JULY IS VACATION TIME

It seems everyone is going somewhere this month, or else they are just getting home from a vacation, either spent travelling off somewhere to faraway places, or just staying at home, sleeping late, taking day trips, or just lounging on the deck or in a hammock. Whatever, it's a time of the year we all look forward too, and at the end, so very glad to come home and relax!

Funny isn't it, we call vacation relaxing, yet when it's all over, there is no place like home! Vacations can be HARD work!!

It's sometimes exhausting planning vacations. I remember the road trips across Eastern Canada we took when the kids were small. I can hardly imagine me doing that now. I know how much I need for just myself when I travel these days, I can't imagine packing and remembering all that had to be done for a family of four. We also took the dog with us!

The early days we'd go camping which is certainly NOT a way I'd want to vacation now, unless it was in one of those mobile home with pop outs, air conditioning, or heat, whichever I desired! A kitchen sink, a stove and comfortable beds and many more comforts that a tenting life sure doesn't provide. I think tenting and sleeping on a air mattress, and swatting at mosquitoes is for young and hearty people.

We did move up to a cottage eventually, and in fact had a couple of cottages through the years. One in a place called Minnapuka, which was on the CN Rail line up Gogama. The second was a caboose we bought from CNR and we tore out the inside and turned it into a very comfortable and roomy little cottage, beside a lake with great swimming and fishing. This was near Folyet, Ont....accessible only by rail. Boy, do I have stories to tell about those vacations, but I'll save all that for when I bring back my pictures from home and can show you on here.

All of these vacations, where in my "other life", which is when I also went with my sister to Ireland for a whole month. It was my first time away from my family on a vacation, and how great to spend it with my sister. What a fabulous time it was and so great to feel "free" for a month. Just going where we felt like and travelling any road that looked interesting. We met so many wonderful Irish people, looked up relatives both dead and alive and delved into our family past. No skeleton's or family secrets though....we seem to have been tame people. At least until Roxanne and I arrived!!! (joking of course, but we did let loose a little!) We drove all across Ireland and up and down the entire country! Wonderful!!

Another great vacation was spent with my daughter Erin and family in Sacramento. They took me down along the Oregon coastline all the way past San Francisco to Monterey. What a trip, and so many wonderful memories of a beautiful, fun family time.

All fabulous memories and great vacations. I've been lucky to have quite a few good ones, but also spent just as great ones, staying close to home, and day trips with girlfriends and family.

Then there are the ones I've been so lucky to take this past few years with my husband Tom. I won't spend much time on this blog telling you all about them, as I already have told about them with pictures in past blog, available for viewing on here if you look in "Past Posting" on the bottom of page.

Time for me is running out for completing anymore of this blog today, so with that, I'll say ta ta, and wherever you are heading or have been, I hope your vacation is or has been one to remember!

PS...thanks for signing the blog.