Monday, July 2, 2012

our mini vacation

good monday morning everyone----

frank had the last few days off--hence the long posted--"re-post" of taxi----

we had told ourselves we were going to the beach, come hell or high water--but didn't happen this time--maybe later --maybe in the off-season--

not to whine, because we really did have a lot of fun these last few days----we ate out--went to a movie--rented lots of movies and even got a little Christmas shopping done for my 7 grand-kids---never too early to start, as i have always promised them 5 gifts each---and i love every minute of shopping for them--

okay now a little whining-----this was the 4th year we have not been with all of my kids and their kids to the beach----i know---wow, things could be so much worse, huh----but i so miss doing it------

my hope and prayer is that we will all go together again----

when i was a child we always went on vacations---my dad, who owned a gas station and garage, was always hesitant to leave anyone else in charge---so we usually when on a thursday and came back on a Sunday---we would even go to church there----it was a charming small white framed, no air-conditioned church---i remember how it felt---you were always sunburned and sticky---but it was wonderful---

when my kids were very young, we always took vacations too---if we didn't make it to the beach---we would rent this horrible little river place-----we went there many years------it is on the rappahannock bay----but the cottage was a mess---but cheap---right in our budget----i believe we paid something like fifty dollars for a 3 day weekend------then as the kids got older, we would go to nags head-

we sacrificed borrowed or somehow managed to do it for all those years-----but now-----hmmmm, i'm not sure the "private" sector is doing okay---don't worry i am not gonna get political--

the movie we saw in the theater, this week was somewhat about people having a hard time financially--i mean it wasn't the theme per say of the movie but it was what lead them to "the best exotic marigold hotel"----i am not sure how i would "review" this movie--i guess only to say, i am glad i saw it---and it was pretty much how i thought it would be---but, for me, there was a lot missing---great ensemble though--

our church had a "hats" day and picnic yesterday----again, i looked around and thanked God for all of the wonderful eclectic bunch of people, i am blessed to worship with----i am not sure why--but in summer, i seem to appreciate more this small, inter-city church, that is more like a country church----

so all in all a pretty awesome few days, even without the much desired beach trip----

the kids are healthy, the grand-kids are healthy, frank is healthy and my dad is doing well-----i have my electricity back--bad storms this weekend-----and i have all of you wonderful blogging family--hopefully missing me and reading today-----joy to you all---make it a great monday <3

65 comments:

  1. I am so lucky as my son is over the moon just to spend one night in a hotel with a pool. You would think you had taken him to disney world by his reaction. It's a good thing because I don't see a real vacation in our future for a very long time.

    I guess when you get it so rarely, even the smallest get aways feel like a real vacation!!

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    1. oh yes, this is very true--i remember those days and actually, just one night sounds pretty good to me now--thanks zebsmom :)

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  2. LOL, Lynn, I can relate about the vacation; hearing everyone at church talking about either going on vacation or coming back from it got me a bit envious of it, LOL. I do hope that you can take one in a few years, but it does sound like you had a nice few days off in town doing some things and enjoying the time together. Church fellowship is always the best thing I think and absolutely no calories in the food, that's my story and I'm sticking to it :)

    betty

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  3. i know what you mean---lots of people i know have been on some fabulous vacations recently---and there isn't many calories for sure---especially when i pretty much skipped the real food yesterday in loo of cake--thanks betty :)

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  4. I heard about those storms. I'm glad you came through them without too much trouble.

    Sometimes a vacation can be as simple as lying out on your lawn with a good book and a lemonade.

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    1. now ya got me craving lemonade---and thanks so much bish :)

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  5. I did miss you! Glad you had a good time.

    Another blogger reviewed the movie you mentioned. She said it was a good one for middle-aged people.

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    1. awwww thanks for missing me sherry!---i think i saw that review and i guess it is a good movie for me and people older than me---but probably not too many others---getting old is not pretty haha :)

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  6. Oh I so need a mini vacation, especially after the Friday storms that tore thru here like a menopausal tornado they named a Beruchio something or another. I keep losing Internet and phone because of the mayhem. Hoping you will stop by and grab some of the bloggy awards when ya get back and hoping you had a great mini vacation.

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    1. i know---we lost our power--but only for a night--we have friends, that still don't have it--sorry you are having trouble----thanks for the awards---i have not been too good at implementing them---and we did have a good time :)

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  7. It sounds like a wonderful week, Lynn. And Christmas shopping in July -- wonderful!

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    1. it was a really good few days---and i will Christmas shop, anytime i can haha--thanks suze :)

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  8. Nice post, glad you had some time off. Vacations for me lately consist of the occasional day I get to sleep an extra hour or two.

    btw I wanted to tell you about a post at the a-z home page where there are sites looking for summer guest posters and one blog is all about dreams.

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    1. haha i hear ya---okay thanks for thinking of me, rch!:)

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  9. Thanks for sharing your stories.

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  10. Happy to hear you had a wonderful weekend. Ah, if only we could find some place renting a cottage for that cheap. Just a single room would be fine. We went camping a lot when I was growing up. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. i don't think the place still rents for that amount---if it's even still standing! i think my camping days are over, unless it is in a camper!--thanks christine :)

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    2. you know, maybe i shouldn't put this here--but i am kinda ticked off that the blogging community has a few people that are comment snobs and actually delete your comment, if you don't happen to understand something and do not fit in with what they wanted--i am not talking about a rude or mean comment---i mean come on---how am i suppose to understand all these writing contests etc.---excuse me--"in steve martin voice"

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  11. Thanks for stopping by my blog!!!!

    Hat day sounds like a FUN time!

    ~Kristy

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    1. it was, although i didn't wear a hat--thanks kristy :)

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  12. Sounds like you had a wonderful time even without the beach, which always happens with the right people.

    We have been taking mini vacations with my son, just two or three days here and there, to places in Texas. It's been fun!

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    1. i know, mini vacations can pack a lot of things in em huh---sounds like you had a great time too--thanks :)

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  13. It's okay to lament the absence of family at the beach. I love how you put a positive spin on everything despite the disappointment.
    So glad to hear everyone is healthy.
    Electricity back? We need some storms and rain over here.

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    1. yeah we really did enjoy our time--but still hoping for that beach trip--it'll happen one day!! we have had our share of storms lately and rain---lots of wind took our power out the other night--but thank God it's back----i hope you guys get some rain---thanks susan :)

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  14. It's always nice to have a few day off, even if plans don't go exactly as you wanted. It sounds like you had a fabulous time anyway. And I so agree- it's never too early to start Christmas shopping :)

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    1. haha i know--i would be Christmas shopping right after Christmas, if i ever had any money left! thanks theresa :)

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  15. I'm so wishing I lived closer to my girls. Everything requires travel and crazy logistics and my hubs says he's thinking about building a big compound for all of us to live in together. The girls are not on board with that idea yet : )

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    1. haha i would so love to do that with my kids---but i don't think they would be on board either---thanks joyce :)

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  16. Wonderful synopsis. I especially love that you start Christmas shopping now--so do I!

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    1. do you too--haha i love to do it early--if i can--and then when Christmas gets closer, you can just sit back and enjoy all of the Christmas movies and cooking shows and all of the great stuff that's happening--thanks meredith :)

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  17. My last three holidays have been 'busmens holidays' in that they were on boats. The boys enjoyed them but for me it was hard work keeping everything safe.

    I would like a holiday on my own now in some respects but it is nice to see the boys accumulating their own stories for their grandchildren.

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    1. i can imagine---oh yeah those will be great stories some day---that's what it's all about--thanks jp :)

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  18. I love beach vacations! I haven't had one in many years... I just wish our beach was nicer, since it's only an hour away. Bad thing is, it's very crowded in the summer and I don't enjoy that, one bit.

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    1. uhggg i hate crowds too, but an hour away--i would have to try it----thanks ms. a :)

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  19. It seems our vacations have disappeared since we became so busy in our retirement...and since we adopted Miss Katie Kitty. However, I did get to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and thought it was very good. It's easy to like a movie that's filled with all my favorite actresses.

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    1. awwww what a cute name!----yeah, judy does make any movie work for me too!! thanks patricia :)

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  20. My family took only two vacations when I was young, and they hold great memories for me. They just cost so much more these days. UGH. I'm curious. What was the movie?

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  21. "the best exotic marigold hotel"--sorry, the way i used the title, probably was confusing--haha thanks mare :)

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  22. I'm sad for you that you didn't make it to the beach this year, and I totally get it. I grew up in MD, and just about every weekend in the summer we headed to Annapolis where my mother's family summer home (on the water) provided us with sun, sailing, crabbing, fishing, sunburns, jelly-fish stings, and all those lovely things. The house was built in the 60s and slept 35. (Lots of bunk beds, pull out couches, and covered pallets. One big open room downstairs, one big open room upstairs. Church groups borrowed it for free during the year, the family had free reign over the summer.) We then would venture to Ocean City (on the Atlantic coast, way down at the tip of MD, for those of you non- East coasters) for one precious day. The Swede (my dad) hated everything about the beach so we got one day.
    The Engineer and I figured out that we may have been on that beach at the same time as kids because his aunt had a condo there so he and his family would venture from CO to Ocean City each year. We honeymooned there, staying in her fabulous condo, steps from the beach. Thanks for bringing up these memories. Somehow I've forgotten to push follow when I've been here before, but I got it this time.

    Tina @ Life is Good

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    1. wonderful memories you have--that's the kind of house i need haha--so glad you pushed follow this time! thanks tina :)

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  23. those childhood memories are the best. :) Oh thanks for the reminder about Christmas. Have to start working on the list, mine keeps getting longer..haha

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    1. the ones from childhood are so the best! haha me too, each year it seems there are at least a dozen people added--gotta start early--thanks cecilia :)

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  24. You have a such a wonderful attitude! I love that you got to at least have a minivaction and see the good in it:)

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  25. Ahh the beach, it is always calling my name too! We rarely see each other, but the ocean is a true love! I am glad that everyone is well! I hope to have mini family vacations with my family too!

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    1. here's to you and me finding time and money to spend with our glorious friend, one day soon!!! thanks brownie :)

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  26. We always went to the beach for vacation when I was growing up and I loved it! It was something to look forward to every year. In between, we had weekend camping trips with a bunch of other families in the mountains. I've had only two vacations since I married the husband. We just never had the money to go anywhere. Luckily, the beach is only 5 minutes from our house so I just took the girls over there every day.

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    1. your childhood vacations and the mountain trips sound great----wow how blessed are you guys to be so close to the beach!!! thanks pam :)

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  27. I'm sorry you didn't get your beach trip. I know it's awful to really want/need the salt and sand and not get it. Sometimes the stay-cations are really fun though. Hooray for you getting some early Christmas shopping in! :-)

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    1. thanks for the empathy---i know, i love that i have even a small portion of Christmas done!! thanks danielle :)

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  28. Sounds like you did have a pretty awesome few days. Blessings to you and your family, Lynn.

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    1. we sure did and many blessings to you too lynda :)

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  29. It is nice to read that everything is going well! You can always go to the beach at a later date. :) Luckily your power is back on. I have been hearing about so many place on the news without power in these crazy heat waves we all seem to be experiencing!!!

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    1. oh i hope to go sometime later! yep this has been the week of the storms---i am so blessed, that we didn't go without our power very long!--thanks val :)

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  30. It is hard to get everyone together at the same time these days. But it sound like you had a great mini vacation!!! Thanks for stopping by, Laura

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    1. it is--that's why we celebrated my husband's birthday yesterday instead of on the 10th---too hard for people to find the same times off from work--thanks laura :)

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  31. Glad to hear you had a nice weekend! We are still hoping to visit NC this summer. Gas and hotels get expensive quickly! Hope you had a wonderful 4th!

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    1. yep that's where we love to go--the outer banks--i hope you make it this summer--and we did have a nice 4th--hope yours was good too--thanks marie :)

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  32. The storms back east have been hard on so many. My sister in OH had a lot of tree damage, and no electricity.

    Your mini-vacation sounds delightful.

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    1. oh i hope your sister has her power back now---it was fun--thanks susan :)

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