the long flight back. Do I look like a tourist? ; – )

Of course I have a million more photos from Italy but not many of just me!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May all your wishes and dreams come true!

XOXO

Categories
Life Memoirs school teaching writing

Fifth Grade Follies

It was in the fifth grade that I began writing stories. I don’t recall exactly what I wrote but I shared my work with friends, and at one time, my teacher. Any feedback they might have given me is not in my memory banks, so maybe it wasn’t that good? I don’t know. I do know that I began to consider myself a writer at that age.

That is when I discovered the book Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. I must have checked it out of the school library a dozen times. I identified with little Harriet, although I didn’t consider myself a spy. She spied on people, even sneaked into their homes, to gather information to write about, until one of her schoolmates stole her notebook. It was devastating to have her innermost thoughts and feelings revealed to the world. I was very careful about what I wrote in my own notebook, and the only spying I did was on my family. But the book got me writing.

Fifth grade was still a part of J.E. Rhodes Elementary but our classes were separated from the younger grades. I changed classes for math and reading, probably, I don’t recall. My granddaughter attends J.E. Rhodes Elementary now, although not in the same building. The original building was destroyed by a tornado several years ago, so she goes to school in my old high school building. Of course, it’s all been renovated so it is unrecognizable as the old high school. I just attended her kindergarten graduation in the auditorium that I graduated in 45 years ago! How can that be? At least it’s air-conditioned now!

One memory I have that stands out is one time when we were in class sitting in desks that had been pushed together to make a large group. It was after lunch and I had been bitten by the witty bug and couldn’t keep my mouth closed in my efforts to entertain my classmates. Mrs. Pittman jumped all over me, telling me in front of the class how disappointed she was in my behavior. I’m telling you that stopped it once and for all. I was so ashamed of myself I wished I could disappear. I wish it was that easy to make kids behave today.

Fifth grade. The cusp of preteen-hood. Not quite a baby, not quite a teen, still a kid, but a big one. Next time: a visit to Neiman Marcus for an embarrassing visit with Santa.

My fifth grade school picture.
The pixie haircut grew out!

Do you have any standout memories of fifth grade? Do tell!

XOXO

Categories
glamping Life Memoirs

Stone Groan

It was a perfect weekend for camping–temps in the 80’s, fair skies. It was a bit windy so I really couldn’t set much outside but I managed to decorate my site and make it a glamping fit.

My cozy comfy little vintage camper.

It was a Get’away Gals campout, so as is our custom we met Thursday evening for a “BYODinner” to catch up and play games and just enjoy being together again. I made plans to go to a flea market the next day with some of the ladies.

Friday morning after a rather fitful night I got up feeling a little off. I met the ladies and got into the car, but I soon recognized the odd feeling. It was a familiar ache. Kidney stone. We had to make one restroom stop on the way to the market. I chose denial and went shopping.

The kidney stone chose not to be ignored. I managed to buy a pair of earrings and another item but after two restroom visits it was time to say uncle. I asked my friend to take me back to the campground, a mere 40 minutes away. Nausea reared its ugly head and we had to stop again.

Finally back at my camper I rummaged around for the hydrocodone and tamsulosin prescriptions I’d gotten at the ER last year for the same problem. I always bring those drugs with me in case. I’m so glad I did.

I texted everyone in my family as I tried to decide what to do. Should I hook up my camper and try to make the two-hour drive home? (No way that would have happened!) Should I ask someone to pick me up? My sister and brother-in-law said they would come get me and my trailer. But then my son gave me the wisest advice. Stay put. Ride it out. Call 911 if I have to, or get a friend to take me to a clinic or ER.

After the medicine took effect, staying put was my only option. Thank God for my cozy, comfy little camper and my bucket potty. I slept most of the day and when I woke I texted a friend, asking her to bring me something from the potluck. I ate half of that and then slept until the next morning.

When I woke the back pain and urgency to use the bathroom were gone. I showered, dressed, and ventured to the clubhouse where a few ladies were hanging out. Had the stone actually passed?

I was good. Good enough to go on to the ballpark to watch my grandson play in his baseball tournament. It was a lucky coincidence that my camping event and his tournament were in the same town on the same weekend.

Back at the campground I attended the evening dinner, hooked up my camper, and drove home on Sunday with no problems. The stone was gone. Many had prayed for me, and I have no doubt that God in His infinite mercy intervened. But I can’t help having a lingering fear that I will have another stone on another campout or on a long trip. I won’t let that fear keep me from going, though. I know even in the darkness and pain, He will be with me.

Have you ever had a kidney stone?

XOXO

Categories
Life marriage

Don’t Wake Me: I’m Dreaming

It’s weird how a dream can have an effect on your whole day. I wake up and sometimes go back to sleep just to continue the dream, and somehow it happens. When I finally wake up for the day I can’t seem to shake the memory of what I dreamed, and often I don’t want to.

This morning I dreamed of Jimmy, my late husband, who I lost in January of 2021. I heard his voice, I saw his face, I touched his skin. It was so real. I wanted to stay in the dream. Then somehow it morphed, as dreams often do, into a trip with an older man who wanted more than a friendship with me. I turned him down quickly and he wanted nothing else to do with me. That’s another story, albeit not a real one. What remains in my mind, though, is seeing Jimmy again.

I suppose the dream came about because I have been really missing him lately. Maybe the brain conjures up an imaginary encounter to help the heart deal with its loss. I don’t know. I’m just grateful for those few minutes, and even though they weren’t real, I feel like I had a good night’s sleep and am closer to my husband. Maybe I’ll see him again tonight in my dreams.

How about you? Do you often wish you could stay in your dreams? Please share.

XOXO

One of my favorite pictures of him,
on his beloved bike.