Memories of Vacations Past

It was just a little tickle in the back of my throat.... 24 hours ago.
woke up this morning knowing-- feeling it-- all over. A cold. A summer cold.
Or maybe it is a big bad attack of the Allergens and one can hope because then the allergy pill will make some of it go away and we'll go to a different climate in a couple of days and that will make things better... I REFUSE TO BE SICK.

But as I sip my morning nectar and let my body catch up to my brain, I am thinking about vacations past. We haven't had that many. I think I mentioned that often the only vacation we take is the trip to Tall Timber for a working vacation. In the nearly 15 years we've been married, I can count on ONE hand the real honest to goodness vacations we have been on together. Mission trips don't count and really the Tall Timber trek's shouldn't either. we have taken weekend get away's to celebrate anniversaires, but a weekend isn't the same as taking time off and really going AWAY. right?  So as I listen to my husband grumbling outside as he readys our little Burke-Turque (our travel trailer) I am lost in memories of our get aways together....

The Honeymoon
Sept. 1996~ One glorious week in the San Juan Islands; B&B's  cozy little hide-a-ways, a couple days of camping and early risings to catch the sunrise on top of Mnt Constitution, fine dining every night, hot tubs, bike rides, ferry rides, whale watching, exploring antique shops. libraries and each other. Heavenly. Romantic. Fun.

Priest Lake, Idaho
July, 2001~  I remember sitting around the campfire with the family we were vacationing with and when they heard this was our first real vacation in five years they were astonished. I don't know why. five years didn't seem that amazing to me. But that's because I have the inside scoop on what our life is like and why 5 years could just blip by and finally we had time to take a week and lose ourselves in relaxation. For 6 glorious sun-filled days we tent camped, cooked out, rode around the lake and spent a lot of time just laying on the beach. Favorite memory: our host's owned the boat and one night took us across the lake for dinner. on the way back, under a blanket of stars, he stopped the boat and made us all be very still so we could fully embrace the quiet of the night. then, at his prompting we sang "His Name is Wonderful", a simply beautiful Gaither tune.  Wow. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.

Astoria Oregon
Spring 2006~ We stayed in a hotel/hostel for 5 days and explored all parts of this historical old town. Things like the Astoria Column, the Goonie's house, the beach, the Maritime Museum, the Lewis and Clark Fort, The Kick Ass Coffee House (for real) and the Pig n' A Pancake house (yes, another for real!! we went there on national pig in a blanket day and had pigs in a blanket for breakfast. of course.) The drive home was lovely also as we came over the Astoria Bridge and spent a few hours on Long Beach and then meandered up the coast a ways. We had nice weather-- even the few rain sprinkles were warm.

Road Trips to Celebrate Birthdays
California for Christmas when I turned 40-- a week of time with my sister and family
Montana --also in December-- when I turned 50, also a week long-to visit my brother & family
a 4 day weekend in Revelstoke BC for an anniversary celebration.
in fact we have enjoyed a few 4 day weekends which are almost-vacations. (I don't count them as full on vacations when you spend as much time driving as you do visiting the place you drove to)
And a couple of years ago we did a mini-cruise on the Love Boat (Princess Cruise lines). Awesome!

All lovely wonderful fun times. But I dare not spend too much more time blogging. I can hear the air turning blue outside as my sweetie struggles with things like tangled trailer lights and flat tires. I can't really help him with those things but if I am making trips back and forth from house to trailer carrying stuff it will look better than me sitting here sniffling. Besides, perhaps if I act like I am going on VACATION, I can fool this cold-allergy-whatever-it-is into packing it's own bag and leaving town.