Short trip to Georgia

I have returned from my short trip to Georgia (traveling with two cats certainly is easier than traveling with five!) and it was fun. I discovered the Augusta Canal -who knew there was a canal there established for the purpose of creating electricity to run mills so that Augusta would not become a ghost town and that the canal almost became a golf course in the 1990's but the people 'saved' it and it is a lovely 'green area' that is still able to allow two mills to produce fabric.
Then I toured the campus in Athens, Georgia - if only I were a young woman off to college, this would be a lovely place to study.
I then headed to Kennesaw to be with my friends and attend a 'wine themed' wedding shower. The wedding (in November) reception will be held in a winery in St. Augustine so doing a wine tasting for the shower was quite appropriate and since I wasn't driving, it was even better.

Santa Fe

Just returned from a great long weekend in Santa Fe where my friend, Diana, lives. The girls who I usually spend time with at our convention (we didn't go this year) joined us so there were five of us just having fun.
Diana took us to wonderful places including Bandolier National Park where we climbed to see the caves that the indians lived in 1000 or more years ago. We also visited the pueblo in Taos that is still occupied.
We ate and drank well and enjoyed each other's company and look forward to our next gathering.

zoo work and other

After my short trip to the west coast of Florida (a surprise 60th birthday party) and the panhandle, I am back to my schedule of 'retirement' with zoo work. In fact, with 'spring break', I have been working alot (this is my paid job there) and I am finding it very good for me as I have learned (still learning) new skills and I am sleeping very well after a day out in the air working (cash register).
Life at home has changed with only two cats making it strange but easier in some ways. Next month I will be leaving them for a few days to join my friends and play in Santa Fe and that will be hard since I haven't left them since last year. I have gotten very used to having Missy sleep next to me every night!

Cat status

As of Wednesday, we are now a two cat family. Shadow was down to just over five pounds and when she started having symptoms we couldn't fix, it was time for her to go over the Rainbow Bridge. It was not an easy thing for me after having her company for almost 18 years, but I know it was the best thing for her. Very strange for me having only two now.
Missy and Fluff seem to 'know' that something is radically different and are staying pretty close. We are going on a short trip to both the west coast of Florida and then up to visit in Crestview.

December already!

Wow, it is already December and the year will be new in only three weeks!
This morning my friend's daughter became a mom for the second time (I knew within an hour of the birth) and so there are now two little girls for her to 'grandmother' alot. The only problem she has is that they are five hours away from her so it takes a little planning to get there but she is on her way right now to see this newest addition.
I am 'branching out' by adding a 'fun' job to my life. I am becoming an employee at the zoo (and some volunteering time too) and so my time on Sunday's there now is more of a committment than it was before but I'll be learning a new skill (for very little pay) as a cashier and that will be something different than the nursing profession!
I am not sending Holiday cards this year so I am wishing you all a happy season and a Great NEW YEAR!

Almost Thanksgiving

I can't believe that it is almost Thanksgiving and last time I wrote was June!
I spent most of the summer at home and had more work done on the house (replaced the A/C duct system). Then, after I recovered from a bad fall (incurred physical injury as well as a concussion), I took a short trip to Georgia (visited my friend Sue) and Tennessee (saw the sights in the Chattanooga area) with my three 'old' ladies in tow. They did very well, I got sick and came home a little sooner than I had planned.
I seem to be OK now and life goes on. I am enjoying 'autumn' (finally) in Florida and being able to wear sweaters/sweatshirts. Hopefully this weather will last a couple of months.

Nine months of time

Seems I've been away from this blog for about nine months, and , no, I did not have a baby in this time frame. I have been busy with 'things' and 'stuff' and the time just flies by when you don't even notice it.
I have taken only one small trip and that was for my convention which was only in Orlando so a short drive away but a great week with my friends and professional colleagues.
Upon my return, however, I found a very sick Goldie (my youngest cat) and in four weeks time, I was forced to send him to the Rainbow Bridge. And, then, on top of that, Whiskers (next youngest) also had to go join him within six days. It was not a happy time and I am still recovering as are the remaining three 'old' ladies.
It is interesting that it took at least 5-6 weeks for the three girls to find new habits (new sleeping places, eating habits) and I know that is the result of suddenly not having the other two 'kids' in the house.
I am busy with some work at the hospital, zoo volunteering, being Treasurer of my Homeowner's Association and now I am also the President Elect for my professional organization's local chapter. I guess my committments mean I won't be taking long trips for a couple of years.
We got a new roof this year so hopefully there will be no hurricanes to blow it away. I think those are the 'highlights' of the last nine months and I will try to write more often.

My couple of days in Atlanta were nicely filled with the Aquarium and Stone Mountain as well as some personal care (haircut, manicure/pedicure) and eating in restaurants we don't have in Melbourne.
I chose to use the MARTA system (train) to get downtown Atlanta and it's good that I did since it was on a 'football' Sunday and traffic was unbelievable as well as the parking fees!
Their Aquarium is not exactly what I expected (was thinking more outdoor viewing) but well worth going to visit anyway.
Stone Mountain was a place I had never gotten to even though I had been to Atlanta several times in the past. It is a beautiful park and I enjoyed a 'Duck' ride (big bus that goes into the water and is a boat) as well as the aerial tram up to the top where I walked on top of the granite mountain itself.
Today I am home 'recovering' and I expect that will take several days. I have things to put away, mail (oh, my god, do I have mail) to go through, house to take care of (a month without cleaning will require much time to 'catch up'), and a body to get back to 'normal'. I hardly know what day it is yet.
So, for those who have been following my journey, it is over for now.

Atlanta arrival

After a lovely day at the Biltmore Estate yesterday, we arrived in Atlanta today. The sun is shining and it is definitely the south type of weather.
I am looking forward to the Aquarium tomorrow. The room we are in is very nice with a refrigerator, microwave and coffee pot and a king sized bed that my 'kits' can not get under. This morning was not fun getting Goldie out from under the middle of the bed (fortunately not a king sized) and took longer for us to get going but it's a short trip compared with others we've done and the arrival today was actually before 2pm.

From Niagara to Charleston, WV

On Friday, in Niagara Falls, I did the American side that is mostly in the State Park. I took tons of pictures, did the Maid of the Mist, ate lunch overlooking the Horseshoe (Canadian) Falls, did the Cave of the Winds, although there is no longer a cave there (room caved in) and it is mostly just a wet time at the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls. I went to their Discovery Center that is about the geological information of the area and even went into the aquarium (very small). The trolley that goes around the park is the best because it really shows off our Park and the drivers give information as you go.
On Saturday, the weather wasn't so great but Diana (my friend from Santa Fe) who was in Buffalo came and spent the day with me. We walked over the Rainbow Bridge and did the Maid of the Mist on the Canadian side. The views of all the falls from that side are more spectacular for sure! We had lunch by the Canadian Falls and by the time we walked back over the bridge had time to just glance into the Park. As we headed to the hotel, the rain started.
Sunday was my travel day to Cleveland and my 'rest' day (got a massage and replaced my cell phone that finally died after I dropped it once too many times).
Tuesday was travel to Charleston, WV and weather certainly did not shine on me for these couple of days. I went to their Discovery Museum and Planetarium and was unable to do much outdoor stuff.
Tomorrow it is off to Asheville, NC and the Biltmore estate.

Niagara Falls

I am now in Niagara Falls and after settling into the room, I took a helicopter ride over the falls! It is spectacular and awe inspiring.
My day in Schenectady, NY was a 'rest' day for me since there really isn't that much to do there. I drove around their historic area but that didn't take very long and even though it didn't rain, it wasn't the greatest day.
Today I had clouds and sunshine for the drive here and then just sunshine and it is predicted that the weather will be beautiful for the next few days. I am busy planning which activities I really want to do and I know that the Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Winds are on the top of the list.

About to leave Portland, Maine

I am about to leave Portland, Maine after being here for four nights. I did the sightseeing I wanted to do which included a trolley and boat tour (really beautiful scenery) went to LLBean and the multitude of outlet shops in Freeport, and even did some indoor mall stuff. I really only needed two full days here, but having three was OK too.
I am hoping to get the van loaded before the rain starts but anticipate driving all day in the rain to Burlington, VT and probably won't get out of rain until Tuesday when I head out again. I can't really complain about the weather since I've missed the really bad stuff and am grateful that I decided to leave a week earlier than originally planned. Had I left when I thought, I would have been right in the middle of the heavy rain and flooded areas of North Carolina and Virginia.
As usual, my cats know this is a 'different' morning but there aren't too many places they can hide so getting them loaded in the carriers shouldn't be too hard.

sunshine in Portland

My weekend was rainy but on Saturday I got to Deptford, New Jersey without a problem. The cats, of course, love the Towneplace Suites with it's kitchen cabinets to play with and room to 'hang out'. I spent part of the time with my niece (in law), her parents, great nieces and nephew and it is always great to see them.
On Monday, I headed to New London Connecticut. It was cloudy but didn't rain until I got there. It was a smaller room but worked OK for the two nights we were there. I did get to visit the Mystic Seaport on Tuesday morning because the rain held off until about 11:30am.
Yesterday (Wed.), we headed north and because I got off the interstate for a bit, it took longer to get here (Portland, Maine) but -NO RAIN!
It is not supposed to rain until Saturday so I will try to get the outdoor sightseeing mostly done today and tomorrow. I am heading to the waterfront and intend to finally get my seafood, outside on the water.

Virginia

I arrived in Chesapeake ,Virginia and even without printed directions (I did stop once to ask but I was only around the corner from the hotel at that point) I managed to find this Towneplace Suites. The cats are loving the fact that they can get under the bed and I will not be so happy about that tomorrow morning when I have get them into carriers -there is not enough space under the bed for me to even crawl so it will be a challenge.
My plan for today is to head over to the beach area where there is an Aquarium and I can get some fresh seafood for lunch. It is supposed to be a very hot day so I'm thinking the Aquarium might be a good place to stay cool.
Tomorrow we'll head up to New Jersey where I will get to see my grand nieces/nephew and niece in law.

Day 3

I have arrived in stormy Wilmington, NC after a lovely couple of days in Charleston, SC. On Monday, Sue came and spent the day (slept over) sightseeing with me. We did a carriage ride and some walking but the heat was really bad and we needed to go back to the hotel to rest before we could go out for dinner back in the historic area of Charleston. We certainly can't complain about our eating for the day what with lunch in an Irish Pub and dinner at a place that gave us so much food I didn't eat it all and there was no thinking of dessert.
I am lucky that I had some rotisserie chicken and cole slaw left over (from my dinner Sunday nite) so that I could eat tonight because the rain is so bad that the streets flooded and I was not about to get back in the van. My alternative would have been the Outback Steakhouse that is right across this parking lot. I am hoping that it will be clear enough tomorrow for me to do some sightseeing in Wilmington that also has a great historic area downtown and I'm not that far away. Apparently they have a free shuttle that you can use to go around the area once you have parked your vehicle and I will do that unless the weather is really good and I can do a tour (carriage or trolley).
My cats are doing very well and I'm attributing that to them being older. They had a really good time in Charleston where we had a separate bedroom and full kitchen so there were lots of cabinets that they could 'bang' doors and get into and they chose to do alot of it during the night! In order to leave today, I retrieved a few of them from inside cabinets and drawers but they are doing well while in the cage in the van.

2006 trip start

I am finally about to leave on my 2006 road trip. I have packed most everything (much easier to pack for the cats than me) and today will put it all in the van. The sky is cloudy so it is a slight bit cooler and that's a good thing.
My first stop is Charleston, S.C. (tomorrow) and Sue will join me on Monday morning for sightseeing. Tuesday I'll be heading for Wilmington, N.C.
The laptop is ready for the journey so there will be entries along the way.

New thoughts

I am now thinking I might drive north this summer instead of west. If the weather doesn't get better up north soon, I might not go anywhere. Even the midwest is having strange weather patterns. It is really too soon to make any committment but I have gotten all the new AAA books and new maps. I'm thinking I might just go stay in one place for a few weeks (doing day trips) and then move to another for a few more weeks. With gas prices so high compared to last year, it might be wiser to do it in a better way this time. I'm also waiting to see how my cats health holds up since as they get older, I'm not sure I can do the travel with them as easily.
In the meantime, I enjoyed my weekend in the L.A. area when I went to my nephew's wedding. It was good to be with some family again and I had fun.
I am off to South Carolina to visit with my friend Sue (Karen and Lynne are coming too) and that will be fun too.

planning for next trip

I am starting to think about my next 'long' trip across the country to see things I didn't get to on the last trip and get to my nephew's wedding in California. I have already started a list of cities to go to/through and get to the destinations I want to stay in for more than one night.
I am thinking I will be able to go across the lower part of the country this time (no hurricanes) and get to San Antonio first. Then I'll head north and west so I can get to Salt Lake City and then Seattle, Portland and down into California. I'd like to see those redwood forests and Yosemite. In the spring, it is said the falls in Yosemite are fantastic since the snow is melting from winter.
Will keep you posted on the latest as it happens.

the 'rest of the trip'

From Albuquerque, I drove to Shamrock, Texas
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (saw the Memorial there)
Little Rock, Arkansas (met evacuees there)
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
I got ambitious from there and figured distance and time wrong so I drove 14 hours to get home on Tuesday night (in the rain and dark when I got to Daytona).
I am still recovering although I have put most everything away now. I have a dirty house to clean and magazines to go through (I did the mail).
It was worthwhile, although very tiring, trip around our country and I am glad I did it.

7660.20 miles covered

ACTUAL Trip August 28-Sept.27, 2005

Bainbridge, Georgia Shamrock, Texas
Tupelo, Mississippi Oklahoma City, OK
Springfield, Missouri Little Rock, Arkansas
Council Bluffs, Iowa Lawrenceburg, TN
Keystone, South Dakota
Mitchell, South Dakota
Sheridan, Wyoming
Gardiner, Montana
Pocatello, Idaho
Ontario, Oregon
Cascade Locks, Oregon
Klamouth Falls, Oregon
Reno, Nevada
Ely, Nevada
Cedar City, Utah
Tusayan, Arizona
Sedona, Arizona
Albuquerque, New Mexico