Family vacation 2024

I have yet to recover. I'm not entirely sure I want to.

We had a great week together with our kids, their spouses, and the grand kids. We rented a vrbo in Algoma, Wisconsin where the nine of us stayed from 7/13-7/19. This is where I had my morning coffee every day and exerted my only real effort: completing the NYT games I do (Wordle, Connections, Mini Crossword, Strands, Letter Boxed, and Tiles).

 The house was not the largest, but it had 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, so it was plenty sufficient. It was also perfectly located directly across the street from the boardwalk along Lake Michigan. It was sort of the 'main drag' through town, but with only maybe 2000 residents it never got very busy and actually kind of gave us something to do in watching people go by.

Algoma is apparently a sleepy little fishing village that is everything you might imagine in the word "quaint." I did not drive once we arrived Friday afternoon until we pulled out late Saturday morning. We could walk to restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, parks, shopping, and, most notably, the beach.

The beach itself did have some rocks mixed into the sand but they were tolerable, and it was nice that - unlike many ocean locales we have been to - the sand didn't stick to you and get all over everything. The Lake Michigan water was also a tad chilly, but even in 70-degree temps it wasn't something you couldn't get accustomed to. The youngsters certainly didn't mind, and this old man even got in a couple times! It was a perfect place to sit in a beach chair and read or nap or just stare off into a daydream.

We only took two adventures while there. Tuesday evening everyone but Jane and I went to Sturgeon Bay. That is apparently where Door County begins. They went out to eat and visited Target for supplies.

On Wednesday we all went to Green Bay. The boys and the kids toured Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers. It was actually quite interesting even though none of us are Packer fans. In the shortest of the tour packages (55 minutes) we went into a suite, under the stands through the players tunnel, and out onto the field. While we were there the other three ventured into town, then we all met up back at the Stadium and ate in their restaurant. Afterward we went next door to Titletown and hung out for a bit. We were only 40 minutes from where we were staying and it was super easy to get to. I had no idea Green Bay was such a small city. It was fun.

The only real "glitch" while there - other than one evening when Jane didn't feel good and one afternoon when Anna didn't - was Wednesday night. I had to be taken to the hospital in Sturgeon Bay. I had another AFib episode after we returned from Green Bay. It started around 6pm and I hoped it would just resolve itself. Finally around midnight, after we all got done watching a movie, and when I started sweating profusely, everyone kind of insisted I go. Fortunately Isaac drove us because while it was only about a half hour away, there were more deer along that road than I had ever seen anywhere. I was there a couple hours and the doctor said he could do a cardioversion (shock my heart back into rhythm) or as long as I felt okay I could just wait it out. I chose to wait it out. I was still out of rhythm when I woke up the next day, but after showering it finally went back to normal around 10am Thursday. I was pretty wiped out, but otherwise felt fine the rest of the time.

Other than that, we spent a lot of time just hanging out together. The kids went to the park several times to shoot baskets and whatnot, we went out to eat a couple times, cooked at the house most meals, played several board games, watched a couple movies, and there was a nice trail for running (which I didn't use as much as I would have liked - meaning, once). Isaac had to teach a couple classes and Drew worked some, but it was one of the most laid back vacations we've all had together. 

This was about as good as it gets for me. The weather was good, the town was great, the house was sufficient, and I rested to the point that I'm having a difficult time bouncing back! I don't know how many more of these family vacations we can all take together, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I think everyone else did too. Well, other than the traffic through Chicago. The trip home took 8 hours instead of 6 1/2. But otherwise... it was a great time, and I am happy about that.

Vacation warmed over

It's not like anyone died, really. I only wished I had...

So goes the story of this most recent vacation. It also partly explains why I haven't blogged for over a week. I ain't been well. Hopefully I can expound a bit later, but here's a start.

THE FACTS

We were celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary, so we splurged and booked a week's vacation at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay, Jamaica. If you click the link, yes it does resemble the pictures... but it's maybe not exactly what it looks like (plus there was a lot under construction).

We flew out of Fort Wayne, Tuesday, April 25 and returned on Tuesday, May 2. Both flights were through Atlanta (1 1/2 hours FW to ATL, 2 1/2 hours ATL to Jamaica). The resort is a mere 10 minute bus ride from the airport in Montego Bay. 

Our room was on the second floor overlooking a pool on the "quieter" side of the resort (actual pic from our balcony). There was a daytime bar around the corner, and a girl who brought us drinks usually 10am-5pm-ish. There were rarely more than a dozen of us old farts around this pool, and occasionally we were the only ones there. It didn't suck.

There were like seven different restaurants, and we only ate at four of them. We did the buffet for breakfast every day, mostly skipped lunch, and ate at the Italian outdoor place for four suppers. All the food we had was good, but we are purposely not adventurous when it comes to eating in faraway places. Better safe than sorry.

There was entertainment every evening and we enjoyed most of it. Sometimes it wasn't so well-attended, and a couple nights we just weren't into it. I do recall having fun at the headphone dance party late one night.

We tried snorkeling on the Monday before we came home. I was a complete nervous wreck - and that was before I knew they took us in a boat out to deep water!! I lasted about 30 seconds. Jane for a bit longer.

It was HOT. Daytime temps were in the 90s and it only cooled to upper 70s (if that) at night. 

SICKO

I only drank too much one night (maybe two), and only had a couple mild panic episodes (which I'm not sure Jane was even aware of). I was plenty stressed before we even left on the trip though, and never settled much. However, towards the end of the week I started getting an earache and sore throat. At first I thought it was all the vegetation. I have allergy problems anyway, and the smells were pretty overpowering. Plus, the air conditioner blowing nonstop didn't help. So...

Sunday I was just kind of all-around feeling like crap. Stress, I hadn't been sleeping much, my stomach was messed up, it was sooooo hot, I was having a hard time swallowing, and I was honestly just counting down the hours until we could leave. 

I always hate when I get like this, but I just did not feel well. Fortunately I was able to hang on until Tuesday when we flew home.

Getting out of Jamaica was a bit tedious in itself; as well as the connecting flight in Atlanta (which they actually scheduled us for a hotel and a different flight the next day because they didn't think we'd make it). We finally arrived home Tuesday night around 10pm. I was beat, and had no idea that night would be even worse!

I'd gotten to the point where I couldn't swallow at all. I was spitting into a waste basket all night. At some point, since I couldn't sleep anyway, I made an online doctors appointment for the next day. I was supposed to work Thursday, and I was stressing about that too - not to mention needing to fly out again Friday for Atlanta!

The doctors visit just pissed me off! He's a quack and I don't know if I will continue there. At least they finally did a strep test and that was negative. So he says, "Just do what you normally do for a sore throat." Really?!?! Fucking moron. And this was after I waited 2 hours for my "scheduled" appointment!

Turns out I apparently had a "7-9 day" virus. Yeah, I'm still recovering, but feeling better.

ANYWAY...

Honestly, my head is still swimming. It's not that we didn't have a good time at all... I've just been really thrown off course by not only being out of my routine, but this sickness has done a number on me. I didn't feel like blogging or journaling the entire vacation, I haven't run for two weeks, and it seems like everything has changed.

I wish I could say things were getting back to normal, but I'm not sure what that even is anymore. I suppose I will survive. It's just taking awhile to get there.

One of these days I may post some pics and more details, and also about the boy's Phd graduation. Maybe. Hopefully. 

[Yeah, I know. I hate being that guy who goes to a caribbean island with a beautiful woman for a week and all I can do is complain. Argh.]

Family vacation to pigeon forge

Our family took a trip to Sevierville/Pigeon Forge, TN last week. We rented a mountainside cabin just outside Sevierville and were tucked into a little area known as Smoky Cove. Aside from some adjustment to the hilly, tree-filled terrain (for me), it was a pretty nice and relaxing week.

There was a swimming pool at the entrance. It was a mere minute drive by car, but the steep hills made it about a 7-minute walk. It was nice to have there. I think the grandkids would have been content to just swim the whole time.

Everyone pitched in on food and we only ate out one meal. There was still plenty left to bring home!

Logistically, it was about a 7 1/2-hour Sunday drive down I-75 through Cincinnati, Lexington, and Knoxville, then a jaunt on 441 and some lesser-traveled winding roads to get there. The return home on Friday took more like 8 hours. Aside from some serious wind and rain in Lexington, it was a good trip both ways.

We mostly just hung around the cabin playing games and swimming, but did try for at least one outing each day. There are soooo many things to do, and most of them cost sooooooooooo much money. I still think everyone had fun.

Our daily itinerary looked something like this:

• Sunday - arrived around 4:30 pm, got settled, kids broke in the hot tub
  
• Monday - the kids & grandkids went for a hike; in the evening we all went to The Island in Pigeon Forge where we ate pizza, the kids did a couple rides, and we just walked around
• Tuesday - we all went miniature golfing at Professor Hackers Lost Treasure Golf in PF.
• Wednesday - everyone except me went tubing at River Rat Tubing and Whitewater in Gatlinburg
• Thursday - everyone except Drew went to Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster (Drew left Thursday morning for home because he had a gig Thursday and Friday night). Everyone except Carrie and me went on the mountain coasters
• Friday - departure for home at 8:50 am

I tried to be a trooper - even jumping in the swimming pool with the kids and banging my knees on the bottom - but I had a bit of trouble adjusting to being swallowed up in the trees and mountainside. I wish I could relax and go with the flow more, but I just can't... so I'm working on accepting who I am and trying to not be so hard on myself. I didn't want to ruin anything for anyone else, so I just didn't do things I knew would possibly be too much. I think it worked out okay.

Overall, it was nice just to get away with the family. I wish we were all more well-adjusted, but we do alright, and I feel fairly blessed.

I will finish out by letting pics tell the rest of the story...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ***

Proverbs 4:23

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

Vacation at myrtles

 

"The first step of humility is to cherish at all times the sense of awe with which we should turn to God." (Benedict of Nursia)

We spent last Monday to Friday morning at Myrtle Beach, SC. This was supposed to be our vacation last year - until covid hit. Well... what's a year here or there? It was worth the wait.

THE FLIGHTS

We flew Allegiant Airlines out of Fort Wayne Monday morning. I tell ya, people who don't like Allegiant are nuts. It was 1 hour 17 minutes from take-off to landing, direct from here to there. And we had no one in the seat next to us! Coming home it was 1:25, and we still had no one next to us!! There were plenty of people on both flights, but not near full. That was fine by me. Smooth flights both ways, though coming into Myrtle always seems to be a little rocky.

THE HOTEL/RESORT

We arrived in MB just after noon Monday. We stayed at the Westgate Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort, which was a mere mile from the Airport (but was still a $15 Uber ride). We checked in at 2 pm, but our room wasn't quite ready (Actual "check-in" isn't until 4). It was a bit chaotic (and really warm in the lobby) and the counter person said we could leave our luggage and they would call shortly when it was ready, so we walked down the way and grabbed a bite to eat. When we got back around 4 (without a call) it was even more chaotic. Our room still wasn't ready, and I swear almost everyone in the packed lobby area had issues with their room. I started to regret staying at this place.

We finally got into our room around 4:20. We were in another building - the taller one - on the 11th floor. I'm glad we opted for the ocean "view" room, instead of the ocean "front" room, because for a couple hundred less a night we had just as good of a view of the Atlantic Ocean and beach, as well as the street and neighboring amusement park. It was a nice enough room with a decent little balcony, and I have no complaints about that. The elevators were even quick and smooth and we rarely had to wait. It kind of seemed like maybe there weren't a lot of people there.

Overall I don't have any complaints about the "resort." It mostly catered to 'owners' (and I was glad they never talked us into attending one of their presentations), but it had a nice restaurant, a little general store, poolside bar during the day, and 3 pool areas. It was clean, the hallways were carpeted, and no one bothered us. Good enough for me! Here is the side view from our balcony.

 

THE VACATION

Our daily routine mostly consisted of:

• Get up when we woke up, and have coffee while reading on the balcony
• I think I had toast with peanut butter and jelly every morning for breakfast
• Tuesday & Wednesday we rented a beach umbrella and chairs and sat on the beach and read books and drank from 10-ish to 4:30-ish
• Jane got in the water both days, but Wednesday was the only day I really did. We spent quite a bit of time just bouncing in the waves and giggling like teenagers (and getting a slight sunburn)
• We ate supper in a restaurant either at the hotel or walked to one down the boardwalk every night
  
• Watched TV in bed until we fell asleep
• Thursday it rained most of the day so we just stayed on our balcony and read and drank all day

We were about 3/4 of a mile from the "boardwalk" area where we've usually stayed. We walked down there a couple times, and ate once at one of our "old spots." I guess we went for a run down there Tuesday morning.

Friday we had to check out at 10 am, so we just took a brief walk before doing that and then Ubering back to the airport waiting for our 2 pm flight back home.

 

OVERALL

It didn't seem like a very long vacation, but it was a much-needed break from work and home. We did what we enjoy, which is spending time together, reading, and just hanging out. We also spent a lot of time just looking at the sky, sand, water, and people-watching.

I will say, as far as Myrtle Beach itself, I'm guessing they are still recovering from last year. Some places weren't open, and the ones that were were struggling to find help and had menu items missing. Hopefully they can adjust eventually.

If we go back there I would probably prefer to stay more on the boardwalk than where we were this time. There just seem to be more restaurants on the boardwalk, but anywhere along there is going to be pretty much the same. I feel like MB is sort of a "poor-man's beach vacation spot." Not that it isn't nice, but there isn't much of a town (30,000 population), and no one would ever mistake it for the French Riviera or somewhere like that. Still, it has nice beaches, and an ocean, and it's a quick flight from home.

***

Psalm 104:24-25

"How many are your works, Lord!
    In wisdom you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.
 There is the sea, vast and spacious,
    teeming with creatures beyond number—
    living things both large and small."

 

Vacation cancellation

We have cancelled our scheduled June vacation to Myrtle Beach. The hotel was kind enough to refund our money, and the airline tickets can be transferred - as long as we use them by February 2021.

This whole covid-19 pandemic may be done and over by then... or, maybe not. Also, even if it is, I am out at least a couple weeks of pay, and the wife has had her hours cut. Granted, we may (or may not) receive some kind of stimulus money from the government. That will likely be spent on the $700 we owe in taxes, as well as lost wages. Spending a couple thousand on a vacation was beyond our meager means anyway, so at least now it is simply out of the question.

And... I'm not really even complaining. I mean, I'm good with staying home. This is my dream life. Although one of my big problems is I have no mind for money. I've never really thought about it or worried about it. It's just not on my radar. So I'm blessed to have a wife that does concern herself for us.

---

I was reminded again this morning of the importance of PREPARING vs. PLANNING. We cannot plan for the future, but we can be prepare for it. No one planned on this virus changing society. I bet the wise among us were prepared though. Probably not for this specific event, but it's not hard to say, "If something happens and we can't work for awhile, what do we need to have set aside?" That's being prepared. And it should go for individuals and companies alike.

---

I was also thinking about the stimulus checks (assuming we get the $1200 per person like they say). My first instinct is to post on Facebook something like, "All of you opposed to any kind of socialism can feel free to donate your stimulus check to me" (or suggest they will not accept it). The thing is, this isn't a "socialist-like" stimulus check. It's not intended just for people who need it. This is a "capitalist" stimulus plan. It will be given to people who haven't lost any money during this ordeal just like people who have, because it's not designed to HELP people, it's designed to keep people living with a debt-mindset. They want to 'stimulate' the economy! The banks want people to keep spending beyond their means, so they will need to borrow and therefore pay interest.

---

Well, anyway, what do I know. I was just happy to wake up naturally today with no alarm clock, go for a run, and have time to sit and type my nonsense onto a keyboard. We may have cancelled our travel vacation, and I may get no vacation pay, but I am far from the point of complaining about not having to go to work. I may get there eventually, but not today! :)

Stay-cation

I took this week off from work. I can't really say it's a 'vacation,' because 1) I am not going anywhere, and 2) I don't technically get vacation time in my current job capacity. I simply took the week off, receiving no pay, and I am staying around the house doing... nothing.

I guess I call it a "stay-cation" because I am taking a vacation from having to be at work. I could also call it a "mental health holiday," because it's an attempt to keep my sanity. I've tried taking a week off work the past few months and it just never materialized for one reason or another. Other than the hernia surgery, which wasn't very restful. This time I felt like I needed to do it or I feared what might happen if I kept trying to "tough it out."

And in case you're wondering: Yes, it will be costly. Not that I make a lot of money anyway (I don't), but making no money for a week, in addition to the added stress that brings - because I'm not making any money - I had to weigh the cost versus stress of not taking time off. It's not easy being me.

Of course Monday morning started off with 7 emails from my boss. I just ignored them, even though he is actually taking off the rest of this week and will be gone all next week - on actual vacation.

It also started off with my mom, sister, and one nephew here Sunday evening through noon Tuesday. That was another part of taking the time off now. I simply can't do things like that with my schedule, personally.

Anyway, even though there were a few things in the back of my mind that I wanted to get done while I had this time off, I've actually done a pretty good job of not doing anything. Part of me feels the time was wasted, but part of me also realizes this is simply who I am. Whether I actually had a mental breakdown a few years back or not, I am just not a mentally strong person. I need 'alone time' to function properly. And that's what I've been doing.

One thing I did hope to do this week was to start getting a little more serious about looking for another job. That hasn't happened. Yet. It may not. I don't know.

So, while trying to fight the temptation to freak out over the coronavirus chaos going on at the moment, and wondering if they will close my work down or not (I actually think the Y should close down, if all other public places are - what with all the shared sweat and close proximity and all...), I am just hanging out... alone.

I thought the pic of the cat on the couch a pretty good depiction of my week so far.

Peace out; and in.

The week that time forgot

I know I would like to forget it. This past week, that is. The hernia surgery. The recovery. The isolation.

Oh, I know it had to happen. Well, it didn't have to happen, but if I was going to fix this bulge above my belt-line it needed to. I suppose in the grand scheme of things it will go down as a minor surgery and a fairly quick recovery time. Still... it was one of the most miserable weeks I've had in a long time.

I believe this is the longest I have ever gone without taking a shower (or bath). I took a shower Monday evening, and that was it until I finally covered up the incision and took another one Sunday mid-morning.

I also did not step foot outside the house from the time we got home from the hospital Tuesday morning... until also Sunday. After the shower we went for a walk around the neighborhood, then to the grocery store. Then later out to the Feipel farm. At first it was great, but it may have been too much all at once. It wore me out pretty quick.

While Jane was able to take me to and from the hospital, and stay with me the rest of that day, she otherwise put in her usual more-than-forty-hours of work the rest of the week (also working all afternoon until just before midnight Saturday).

Me? I spent the entire time in the confines of our two-story home. Much of it going between the recliner in the basement and the bathroom upstairs. I tried to walk around the house as much as I could every time I had to go to the bathroom. As the week went on I was able to sit upright in some other chairs. Friday night I actually slept on the couch (instead of the recliner). I am still sleeping on the couch, as I'm afraid of moving around too much at night in bed (or getting hit in the stomach).

Not only did the incision hurt, and I was freaked out because it's just glued together, but my back has hurt, I was bloaty for several days, and... maybe the worst thing... my dang throat and left ear hurt! I don't know if they scratched my throat with the anesthesia tube or if it was simply from not talking to anyone all week. I pretty much lost my voice for several days, and it's still pretty weak.

At the beginning of the week I pretty much just watched TV (Western's on Grit TV). I didn't feel much like reading, and thinking was not a high priority either. I think it was Thursday when I finally watched the Netflix movie, The Irishman. Friday I started to watch a couple others before falling asleep. I also started reading some on Thursday or Friday. It was Friday before I could stay awake for any extended time though.

So, yeah, it was a pretty boring time spent home alone. Not that I minded entirely. When I am sick, or in this case 'recovering,' I am probably not the most pleasant person to be around. I get that, but I also get lonely. I did appreciate Tom sending me a couple texts, and Jim (from Missouri) and Bill (from Pennsylvania) emailed. Otherwise... it was a pretty isolated time for me. The cat doesn't talk much.

I actually am a "stay-cation" kind of person. This was no vacation though! I'm sure my boss will equate it to one of his 6 or 7 trips to Disney every year. While I did appreciate the break from work, it was not fun or refreshing in any way.

I guess this qualifies as "it is what it is." It was worthwhile in that I was able to get the hernia fixed. It also gave my legs and the rest of my body a rest. I can't say that I really caught up on sleep though, because while there was never any excruciating pain, the constant "uncomfortable-ness" did not make for a very restful time.

Now, though, I'm hoping I can start to get myself back into shape. Oh, sure, it will take awhile. I don't foresee running or working out for another month or three. Perhaps this will give me a renewed sense of purpose though. Something to work for this summer.

I put this picture of me running my last marathon as a reminder. Not that I want to remember that marathon - it was one of my worst races ever (actually the Indy Mini and Fort4Fitness both from last year were rotten races for me) - but I want to remember that I am, indeed, a runner. Yes, I'm slow, but I can run through rain, heat, hangovers and being mad as a cat! I might be getting older, but I'm still going.

At least I hope so. I hope I can. If not... I guess I'll have to think of something else...

So, mark this down as one rotten week for me. I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow, and I can't even imagine that at this point. I guess we'll see.

Family vacation summer of 2019

Well, I guess the summer vacation has now came and went. That sure didn't take long. So, in an effort to salvage as much remembrance as I can... here is the lowdown as best as I can recall...

BUDA/SHEFFIELD

We started out meeting at my parents house. After I ran 9 miles last Saturday morning (7/6), Jane and I headed west and arrived there around supper time. The Feipel five arrived not long after us.

Since the Atlanta Horwedels would be arriving the next day, and my parents only have two extra bedrooms, we brought our tent for Jane and I to sleep in. We also brought our queen-size air mattress. So the two of us slept in the tent both nights. I guess Jane didn't sleep so well, but it worked fine for me.

Sunday morning the two of us and the Feipels went to church in Kewanee. It was actually kind of nice. I enjoyed the music and the sermon. It was good to receive a challenge for a change (though ever so gracefully done).

Isaac and Ricci arrived early Sunday afternoon. We hadn't seen them since Christmas. Later in the afternoon we all then headed over to nephew/doctor Tim's in Sheffield and had a bit of a family gathering with Jane's side. Of course not everyone was there, but there were quite a few. The little kids all played, and the adults listened to one of Jane's brothers talk typical conservative midwestern "stuff."

Monday morning we all (minus my parents) headed out to Mautino State Park west of town. The grandkids like going there. We looked at nature and lakes/ponds and such and just sort of hung around together. There is apparently a pond (or lake) named after my dad, though you can't drive to it, and I was never really sure which one it was.

GALENA
Just after lunch we loaded up our vehicles - all four of them - and everyone headed to the Galena Territory in northwest Illinois (including my parents!). I drove my parents in their car, Carrie drove our car with Jane and Anna, Drew took the boys in their car, and Isaac and Ricci rode together in their car. The reason we each took our own vehicle is because the Feipels and Atlanta Horwedels were both leaving from Galena (and going separate ways), and we weren't sure how long my parents were going to be able to stay. I think we were all expecting them to leave after the first day (my mom included), but my dad actually managed to stay the entire time with just a few hiccups.

The Galena Territory is a rolling expanse of hills and trees and open land that seems to lend itself to tourism for lack of anything else. This is our second time staying in a house on the Eagle Ridge Resort. We rented a beautiful 5-bedroom, 5-bathroom house that included use of the Owner's Club with indoor/outdoor pool, fitness center, game room, basketball/pickleball/volleyball courts, tennis courts, as well as the nearby lake and marina. It was perfect for the entire family.

Most of our time there was spent hanging around the house, putting puzzles together, chatting, swimming, playing games (Chronology is the best), and we all took turns visiting the interesting little town of Galena now and then. Everyone took turns cooking, so we never once ate out, and other than a couple trips to the store we didn't really spend much money.

We were at the house in Galena from 4 pm Monday until check-out time at 11 am Thursday. The time went way too fast, and I was sad to leave. After clearing out of and cleaning the house we all met at the waterfall on the property. We took some pics and tossed some rocks in the water. Then we headed back toward reality. The Feipels headed to Rockford to see where Drew's great, great, great grandfather lived. The rest of us went back down route 84 and stopped for lunch at Poopy's in Savannah, Illinois. It is known as a biker bar, but is just pretty all-around cool... and the food is pretty good too. My mom bought a coffee mug. Then Isaac and Ricci headed to her mom's house in Indy, and we went back to my parents house.

Friday Jane and I left for home mid-morning. It was a strange sort of day. While I was ready to be back "home," we'd been gone just long enough to sort of forget where home really was. In many ways it was like we no longer had one. Though in some ways it was almost like we'd become Illinoisans again. The only thing I know for sure is that we were neither one ready to go back to work!

Anyway, after heavy traffic coming home, we finally made it. The cat was even happy to see us. Everything else was pretty much the same.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever learn. I had a GREAT time on this vacation, but as usual, I stressed over all the wrong things. I wasn't all that excited about my parents being along, because I knew my dad was going to do something to ruin it for everyone. He almost did on Monday night in Galena, but my mom was able to talk him down and convince him he wasn't having another heart attack. The rest of the time I was just too preoccupied with myself to really enjoy the company of everyone else. I don't know why I do that, and I hate it when I do.

I was the jerk on Wednesday (following in the old man's footsteps). I had strange dreams all three nights in Galena. Tuesday night were some doozies, and when I woke up Wednesday I was feeling insecure and a little strung out. Then I was told everyone was going into town EXCEPT ME, and I was going to have to stay and babysit my dad! Apparently I'd been informed of this earlier and I didn't remember. That's probably true, but I can't imagine I'd have agreed to it if I was actually paying attention. So I pouted and made everyone uncomfortable, I'm sure. I had planned to run 7 miles Wednesday morning, and staying with my dad was not something I would have wanted to do anyway. So, of course, Jane ended up staying with him, and then I just felt guilty about being a jerk. Such is my life.

I ended up running the 7 miles on the treadmill at the Owners Club. It was too hot outside by the time I got around to it.

As for my dad... well, it's no secret we've never gotten along. He has never listened to me, nor really even tried or cared to. Yet, even still, it's just hard for me to see him in this state of dementia. I can't bring myself to listen to the same questions over and over and over again. He's like he's always been, only slightly more exaggerated. Yes, I am a terrible son; and a pretty terrible person in general. It becomes even worse when I realize I'm being just like him - not listening to the grandkids, or not relating to my kids the way I would like to. It makes me a combination of sad and mad and all sorts of other things... and then I just don't know what to do. So...

Well, that's about all there is to say about all that. At least for now. It was a nice vacation. I am glad and feel fortunate we could all get together. I wish I were a better person, I wish our family was closer and better able to share our feelings and all that... but it is what it is. We did it; we all survived; no one got hurt all that much.

And now it's back to reality. Vacation is over. My paycheck is missing a week's pay. Who knows when we will next be able to do anything like this again. I guess we just have to take it one day at a time...

Madeira beach trip summer of '19

The view from our patio.

We took a too-brief trip this past weekend (Saturday-early Tuesday, actually) to Madeira Beach, Florida. I am referring to it as the "Lays Potato Chip Trip" because, just as you can't eat just one Lays, you shouldn't skimp on a trip the ocean. I want more!

At any rate, it was a nice 2 1/2 days in the sun and sand and not having any commitments or alarm clocks. And, as usual, I over-packed even though I took everything in my briefcase. I only needed two pair of running shorts, running shoes and socks, another pair of shorts and a couple shirts, my flip flops, and toothbrush. Everything else was totally unnecessary.

TRAVEL
We flew Allegiant Airlines direct from Fort Wayne to the St. Pete/Clearwater Airport. It's about a 2-hour flight. Allegiant may not have the best reputation, but it is at least convenient and cheap.

Of course we were delayed leaving Fort Wayne because there was an issue with the plane. They had to call a mechanic in, and we were then a couple hours behind schedule. It was at least a very smooth flight. We also didn't have anyone in the seat next to us, or the three seats in front of us! We arrived early afternoon in St. Pete and took a Lyft the 1/2-hour ride from the airport to our hotel (10 miles).

Coming home was about the same. You'd think when you have the first flight of the day at 6:10 am that it wouldn't be late. However, our plane apparently wasn't ready, or wasn't there or something, so we had to wait to board until the crew could clean the plane we ended up using. When we finally did get to board, it was just starting to drizzle rain, and we had to walk outside like 50 yards from the building to the plane. It was the most bizarre thing, and probably the most hectic loading of a plane I can remember. Anyway, once again, it was a nice flight. We even knew one of the flight attendants who was from our hometown!

As for Lyft... we had never used it before. It worked out okay, but I thought it quite confusing to figure out - especially when I had to schedule a ride for our trip from the hotel to the airport at 4 am. I was never entirely sure anyone was going to show up. However, both our drivers were older guys - probably my age - and both were very nice rides in nice cars. It was about $20 for each ride, plus an additional tip of around $4.

THE HOTEL
We stayed at the Shoreline Island Resort along the Gulf of Mexico. I would say they might be stretching the word "resort," but it was quite nice anyway. Madeira Beach seems to be a fairly laid back area compared to some of the more popular places like St. Pete and Clearwater. The beach barely had any people on it at all, and there seemed to be a fairly good mix of old people around the grounds (both younger than us and older than us). It was never crowded anywhere.

The office isn't open around the clock, but everyone we talked to that worked there was very nice and helpful. There was a free continental breakfast of coffee, fruit, and individual pastry-type stuff, and the pool was right there. The beach out front had plenty of availability in the reasonably-priced beach chairs and umbrellas ($25/day).

The rooms were by no means fancy, but they were quite nice. I liked that the floors were vinyl instead of carpet. There didn't seem to be the dampness, nor the sand everywhere in the room. We had a little kitchenette, king bed, table and chairs, and two recliners. I was pleasantly surprised with the room. And, of course, the view of the ocean off the balcony... how could you not like that?

NEARBY
Fortunately there was a Speedway gas station right across from our hotel. We got our water and beer/wine there. There were several restaurants within a 1/2 mile walk, and a grocery store about 1 mile up the street. John's Pass Village & Boardwalk was about a mile south of the hotel. We went there one morning on our walk, but didn't shop or anything.

We were also just down the street from the Church By The Sea. It was about 1/4 mile away, and I almost puked when I saw it! I'd actually just seen someone post something about this place on Facebook recently, and had no idea we would be right by it. We discovered it on Sunday morning, actually, and I couldn't resist taking some pics. I will likely write a separate post about it later.

FOOD AND FUN
About all we did during our brief visit was have morning coffee and then take a walk or jog up/down the beach, then we'd load up our cooler and head down to the beach and snag a couple beach chairs and an umbrella in the sand. Jane got in the water more than I did, but we both got wet, and a little tan. We also both read and rested. In the evening we would walk to one of the local places and grab our one meal of the day - something fried with french fries. I guess we just tried two places. Screwies was our favorite (we went there twice), and Dockside Dave's. We ate outside for all three meals and walked to and from.

All in all this was the perfect vacation for the two of us - nothing but laying on the beach and reading - it just wasn't quite long enough for me to call it a real vacation though. Even now, I want more. But, it was better than nothing. I will close with this pic of the sunset Sunday night. Yeah...

Center for civil and human rights

We visited the Center for Civil and Human Rights when we were in Atlanta last weekend. It was another of those really interesting places that left us feeling inspired, ashamed, and somber all at the same time.

Perhaps the biggest eye-opener of all (or re-opener) was the dark realization that the whole MAGA (make america great again) phenomenon is about UNDOING the progress that's been made in civil and human rights over the years. I'm guessing this is not a popular place with Trump supporters. Anyway...

One of the more powerful exhibits was this interactive station where you sat at a lunch counter with headphones on. It gave you a chance to hear AND FEEL what it was like to have been an African-American during the early days of the civil rights movement with people yelling and screaming at you and kicking the counter and your seat. It was pretty intense. I cannot imagine having had to go through that.

I was actually quite surprised with this display citing Atlanta's place in civil rights. I think this is pretty cool. If you can't read it, it says:

Atlanta differed from other Southern cities in important ways. Since the early 20th century, the "Atlanta style" of managing race relations had white and black leaders meeting behind the scenes to decide what was in the best interest of the community. The emergence of black political clout in the 1940s contributed to the election of relatively moderate mayors, rather than hard-line segregationists. Mindful of the city's image, in the 1960s Mayor William B. Hartfield and other local promoters cast Atlanta as "The City Too Busy to Hate," to distinguish it from other Southern communities. A violent reaction to desegregation was seen as bad for business, and key leaders embraced negotiation and compromise instead.

Certainly, a deep gap often existed between the rhetoric of "The City Too Busy to Hate" and the realities of life in a segregated city. And Atlanta experienced its share of violent episodes and failed leadership. Yet the city's more moderate views on desegregation and the personal relationships established across the color line helped set Atlanta apart.

I also liked this quote from Diane Nash. Although, it can be used equally by different people depending on their beliefs. I suppose gun-rights activists feel they are doing the same thing as protesters using non-violent means. Anyway, it was interesting.

And this one...

This exhibit outlining nonviolence training during the civil rights movement was pretty interesting as well. I wish I'd taken a picture of the entire thing. If you click on the pic you can enlarge it and read what people had to go through. Again, I can't imagine what it must have been like during that time - which wasn't all that long ago!

These last two pictures were from the human rights area. It was not as large as the civil rights exhibit because it's just been added and was on just one floor of the building. Still, I thought these signs "The basics of being human," and suggestions for "forming a more perfect union" were pretty good.

It seemed there were some other things I was going to share about this visit but I must have waited too long to write about it. Anyway, it was definitely interesting and not just a tad bit eye-opening. I'm glad we went.

Trip to atlanta

We took an extended weekend visit to Isaac & Ricci's in Atlanta, Georgia this past Saturday through Tuesday. We had good flights, ate and drank too much, the weather was perfect, saw some sights, and all lived to tell about it!

We flew out of Fort Wayne and had a direct flight on a Delta connection. The plane had 13 rows of seats and we had the same ones in row 9 on the way there and back. Flight time was right around 1 1/2 hours. Daughter Carrie drove us the 5 minutes from our house to FWA, and Isaac & Ricci picked us up at the Atlanta airport. It's about 20 minutes from their new house.

This was our first time seeing the house they currently live in. It's their 3rd place of residence in Atlanta. First was Ellis Road, then the place where they house/dog-sat for half a year or so. Those both had Stone Mountain addresses. Now they reside on E. Ponce DeLeon Drive with a Scottdale address. It is much closer to Ricci's work, and you can take Ponce right into Decatur just down the street. That's where we usually went for food and whatnot.

It's a nice little home in a row of what used to be "cotton mill houses." Many of them look the same and are about 100 years old. It sits pretty close to this fairly busy road and is right across the street from a steel mill, but it has a nice fenced-in back yard for the dogs to play in and they're also able to pull both cars inside the gate if need be.

The interesting thing about the house is that the guest room has a separate entrance off the back porch. That would be fine, but you have to go outside to get to the lone bathroom right inside the back door. It was never a problem and worked out nice because we spent most of our time around the small table on the back porch anyway. Otherwise, it's a cute house with tall ceilings and works well for them.

Ponce City Market

I can't recollect exactly what and when we did everything, but I believe the first day we took a walk along the Atlanta Beltline Trail, stopping off for awhile at the Ponce City Market and then a beer joint/garage thing. The beltline is pretty cool in that it's made for walking, biking, rollerskating, scooters, and has plenty of places where people are playing music or doing all sorts of other outdoors-y stuff. There are also a variety of businesses and places to eat and drink along the way.

Center for Civil and Human Rights

One day we took in the Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta. It's one of those cool places that then leaves you feeling very torn inside. I will write a separate post about that one of these days.

Arabia Mountain

Another day we took a hike at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. It was not a huge mountain, but made for a nice trek up and down the rocky landscape overlooking some splendid Georgia tree lines.

Besides going out to eat at least once a day, we also spent time playing this game call 'Chronology.' It was kind of fun in that it didn't require much concentration but did require some thought and you learned stuff at the same time. We also watched a couple movies: 'Three Amigos' (since Ricci had never seen it), and 'Chariots of Fire.'

Fortunately Isaac and Ricci both had Monday off of school (apparently it was Columbus Day or something), and Isaac was off Tuesday as well. Ricci had to do some work Monday afternoon, and then she had to go in Tuesday morning, so we didn't see her the last day there. Isaac took us to the airport in the afternoon and we arrived back in Fort Wayne around 8 pm.

I can't say I am a big fan of Atlanta. It has lots of hills and trees and curves, and the clay soil seems to make everything look dirty. However, it is a nice place to visit the kids - especially when they do all the driving! It's a magnificent city with an interesting history. So, we had fun and enjoyed getting to spend some rare time with the boy and his bride - and the two dogs and the rat (the rat is from Ricci's classroom - apparently no one wants it anymore). A nice time was had by all...