Barcelona

Day 1 – We made it. It was a close call, but we did it.

Our flights were with Air Canada and I’ve been worried since the day we got them about our layover time. We flew into Toronto and had to go through a security check there. We only had 1 hour 15 minutes to get off the plane, through customs and to the other side of the airport. Even if we left on time I thought we had a low percentage of actually making it.

Well, Air Canada confirmed their reputation of always being delayed and we left Seattle 45 minutes late. You can imagine I was anxious as all get out. Turns out though, these two ladies in the seats in front of me were also going to Barcelona and on our cruise. By the time we got off the plane we had to hit the ground running. And you all know me and I don’t run.

As we finally got off the gangway and were officially in run mode. One of the gals that we met stopped a guy in one of those carts you see in the airport and asked him if he could take us to the E gates. He said hop on.

Off we went. And I gotta tell ya, if we had not, we would not have made our plane. It was already boarding and we stood for like 5 minutes before they called our zone.

Phew. Safe and sound, and a little sweaty, the rest of the flight was uneventful.

We landed in Barcelona, found our driver and were off to Hotel Gaudi.

We stayed in Hotel Gaudi last time we were in Barcelona and loved it so much we figured we might as well stay again. Prices have gone up significantly. Plus, the room we got was a bit more expensive. We were on the top floor, and we had a terrace.

It was a great hotel. The view from our terrace looked down on the Palau Gaudi roof which has several “Gaudi” style statues.

We didn’t really have any plans for the day we arrived, so we dropped off our suitcases and went in search of lunch. Hotel Gaudi is on Las Ramblas which is a major (and touristy) walking street. Its tree lined walkways are covered with restaurants, flower shops, ice cream, and more. It’s great for people watching.

So, we found a restaurant and ordered our tapas and drinks. Janet had a sangria, and I had a beer. We asked for the small ones. Their smalls are almost 30 oz of liquid.

We stopped at this restaurant primarily because I saw on the menu Fried Olives. What? I had never thought to deep fry a green olive. It was delicious. We also ordered jamon with melon and croquettes.

The real entertainment, though, was Janet. She was taking a drink of her sangria, started to drop it then in the attempt to recover from starting to drop it, she spilled most of it on her. I looked over to see what the commotion was about and saw and piece of apple on her shoulder and her entire front side covered in Sangria. We haven’t stopped talking about it yet.

We sat there for quite a while. Partly because of all the alcohol we had to consume (“had to”) and partly because the sky opened up and it rained. Poured actually. But we were safe under a restaurant tent.

After that, our room wasn’t quite ready so we had to find something to fill our time. I was exhausted so wanted to sit for a bit, and truth be told I needed to find a bathroom. Thankfully there are two Starbucks on Las Ramblas. A teeny tiny on that had the dirtiest bathroom I’d ever seen and no toilet paper. And a huge on that was clean, tidy and had toilet paper. You can image which one I stopped in.

While I was doing that Janet walked up to the top of Las Ramblas and took photos and just checked things out.

Finally, we headed to our hotel since our room would be ready.

That’s when we discovered what a fantastic room we had.

We walked a long way to get dinner. We were on the hunt for paella. Which isn’t hard to find. But it is hard to find a good one. We think we found the restaurant we ate at in 2015 and sat down.

That night I dealt with some leg cramps. They seem to be part of my travel experience these days. I brought electrolytes to help with that but it sure didn’t help that night.

The next day we got up and had our breakfast in the hotel. My standard European breakfast of ham and cheese on a baguette. My god it’s so good.

Then we were off to Parque Güell. Parque Güell is a failed park up on the hill in Barcelona. I don’t remember the whole story but Mr. Güell bought the land and wanted Gaudi to do the design. Mr. Güell was a well off man in Barcelona and told the well off that only the best families would live in this park. Turned out only Mr. Güell, Gaudi and their lawyer lived there. That’s why it was a failed “park”. The rich didn’t come.

It’s a beautiful green space for the city now. Tourism keeps that place a float…and how. It was packed with people from all over the world. PACKED!

Once we were done there we tracked down the Hop On Hop Off bus and, well, hopped on. We had a tour scheduled for La Sagrada Familia and we needed to get lunch before.

We got off at the La Sagrada Familia stop and were FLOORED at the number of people there. It was busy when we were there in 2015, but My GOD. It was wall to wall people. And you all know how good I am around so many people.

We had time for lunch, so we walked down the street and found an open table. The waiter moved a table for us, so we figured this was turning out to be a good spot. We were wrong. We only wanted a ham and cheese sandwich and a Fanta. When we sat and ordered he was “ok” with giving us the ham and cheese, but we HAD to order an alcoholic drink. Fanta was only to go. What? So we said no thank you, got up and left. The guy was so rude and didn’t seem to care at all that he just lost money.

It worked out in our favor though. We walked around the corner and found this cute “very little” place where the woman was friendly and welcoming. We ordered and she said, “go on upstairs and I’ll bring it up.” A couple minutes later we had our sandwiches and a SUPER sized Fanta. I was in heaven.

We walked a little further to the meet up place for our tour and waited until it was time to go.

I don’t even know what to say about La Sagrada Familia. It’s the most unique basilica I’ve ever seen. It’s been under construction for a hundred years and still isn’t finished. It has followed Gaudi’s original plan, mostly, but each engineer on the job has put their own touches on it. The tour guide pointed out the façade that was constructed while a Japanese engineer was in charge all those people have a very definite Japanese face and eyes.

Inside the basilica is just amazing. The outside is fascinating, but the inside is just beautiful. It’s supposed to represent a forest and nature in general. The light that comes in just makes the place glow. It was beautiful in 2015 and even more gorgeous today.

Finishing there I was pooped. We hopped back on the bus and headed to Las Ramblas. We strolled down the avenue until we found a place for dinner. Janet and I both had Sangria, split a pizza and the weirdest Caesar salad I’d ever had. It had fried chicken nuggets on it and the lettuce was the spring mix that has what I call “weeds”.

We sat and did our people watching and amused ourselves thoroughly.

We walked back to the hotel but not before stopping for gelato. I mean, it was on the corner of our hotel so it only seemed right.

Tomorrow we get on the ship. It's gonna be a whirlwind trip again. I wonder if Janet and I will ever take a trip that is relaxing. Probably not.

All my Crabs are Packed...I'm ready to go

It's hard to believe, but here we are. The eve before another big trip. I always get a little anxious the day before thinking about leaving the house and dealing with people. Ugh. But thankfully the always chipper Janet is with me and she keeps everyone talking. 

I just checked Janet and I in and am sending good vibes out to the universe that Air Canada does not live up to all the negative things I heard about them. It's going to be fine. 

The itinerary of our trip has been set for months, but for documenting purposes - and in case anyone reads this blog - here's what's happening. 

Barcelona

We're spending a day and a half in Barcelona. I love this city and I am so thrilled to be spending some more time there. We're going to visit Parque Guell since we missed it the last time. Then we're doing a tour of La Sagrada Familia. This church has been under development for over 100 years.

Our cruise starts on May 18th. We're on the Norwegian Pearl this trip. I thought I had been on the Pearl before but I can't seem to find any photos of us on the Pearl. Mom and Dad have been on the Pearl a couple of times. I love knowing that. It's like they will be traveling with us. 

May 19

Port: Marseille

Excursion: Marseille City Highlights & Avignon

I've been to Marseille once before in our 2014 cruise. The highlight of Marseill to me is the massive basilica on the hill. Basilica Notre Dame de la Garde. It's a beautiful basilica and I'm excited to see it again. 

After Marseille we head to Avignon. This will be a first time for me. In Avignon,  along the banks of the Rhone River, we'll see the famous Pont d’Avignon with only four of its arches remaining. "Avignon was a small but prosperous town when its destiny changed in the early 14th century with the exile of the Popes to France, leading to a century of brilliance. It is surrounded by ramparts and dominated by the Doms Rock which is crowned by the magnificent Cathedral and Palace of the Popes." We'll have some free time in Avignon for lunch and general wandering.  

May 20 

Port: Cannes 

Excursion: Highlights of Nice

 Every time I see the word Nice I think of a t-shirt I got back in 1987 when I was there for Senior Skip Day. The t-shirt said "Nice is Nice". It's only funny if you realize the first "nice" is "neese" the city.

Anyhow, there wasn't anything interesting in Cannes to see, so we opted for the side excursion to Nice.  We'll drive along the Promenade des Anglais, a lovely palm lined boulevard stretching three miles along the Baie des Anges. We'll pass landmarks such as the legendary Negresco, an imposing hotel with a Rococo façade. 

Upon arrival in old Nice, enjoy your walk along Cours Saleya, an elegant promenade lined with shops, restaurants and home to the famous flower market that’s held here. Your drive continues passing the Regina Hotel to Cimiez Hill, an upscale area with many large villas. You’ll pass the Franciscan Monastery, gardens and Roman arenas, before joining the highway back to Cannes.

Nice is one of two short days for us. We're only out and about for 4.5 hours. It'll be nice to rest up that afternoon. 

May 21

Port: Livorno/Florence

Excursion: Florence & Pisa

This will be a fun stop for us. Janet's never been to Italy in general and her first steps into Italy will be Florence and the Leaning Tower. What a way to start your Italian adventure. 

In Florence we'll get a short tour of the city seeing places like the Cathedral (Duomo) of Santa Maria del Fiore, its elaborate Gothic façade is covered in a mix of pink and green marble, the statues in the Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio (the medieval stone bridge was the first bridge built across the River Arno, and has been well known for its goldsmiths and jewelers since the 16th century.)

Lunch is included and then we'll have some free time to explore. First on my list is to find a Wine Window. Wine windows Florence: https://www.theintrepidguide.com/wine-windows-in-florence/

Once we're done in Florence we head to Pisa to see the Leaning tower. This will be my third time seeing it and I'm sure I'll still stand there and marvel at it. 

May 22

Port: Rome

Excursion: Rome, Spanish Steps & St. Peter's Basilica

Rome is one of my favorite cities of all. It's big, bold, dirty and full of history. We'll do a bus tour of the city and at some point get off for a short walking tour. We'll see the Trevi fountain, the Spanish Stairs and a few other iconic locations. I'll be sure to toss another coin in the Trevi fountain so I can come back to Rome again.

The saddest part of this tour is we had originally planned to go inside the Colosseum. Something happened and our tour got changed to not include going inside. Which is a BIG bummer because that is one of the most historical and amazing sights in Rome. They swapped that visit out with the Spanish Steps. Big whoop. The Spanish Steps is like swapping the prime rib your ordered for a burger. 

We'll end our tour at St. Peter's Basilica. Depending on timing we may or may not have time to go inside. We HAVE to go inside. La Pieta is in there and I gotta see that masterpiece again.

May 23

Port: Naples

Excursion: Capri, Sorrento & Pompeii

THIS is the stop of all stops. Not only are we getting to see Pompeii - but we're stopping in Sorrento and Capri. Both of those spots were part of my In Program travel my senior year at TASIS. I'm so excited to see them again. 

We'll take a boat to Marina Grande in Capri, a port lined with colorful old fishermen’s houses. A funicular will take you up to a terrace with a marvelous scenic overlook of the small island, the coast and the sparkling sea. Walk to the piazzetta, the heart of Capri’s shopping and nightlife area. Explore the narrow streets, take in the magnificent views, or relax at an outdoor cafe. You’ll then continue to Sorrento by jet-foil where lunch awaits.

It sounds like we're only in Sorrento for lunch and very little free time. 

Then we head to Pompeii! I can't even ... Pompeii has fascinated me for years. I've been there twice before and I guarantee you this time will be just as exciting.

May 24

Port: Messina, Sicily

Excursion: Taormina and Castelmola 

We'll be exploring two medieval villages on craggy hills overlooking the sea, each setting with its own personality. This will be a first for me, so here's the description from the NCL website. 

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a scenic drive south to Taormina, an ancient city that rises almost perpendicularly from the sea. It’s a beautiful setting with an alluring medieval character, as you will discover while strolling its narrow, cobblestone streets.

Among the highlights are the Arabian-influenced Palazzo Corvaja and the ruins of a 2nd-century Greek theater. It sits on a seaside hilltop with a view of Mount Etna that is so inspiring that it can detract from the entertainers that still perform there in the summer.

After visiting, you will enjoy free time to explore on your own, taking in the views from the fragrant public garden or shopping along boutique-lined Corso Umberto. The most popular merchandise includes designer fashions, jewelry and colorful ceramic pine cones, a Sicilian symbol of hospitality.

A bit farther inland and above Taormina, you will find the village of Castelmola, which arguably boasts even better views. Although first fortified in the 9th century, Castelmola was repeatedly attacked and the ruins of the castle that remain are from the 16th century.

Like Taormina, Castelmola is wonderfully atmospheric with cobblestone streets and lovely squares flanked by small shops. Still, it’s the breathtaking views that will linger long in your memory. Before returning to the pier, you will enjoy a traditional Sicilian lunch and perhaps a glass of almond-flavored wine, the local specialty.

May 25 

Port: Corfu, Greece

Excursion: Ultimate Corfu

This will be a first for me, so here's the description from the NCL website. 

Experience Corfu’s most beautiful and renowned landmarks in a small group. You’ll drive in a minibus through the countryside dotted with lemon and olive trees, to reach at the most photographed spot of the Island and you will have a photo stop to capture the famous Mouse Island and the church of Vlaherena.

Legend of Mouse Island: https://greekreporter.com/2023/06/05/mouse-island-corfu-greece/

After, you will reach the top of Analipsis hill, near Kanoni area where Mon Repos Palace stands. It was built in 1826 by the British Commissioner Frederic Adams as a gift to his Corfiot wife, Nina Palatianou. It is a charming palace with colonial architectural elements. You’ll stop at Paleokastritsa, not only one of the most beautiful spots on the island but also a vantage point for splendid views of the multiple bays. Legend says that Odysseus met Nausica after he washed ashore on one of these bays and enjoy some free time.

This will be followed by a typical lunch at a local restaurant in Paleokastritsa. Your tour continues to Esplanade, the main square of the town, for a walk through the picturesque streets of the Old Town to see some of the historical sites.

May 26

Port: Split, Croatia

Excursion: Split Old Town & Trogir Medieval City

 This will be a first for me, so here's the description from the NCL website. 

Take advantage of this rare opportunity to visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the same day. You'll discover the treasures of Trogir and see how the Romans influenced the old city of Split. The medieval city of Trogir boasts architectural treasures of beautiful stone houses, palaces, churches, monasteries, towers and walls. The entire town is like an open-air museum, so just strolling through its narrow streets is an unforgettable experience.

You’ll visit the main attraction in Trogir, the Cathedral of St. Lawrence which is probably the finest example of Sacral architecture in Croatia. The unusual construction with three naves and three apses dominates the entire town. The main portal carved by local artist, Radovan, in the 13th century is world famous. You’ll also see the Town Loggia, Town Hall, Cipiko Palace and have some free time to explore on your own.

The old town of Split is built on and around the massive palace built by Roman emperor Diocletian. It represents the most important example of Roman architecture on the Adriatic. Your walking tour starts in the cellars which are very well preserved. You’ll see the Cathedral of St. Duje, considered to be one the oldest Catholic cathedrals in the world that still retains use of its original structure. You’ll also see the Golden Gate, the Silver Gate and the Peristyle Square from the outside.

May 27

Port: Venice

Finally we end this adventure in Venice. We're spending the day there doing a walking tour of Venice and then head home on the 28th. 

I'm exhausted just looking at this itinerary. Bon Voyage everyone!

It's Hard to Say Goodbye

I had to make the most difficult decision us pet owners have to make. I had to let my Sweet Lucy go last night.

My last photo with Lucy. 

Lucy has had some breathing difficulties for a couple of months now. Her original diagnosis was asthma. We put her on a steroid to help with that. It did help for a little.

Last week her breathing became more labored than it should have. I was able to get her in immediately for a vet visit. We did an x-ray and the vet came in and said, “Lucy’s in trouble.” There was more she said but I sorta zoned out after that.

She sent me to Timberline Vets so Lucy could be put immediately into an oxygen chamber. She spent the rest of Monday and all day Tuesday in this oxygen chamber. The vet that met with me gave me several options. We went down the path of more tests on Monday.

Tuesday a different vet called and provided an update. She was going to do an abdominal ultrasound and would call me later in the day with an update. They had felt something hard in her abdomen and wanted to just rule out any blockage as the issue. Following that they were going to do a lung wash. She explained what that was and boy did it not sound pleasant. But if it gave us something to work with, I was willing to agree to yet another test. 

The same vet then called around 1 and laid it on the line for me. She said Lucy wasn’t able to stay outside the oxygen chamber for long without her breathing becoming labored. The lung wash provided no useful information and the latest x-ray showed her lung tissue was seriously compromised.

“Seriously compromised”. Those are difficult words to hear.

She provided some more tests we could try. But honestly the tone of her voice told me all that I needed to hear. Her tone was sad; defeated. I asked her the question I didn’t want to ask. I asked, “Are we talking end of life here?”

She paused and said she would support that decision. Nothing we could do for Lucy would make her better. She couldn’t live outside the oxygen chamber and lung tissue doesn't regenerate. So, basically, she'd never get better. 

GULP. We hung up and I cried. A lot…

Then I got myself together and called Sherrie to see if she wanted to go visit Lucy with me. She did of course and thank GOD she was with me. I was clear with her as to the fact our visit would be saying goodbye. She still wanted to come and say goodbye and support me.

I don’t really remember the trip to the vet. But once we got there they took us back to see Lucy in the chamber. She recognized me immediately and perked right up. She started purring and walking back and forth in the chamber. There were little doors we could reach through to pet her. And she seemed so happy to see a friendly face.  

I asked the vet tech if we could hold her and spend some time with her outside the chamber. I explained I had made that decision to let her go. She immediately got Lucy out of the chamber and took us to a room to spend time with her.

Once in the room she handed me Lucy who quickly put herself in the usual position over my left shoulder. She hugged me. I hugged back. She purred like she always does. I cried. 

We loved on her for about 20 minutes and then we gave the vet our go ahead to put her down.

They brought in a VERY comfortable looking blanket. The type Lucy would love. We laid her down on the blanket. The vet explained what would happen, including some things that might happen so I was prepared. I was sure I was about to run from the room but I stayed. Lucy needed to not be alone.  

She was very content. It was like she was ok with this decision. She was ready. 

As she laid there and the Vet started, I had my face next to her ear, my hand on her side and I whispered my love to her and my thankfulness for her filling my life with joy. I told her I would remember her forever and that I’d take special care of Linus.

The vet indicated we were beginning and within 10 seconds she was gone. Peaceful. Very peaceful.

I kissed the top of her head and stepped away. Sherrie said her goodbyes and the vet wrapped her up and walked out.

Sherrie and I sat and cried and cried. 

I know in my heart it was THE ONLY decision to make. I don’t regret it at all. But I’m sad. And I’ll miss her every day. 

Linus seems to be ok with this. He hasn't spent any time "looking" for her like I thought he would. He's been by my side non-stop though. He hasn't been on her chair once. So maybe he knows. 

It feels weird to only have him. I keep telling him it's just him and me now. 

The Big D

Welp...it's official. I have Type 2 Diabetes. I was officially diagnosed with it last week. I am not surprised at all. I'm pissed. 

I know. I know. I got myself here. I made all the bad food choices and it landed me here. THAT's why I'm pissed. 

I remember watching Dad give himself insulin and I thought, "That's not going to be me." I sword I'd do better. And I did. For a little. 

Then COVID came about. And something in me switched. I just started eating. I didn't care what I ate. I wasn't trying to make healthy decisions. I just ate. 

I gained all the weight I lost in 2019. Thankfully I haven't gained more. But that aside, the bad eating is what got me in the situation I'm in. 

Next steps are to visit the doctor on May 13th to figure out the medication I'm going to have to go on. The thing is my appt is a day before we take off for our trip. I am not taking any new medications and then leaving the country. No sir. No how. So that'll have to wait until I get back. 

I've been eating low carb since I got the diagnosis. My A1C is quite high and the doc wants me to really cut back on all the white refined sugars, flour, breads, rice, pasta, chips etc. So basically everything I love. But I did my grocery shopping and focused on low carb goodness and I'm doing pretty good with it. 

Low carb has come a long way. I don't feel deprived and as long as I don't feel deprived and I feel full I should be ok. It's when I don't plan and I'm hungry that my decision making skills go to hello. 

So stay tune. This adventure will be put on hold until I get back from our cruise. 

Speaking of which, we leave in 8 days. 

March Madness The End

We did it!

We did 30 days of 30 minutes of walking. It wasn't always easy and I can confirm that there were more than a couple of days where I really didn't want to. But we did! And I'm so very proud of France and I. 

So here's a list of things I learned this last month. 

1. The words "commitment" and "accountability" go hand in hand. France and I both take commitment very seriously. This helped keep us both accountable. All we would have had to say to each other was "you made a commitment" and we would have ignored the pull to not get out of the house and would have met each other as planned. 

2. Some people think it's funny that I'm so happy about 30 minutes of walking for 30 days straight. I get that. Most people don't have to force themselves out of the house and do exercise things. I have to. Exercise isn't something I have ever enjoyed (obviously) and it's easy for me to make an excuse to not go. So going 30 days in a row and exercising is a huge accomplishment for me. One I'm proud of. And I intend to continue to do this in April. 

3. It's amazing how good I feel. I know 30 minutes a day seems like a small amount to you all, but that small 30 minutes has really given me back my energy. I find I'm not as lazy as I used to be. And that, my friends, is a good thing. 

4. There's a difference between routine and habit. When I think of a habit I think of things we do with muscle memory. Things like brushing your teeth, going to the same coffee shop every day. Things like that. When I think about routine, the project manager in me comes out and a routine is like a mini schedule. It's what you do to get things done. For example, my routine is to do my grocery shopping every Saturday morning. It's routine. It's on the schedule and so I do it. 

This gym thing is now routine. Whether it becomes a habit is yet to be decided, but the routine is down flat. France and I go every day at my lunch time (around 11). It gets it over with and then we have the rest of the day to muck around and do things like, take naps or scrapbook, or cook. 

5. The biggest lie I tell myself is I'll walk at home. I won't. I will want to. I will change my clothes to, but it's really common that I don't. Outside is usually wet and cold this time of year, so there's another excuse. BUT, now I bought myself a walking pad that is in my house. Now I have zero excuses. France has one and talked me into buying it. Probably the best thing I did. 

It's set up right in front of the boob tube too. So my plan has been to walk during commercials. Some nights I do. Some nights I don't. But it's there and it's available to use.

So now we're in April. And France and I both plan on going every day that we can. I start my week by reviewing my work schedule and sending France my plan for the week. Then each day we confirm the next day. 

The best part of the gym now is when we leave I say, "See you tomorrow." and I know I will. 

March Madness

I am not a basketball fan. Not even close. But, I am doing a March Madness of sorts. 

Friend France mentioned that she was doing this thing she was calling "March Madness". Her goal is to walk/exercise at least 30 minutes a day for 30 days. That sounds like a solid goal. It sounds like a lot, but why not give it a shot. 

So I told France I was all in. 

I'm a believer that the Universe tells us things all the time. If only we just listen. I could give you a dozen examples of how that's played out in my life, but I'm sure you've experienced. That gut feeling. The turn right instead of turn left gut punch you get every now and then. I have that all the time. Sometimes I listen. Sometimes I don't. I've gotten two tickets from not listening. 

I took Friday off to run some errands and to just generally have an extra day for the weekend. I do it every month. I take one Friday off a month. Call it mental health adjustment. This Friday I wanted to do some comparison shopping on chicken. (Someday I'll tell you about my weird chicken quirk I have). 

My dad love Sprouts and so I figured I'd swing over to Sprouts and see what they have and what their prices are. Next door to Sprouts is my old gym Planet Fitness. I've been meaning to go in and cancel my membership there since I have a member ship at 24 hour Fitness now. 

As I was walking over to the gym I thought, you know why not get on a treadmill. You've got tennis shoes on. You've got a bra on. You've got music. What's stopping you from walking for 15-30 minutes. AND you've got a trip looming in which you need to get into some type of shape. 

Decision made. I walked into Planet Fitness and expected bells and whistles to go off indicating I hadn't been there in a thousand years. Nothing like that happened. 

I found a treadmill and walked. I turned up the incline at some point and just people watched and walked. It was all over in no time. 

Got off and left. 

When I got home I was chatting with France and our other friend Anandi and mentioned this whole thing and that's when France told me about her March Madness plan. I was all in. 

Having accountability with someone else makes a big difference with me. It amazes me I can't be accountable for myself. I am at work. I am with other aspects of my life. But when it comes to working out goals, I have a bucket full of excuses. 

France and I have a plan. Anandi wanted in too. She lives out of state so we made a plan to send photos of our walking/exercise for the day. 

I've walked two days in a row now. Which for most people sounds funny - but when you work from home and have no reason to leave, it's easy to not walk too far. 

So here we go. Let's see what March brings us. I have 76 days before our big Mediterranean cruise and if Portugal was any indication of how out of shape I am to travel, then I really need to get going. I can do this. I will do this. I even bought a walking platform to have at home. That should really help. 

ScrapbookPaLooza

Motivation is something that is required to do certain things. Getting to the gym, for example, requires motivation. Hell, getting dressed to go to the gym takes motivation. I lack that motivation. 

Where I don't lack motivation is scrapbooking. It's my creative outlet. I use it to decompress from the work week - and most recently (December) the workday. 

See what happened was, I realized I watch too much TV. I work in front of the TV all day. It's usually on and is there to make noise. I don't like working in silence. It reminds me that I live alone and work alone and that I have way too many conversations with my cats. And so, because of the TV thing, I decided I wanted to turn it off when work was done and either read or scrapbook. 

The first week when work was done, I went into the scrapbook room. I didn't want to work on any big projects and just wanted to "play around". That's when it dawned on me that I could scrap random photos. Basically, scrap photos that really don't mean anything, may or may not have a story, but it would allow me to scrap, work on my skill, use up my stash and be creative. It was so liberating to realize that I didn't have to "have a reason" to scrap something. 

And so started the Random Scrapbooking Project. 

But wait, I needed to be "organized" in this randomness. And yes, I do realize organization and random are antonyms. This is the part where when I explained it to my BFF she rolled her eyes at me and my process minded self. After putting some thought into it, I wanted to "process" it out so that I could stay focused in the randomness. I know. I know. When I say it out loud it sounds crazy, but I promise you it made a huge impact on how focused it's kept me. 

I have about 200 sketches for scrapbook layouts. These are sketches (or other scrapbooker pages) that I've collected. Not every page is a brand new creation. Many times, I take inspiration from what other people have done. My page is never an exact duplicate of their page, but it gets me inspired. Those sketches are numbered in a folder on my computer.

Each week I select 5 random numbers - 1 through 200, and those are the layouts I make. Then I have to find photos to use.  Being that these are random, it's really easy to do. Plus, I have a thousand cat photos to pick from. 

From there I gather the supplies I want to use and I get busy.  In most cases, in a week I'd do those 5 pages and then some. For December I did what's called December Daily - well my version of it. I came up with 31 "topics" and I did a page with a photo representing that topic for each day. It was a blast and I used up a TON of Christmas supplies. But December Daily really helped create this habit of going upstairs every day and scrap a page or two. 

Enter January. My department at work reorganized and put me in a Director position of the Project Management Office. That means my team of PMs are scattered across the globe. Which translated into me starting work at 6am most days (and one day at 5:30am and one day once a month at 5am). That means I get off work by 2 or 2:30. THAT gives me several hours in the scrapbook room with daylight. (I don't like to scrap when I have to turn on a light. It changes the colors of papers and embellishments).

Here we are in February and every day I could I go up in the scrapbook room and do 2 or three pages. Here's just a small example of what I've done since Jan 1. 

I realize as I look at this one now that I've
not added any title or journaling. This was
my grandparents 25th wedding anniversary.

You can see how random they all are and how most don't really belong in any "project" scrapbook. 

My goal this year for scrapping is 365 pages. It's not even the end of February and I'm at 79 pages already. I might have to adjust my goal to make it harder. 

What I've noticed after scrapping each night is I feel very accomplished and satisfied with myself for not sitting in front of the boob tube. Now, if I can get just a little of that motivation to rub off in the "getting to the gym" goal. 

What were your parents like?

Welcome to another installment of "My Life Story". The card today asks what I assume would be an easy question for most, but may be a bit complicated for me. 

The question "What were your parents like?"

You see I've had two sets of parents with Mom as the common denominator. 

Let's start with the early years. Mom and my original father, Don, were married young. Mom was just 17 when they married. That was back in 1964 - they did that then. Don was her high school sweetheart and they seemed quite happy. 

Then Don got sent to Vietnam. While there my mom gave birth to my sister, Melanie. Then he came home and then he went back again. When returned I was born 9 months after. 

The point of telling you about Vietnam is that his tours changed him. Mom used to say that he left part of his soul there and she thought it was the nice part of his soul. 

He wasn't a great father to me. He flirted with every female he came in contact with and I remember as a kid that embarrassed me. I can't even imagine how mom felt about it. He was not a nice man at times either. We were disciplined with a heavy hand. By today's standards you might call it abuse. We were certainly mentally abused. I don't really remember him having nice things to say to us. We used to get the belt for the oddest, and most insignificant things. I remember this one time Melanie and I both got it because we folded a kitchen towel wrong. 

He tried and I think he did the best he could with what he had with him. I often wonder what he would have been like if Vietnam hadn't happened. 

Mom and him divorced in 1979/80 and that's when the next dad comes into play. 

Mom went out on a set up date with Al Wraspir sometime in 1980. I don't remember who set them up, but it was a double date and they hit it off. They married in Sept 1982. Dad adopted me right after that. I officially went from Jennifer Miller to Jennifer Wraspir. 

Dad was an amazing dad. He had his issues too, like he was stubborn and was pretty opinionated at times. But he was also kind, he loved his family, he worked hard, he had a strong will, and treated me as if I was his. He never treated me like a step daughter and instead took the time to help make me a person who can be a valuable part of society. He worked for Boeing for 47 years and I think wished I followed in those footsteps. While I worked at Boeing, I wasn't meant to be there for that long. 

He always had a ton of friends around him. Many were his hunting buddies. We spent many nights at other friends' houses having dinners and such. 

He taught me to love cooking. Mom did too for that matter. But dad had the curiosity to try and cook different things. He LOVED food. Tomatoes were among his favorite foods. I don't have enough space in the blog to list all his favorites. 

He was a wonderful dad and I consider myself very lucky. 

Mom - what can I say about her that I haven't already said in this blog. She was my best friend. Not always, but definitely as an adult. As a teenager, like most, I wasn't a fan of her. She enforced rules and followed through with consequences. I'm grateful now, but 14 year old me was not. 

She was kind, she too loved her family. She LOVED dogs and her grandkids. Hell, she loved all my friends and adopted them to be "her kids". She too worked at Boeing and was there for 37 years (or something like that). She had a tougher time there trying to progress because, well, she was a woman in a man's world. 

She loved to travel and cook like Dad. They both, together, taught me about how important seeing the world is to better understand, and tolerate, other cultures. "Tolerate" was dad's word and I don't think he meant it as it came out the same way it sounds today. 

Overall, I consider myself very lucky to have had such great parents. They were strict but they loved me. They helped me become the person I am today. 

I miss them both every day. 

Where were you born? Is that where you were raised?

Welcome to the next installment of me documenting my life. I was amusing myself earlier this week while sketching out this topic by reminding myself that the purpose of documenting your life is often to leave some part of you behind for your kids. Since I have no kids, then the rest of you get to enjoy these little trips. 

The question on today's card is "Where were you born? Is that where you were raised?

I was born in Houston Texas, Herman Hospital to be exact. 

Photo from TrailBlaze Travels

My first dad was in the military and stationed there. I don't think we lived there much longer. And I've never been back. Well, that's not completely true. We visited my Great Grandparents in Texas at some point in my life. Only once that I remember. And since then the only other time I've been in Texas was to be stuck in the Dallas airport for 8 hour due to weather. 

Is that where you were raised? 

This is an easy, and yet, complicated, question. The short answer is no. The long answer is a list of places I've lived that will take you a minute or two to read. 

On my 40th birthday, as part of the celebration, I thought it'd be fun to do some Jenn Trivia. One of the questions was how many places had I lived in my 40 years. The catch was every address counted. Not just the different cities or countries, but every address I lived in. 

The answer: 27

That's right, I had lived in 27 different places by the time I was 40. Now that I'm 55, that number is a whoppin 28. The first part of my life I moved frequently. Then I found a place I liked and lived there for 12 years. The longest I ever lived anywhere. Now I'm in this new place (been here for 3 years already). 

Back in the day, I'd move every year. The places I was living would raise my rent and I figured if I was going to pay more rent, I might as well live someplace nicer. It got amusing for my friends who all found other things to do the last weekend in July every year. 

Places I've lived since Houston - Not in any order: Albuquerque, New Jersey, Lancaster (3 different addresses), Washington (I lost count of how many addresses - Kent, Renton, Bellevue, Redmond three times, Lynnwood (twice), Switzerland, Saudi, Mexico, etc

I have mixed emotions about all these locations and all the moving. It makes me feel a little gypsy esk at times. The benefit has been that I was able to make new friends quickly. The downside was you never really created deep, lasting relationships with those friends. 

Moving, I feel, also broadened my view of the world. Living in foreign countries allowed me an opportunity to see, and understand different cultures. Eat their food, see their sights, talk with their people, and immerse myself in their culture. 

What about you? Where were you born and were you raised there?

2024 - Week 1 Done!

Phew. I wasn't sure I was going to make it. The first week of 2024 was a killer of a week. 

Having a shorter week sounds like a good idea at the time, but it ends up being that you still have 40 hours of work to do in only 32 hours. I managed, but just barely. 

In 2017 - 2018 I had the shittiest time at work. I had a small team and WAY too much work for a single team. Myself and another PM colleague spent hours, hours and hours at work weekly. For the first time ever, I clocked over 65 hours at a job for a week. I was getting tired. I was getting burned out. 

I was short tempered with everyone. I had dreams of finding a new job - but God knows I had no time to find said job. I was in a hamster wheel and didn't know how to get out.

I spoke with my boss at the time about it. He didn't seem to hear me. He wasn't interested in how much work was on my plate. He was, instead, interested in the data and how we could use the data. He was in the office late each night and so it seemed it was natural. He was part of the problem and I wasn't aware at the time. 

I read articles about how to communicate with a boss that wasn't listening. I tried those suggestions, and nothing. No change. 

I was on the brink of just walking away. And then we had a reorg.

Saved by the reorg. I went back to work for a former boss and he heard me. He listened. He saw the hours and he got me help. Phew. Just in the nick of time. 

This last week ... nothing like that. Not even close. But it had me thinking about those days now passed. I realized how thankful I was to just be "busy" not overwhelmed. 

We're on the brink of a reorg at work too. I'm about to become the Director of Courseware Project Managers. Not quite a PMO, but close. I'm a bit nervous. A bit scared. And a whole lot of excited. 

I'm going to be managing new people that I know, but haven't had much of an opportunity to work with. I'm clean slating it too. They all come with baggage - good and bad - and I'm going to do my best to just start with a clean slate for each of them. Including the two PMs I already manage who are staying with me. 

The current company has invested in Advanced Leadership training for managers. I think this is a great time to put a lot of that to good use.

Next week will be busy just getting situated. The new team is going to enter the "forming" stage of Tuckman's ladder of new teams. This is the hardest stage for me if I'm being honest. I often want to just skip ahead to the "norming" stage where we are all just productive. 

I'm going to be busy for several weeks moving forward too. I have to get to know these new employees and their jobs. On top of learning all that, I need to get to know them. That's the easy part. 

All this to say, I'm ready for this challenge. I won't ever go back to working 65 hours again, but I'm ok with putting in hours and hard work for a company that values you. Not that the other company didn't value me, they just didn't seem to care that I was overwhelmed. THAT is what I won't let happen again.

In other none work related news, the Crabby Ladies went to see Boys in the Boat yesterday. We read the book in 2014 and it was one of our favorite books. The movie did it justice. 

55

I'm 55!

I'm 55!

I'M 55!

I'm gonna keep saying it until I believe it. 

I'm 55!

How? How did I get to be 55? (That's a rhetorical question. I know how).

Birthday's rarely bother me. It's a number, not a mind set. And up to 55 I've been doing ok with that thought. But 55 is a number to me. A big number. 

When I was younger, 55 was when people retired. It's when they started getting ready to spend their hard earned cash doing the fun things in life. AARP called and sent you a card. It was your "next part" of your life. 

That's not true these days. It may not be true for me ever. 

And that's another thing, when I think about my life, as I do too often, I like to think that I've done pretty well. I've lived a good life and plan on continuing to live said good life. 

I have had steady jobs. Each one teaching me what I like, or dislike, about working, the people I work with and managers. I believe I'm at the pinnacle of my career and you know what, I'm ok with that in a way I never thought I would be. The ambition is no longer to climb the ladder, but to continue being consistent in my work life. Learn, grown and just be. That's my attituded now. 

I have see the world. Oh boy have I. I've been to places I once only imagined I'd visit. I was never sure after leaving TASIS if I would ever see Europe again. Now I'm seen the majority of Europe and still have more to see. I'm so very thankful for being about to travel and see the world, learn about history, learn about different cultures and experience things that are magical. 

I have friends who love me and who I love in return. In you're 20's you have a gaggle of friends and you believe they are family. Some of those friends stay with you as your grow, but are no longer family. Some of those friends are by your side constantly and stay in your life well into your 50's. Those friends stay as family and welcome the "Wraspir" last name. They keep you level, they call you on your BS, they often give you crap about anything, they love you, they hug you, they eat your food, they listen, they will be there for you. I'm very grateful for those friends. They know who they are and if they don't, then they aren't those friends. 

In 1998 when my Aunt Jean took me to buy my first scrapbook stuff, I never would have guessed that that 30 year old would be the scrapbooking queen she is today. My craft has really come a long way. I love scrapbooking and love even more that it is what settles my mind. The creativity is something I crave and what better way than to create beautiful pages. I've learned a lot. I've taken a ton of courses and have made more pages than I can even count. I shudder to think about the amount of money spent in this hobby, but it is what it is. 

And that's another thing at 55 that I love. I no longer care about what people think about me. I used to really care and used to make sure I was almost perfect so that I could get approval. Now, I approve myself. Social media has made it difficult for people today to be ok with who they are (by "people" I really mean the younger generation) and for me, I'm so very glad that I've grown past that. I'm comfortable in my own body - even if that body is larger than I want it to be. 

And that's another thing at 55, losing any pounds takes significant effort. Sheesh. It's like my 55 year old body loves all those fat cells individually and do not want to let them go. 

And that's another thing at 55, my eyes are having a harder time seeing anything. I have glasses I need to wear when I'm reading or on the computer or reading a menu. I used to marvel at my grandparents wearing their "readers" around their necks dangling from a chain. I'd wonder why they just don't get glasses. Now I get it. I don't need full glasses. I just need ones to make things closer up easier to read. 

So another year has come and gone. I've been on this little blue marble for 55 years. Fifty-five! 5 - 5. I'm not sure how that happened. But at 55 I know I can reflect on the past and look forward to a future that is still bright, a little scary, but bright. 

Top 10 Favorite Books of 2023

Here we are at the end of 2023! It's been quite a year of reading for me. 

I've read 45 books (changed my goal from 50 to 45). Only one I really struggled to get through and think I skipped most of it ( West With the Night by Beryl Markham).

Of the other 44 there were really obvious standouts.

 

All these books I loved and some I REALLY loved. If a story stays with me, I know it was told well, and it had the right amount of plot to keep me interested enough to invest part of my brain to remember. Here are my thoughts on each - in no specific order of like. 

The Storyteller of Casablanca

By Fiona Valpy

This is another WWII book told from a bit of a different area. The family escapes to Casablanca - which apparently a lot of Europeans did. I laughed and I cried my way through this book. It's beautifully written with the present and the past. 

The author bounces you between two characters in two different time periods. What I liked about it is that I never felt lost. I felt always connected to both characters and didn't feel confused. 

Midnight at the Blackbird Café

By Heather Webber

This book came recommended to me from my friend Heather. Her recommendations have never let me down before, and this one was no different. 

Another magical book. The main character has to come back to bury her grandmother and decides to stay and keep her grandmother's cafe opened. The story is told in a way that makes you want to go to Wicklow and eat some of the pie sold there. Beautifully told with a solid plot and characters. 

The Lightkeeper's Daughter

By Jean E. Pendziwol

This book kept me engaged the entire time. It's a great story told in way that slowly unfolds. It has a mystery element to it and I found myself without a clue how it was going to end. 

The House in the Cerulean Sea

By T.J. Klune

You have to have an opened mind and like "fantasy" books to like this one. The children are creatures and if that's not your cup of tea, then this book you may not enjoy. 

Thankfully, for me, this is my cup of tea and I loved Loved LOVED this book. It's such a wonderful story and message about being ok with stepping out of your comfort zone. The characters are all loveable and you want nothing more than to know more about them. 

The sequel to this book is coming in 2024.

The Book of Lost Names

By Kristin Harmel

If I had to pick a top 3, this would be in it. Another Heather recommendation and another book I fell in love with . 

A woman in WWII starts working for an organization that transports Jewish children out of France and safely into another country. She starts writing down their names so that perhaps they can be reunited with their families after the war. 

I love WWII stories and this one was so heartwarming under horrible circumstances. The characters were all well defined and the story reveals itself slowly and in a very thought out way. 

I closed this book and just sat thinking about the bravery, the courage, the foresight that these characters had. 

None of this Is True

By Lisa Jewell

Whoa. Lisa Jewell does it again. She can tell an intriguing story that keeps you hooked and causes you to stay up way too late to read "just one more chapter". 

I had no idea where this book was going and I really wasn't sure how it would end. It gripped me from the first chapter and kept me hooked throughout. You cannot go wrong with a Lisa Jewell novel. 

Finding Heather

By Alison Ragsdale

This was an accidental read for me. Amazon served it up as a "If you liked that, you'll like this" and it was free so I decided why not?  And I'm glad I did. 

It's a lovely story about finding yourself after tragedy. Making hard decisions for yourself in order to move you forward. I found I fell in love with all the characters in this book and had that warm, loving feeling after I read it. It starts sad, but made me smile in the end. 

Demon Copperhead

By Barbara Kingsolver

This Pulitzer Prize winning novel really dug into my soul. It's a story about addiction in a very poor part of our country. The main character swears he won't become an addict like his mother, then due to an injury he does. I found myself yelling at him telling him to NOT take that pill from the doctor. 

I found I got mad at several characters. I was leery of several characters. And I fell in love with some characters. 

This book stuck with me. It was a book club read for November, and I still find myself thinking about the characters and wondering how they are today. By the way, it's fiction. 

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing

By Matthew Perry

This was my pick for January 2024 book club. I choose it after Matthew Perry passed. I had bought this book when it was first released and there it sat on my TBR list. Then he tragically died. It felt like the right thing to do. I wanted to hear his story. 

I know reading bios that the "stories" are all as true as the author want you to believe. But man did he struggle. Reading this on the heels of Demon Copperhead made me feel like I was an addict. I felt that unless you've been in those addictive shoes, you couldn't possible understand. I have a stronger understanding of the struggle, but I can't even imagine. 

His candid stories of his addiction and how he struggled really hit home for me. Showing that vulnerability for him must have been hard. He was my favorite "Friend" and I felt bad for the life he lived as an addict. 

Are You There God It's Me Margaret

By Judy Blume

If you're a girl and a preteen in the late 70s, you probably remember reading this book when it came out. It was all the rage amongst my girlfriends. One read it and swore it had all the answers about getting your period. Of course it didn't, but what did we know? They rereleased this book and did a movie last year and I wanted to read it as an adult. 

It hits different as an adult. Not the greatest story, but it was heartwarming and really took me back to my childhood. That's why it's on my list this year as a favorite. It's a classic to me.

How'd You Get Your Name?

Well, here we are, mid-December. Christmas is just 10 days away. How'd that happen? 

I've been keeping myself busy doing December Daily scrapping. Basically 31 photos with themes you come up with. Then you scrap those pages and tell the story. I've got 6 more pages left to do for December. 

I've been spending a lot of time thinking about my life and the stories I want to leave behind. I had a book I had started answering the questions. Most didn't really apply to my life later in life, so I stopped once it had an entire section on "your married life". Rather presumptuous I think. 

Every day I wish I could ask mom one more question about her life. I've been looking through old photos and have no idea on why or what the story is behind them. 

My grandma Spaid once told me that as you age you think more and more about the life you lived. You review it and think about what could have been, what has been, and what's still to come. She wasn't wrong. And that's why I wanted to document some of my own stories. 

A friend gave me this card set. She saw it on Instagram and thought of me immediately. She thought about how much fun I'd have sharing my stories (whether anyone reads them or not). 

And so today I start with question one: How'd you get your name?

This is another one of those times I'd like to ask my mother to confirm what I think she told me. 

First, I was supposed to be a Jonathon. Her and my dad were sure I was a boy and they had not decided on a girl name. Mom wanted to name me Christina Noel because of how close my birthday was to be to Christmas. Dad said no. 

Dad wasn't home when mom went into labor. One time she said she took a cab, the other she said a friend drove her to the hospital. I'm inclined to think a friend took her. 

Anyhow, when I came out as a girl, they didn't have any names. Mom had heard the song "Jennifer" by Bobby Sherman and had the song in her head, so Jennifer it was. 

My middle name is Joy. And apparently there was a good family friend who lived across the street from my grandparents Miller whose name was Joy.

UPDATE: My Aunt Renee corrected me on the name Joy. I had it wrong. Per Aunt Rene: 

"Joy" came from our cousin Joy. Joy was given to you because you guys lived in Texas where our cousin Joy and Aunt and Uncle lived. Joy is your second cousin." 

I was never a Jenny. Ugh. Blech. Gross. Don/Dad hated Jenny and so it wasn't a nickname ever given to me. I was always Jennifer or JJ. 

Later in life, for a short period, I roomed with several Jennifer's in one room. One was already a Jenny. The other was a Jen with one "n", so I opted for Jenn with two "n's". I prefer Jenn over Jennifer. Jennifer makes me feel like I'm in trouble. 

Dad (Al) later called me J. So J became a shortened name for me. Really only he and some Wraspir relatives call me J. 

Other names I've had in my life:

Fennifer Misery

Wroscoe

TOJ (The Other Jenn)

My name has been spelled with one n (Jenifer) many times. I can't even count how many. It's also been spelled Jenipher from a Third Country National in Saudi. That spelling made me smile.

I was once Jennifer Joy Miller. Then when mom and dad got married, I took the Wraspir last name when Dad adopted me. Then I was Jennifer Joy Wraspir. And that's what it shall be for the rest of my life.