family

A quick getaway

Dew Drop, family, Sugarwings, Travel
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Sugarwings and I had a brilliant, spur of the moment plan to invite my son and Dewdrop to meet us at Universal Studios.


It wasn’t well thought out to be a trip that made the best use of our time, resources, or cash.  It was a spontaneous -LETS DO THIS- idea and we ran with it.

That is very much unlike me.  I’m a person who knows every in and out at Disney for shortest lines, places to be, how to do this, how to find that, and I typically squeeze every drop of timing out of each trip there.

But I am unfamiliar with much of Universal, and honestly, if I missed something, we wouldn’t know the difference.

Plus, I wanted it to be these guys’ trip, and let them decide where to be and when.  Sugarwings has grown up maneuvering around on park maps, so I simply followed their lead.

Not feeling like you have to get the most out of your visit and see it all is a relaxing way to go.  Turning over the lead to others felt pretty good too.

We ate where we happened to be.  We rode what we stumbled by. We saw a couple shows that I didn’t even know existed.

I knew I’d already paid way too much for the vacation since it wasn’t purchased in advance, flights and the hotel were rather high.  So I was in a bit of a “hey, I’ve already broken the bank, let’s just go for it”.  We bought what we wanted and I didn’t care.

My only rule about meals, was to not be wasteful.  Don’t over order, share when possible, drink water, not pop (because it’s better for you in the heat, of course) and everybody can choose a special treat when they want.

I had a wonderful time, and loved being with some of the people I love most in the world.  A trip with grown up kids is a true delight, and worth every last penny we spent.  I was ready for relaxing, because to make this work, I had to double down on my schedule of getting ready for Good Juju’s November sale before we left.  I tagged 13 bins of inventory to restock after the October sale was over.

It’s probably a very, very good thing that I still have a booth at Juju to keep me grounded.  I’m tempted by how wonderful my family visits and trips  have been and could easily just quit my job and spend my days traveling.

But for now, I’ll keep my booth, and rein in some of my wonderlust, while indulging in it as much as feasibly possible.  A bit of balance, because I still enjoy my job too.

A memorable visit and a memorial to some we’ve lost

family, Ryan
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Years ago, Rich’s brother, Steve, brought us an old, rusted lantern and hung it in this elm.

The tree is in our view when we sit in our rockers by the wind chimes Ryan hung in our gazebo.

Over time, the tree has encompassed the lantern.  It’s become an enduring element of our yard and along with the chimes, it’s a daily reminder of people we have lost.
I tucked a Rose of Sharon bloom into the crook that squashes the lantern for Steve’s wife, Sharon, while  she and her kids were visiting us.

We had a mini memorial for Steve and Ryan during the gathering, and sprinkled some of their ashes at the root of the tree and under the wind chimes while each of us expressed thoughts and told stories about these two guys we all miss so much.

Before carefully spooning some of Ry’s ashes out to use, I wiped down the urn, remembering how I’d wash his little face off when he was a baby.  This didn’t feel morbid at all to me, it was a cherished moment, thinking about his cheery smile that was pretty much always smeary with food or dirt for the first few years of his life.

When Ryan died, I started writing him letters, tucking the notes into his urn.  For this ceremony, I blindly plucked one out of the jar to read to the group.   It’s the first time I’ve opened any of them.

  I think I’ll start reading one to myself on days my mind is heavily filled with missing him.

It was moving to be with people we loved, people who also loved the men who had died.  Being together to honor them was deeply meaningful.  And our laughter and fun times over the too short visit that the group was here, was just great.

Our families do not live near us, so visits are a treasure even when they go by so quickly.  Just as we never forget the special guys we lost and hold them close in our memories, family near and far are all wrapped in forever hugs in our hearts.

Like the lantern squeezed into the tree.

My boy came to visit

family
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I never get enough time with my son.  He lives in North Carolina, and our visits are too far apart.  And the last few times he has been here, our house needed a major repair.  Which was lucky for us that he can rebuild foundations, redo soffits, replace joists, but it does keep us tied to home repairs instead of just hanging out.

We are a family that isn’t scared of pitching in to do hard work, but on this visit, he was recovering from an injury and we spent the entire week being lazy, eating in restaurants, and going to explore some spots in KC.  Like Atlas 9, where we saw this, whatever it is.  Oh, and celebrating Sugarwings turning TWENTY.

I never figured out the game the venue was based on, but I loved joining in and playing along.

The space was intriguing.

And fun to explore as secret agents.

One day, we visited Prairie Fire Museum, and got to design our own Dinos.  The beasts then appeared on the giant screen in the atrium, where we could attempt to pet them.

They move slowly, so you have some time to get to know them.

That museum was a regular hangout for the kiddos and I back in the day, but my boy hadn’t been there.  It was a weekday, so not everything was open, but still a nice stop after checking out the community college that Sugarwings was getting ready to attend.

There was a full week of easy going days of ambling downtown, trying some restaurants, and being together.  What a great lil vacation.

 

(oh, and he wasn’t off Scott free, he did fix a chandelier that I’d knocked loose from the ceiling with over zealous cleaning.)

A hometown visit

family, jewelry, Travel
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My trip to Indy was as always, THE BEST.  Lots of family time, crafting, and a visit with friends.  Sis had been going through her storage and sent me home with not only a stack of like new tees, some gorgeous dresses, and lots of doo dads, but this recipe from our grandma too.

And did I mention a car? I flew in to pick up this car that Sissy was trading in, that she instead sold to me at the price offered by the dealership.  A pretty good deal, if you’ve been looking at any used vehicles lately.  Sugarwings starts Community College in KC, and needed a more reliable car.

This one certainly is!

As typical, we had lots of creative time together.

Sissy let us pile supplies from one end of her spacious home to the other and we made bag charms all week.

Pendleton’s Falls Park has some wooded trails that bring back childhood memories for me.  Not that the actual trails existed way, way back then.  No, just reminiscences of hanging at the park, splashing on the stones that cross the creek in jr high, and being with my tiny sons on the playground equipment.

There is an area now that holds memorial trees, and we visited Bobbie’s tree there and I was touched to see her handmade bracelets in the branches.

Yep, it was a lovely trip, filled with loving family time.

When I go home, I feel like I’m splitting myself in two and leaving part of my heart behind.

Back in the 70s, I left my hometown, with just a brief stay a few years later.

Since then we moved around a lot before settling in KS.

While I consider Lawrence my adopted home, and sincerely love living here, part of me forever wishes I could be back in Pendleton.

A Denver retreat

family, paintings, Travel
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We had a family get together in Denver at a relaxing resort.  While there, I spent some time painting.  Mostly in the room between times when we had plans.

But do you know what was even better?  It was when the sisters-in-law gathered poolside to craft and chat about what is going on in our lives.  We simply do not see each other nearly enough for as much as we enjoy being together.

The hotel had a spa and a golf course.  And I actually spent some time out on the greens!  Ha, NOT golfing, nope, never ever.  At sunset, when the players left, we used the course as our private walking trails.

That delightful spa got used too.  The three of us met there for treatments, then kicked back a couple hours in the lounge to sip tea and crunch on some snacks.

I cannot picture a more relaxing time.

Our visit was filled with love and laughter.  Stories, jokes, family updates, and delicious meals too.

Throw in a few minutes here and there to dabble around with my paint brush, and it was an ideal vacation.

Thanks for working your travel planning  magic, Terry.  You are the best.

A staycation with a mini getaway

family
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My boy and his sweetheart were here for most of two weeks to celebrate his dad’s birthday.


We’d talked about many ideas for a trip, but decided to hang out at home, going to lots of restaurants and getting out like we would if we’d traveled after all.

We used three of the days to drive down to the Ozarks, but the rest of the time, we were pretty laid back.

Downtown Lawrence was extra festive due to the Algerian World Cup guys staying in town.   Storefronts had welcoming window displays and banners.

We also picked up a couple of baby chicks, thinking we’d slip them under our broody hen, but she wasn’t having it.  Which was a disappointment for me.  On the other hand, it meant I had tiny babies to snuggle instead of the adopted mama doing all the work.  So that kinda worked out.

Of course, it I wouldn’t be a visit from my son if we didn’t have a major household repair to deal with.   I asked him to look at a small bad spot under  the eave of the roof,  just to find out the entire boards needed replaced. It was rotted out all around that section of the cottage. Thank goodness. He was here to fix it, it was pretty bad.

Thanks, Adam!   You saved the house yet again!  And we had a lovely time with the visit.

An Ozark float trip on the wrong river

family, Travel
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There were some glitches on our trip to the Current River, but moments like this-

And peaceful mornings enjoying the scenery more than made up for it.


Our first issue?  The rental home we got was cancelled, no communication, no notice, a few days before the adventure was set to begin.  We scurried to find an overpriced replacement that had some major issues (lights that wouldn’t stay on, doors that fell off track, washer unhooked, stove wouldn’t heat up, well you get the idea) but fantastic views and private beach.   I think what we paid for was location, not the home itself.

We also booked a six hour float on my son’s favorite river, the Current, up river from where we were staying.

But oops!  After a couple hours of my boy being confused about landmarks, he realized we’d been dropped onto the Jacks Fork instead.

Again, beautiful scenery.  But here is the issue.  This river runs mostly east/west, while the Current is the opposite.  Doesn’t sound like a problem until you figure in the shade which is non existent for much of the one we were on until our last stretch back to the truck.

So it was hotter than expected, and the six hours on the water seemed long at times.  But it was broken up with picnics and swims.

We also hiked over to some spring heads where the air is as crisp and clear as the mineral laden, blue water.  The water rushes from the ground ice cold and tempers the heat, plus they were nestled back into the shade.

All in all, it was a delight.

At the Cake Bake Shop

family, flowers, Food and Drink
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When I first saw photos of the Cake Bake Shoppe at Christmas time at Disneyworld, I knew I had to get there.

At the time, I did not know there was TWO more of them in Indiana, where the owner is based.

I’ve heard getting reservations at the theme park location is almost impossible, and I don’t see the possibility of any visits there in the near or even distant future.

So I was beyond my thrill limit when my Indiana family offered to go with me to this location in Carmel.

Delightful company, amazing food, and darling surroundings.

I’ve heard they redecorate seasonally, so of course, I’ll need to get back to see the new designs.  For spring, there were blue butterflies and twinkle lights everywhere.

We sat by the open window and I was infatuated with all the princesses of all ages   posing in front of the building.   Including this cutie.

When I go back (and I WILL!) I want to check out the neighboring stores.

Not just the one inside the restaurant.

It was tempting to buy all of the delicious foods and  pretty things.   And I really, really wanted the pink hoodie.  But I’m also really, really too cheap to pay that much.

  1. I did buy sweet, pastel cake sprinkles.  Two little bottles are in this big bag.  One was for my Sissy, the other for Sugarwings, in their favorite colors.

    I’m already looking forward to my next trip.

Guncle time part three

antiques/junking, cottage, dogs, family, guncles, Hand painted, vintage paper/collage art
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Besides lots of good food and wine, how was the guncles visit?   Never long enough, for one thing.  We hit the jackpot on junking trips, one full day at Sparks Flea Mkt, two garage sale mornings, and one afternoon estate sale.

This window is from the flea.  I bought it for resale, but, uhm, oops, it somehow got hung in my hearth room.

Molly might not look like she approves, but she is just typically scared of getting her photo taken.  Or maybe she is upset about warning the guys that they shouldn’t be hanging it up, it should go into the inventory stash in the garage?  Oh well, if even the guard dog can’t stop the process, I guess that window belongs there.

Fate.  Beautiful, colorful, fate.  Isn’t that stained glass  ideal there!?

Time flew by, with all the shopping, cooking, eating, laughing, and lots of small chores the guys helped Rich with since I cannot use my right arm for much as it recovers from surgery. (Like hanging my spectacular, new window!)

Randy and I were left with limited time in the studio.  He worked on his handmade cards, and I also made a few, along with some door prizes for my upcoming class reunion.  These hand painted bookmarks will be packaged up with jewelry I am crafting, to make three gifts.

All of us found treasures in Sparks, and I’m hoping this becomes a tradition, and the guncles come back next season too.

Randy made friends there, as always.

Sadly, the cards I made during studio time were not happy ones.  Recently, too many people I care about have lost loved ones.  So I was creating sympathy cards to get into the mail.

There were also many quick trips to the hardware or grocery stores.  While on one run, I snagged Kansas sunflowers for the table for Kevin’s birthday dinner.  I looked everywhere for a cut flower bouquet, but ending up buying a pot full.

The plant has already started to bloom again, and will be a summer-long reminder of the lovely time we had together.  I miss you, guncles!

Fab food

family, Food and Drink, Travel, Uncategorized
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Did I mention how good the food was in Maui?

The best was at Mama’s Fish House.

My sister-in-law, Terry, is an expert traveler and planner. She booked our reservations months in advance so we could have this special meal in this extraordinary setting.

We had an ideal mix of cozy family dinners made by Terry, by sunset on the balcony and fresh seafood meals at the beach.  One special treat was an appetizer of a goat cheese flight at Surfing Goat Farm.

Dinner and a show, we got to watch little kids playing.

We never turned down a dessert either.


Everything was fresh and delicious.

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